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Looking for Lovely is the telling of Annie F. Downs’ personal experience of finding beauty in the brokenness of life in this fallen world. I had the opportunity to read Looking for Lovely by becoming a part of the launch team for the book. Downs’ book tells of a time in her life when she experienced what she refers to as the broken crazy and ultimately how she overcame this by seeing the beauty that is found in Jesus Christ. I really enjoyed reading about her personal experiences and found that I could relate to how she thought and felt in many situations. Her friendly personality and warm demeanor emanate through each chapter. Looking for Lovely is for those who are looking for a light read that is enjoyable and encouraging. They book isn’t necessarily a theology book which I typically read, so I was excited to read it. I usually pick up books that are more serious or academic in nature and while this book is at times serious it is overall lighthearted. I read Looking for Lovely during the last few weeks of my pregnancy and it was nice to sit down, relax and plow through the chapters. Downs’ story about facing fears and learning to cling to Christ in the midst of them was compelling and caused me to finish the book faster than I had expected.
One minor concern in the book was a chapter in which Downs’ describes her experiences of going out for sushi with a friend after a rough day. She believed her sushi rolls were so beautiful and tells readers that she saw God in her sushi. Whether Downs meant this to be a theological statement or was simply expressing that the beauty reminded her of God who possesses beauty (Psalm 27:4), I’m not sure. What I appreciate about Downs is that she is the same person outside of the book as she is inside. Being a part of the Looking for Lovely launch team allowed me to see this firsthand. When working on a launch team, book reviewer’s typically receive the book in digital format however in this case, I received an autographed hard copy of the book. On top of that, Annie had confetti added to each package. I really appreciate how personable Annie is and the transparency she offers her readers and am looking forward to reading her next book. You can purchase a copy of Looking for Lovely through Amazon and other major booksellers.
I received Looking for Lovely compliments of B & H Books in exchange for my honest review.
