The Secret Life of Becky Miller

Witty, whimsical, and yet so wonderfully down-to-earth, Sharon Hinck's The Secret Life of Becky Miller is everything you'd want in an entertaining read. It's smart, funny, and real. A convincing cast of characters is headlined by the perfectly drawn wife and mother whose secret ambitions add punch and panache to every chapter.

The Secret Life of Becky Miller is a must-read for every mother who is still in the fray of raising her children. Or anyone who pursues a dream amid the demands of daily life. Becky strives to be a successful wife and mother, while pursuing a lofty, elusive dream. Her lovable but imperfect family and friends are the source of both delight and frustration. Unexpected opportunities and obstacles combine forces to push her dream beyond reach. How will she ever be able to do the things she dreams of? Becky's journey reminds us that even when unexpected twists hide the light at the end of the tunnel, the light is still there, shining brightly. The quality of Sharon Hinck's writing is top-notch. She does an excellent job of blending joy and humor into the plot without minimizing the challenges that confront us all. Her characters are utterly real and their emotions ring true. This book is a real page-turner that brings both tears and chuckles.

Christian authors are giving the literary world a run for their money, and Sharon Hinck is at the front of the pack. The Secret Life of Becky Miller, written in James Thurber's Walter Mitty-style, packs an Emeril-size BAM! From page one, Becky Miller sneaks into your heart--she's every wife and mom who wants to do it all but discovers she's only human. Add to the mix a love for God and a strong desire to do BIG things for Him. "I calmly and efficiently assessed the most severe trauma and tackled each crisis in order. In my dreams." Becky daydreams in the opening of each chapter, and those fantasies are a qui vive to her state of mind. Her journey to discovery and trust, filled with twists and detours and the help of some delicious characters, is a look inside the heart of a woman who loves God and her family. Methinks Hinck has skirted this road herself; the insight she brings to Becky's spiritual journey brought tears to my eyes and left me gasping for air. Warning: Do not read this book late at night next to a sleeping husband. You won't be able to put it down and your laughter will awaken him. The Secret Life of Becky Miller is a must read--a manual if you will--for every young mom, and a hilarious look back for those of us who endured those years and lived to tell about it.

Becky Miller is mom to three kids, seven and under. She is also a wife, a part-time college student and has built the women's ministries section of her church from the ground up. She has also found out she is to be one of twelve women featured in a local magazine. Nominated by her friend Sally, she was chosen because of her ability to balance career, family life, and personal growth. Becky realizes she has six months to get her act in order to actually be the woman the magazine is looking for. Her good start doesn't last long as her life begins to splinter. Small irritations are shoved aside by major events which are buried under frightening disasters. Becky realizes her life will never be the same as it once was, but will it be one she can live with? Sharon Hinck does an excellent job at portraying the frustrations and joys of a stay at home mom. She writes as one who has staggered through the sleepless nights, the struggled with self-esteem and contrary washers, and lived to tell about it in a relevant and funny way.

I rarely read Mom-Lit -- I don't fit the demographic all that well. But a friend enthused about this book and I'm glad I took a look. The fantasy intros to the chapters are wonderful. They display wit and imagination, and I certainly identify with anyone whose mind wanders into heroic realms. I do this myself on occasion. The transitions back to "normal" life as reality rears its ugly head are a hoot! Going from a pirate scenario (for example) to a rebellious leaking washing machine while kids squabble and demand attention NOW!!! can't be described except as a laugh-out-loud moment. I had no idea that the typical homemaker could have such an active, vivid imagination. Clearly, Becky has no time for Oprah or Jerry. "The Secret Life of Becky Miller" stands out because it shows me, a non-mom, the trials a mother can experience while raising a family, encouraging a husband, dealing with church politics, finding time for quirky friends, coping with a less-than-sympathetic-and-highly-overachieving sister, and trying to maintain an identity and her sanity. Ms. Hinck doesn't fall back on clichéd solutions. The struggles that Becky and Kevin experience are authentic and like those of many other couples. The difference for them is that they planted their marriage, and their lives, on the foundation of Jesus Christ. We see that this doesn't guarantee sunny days and butterflies all the time, but it does assure that we don't have to lean only on ourselves, our spouses, families, or friends, but rather that there's One greater than us who will not fail us. When difficult times hit, they rely on their faith, not on self-help books or TV gurus. "The Secret Life of Becky Miller" isn't preachy. Faith is there without leaping off the page. It's a key part of the story, but isn't rammed down the reader's throat. There are no pat solutions in Becky's life, although there are pleasant and plausible surprises. She and Kevin have a marriage that can withstand the trials the exterior world drops on them because they're wise enough not to depend on themselves but rather on the One who guides their lives. Highly recommended, both as a personal read and as a gift for any mom who's ever struggled with life's daily challenges.