I’d been hearing the title here and there for quite some time, and then I finally found out where to get it - from the author herself.

I opened the first page, intending to have a quick look and come back later - but a glance had me hooked and I read it right through that very day. The story drew me in immediately.

Why? Because it’s about a sci-fi writer. He also happens to be the pastor of a church. A church that doesn’t know he’s a bestseller with a pen name. Everything has been running smoothly up until the day when his publisher assigns a new editor called AJ to work on his latest manuscript.

AJ is not a Christian, and clashes ensue between their worldviews even as suspicions arise in the church about the mysterious stranger who visits the pastor’s office. At the same time, Matt discovers he has more than just a passing interest in the young lady editing his work.

Yes, it’s a romance - but one that brings us into the centre of the writing business, including writer-publisher relations, writer’s block, and even a book-signing session at a sci-fi conference. It also brings us deep into the inner workings of a church and a ministry, exposing the insidious influence of gossip and prejudice and then showing how, in Christ, these things can be defeated.

You’ll enjoy experiencing church for the first time through the eyes of an outsider, and you’ll feel the weight of a young pastor’s responsibility as he ploughs through issues of calling and destiny. His questions go deep and strike the heart of the matter, while AJ seeks answers that go beyond her mother’s hippie spirituality. What more can I say? Lively, realistic, spiritual, and full of laughs. Great book.

When I first started reading Angel with A Raygun, I thought it was going to be one of those "perfect Christian" romances where the characters have some sort of manual that tells them the correct Christian response to all life situations. (I never got mine.) But in fact, it had a bit more to it than that. Kinnard created some great characters that I came to care about. She also presented some issues to think about such as: the harm of being judgmental, our attitude towards non-Christians and newcomers, the role of women in the church and the value of different types of literature. A very enjoyable read.