Member Reviews
I was so excited to get stuck into this book, as I was a big fan of Big Time Rush when I was younger and also grew up watching the Spy Kids movies. It is so beautiful to hear about Carlos and Alexa's testimonies and have them share their faith and their stories so boldly and authentically. There were a lot of really good takeaways that can be applied to my own life and relationships.
Thank you to the authors, NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy in return for my honest review.
I very much admire the way this couple lives their life. I think they are a very good example and are a beautiful family. I love what they wrote and they way the explained it. Highly recommend this book.
I love them so much!! 🥹 My favorite couple! Did I cry while reading their story? Yes! 😭
As a fan of both Alexa and Carlos, I loved getting to read more about them. I loved reading their testimony and hearing about all God has done in their lives.
I love how they are so open and raw! They don't hide anything in their journey to where they are know in their relationship with God. I loved that Carlos opened about his struggles with his faith in God. I'm so glad he had Alexa and their pastor in his life, if he didn't he would have given up on God.
I am so proud of Alexa for opening up about her battle with her eating disorder. I hope her story has the power to inspire and support others who may be going through similar challenges. Thank you for being so vulnerable and sharing your story with us.
Their love for God grew and freed them from their eating disorders, cussing, drug use, sex, depression, etc.
Listening to Carlos talk about how lonely and depressed he was while filming Big Time Rush broke my heart. I'm so happy he has his band mates, Alexa and his family in his life to make him who he is now.
Thank you Netgalley, and the PenaVegas for letting me read this book for an honest review.
This book was different from what I expected. I enjoy reading people’s stories and how they came to faith, but it felt like it glorified their before Christ life. The whole “what if love is the point” question wasn’t addressed until the very end of the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions in this review are my own.
This book was such an enjoyable read! I loved the vulnerability and humility that Carlos and Alexa wrote this book with. While I was very familiar with Alexa from Spykids, Big Time Rush started when I was in high school, so while I had heard of it, I didn't know it well enough to know the individual members and therefore, I wasn't familiar with who Carlos was. I really enjoyed learning more about Alexa and about Carlos through this book. Most of all, I love how they used their triumphs and strength through challenges to bring glory to God. I really didn't realize that there were such faithful and giving people in Hollywood. They are honest in the times they have fallen off course, but have rerouted when nudged back on the path and are really using their platform to spread faith, love, and God's word. I really think highly of both of them and enjoyed the conversational tone of this book. The audiobook is read by both of them and is simply delightful to listen to, so I would definitely recommend getting ahold of the audiobook to listen to their story if possible!
Full disclosure before I start—I had never heard of Big Time Rush (as a show or a band) before reading this book and have seen the first Spy Kids movie once; it didn't make a major impression, but I was basically an adult when it came out, so not really the target audience. The PenaVegas have a following on social media as well, though I'm not part of that sphere either. I was simply interested in hearing what they had to say about Living for Jesus in a Self-Consumed World (the subtitle of the book).
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I anticipated fluff, but there really wasn't much of that. While they don't exactly go into the nitty gritty of sin, sacrifice, and redemption, it may not have been their intention to present the Gospel. On the other hand, they do seem to be addressing unbelievers, at least in part, and I'm not sure what is presented here is enough to really explain what one must to do have eternal life. This is the main reason I did not give the book 5 stars. As a memoir, though, it is pretty honest and vulnerable. Considering the fame that both of these two have had in their lives, it is no small feat to not be completely caught up in it, to see that there must be more to life than the emptiness that the world provides. I appreciated the way that Alexa, especially, pointed out the ways that she can look back and see God working in her life before she'd given it over to Him. It's touching to me that she even admits that her first marriage might have been saved with a more full reliance on God, because even in the Christian culture today, many will justify their divorce as something that just couldn't be avoided.
Carlos, on the other hand, is a really good example of someone who might be saved in the sense that they "said the words," but the real relationship with God took years to develop to a point where he could trust Him more. These two have very different ways of responding to God, and I like how they view their marriage as complementary. My husband and I are much the same way, though in different ways. Though there will always be difficult times, a commitment to follow wherever God may be leading is important in a marriage, as well as in individual lives. That is one of the strongest messages that comes through in this book.
If you're looking for a presentation of the Gospel message, you won't really find it here. But you will find an open discussion of what it looks like to follow God and what it looks like to ignore Him. Though I'm sure single people can still get some insight from this book, it's pretty heavy on wisdom for people who are married or in an otherwise serious relationship. Whether you're a fan of one or both of the PenaVegas or have never heard of either, if the topic interests you, I recommend giving it a try.
This book was a great story not only to how Carlos and Alexa PenaVega met but also their faith journey.
As someone who grew up with faith but has struggled with certain aspects of it my whole life it was refreshing to read about someone else who has also struggled as well as someone new to their faith journey finding it hard to always see God in every situation.
You don't hear about celebrities who have faith or even their faith journey so it was a refreshing story and just nice to hear.
Alexa and Carlos knocked this thing out of the park! This isn’t what I normally read, but I am so glad that I read this book when I did! Sometimes it gets so easy to get caught up in life that you forget just what God has done for you and what He continues to do. I am super involved in my church, but sometimes I forget to just rest in Him. I forget that He is the reason I am who I am. I love that Alexa and Carlos spread God’s love to everyone both in their everyday life and through their platform! If you haven’t read this book, you need to!
I truly enjoyed this read - I didn't know too much of the couple past a little bit of Spy Kids, but hearing how their faith has changed their lives, their relationships, their careers - it was incredibly inspirational and good to hear about young celebrities using their fame to share their faith stories and journeys.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance copy, all opinions are my own and freely given!
I absolutely love Carlos and Alexa. This book was so cute and inspiring. I feel like their personalities are perfectly reflected and gives a realistic look at relationships.
Non-fiction books are hit or miss for me, but this one was a really good pick. Being written by two people that I saw on tv in my childhood and now reading something from them as adults was great. I loved it.
I don’t read very many non-fiction books and when I do, it usually takes me awhile to get through them. but I read What If Love Is The Point in only 2 days. I absolutely loved this book.
I love hearing people’s testimony. It is always such an encouragement to hear how God has worked in someone else’s life. So I really enjoyed hearing about Carlos and Alexa’s life and seeing how God has completely changed their life. This book is a huge encouragement for readers.
I enjoyed this read! I thought that Alexa and Carlos gave me a new perspective on some part of marriage that I, as a newlywed, loved. The book is a quick read and I loved the two perspectives or stories and anecdotes. I do feel like the book could have used a bit more editing, as things were repeated within paragraphs or spelled wrong, but I also am an English grad student and I’m sure i’m a bit more cynical than most. Overall a great read! Definitely recommend to a Christian audience.
Simply book about this couple and their journey to God, together and individually. I would've liked for them to go more into detail with how they came to their faith and kept up with their faith. This book felt like it just skimmed the surface of their life.
Believing in God & Jesus is just natural ☆5/5☆
》WHAT IF LOVE IS THE POINT?《
BY CARLOS & ALEXA PENAVEGA
Carlos and Alexa PenaVega just shared a lot of their lives in this book, their finding & bonding with God & Jesus in a very refreshing way.
They remark that God (& Jesus) love all beings & by that is willing to help everyone not only if asked to.
Opinion
I love that both write so refreshing about their love and trust in God & Jesus. It's easy to follow both on their journey till they find each other and afterward till today and how God's ways bring them together.
I like to read from both, Alexa and Carlos, point of view, how everything come together as long as they're having fate.
It totally was a pageturner. I couldn’t leave this book for a second and read it in only a few hours. I really felt immediately with their story and interestingly very peaceful, too.
Conclusion
Read it even if you're not a believer it brings light into your heart and soul.
Even if you cannot go with faith, believe me, it is still worth it. It is fresh and light.
All we need is (God's) love (that we already have).
I've got this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review, which I here share with you.
Loved learning about Alexa and Carlos, how they met, their backgrounds in the spotlight and more. They share their journeys in their faith without being pushy with it.
The story of Carlos and Alexa PenaVega is inspiring. Carlos and Alexa PenaVega are actors best known for their roles in Big Time Rush (Carlos PenaVega) and SpyKids (Alexa PenaVega). The journeys that led Carlos and Alexa PenaVega to their relationship with Jesus Christ and eventually to each other is such a testament to the faithfulness of God in our lives.
Carlos and Alexa write with such candidness and truth. I truly enjoyed reading about their personal journey in their relationship with Jesus and the genuine love and respect they have for one another. Carlos and Alexa tell of their respective struggles they endured and how their relationship with Jesus saw them through these struggles.
This book tells the story of more than just an actor and actress; it tells the story of two individuals who let Jesus Christ in their hearts, let Him lead their lives, and how their lives are lived to honor Him. If you are a fan or even if you are not, I believe this book is worth reading. The basic tenets of Carlos and Alexa's faith journey is relatable and serves as an example that giving your life to Jesus Christ is a journey that will change your life forever.
Happy Reading!
"This is more than a book. It's a story of freedom, hope, redemption, and love. Being in the public eye, I understand the struggles they faced (and continue to face), individually and as a couple. I recognize myself in a lot of the stories they share. What If Love Is the Point? helped me heal from life's wounds. It taught me that I'm not alone and I know this book will help so many others grow their faith and live out love. I didn't want it to end."
This was such a sweet story from Carlos & Alexa PenaVega! Sharing their individual journeys to fame and faith, the PenaVegas show their readers that you don’t have to choose one or the other. They seem to navigate their fame well, prioritizing Jesus and their family. It was an easy and enjoyable read.
I was knocked out speechless when I discovered that I was part of the Launch team for What If Love is the point. Thus I did receive a complimentary copy and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
I absolutely enjoyed this book and what it represented. It was a raw memoir with multiple POV -one from Carlos and the other Alexa. It was an honest book about trusting God in uncertainty and in moments of despair. It was a lesson in trusting God in our careers ,love lives and finances. I enjoyed how the author's shared their not so glorious moments and things they also regret doing . I recommend this book