A Thing of Beauty by Lisa Samson

Former child star Fiona Hume deserted the movie biz a decade ago--right after she left rehab. She landed in Baltimore, bought a dilapidated old mansion downtown, and hatched dreams of restoring it into a masterpiece, complete with a studio for herself. She would disappear from public view and live an artist’s life.
That was the plan.
Ten years later, Fiona’s huge house is filled with junk purchased at thrift stores, haggled over at yard sales, or picked up from the side of the road. Each piece was destined for an art project . . . but all she’s got so far is a piece of twine with some antique buttons threaded down its length.
She’s thirty-two years old and still recognizable, but Fiona’s money has finally run out. She’s gotten pretty desperate, too, and in her desperation she’s willing to do almost anything for money. Almost. So it is that she comes to rent out the maid’s quarters to a local blacksmith named Josia Yeu.
Josia is everything Fiona isn’t: gregarious, peaceful, in control without controlling . . . in short, happy. As the light from the maid’s quarters begins to permeate the dank rooms of Fiona’s world, something else begins to transform as well—something inside Fiona. Something even she can see is beautiful.

This book was a complete disappointment.  From the first pages there were things mentioned that weren’t explained until further into the book.  There were times I felt completely lost.  This could have been a very good story.  But I found it sadly lacking.  There were elements about the book I did like. I could understand how Fiona ended up the way she did and could sympathize with her. 

I have never read a book by this author before and I most likely never will again.  I was very disappointed in this being labeled a Christian fiction because of the language used in the book.  There was also no mention of God or Christianity whatsoever.  As a matter of fact, Fiona didn’t even believe there was a hell.  I am also disappointed in the publisher for publishing this as a Christian book.  It does not set the example of what I would want a young Christian, or any Christian to read and think of as acceptical behavior for a Christian. The only reason I finished it was because I read it for review purposes.  I will be deleting this book from my Kindle.

I was given this book by the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.