Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury

Shades of Blue is the November pick of the FLICKS Book and Movie Club. It is a Christian book that touches on a very big issue, abortion, which will most likely lead to some heavier than usual discussion at book club next month!

Brad Cutler is a handsome, successful ad executive who is on the brink of marrying the perfect woman, Laura James. He finds himself suddenly at a loss to promote his latest campaign, Kotton Kids, and instead finds himself thinking of his high school girlfriend Emma Landon.

Emma and Brad grew up together on the North Carolina coast. They were friends since childhood and became a couple in high school. Their relationship had a complicated and heart breaking ending, and both Brad and Emma find themselves unable to move on without closure and forgiveness for the past.

I thought Shades of Blue gave a mostly well rounded view of a very touchy subject. I did feel at times that the book did get a little too preachy and a few times almost sounded like propaganda. Luckily those moments didn’t last and it was able to get on track to the story.
I think the heart of the book were very complicated and well rounded characters. Instead of being perfect Christian people, Brad and Emma had pasts where different actions were not actions they were proud of. I did think that Laura James at times was too good to be true, but she also had a few moments of inner conflict and doubt.

I did not like the ending of the story. I think Emma’s story line was tied up a bit too neatly.

Overall, Shades of Blue was a good book, although it did get a bit too preachy at times.

Book Source: The Kewaunee Public Library