Yolanda Brook Callegari’s debut novel, First Love, is an urban contemporary Christian novel and coming-of-age story about a young girl and her first romantic relationship with the opposite sex. Amani Nicole Shepard is content with a life that revolves around school and church activities. She finds comfort in her spirituality, her strong relationship with God, knowledge of the Word and her mother, Olivia Shephard. Amani meets Marley Jamison, a star UCLA basketball player, during her senior year of high school. Marley is everything that Amani could wish for–he is intelligent, handsome, manner able, affectionate, kind and considerate. Like Amani, Marley is in love for the first time, a born-again Christian, a virgin and is committed to staying that way until he marries. As Amani and Marley fall deeper in love, Marley decides its time to trade in their celibate lifestyle and to consummate their relationship because after all they plan to marry each other after college. Amani faces a dilemma…should she give into her boyfriend’s demands and just do it like everyone else…or should she continue to save herself for marriage. As Amani struggles to hold on to love and her boyfriend she does not want to lose herself in the process.

First Love is an entertaining and inspiring novel for the times in which we live. The characters and the situations they encountered were realistic, real world issues that teens and adults face everyday. Callegari-Brooks’ used biblical verses throughout the storyline to show that if we meditate on the Word, God will hear our cries and answer our prayers. I also liked how Callegari-Brooks’ incorporated a parent/child theme to draw adults (especially parents) into the storyline. Amani’s mother, Olivia, has high hopes and expectations for her youngest daughter who is the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter. (The significance of the seventh is symbolism which stands for the completeness of the life cycle; in the biblical sense God created the world in seven days.) … Amani finds out about her mother’s past and her entire foundation is shaken. To make matters worse everything Amani believes about those closest to her-her mother, her boyfriend, her best friend-all appear to be built on sinking sand.

First Love is a story that entertains, inspires, encourages and teaches us all to put first things first. It is a Christian fiction story that examines maintaining values as a young person, as well as helping parents understand that communication, honesty and openness are key to a trusting relationship with a child and oftentimes can help prevent the same mistakes from reproducing in generation after generation. First Love is about choices and consequences. In light of the rising rate of teen pregnancies, abortions, and HIV/AIDs, First Love is a necessary read for young adults and parents today. At times, Callegari-Brooks’ might appear preachy to some, but I think it is only because she is passionate and strong about her beliefs and wants others to know that they do have options.
I felt her book equipped me as a parent for when the time comes that I need to explain to my children “what thus says the Lord” about premarital sex. First Love is a wonderful debut novel about ones relationship with God, the opposite sex, parent/child, friends and loved ones, and self. I recommend this book to all Godly parents who are trying to raise a Godly child.

Yasmin
APOOO BookClub

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