Berry on Top

By: Valerie Comer

Narrated by: Becky Doughty

Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's Summary

God forgave him - but can she?

Liz Nemesek's first visit home in forever is tough enough before Mason Waterman shows up. Despite her best efforts, she's never forgotten - or forgiven - him for the hurt he once caused.

Former bad boy Mason Waterman has returned to northern Idaho to raise his five-year-old twins. The kids are determined to find a new mommy, but Liz is the last person they should latch onto...and the last person he should find himself falling for. Again.

If Mason has really changed, can Liz re-open her heart to him...and to the God who could have prevented her decade of heartache?

©2015 Valerie Comer (P)2017 Nicole O'Dell

Better than Five Stars!!!

What does Becky Doughty bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I really like how Becky Doughty brings the characters to life with unique voices for them. It really brings the interactions to life and makes what was already a great book even greater!

Any additional comments?

Another winner from Valerie Comer and a great finish to her Farm Fresh Romances! While I really enjoyed the first three books in this series and happily gave them each 5 stars, the last three have been even better - delving much deeper into issues of faith - and, I feel that, to be fair, I need to give them 7 or 8 stars each!

In all seriousness, I love how this book delves into the nitty-gritty issues of hard forgiveness. I appreciated how it was true-to-life (rather than logical!) about how some parts of forgiving sometimes happen inexplicably quickly and you're just "over it" while other parts are agonizingly slow and no matter how hard you try, it feels impossible to talk yourself through them. I also really appreciated how this book did not minimize the reality of the consequences that come with bad choices and how we often have to deal with those consequences for the rest of our lives but that God also often surprises us with ridiculous joy in the midst of and even because of those very consequences.

I also thought that Comer did a good job keeping the main character just likeable enough throughout the parts of the book where she was hanging on to her bitterness and unforgiveness. While there were definitely places in the book where I did not like her much, I never stopped rooting for her. I think that's a very fine line for an author to walk and this book managed it well.

My favorite parts of this book were the community scenes. I have come to love the people who make up Green Acres and I crave the kind of community they created in this series. I especially love the children and how they have grown and how the community has changed because of them without losing any of their depth and closeness. Oh, to live in a place like Green Acres! I will miss these people in this series so much, but I also find myself really excited to meet Comer's next crew in her upcoming series set in the city of Spokane! Being more of a city girl myself, I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of community happens in the city-setting of this series.

This audiobook was provided by the author for review purposes, but all opinions given above are my own.

Great Story of Forgiveness

I had a hard time getting started with this book, but the ending was worth the perseverance. I loved the strands of forgiveness and unconditional love throughout the book. I enjoyed the faith that was represented in this book. I recommend this to anyone wanting a clean inspirational story.

Looking for Something Different and Clean?

Would you listen to Berry on Top again? Why?

Probably in the future when I've listened to all the audio books on my TBR (listened to) pile. I buy about 30 audio books a year, and in the several years I've been listening to audio books, I haven't had time to listen to one twice. I would listen again if my teen-aged girls wanted to listen with me. Because the main character, Liz, has fallen away from God, she mentions having been in some relationships in her past which wouldn't be appropriate for younger children (under 13) to listen to. (Don't worry. Valerie Comer doesn't go into details; the book is a clean one.) I do think the learning experiences Liz has would be beneficial for older girls to hear about.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mason's six-year-old daughter. She is a twin but the better behaved of the two. She is kind and helpful and longs for a mother to cuddle with and read her bedtime stories. She was really sweet, and Becky Doughty made her come to life.

What three words best describe Becky Doughty’s voice?

Clear, pleasant, well-enunciated.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I cried a couple of times. Liz is struggling in her relationship to God, and I remember feeling that way once. Valerie Comer's characters are realistic, and I felt empathy for Liz. Also, there is a brief scene involving a car driving in severe weather. No spoilers here, but again, the reactions of the characters involved were realistic and touching.

Any additional comments?

The Farm Fresh Romance series takes place on land shared by a group of people. It's like a commune or eco-village, if you're familiar with that, and they're popping up all over the United States, actually. Some are based on shared religious or spiritual beliefs, and some are based simply on being environmentally responsible. I've never been to an intentional community like that, and it was fun to read about the Christian couples who believe in sustainable living and local foods. They use solar panels, can their own foods, raise their own lifestock, share cooking duties, etc. I don't think I could live like that; I like my Walmart, but it was fun to escape into their world for a few hours. There is an Urban Farm Fresh Romance series as well.Valerie Comer gave me a copy of Berry on Top for free in exchange for an honest review. I really liked the story. I was looking for something light and clean, and the deeper Christian message was an added bonus.

Outstanding

Another outstanding performance of a great story of redemption. What an awesome series has come to an end here.
Glad some of these beloved characters show up in the Urban series by Mrs Comer.
So glad I found the first book, Raspberries and Vinegar, and grateful that all the other parts are available in audio as well.