Love Waits by Donald James Parker

Surviving high school is one of the most challenging times in a teenager's life. And when you're new in town it's even more difficult. In "Love Waits" by Donald James Parker, fourteen year old Cheri is forced to face some tough problems when her mom dies and her dad moves them from a small town in Nebraska to the big city.It's bad enough that Cheri doesn't know anyone, but when one of the few girls she meets finds out she's still a virgin and tells everyone Cheri feels forced to rectify the situation. But she runs into a road block when her dad gets a neighbor to keep an eye on her. Cheri is all set to hate Jean but instead they develop a close relationship, one that changes Cheri's outlook - and her life.With the help of the grandmotherly woman next door neighbor Cheri goes through a process of self-discovery and religious re-awakening and learns about the consequences of pre-marital sex. Her new boyfriend is a member of Jean's church and the two likable teens are strong eno
ugh to embrace their faith and stand up to the pressure of their peers. Cheri, especially, seems wise beyond her years as she tries to deal with problems at home. When her mother died the relationship between father and daughter suffered and her dad turned to sports, alcohol and a new blonde bimbo to fill the emptiness.The story is heavy on faith-related content but what could have come across as preachy is instead presented as an entertaining story with a message - one that benefits adults as well as adolescents. I shared my copy with a sixteen year old girl. She had no trouble identifying with the characters in spite of some dialogue she felt was over the top. Teenage slang and humor changes with time and locale but the struggles are universal, the same ones that we all deal with. She was caught up in the story as I was and anxious to see where it would lead. Half way through the book it seemed as if the characters had grown in their relationships with each other and with
God. Things were going smoothly and it appeared as if all was resolved. That's when the author threw another curve ball, added more conflict and the pages start flying again.This is a wonderful story about family, friends and God that parents might want to read along with their teenagers. It's a realistic look at contemporary teens and the challenges they face. That being said there is content that may make some readers uncomfortable. The author takes on some serious issues dealing with topics most of us don't want to think about including death, pre-marital sex, rape and teenage pregnancy. The dangers of promiscuity are spelled out, with very definite views on sex, relationships and abortion. This is a book with real life lessons and all presented in a sensitive way with messages of love, kindness and forgiveness.  It's an inspirational story, I highly recommend it.Love Waits by Donald James Parker is available as a free e-book download on the author's w
ebsite./sosFreebies.aspxSword of the Spirit PublishingISBN 13: 978-0-578-01560-6

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