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Pastors' Wives
What’s it like when the man you married is already married to God? asks Pastors’ Wives, an often surprising yet always emotionally true first novel set in a world most of us know only from the outside.
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s debut novel Pastors’ Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a fictional suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith—in God, in her marriage, and in herself. Candace is Greenleaf’s “First Lady,” a force of nature who’ll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace’s son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen’s reporting as a staff writer for Time magazine, Pastors’ Wives is a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors’ wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s debut novel Pastors’ Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a fictional suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith—in God, in her marriage, and in herself. Candace is Greenleaf’s “First Lady,” a force of nature who’ll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace’s son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen’s reporting as a staff writer for Time magazine, Pastors’ Wives is a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors’ wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.
368 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2013
9 people are currently reading
490 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen
2 books14 followersI'm Lisa Takeuchi Cullen. I used to be a journalist. Now I make stuff up.
In both fact and fiction I'm drawn to worlds I once knew little about. My debut novel, "Pastors' Wives" (Plume/Penguin 2013), is about three very different women married to pastors at a Southern evangelical megachurch--the kind with the Jumbotrons and the power band. It was inspired by an article I wrote while I was a staff writer for Time magazine. It's a People.com 2013 summer reading pick! Also, Gretchen Rubin, bestselling author of "The Happiness Project," calls it "riveting, perceptive, and funny. Once you pick up this novel, you won't be able to put it down."
My first book, "Remember Me: A Lively Tour of the New American Way of Death" (HarperCollins 2006), is about weird and wonderful funerals and burials. To report it, I crashed funerals for a year with my newborn on my back. It was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Also? Mary Roach ("Stiff") called it "a must-read for anyone who plans on dying."
I write TV pilots too. In 2013 I wrote and produced a drama for CBS called "The Ordained," about a priest who quits when he hears a confession about a deadly plot against his politician sister. It starred Sam Neill, Hope Davis, Audra McDonald, Jorge Garcia and Charlie Cox, and it was awesome. Really, it was. But it didn't make CBS's fall line-up. I blog about this and other humiliating episodes from the life of a writer at www.lisacullen.com.
Before, I was a staff writer at Time, and before that, its Tokyo correspondent. I have degrees from Columbia and Rutgers. I was born and raised in Kobe, Japan, home of the overpriced beef and apparent namesake of a basketball star. Now I live in New Jersey with my family. I love my adoptive home state, and if you insult it I will fight you. Please visit my website at www.lisacullen.com, my Facebook author page at www.facebook.com/LisaTakeuchiCullen, and/or follow me on Twitter @lisacullen.com. I'd be delighted to meet you.
In both fact and fiction I'm drawn to worlds I once knew little about. My debut novel, "Pastors' Wives" (Plume/Penguin 2013), is about three very different women married to pastors at a Southern evangelical megachurch--the kind with the Jumbotrons and the power band. It was inspired by an article I wrote while I was a staff writer for Time magazine. It's a People.com 2013 summer reading pick! Also, Gretchen Rubin, bestselling author of "The Happiness Project," calls it "riveting, perceptive, and funny. Once you pick up this novel, you won't be able to put it down."
My first book, "Remember Me: A Lively Tour of the New American Way of Death" (HarperCollins 2006), is about weird and wonderful funerals and burials. To report it, I crashed funerals for a year with my newborn on my back. It was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Also? Mary Roach ("Stiff") called it "a must-read for anyone who plans on dying."
I write TV pilots too. In 2013 I wrote and produced a drama for CBS called "The Ordained," about a priest who quits when he hears a confession about a deadly plot against his politician sister. It starred Sam Neill, Hope Davis, Audra McDonald, Jorge Garcia and Charlie Cox, and it was awesome. Really, it was. But it didn't make CBS's fall line-up. I blog about this and other humiliating episodes from the life of a writer at www.lisacullen.com.
Before, I was a staff writer at Time, and before that, its Tokyo correspondent. I have degrees from Columbia and Rutgers. I was born and raised in Kobe, Japan, home of the overpriced beef and apparent namesake of a basketball star. Now I live in New Jersey with my family. I love my adoptive home state, and if you insult it I will fight you. Please visit my website at www.lisacullen.com, my Facebook author page at www.facebook.com/LisaTakeuchiCullen, and/or follow me on Twitter @lisacullen.com. I'd be delighted to meet you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
January 15, 2013
First of all the book kept me up all night reading. It was a one sitting book pure and simple, and the thing that kept me roaring ahead was character. Ruthie, who is given the first person lead voice, is our doubter. Candace is our purifying flame, and Ginger is our straying lamb. But while Cullen allows all of these things to remain true of her characters -- the twist is not that their characters are secretly other than we have been led to believe -- they are never simple, never predictable, nor are they ever skewered on the ideologies that they espouse and struggle with, for, against. Religious feeling is treated as a thing that exists in the world and that shapes people's lives, believers' and non-believers'. it is never treated as a truth or a falsehood -- in other words the book has no missionary zeal in any direction except, perhaps, toward love. The book will be fascinating to anyone who knows church life, especially fascinating to anyone who has had the peculiar experience of being a member of a pastor's family. And that is high praise, because I usually won't read a book if I know it portrays a minister's family! Also it is gorgeously written.
May 1, 2013
I have been sitting on this review for quite awhile. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. So much so that I sent it on to a large group of pastors' wives friends throughout the US and Canada. We passed the book on and discussed what we thought about the book.
Personally, as the wife of a pastor, I found some of the parts of this book spot on and others felt like the stereotype that has always exsisted for pastors and their wives. I appreciated that the author noted that pastors and their wives aren't perfect. Christians are human. Pastors are human. Their wives are human. We make mistakes. We doubt. We wonder if anyone cares. I thought that the problems that the families had were authentic and real. How they handled them was not something I completely agreed with though.
I felt in a very small way that there was a Catholic vs. Evangelical theme going on in the book. The Evangelical churches seemed to have a very negative view. Perhaps it was because the book took place in a Mega Church. Mega Churches are NOT the norm. For every Mega Church out there- there are thousands of small churches that are completely different (not in a good way or bad way- just different). I wish the book wouldn't have been set in a Mega Church because they are the ones that get all the press anyway.
It is hard for an author to take on this subject in fiction- mainly because there are so FEW books out there about pastor's wives. I wish there would have been one wife in the book who had her act together. Not all of us have shocking pasts, are overbearing and scary, or non-believers. Some of us are boring and are worrying about our families and churches on a day to day basis. I suppose, though, that doesn't give you much to write about- who wants to read about daily dirty diapers? I also thought that the relationships that the wives had with God felt fake. I am not sure if it was because the author admittedly struggled with her own faith, but when they prayed or read the Bible it didn't feel authentic.
Wow, it sounds like I didn't like the book- not my intention- I loved it! I thought it was packed with intrigue, shocking surprises, and solid writing. I do hope that this author and others write more fiction about Pastor's Wives- I really enjoyed it and would love to read more!
Personally, as the wife of a pastor, I found some of the parts of this book spot on and others felt like the stereotype that has always exsisted for pastors and their wives. I appreciated that the author noted that pastors and their wives aren't perfect. Christians are human. Pastors are human. Their wives are human. We make mistakes. We doubt. We wonder if anyone cares. I thought that the problems that the families had were authentic and real. How they handled them was not something I completely agreed with though.
I felt in a very small way that there was a Catholic vs. Evangelical theme going on in the book. The Evangelical churches seemed to have a very negative view. Perhaps it was because the book took place in a Mega Church. Mega Churches are NOT the norm. For every Mega Church out there- there are thousands of small churches that are completely different (not in a good way or bad way- just different). I wish the book wouldn't have been set in a Mega Church because they are the ones that get all the press anyway.
It is hard for an author to take on this subject in fiction- mainly because there are so FEW books out there about pastor's wives. I wish there would have been one wife in the book who had her act together. Not all of us have shocking pasts, are overbearing and scary, or non-believers. Some of us are boring and are worrying about our families and churches on a day to day basis. I suppose, though, that doesn't give you much to write about- who wants to read about daily dirty diapers? I also thought that the relationships that the wives had with God felt fake. I am not sure if it was because the author admittedly struggled with her own faith, but when they prayed or read the Bible it didn't feel authentic.
Wow, it sounds like I didn't like the book- not my intention- I loved it! I thought it was packed with intrigue, shocking surprises, and solid writing. I do hope that this author and others write more fiction about Pastor's Wives- I really enjoyed it and would love to read more!
May 10, 2013
Pastor’s Wives is a “behind the scenes” slice of life of the Greenleaf mega church, in which three prominent pastors wives are represented.
I’m going to begin with the not-so-good stuff. The book started a little rocky for me, for a few reasons. From the very beginning, I had a hard time “buying” the story of the first wife to whom we were introduced, Ruthie, who was uncertain about everything, from her religion, to her faith (two very different things), to her husband’s calling, and in particular, about her own place in their future together. That this prominent mega church would hire on a new pastor without clarifying the faith/belief of the wife, was hard for me to accept. The reason this felt disingenuous is because I know from personal experience (having been a church administrative assistant for years, and been intimately involved in hiring pastors in both large and small protestant churches), that it’s standard practice to interview BOTH husband and wife when hiring for pastoral positions. This practice is specifically in response to the biblical view of marriage in Genesis 2:24 & Ephesians 5:31“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh,” and therefore, are in accordance with each other in the calling to ministry. The absence of her faith was something they even discussed in their marriage, so her husband, Jerry, was under no misunderstanding that she might have been equally yoked with him in his beliefs. Again, this would have been one of the first criteria for offering Jerry the pastoral position. Honestly, I kept waiting for this to be addressed, but it was only Ruthie who seemed to be concerned that it might be a problem.
Candace’s and Ginger’s stories were much more believable, but because I’d been set up to doubt the integrity of the church (based on the way they conducted the hiring process with Jerry and Ruthie), it took me a while to really care for and believe in the other characters.
I also had concerns regarding some of the watered-down theology presented and promoted in this novel, but I am decidedly conservative when it comes to interfaith relationships and compromise. Take that however you will.
NOTE: There was some language and a few scenarios not typically “acceptable” by CBA standards, but there was only once or twice when it seemed to me to be unnecessarily gratuitous, one being that Ginger and Pastor Timothy slept together the first night they met, and called it “love,” with no acknowledgement of their actions being in any way less than honorable.
That being said, here comes the good stuff. The more I read, the more intrigued I became by Candace, in particular. She certainly grew on me in a way that surprised me, something I believe Lisa intended – like peeling back the layers of an onion, only to be surprised to find a multifaceted jewel at the core. I loved how each woman’s discovery of who GOD is, became a discovery of who they were as individuals.
Even though this novel is about a church and the women who “run” behind the scenes, it was not an in-your-face introduction to God, but a much more subtle unwrapping of how He is uniquely embraced by unique individuals.
Lisa is a lovely word artist; she has a way of painting her characters that makes them come to life between the pages of this story. Although written from all three women’s points of view, it wasn’t distracting when Lisa moved from one head to the other. I appreciated the way she developed the characters, and in turn, how their development changed the relationship between the three women.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Pastors’ Wives from Litfuse for the purpose of this review.
I’m going to begin with the not-so-good stuff. The book started a little rocky for me, for a few reasons. From the very beginning, I had a hard time “buying” the story of the first wife to whom we were introduced, Ruthie, who was uncertain about everything, from her religion, to her faith (two very different things), to her husband’s calling, and in particular, about her own place in their future together. That this prominent mega church would hire on a new pastor without clarifying the faith/belief of the wife, was hard for me to accept. The reason this felt disingenuous is because I know from personal experience (having been a church administrative assistant for years, and been intimately involved in hiring pastors in both large and small protestant churches), that it’s standard practice to interview BOTH husband and wife when hiring for pastoral positions. This practice is specifically in response to the biblical view of marriage in Genesis 2:24 & Ephesians 5:31“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh,” and therefore, are in accordance with each other in the calling to ministry. The absence of her faith was something they even discussed in their marriage, so her husband, Jerry, was under no misunderstanding that she might have been equally yoked with him in his beliefs. Again, this would have been one of the first criteria for offering Jerry the pastoral position. Honestly, I kept waiting for this to be addressed, but it was only Ruthie who seemed to be concerned that it might be a problem.
Candace’s and Ginger’s stories were much more believable, but because I’d been set up to doubt the integrity of the church (based on the way they conducted the hiring process with Jerry and Ruthie), it took me a while to really care for and believe in the other characters.
I also had concerns regarding some of the watered-down theology presented and promoted in this novel, but I am decidedly conservative when it comes to interfaith relationships and compromise. Take that however you will.
NOTE: There was some language and a few scenarios not typically “acceptable” by CBA standards, but there was only once or twice when it seemed to me to be unnecessarily gratuitous, one being that Ginger and Pastor Timothy slept together the first night they met, and called it “love,” with no acknowledgement of their actions being in any way less than honorable.
That being said, here comes the good stuff. The more I read, the more intrigued I became by Candace, in particular. She certainly grew on me in a way that surprised me, something I believe Lisa intended – like peeling back the layers of an onion, only to be surprised to find a multifaceted jewel at the core. I loved how each woman’s discovery of who GOD is, became a discovery of who they were as individuals.
Even though this novel is about a church and the women who “run” behind the scenes, it was not an in-your-face introduction to God, but a much more subtle unwrapping of how He is uniquely embraced by unique individuals.
Lisa is a lovely word artist; she has a way of painting her characters that makes them come to life between the pages of this story. Although written from all three women’s points of view, it wasn’t distracting when Lisa moved from one head to the other. I appreciated the way she developed the characters, and in turn, how their development changed the relationship between the three women.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Pastors’ Wives from Litfuse for the purpose of this review.
May 12, 2013
PASTORS’ WIVES BY Lisa Takeuchi Cullen
Publisher: Plume, a member of Penguin Group
Date published: April 30, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-452-29882-8
Inspirational Fiction
Paperback
Reviewed by Lynne
http://www.amazon.com/Pastors-Wives-L...
Obtained via Litfuse Publicity Group
Rating: 5
PASTORS’ WIVES by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen is an exceptional first novel that delves deeply into the private lives of three complex, fictional pastors’ wives who are involved with a mega-church, Greenleaf, in Magnolia, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.
Aaron and Candace Green, of Greenleaf Church, popular authors and leaders of this popular church, in need of a financial wizard, soon hire Jeremiah Matters, a financier straight from Wall Street, who holds masters degrees in both business and theology. He and his wife, Ruthie, quickly relocate to Georgia, where Jerry soon becomes Aaron Green’s right-hand man and where Ruthie suddenly finds herself thrust into the role of publicist. Ruthie, a non-practicing Catholic, isn’t exactly sure where she will fit in with this super church, but is willing to support her husband’s efforts to follow his calling.
As publicist for Greenleaf, Ruthie soon finds herself assisting a reporter, Juan Diaz, who is anxious to learn all he can about Greenleaf Church and, above all, Pastor Aaron. With her husband being so involved with the Church, Ruthie finds herself lonely and becomes tempted to involve herself with Juan, creating even more problems than she needs just then.
The Greens have three children: Anthony, Sophie, and Timothy, who have problems of their own. Timothy’s wife, Ginger, has a sordid past which she and Tim have kept well hidden, even from the family. When the truth comes out during an atypical background check, it is then Ginger escapes to her old stomping ground, to sort things out regarding her marriage, motherhood, and her own calling. With Candace as a mother-in-law, she is certain the woman will never accept her, no matter what. Timothy, involved with his own ministry, Faith Corps, is involved with a branch of Greenleaf, Newleaf Church, which usurps most of his time, adding to Ginger’s frustrations.
Candace seems to hover in the background as secret CEO of Greenleaf, having fully supported and stood by her husband, Aaron, for over twenty-five years. Yet she has her own problems and continually asks herself what her purpose really is. In Ruthie’s opinion, Candace is “a NASA-level genius who discreetly runs Greenleaf from behind her velvet smile,” and labels her, “The Wizard of Oz.” (p.145)
As time goes on, it is clear there are problems with the mega-church, as is to be expected, since Greenleaf often seems more like a business than a church. The PASTORS’ WIVES easily find their lives intertwined and involved with circumstances that will test their loyalties to their husbands, their families, and their church. When the idea for divorce comes into play, since two of the PASTORS’ WIVES believe they are overly neglected by their spouses, who they feel are more married to God than to them, it is then they step back and take a good look at themselves, their lives, and their beliefs, neither of them really wanting to divorce the men they are so in love with.
I find PASTOR’S WIVES a highly entertaining read. Cullen is such a gifted writer, it is almost with envy that I write this. Cullen, with her background at TIME Magazine, clearly has the makings of a great fiction writer and makes one want to aspire to be like her. I love her style.
PASTORS’ WIVES is fiction, of course, so one must keep a perspective when reading it. In reality, it would seem that when hiring someone to a position involving money, especially in the millions of dollars, a background check and an interview should be done, to check out the wife, before hiring her husband to such a position as was given to Jerry Matters. Although I have never attended a mega-church, it would just seem to be an important part of the hiring process. Corruption, even in the Church, is rampant, sorry to say.
Regardless of these facts, PASTORS’ WIVES is a realistic book that kept me turning pages. The reader, once deeper into the story, will become concerned and actually care for the characters. Candace is a truly unique woman, strong and competent, based on her usual comment, “Let me take care of it.” Her confidence stands out in many different areas of PASTORS’ WIVES.
Ruthie is a bit shaky in her beliefs, and I am surprised that Jerry chose someone like her to marry. Yet he clearly loves her, which is what makes PASTORS’ WIVES such an interesting read. The fact that Cullen threw in a supposedly Christian woman to tempt him to cheat on his wife was a unique conflict I wasn’t so sure would materialize. Which has to make believers aware that there are a lot of false Christians out there, and the enemy is always out there looking to bring down truly committed believers in some way, shape, or form.
I love Ginger. She is very down-to-earth and has many of the same fears and uncertainties many people face when involved with churches. She is so afraid people will judge her because of her past, which is also common in the churches, were the truth to be told.
I also love the husbands in PASTORS’ WIVES. Their strength and unique capabilities, as fathers, husbands, and believers faithful to their calling makes one want to meet them in real life. Cullen does a great job characterizing all of these men and helps the reader understand just why Ruthie, Ginger, and Candace had fallen for them to begin with.
PASTORS’ WIVES has a good array of minor characters that adds a lot of dimension to this story. They are original and most are quite likable. They add a lot of conflict which keeps the reader anxiously reading, to see how things work out. Learning what PASTOR’S WIVES go through when being married to a pastor, it an eye-opener that many may not have considered before. PASTORS’ WIVES gives one a new perspective in this arena.
PASTORS’ WIVES is realistic in so many ways, it is easy to relate to not just the wonderful characters in it, but also the great dynamics of this story. There is plenty of conflict, happy moments, humor, and emotion to keep one turning pages. If one wants to experience a behind-the-scenes look into the workings of a mega-church such as Greenleaf, then PASTORS’ WIVES is a good place to start.
PASTORS’ WIVES is well written, well-plotted, and a pleasure to read. Great dialogue is prevalent throughout and adds a lot of humor along the way. If one is looking for a great summer read, one that offers a lot of intrigue, hope, and heart-warming moments, then this one should see you through a hot and lazy afternoon on the beach.
Kudos to Ms. Cullen on her wonderful debut novel, PASTORS’ WIVES.
http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/pas...
Publisher: Plume, a member of Penguin Group
Date published: April 30, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-452-29882-8
Inspirational Fiction
Paperback
Reviewed by Lynne
http://www.amazon.com/Pastors-Wives-L...
Obtained via Litfuse Publicity Group
Rating: 5
PASTORS’ WIVES by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen is an exceptional first novel that delves deeply into the private lives of three complex, fictional pastors’ wives who are involved with a mega-church, Greenleaf, in Magnolia, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.
Aaron and Candace Green, of Greenleaf Church, popular authors and leaders of this popular church, in need of a financial wizard, soon hire Jeremiah Matters, a financier straight from Wall Street, who holds masters degrees in both business and theology. He and his wife, Ruthie, quickly relocate to Georgia, where Jerry soon becomes Aaron Green’s right-hand man and where Ruthie suddenly finds herself thrust into the role of publicist. Ruthie, a non-practicing Catholic, isn’t exactly sure where she will fit in with this super church, but is willing to support her husband’s efforts to follow his calling.
As publicist for Greenleaf, Ruthie soon finds herself assisting a reporter, Juan Diaz, who is anxious to learn all he can about Greenleaf Church and, above all, Pastor Aaron. With her husband being so involved with the Church, Ruthie finds herself lonely and becomes tempted to involve herself with Juan, creating even more problems than she needs just then.
The Greens have three children: Anthony, Sophie, and Timothy, who have problems of their own. Timothy’s wife, Ginger, has a sordid past which she and Tim have kept well hidden, even from the family. When the truth comes out during an atypical background check, it is then Ginger escapes to her old stomping ground, to sort things out regarding her marriage, motherhood, and her own calling. With Candace as a mother-in-law, she is certain the woman will never accept her, no matter what. Timothy, involved with his own ministry, Faith Corps, is involved with a branch of Greenleaf, Newleaf Church, which usurps most of his time, adding to Ginger’s frustrations.
Candace seems to hover in the background as secret CEO of Greenleaf, having fully supported and stood by her husband, Aaron, for over twenty-five years. Yet she has her own problems and continually asks herself what her purpose really is. In Ruthie’s opinion, Candace is “a NASA-level genius who discreetly runs Greenleaf from behind her velvet smile,” and labels her, “The Wizard of Oz.” (p.145)
As time goes on, it is clear there are problems with the mega-church, as is to be expected, since Greenleaf often seems more like a business than a church. The PASTORS’ WIVES easily find their lives intertwined and involved with circumstances that will test their loyalties to their husbands, their families, and their church. When the idea for divorce comes into play, since two of the PASTORS’ WIVES believe they are overly neglected by their spouses, who they feel are more married to God than to them, it is then they step back and take a good look at themselves, their lives, and their beliefs, neither of them really wanting to divorce the men they are so in love with.
I find PASTOR’S WIVES a highly entertaining read. Cullen is such a gifted writer, it is almost with envy that I write this. Cullen, with her background at TIME Magazine, clearly has the makings of a great fiction writer and makes one want to aspire to be like her. I love her style.
PASTORS’ WIVES is fiction, of course, so one must keep a perspective when reading it. In reality, it would seem that when hiring someone to a position involving money, especially in the millions of dollars, a background check and an interview should be done, to check out the wife, before hiring her husband to such a position as was given to Jerry Matters. Although I have never attended a mega-church, it would just seem to be an important part of the hiring process. Corruption, even in the Church, is rampant, sorry to say.
Regardless of these facts, PASTORS’ WIVES is a realistic book that kept me turning pages. The reader, once deeper into the story, will become concerned and actually care for the characters. Candace is a truly unique woman, strong and competent, based on her usual comment, “Let me take care of it.” Her confidence stands out in many different areas of PASTORS’ WIVES.
Ruthie is a bit shaky in her beliefs, and I am surprised that Jerry chose someone like her to marry. Yet he clearly loves her, which is what makes PASTORS’ WIVES such an interesting read. The fact that Cullen threw in a supposedly Christian woman to tempt him to cheat on his wife was a unique conflict I wasn’t so sure would materialize. Which has to make believers aware that there are a lot of false Christians out there, and the enemy is always out there looking to bring down truly committed believers in some way, shape, or form.
I love Ginger. She is very down-to-earth and has many of the same fears and uncertainties many people face when involved with churches. She is so afraid people will judge her because of her past, which is also common in the churches, were the truth to be told.
I also love the husbands in PASTORS’ WIVES. Their strength and unique capabilities, as fathers, husbands, and believers faithful to their calling makes one want to meet them in real life. Cullen does a great job characterizing all of these men and helps the reader understand just why Ruthie, Ginger, and Candace had fallen for them to begin with.
PASTORS’ WIVES has a good array of minor characters that adds a lot of dimension to this story. They are original and most are quite likable. They add a lot of conflict which keeps the reader anxiously reading, to see how things work out. Learning what PASTOR’S WIVES go through when being married to a pastor, it an eye-opener that many may not have considered before. PASTORS’ WIVES gives one a new perspective in this arena.
PASTORS’ WIVES is realistic in so many ways, it is easy to relate to not just the wonderful characters in it, but also the great dynamics of this story. There is plenty of conflict, happy moments, humor, and emotion to keep one turning pages. If one wants to experience a behind-the-scenes look into the workings of a mega-church such as Greenleaf, then PASTORS’ WIVES is a good place to start.
PASTORS’ WIVES is well written, well-plotted, and a pleasure to read. Great dialogue is prevalent throughout and adds a lot of humor along the way. If one is looking for a great summer read, one that offers a lot of intrigue, hope, and heart-warming moments, then this one should see you through a hot and lazy afternoon on the beach.
Kudos to Ms. Cullen on her wonderful debut novel, PASTORS’ WIVES.
http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/pas...
July 16, 2013
FROM THE PUBLISHER-ABOUT THE BOOK: What’s it like when the man you married is already married to God? asks Pastors’ Wives, an often surprising yet always emotionally true first novel set in a world most of us know only from the outside.
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s debut novel Pastors’ Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a fictional suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith—in God, in her marriage, and in herself. Candace is Greenleaf’s “First Lady,” a force of nature who’ll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace’s son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen’s reporting as a staff writer for Time magazine, Pastors’ Wives is a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors’ wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lisa Takeuchi Cullen was born and raised in Kobe, Japan. Her father was a Roman Catholic priest from Philadelphia, sent by his religious order to a provincial city in southern Japan where he met Cullen’s mother, the coddled daughter of a wealthy merchant. She converted, he left the priesthood to marry her, and it all caused quite the scandal. As if in penance, they raised the four children in strict devotion, never allowing them to miss a Mass or their turn at the dinner-table Bible reading.As she was in the beginning stages of writing Pastors’ Wives, several intense life changes lit in her a profound need to reconcile her faith: the loss of her mother to cancer, her father’s death nine months later, the birth of her second child, and leaving her job as a staff writer at Time magazine. Cullen feels that in many ways writing Pastors’ Wives saved her. Through the characters and their journeys in faith, she was able to examine her own. Cullen was a foreign correspondent and staff writer for Time magazine, covering social trends, news, arts and business in the U.S. and Asia. Her first book, Remember Me: A Lively Tour of the New American Way of Death, was about the year she spent crashing funerals and was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick. She now writes novels and develops television pilots. Pastors’ Wives is her first novel, and Lisa recently sold a pilot about a former priest who becomes a lawyer to CBS. Production on the first episode of The Ordained is now in production. Cullen lives in New Jersey with her husband and two daughters.
MY THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK: As one of those "Pastors' Wives" I found the book to be a most realistic portrayal of three very different women whose lives intertwine as pastors' wives in a huge Evangelical in the South. Each of the women struggles with personal challenges in their lives and it was quite amazing to watch them change into the women they were called to become as they learn about themselves and their public vs private lives. The book is written in the alternating perspectives of three pastors' wives and the reader follows Ginger, Ruthie, and Candace as they learn their roles in the ministry of their husband. The struggles these three women face as they deal with issues of faith, identity, and responsibilities is well portrayed by Cullens in her debut novel. She has quite a grasp on the subject and knows these women personally(even though they are fictional). This story had me from the very beginning. The inner workings of a huge church were intriguing and as a pastors' wife in a small church the similarities were glaring. The author did an amazing job of portraying the women as normal, with all their flaws and personal issues. This book is one of those that I just couldn't put down. I was so enamored with the characters and their situations and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. So many times the congregation and communities think of Pastors' and their wives as super human instead of just human. Believe me, we do make mistakes just like the rest of the world This is a terrific read and I highly recommend it!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s debut novel Pastors’ Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a fictional suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith—in God, in her marriage, and in herself. Candace is Greenleaf’s “First Lady,” a force of nature who’ll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace’s son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen’s reporting as a staff writer for Time magazine, Pastors’ Wives is a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors’ wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lisa Takeuchi Cullen was born and raised in Kobe, Japan. Her father was a Roman Catholic priest from Philadelphia, sent by his religious order to a provincial city in southern Japan where he met Cullen’s mother, the coddled daughter of a wealthy merchant. She converted, he left the priesthood to marry her, and it all caused quite the scandal. As if in penance, they raised the four children in strict devotion, never allowing them to miss a Mass or their turn at the dinner-table Bible reading.As she was in the beginning stages of writing Pastors’ Wives, several intense life changes lit in her a profound need to reconcile her faith: the loss of her mother to cancer, her father’s death nine months later, the birth of her second child, and leaving her job as a staff writer at Time magazine. Cullen feels that in many ways writing Pastors’ Wives saved her. Through the characters and their journeys in faith, she was able to examine her own. Cullen was a foreign correspondent and staff writer for Time magazine, covering social trends, news, arts and business in the U.S. and Asia. Her first book, Remember Me: A Lively Tour of the New American Way of Death, was about the year she spent crashing funerals and was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick. She now writes novels and develops television pilots. Pastors’ Wives is her first novel, and Lisa recently sold a pilot about a former priest who becomes a lawyer to CBS. Production on the first episode of The Ordained is now in production. Cullen lives in New Jersey with her husband and two daughters.
MY THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK: As one of those "Pastors' Wives" I found the book to be a most realistic portrayal of three very different women whose lives intertwine as pastors' wives in a huge Evangelical in the South. Each of the women struggles with personal challenges in their lives and it was quite amazing to watch them change into the women they were called to become as they learn about themselves and their public vs private lives. The book is written in the alternating perspectives of three pastors' wives and the reader follows Ginger, Ruthie, and Candace as they learn their roles in the ministry of their husband. The struggles these three women face as they deal with issues of faith, identity, and responsibilities is well portrayed by Cullens in her debut novel. She has quite a grasp on the subject and knows these women personally(even though they are fictional). This story had me from the very beginning. The inner workings of a huge church were intriguing and as a pastors' wife in a small church the similarities were glaring. The author did an amazing job of portraying the women as normal, with all their flaws and personal issues. This book is one of those that I just couldn't put down. I was so enamored with the characters and their situations and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. So many times the congregation and communities think of Pastors' and their wives as super human instead of just human. Believe me, we do make mistakes just like the rest of the world This is a terrific read and I highly recommend it!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
May 9, 2013
Ruthie is a non-believer whose husband hears “the call” to service for God. Imagine her dismay when he asks her to share his mission in a megachurch in Atlanta, Georgia called Greenleaf. Her background is publicity and she is quickly upon their arrival put in charge of a journalist who wants to follow the pastor and write a series of articles on this famous beloved man of God, Aaron. Candace is his “perfect” wife, a woman who dresses stylishly, always has a smile on her face, and who is really the super-manager of Greenleaf Church. Her faith is real but her job is so stressful that she pops Imitrex for migraines on a daily basis. The tension never leaves as there are constant problems from parishioners as well as the elders who mercilessly oppose the couple’s innovative programs like pop Christian music, a coffee bar, bookstore, and yoga center. The more appealing it seems to the reader, the more trouble it brings!
Once Ruthie and hubby Jerry get to work, Jerry becomes the favorite of Aaron, a relationship like that of a father and son who grow very close. Candace is carefully watching Ruthie and likes what she sees, something that doesn’t happen much with her son Timothy’s wife, Ginger, a woman who is hiding such a horrific secret that could totally destroy the church if known to the public. Apart from that, Ginger is a great Mom but has no special gifts to contribute to the church, at least that’s how she thinks and feels as she’s constantly exposed to Candace’s pattern of scrutiny followed by disgust. Not a very healthy scenario and the reader sees it all foreshadowing something disastrous.
Candace’s pride and joy, however, are her grandchildren. She’ll do anything and everything for them; indeed aside from her passionate love of her husband, the children are the true joy of her life. She makes sure they are dressed well, eat only healthy food, and have excellent books and education. Yet why is she always asking God, “How can I serve You?” Her prayers seem quite formal and repetitive but they are the most honest part of her personality and she will soon enough discover what true faith is!
For several potentially destructive challenges lie ahead that will change this group of three so very different women to unite and become truly pastors’ wives in the most literal sense of the phrase. Why must faith, marriage, loyalty to family, and so much more be tested? And how does one know if one’s faith is real, strong, and/or weak?
Pastors’ Wives is quite refreshing. These women are so very human and their dilemmas parallel the problems of their parishioners. It is a delight to share the journey of each person. The tension never lessens and how each handles that atmosphere is the “key” in this novel to stabilizing and strengthening each of them, to discover the hidden strength that faith in God and each other provide in every moment, through the most challenging and joyful of times!
Insecurities, mistakes, miscommunication, and so many more problems leave this group of three woman in constant flux. Each learns to shed the useless garbage of the past and embrace the identity that each discovers as the story progresses into almost unbelievably killing stress. Fine, fine fiction, Ms. Cullen. Compromise? Submission? Rebellion? Lies or Honesty? Always the conflict evolves to form a fine secondary revelation for each of these three women who are so much stronger than they think
Finely written, Ms. Cullen – finely indeed!
Once Ruthie and hubby Jerry get to work, Jerry becomes the favorite of Aaron, a relationship like that of a father and son who grow very close. Candace is carefully watching Ruthie and likes what she sees, something that doesn’t happen much with her son Timothy’s wife, Ginger, a woman who is hiding such a horrific secret that could totally destroy the church if known to the public. Apart from that, Ginger is a great Mom but has no special gifts to contribute to the church, at least that’s how she thinks and feels as she’s constantly exposed to Candace’s pattern of scrutiny followed by disgust. Not a very healthy scenario and the reader sees it all foreshadowing something disastrous.
Candace’s pride and joy, however, are her grandchildren. She’ll do anything and everything for them; indeed aside from her passionate love of her husband, the children are the true joy of her life. She makes sure they are dressed well, eat only healthy food, and have excellent books and education. Yet why is she always asking God, “How can I serve You?” Her prayers seem quite formal and repetitive but they are the most honest part of her personality and she will soon enough discover what true faith is!
For several potentially destructive challenges lie ahead that will change this group of three so very different women to unite and become truly pastors’ wives in the most literal sense of the phrase. Why must faith, marriage, loyalty to family, and so much more be tested? And how does one know if one’s faith is real, strong, and/or weak?
Pastors’ Wives is quite refreshing. These women are so very human and their dilemmas parallel the problems of their parishioners. It is a delight to share the journey of each person. The tension never lessens and how each handles that atmosphere is the “key” in this novel to stabilizing and strengthening each of them, to discover the hidden strength that faith in God and each other provide in every moment, through the most challenging and joyful of times!
Insecurities, mistakes, miscommunication, and so many more problems leave this group of three woman in constant flux. Each learns to shed the useless garbage of the past and embrace the identity that each discovers as the story progresses into almost unbelievably killing stress. Fine, fine fiction, Ms. Cullen. Compromise? Submission? Rebellion? Lies or Honesty? Always the conflict evolves to form a fine secondary revelation for each of these three women who are so much stronger than they think
Finely written, Ms. Cullen – finely indeed!
April 28, 2013
About the Book:
What’s it like when the man you married is already married to God? asks Pastors’ Wives, an often surprising yet always emotionally true first novel set in a world most of us know only from the outside.
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s debut novel Pastors’ Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a fictional suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith—in God, in her marriage, and in herself. Candace is Greenleaf’s “First Lady,” a force of nature who’ll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace’s son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen’s reporting as a staff writer for Time magazine, Pastors’ Wives is a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors’ wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.
About the Author:
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen was a longtime staff writer for TIME magazine. She now develops television pilots for production companies. Born in Japan, Cullen lives in New Jersey with family. This is her first novel.
My Review:
This book gets down to the nuts&bolts of a pastor wife. Women that successfully stand by their husband not only through thick&thin. But also through the sometimes begrudging task of being the lady behind the scenes. The author has chosen to show you the lives of three different women and how they came to be part of their husbands ministry in the first place. Right on up to where they are today whether its a look into their lives or into how they relate to others in the ministry or how well they coexist.
These three ladies are all involved on some level in the same church. Whether it is the refined Candice that is the doer, the one that can make it happen. Or the all put together Ruthie that is willing to let her husband do what he needs to do to conquer the Lord's calling. Or the misunderstood and terribly lonely Ginger that aches to be with her somewhat unreachable husband.
I'm just beginning my journey as my husband is still in seminary. But I believe on some level I'm a mixture of all three ladies. The characters are all likeable women but they do have many unlikeable traits too. I have read many books about pastors wives and this is definitely a different take on the position.
**Disclosure** This book was provided to me at no charge for my honest review from Litfuse.
What’s it like when the man you married is already married to God? asks Pastors’ Wives, an often surprising yet always emotionally true first novel set in a world most of us know only from the outside.
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s debut novel Pastors’ Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a fictional suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith—in God, in her marriage, and in herself. Candace is Greenleaf’s “First Lady,” a force of nature who’ll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace’s son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen’s reporting as a staff writer for Time magazine, Pastors’ Wives is a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors’ wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.
About the Author:
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen was a longtime staff writer for TIME magazine. She now develops television pilots for production companies. Born in Japan, Cullen lives in New Jersey with family. This is her first novel.
My Review:
This book gets down to the nuts&bolts of a pastor wife. Women that successfully stand by their husband not only through thick&thin. But also through the sometimes begrudging task of being the lady behind the scenes. The author has chosen to show you the lives of three different women and how they came to be part of their husbands ministry in the first place. Right on up to where they are today whether its a look into their lives or into how they relate to others in the ministry or how well they coexist.
These three ladies are all involved on some level in the same church. Whether it is the refined Candice that is the doer, the one that can make it happen. Or the all put together Ruthie that is willing to let her husband do what he needs to do to conquer the Lord's calling. Or the misunderstood and terribly lonely Ginger that aches to be with her somewhat unreachable husband.
I'm just beginning my journey as my husband is still in seminary. But I believe on some level I'm a mixture of all three ladies. The characters are all likeable women but they do have many unlikeable traits too. I have read many books about pastors wives and this is definitely a different take on the position.
**Disclosure** This book was provided to me at no charge for my honest review from Litfuse.
May 8, 2013
Ruthie, a lapsed Catholic, is not prepared when her husband announces his call to the ministry, and when he answers that call by joining the staff of a megachurch, she feels as though she has been dropped into a foreign country. Ginger, the pastor's daughter-in-law, also struggles with the pressures of being a pastor's wife while trying to hide secrets from her past. Everything is held together by Candace, "First Lady" of Greenleaf, who is clearly the power behind the throne. When scandal erupts and threatens the Greenleaf empire and the happiness of the women, each one discovers her own strengths and weaknesses.
First, just let me make this clear. This is not, technically, Christian fiction, but fiction with a religious theme. Not a negative, you understand, but I just want potential readers to understand before they start reading. The characters are a little more realistic than you would find in Christian fiction, with real struggles and problems that are not always addressed in typical religious genres. Combine that with a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of those in the ministry, and you have a fascinating, if possibly controversial, novel.
Although I have never been a pastor's wife (and don't want to be), I have known many, been friends with some, and even related to a couple of them. Just like the novel, they are real people with the same problems we all face. Pastor's Wives brings these struggles to light, although the characters in the novel are a bit over-the-top; but then, it is fiction, after all.
I appreciate the candidness with which Ruthie struggles with her faith, but at times there is a faint anti-Protestant feel. We are not all nuts, and all mega-churches are not run like Hollywood studios; those are just the ones who make the headlines. I did enjoy the blunt honesty of their conversations, and the phrase "sanctimonious ninny" made me laugh out loud. Some may find the inclusion of somewhat strong language offensive, but in this case, I felt that it added realism.
Overall, a fascinating look at a subject not often explored.
4.5 stars
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Litfuse Publicity Group book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
First, just let me make this clear. This is not, technically, Christian fiction, but fiction with a religious theme. Not a negative, you understand, but I just want potential readers to understand before they start reading. The characters are a little more realistic than you would find in Christian fiction, with real struggles and problems that are not always addressed in typical religious genres. Combine that with a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of those in the ministry, and you have a fascinating, if possibly controversial, novel.
Although I have never been a pastor's wife (and don't want to be), I have known many, been friends with some, and even related to a couple of them. Just like the novel, they are real people with the same problems we all face. Pastor's Wives brings these struggles to light, although the characters in the novel are a bit over-the-top; but then, it is fiction, after all.
I appreciate the candidness with which Ruthie struggles with her faith, but at times there is a faint anti-Protestant feel. We are not all nuts, and all mega-churches are not run like Hollywood studios; those are just the ones who make the headlines. I did enjoy the blunt honesty of their conversations, and the phrase "sanctimonious ninny" made me laugh out loud. Some may find the inclusion of somewhat strong language offensive, but in this case, I felt that it added realism.
Overall, a fascinating look at a subject not often explored.
4.5 stars
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Litfuse Publicity Group book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
May 20, 2013
How would you react if one day, out of the blue, your husband decided to leave Wall Street and go into ministry?
What would your life be like if the man you married was also married
to God?
What would it be like to be married to the pastor of a large mega-church?
These are the questions that Catholic writer Lisa Takeuchi Cullen asked when interviewing pastors’ wives for a Time Magazine article several years ago – and these are the questions she explores in her debut novel, Pastors’ Wives.
Pastors’ Wives is the fictional account of three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical mega-church.
First there’s Ruthie – the Catholic woman who is suffering a crisis of faith after the death of her mother. Ruthie is transplanted from New York to Georgia when her husband accepts a job to serve as the Associate Pastor of Greenleaf Church.
Then there’s Candace – Greenleaf’s “First Lady” herself. Candace will do whatever it takes to protect her church and her charismatic, superstar husband.
Finally, there’s Ginger – Candace’s daughter-in-law – a woman who strives to be a good wife and mother while trying to hide a calamitous past.
If bringing these three women together sounds like the recipe for the perfect storm, you’re right. All it takes is for one chaotic event to bring these ladies to the edge and expose their true selves!
Reading Pastors’ Wives can be likened to watching Desperate Housewives. Just as you would not mistake Susan, Lynette, Gabby or Bree for ordinary, stay-at-home moms, you should not mistake Ginger, Candace or Ruthie as Christian role models who are typical or representative of evangelical women who are married to pastors.
If you realize this going in and do not take the book seriously – if you approach the book purely for its entertainment value and don’t get hung up by any pre-conceived notions you might otherwise have based on the title – then you can sit back and enjoy the story.
Taken in this light, you’ll discover that Lisa has done a skillful job of portraying these three fictional women and their personal struggles as women who are thrust in the public eye as a result of their husband’s role on the pulpit.
This is another interesting book to add to your summer reading list.
This review was originally published at Create With Joy.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher to review. I was not compensated or required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
What would your life be like if the man you married was also married
to God?
What would it be like to be married to the pastor of a large mega-church?
These are the questions that Catholic writer Lisa Takeuchi Cullen asked when interviewing pastors’ wives for a Time Magazine article several years ago – and these are the questions she explores in her debut novel, Pastors’ Wives.
Pastors’ Wives is the fictional account of three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical mega-church.
First there’s Ruthie – the Catholic woman who is suffering a crisis of faith after the death of her mother. Ruthie is transplanted from New York to Georgia when her husband accepts a job to serve as the Associate Pastor of Greenleaf Church.
Then there’s Candace – Greenleaf’s “First Lady” herself. Candace will do whatever it takes to protect her church and her charismatic, superstar husband.
Finally, there’s Ginger – Candace’s daughter-in-law – a woman who strives to be a good wife and mother while trying to hide a calamitous past.
If bringing these three women together sounds like the recipe for the perfect storm, you’re right. All it takes is for one chaotic event to bring these ladies to the edge and expose their true selves!
Reading Pastors’ Wives can be likened to watching Desperate Housewives. Just as you would not mistake Susan, Lynette, Gabby or Bree for ordinary, stay-at-home moms, you should not mistake Ginger, Candace or Ruthie as Christian role models who are typical or representative of evangelical women who are married to pastors.
If you realize this going in and do not take the book seriously – if you approach the book purely for its entertainment value and don’t get hung up by any pre-conceived notions you might otherwise have based on the title – then you can sit back and enjoy the story.
Taken in this light, you’ll discover that Lisa has done a skillful job of portraying these three fictional women and their personal struggles as women who are thrust in the public eye as a result of their husband’s role on the pulpit.
This is another interesting book to add to your summer reading list.
This review was originally published at Create With Joy.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher to review. I was not compensated or required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
March 27, 2013
I really enjoyed the concept of 3 totally different women, in totally different places with their faith and relationship with God to all come together under one roof. And what a big roof it is. Greenleaf is a megachurch and a half – in fact it is not so much a corner church but a whole world of its own – complete with orchestra’s, choirs, big screens and smoke machines that herald in the focus of the church – the Pastor. None of the problems that each of the three women face is as simple as they first appear. In fact they are busy trying to build up a façade to hide the fact that everything is not as wonderful as it looks, the reality is that believing is a struggle and being so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly use is a problematic as having lost your faith. Eventually the three women learn that they don’t need to work independently – they can work as a support team and build up what they have because alone they will lose all that they hold dear.
There is a strong Christian message in this book as you would expect in a book set within the framework of a megachurch. The work of Pastor’s wives is a crucial but unrecognised necessity. They are not interviewed, not paid but expected to sing, play music, lead youth groups, raise their children to the standard of behaviour that Church expects, entertain church notables, minister to other wives, know the Bible inside out and participate in all the bible studies and prayer groups. Above all they have to keep their man, the Church board and the partitioners’ happy. While author, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, was working as a reporter for TIME magazine she met a group of Pastor’s wives and she writes:”…What struck me most was their honesty. They shattered my preconceptions about these sweet ladies who supported their minister husbands above all. No—they were lonely, intelligent, wistful, and opinionated. Almost all of them wished their husbands weren’t pastors at all. Yet they remained devout…” The three women are very credible and felt that I could relate to them and understand where they were coming from. There is humour, pathos and drama and I will definitely keep an eye out for more of Cullen’s work.
There is a strong Christian message in this book as you would expect in a book set within the framework of a megachurch. The work of Pastor’s wives is a crucial but unrecognised necessity. They are not interviewed, not paid but expected to sing, play music, lead youth groups, raise their children to the standard of behaviour that Church expects, entertain church notables, minister to other wives, know the Bible inside out and participate in all the bible studies and prayer groups. Above all they have to keep their man, the Church board and the partitioners’ happy. While author, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, was working as a reporter for TIME magazine she met a group of Pastor’s wives and she writes:”…What struck me most was their honesty. They shattered my preconceptions about these sweet ladies who supported their minister husbands above all. No—they were lonely, intelligent, wistful, and opinionated. Almost all of them wished their husbands weren’t pastors at all. Yet they remained devout…” The three women are very credible and felt that I could relate to them and understand where they were coming from. There is humour, pathos and drama and I will definitely keep an eye out for more of Cullen’s work.
May 15, 2013
Ruthie is in for a big surprise one day when her husband feels he's been "called" to join the ministry. She always knew he was religious, and she decides to throw caution to the wind and follow him from New York to Georgia. They find themselves in a whole new world of a mega church led by the famous couple Aaron and Candace Green. Candace, the "First Lady" of Greenleaf , is fiercely protective of her family and her church. She oversees everything and knows all. Her daughter-in-law Ginger is struggling to fit in while dealing with her past. All three ladies will finds themselves at crossroads, and they will all have to discover how to live their lives beyond just being pastors' wives.
Oh wow, there was a lot to take in when reading this book. I loved Ruthie from the start. I loved that she loved her husband so much she was willing to take a chance and follow him to make a life together. Her ability to ask hard questions was really important both to her character and the story. Candace was someone I'm not sure I liked, but boy did I respect her. I actually really loved her practical approach to everything. This is a woman who knows how to take charge and get things done. She also has great faith though, and this permeates through all she does. Ginger took me longer to like. I just wanted her to be a bit more assertive in her life, but I could also understand why she did what she did to some extent.
Overall, I felt this book took an amazing approach to the story. I know next to nothing about those mega churches, and this was a very interesting look into that world. It pointed out flaws and strengths of this system. I appreciated the open approach. I could easily see the appeal of someone like Aaron Green. Incredibly open-minded and charismatic, he still managed to be humble in his life. This book shows the authors ability to take a critical yet loving look at an amazing world. The book completely drew me in and entertained while still making me think. That's a lot for one book, but this book managed to accomplish all that. I highly recommend it!
Book provided for review.
Oh wow, there was a lot to take in when reading this book. I loved Ruthie from the start. I loved that she loved her husband so much she was willing to take a chance and follow him to make a life together. Her ability to ask hard questions was really important both to her character and the story. Candace was someone I'm not sure I liked, but boy did I respect her. I actually really loved her practical approach to everything. This is a woman who knows how to take charge and get things done. She also has great faith though, and this permeates through all she does. Ginger took me longer to like. I just wanted her to be a bit more assertive in her life, but I could also understand why she did what she did to some extent.
Overall, I felt this book took an amazing approach to the story. I know next to nothing about those mega churches, and this was a very interesting look into that world. It pointed out flaws and strengths of this system. I appreciated the open approach. I could easily see the appeal of someone like Aaron Green. Incredibly open-minded and charismatic, he still managed to be humble in his life. This book shows the authors ability to take a critical yet loving look at an amazing world. The book completely drew me in and entertained while still making me think. That's a lot for one book, but this book managed to accomplish all that. I highly recommend it!
Book provided for review.
December 12, 2012
Title: PASTORS’ WIVES
Author: Lisa Takeuchi Cullen
Publisher: Penguin
April 2013
ISBN: 978-0-452-29882-8
Genre: Women’s fiction
PASTORS’ WIVES follows three women whose husbands serve as pastors at a Southern evangelical megachurch.
Ruthie’s husband was a Wall Street executive when he hears the call. Suddenly, before he’s even accepted into the ministry, Ruthie starts feeling the effect of the fish bowl. She struggles to adjust, especially as she and her husband has differences of religion opinions (She was Catholic, he Protestant), and the Christianese they speak are like different languages. Now Ruthie no longer feels she even knows her husband.
Candace is the First Lady at the Atlanta megachurch. She is a force of nature who will stop at nothing to protect her church and her husband. She has a reputation as being obeyed by a mere quirk of her eyebrow and she expects nothing less than perfection from those below her.
Ginger is married to Candace’s son, and she struggles in her role. She’s trying to play the part of a dutiful wife and mother while hiding her calamitous past. When the three women’s lives collide during a fateful event that threatens the survival of all that is precious to them, each will have to ask “What is the price of loving a man of God?”
PASTORS’ WIVES is a portrayal of life in the fish bowl. As a pastor’s wife, I can relate to the demands put upon a home and family as well as a marriage, when the husband/pastor is on call twenty-four seven. Not only that, but everyone in the community watches you and how you behave/react when you are out in public.
The characters are very realistically developed, and I could relate to them and their various struggles. Whether a man of God serves in a megachurch or in a small country church with less than fifty members, the struggles a wife faces remain almost the same. If
you want an inside look at a pastor’s wife, then you will want to read PASTORS’ WIVES. From the moment the call is received, life changes. $16.00. 368 pages.
Author: Lisa Takeuchi Cullen
Publisher: Penguin
April 2013
ISBN: 978-0-452-29882-8
Genre: Women’s fiction
PASTORS’ WIVES follows three women whose husbands serve as pastors at a Southern evangelical megachurch.
Ruthie’s husband was a Wall Street executive when he hears the call. Suddenly, before he’s even accepted into the ministry, Ruthie starts feeling the effect of the fish bowl. She struggles to adjust, especially as she and her husband has differences of religion opinions (She was Catholic, he Protestant), and the Christianese they speak are like different languages. Now Ruthie no longer feels she even knows her husband.
Candace is the First Lady at the Atlanta megachurch. She is a force of nature who will stop at nothing to protect her church and her husband. She has a reputation as being obeyed by a mere quirk of her eyebrow and she expects nothing less than perfection from those below her.
Ginger is married to Candace’s son, and she struggles in her role. She’s trying to play the part of a dutiful wife and mother while hiding her calamitous past. When the three women’s lives collide during a fateful event that threatens the survival of all that is precious to them, each will have to ask “What is the price of loving a man of God?”
PASTORS’ WIVES is a portrayal of life in the fish bowl. As a pastor’s wife, I can relate to the demands put upon a home and family as well as a marriage, when the husband/pastor is on call twenty-four seven. Not only that, but everyone in the community watches you and how you behave/react when you are out in public.
The characters are very realistically developed, and I could relate to them and their various struggles. Whether a man of God serves in a megachurch or in a small country church with less than fifty members, the struggles a wife faces remain almost the same. If
you want an inside look at a pastor’s wife, then you will want to read PASTORS’ WIVES. From the moment the call is received, life changes. $16.00. 368 pages.
May 23, 2013
I've been thinking and thinking about how to describe this book. Tossing words around in my mind for several weeks. I'm still not sure how to do it.
Pastors' Wives is amazingly well written. It's a tightly-woven story of several families all connected to pastors and how they handle the pressures and stresses of always being the public specter, of how much of a leadership role they really play in their respective churches. The details spring each character to life and the large cast of characters keep the story interesting. The drama happening inside the church reads like a soap opera (as I imagine it often does in real life), and you won't be bored with this story.
Unlike many of today's popular novels, Cullen's writing sounds formal and a bit distant. It took me a few chapters to switch gears mentally into this style of writing, but I appreciate the excellent quality of her work. Nobody could claim that this is a watered-down piece of literature.
I appreciate how one of the biggest problems was resolved in the end, but the ending for another left me disappointed. Not because it wasn't realistic, because it may be, but because I didn't feel as if it offered any encouragement or hope for readers. Life is not perfect and we don't always get the happy ending that we want, but in this case, I felt as if the characters made a poor choice and that it was considered acceptable. That attitude left a bad taste in my mouth where this book is concerned.
So with that said, I'm still not sure what to say about this book. Because of the questionable ending, I won't be passing this book along to anyone who may be in a similar situation. If you're strong in your faith journey, however, and you appreciate quality literature, you might really enjoy Pastors' Wives.
I received a free copy of Pastors' Wives from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
Pastors' Wives is amazingly well written. It's a tightly-woven story of several families all connected to pastors and how they handle the pressures and stresses of always being the public specter, of how much of a leadership role they really play in their respective churches. The details spring each character to life and the large cast of characters keep the story interesting. The drama happening inside the church reads like a soap opera (as I imagine it often does in real life), and you won't be bored with this story.
Unlike many of today's popular novels, Cullen's writing sounds formal and a bit distant. It took me a few chapters to switch gears mentally into this style of writing, but I appreciate the excellent quality of her work. Nobody could claim that this is a watered-down piece of literature.
I appreciate how one of the biggest problems was resolved in the end, but the ending for another left me disappointed. Not because it wasn't realistic, because it may be, but because I didn't feel as if it offered any encouragement or hope for readers. Life is not perfect and we don't always get the happy ending that we want, but in this case, I felt as if the characters made a poor choice and that it was considered acceptable. That attitude left a bad taste in my mouth where this book is concerned.
So with that said, I'm still not sure what to say about this book. Because of the questionable ending, I won't be passing this book along to anyone who may be in a similar situation. If you're strong in your faith journey, however, and you appreciate quality literature, you might really enjoy Pastors' Wives.
I received a free copy of Pastors' Wives from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2013
Besides being entertaining, I hoped this book would accomplish 2 things:
1. Show that pastors' wives are human just like everyone else.
2. Show the redemptive power of the gospel of Christ to be forgiven and to forgive others.
The first expectation was met, almost too well. The three main characters all had different backgrounds and struggled with temptation and sin, just like everyone else.
However, I was deeply disappointed that none of the characters were truly focused on following Christ, but used God and the Bible to serve their own agendas. In the end you have a mega-church leader who has made an idol of her husband, a former bad girl trying to pay for her sins through outreach ministry and a pastor who's cool with his wife being an atheist.
Even though this is fiction, having been a pastor's wife, with many friends who are also pastors' wives - I don't feel this book represented us well. I'm not naive to think that there aren't women in ministry very much like these characters, but most of us are not.
Theology aside - I still have other issues with this book - unnecessary swearing always looses points for me (I rarely find that it adds to the quality of a book). Also, it doesn't make sense for the main character, Ruthie to narrate her chapters in the book because she's not privy to the details of the other characters and doesn't narrate their stories.
If you need a reminder of the depravity of man, here you go. But if you're looking for inspiring stories of godly women, this isn't the best pick.
*I received this book from the publisher, Plume through NetGalley.com for my honest review.
1. Show that pastors' wives are human just like everyone else.
2. Show the redemptive power of the gospel of Christ to be forgiven and to forgive others.
The first expectation was met, almost too well. The three main characters all had different backgrounds and struggled with temptation and sin, just like everyone else.
However, I was deeply disappointed that none of the characters were truly focused on following Christ, but used God and the Bible to serve their own agendas. In the end you have a mega-church leader who has made an idol of her husband, a former bad girl trying to pay for her sins through outreach ministry and a pastor who's cool with his wife being an atheist.
Even though this is fiction, having been a pastor's wife, with many friends who are also pastors' wives - I don't feel this book represented us well. I'm not naive to think that there aren't women in ministry very much like these characters, but most of us are not.
Theology aside - I still have other issues with this book - unnecessary swearing always looses points for me (I rarely find that it adds to the quality of a book). Also, it doesn't make sense for the main character, Ruthie to narrate her chapters in the book because she's not privy to the details of the other characters and doesn't narrate their stories.
If you need a reminder of the depravity of man, here you go. But if you're looking for inspiring stories of godly women, this isn't the best pick.
*I received this book from the publisher, Plume through NetGalley.com for my honest review.
January 23, 2013
This was an interesting story. I certainly wouldn't want to be a pastor's wife. Three very different women, one having lost her belief in God and feels she must leave her husband because of his profession. Ruthie has issues and must learn to work through them. Her life doesn't turn out the way I thought it would.
Candace is more like a body guard than a wife, her one goal is to protect her husband who is the pastor of a mega church and has started an interfaith organization. This doesn't sit well with everyone because it involves a Muslim Iman, a Jewish Rabbi, and her husband... a protestant minister. There are lots of problems in running a mega church. Candace's life doesn't turn out the way I thought it would.
Ginger is the daughter in law of Candace. She's struggling to be a good pastor's wife and mother while trying to hide her colorful past. Ginger's life... well, it doesn't turn out the way I thought it would either. Something big happens and the women's lives change drastically.
This is the first book I've read by Cullen, it gives us a picture of what all is involved in being a pastor's wife. Interesting characters, big problems, a little suspense. A great novel.
I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Candace is more like a body guard than a wife, her one goal is to protect her husband who is the pastor of a mega church and has started an interfaith organization. This doesn't sit well with everyone because it involves a Muslim Iman, a Jewish Rabbi, and her husband... a protestant minister. There are lots of problems in running a mega church. Candace's life doesn't turn out the way I thought it would.
Ginger is the daughter in law of Candace. She's struggling to be a good pastor's wife and mother while trying to hide her colorful past. Ginger's life... well, it doesn't turn out the way I thought it would either. Something big happens and the women's lives change drastically.
This is the first book I've read by Cullen, it gives us a picture of what all is involved in being a pastor's wife. Interesting characters, big problems, a little suspense. A great novel.
I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 28, 2013
Pastors Wives is much more than a novel about women married to pastors. It is about faith, marriage, careers and relationships among others. This story is told in such vivid imagery I feel like I would know Magnolia, (a suburb of Atlanta), as well as the church and many of the congregation of Greenleaf and Newleaf. I would recognize their Prius, and see the subdivision where the staff lived.
I found this book to start off slow and it was hard to get into it, but after the first few chapters I was engrossed, and discovered it was spell binding. The story is written from the points of view (POV) of the three women who are spouses of pastors of the same church. Lisa has done a great job with this, and by naming the women whose point of view you are following at the beginning of each chapter, it is clear to the reader where we are at. A very fascinating look at behind the scenes of not only a mega-church, as is portrayed in the novel, but also perhaps on a smaller scale, at some of the positions any clergy wife occupies. A great read, and an author I will be looking forward to reading more of!
Thanks to Litfuse Publications for the free copy of this book, given for the purpose of writing an honest review. A positive critique was not mandatory. The opinions stated are my own.
I found this book to start off slow and it was hard to get into it, but after the first few chapters I was engrossed, and discovered it was spell binding. The story is written from the points of view (POV) of the three women who are spouses of pastors of the same church. Lisa has done a great job with this, and by naming the women whose point of view you are following at the beginning of each chapter, it is clear to the reader where we are at. A very fascinating look at behind the scenes of not only a mega-church, as is portrayed in the novel, but also perhaps on a smaller scale, at some of the positions any clergy wife occupies. A great read, and an author I will be looking forward to reading more of!
Thanks to Litfuse Publications for the free copy of this book, given for the purpose of writing an honest review. A positive critique was not mandatory. The opinions stated are my own.
May 22, 2013
Here in Texas we have a slew of mega-churches, and their dynamics have always fascinated me. In her novel, "Pastors' Wives," author Lisa Takeuchi Cullen takes her readers deep into the heart of one of these huge religious organizations and examines the lives of three women who are the wives of the men who serve as the heads of these churches.
Cullen's characters are just mesmerizing. From Ruthie - the new associate pastor's wife; to Candace, the head pastor's wife and the power behind the "throne"; to Ginger, the daughter-in-law with the secret past - all of these women are unique and have their own quirks of identity, yet all of their stories blend together for a surprising ending.
I really enjoyed reading this book. My mother-in-law is a pastor's wife, albeit of a small country church and I could never imagine her being in some of the situations the characters from this novel find themselves in, but I know from listening to her stories over the years that she dealt with her own unique set of problems being a "P.W."
I highly recommend this book for fans of well-written contemporary inspirational fiction. I'm looking forward to Lisa Cullen's next book!
Cullen's characters are just mesmerizing. From Ruthie - the new associate pastor's wife; to Candace, the head pastor's wife and the power behind the "throne"; to Ginger, the daughter-in-law with the secret past - all of these women are unique and have their own quirks of identity, yet all of their stories blend together for a surprising ending.
I really enjoyed reading this book. My mother-in-law is a pastor's wife, albeit of a small country church and I could never imagine her being in some of the situations the characters from this novel find themselves in, but I know from listening to her stories over the years that she dealt with her own unique set of problems being a "P.W."
I highly recommend this book for fans of well-written contemporary inspirational fiction. I'm looking forward to Lisa Cullen's next book!
July 13, 2013
If you’re like me, and live far from the world of megachurches and Evangelical Christianity, Pastors’ Wives offers fascinating cultural observations. Author Lisa Takeuchi Cullen intermingles the stories of three wives: Ruthie, whose story is told in the first-person, representing the most secular viewpoint although she is Roman Catholic by birth; Ginger, a born-again character modeled after Mary Magdalene; and Candace, who’s far more than a church lady. As she says, “I am the Church Lady.” For this reader, she was the most interesting wife of all, though surely the least likable.
A former Time reporter, Cullen reveals her plot through razor-sharp writing with frequent humor. “Yes, God heard all,” she writes. “But the nonstop babble coursing through one’s head was not prayer. Constant requests for mundane assistance were not prayer. One did not ask Jesus to help pick between the Scott and the Charmin. One did not shake Him down for today’s Mega Millions numbers.”
October 20, 2013
Full disclosure: I received this book as a Shelf Awareness giveaway from the author--thank you.
Three women, three very different women, and only one thing in common: they are all pastors' wives at a mega-church in Magnolia, Georgia. Ruthie has her doubts. Ginger is hiding her past. Candace might just be a perfect pastor's wife as she is the power behind the church leader, but nothing is smooth for these women. Can they all rise to the challenge? Are they able to be themselves, be human, and be the kind of wives who love and support their husbands?
Cullen does a great job of showing the kind of women who live just outside of the spotlight of the pulpit. Moreover, she makes them seem fully human and as flawed as any other person and shows them in a sympathetic light.
While I received this novel from the author, it is my honest review and I recommend it as a heartfelt read.
Three women, three very different women, and only one thing in common: they are all pastors' wives at a mega-church in Magnolia, Georgia. Ruthie has her doubts. Ginger is hiding her past. Candace might just be a perfect pastor's wife as she is the power behind the church leader, but nothing is smooth for these women. Can they all rise to the challenge? Are they able to be themselves, be human, and be the kind of wives who love and support their husbands?
Cullen does a great job of showing the kind of women who live just outside of the spotlight of the pulpit. Moreover, she makes them seem fully human and as flawed as any other person and shows them in a sympathetic light.
While I received this novel from the author, it is my honest review and I recommend it as a heartfelt read.
January 27, 2013
If you are used to sleepy little books in the Christian genre, ones where you know exactly what everyone will do because they're all quite perfect God-followers, hold on for the ride! This book was birthed after the author wrote an article about pastors' wives for Time magazine, spending time with these ladies and being part of their lives for two years. This is real stuff, authentic people who don't fit the mold we insist on putting ministry families into.
A full review is on my page, Hammock Librarian.
A full review is on my page, Hammock Librarian.
April 30, 2013
At turns funny, irreverent, poignant and wise, Pastor's Wives tells the story of three different women married to Evangelical ministers. Cullen's engaging voice and ability to spin a tale will keep you reading--and caring--about Ruthie, Candace and Ginger long after you close the book. In particular, I appreciated Cullen's ability to depict these women as real, complex characters rather than two-dimensional cartoon "church ladies." I highly recommend Pastors' Wives. The author's wit and warmth will make you feel as if you just had the best Girl's Night Out in recent memory.
January 2, 2016
This novel caught my interest right from the start and I'm a Jew. I felt like I personally knew the three pastor's wives, the main characters which kept me turning pages. There was an unexpected twist in the plot which made sense and motivated me to read the entire novel again. The info on the evangelical empire is fascinating. This book made me reflect on faith. I highly recommend this book. It would be a great summer read but still has true substance.
November 26, 2012
The three women narrators are likable characters with substantial problems; there are no easy answers in this book but it's a pleasure to follow Ruthie, Candace, and Ginger as they try to figure things out. I received an ARC from the publisher; my full review will be posted at The Christian Manifesto.
August 30, 2013
Lisa is a beautiful writer who lets us peek into a world that is foreign to many of us. Her nuanced and compelling characters feel relatable, despite their unique circumstances. Her ability to describe love and profound loss, was both tender and painfully real. Bravo Lisa — what a wonderful book you have written!
May 1, 2013
I recieved this book through Goodread's First Read program. I was so excited to see it in my mailbox.
This book was amazing. I laughed, I cried. It was heartwarming. Cullen did not pull any punches. Each women had a unique and clearly defined personallity. I was sad to see it end.
This book was amazing. I laughed, I cried. It was heartwarming. Cullen did not pull any punches. Each women had a unique and clearly defined personallity. I was sad to see it end.
May 2, 2013
I enjoyed the characters in this book and as a pastor's wife myself, I certainly recognized certain personalities and challenges that these wives encountered. The book felt very real to me!
February 13, 2013
I picked this ARC up at mid-winter. I really enjoyed it - excellent plot and character development with several unexpected twists.
March 12, 2013
A remarkably good little book based on the lives of pastors' wives involved in a megachurch. Not too didactic; just a good read.
Read
April 24, 2013Wonderful story! Would read again
September 17, 2017
I found this book by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen while looking for an agent for my book After His Heart, a novel imagining King David as a modern day worship pastor in a megachurch told from the point of view of three of his wives. I was charmed by Lisa's blog and her description of Pastors' Wives. The setting is megachurch Greenleaf in Atlanta. The book begins with Ruthie and her husband moving to Atlanta to work at Greenleaf Church. The story is told from three points of view, Ruthie, Candace Green, wife of the senior pastor and Ginger, wife of Timothy Green, pastor of Newleaf Church.
The most interesting aspect to me was that Ruthie does not share her husband's faith. It was fascinating to see the inner workings of Greenleaf through her eyes. From Lisa's blog, it seems that Ruthie's perceptions are similar to the author's. Lisa discovered the lives of pastors' wives while on assignment with Time magazine. She was so intrigued that after writing her article, she says "the women (she) interviewed kept bothering (her)." She was inspired to create a TV series about Pastors' Wives which turned into this novel.
I was also drawn to this novel because I am a pastor's wife. However, I would have to say the experiences in this novel are almost entirely foreign to me. I think this if for three reasons. Number 1, we have never belonged to a megachurch. Number 2, we have always lived in Canada. And number 3, this is a work of fiction so there is way more drama. Thank goodness my life is not like theirs!
Lisa is an excellent writer and especially skilled at creating layered, realistic characters. She creates brilliant twists and turns in her plot. While this novel features a plethora of Christian characters, it is not a Christian novel. Rather than trying to bring the reader to Christ, this novel uses Christian characters and setting to tell a great story. I recommend it and look forward to reading more by this clever author.
The most interesting aspect to me was that Ruthie does not share her husband's faith. It was fascinating to see the inner workings of Greenleaf through her eyes. From Lisa's blog, it seems that Ruthie's perceptions are similar to the author's. Lisa discovered the lives of pastors' wives while on assignment with Time magazine. She was so intrigued that after writing her article, she says "the women (she) interviewed kept bothering (her)." She was inspired to create a TV series about Pastors' Wives which turned into this novel.
I was also drawn to this novel because I am a pastor's wife. However, I would have to say the experiences in this novel are almost entirely foreign to me. I think this if for three reasons. Number 1, we have never belonged to a megachurch. Number 2, we have always lived in Canada. And number 3, this is a work of fiction so there is way more drama. Thank goodness my life is not like theirs!
Lisa is an excellent writer and especially skilled at creating layered, realistic characters. She creates brilliant twists and turns in her plot. While this novel features a plethora of Christian characters, it is not a Christian novel. Rather than trying to bring the reader to Christ, this novel uses Christian characters and setting to tell a great story. I recommend it and look forward to reading more by this clever author.
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