Becoming Olivia (Henke, Roxanne, Coming Home to Brewster, Bk. 3.)

Rating:
Summary: Great book on a tough issue
Review:
This book tells of a woman, Olivia, who is struggling with depression. As a sub-plot, we also see Olivia's teen daughter struggling with her dating life, her desire to be popular, and all the stuff that goes along with being a teen.

I thought this was a well written book on depression, from a Christian perspective. It showed that anxiety is a component of depression, which many do not realize. I liked that the book showed various reactions to depression from Olivia's friends, like the friend who trivialized it, saying that we all get the blues from time to time in life. The book pointed out that that is one misconception about depression. And we see that depression is not simply a problem of "not being close enough to God" but a real chemical imbalance in the brain.

I liked that the book showed of ways that some people overcome depression. The medication issue was brought out, and even pointed out that medication isn't a sign of weakness, but an answer to prayer for some people. They compared taking medication for depression, as a diabetic would take medication for diabetes. The book also talked about some of the thought-changing techniques that also work, like the "relanguaging" technique, the STOP technique, setting aside time to worry, and taking your worries to God.

I loved the character of Olivia. You can really feel for her as she felt that God wasn't there, that she didn't deserve His love, that she felt she was a bad mom and wife, etc. I do like that she tried to keep her faith during the rough times, and I liked how the story of Job was incorporated into the story. I also enjoyed Olivia's humor.

The other characters in the book were wonderful as well. I loved Mike fighting for Emily towards the end. And I loved Dr. Sullivan and seeing his struggles, as well as his wife Peg.

I look forward to reading other books in this series.





Rating:
Summary: Very Real Look at Depression
Review: Becoming Olivia captures the essence of depression: the loneliness, the confusion, and the hopelessness of ever feeling better. This book also shows the positive side of counseling, which some Christians still seem to view as unacceptable.

My mother went through a deep depression several years ago, and it was only during the reading of this book that I glimpsed an iota of the despair she felt at that time. Thank you, Roxanne Henke, for presenting such a realistic sampling of the struggles of depression.

Readers, make sure to read After Anne before this novel, if possible.



Rating:
Summary: A Must Read!
Review: Becoming Olivia is a must read for any woman who struggles with or has struggled with depression. As a sufferer of clinical depression myself, I apprecitated finding a character I could relate to. Many of the books I read leave me feeling depressed because the life of the protaganist is far different than my own. But Roxanne Heneke offers a real to life character in Libby that left me feeling hopeful that I can fight and win my own battles with depression.

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read!
Review: Becoming Olivia is a must read for any woman who struggles with or has struggled with depression. As a sufferer of clinical depression myself, I apprecitated finding a character I could relate to. Many of the books I read leave me feeling depressed because the life of the protaganist is far different than my own. But Roxanne Heneke offers a real to life character in Libby that left me feeling hopeful that I can fight and win my own battles with depression.

Rating:
Summary: Becoming Olivia
Review: I grew up in a small town in ND so was very interested in a series of great books with that setting. I've so enjoyed Roxanne's books! There have been tears, laughter, and emotional connections as I have relived many of my memories through these books. They will give many readers who are going though life experiences hope and the power to rise above those circumstances. These are fiction books but have real messages that one can apply to real lives. I highly recommend this series of books!


Rating:
Summary: Roxanne Henke Does It Again!
Review: I have read all 3 of Roxanne Henke's books and they are all superb. I love the way she writes - reading her books is like sitting down and chatting with your friends. I have her books on a special shelf in my bookcase to be read again and again!

Rating:
Summary: She did it again!
Review: I loved Henke's first book, After Anne, so I waited with anticipation for her next book, Finding Ruth, which wasn't quite as good as Anne (but that would be a hard one to top). So, when the third book, Becoming Oliva, came out, I couldn't wait to read it. I was not disappointed. It is wonderful to have an author who can continue to write a book that makes it so easy to identify with the characters. She makes them so real. I will be eagerly waiting the next book....Always Jan.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic - A Keeper!
Review: Olivia "Libby" Marsden returns in Roxanne Sayler Henke's Coming Home to Brewster series. Libby is at home in the North Dakota town she has inhabited all her married life, but she is no longer at home in her own skin. She's blessed with good kids, a great husband and plenty of money to allow her to stay home and fulfill her dream of writing a novel, and yet, depression clamps its fingers around her soul without warning. As she struggles to make sense of overwhelming despair, her newfound faith in God is her only lifeline. Sensitively told through the author's personal experience, this realistic and skillfully woven novel packs emotional clout. In BECOMING OLIVIA, Henke dispels the myths surrounding a common mental illness that many struggle to overcome.

-Romantic Times BOOKclub Magazine (http://www.romantictimes.com/)

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Book
Review: Roxanne has so much talent when it comes to writting good books. With Libby we are given insight into the life of a women struggling with depression. This book does not only deal with depression though it deals with relationships too. We the reader discover an older couple who have lost each other, a teenager discovering her self and several of Libby's friends who are very superficial. This book has flow and makes you want to continue to the next chapter. I can not wait to read the next in the Brewster series.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic - A Keeper!
Review: This is the first book I have read by Roxanne Henke. The way she takes you through Libby's struggle with anxiety and depression, makes you feel as though you are there with Libby. This is a book about a woman who "breaks down" but remains faithful to God and is purposeful in finding help for herself. This book is about a family, with typical issues we all face as our children are growing up and our marriages become "comfortable". It is also about how Libby's illness effects each person in the family and the people in her life. It was an excellent read and I finished it in ONE day!