The Girl from the Papers by Jennifer L. Wright: Book Review

 *Book received for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Inspired by one of America’s most notorious couples, Bonnie and Clyde, Jennifer L. Wright delivers a riveting tale set during the public enemy era of the Great Depression.

Beatrice Carraway has dreams. Although she’s aged out of the childhood pageant circuit, she’s intent on carrying her talents all the way to the big screen―if only she can escape the poverty of West Dallas first. But as the Great Depression drags the working class further and further under, Beatrice struggles just to keep herself, her mother, and her younger sister afloat. After a string of failed auditions, she feels defeated.

And then in walks Jack Turner. Though Beatrice is determined to pull herself up by her bootstraps, Jack has decided on a different path out of the gutters. It isn’t long before Beatrice is swept into an exciting and glamorous life of crime beside the man she loves. Keeping one step ahead of the law, she sees her dreams of fame come true when her name and picture are plastered in newspapers across the country. Yet as their infamy grows, the distance between them widens. While Jack begins seeking bigger payouts and publicity, Beatrice starts to long for a safe, quiet life and something deeper to fill the emptiness in her soul. But when the danger of Jack’s schemes ratchets up, Beatrice fears her dreams―and her future―will end up going down in a hail of bullets.

Jennifer Wright has been writing since middle school, eventually earning a Master’s degree in Journalism at Indiana University. However, it took only a few short months of covering the local news for her to realize that writing fiction is much better for the soul and definitely way more fun. A born and bred Hoosier, she was plucked from the Heartland after being swept off her feet by an Air Force pilot and has spent the past decade traveling the world and, and every few years, attempting to make old curtains fit in the windows of a new home.

She currently resides in New Mexico with her husband, two children, one grumpy dachshund, and an overly demanding guinea pig.

"If It Rains" is her first novel and is available from Tyndale House Publishers wherever books are sold.

She is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers Association), and can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and sometimes (but very rarely) on Twitter. She also blogs at www.jennwrightwrites.com

The Girl from the Papers is a historical novel that features the fictional couple of Beatrice and Jack--- a couple whose lives are loosely based on those of Bonnie and Clyde but answers the question of 'what if they listened to their faith?'. I know the basics of the Bonnie and Clyde story only, so I can't say exactly how close their story mirrors that of Beatrice and Jack (aside from those mentioned in the author's note), but I found this fictional story so intriguing! While their backstory was filled with so many challenges and struggles that made Beatrice sympathetic, it also didn't glamourize or justify the life they were living either. Instead, it offered a unique story about redemption and God's ability to change hearts and forgive using these characters who are certainly not typically seen in Christian fiction. 

Overall, this was a well-written and interesting read. Fans of historical fiction or true crime are certain to enjoy this one.