I never heard of Sharon Hinck until Renovating Becky Miller. At first I had some reservations if I’ll read it among a stash of around more than a hundred books which have been accumulating in our shelf – left unread.
It’s a story of Becky, Kevin, her husband and their three young kids named Dylan, age nine, Kelsey, five and the youngest Micah, who is two and a half years old. Becky is your typical young mom – smart, tender, and deliciously witty, at times doing everything to keep the household running in a perfect rhythm – only she realizes that she’s just human. She is a daydreamer too and she’s been envisioning herself in the happy endings she sees during her weekly movie nights with Kevin.
When they decide to sell their family home to purchase a rundown farmhouse, Becky pictures herself in a slower, simpler lifestyle in the countryside only to discover that it doesn’t really work out that way, her real life feels more like a broken filmstrip, spinning out of control.
Hinck is a good storyteller, the book comes alive with every page that have you laughing and crying at times with Becky. It makes you remember your own experiences as a young mom, that feeling of “been there, done that” and “I can oh-so-relate to that life” thing.
And Becky Miller’s Guide to Home Repair? Here goes,as summarized in the book cover:
“- Budget the gross national product of a small country then double it
– Never, ever invite your mother-in-law to stay with you during a remodel
– Figure out how to heat the living room before inviting your Bible study group
over
– Stock up on Tylenol, chocolate and sandbags
– Hire a professional to fix the plumbing
– Sometimes, renovation is an inside job”
This book is definitely a good read, it will make you ask, “What will happen next?”.
(reposted from 2009 book review)
Dreams And Escapes 