Introduction

Desperate to stay home with her baby, Allie Harrod launches a new career. Sure, she dropped out of Girl Scouts because she was lousy at cookie sales, but makeup is different, right? She'll do anything to make enough money to cover her share of the household bills, but how can she focus on her business when her list of problems is growing? None of her pre-baby clothes fit, her checking account is dwindling, and her mother-in-law has decided to move in! To top it off, her husband's attractive coworker suddenly needs his help every weekend. Middle sister Joan insists that God has the answers to all her problems, but Allie isn't so sure. Can she really trust him? A lighthearted contemporary tale of family, faith, and fun, Age before Beauty is the second book in the Sister-to-Sister series from well-reviewed author Virginia Smith.

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Excerpt

The mirror had to be warped. That was the only explanation
for the image staring back at Allie from its treacherous
surface. Her thighs couldn't be that wide, her belly that
flabby. Could glass warp? Of course not. But the weather
so far this fall had been wetter than normal, following
a horribly humid Kentucky summer. All that dampness
wreaked havoc on the wooden front door at Gram's house.
And this mirror had a wood frame. That had to be it.
But the warping seemed only to be in the middle, like
one of those fun-house mirrors. She squinted down at her
pink toenails. Her feet looked normal. Her face looked
okay. Pretty good, even. This was the first time she'd put
on makeup in weeks, and a little color worked wonders.
She could use a haircut, though the dark blonde layers
falling in waves to rest on her shoulders managed to hold
the extra length well.
She blew her bangs out of her eyes. Actually, the long
hair made her face look fuller, and that offset some of the
width of her hips. Which needed the help, especially now
that she got a good look at them wearing only a nursing
bra and panties. If she cut some of the volume out of her
hair, she'd look like one of those toys she and Joan and
Tori played with as kids. What were they called? Weebles.
She'd look like Mother Weeble.
She swayed from side to side, eyeing her oversized bottom
half as she sang the toy's jingle. “Weebles wobble but
they don't fall down.”
“Did you say something?”
Allie whirled to find Eric standing in the bedroom doorway,
a grin twitching at his mouth. She felt a blush creep
up her neck. Though he was the world's most awesome
husband and devoted new daddy, she still felt awkward
parading her postmaternity body around in front of him.
A flabby belly covered in stretch marks was soooo sexy.
“How long have you been standing there?”
His voice dropped an octave as his smile deepened.
“Long enough to admire my beautiful wife.”
No mistaking that husky tone. She snatched her jeans
off the bed. “Don't get frisky, lover boy. My sister will be
here any minute.”
Eric's lips twisted. “Story of my life lately.”
Allie crossed the room and placed a tender kiss on his
cheek. “I'm sorry my family is here so often. They just don't
want to miss a day with the baby. She's growing so fast.”
“I know, I know.” He grinned. “But tonight I get Joanie
all to myself. Our first father-daughter date.”
Allie sat on the edge of the bed and slipped her feet into
the jeans, avoiding Eric's eyes. He had been looking forward
to this evening for a full week, ever since Joan invited her
to go to a stupid party where some fanatical woman would
try to force her to buy something she didn't want and for
which she had no use. If only Joan hadn't asked in front of
Eric, she would have turned the invitation down without
a second thought. But he had insisted it was time she took
her first outing without the baby.
... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. When the story opens, new mom Allie has undergone some changes she didn't expect, both in her body and her outlook. Identify some ways she has changed. How does having a baby alter a woman's life?

2. Allie, Joan, and Tori are sisters with a common background and unique personalities. Describe their differences and similarities. With which character do you most identify, and why?

3. Allie describes the event she attends with Joan as “a stupid party where some fanatical woman would try to force her to buy something she didn't want and for which she had no use.” Have anyone ever been involved in a home business or maybe tried to find a way to work at home so they could be a stay at home mom?

4. Though she desperately wants to stay home with Joanie instead of returning to work, Allie can't force herself to rely on Eric as her sole financial support. Why? Does she overcome this fear?

5. In what ways do the Sanderson sisters support each other?

6. When a “rash” appears on Joanie's face, Allie panics. Is her reaction a common one for new moms? If you're a mom, have you ever overreacted to a situation involving your child?

7. Allie's dislike of Betty is based on a series of misunderstandings. Identify some of them, and discuss the ways their relationship changes throughout the course of the story.

8. Eric and Allie were raised in vastly different environments. How do their parents' relationships affect their marriage?

9. In what ways do Eric and Allie each put their marriage at risk?

10. Because of a disturbing incident in his youth, Eric distrusts people who go to church. Is his attitude justified? Why does he decide to give church a try at the end of the story?

11. As Allie struggles to resolve her growing list of problems, a song she learned years before in church keeps coming to mind. How does this help her resolve her problems? What role does music play in the life of a believer?

12. Author Virginia Smith says the engagement scene in Age before Beauty never fails to bring tears to her eyes. If you are married, describe how you became engaged. If you're single, what is your idea of a romantic marriage proposal?

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