Madeline Heard wants what many girls want—a little respect, a boost in her career, and to find a guy to share happily ever after. When she gets a sudden promotion at work, it looks like things might finally be going her way…until she realizes the job is not at all what she expected.
Working 
for the perpetually tan, fitness-crazed Kent Cooper might be the least of her worries, though. Her spotlight-stealing sister-in-law is back in town, and her mother is bent on believing a crazy misunderstanding. To top it off, while she’s looking for Mr. Right, her relationship with her friend Josh might be threatening her chances of discovering real love.
There’s a fine line between hanging on for dear life and standing up for herself. Can she find a way to have everything she wants, or should she be careful what she wishes for?
From the author of The Camdyn Series, the first novel of the Girls of Wonder Lane series.
***
Christina Coryell has written one of the funniest books I’ve read in a long time. My poor family kept looking at me and asking, “what is so funny?” I’m pretty sure they were a bit annoyed by my full-out belly laughs by the time I reached the end of the book, but I couldn’t help it. I loved Maddie Heard! She is a character that speaks to the heart of every woman who has ever been single… and who hasn’t been single?? Anyone?
The scenes with her family, specifically her sister-in-law are priceless. What great characters.
One of the favorite scenes:
When I was a little girl, I had light golden hair, and when Mom would take me somewhere, people would comment about the beautiful color. One morning, I was nonchalantly playing with my dolls, and Mom snuck up behind me and grabbed the left side of my head. When I turned around, she had a huge chunk of golden-blonde in her hand. I sat there, nearly in tears, while she explained that she wanted the same color I had, but Frieda could never get it right. This time she was taking the hair to her, and if she still couldn’t get the color correct, she was changing beauticians.
Needless to say, I had to get my hair cut after that,too, since my Mom had given me the hack job. What a sad turn of events. At the time, Hazel used to babysit me after school, and Jess begged her mom to let her cut her hair like mine. It
was a great show of solidarity from my friend, and we have been inseparable ever since. My hair also grew back significantly darker from that point forward, and while I can’t blame it on my mother, I have my suspicions that her hair robbery destroyed the golden innocence of my youth.
The book is not only about Maddie’s search for the perfect man or her relationship with her difficult family, the most
important part is Maddie learning to hear God’s voice and trust it. As a reader, I could see the changes in Maddie as she grew closer to God, very naturally and realistically.
Coryell commented on her own blog about Jesus using stories to get his message across. I believe this book is a wonderful
example of how a single person can yield to Christ while waiting for His perfect timing and the right spouse.
I highly recommend this book for anyone, married or single. It’s a great beach read, but honestly, plan to do nothing but read once you start it! I finished it three days and would have finished it one day if my family would have left me alone. 😉
***
GIVEAWAY!
Enter to win the signed copy of Simply Mad Christina Coryell sent me!
If you want to win this awesome book, leave a comment.
Tell us how you met you husband or about a crazy date and you’ll be entered twice.
I’ll announce the winner on Tuesday, July 14th.
Buy a copy here: Amazon or Barnes & Noble
suburbanthoughts 
Congratulations Dana Michaels!! You won my copy of Simply Mad. I will email you later today with details on how to claim your copy.
It was so much fun reading everyone’s stories. Thanks for the great replies.
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Wow! Thanks so much! I can’t wait to read this book. I love Christina’s books. You made my day!
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I met my husband online. I loved Simply Mad. I read and reviewed it e book and like Ann,I would like a copy for my library.
Christina Coryell writes the best Christian chick lit.
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I have been looking for a laugh out loud book, so I can’t wait to read this one! I am not married, but I am dating an amazing guy. We met through my friends and his family who tried to set us up for a year before we finally met! And he was “my mystery man” who I saw at the local hardware store and couldn’t stop staring….. I asked him after our first date if that was him. LOL
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We meet 33 years ago at a sports event…I never go to sports events! Hah! ‘We’ve been happily married for 32 years! Twas meant to be! :~)
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I would love to win this book. I met my husband at church. I was 28 years old and had decided that I was probably never going to get married. I came to a place where I was able to honestly say, “Okay, God, if it is just you and me, I know I will be alright.” I did add on that if God did send someone, He would have to tell me it was him. Not too many months later, I was walking into the sanctuary from the back, and I saw this tall, handsome man standing in the back talking to another church member. I immediately heard God say, “There he is. That is him.” I was shocked and taken aback. Through a series of circumstances, we started dating about month and a half later, were engaged two months after that, and married within six months. We have now been married 12 years, and he is still my Prince Charming.
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Great review! This sounds like such a fun read! I would love to read it!
(As I’m not married and have never been on a date, I suppose I’ll have to settle for one entry.)
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Great review, Stacey! Sounds like a great read too. Really LOVE her cover. I met my husband at junior college while both taking a computer programing class. We had to pair up with someone who could type. He certainly couldn’t with a huge bandaged finger so he asked if I could. I said yes, and asked if he could program. He said no, but my dad can, lol! 30 years later and we’re still happily ever after!
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OH my goodness, enjoyed this sample so much (I love 1st person POV!). And I met my hubby in college. We were in the same General Psychology class and I was so impressed with his red hair and astute answers to the prof. Got setup on a blind date that was blind for him and not for me! 🙂
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Okay, so I couldn’t wait and I already bought it. Just take my name out of the drawing! Thanks, Stacey!
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I love all these stories. Thank you for sharing your experiences. I met my husband at church, too. We were both in the singles group. It wasn’t as exciting as some of your stories, but it’s our story! 🙂
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This book sounds fun! I met my husband when I bagged his groceries. We then realized we attended the same church, and THEN. We realized we lived 3 doors away from each other in the same apartment complex!
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I met my husband at a restaurant. It was a dinner with a group of people from our church. He was working that night and arrived late. The only empty seat left at the table was next to me. We’d never met before that night.
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Loved her book!! (Only read one so far!) my husband and I met and began our relationship in Chemistry class our senior year of high school. Twenty-five years later still a perfect combination. 😜
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This sounds like a really fun book. I think I’ll pick it up. Thanks.
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Ok, not gonna be very exciting story. I met my hubs in the 7th grade at church. Loved him at first sight. The jerk broke up with me in the tenth grade. I started dating someone else. The next thing I knew he was at my front door with flowers. I married him in college and have been married for thirty one years.
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I met my husband at a prayer conference. The night before we met, I was settling down for the night, and I heard the Lord speak to me. “Tomorrow you will meet your husband.” I was so in shock that I couldn’t sleep immediately. I debated going at all, thinking I was crazy, plus I was scared! In the end, I went, but didn’t go to special measures, as I wanted him to like me for me, not a portrayal of me. I walked into the conference and not five minutes later, this handsome man walks in with two other people. I instantly knew it was him…..so I avoided him. The funny thing was, we kept getting paired off and I also bonded with his sister. We found that we had a lot in common, so I challenged him to arm wrestle….we did and he won. The last night of the conference, we stayed up praying and talking to each other. 4 months later, we eloped because we knew we couldn’t wait any longer to be together.
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Thanks for featuring my book, Stacey! So grateful to you. 🙂
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I met my husband in church youth group. I have read Simply Mad and loved it. I read it in e-book and would love to have a signed copy for my library.
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This book sounds great! I love the ones that break through the pages and make you laugh in real life.
http://libbycole.wordpress.com/
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