Blessed Are the Meddlers, Sydney Alexander Series #2

Freelance writer Sydney Alexander has given up her serial dating ways to marry Gavin. When she's offered an advice-to-the-lovelorn column at the local newspaper, she's convinced it's a way to help everybody---including her sister Samantha---find true love, too! How could something so right go so very wrong? Includes reader's guide. 256 pages, softcover from NavPress.

Interfering with the love lives of others rarely ends well, as Sydney, a freelance writer, learns in Blessed Are the Meddlers: Confessions of a Serial Matchmaker. Having recently married the love of her life, Sydney has decided that none of her friends should be single and promptly takes it upon herself to help them with their dating games. However, she isn’t prepared for the consequences when her dating advice falls through. Suddenly, her sister, her readers, her editor, and her friend are suffering heartbreak, and they’re blaming her.

This book might be hard to follow for some readers. Each of the chapters is divided into sections of varying lengths, and the sections switch points of view. In most of them, Sydney narrates her story, but in the rest, the story focuses on other characters while being told in third person. Sydney’s relationship with her sister is believable, but her relationships with others, especially her husband, seem rather shallow. The thing I will remember most about this book is how God seems to be an afterthought, as His name appears only periodically throughout. I would have liked to have seen the author focus more on solid, godly relationships, rather than compatibility and whether or not the other person remains faithful. It could have been beneficial to center the novel around 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, which says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (NIV) This passage exemplifies what is real love looks like in relationships, and little of its message can be found in this read.

Sydney Alexander Williams is a freelance writer who has recently married a music writer. She seems shallow and superficial, and she takes every opportunity to point out nonessential facts, such as what brand and shade of lipstick she is wearing. She and nearly everyone else in the book go out for coffee, food, and whatever else way more often than is believable. Nevertheless, her heart is in the right place. She simply takes a few too many liberties with other people’s love lives and gives a few misplaced pieces of advice.

Overall, this book was only moderately enjoyable for me. If women out there are looking for a feel-good book with no vulgarities or anything else inappropriate, they might like this story. However, I would not recommend it to someone looking for a book of advice about integrating God with dating. -- Becky Blomenberg, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com

Average Rating:

7 of 7 Reviews Showing:

Reviewed by Deborah (Reston, VA), November 13, 2008

I absolutely adored this book. I wish this book could come to life so I could interact with these characters. Seriously, if I could live in a book, I would pick this series. Sydney and Gavin have one of the best and healthiest relationships I have ever read in a book. They genuinely love and trust each other and they enjoy having fun together. There's no conflict between them yet they are not boring at all. I mentioned with the first book that I loved Sydney's job. I still do in this book Why can't I get a job like that? It's very Carrie Bradshaw-ish minus the sex and shoe excess. I love again that real bands are mentioned, yay for a Radiohead concert! Everyone in this book just adds to the story. Jane's story is ironically bittersweet while Sydney's boss has a surprise ending. There were times where I wanted to scream at Samantha for the choices she made especially involving Aidan. Did she not learn her lesson the first time around? It got to the point to where at the ending I wanted to say "serve you right!" Unfortunately Samantha acts how most women, even Christians, do when it comes to guys It just brings up the old questions of why do girls always fall for the bad guy? I did not find the shift in tense distracting, in fact it added to the story. While most women will enjoy this book, I recommend it most to older teens to thirty-somethings . I feel that it is written mainly for us, it's how our lives really are. I cannot wait to find out the next adventure in Sydney's life. This book is SO VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Reviewed by Wendi (Seattle, WA), November 04, 2008

Perfect for : Personal reading, Book Club Read (Discussion Questions included) In a nutshell: A really enjoyable read. The main character, Sydney, speaks to the reader in a conversational tone - which is wonderful! This modern gal is such fun to listen too! She admits that her success rate at matchmaking for her friends is about one in forty, which isn't all that stellar, but she still tries, and when she has a success, the couple is HAPPY! Some of the fun quips include references to Hot Pockets, Friends (TV Show), Jessica Simpson, etc. My Review: I have really enjoyed this light book, with its emphasis on faith (and forgiveness), as well as some really great dialogue and relationships (I especially Sydney's with her editor-boss). Characters: The characters were very lovable! I loved how the main character spoke to me through the book. Story-Line: I think the story-line is cute and entertaining. With a success rate of 1 in about 40, why do people keep allowing Sydney to set them up? Readability: This book was wonderfully fun to read - written in a lovely conversational tone. The author has added a fun little 1/2 sentense at the beginning of each new scene, which gives the reader a hint of what is to come - I found it really fun and charming (witty too!). Overall: A fun, witty book, written with a Christian influence. This was the second book of the series, and I look forward to going back and seeing what Sydney was up to in the first book!

Reviewed by Stacey (Las Vegas, NV), October 27, 2008

Meticulously woven like the best Shakespearean comedy, “Blessed Are The Meddlers” by Christa Ann Banister reads like a well-detailed journal, complete with thoughtful “asides” by the main character, Sydney Alexander. Now that Sydney’s happily married, she wants the same bliss for everyone around her. So, why not play matchmaker? As you can imagine, this romantic comedy read is chock full of chaos…and laughter! Sydney and Gavin are adorable. The supporting cast is a joy to encounter in these pages. Christa has penned a wonderful sequel to “Around The World In 80 Dates” that can easily be relished on its own! The bonus content is a nice touch, too.

Reviewed by Evangeline (Colorado Springs, CO), October 23, 2008

Reading Christa Banisters Blessed are the Meddlers is like coming back to your favorite TV show after summer break. You’re ready to get back into the characters’ lives and revel in the ups and downs of the story arc. I enjoyed Christa’s debut novel Around the World in 80 Dates and was eager to hear more about her quirky cast of characters. Protagonist Sydney Alexander is now happily hitched and ready to spread the warmth of her charmed life to any and all of her single acquaintances. The trouble is, they don’t always cooperate. Sydney orchestrates date after date, but with idiosyncrasies flaring right and left, her matchmaking becomes more like a messy game of Memory. I found myself holding my breath as Sydney turned over the cards, and sometimes, the mismatches were the most entertaining. Christa Banister’s style is hip, quick, and fun. With plenty of pop culture, relatable characters, and sarcastic wit, Blessed are the Meddlers is sure to please the palate of any romantic comedy lover.

Reviewed by Michelle (AZ), October 14, 2008

I enjoyed Around the World in 80 Dates, but this story was even better. I just never know where Christa is going to take me but I can always guarantee that I won't be able to predict the outcome. That's what makes her books such fun and entertaining reads. She has a unique voice, crazy characters and great romantic plots with twists and turns.

Reviewed by Katrina G. (Coon Rapids, MN), May 25, 2008

Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match... Look out Emma, here comes Sydney Williams, and in true Emma-esque fashion, Sydney has made it her personal mission to help her friends be as happily in love as she is, in 'Blessed are the Meddlers: Confessions of a Serial Matchmaker'! In this hilariously light-hearted, totally relateable sequel to 'Around the World in 80 Dates: Confessions of a Chrsitian Serial Dater', Sydney is back, and she's been bitten by the matchmaking bug. Follow Sydney, as she attempts to help her friends Jane and Lucinda, and her sister Samantha find the kind of lasting happiness, she's found with, Mr. Hottie, aka Gavin Williams. Christa Banister's unique story telling, gives you the whole story, not only do you get to see things from her pespective, and that of her friends and sister, but you get to see what's happening with the guys involved too. The transitions between story lines are refreshingly creative catchy chapter titles, foreshadowing movie quotes, a reader's guide, plus a list of Sydney's Top 10 Breakup Songs and Top 5 Makeup Songs, round out this fabulous addition to the Chick Lit genre.

Reviewed by Deena at A Peek At My Bookshelf (Olivehurst, CA), May 20, 2008

I hope this doesn't come out as a slam, because I really, really, REALLY mean it as high praise...but reading a novel by Christa Ann Banister is like an episode of "Sex In The City" without all of the 'ick' and 'yikes' stuff! It's fun, it's heartwarming...and it keeps you a bit dizzy as you'll see! "Blessed Are The Meddlers" is a follow-up novel to Christa's debut, "Around the World in 80 Dates". I fell in love with Sydney Alexander as I watched her attempts to find her true love. It was aptly subtitled 'Confessions of a Serial Dater'. In her sophomore release, Christa has subtitled this one 'Confessions of a Serial Meddler'. There's a whole lot of confessin' going on, and that's because Sydney Williams now sees herself as a matchmaker of sorts for her girlfriends. Can you hear the soundtrack of "Fiddler on the Roof" playing in your head too ("Matchmaker, matchmaker...make me a match...). Trouble is, Sydney isn't quite as good as she thinks she might be:-) Jane, her sister Samantha, and boss Lucinda all end up out of sorts with Sydney by the end of the novel...and yet, they all find that special someone in their own way. And even with Sydney's meddling, as it turns out she's not too far off base. Change is in the wind for all of our beloved characters, so I don't know if we'll see another Sydney novel from Christa, but I for one am in love with her unique writing style. She transitions from scene to scene in such a fun and creative way, and her opening movie quotes are a kick as well. In the world of chick-lit and finding Mr. Right, Christa Ann Banister is a unique voice that makes me glad 1) I'm no longer single:-) and 2) that she followed her heart and created such enjoyable fiction.

Write a review of Blessed Are the Meddlers, Sydney Alexander Series #2

• Books
• Books >> Fiction
• Books >> Fiction >> Romance
• Books >> Fiction >> Romance >> Contemporary Romance
• Fiction
• Fiction >> Romance
• Fiction >> Romance >> Contemporary Romance
• Start A New Christianbook.com Search

I'm the author/artist and I want to review Blessed Are the Meddlers, Sydney Alexander Series #2.