CFBA Tour and Book Review: Rhythm of Secrets by Patti Lacy

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingRhythm of SecretsKregel Publications (December 22, 2010)byPatti LacyABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Patti Lacy, Baylor graduate, taught community college humanities until God called her to span seas and secrets in her novels, An Irishwoman's Tale and What the Bayou Saw. She has two grown children and a dog named Laura. She and her husband can be seen jog-walking the streets of Normal, Illinois, an amazing place to live for a woman born in a car. For more information, visit Patti's website at http://www.pattilacy.com/, her blog at www.pattilacy.com/blog, and her Facebook daily Artbites.






ABOUT THE BOOK

Sheila Franklin has masqueraded as the precocious daughter of avant-garde parents in colorful 1940s New Orleans, a teen desperate for love and acceptance, and an unwed mother sent North with her shame.

After marrying Edward, Sheila artfully masks her secrets, allowing Edward to gain prominence as a conservative pastor. When one phone call from a disillusioned Vietnam veteran destroys her cover, Sheila faces an impossible choice: save her son and his beloved…or imperil Edward’s ambitions.

Inspired by a true story, The Rhythm of Secrets intermingles jazz, classical, and sacred music in a symphony trumpeting God’s grace.
Endorsements:

“A vibrant journey across time in search of the greatest truth of all: grace.”—Tosca Lee, author of Havah: The Story of Eve and Demon: A Memoir

“No longer a ‘well-kept secret,’ Patti Lacy is a master storyteller who speaks to the soul with a powerful and unique rhythm, weaving a tale so emotionally rich that story and reader become one.”—Julie Lessman, author of The Daughters of Boston series and A Hope Undaunted

“Patti Lacy pens another beautifully written story in The Rhythm of Secrets. I couldn’t put it down!”—Melanie Dobson, award-winning author of The Black Cloister

“The Rhythm of Secrets is a stirring story of faith and endurance that will keep readers turning the page until every last secret is revealed.”—Tina Ann Forkner, author of Ruby Among Us and Rose House
If you would like to read an excerpt of Rhythm of Secrets, go HERE.

MY REVIEW:

When you sit down with a Lacy book you can be sure of two things: twists and turns and the goodness of God’s grace triumphing over the human condition

I thought the book did a good job of showing the forgiveness of God’s grace and how our sins will find us out, effecting more than just that one person.

The beginning was a bit slow, but once the story got going it didn’t quit. Just when you think you have something figured out, a new twist is added. How the author dreams up such plot lines is beyond my own imagination.

This book reminded me a bit of Lynn Austin’s, Hidden Places as Sheila recounts her life to her son. I saw her struggles and mistakes, her desires to change, her growth and in some cases, regression.

This is definitely an edgy story, and towards the end, more edgy than I think I cared for. The other element that got a bit overwhelming were the metaphors. I thought it a bit overdone.

In the end, there is not a strong spiritual thread, but as the book came to a close I thought the message of God’s grace prevailed. It could have possibly been more powerful with a stronger thread, but I was pleased with how it closed.

It’s fiction that makes you think, takes you deeper and reminds you God can take any situation for His glory.

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers through CFBA for my copy to review.