The Garden of Happy Endings

by Barbara O'Neal

From Barbara O’Neal, beloved author of How to Bake a Perfect Life and The Lost Recipe for Happiness, comes another magical, heartfelt novel—perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah and Susan Wiggs.
 
After tragedy shatters her small community in Seattle, the Reverend Elsa Montgomery has a crisis of faith. Returning to her hometown of Pueblo, Colorado, she seeks work in a local soup kitchen. Preparing nourishing meals for folks in need, she keeps her hands busy while her heart searches for understanding.
 
Meanwhile, her sister, Tamsin, as pretty and colorful as Elsa is unadorned and steadfast, finds her perfect life shattered when she learns that her financier husband is a criminal. Enduring shock and humiliation as her beautiful house and possessions are seized, the woman who had everything now has nothing but the clothes on her back.
 
But when the going gets tough, the tough get growing. A community garden in the poorest, roughest part of town becomes a lifeline. Creating a place of hope and sustenance opens Elsa and Tamsin to the renewing power of rich earth, sunshine, and the warm cleansing rain of tears. While Elsa finds her heart blooming in the care of a rugged landscaper, Tamsin discovers the joy of losing herself in the act of giving—and both women discover that with time and care, happy endings flourish.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Womens Fiction, Contemporary, Spirituality, Family

416 pages, Paperback

First published April 17, 2012

About the author

Barbara O'Neal is the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling writer of women's fiction. She lives in Colorado with her partner, a British endurance athlete.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when you have a crisis of faith?

Or someone you trusted and loved betrays you?

What will it take to bring the community together?

Or to help you find your way back?

A compelling, thoughtful story with characters to root for....

[Jeanne Adamek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended!

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook version.
I loved this story, so thoughtful and enjoyable. Loved the three women and each of their stories. There search and exploration of what makes them happy was important. I especially appreciated Elsa's journey - her spiritual one and her search for her partner in life. Felt very real and authentic.

Narration was perfect. Made this story even more enjoyable. Great pacing, lovely variation of voice for various characters.

[Kara Prem · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not the type of book that a normally read, but a friend read it in a day, and loaned it to me, hoping I'd enjoy it too. And, I did enjoy some of the book - there are several characters, and I had powerful feelings about all of them.

The story mainly revolves around a woman named Elsa who has been through a few periods of doubting her faith, including a horrible encounter with a priest who destroyed her dreams of becoming a Catholic Priest, her fiance dumping her to become a Catholic priest, and finally, the rape/torture/murder of a young girl from her church (she has become a Unity Minister). Elsa returns home to Colorado, spends time with her former fiance Joaquin who is a priest, her sister, Tamsin, the wife of a man who's been revealed to be a ponzi-scam criminal, and Deacon, a recovering alcoholic who runs an AA meeting in the church. They all work towards making a community garden in an old abandoned lot, despite the gang members who are deeply opposed to it.

Elsa- I enjoyed her character, and can understand where her crisis of faith comes from each time. She's a normal, grounded person, just trying to make sense of life - if she doesn't believe in God, how can she continue as a minister. I personally wouldn't have been best friends with the fiance who went with me to Spain for a long tiring religious pilgrimage and dumped me at the end..but she does realize that her relationship with Joaquin is holding her back.

Joaquin - the former fiance turned priest. He chose to dump the "love of his life" to become a priest - he could have become a priest in any number of faiths that allow priests to marry (I am Catholic, so I know that the Catholic church says no - but they say a lot of stupid, horrible, and backwards things - maybe I'm not a great Catholic, but I do like Saturday mass I guess). He then continues to act like a jealous school boy trying to sabotage Elsa's relationship with Deacon, and comes off as a complete slime bag.

Deacon - I liked him, his character acknowledged his faults from the beginning and he was teh most honest person in the book.

Tamsin - Not a fan - she was a kept woman essentially, didn't work, didn't do anything, just stayed at home admiring her "things" while her husband stole other people's money. Never really takes any time to think about her husband's victims. Very very very materialistic. I'm horrified that she kept the diamond earnings and money her husband stashed for her - it was money stolen from others, but she feels it's ok because she needs the money - wtf? "After so many years of comfortable living, she had nothing now. Not even a thousand dollars for a plane ticket for her broken-hearted daughter." Seriously? You never got off your ass and worked, and you're worried about buying a plane ticket? How out of touch with reality are you? most people would worry about important things like food and shelter. "I agree, it's terrible. A lot of people have lost a lot, but so have I. I've lost my home, my gardens, everything I've worked for for the past twenty-five years." - worked for? You stayed at home and kept the man happy - twit. Tamsin did at least take steps towards helping others and doing something with her life in the end. However, I can't forgive her for figuring out where her husband was, and NOT telling the authorities.

Alexa - Tamsin's daughter is a waste of space, a spoiled rotten over dramatic waste. She's found her true love, yet can't tell him that her dad's a crook and let him decide if he still wants to marry her. She runs home after leaving the engagement ring with one of his servants, then bitches that the house is tiny curls in a ball waiting to die - very Bella Swan of her. Disgusting character. Her true love comes back but she won't bring him to her grandma's house (where Elsa and Tamsin are staying) because it's "so working class." She apparently keeps the apartment in Spain her dad bought her and all the cash he left her. Just a vapid waste of space. ugh

So, yeah, the story overall is ok, but there are some really lousy characters.

[Cynthia Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this author since her Barbara Samuel days, and even a few Ruth Wind category novels. She is an "auto buy" for me. A good read always guarenteed; she's not let me down even once. But this book was something more. With each novel, O'Neal gets better, digs deeper, does more than transport me, but more something like transforms me. I'm saying this clumsy, the things she says clear.

Notice I don't give summaries of stories. Today, after finishing this book, I needed to vent. A few of the elements of this book spoke right to my heart. The heroine is a lapsed Catholic. So am I. She is a Unity minister--I also left Catholicism for Unity. Looking for answers, seeking spirit. This is what O'Neal does so well here. She portrays what it feels like to be without answers, to smack up against evil, to live in a world of ambiguity.

As for Unity, when my church in Detroit had the good fortune to hire Marianne Williamson as our minister, I could not believe it. Williamson reminds me of O'Neal in her unrelentingly honest search for truth. I'd read Williamson, and worked A Course in Miracles in a dark period of my life and so to hear that one of my favorite authors would be lecturing every Sunday at my church, well, that was my miracle. But Williamson is Jewish...Unity is Christian.

If there's one quibble I have with the spiritual aspect in O'Neal's book, it is the problem I ultimately had with Unity. Because Williamson is a Jew, she eventually got the boot. I see things in a broader more inclusive way than just Christian. There are other religions and spiritual paths. I gotta say, though, that O'Neal got all the touches right, for both Catholic and Unity. And I think that without putting it into direct words, she also went beyond Christian beliefs in some of the later passages.

Now having talked about all the spiritual aspects of this book, there's much more to it. There's love (of course!) and conflict and trouble and redemption. There's something almost holy about O'Neal's prose. She's not a "christian" writer. This is that kind of book. It's a novel that goes beyond borders of what a love story should be, what a religious calling should be, and what spirit can do.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up because Gayle recommended it, and then was somewhat disconcerted when I started it and discovered it was about a woman grappling with her faith. This is not territory I usually pursue, as I'm not terribly interested in feel-good Christian fiction. The story: after the violent death of one of her young parishioners, the Reverend starts falling apart, and takes a leave of absence to grapple with her doubts. She goes home to Colorado, during which her sister discovers that her husband is a Bernie Madoff figure. She finds this out when federal agents seize her home, all of her possessions, and her bank accounts. She has seventeen dollars in her wallet and she has to figure out what she is going to do, since her husband has disappeared and she has no marketable skills, other than quilting. They two sisters try to regain their equilibrium and find peace. This was meaty and interesting, and it never devolved into simplistic isn't-Jesus-great fiction. I liked that they were able to talk about their spirituality without it being overwhelming, or off-putting. And I liked that although they were spiritual leaders, it didn't mean they don't also have doubts. All in all, I thought it was pretty interesting, well-done enough that I'm interested in reading more of her books.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a young child in her parish is murdered, Rev. Elsa Montgomery has a crisis of faith. Fleeing her church in Seattle and returning to the poor community in Colorado where she grew up, she finds purpose by making meals for the poor in the soup kitchen of her best friend's church. With the help of a recovered alcoholic and the community they take over a rubbish strewn vacant lot and create a garden. But gang violence is a constant threat.

The Garden of Happy Endings is an unconventionally spiritual book about loss, grief and healing. It somehow manages to broach these issues without ever being too preachy or offering up pat answers.

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spring is upon us and I can’t help but feel inspired by the lush greenery that surrounds me. I want to open up all the windows in my house and let the healing power of nature seep in. It’s always astounding how books seem to find you at the right time, the most appropriate time. This is what happened with Barbara O’Neal’s The Garden of Happy Endings. I picked it up randomly one night, drawn to it by the cover and title. It promised a certain happiness and calm that I couldn’t resist. The main character is Elsa Montgomery. A reverend of a small church in Seattle. Tragedy immediately envelopes Elsa and she’s forced to question her beliefs (or lack there of) in this moment of complete shock and horror. Distraught and despondent, Elsa returns to her hometown of Pueblo, Colorado. Her sister, Tamsin, is going through her own personal breakdown. Together they help rebuild each other’s lives through food, gardening and community involvement while searching for hope and happiness amidst the ruins.

There is an elegant quality to O’Neal’s writing that seems to transcend the genre she’s placed. Passages in The Garden of Happy Endings read like poetry. Images of the garden they are creating and the food that they produce evoke a visceral reaction in the reader. It is like watching spring unfold through the pages of a novel.

The themes of loss, regret, confusion, betrayal, fear and love are all emotions that we, as readers, can identify with and understand. The characters of Elsa, Tamsin, Father Jack and Deacon McCoy allow us to watch real people struggle to find both their place in the world and the happiness that they hope resides there.

I recently read an essay by O’Neal on Writer Unboxed where she detailed the need writers have for writing to answer their “central question.” The question that O’Neal wanted to answer with The Garden of Happy Endings eluded her at first. She ultimately understood the question to be about what happens when something gets in the way of your passion, of your inner drive, or your life choices. I think it’s interesting that O’Neal wrote about her desire to answer questions with her novels because I feel it is this quality that made The Garden of Happy Endings so rich with detail and the evolution of the characters’ lives.

This novel is vivid and honest. Hopeful and calming. Powerful and evocative. Subtle and charming. I devoured it and am now inspired to check out all of Barbara O’Neal’s earlier work.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance

I kept seeing The Garden of Happy Endings on Amazon Vine’s Last Harvest list. It kept calling to me so when there were only two left I put in a request. I am glad I did.

Although this is a book filled with religion I would never label it Christian fiction. The book starts with a prolog about Elsa as she turns her back on God the second time. The book moves on to Elsa as she turns her back on God the third time. The theme it really about a crisis of faith, any type of faith and could be about anyone, any religion, any time, and any place.

It is also a romance (more than one), a book about new beginnings after betrayal and how we just have to keep going until we can accept and live with what life has given us.

There are so many great characters in the book. All of them are important and all add to the richness of the story. At the end of the book I wanted to continue to follow the characters as they got on with their lives. That to me is the mark of a very good story.

I don’t want to give away any more about the book. I think that anyone who read the book would come away with something of value and I would recommend the book to anyone. I also plan to look into other books by Barbara O’Neal.

Bantam published The Garden of Happy Endings by Barbara O’Neal in 2012

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I had expected going into this book. It had popped up as a recommendation awhile ago, and even that I'm fuzzy on the origin. But it had "garden" in the title, was supposed to be romantic, and supposed to be about food, and so I was in!

Elsa is a Minister who's having a crisis of faith; needing to recover she is somewhat forced by her sister and an old friend to come back to her hometown to recover. But unfortunately they both have issues of their own, some of them serious, that cloud issues. And a new project she's on, while great for the community, doesn't make everyone happy.

All of the characters are likable; Elsa, her sister, the priest, the random guy who helps out with the community gardens, the kids, etc. Elsa is probably our main character and her struggles are really relatable. Her sister, maybe not as relatable, and to be honest her issues are kind of something that will never happen to the average person. But she was a quilter, so that makes her alright in my book! Her daughter's struggles are even less relatable, and honestly a little bit too good to be true.

I think a lot of the happenings in this book happened quick, somewhat implausibly, and resolved too quickly as well. While I liked the general theme of the book (and was surprised by it being centered on religion and losing faith aspects), I think the way it was told was just a bit too unbelievable. Maybe if it was a longer book, or maybe if there was one less story line or conflict it would have helped shape the book up much better.

Review by M. Reynard 2020

[RedRedtheycallmeRed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked Elsa's story quite a bit, Tamsin's a little less so, Alexa was mostly an eye roll (luckily she wasn't in the book too much). Thankfully the majority of the story is about Elsa.

Elsa's suffering from a lack of faith, made more difficult because she's a reverend, but she still has the urge to serve and help people.

Going back to her hometown of Pueblo, she reconnects with a former flame turned priest, works out her turmoil by helping with the soup kitchen and starting a community garden, and starting a new relationship (earning some obnoxious jealousy from the priest).

I was a little unsure about the faith angle, as I'm not religious, but I still loved the story and enjoyed Elsa's journey.

[Sharon Redfern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a thought provoking book this is. Elsa is a minister in a Seattle church who finds herself questioning her calling after the murder of one of her parishioners. Elsa has had a long history of being disappointed by God, starting with her run in with a misogynist Catholic priest in her youth.
After being told by her church council that she needs to take a sabbatical, she ends up working with her lifelong friend, Joaquin, now a priest in their home town. She has a history with Father Jack, which led to one of her breaks with God, but they have both worked through it... or so they think. Elsa finds herself working on a community garden and developing an attraction to Deacon, the landscaper who is helping the church set up the garden.
I read this book the same week a young child was killed in a horrific accident in our state. I had a discussion with two co-workers about how hard I found it to believe that God would have a plan for us that could include such a terrible thing. Elsa has the same questions in this book. She has kept her faith in God for most of her life even when it has been hard to do so-she has turned her back on Him but came back every time. I think that Ms. O’Neal does an excellent job in portraying the anguish that a person with a religious calling would have when they question whether their own faith is strong enough to keep going. That said the book is hopeful and positive even as Elsa is struggling.
There is a side plot involving Tamsin, Elsa’s sister who loses everything overnight when her financier husband disappears and is subsequently discovered to have bilked people out of millions of dollars. Tamsin has a crisis of physical loss-she has no money, no home, no job and no hope of getting any of those things in the immediate future. Her daughter is overseas and has no idea of what is happening so Tamsin has the additional burden of keeping her circumstance a secret from her own child.
As always, Ms. O’Neal gives us a story with many layers that we can relate to even if our situation is not the same as the main character. Her characters survive life’s vagaries and find their own brand of happiness. Isn’t that what we all strive for?

[Gwyneth Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I reserved this book at my library after having read The Lost Recipe for Happiness, which I really enjoyed. This one did not let me down. The main character, Elsa Montgomery, is a minister in her late 30's who seriously questions her fate after something terrible happens to a young woman in her congregation. She takes a sabbatical (not entirely by her own choice), and returns to her home in Pueblo, CO, where her sister still lives, and where her first love, Joaquin, is now a priest. Elsa gets involved with Joaquin's plans to create a community garden near his church, which is definitely on the 'wrong side of the tracks.' Through her work in the garden, Elsa comes to know Deacon, a southerner with a landscaping business and a past. All these characters go through seriously life changing events in the course of this book.
I love books about dogs, and books about cooking and food. This book is less about cooking than The Lost Recipe for Happiness, which was set in the restaurant world. There are still some marvelous meals cooked in this book, and a few key recipes added at the end. And there are several good dog characters, most notably Charlie, Elsa's black lab-ish mutt, who has the happy love-everyone disposition of a lab, and a morbid fear of thunderstorms. All this definitely makes this a good summer read.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read so many different kinds of books that I often only read one or two by authors that I like. There are too many books and not enough time. However, I make a concerted effort to keep track of Barbara O'Neal and what she writes.

Her novels resonate with me because the women characters are strong, but dealing with tough issues; faith in God is usually part of the story; love andfood are always involved and there are happy endings. I read partly to meet new people, i.e. characters and I always enjoy the people in O'Neal's stories.

This novel gave me all I want from Barbara O'Neal. I found Elsa, Tamsin, Father Jack and Deacon to be delightful - I would have dinner with any of them. Some of the conflict seems far-fetched, would you know if your husband was stealing - I hope I would. However, for me some of the conflicts of faith that are part of the story rang true.

I recommend this to readers who want to meet interesting people in what they read, to folks who like reading about food and community, and to anyone who would like to be lost in a book knowing all will work out.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If someone had taken a picture of me as soon as I had finishedThe Garden of Happy Endings, there would have been tears in my eyes and a goofy smile on my face. It was wonderful, at least for me. The main character, Elsa Montgomery, is a minister who is in the middle of a spiritual crisis. Her sister, Tasmin, is in the middle of a marital/financial crisis which is not of her own doing.

What I loved about this book is the blend of several topics: faith/prayer, poverty/wealth, and commitment/happiness. Believe me, it is not a book about religion, but religion is an important character in the plot. The community garden also takes on a life of its own - in many ways it parallels the plot.

I love Barbara O'Neal's books, and I look forward to reading one by her again.

Go Cards! L1C4!!

[Rosalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it!

A new Barbara O'Neal book is an EVENT! Then there's the reading journey!!! I get totally caught up in the characters every time. They become part of my life and, even though I pinch every moment I can to continue reading once I've started, there is always the inevitable ending and the people ('characters' seems a little too analytical) move on and so must I. That leaves such a grieving period for me. I'm happy their lives have reached a satisfying and happy conclusion, but I'm left behind and now have to wait another twelve months before I can again become a part of Barbara O'Neal's glorious world of story.
Ah well, thank goodness I own her entire collection. I can always indulge in re-reading a favorite.

Thank you again, Barbara. You are a genius with words. :)

[Nicola Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody writes absorbing, heartwarming, riveting women's fiction like Barbara O'Neal.

Devoured this book in 2 days.

The religious angle intrigued me and I loved how the characters tussled with their faith, which added an extra layer to the conflict.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Barbara O'Neal's books and this one did not disappoint. Rather, it spoke to me. Love it when a book does that! You can read my full review here.
4.5 stars

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this quite as much as the other books I've read by Barbara O'Neal, which I've rated mostly 5 stars, though it was still very good. I think that's based more on my personal preferences--a story about a reverend having a faith crisis just isn't my cup of tea.

[Holli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic book by Barbara O' Neal. Absolutely loved it.

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book definitely wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. It's 50-100 pages too long and could've used some harsher editing, and I'm still not sure how I feel about our main character. This is about Elsa and her sister Tamsin. Elsa is a Reverend but she is asked to take a sabbatical when she finds the body of a young girl who has been murdered. She decides to go back to her hometown where her sister lives as well as the one who got away, Joaquin. They start a community garden but that is such a small part of this book, I think it was just used for the metaphor of growth and change. Long story short, Joaquin and Elsa were engaged and did the Camino in Spain in college and at the end he said he felt called to be a pastor and dedicate his life to the lord, which means a vow of celibacy. Their engagement ends and Elsa is really upset and bitter. I thought they lost touch and she strayed from her faith and then became a reverend, but I guess they've been friends the whole time. There is a weird relationship with them and I felt like she almost became a reverend just to spite him. There is a love triangle between Joaquin and a former alcoholic named Deacon.
As for Tamsin, she is a wife and mother. Their daughter is in Spain having a love affair of her own when her husband goes on the run as some sort of white collar criminal. Everyone is searching for him and everything gets taken from Tamsin, leaving her thankful but also dependent on her sister. She tries to protect the truth from her daughter but she finds out. She is dating a member of Spanish royalty and I thought that whole storyline was really unnecessary.
Long story short, this book was just meh for me.

SPOILERS AHEAD:
Elsa ends up with Deacon. She gets attacked at the garden and it is a bonding moment. Joaquin contemplates leaving the faith for her but ends up staying. Tamsin reunites her daughter and her lover and all is well for her in the end.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good for my soul. It took me awhile to get started. It focuses on spiritual practice more than I anticipated, but felt comfortable with the characters. This author always develops characters with a lot of humanity and soul.
"What did she believe in?. She believed that humans were basically good, but they could be encouraged to do better things. She believed that if each person found the work they were meant to do the world would be a happy place. She believed in an action based spirituality..."

[Mary Magin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another triumph by Barbara O'Neal. Her characters have many of the same questions that I do and I appreciate their struggles. I tried the Chicken and Dumplings recipe at the end of the book and it was delicious.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful, but muddled

This took a great deal of time to establish so many characters. (Too many?) Just when I was about to give up, the story held me and carried me along and I enjoyed it. Looking through different thoughts of Faith and lifestyles reminded me why I've come back to this author several times.

[Suzanne Mack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as fulfilling as other Barbara O’Neil novels that I have read. And, more religion reverence than I have ever read about in a book. Had I known that it was such a religious piece, I probably would not have chosen it. All in all, not a bad read.

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very light read which was great on my beach vacay. Not great literature but compelling enough and the romance had a happy ending.

[Lydia Laceby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes

When I read the first page of The Garden of Happy Endings and realized it was about a reverend and then shortly after, a priest, I might have actually groaned out loud. In a shocking twist though, I ended up loving this novel – almost from the first page. I was stunned at how relatable the characters were even though it has been decades since organized religion has played a role in my life. Anyone who has questioned the choices they have made or questioned the devastating decisions of others as well as anyone with compassion, a sense of community or has suffered a crisis of faith will enjoy The Garden of Happy Endings.

I think I’ve always viewed priests and ministers like I used to view teachers as a child – or how I viewed any adult as a child for that matter – as an authority figure and nothing beyond that. Except with priests and ministers I have never ventured beyond the part where I can think of them having a life outside of their vocation, especially as priests and ministers essentially are their vocation. I have never really seen them as human beings I guess and here’s the magic of this novel, and is a true testament to the Barbara O’Neal on how convincing her writing is - these characters come across as utterly real, fully relatable and human.

The fact that both Elsa and Joaquin had rich lives prior to marrying their respective churches was probably what helped this for me, as well as seeing them in their day to day activities and questioning their choices, and some even their faith. They were never portrayed as perfect which one might expect in a novel with a religious angle. Instead, they were perfectly flawed, even the priest who has his own guilt and demons to overcome and who was probably my least favourite character.

Having diverged from my upbringing of Catholicism when I was old enough understand and make my own decisions, I could comprehend Elsa’s ministry and those who followed her even though I have never desired to delve further into any sect of organized religion. I enjoyed reading about the contrast between the two churches and the communities that surrounded them and every character in this novel stood out, even the ones who played minor roles.

Tamsin’s story was equally fascinating to me with her husband’s disappearance and Ponzi scheme unraveling. There is a quiet strength among the sisters who solider on in the face of adversity, although the novel doesn't only explore their growth and sisterly bond, but also that of the men surrounding them.

The Garden of Happy Endings is easy to read and made me think, which surprised me as it comes from such a religious stance and I was surprised at how many sides of various issues and ideas were explored. I adored the portrayal of community which I found astounding and anything to do with gardening is always a win with me.

I never at any time felt this novel was predictable. There was the undercurrent of a threat and the connection between Elsa and Deacon, but I was never certain how everything would play out.

Love, community – regardless of how you serve it - choices and ultimately acceptance, The Garden of Happy Endings is a thought provoking read that I enjoyed every drop of. I look forward to reading more from Barbara O’Neal.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

What to say? Well, this book definitely grew on me. Enough so that I was sad to turn to the final page and put my attention to another read. So, why only three stars?
The story revolves around the lives of two sisters, Elsa and Tasmin. At the beginning of the novel, Elsa is a Reverend at a Unity church in the Seattle area. Having come to the conclusion Catholicism has forsaken her, she embarked on a journey to find a niche of her own, one where a woman could serve as a minister. Establishing somewhat of a new age church she is able to fulfill her long-standing yearnings to serve. And this is what I struggled with. To say I am not a feminist would be an understatement. I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of female clergy. And I most certainly do not buy into the whole goddess thing. At times my eyes were a' rollin'. That's not to say Elsa isn't qualified. I simply do not agree with the whole new age, voo doo woo doo sort of thing. So, while I came to like Elsa, I did not agree with some of beliefs.
Tasmin, on the other hand, was, in my mind, a much more compelling character. Stunned by the news of her husband's betrayal and disappearance she turns to the project of developing a community garden to cope with her shock and grief. Her daughter, engaged to a member of Spanish royalty is another element of the book that provided excitement and interest. Overall, it was a "good read" but I cannot deny my early misgivings.

[JayeL · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another Barbara O'Neal book and I enjoyed it. Each of her books seems to have a focus that floats through the book. How to Bake a Perfect Life had an undercurrent of creativity. This book had an undercurrent of spirituality sprinkled with a huge dose of reality and some religion to make it interesting on top. The spirituality and religion did not feel like the author was trying to convert me. The discussion really felt like one of the characters was trying to work out her own feelings. In the course of listening to her think about her issues, I was able to think about what she was saying in relation to my spiritual life as much as I wanted. I was able to step away when I wanted and immerse myself in the story.

The story kept me entertained and it is one I may read again; I don't know.

2020: I have two points of view on this book: too churchy and churchy in a way I can deal with. Sharon makes a good point in her comments that the priest and minister both struggle as humans with their faith. I appreciated her perspective. I think the assault at the end was poorly done. I don't want people injured, but the character WAS assaulted and the violence seemed more serious than the author wrote. The injuries were never specified, but I got the impression that they were kind of glossed over. I liked the discussion of making a garden and allowing everyone to join in. I felt informed by Paris' perspective on money and feeding her son.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author has the ability to present conflicted heroines in a realistic manner, so much so that I'm pulled pretty deeply into their plight. This was the case again with Reverend Elsa Montgomery - she loses her faith when one of her teenage parishioners is tortured and murdered.

O'Neal's novels are formulaic. First there's the heroine and her thorny problem that causes her to leave wherever she is and go somewhere else to heal. There's the hunky, complicated hero who has his own issues to work through. There's another character who also has some grave difficulty to overcome and who is related in some way to either the heroine or the hero. Most of the problems are resolved at about the time that the hero and heroine admit they love each other. Her novels do not end in marriages but in the beginning of a solid relationship. Oh and there's probably something magical going on.

I know what is going to happen in Barbara O'Neal's novels and I don't mind. I really enjoy them. This one talked a lot about faith and religious ritual, Catholicism, Unity Church, Native American beliefs and agnosticism. I felt like the discussion of faith was the weakest part of the book. It wasn't a deep enough discussion and took center-stage too often slowing the pace of the book.