Jamie is a typical 17-year-old girl, except for the fact that she’s been kicked out of her home for refusing to join a cult. To make matters worse, she is the one who introduced her father to the cult in the first place. She was so taken with Josh, the son of one of the Church of the Right and the Real’s disciples and the most good-looking guy in school, that she ignored the signs that something isn’t quite right about the church.
Jamie struggles to find a place to live, get a job and stay in school. In the midst of all this, she maintains her relationship with Josh and tries to figure out a way to reconnect with her dad. Readers will wonder, “Would I be so strong in such a difficult situation?” However, they may also grow frustrated with Jamie as she succumbs to Josh’s dubious charms and neglects to seek help from the most likely sources.
Finally, in her new co-worker Trent, Jamie finds a true friend and confidant—not to mention a great guy who thinks she’s truly amazing. Even as Jamie starts to get her life back on track, she finds that her dad really needs her help, and she has to decide how to move forward (and whether or not she’s ready to forgive him for abandoning her in the first place). The climax of The Right and the Real will leave readers thrilled, satisfied and eager for more from novelist Joëlle Anthony.
Emily Booth Masters reviews from Nashville, Tennessee.
