Book Review: Sunrise on the Battery by Beth Webb Hart

Sunrise on the Battery by Beth Webb Hart intrigued me when I first read about this story. Mary Lynn Scoville and her husband, Jackson, were born into small town families with a lower income life. Growing up, Mary Lynn faced a lot of teasing due to her poor standing in her community. After several years, the couple becomes wealthy and successful with three accomplished daughters in Charleston, South Carolina. Despite the success, Mary Lynn feels empty and she longs for her husband to know Christ. When he does come to know Christ, he takes the Gospel literally and wants to change their lifestyle to more clearly live for Him. He decides to "go all out for God." At that point, Mary Lynn isn't so sure that she wants things to change THAT much. She enjoyed her standing in society and was just hoping for Jackson and the girls to attend church with her on Sunday.

I selected this book to review because my church is currently going through the book Radical by David Platt. I thought this story sounded like it was focused on the radical life of someone who decided to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. However, while there was that focus, I personally found this book to be lacking. I had to push myself through it. I just didn't feel like I was living the story through the characters. . .instead it felt like the story was taking place very distantly as each chapter is told from a different character's point of view. I am not sure the ending was realistic either.

Sunrise on the Battery is the first book I've read by Beth Webb Hart. She has written 4 other published novels is an award winning author. Discussion questions are included in the back for those with book clubs interested in the book.

I received this book free form the publisher for the purpose of review. I was not required to write a positive review.