Minister Analiese Wagner faces a challenge when a homeless family camps on the church’s grounds one freezing evening. She decides to let them move into the empty apartment upstairs, even though it’s too late to get the church council’s agreement. The rest of the book is basically the fall-out from her decision and the battles she faces as an advocate for the family and for a hands on approach to Christianity. Added to this she faces a personal challenge when the priest she fell in love with turns up in town. They’d parted to avoid their feelings being an issue for him in his ministry as a celibate priest, but he’s come to a cross roads in his life, and she’s a factor in what he chooses for the future.
The book goes deeply into issues of family homelessness, living as a Christian, and personal love versus love of ministry. The characters are real and complex, and they develop in relation to their changing circumstances. The story is beautifully written and is extremely moving. Fine literature indeed. It also has a strong plot and excellent pacing in that as soon as one question is answered, another takes it place, and so we keep reading.
If you like literary fiction then this is truly a must-read, particularly for anyone who likes Christian themes.
The book will be released on the 28th of July.
