REVIEW: A JOURNAL TO YOU

Image: @ajournaltoyou

A Journal to You: A journey to discovering your purpose.

Life is tough, so why do it alone?

It could be the bond of friendship or the tale of friends going through life's journey, but this book reminded me a little of The Smart Money Woman by Arese Ugwu. While The Smart Money Woman chronicles the lives of five friends on their journey to financial freedom, A Journal to you is a tale of friendship laced with themes of faith, discovery, and purpose.

Can we talk about this BEAUTY called book cover?

I am mostly drawn to a book, either by its book cover or the review and recommendation of others. Sometimes, it’s both; but most times, the book cover has a captivating aura for me. For this book, having no prior knowledge of the author, the book cover was the trigger.

Asides from the beauty, the book cover depicts the main message of the book. The flowers, I believe, denote blossom and I believe it's not a coincidence that the flowers are four which represent the journey and growth of the main characters.

I must also commend the thoughtfulness of the author, Simi Alexis Romeo. The book opens with a page of thoughtful words of affirmation a reader can declare.

The Tale of four friends

A Journal To You chronicles the lives of four friends in contemporary Lagos as they navigate through life pressures, and struggles. We have the opportunity to meet Kika, Anita, Tara, and Mimi in this book. 

Kika works with the top media company in the country and her dream of becoming the top journalist in the country seems to be tied to that. She puts in all the work, hoping that her hard work will be appreciated and she would gain recognition. But with a boss like hers who takes credit for Kika’s work and refuses to promote her, her dream seems far-fetched.

Anita grew up in a rich home and had always gotten the best of things.  She is married to Nati but she constantly has to face awkward comments and questions at family functions about their childlessness.

Tara is a fashion designer who is to be married to Bode Cole. She grew up dealing with her mother’s rejection and this childhood trauma sowed seeds of jealousy, insecurity, and comparison.

Mini is a top event planner in Lagos whose breakthrough in the industry came after she planned Anita’s wedding. She is married to Rayo, a relationship her family and friends didn’t approve of, and she constantly has to deal with a disrespectful, abusive, and controlling husband.

I love that the characters in this book are relatable, as the daily struggles of individuals from the workplace, to the home, to societal perspective, to relationships are portrayed through the lens of the characters. As the story unfolds, the bond of friendship is put to test as we see the friends at crossroads.

What will Kika do when the promotion with the attractive salary she has always desired at her place of work depends on scooping on her friend, Mimi? Can Mini whose integrity is questioned, come out to share her story even in the midst of danger? Can Anita find another path when all she has ever known came crumbling? What will Tara do when she becomes a victim of fraud executed by her friend’s husband?

In a storm of questioned integrity, betrayal, deception, can the friends lean on the love and friendship that bonds them together? Can it lead them to healing, discovery, and purpose?

The book is multifaceted but has the sole message of purpose and God’s love regardless of where we are coming from. The author did a good job in communicating that there is always hope even in the midst of the worst situation and the importance of God as we journey through life. I had the opportunity to gain insights from the lives of the characters. My favourite character is Mimi because her character defines strength and growth. I admire her strength and courage to share her story to help similar women in her situation. It reminds me that we can find purpose in our story.

In a world with numerous perspectives where identity is tied to what you have, I am glad the author addressed this in the book. All the ladies were faced with an identity crisis. For example, Anita’s identity was tied to being married to Bode and whenever she was asked to introduce herself, she would start with that and talk about how amazing her husband is. That is all she has ever known. As a result, you are not just reading about four friends, you also have the opportunity to draw insights from their lives. 

Another thing I like about the book is the author’s note to the reader at the end of each chapter called, “A journal to the reader”. This makes the book interactive and practical. At this point, the author brings up the characters’ experiences, her personal experiences and tries to show how God’s Love and Word inspire all parties to push through and move forward. There is also a journal task and tip included in this section to guide the reader through reflection and application. Personally, this was an opportunity for reflection and to draw actionable steps from the previous chapter. I also love the use of scripture which reflects God’s Word and Intention by the author to drive her point home.

I love the way all the themes are strapped to portray how each character’s circumstances shaped the women they became at the end of the story. Each character's journey was unique, but the convergence was finding purpose in their pain, and learning to lean on God and each other through life's journey and struggles. 

On the other hand, there were a few inconsistencies in the story and some scenes caused me to raise an eyebrow, but I believe the author was able to beautifully communicate the essence of the book; an intriguing piece that inspires a reader to embrace purpose.