"Sweet romance with a twist"

Sweet romance with a twist, October 6, 2009



By just Joan "Certified Book Worm" (Arizona)

Dr. Andy McBride finds the love of his life when he meets Louisa Martin. Unfortunately, her lifestyle is in direct conflict with all he believes. He cannot accept it and she can't escape it. Andy leaves to practice medicine in Kentucky where he hopes to forget Louisa and get on with his life.

The distance from Louisa doesn't keep her from Andy's thoughts. Though he tries to get on with his life, he can't forget her. He immerses himself fully in his new life and new friends, but one of them becomes a bitter enemy who will later bring him heartache much worse than what he felt when he left Louisa behind.

DON'T YOU MARRY THE MORMON BOYS is told through both Andy and Louisa's points of view. We get to know them both; Andy's Mormon beliefs as well as Louisa's polygamist community.

Though they are so different, I couldn't help yearning for them to find some way to be together. And just when it seemed like they'd live happily ever after, Jensen throws in a curve ball that took me by surprise.

I loved DON'T YOU MARRY THE MORMON BOYS with its sweet romance and heartache it kept me turning the pages well into the night. I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love with the characters. I even learned a little about their differing beliefs along the way.

I'm not a particular fan of flashbacks and Jensen used this technique often, but it seemed to work for this novel, and once I got used to it, I hardly noticed it anymore. All in all, it was an enjoyable read. Though I didn't pass it on to my teen, I still gave it a high rating because I will definitely pass it on to my siblings and friends.

Regardless of your personal beliefs, if you like your romance with a bit of a twist, I think you'll enjoy DON'T YOU MARRY THE MORMON BOYS.

Read this and more reviews here:


http://www.amazon.com/Dont-You-Marry-Mormon-Boys/product-reviews/159955075X/ref=cm_cr_pr_link_1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0

Mormon Boys Listed In Carolyn's Top Ten!

see: http://www.myshelf.com/toptenreads.html

Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys is listed in author/teacher/mentor/editor/entrepeneur Carolyn Howard Johnson's 2008 Top Ten Reads at My Shelf. com.

She commented in an earlier review: "Janet Kay Jensen's Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys seems especially appropriate with the break-away Yearning for Zion group in Texas still in the news. It is a bit romance, a bit mystery and a USA Book News award winner."

She also lists this title in "Books about Utah, its religion and culture, ' "Fiction about repression of women," and "Books about tolerance."

In categorizing the book she also notes: "A light mystery-romance set with a polygamist cult background. Insight and sensitivity. Sound research."

Thank you, Carolyn!

Carolyn Howard Johnson

Visit her website to open a treasure box of tools for writers:

http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/

"A fun and entertaining story..." Review by Kara Hunt of Mesa, AZ

Janet Kay Jensen was a presenter at the Cedar Fort Writer's Conference.

Her book, Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys is a fun and entertaining story about two people with conflicting lifestyles who meet at medical school and fall in love, but go their separate ways. She is a polygamist and returns to her community to practice medicine, which gives an interesting look at that belief system. He is a Mormon and moves to Kentucky to set up a small practice. They never forget each, though, and the story takes you through their ups and downs , wondering if they'll get back together.

For those who still believe that Mormons are polygamists, this book addresses those issues and differences in an informative yet entertaining way. And for anyone else, it's simply a fun read.

http://karahunt.blogspot.com/2008/08/book-review.html

Interview with Tristi Pinkston of families.com

Janet, your new book Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys came out at a time that was very significant in our current affairs. Warren Jeffs was on the front of every newspaper. Did his story inspire you to write the book at that time, or was the book already in the works and came out coincidentally at the same time the Jeffs story broke?

I actually started the book in 2000, when Warren Jeffs was not on the FBI's Most Wanted List, HBO wasn't producing “Big Love,” and the YFZ (Yearning for Zion) Ranch in Texas didn't even exist. Then The Book Lover's Cookbook" took over my life for a couple of years. It involved a tremendous amount of work and research and recipe development, so Mormon Boys was put on the shelf. I was sidelined for another year with a serious medical condition that required surgery with a long recovery time, and I don't think I had a creative thought during that time period. That was very discouraging. Everybody tells me the release of my book was "good timing" but as you can see, it came about when it was ready.

The book features a character that was raised in a modern-day polygamous family. How closely did you pattern your character's life after that modeled by those in Jeff's commune, or is your depiction totally different?

I have done a lot of reading about the subject, including Jessie Embrey's excellent book in which she interviewed people who had been raised in the days when polygamy was still practiced by the church, or in the decades following the Manifesto, and also I've read books by women who've left various groups.

Dorothy Allred Solomon's Daughter of the Saints which is autobiographical was a very important book that I read to in an effort to gain insight into polygamy. I have also interviewed a former polygamist.

We drove through Colorado City about ten years ago and I've never forgotten the vivid images of that community. Dirt roads, no sidewalks, no landscaping, the few windows that existed were built high in the houses, and many homes remained unfinished to avoid property taxes. A good portion of it looked like a shantytown.

It was shocking, and so was the cemetery, which told some very sad stories about infant mortality and teenaged mothers. My fictional town, Gabriel's Landing, is more like an orderly old-fashioned farming community, though the standard of living is still modest for most of its residents.

When I learned I'd gone to high school with a young man raised in polygamy, the son of a Salt Lake City group's leader, I was really intrigued, because I don't believe any of us knew anything about this boy's background. He has since left polygamy and I began reading the occasional article about him and his family in the paper, which has further kindled my interest in the lifestyle and the challenges faced by those who leave it.

As you wrote the book, you drew some comparisons to modern-day polygamy as opposed to polygamy as practiced by the early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Was it your intent to show the difference, and what kind of feedback have you gotten on this aspect of your book?

I did want to show some of the differences between polygamy as practiced in the early days of the Mormon Church and the way a modern group might interpret "the Principle" now. I chose to point out that some take advantage of the welfare system (the wives claim to be single mothers), which puts a burden on the state's taxpayers.

Though there are definitely fanatics who are deeply entrenched in that way of life today, most of my Gabriel's Landing folks were just old-fashioned and following the traditions of their fathers. I didn't give them a "prophet." Instead, a Council of Brothers governs all religious and temporal issues, and though they try to keep a firm hand on all aspects of life, they are more moderate than some leaders you read about in the news.

However, abuses do occur in my fictional town, which Louisa discovers when she returns home to practice medicine. She finds birth defects caused to intermarriage, which is common among various sects. The occurrence of these disabilities is generally regarded as "God's will," but not to Louisa, who knows the medical reasons and counsels against close intermarriage. In some situations, the birth of a baby with disabilities can be used as "proof" of the mother's "unworthiness," which is a prime example of abuse of authority and the ways women are coerced into submission.

Louisa also sees evidence of depression and physical abuse among her female patients, and her efforts to treat these conditions create trouble with the Council. The practice of older men marrying young girls, while young men are sent outside of the community to fend for themselves is not uncommon, and it happens in my made-up group, too.

I love how you took historical fact and modern fact and blended them with fiction in order to create your story. Now let's talk about life as a writer. What is your writing schedule like?

Not as disciplined as it should be. I'll be stuck somewhere and rather than tackling the problem or working on another segment until I can figure out a solution, I'll just procrastinate. I'm amazed at writers who can publish several books in a year. I don't know if I could ever do that. I also do a lot of editing as I write, so instead of just "getting the story down" I'm looking at language and dialogue and issues I really don't need to address at that point. I will answer the phone and check email rather than focus.

Do you write longhand and then type it, or do you do the whole thing on a computer?

I depend on my computer. I have terrible handwriting.

How long did it take you to write Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys?

About 4-5 years, including events which interfered with my writing. And then it took quite a while to find a publisher.

It's your first work of fiction, is it not? Do you have plans to write other fiction novels?

This is my first work of fiction. A sequel is underway, (tentatively titled Gabriel's Daughters), and I have plans for several other works, aimed at the national audience. The first is about adult illiteracy and the profound effect it has on individuals.

What are your favorite books to read? You strike me as a Mitford kind of girl. Am I right, or way off base?

I do like the Mitford series very much, and I'm really pleased that authors such as Jan Karon and Alexander McCall Smith have had great success without reverting to offensive elements in their books. They have reminded the publishers that a good section of the reading public is hungry for books like these.

I'm also a fan of Anne Tyler, Alice Hoffman, Barbara Kingsolver, Jodi Picoult, and Anna Quindlen. I like to pick up classics as well; I've just gone through a Daphne du Maurier phase, followed by Edith Wharton, and I can feel another Dickens attack coming on.

If I want to be depressed I'll read Faulkner. Then I have to counterbalance it with something strong and uplifting. And I've been reading works by my colleagues in the regional market, too, to appreciate what my friends are writing and to learn writing and marketing strategies from them.

I just introduced my daughter-in-law to the Poldark series, and I may just have to read the whole thing again, for the pleasure of it. Winston Graham is a master storyteller. Another favorite is Neville Shute, the Australian writer who wrote A Town Like Alice.

I recently read Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (twice) and what a wonderful writer she is. To Kill a Mockingbird, Ethan Frome, the abridged Les Miserables (yes, abridged!) and A Separate Peace remain perennial favorites. I belong to two book clubs so I'm introduced to new books and authors every year.

Wow - you've just listed some of my favorite books of all time. I knew we had a lot in common! I'm going to have to drill you on some of your other favorite things. What are some of your other interests?

Glad you asked, Tristi. I love going to the theater - almost anything on the stage is intriguing. My husband and I love Broadway musicals, plays, ballet and other forms of dance, as well as musical groups from symphonies to bluegrass. I'm also catching up on classic old movies that I've never seen. Recently I rented "A Streetcar Named Desire," and though I think I saw it a long time ago, holy cow, it was brilliant. I'm really a Tennessee Williams fan.

And today Netflix sent me "Casablanca." I've seen the ending more times than I can tell you, but to see the whole movie through without interruptions will be a treat. I also love to watch a film while listening to the director's commentary, and it's interesting to listen to other interviews featured on the DVD. I keep hoping something they say will sink into my author's subconscious and come out on the page in some way when I'm writing.

We have season tickets to our local Summer Rep theater, and we usually take in an opera or two, produced in one of our historic downtown theaters, but though I've tried to acquire a taste for opera, I'm sorry to say it still remains largely undeveloped. We also have series of concerts that come through town each year and we'll see several of those, as well as some at Pioneer Theater in Salt Lake City.

I haven't been to the Utah Shakespearean Festival for a few years and I really miss it. They do a marvelous job. We are so lucky in Utah to have such a strong emphasis on the arts. And I'm a huge "Lost" fan. I'll remain loyal to the show as long as it's on the air, and I own the DVDs of Seasons One, Two and Three. It's simply great storytelling with a fabulous cast of actors. I love surprises, and Lost is full of them. I'm often confused by some of the references or events, but there are plenty of "experts" on the internet to explain them to me. I even got my Finnish daughter-in-law hooked on "Lost."

We like to travel. Lately, travel seems to center around our three grown sons, who are attending universities in Berkeley, California; Dayton, Ohio; and Jyvaskyla, Finland. Or we fly the kids home for a little time with them. I've been a grandmother for a year now, and that's really been a joy. I also have two dogs, one of whom shows up in Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys. She's not as bright as my fictional dog, but she's loving and loyal.

And that's the best kind of dog to have! Janet, it's been a delight to host you here on Families.com. Thanks for taking time out from your busy schedule to visit with me, and best of luck in all you do.

http://media.families.com/blog/author-interview-janet-kay-jensen-when-shes-not-writing

Review by Holly of 2 Kids and Tired Blog - "At times this book was laugh-out-loud funny. . ."

Andy McBride meets Louisa Martin in medical school and is instantly smitten. However, Andy is a Mormon and Louisa comes from a polygamist lifestyle. After medical school, they go their separate ways, when it seems that neither can live the other's way of life.

Andy ends up practicing as a country doctor in rural Kentucky and Louisa goes back to her hometown to practice among her people. After she does this, she begins to learn that life among the polygamists is not all roses and sunshine. As she treats the women of the community, she learns of abuse and disabilities due to intermarrying. Ultimately she must decide if she can keep quiet and be obedient to the brethren or will she do what she can to help those she has promised to help even if it means rejecting the life she has always known.

Through their experiences, Andy and Louisa find each other again. After a difficult experience with their children, differences are resolved with their respective parents, all of whom had reservations about the marriage.

The book is well-written and the polygamy aspect is thoroughly researched. It echoes much of what we have seen in the media this year. The characters are brought to life with depth and insight. I appreciated that Janet portrayed Louisa's family as normal people. They loved and lost and believed in their faith, but had questions at times just like the rest of us. They weren't just blindly following some lunatic. They honestly believe that what they are practicing is true and right.

I found the part in Finland a bit disconcerting. It was as if it was just thrown in. Yes, he served his mission there, but I found the "coincidence" that they both ended up on the same exchange program a little too convenient.

At times this book was laugh-out-loud funny. I thoroughly enjoyed the Kentucky characters and the people Andy comes to love. Miss Carolina is awesome, and I loved the fact that natural healing and homeopathy were presented as normal and able to work alongside western medicine. The bit at the end with the FBI agents wearing their missionary name tags was hysterical.

A charming, yet captivating book. A delightful, easy read.

Read 6/08

"I didn't get the story I was promised . . . " from Lucy's I Love to Read and Write Blog

The book jacket's summary of Janet Jensen's debut novel, Don't You Marry The Mormon Boys, describes a story about two people from different backgrounds and belief systems (Andy is mainstream LDS and Louisa was raised in a polygamous fundamentalist community) who fall in love at medical school but face overwhelming obstacles in an effort to be together.

That was the story I was expecting and found myself disappointed with the story I was actually given. Andy and Louisa do, in fact, face these obstacles, but it is never the focus of the story. In fact, were it not for a few flashbacks to medical school, there is no mention of these two main characters together in the same chapter, much less the same plot for the first 200 pages. Andy does his rural, family practice medical thing in Kentucky, which seems a completely unnecessary setting to me (unless the far fetched and wholly irrelevant ending was somehow important to the story of Andy and Louisa's journey....which it is not), and Louisa returns to her polygamous community to realize that her eyes have been changed to the situation around her after eight years of living away from it.

Sure there are a few wistful thoughts, memories and even dreams about the other, but the reason for their attraction, or friendship, is never explained. Andy thought she was beautiful, in spite of her plain, long ankle length dress, and crowning glory long hair, but apparently pursued a relationship with her because she was so smart and he wanted to study with her. (????) The reader is never given any information about Louisa's feelings towards Andy. There is simply an assumption that because she spent time with him, she fell in love with him. The hows and the whys are not worth mentioning, I suppose. Without that development of their relationship for the readers to hold onto, I didn't yearn for these two to be together. As their individual stories don't actually intersect until page 197, a little yearning would have been nice. But, that doesn't seem to be the point of the book.

The thing I liked most about this novel was Jensen's humanistic portrayal of polygamous families. It's always troubled me that the media, pop culture and even the mainstream LDS church portray them as crazy, mindless followers without any thought or choice about their lifestyle. Jensen shows a side of their families and individuals who honestly believe what they practice, and that they do it for the same reason a lot of us do whatever it is we do - because we think it's what God has commanded us to do. I also appreciated the look inside their culture...from the need to protect themselves from outsiders to the organizations of their households. Considering the current events going on in Texas, it adds a deeper understanding to the story. But, that doesn't seem to be the point of the book either.

It isn't all sunshine, however, and as Louisa's eyes are opened to the real problems of their community (abuse, incest, birth defects, depression) she becomes a target of opposition to the community - particularly to the Council of Brethren, who seem like old, scary, mean men without a compassionate bone in their bodies. Again, this black and white portrayal of the community's leadership seems too clean and villainous to be true. Surely, there are some members who are able to be something other than completely dogmatic. It doesn't matter, though, because, once again, this conflict with Louisa does not seem to be the point of the book.

In the end, I'm not sure what the point is, or was supposed to be. Andy and Louisa seem more like conduits for the author to expound on the quirks and habits of rural Kentucky and polygamy than actual characters. The part of the story where they are actually together and communicating and conflicting only warrants 40 or so pages. Then the story jumps tracks and heads off in an entirely new direction - one I won't mention because it will seem like I am reviewing another book. I felt like it was a different book.

I guess I feel mostly disappointed because I didn't get the story I was promised. I didn't get Andy and Louisa's story. Not really.

May 31, 2008

"So Much Room for Improvement" from Danyelle Ferguson's Queen of the Clan Blog

It sounds good, doesn't it? I picked up this book because a friend highly recommended it to me. I was impressed it was a finalist for ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year. I was also in the mood for a good romance.

I found the story of a boy who is strongly against polygamy in love with a girl who was from a polygamous community kind of fascinating. It was definitely different. And since getting a book with polygamous content published in the LDS market is almost impossible to do, I was interested in how Jensen weaved the story and what all she would include about the practice of polygamy - especially in regards to the LDS Church.

While the story was intriguing, I kept getting lost. Each chapter jumps from either Andy's or Louisa's point-of-view. And within those chapters, you may have long flashbacks to their college days or a family memory. I kept getting confused,trying to remember if we were in Kentucky or Utah, past or present. I often had to go back and re-read and get re-oriented.

Also, if you are a big romance fan, this is not a book for you. Throughout the book, you just know these two are in love and need to be together. You find yourself rooting for them to find each other again. When they finally see each other, it's at a medical convention in Chicago. Instead of reuniting, Andy the idiot, really goes off on Louisa, makes her cry, and she runs off - thus inserting an even bigger obstacle in their path.

Then, fate steps in. Somehow, they both get chosen to be in a group of ten doctors who travel to Finland for a one month internship. Andy and Louisa meet up. Andy apologizes, Louisa forgives him. Then the next three weeks goes by in about three paragraphs. During which time, they fall in love all over again and elope. Yep. In three paragraphs. Hello? Where's the romance? Where's the part about rediscovering each other? They've been apart for over five years! There's so much for them to talk about. But nope. They go for a hike on a hill. They go to a restaurant. Andy proposes. Louisa accepts. Then voila! They are married. Absolutely no romantic pay-off at all. Not even one tingle-to-the-toes kiss.

Then suddenly, it's three months later and you find out Louisa is pregnant. Then they find out it's twins - a boy and a girl. How convenient, I mean lucky, right? Then suddenly it's four years later, and the twins are kidnapped. Yep. I bet you didn't know this was supposed to be a romantic-suspense novel did you? The whole last quarter of the book seemed to be contrived and just thrown in there. I was pretty disappointed.

I think the plot idea is great. But there's so much room for improvement. I would have liked to have seen a better flow between transitions of point-of-view and flashbacks. And I definitely would have liked a better ending. If this book is on your reading list, I suggest checking it out of the library.

June 26, 2008