Divine Appointments by Charlene Ann Baumbich

I have been trying to determine how to write this review. I cannot say I hated this book nor can I say I loved it. It was... okay. I did like the characters and even enjoyed the main storyline.  I can relate a bit with Josie, who is in her late 40s and dealing with hot flashes and sleepless nights. She is a driven determined woman who is at the top of her game and yet, she comes to realize something is missing. I do love that the "missing" isn't a man or marriage (both great things!). It is more about looking at your life and determining if you are who you want to be.. and if you like who you are and what you do.  It is about loosening up and letting life unfold naturally and enjoying the ride.

Lyle learns the same lesson, but for him it is not a new thought.. but the return to where he started.. to what he wanted. He was living the life and got swept up into a corporate world of profits and bottom lines where people are just numbers.  He is thrust out of that world and give the opportunity to return to his true love.

There were 2 elements of this book that I did not care for and found to be very distracting to me.  One was a novel within the novel. I have no problem with that concept, but this novel was written by a character who had a lot of anger to vent and did so in a very unique manner. At first it was a bit cute, but over time it got to be too much for me and really seemed to serve no purpose.

I also did not care for the Snowglobe. There is an odd mystical effect it has on Josie at times that seemed a bit too odd for me and again, did not really serve a purpose. The author did tie in the globe nicely in the book, but I believe the story would have worked as well, if not better, without it.

In no way would I say this is a book not worth reading, it just wasn't a page turner for me.

A free copy of this book was presented to me by Waterbrook Press for review.