Limelight by Melody Carlson

Reviewed by Amanda Schafer

Claudette Fiore used to be one of those in the Limelight, but now she’s an older version of that person who has now been forced from her home by the IRS. She had it all: a mansion in Beverly Hills, a famous and wealthy husband, maids and servants to do things for her, invitations to parties and friends to shop with. But now, she has nothing, and feeling destitute, she would love to just end it all. However, it’s even worse than she thought. Her accountant has given her a budget that she must live under each month! How ever will she do it!? Thankfully, her stepson, Michael, comes over from Hawaii to help her out and give her a start back towards a more ‘normal’ lifestyle. When Claudette remembers that she is the heir to her mother’s house in northern California, Michael insists that she can make it there…and he’s willing to help her. Over the course of a few days, Michael transforms her childhood home into one that is “more to her liking.” But can she keep it up when she knows nothing about housekeeping and all those menial daily tasks?

Claudette is forced to begin relying on “normal people” in order to get through her first couple of weeks in which she runs out of money, has no heat, her plumbing explodes, and she practically burns down her house. What is it like to live like she is being forced to live? Claudette will soon find out….

Limelight by Melody Carlson isn’t quite a typical book from her. The book seems to be more “worldly” and speaks very little about God or a Christian lifestyle. Typically in Carlson’s books, there are one or two characters that are Christian and attempt to share their faith with the primary character, who is hardened toward all things “religion.” Then as the book progresses, we see a slow, but steady, shift in the heart of the character to an acceptance of Christ. However, in this book, we see Claudette only become slightly less haughty and self-righteous, rather than a complete transformation of her heart. There was very little “religion” spoken of throughout the book, but plenty of times to see how one can live a selfish and stuck-up life to the point of closing off herself from the rest of the world.

I personally didn’t care for this book by Carlson. I realize her books are considered “edgy Christian Fiction” but this one goes beyond being edgy and takes it almost completely out of the realm of “Christian Fiction.” I have enjoyed many of her other books (A Mile in My Flip Flops, These Boots Weren’t Made for Walking, and the Bloomberg series), but this was really hard for me to force myself to finish and left me very frustrated as a reader.

This review originally written for and published on LuxuryReading.com.