Review of "Afternoon Rebecca" by Mike J. Kizman

Score: 91+/100 (9.1+ out of 10)

What is the significance, meaning, and story of the username "Afternoon Rebecca"?
Is faith the foundation of love, or is love a test of faith?
How does online dating change the way we perceive connection and compatibility?
Is love built on shared beliefs, mutual attraction, or something deeper and unexplainable?

Afternoon Rebecca is a truly unique and unconventional Christian romance novel by Mike J. Kizman. The book follows Jeff Linn and Rebecca Firkins, two individuals who meet through a faith-based dating app called Church Chat Christian Dating. Set in the small-town atmosphere of Beach City, Indiana, readers are treated to an awkward, humorous, and intriguing series of interactions between Jeff and Rebecca as they navigate their newfound relationship and personal baggage.

If you want a book that's action-packed, fast-faced, thrilling, tense, or sexually explicit/suggestive, this ISN'T the book for you. This is a book that's refreshingly down to earth, mellow, and tame.

Despite a relatively mundane plot, this book surprises with its own unique and special charm. A lot of that has to do with the coy, sly, and clever dialogue which is full of sass and sarcasm on the part of both main characters.

This book almost plays out like a chess match between two individuals who—rather than wanting to defeat, trick, or outplay the other—actually just want to enjoy a good game and a fun time together.

It's beautiful in its simplicity. It's powerful in its message about self-discovery and finding one's place and purpose regardless of one's stage or state in life. God is always using us, even in the midst of our apparent failures and setbacks. God has a purpose for every one of his children.

And, as cliche as it might sound, there's someone for everyone.

It is sometimes pointed out among Christians that Eve came from Adam's rib, putting forth the idea that man and woman are destined to reunite since they came from the same place—that they will eventually find each other despite their physical separation.

In other words, if you are a man, your woman is out there. If you you are a woman, your man is out there. We all have a counterpart—a missing part of us longing to return.

The most effective aspect of this book is the writing, especially the dialogue. So much of this book hinges on the dialogue, and it thankfully hits home.

Jeff and Rebecca are both incredibly playful and clever talkers, albeit often awkward. In fact, a lot of their interactions are awkward, largely due to the fact that they're both dipping their feet in the water, feeling each other out, and trying to break the ice. However, this isn't a bad thing for the reader. In fact, this awkwardness makes their conversations more interesting.

You'll find yourself smiling, laughing, and perhaps even rolling your eyes.

The dialogue is rich with flirtiness, playfulness, humor, and sarcasm.

For example, at one point, Rebecca asks Jeff if he likes his truck driving job, to which he doesn't sound so enthusiastic. We get the aside that Rebecca is "fully interested in him talking about
his occupation." Despite this aside, we know this is only partly true and is mostly an eye-rolling sarcasm. Rebecca is not actually interested in hearing about Jeff's job, she just wants to have or keep a conversation going and to get to know Jeff better.

A lot of us find ourselves doing this in our everyday lives. Do you sometimes engage in small talk only to find that someone is now talking your ear off about soccer, knitting, pilates, or some other thing you're not so interested in? Do you endure these conversations just to be polite and courteous?

In that same conversation, Jeff is talking but concerned that he might be oversharing, being annoying, or coming across as unlikable. Rebecca assuages this with the clever line, "I’ll let you know if you’re a weirdo when you’re done."

So often, we don't say what we really think or feel because we're afraid of what others will think. Rebecca comes across as a very likable character because she's open to all of Jeff's thoughts and ideas, for better or for worse. She's a good listener and an empathetic person.

Complementing that is Jeff's authenticity. Rebecca grows to accept and appreciate how genuine a person Jeff is. In a conversation with Elise, you can start to sense Rebecca connecting how she feels about Jeff's openess and honesty to how Elise feels about her match's openess and honesty.

You also get a strong sense that all of these characters/people—who have been on these dating sites/apps—have become used to the oversaturation of fakeness. People wear masks, preferably their "best" face. They list all of their pros but none of their cons. You can only go so deep into a relationship before these cons start to rear their ugly heads.

Another thing that seems to bind Jeff and Rebecca is how they connect over their unrealized dreams and aspirations—Jeff as a musician ("semi professional ukulele player") and Rebecca as an athlete (softball player).

In a strange way, their individual failures help them to relate to one another, highlighting how things that initially seem bad in life can sometimes lead to positive outcomes. For example, you may learn from a mistake or you might be able to help others who've been through what you've been through.

This book also makes good use of motifs, mainly butterflies.
Jeff talks about how he started and played on many small Christian bands, naming all of them "Butterfly" something—Butterfly Jesus, Butterfly Effect, Butterfly Wings, Butterfly Storm, Midnight Butterfly. Each of these names subtly ties into the book’s themes of transformation, unpredictability, and new beginnings, mirroring Jeff’s own journey in love and self-discovery as well as Rebecca's.

Check it out on Amazon!