Flabbergasted    by Ray Blackston Order:  USA  Can Revell, 2003 (2003) Hardcover, Audio, CD      Reviewed by Melissa Parcel Twenty-seven-year-old, single stockbroker Jay Jarvis has just moved from Texas to South Carolina. His real estate agent points him to the local churches as places to meet women in town. On Jay's first Sunday at the singles Sunday School class, he's knocked off his feet by beautiful Allie, a missionary, home on furlough from Ecuador. And when Jay joins the single's group on a weekend trip to the beach, it turns out to be much more than he bargained for. Jay gets acquainted with a great group of guys, from married surfer Ransom, to laid back Steve, to straight laced Stephen. Jay and Allie hang out and get to know each other better. She causes him to think a great deal about his goals in life as well as his plans for the future, challenging both his belief in God's hand in his life and his materialistic tendencies. As Jay learns more, he finds himself utterly flabbergasted. His life will never be the same again. This is a light, fun read with a lot of underlying meat. The faith message is strong but not overbearing. Jay is a down-to-earth character who endears himself to the reader from the first page. His transparency makes him a person, with whom anyone can identify. Allie is a solid, strong Christian, whose beliefs are completely opposite to where Jay begins his journey. But she doesn't force anything on him and their friendship is authentic. I laughed out loud at many scenes in the novel. Ray Blackston is obviously writing from familiarity, because I recognized the single's group I used to attend in his descriptions. I have nothing but good things to say about Flabbergasted, and highly recommend it. I certainly hope to hear more from its author in the future. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews