Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
Today, we're joining a TLC Book Tours promotion already in progress as we set out sights on the latest release from author Billy Coffey. It hit store shelves this January via Thomas Nelson and features a story that while steeped in faith, isn't solely about what might be out there, but rather what's right here, inside us all. Ready or not, today's book of choice is on deck...
by
Billy Coffey
9780718084448
Thomas Nelson
About the book...
Owen Cross grew up with two loves: one a game, the other a girl. One of his loves ruined him. Now he’s counting on the other to save him.
Owen Cross’s father is a hard man, proud in his brokenness, who wants nothing more than for Owen to succeed where he failed. With his innate talents and his father’s firm hand guiding him, Owen goes to college with dreams of the major leagues—and an emptiness full of a girl named Micky Dullahan.
Owen loved Micky from the first time they met on the hill between their two worlds: his middle-class home and her troubled Shantytown. Years later he leaves her for the dugouts and the autographs, but their days together follow him. When he finally returns home, he discovers that even peace comes at a cost. And that the hardest things to say are to the ones we love the most.
From bestselling author Billy Coffey comes a haunting story of small-town love, blinding ambition, and the risk of giving it all for one last chance.
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I was enraptured by the past as recollected by an aging Owen, as he watched the pieces of a life fall into places he never believed possible. There was so much heart, so much faith, so much truth finding amidst all the lies, and yet as beautiful as it all was, the end of both the book and a particular character left me...confused.
I admit it...I was split on this one upon turning the final page. The time I spent with Own and Micky in the past was like watching an old family movie...WITH all the bumps and bruises along the way because let's face it, their childhood wasn't exactly idyllic. They were two peas in a mismatched pod, but they worked...the only problem was all the working was done outside of friends, family, and the community, and secrecy is not the best foundation for a relationship of any sort to start upon. Despite all the hiding and sneaking, they were happy for the most part...until it all fell around them like so many dandelion bits floating in the wind. One night, one choice, one moment that would change them all. Some would say the impact on the lives of those involved was for the better. It certainly seemed that way from the outside looking in. Faith was found in not only a higher power but mankind. The troubles of this earth were put into perspective and the folks of Shantytown were making strides for a better tomorrow. Sounds wonderful...until it wasn't...but that turn south, so to speak, is where things get fuzzy, for me at least. I'm pretty sure I understood what Micky was getting at and the message she was trying to convey to Owen, but the how was outside of my belief system, leaving me to ponder and puzzle just what it was I had "witnessed".
All in all, the story has a lot of heart, and aims to reach those of its audience with a message of hope for a better tomorrow, the will to act to make it a reality, and the commitment of our true selves to follow a moral path befitting the gift our lives truly are. While I wasn't completely sold, the story still had it's moments and they add up to a formidable story well worth the read.
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About the author...
Billy Coffey’s critically acclaimed books combine rural Southern charm with a vision far beyond the ordinary. He is a regular contributor to several publications, where he writes about faith and life. Billy lives with his wife and two children in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.
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Special thanks to Lisa at TLC Book Tours for the chance to bring this promotion to you and to the team at Thomas Nelson for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, THIS TOUR, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now via Thomas Nelson, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing!
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
3 comments:
Wonderful, captivating and memorable novel.
Oh wow, this book sounds very heartfelt. Glad you enjoyed it, bumps and all!
Thanks for being a part of the tour!
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