Book Review: Made to Last by Melissa Tagg

Book Details:
Title: Made to Last
Author: Melissa Tagg
2013, Bethany House
ISBN: 0764211323
Genre: Christian Contemporary Fiction
Book Release Date: September 15, 2013

Book Summary:
Miranda Woodruff, star of the homebuilding show "From the Ground Up," will do anything to keep the job she loves. Due to a painful broken engagement and a faith she's mostly forgotten, she's let her entire identity become wrapped up in the Miranda everyone sees onscreen. So when she receives news that the network might cancel her program, she must do the very thing she fears most: let the spotlight shine on her closely guarded personal life. The only problem? She's been living a lie--letting viewers believe she's married--and now she's called upon to play wife to a sweet, if a bit goofy, pretend husband to boost ratings.

Desperate to help his family and prove he's not a total failure, reporter Matthew Knox is looking for a breakout story. When he's offered the opportunity to do an online serial feature on Miranda Woodruff, he jumps at the chance, even if celebrity reporting isn't really his thing. But as soon as he meets Miranda, he knows she's keeping secrets.

When Miranda's former fiance suddenly appears on the scene again, she doubts her life could get more complicated. Juggling three guys, an on-the-rocks television show, and the potential exposure of her deception is way more than she bargained for. Can the woman who makes things look so good onscreen admit it's time to tell the truth about who she is? And if she does, will the life Miranda's built come crashing down just as she's finally found a love to last?

My Review:
Well, other than the fact that I had to read this ARC copy with all the letter f’s missing, it was very cute! (Seriously, try reading “different”, “off”, “stuffed”, or “Woodruff” for an entire novel without the “ff”). Miranda’s homebuilding show From the Ground Up is her whole life and she’ll do just about anything to save it – and the crew. Unfortunately, her fans all believe that she’s got a husband hidden away at home who has taught her everything she knows… except… she never married him. Her fiancé left her three years earlier. She’s kept this secret by being extremely private about her personal life, but her fans are clamoring for more.

There are rumblings about the show not getting another season, so to try and save her show she agrees to giving up some of her personal privacy. She allows them to find her a fake husband and have a reporter follow her around to write a weekly blog of her life. Life is about to get complicated.

I really loved the interaction between Blaze, the fake husband, Miranda, and Matthew, the reporter. They had a really good vibe going between the three of them and interacted very well. This isn’t the kind of reporting Matthew usually does – not this fluff celebrity stuff. But his career had hit a rocky patch and he thought this would be easy – until he actually gets to know Miranda. Sparks fly between the two of them, but she’s already married – isn’t she?

This book had some great side-stories going on. Miranda’s missionary parents, her past fiancé (who also shows up at some point), Matthew’s dad, his brother’s family, the reason for his tanked career and then Blaze – I was left wondering about his story. Maybe he’ll be another book?? Matthew and Miranda both also have some trust issues, which have caused them to doubt God. I didn’t feel like the God aspects of this book were forced. It was nicely woven into the storyline.

I wouldn’t say this book was anything super wow! or amazing about it, but it was a nice, solid and clean story. I would read another book by this author. Preferably with all the letters in the book.

Disclosure: I recieved a free e-book copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. No other compensation was received and all thoughts and opinions are my own.