Review: Where Do I Go by Neta Jackson
December 19th, 2008 | 
Author: 
A story of seeking-and finding-God’s will in unlikely places.
MY REVIEW:
I’ve read all but the last 100 pages or so of this book – holiday activities make it so hard to read at times. And I confess that I skimmed ahead to see what happens because I really wanted to know! But don’t worry, I will be finishing this book – it’s too good not to finish.
Where Do I Go introduces us to Gabrielle “Gabby” Fairbanks and her life in the upper tier of society. She recently moved to a high rise Chicago penthouse and has two sons in private boarding school, weekly maid service, an over-achieving husband, an ailing mother, and wealthy, aristocratic in-laws. While seemingly having it all, Gabby isn’t very happy. She realizes that there are some things that money can’t buy – happiness, friendship, love, appreciation.
Written in first person, this book pulls the reader into Gabby’s daily struggles. Years ago, she was carefree and had a relationship with God. Now, after being thrust into a new hometown as her husband pursues his business goals, she struggles with life. She fumbles through meetings with her husband’s business associates, gets caught in the rain repeatedly, stubs her tow on a homeless woman’s cart, and so much more.
Her accidental meeting with the homeless woman sets the wheels in motion for Gabby to find her purpose in life. Within a couple of weeks, she’s working part-time at a local women’s shelter as the new program director, much to the chagrin of her husband. Little does Gabby know how much she’ll need her new friends at the women’s shelter.
Neta Jackson delicately exposes Gabby’s inner struggles in a way that isn’t over-the-top. To me, her portrayal of Gabby’s life is realistic and 100% believable.
Oftentimes, I paused while reading and wondered if Gabby’s struggles with fulfillment, love, and happiness were reasons why we hear of so many celebrities or “big name” society people contributing to charities and traveling overseas to third world countries. Perhaps.
To read the Prologue and first Chapter of Where Do I Go?, go HERE
And, by the way, the ending is left wide open for a sequel. (Not that I skipped ahead and read the ending or anything like that!) 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
As a husband/wife writing team, Dave and Neta Jackson are enthusiastic about books, kids, walking with God, gospel music, and each other! Together they are the authors or coauthors of over 100 books. In addition to writing several books about Christian community, the Jacksons have coauthored numerous books with expert resource people on a variety of topics from racial reconciliation to medical ethics to ministry to kids in gangs.
Dave and Neta live in Evanston, Illinois, where for twenty-seven years they were part of Reba Place Church, a Christian church community. They are now members of a multi-racial congregation in the Chicago area.
They’re trying something new! Not just new for them, but something completely new in Christian fiction: “Parallel novels,” two stories taking place in the same time frame, same neighborhood, involving some of the same characters living through their own dramas and crises but interacting with and affecting one another … just the way it happens in real life.
It’s something that only a husband and wife writing team could pull off. While Neta has Where Do I Go?, her husband Dave has written Harry Bentley’s Second Chance.
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