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Rebecca
Sarah threw her life away for God.
When she realized she had feelings for her best friend,
Sarah drove her off. To prove she wasn't gay, Sarah
slept with a boy from school. When she got pregnant,
she surrendered an acceptance to Yale in order to keep
her daughter, Rebecca.
Finally, God's messenger tells her she's proven her virtue.
She can have her life back the way it was.
In return, she only needs to kill her baby.
"Rebecca" is a terrifying descent into the maze of one young
woman's beliefs, a labyrinth of self-hate and religious
abuse which asks the same question at every turn:
What would you do for your God?
When she realized she had feelings for her best friend,
Sarah drove her off. To prove she wasn't gay, Sarah
slept with a boy from school. When she got pregnant,
she surrendered an acceptance to Yale in order to keep
her daughter, Rebecca.
Finally, God's messenger tells her she's proven her virtue.
She can have her life back the way it was.
In return, she only needs to kill her baby.
"Rebecca" is a terrifying descent into the maze of one young
woman's beliefs, a labyrinth of self-hate and religious
abuse which asks the same question at every turn:
What would you do for your God?
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2013
167 people are currently reading
764 people want to read
About the author
Adam J. Nicolai
7 books99 followersAdam J Nicolai lives near Minneapolis, MN with his wife, Joy, and their two children, Isaac and Rydia. He is a life-long nerd, game lover, author, Star Wars fan, Dungeon Master, and amateur game designer, as well as a former project manager and policy debate coach.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
June 10, 2016
~Warning Spoilers ahead~
Imagine growing up thinking that there was something wrong with you? You were cursed, had a demon inside of you? And imagine that you prayed every night for eight years for God to make you good, not a sinner, to make you not gay! Because you can't be gay?? Because your faith, your God, your pastor, your church, your mother says it's wrong. Gay people are wrong and they are cursed, they will go to hell!
You are wrong, you are going to hell!!
Sarah had big dreams, she was going to Yale. That was until she got pregnant and had baby Rebecca. A baby she doesn't really want, a baby that shouldn't have happened, because she shouldn't have been with Cal.
Cal, is a homophobic jerk who Sarah ran too. Ran from Tiff, her best friend, who everyone knew was gay. Her best friend that she loved but was to scared, ashamed to tell. So she ran to Cal, to hide who she was, because being with Cal no one would think she liked girls, she wouldn't think she liked girls. This was her telling the world, telling herself, I'm straight, there's nothing wrong with me.
Sarah get's visits from "the messenger" he says's he's from God. I personally don't believe she was seeing anyone. I think it was something that came from within her, her own personal demon. A way for her to talk down to herself, or insure she does the right thing.
She can't take the stress, Rebecca doesn't stop crying. Sarah needs sleep. She doesn't know what she is going to do, all her dreams are gone. She looks at this baby and with out love. "The messenger" tells her God will give her another chance, she can go to Yale, have the future back. Because it was her trying to listen to God and not be gay that she ended up getting pregnant. So he's going to give her a second chance, all she needs to do his give her baby, give Rebecca to him. Give her baby to God, kill her baby so she will return to him.
This book made me see red. But I still enjoyed it, because it was suppose to make me mad. It's actually sickening some parts of this story. I hate the fact there are actually people in this world like some of the characters in this book.
And to them I would like to say
For those who are made to feel ashamed, dirty, wrong. Don't be. Be proud of who you are.
Imagine growing up thinking that there was something wrong with you? You were cursed, had a demon inside of you? And imagine that you prayed every night for eight years for God to make you good, not a sinner, to make you not gay! Because you can't be gay?? Because your faith, your God, your pastor, your church, your mother says it's wrong. Gay people are wrong and they are cursed, they will go to hell!
You are wrong, you are going to hell!!
Sarah had big dreams, she was going to Yale. That was until she got pregnant and had baby Rebecca. A baby she doesn't really want, a baby that shouldn't have happened, because she shouldn't have been with Cal.
Cal, is a homophobic jerk who Sarah ran too. Ran from Tiff, her best friend, who everyone knew was gay. Her best friend that she loved but was to scared, ashamed to tell. So she ran to Cal, to hide who she was, because being with Cal no one would think she liked girls, she wouldn't think she liked girls. This was her telling the world, telling herself, I'm straight, there's nothing wrong with me.
Sarah get's visits from "the messenger" he says's he's from God. I personally don't believe she was seeing anyone. I think it was something that came from within her, her own personal demon. A way for her to talk down to herself, or insure she does the right thing.
She can't take the stress, Rebecca doesn't stop crying. Sarah needs sleep. She doesn't know what she is going to do, all her dreams are gone. She looks at this baby and with out love. "The messenger" tells her God will give her another chance, she can go to Yale, have the future back. Because it was her trying to listen to God and not be gay that she ended up getting pregnant. So he's going to give her a second chance, all she needs to do his give her baby, give Rebecca to him. Give her baby to God, kill her baby so she will return to him.
This book made me see red. But I still enjoyed it, because it was suppose to make me mad. It's actually sickening some parts of this story. I hate the fact there are actually people in this world like some of the characters in this book.
And to them I would like to say
For those who are made to feel ashamed, dirty, wrong. Don't be. Be proud of who you are.
October 1, 2013
This is a very sad book and very hard to read, but also very hard to put down! It really is a horror story, but not your typical horror story.
Imagine yourself as an 18 year old girl (Sarah) who is on the debate team and on the fast track to attending Yale and then attending law school.
Sarah has know she was different since she was nine. After awful dreams, a fanatic religious Mom, and whispers at school, she hooks up with an overbearing and arrogant guy and ends up pregnant.
Her life is now like being on a never ending roller coaster. Delivery was hard and she nearly died. Her mom puts her up in an apartment ( because dear sweet mom couldn't have a crying baby in the house.) The boyfriend first suggests marriage, then later on volunteers to kill the baby. Then the preacher and her mom gang up on her.
Her savior is her debate partner, who was/ is her lover.
Several times I just had to put the book down and not think about it. I'm glad I read it.
I will recommend it and give it 4 stars.
Imagine yourself as an 18 year old girl (Sarah) who is on the debate team and on the fast track to attending Yale and then attending law school.
Sarah has know she was different since she was nine. After awful dreams, a fanatic religious Mom, and whispers at school, she hooks up with an overbearing and arrogant guy and ends up pregnant.
Her life is now like being on a never ending roller coaster. Delivery was hard and she nearly died. Her mom puts her up in an apartment ( because dear sweet mom couldn't have a crying baby in the house.) The boyfriend first suggests marriage, then later on volunteers to kill the baby. Then the preacher and her mom gang up on her.
Her savior is her debate partner, who was/ is her lover.
Several times I just had to put the book down and not think about it. I'm glad I read it.
I will recommend it and give it 4 stars.
February 25, 2013
I have to say this book really got me thinking. At first I thought this was going to be a horror novel a la Dean Koontz. Gradually I realized it was another kind of horror....feeling trapped inside a situation completely out of control. If you want a book that will make you consider how you feel about modern issues, give this one a try. Nicolai is an author who does his job well in this regard.
March 25, 2018
I Loved It
This was a great book. It started out with a decidedly creepy feeling but quickly turned into so much more. I was hooked, and stayed that way til the satisfying conclusion.
This was a great book. It started out with a decidedly creepy feeling but quickly turned into so much more. I was hooked, and stayed that way til the satisfying conclusion.
October 9, 2014
This is the first book by Adam Nicolai I’ve read, but it definitely won’t be the last. Lately I haven’t been reading many self-published books as the majority of the ones I’ve read have been disappointing and left me in a reading slump. I’ve downloaded this novel a long, long time ago when it was free on Amazon, and because I was undecided on what to read next, I started on this freebie with zero expectations. Now I can’t recommend it highly enough!
Despite the impression the book summary and book cover might leave with you, Rebecca isn’t really a sinister read. I would classify it under realistic fiction because it deals with serious topics such as the consequences of teen pregnancy, single parenting, emerging sexuality, and religion. Allow me to elaborate. Sarah has known from a very young age that she favors girls over boys. Because Sarah was raised by a strictly religious mother who follows the church and the Bible’s teachings to the letter, she convinced herself that she must be possessed by a demon for preferring girls over boys. Sarah then goes and does a stupid thing by getting pregnant to prove to herself and her mother that she really isn’t possessed by a demon and should be in love with a boy instead of a girl. Not taking the consequences of her actions into account, Sarah is left facing the difficulties of single parenting on her own.
Hats off to the author for making me believe, in the first third or so of the book, that Rebecca is an evil little soul-sucking demonic baby. Honestly, I was convinced! Even though I rationalized for myself that what Sarah is going through is probably post-partum depression after the traumatic events of her labor, I still couldn’t help but feel animosity towards Rebecca - exactly the way the author intended for me to feel. Well done on that, Mr Nicolai! At the same time, congratulations to you also for making me fall head over heels in love with Rebecca the same time Sarah came to realize that Rebecca is her whole life. Again, this was done convincingly! Taking into account that a man wrote this book, I was astounded at how well he makes the reader understand the emotions and exhaustion, the guilt, resentment, and regrets Sarah had to deal with. The main theme seemed to be how Sarah had to come to terms with being gay, and how it conflicts with the faith in which she was raised, and on top that having to deal with possibly being shunned by her extremely religious mother. The emerging romance between Sarah and Tiff was dealt with subtly, but expertly, and although there are a lot of negative emotions going around, I can’t describe this book as angst-ridden, because it’s not.
The one thing I wasn’t on-board with was the whole evil-messenger-sacrifice-your-baby-to-God angle. It felt separate from the main plot. Most likely it was used as a metaphor for Sarah’s struggles with her faith and her guilt for what she did to Cal, but it wasn’t convincing. I felt the story has more than enough for it to make an impact without the messenger-tormenting-Sarah parts.
But really, this book was incredible and I almost can’t believe it was written by a self-pub author. There isn’t even one mistake to be found in this book, and the prose is engaging and descriptive without being weighed down with niceties to fluff it out. I felt Sarah’s anger and frustration, and I came to accept things the same time she did. I felt resentful towards her mother, I appreciated what Tiff did for Sarah and Rebecca, I eventually came to feel protective towards Rebecca, and I was as afraid of Cal as Sarah was when he did what he did. Trust me on this: what Cal did to his baby was absolutely shocking! All I’m saying is that you can expect to feel a lot of emotions while reading this book. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, so keep an open mind when you read this. At least it’s easy to appreciate what a fantastic job the author did with the writing, especially when, for some, it comes to the sensitive matter of religion.
My overall feeling? Color me impressed!
Despite the impression the book summary and book cover might leave with you, Rebecca isn’t really a sinister read. I would classify it under realistic fiction because it deals with serious topics such as the consequences of teen pregnancy, single parenting, emerging sexuality, and religion. Allow me to elaborate. Sarah has known from a very young age that she favors girls over boys. Because Sarah was raised by a strictly religious mother who follows the church and the Bible’s teachings to the letter, she convinced herself that she must be possessed by a demon for preferring girls over boys. Sarah then goes and does a stupid thing by getting pregnant to prove to herself and her mother that she really isn’t possessed by a demon and should be in love with a boy instead of a girl. Not taking the consequences of her actions into account, Sarah is left facing the difficulties of single parenting on her own.
Hats off to the author for making me believe, in the first third or so of the book, that Rebecca is an evil little soul-sucking demonic baby. Honestly, I was convinced! Even though I rationalized for myself that what Sarah is going through is probably post-partum depression after the traumatic events of her labor, I still couldn’t help but feel animosity towards Rebecca - exactly the way the author intended for me to feel. Well done on that, Mr Nicolai! At the same time, congratulations to you also for making me fall head over heels in love with Rebecca the same time Sarah came to realize that Rebecca is her whole life. Again, this was done convincingly! Taking into account that a man wrote this book, I was astounded at how well he makes the reader understand the emotions and exhaustion, the guilt, resentment, and regrets Sarah had to deal with. The main theme seemed to be how Sarah had to come to terms with being gay, and how it conflicts with the faith in which she was raised, and on top that having to deal with possibly being shunned by her extremely religious mother. The emerging romance between Sarah and Tiff was dealt with subtly, but expertly, and although there are a lot of negative emotions going around, I can’t describe this book as angst-ridden, because it’s not.
The one thing I wasn’t on-board with was the whole evil-messenger-sacrifice-your-baby-to-God angle. It felt separate from the main plot. Most likely it was used as a metaphor for Sarah’s struggles with her faith and her guilt for what she did to Cal, but it wasn’t convincing. I felt the story has more than enough for it to make an impact without the messenger-tormenting-Sarah parts.
But really, this book was incredible and I almost can’t believe it was written by a self-pub author. There isn’t even one mistake to be found in this book, and the prose is engaging and descriptive without being weighed down with niceties to fluff it out. I felt Sarah’s anger and frustration, and I came to accept things the same time she did. I felt resentful towards her mother, I appreciated what Tiff did for Sarah and Rebecca, I eventually came to feel protective towards Rebecca, and I was as afraid of Cal as Sarah was when he did what he did. Trust me on this: what Cal did to his baby was absolutely shocking! All I’m saying is that you can expect to feel a lot of emotions while reading this book. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, so keep an open mind when you read this. At least it’s easy to appreciate what a fantastic job the author did with the writing, especially when, for some, it comes to the sensitive matter of religion.
My overall feeling? Color me impressed!
September 16, 2013
Read the first few reviews on Amazon for better details. I finished this book almost a week ago and just now writing a review because I'm not sure how I feel. I can't say read it or don't, or that it's good or bad, because It's extremely controversial, from postpartum depression, to sexuality, and religion. My jaw dropped from this book for sure, and I've yet to close it. I talked to friends about it, just as conversation, because I felt angry, happy, sad, and stuff I'm not even sure of. Support group for a book! :-) It was INTENSE and stayed heavily on my mind and actually affected my mood. That means this writer is amazing and talented. I will read everything that he writes though, but definitely read his other book "Alex" that I can say from a reader to a reader.
May 8, 2013
This ran the gamut from religion to sexuality to murder. It was compelling. The characters were developed and I was invested In seeing how it ended. As a former debater, I really enjoyed the references to the competitions. It is a very topical subject and it was done well. I will check out more books by this author.
March 9, 2015
I appreciated the insight into gay children raised in fundamentalist religious groups. It also illuminated how hard it can be for a new young single mother. The book itself though was dissatisfying. The end was too pat and one does not just "get over" a psychological disturbance like snapping your fingers.
April 8, 2015
Read it in one day!
I couldn't put this one down. It was full of emotion. It was frightening in some parts and tender in others. It is definitely one book to put on your list.
I couldn't put this one down. It was full of emotion. It was frightening in some parts and tender in others. It is definitely one book to put on your list.
May 8, 2013
A little too disturbing for my taste....
October 31, 2016
Wow. I decided to read this book because I was unable to get into anything else I'd started. The author was new to me and the cover was intriguing. I never read the synopsis of a book, so I had no idea what I was getting into.
This story was gripping. I was filled with anxiety almost from page 1. There were a number of similarities between Sarah's childhood and my own, although I think hers was far more intense. When I was 10, the preacher of the church we went to found out I collected unicorns. He then told me how unicorns were evil and shouldn't be in my bedroom. I couldn't sleep for over a week! I felt like the evil from the unicorns would possess me if I didn't get rid of them, so I gathered them all one day and took them outside and smashed them into pieces. True story.....Did I mention the fact that I WAS TEN!? Fear tactics shouldn't be used on kids.
Anyway, back to Rebecca. There's a lot in this book that could be a trigger for some readers. If you have hard limits about certain things, definitely read a few reviews before you dive in. If you're like me and have no hard limits (it is fiction, after all), I highly recommend this book. I'll definitely be reading more from this author soon!
This story was gripping. I was filled with anxiety almost from page 1. There were a number of similarities between Sarah's childhood and my own, although I think hers was far more intense. When I was 10, the preacher of the church we went to found out I collected unicorns. He then told me how unicorns were evil and shouldn't be in my bedroom. I couldn't sleep for over a week! I felt like the evil from the unicorns would possess me if I didn't get rid of them, so I gathered them all one day and took them outside and smashed them into pieces. True story.....Did I mention the fact that I WAS TEN!? Fear tactics shouldn't be used on kids.
Anyway, back to Rebecca. There's a lot in this book that could be a trigger for some readers. If you have hard limits about certain things, definitely read a few reviews before you dive in. If you're like me and have no hard limits (it is fiction, after all), I highly recommend this book. I'll definitely be reading more from this author soon!
April 22, 2024
Well, I read this book in four days, which for me, a very busy mother of two young kids who always reads two books at the same time, is FAST. When I picked up this book off of my to-read bookshelf, I had no idea why it was even there. This is not at all the type of book I would ever pick out for myself. I am much more of a chick-lit kinda girl. My to-read list of books is massive, and I started it about fifteen years back, long before I had children. From the placement, on my list, it looks as though I added it before I was married with kids which makes more sense at least, as this was never a book I would have considered reading as a mom. With all that being said, I actually did enjoy the book. Even with the main character Sarah having all these ideations about killing her baby, you absolutely cannot help but feel for her. She is not a horrible person by any means. She is confused, frustrated, angry, sad, disappointed, overwhelmed, and very, very scared. Pick it up. This is a heavy book, but a quick read, and it's worth every second.
May 20, 2018
Strangely satisfying
I'm not sure how I stumbled across this book, but I am really glad I did. It certainly is a unique story and I greatly enjoyed reading it in one sitting. I had to keep reminding myself that a man wrote this because Sarah seemed like such a realistic woman. A young scared single mother dealing with all the issues that new mothers face on top of extenuating economic and deeply emotional scars. If you are looking for something different in a fiction read, look no further!
I'm not sure how I stumbled across this book, but I am really glad I did. It certainly is a unique story and I greatly enjoyed reading it in one sitting. I had to keep reminding myself that a man wrote this because Sarah seemed like such a realistic woman. A young scared single mother dealing with all the issues that new mothers face on top of extenuating economic and deeply emotional scars. If you are looking for something different in a fiction read, look no further!
September 29, 2018
Not what I expected but a wonderful surprise!
Nothing about the simple bookflap summary prepared me for what I was about to read. Emotional and gut-wrenching, Nicolai captures surprisingly well the claustrophobia of the main character and her struggle with accepting not only who she is but the baby that has changed everything in her life. It's a little frightening in that it demonstrates just how easy it is to fail a new mother and write her out of our lives just when she needs us most.
Nothing about the simple bookflap summary prepared me for what I was about to read. Emotional and gut-wrenching, Nicolai captures surprisingly well the claustrophobia of the main character and her struggle with accepting not only who she is but the baby that has changed everything in her life. It's a little frightening in that it demonstrates just how easy it is to fail a new mother and write her out of our lives just when she needs us most.
February 15, 2023
Rebecca is a particularly poorly written novel. The characters are caricatures of what the author likes or dislikes in current society. The book is blatantly anti-Christian and pro-libertarianism. The preachiness of the story was so consistently in the foreground that the actual plot seemed merely a ruse to rant about Christians and root for an emotion-based morality. I really cannot think of one redeeming feature of this book.
May 23, 2018
The first portion of the book with a young, single, stressed, post-partum mother who is sure that she can't manage to take care of a child rang very true for me. This is a fairly formulaic story and the writing is a little ragged but there was enough underlying truth to make me go looking for more of Nicolai's writing.
January 4, 2021
A young girl struggle to be who she really is
A probably all too relatable story. A girl struggles with what she feels and what her church tells her she should feel. She tries to be what she thinks they want her to be and even tries to convince herself that she wants to be that person, but is that what she wants her daughter to see?
A probably all too relatable story. A girl struggles with what she feels and what her church tells her she should feel. She tries to be what she thinks they want her to be and even tries to convince herself that she wants to be that person, but is that what she wants her daughter to see?
June 7, 2018
I didn’t want to like this book. It’s not a genre I enjoy - teen angst, religion, sexuality. In spite of myself, though, I found myself thinking about the story when I wasn’t reading. The book is very well written, steady story line with a great climax and a good ending.
May 15, 2020
Terrific!I
I was never quite sure where this engrossing story was going! It went round and round, (in a good way!) It touched on a great deal of important topics and couldn't have ended better!
I was never quite sure where this engrossing story was going! It went round and round, (in a good way!) It touched on a great deal of important topics and couldn't have ended better!
December 15, 2016
Gripping
Gripping story about the damage evangelicals can do to young impressionable minds, when they forget Christ preached love. Good read.
Gripping story about the damage evangelicals can do to young impressionable minds, when they forget Christ preached love. Good read.
May 1, 2018
If I could give zero stars, I certainly would
May 31, 2018
Don't waste your time
July 2, 2018
not as dramatic as the description makes it sound. it was just okay.
September 12, 2018
A mother's love
I panicked the entire time I read this book. Heart stopping. It will keep you on edge. A page turner.
I panicked the entire time I read this book. Heart stopping. It will keep you on edge. A page turner.
March 4, 2020
Disappointed
I found the book to be repetitive. No surprises and quickly figured out what was going to happen before reading the subsequent chapters.
I found the book to be repetitive. No surprises and quickly figured out what was going to happen before reading the subsequent chapters.
May 13, 2020
This beautifully written book kept me guessing till the last few pages
May 30, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. The writing is superb. Although this is not a genre I usually gravitate to, this author knows how to tell a story.
April 7, 2023
Domestic violence doesn't make it a horror book. Still a good story about a single teenage mom trying to find her way through her new life
February 25, 2017
Well, what can I say? I think Adam Nicolai and I had similar childhood upbringings, and I completely understand his loathing for organized religion.
That being said, this book is disturbing on so many levels. I really enjoyed it until chapter 82, then something weird happened--I'm not even sure what it was, exactly, just the way the plot unfolded. That's when I started not enjoying it. I realized I didn't like the main character. At all. She's a whiny, self-absorbed, childish drama queen. By the end of the book she'd redeemed herself a little, but all in all she's unlikeable and obnoxious.
Mr. Nicolai is a talented writer, and his other novel "Alex" is superb. This one, however, left me a little cold ... and anxious, and irritated, and SO glad I read "Alex" first. Had I read this one first I probably wouldn't have bothered with "Alex" and that would have been a damn shame.
That being said, this book is disturbing on so many levels. I really enjoyed it until chapter 82, then something weird happened--I'm not even sure what it was, exactly, just the way the plot unfolded. That's when I started not enjoying it. I realized I didn't like the main character. At all. She's a whiny, self-absorbed, childish drama queen. By the end of the book she'd redeemed herself a little, but all in all she's unlikeable and obnoxious.
Mr. Nicolai is a talented writer, and his other novel "Alex" is superb. This one, however, left me a little cold ... and anxious, and irritated, and SO glad I read "Alex" first. Had I read this one first I probably wouldn't have bothered with "Alex" and that would have been a damn shame.
April 7, 2015
I recently finished Alex by Adam J. Nicolai – his first novel was a truly exciting read, albeit pretty grim. However, I enjoyed it so thoroughly, and it was such an easy read, that I decided to move on to his second novel – Rebecca. Like Alex, it is a short book (a little over 300 pages), and full of the cool and casual writing style that I love.
I found Rebecca to be uniquely relatable to my own experiences within the Assembly of God church. Having grown up in it myself since the age of 9, I know just how easy it was to believe everything you were told and accept all things as fact. In that, I actually felt pity for Sarah, Rebecca’s mother, the protagonist of the story. As someone who’d spent Saturday mornings standing outside of abortion clinics protesting as a young teen, I could only imagine what a teenager with a devout Christian mother would have to go through upon becoming pregnant.
But more than that, I could relate to the homosexuality plot lines as well. Not because I am a homosexual myself, but because I have several friends, people I spent my entire childhood growing up with in the church, who were disowned by the church purely because of whom they fell in love with. I had actually never read a book that tackled all three of these issues simultaneously – homosexuality, Christianity and teenage parenthood. Because of this, and because of my prior personal experiences, I was immediately enthralled by Rebecca and thoroughly enjoyed going on the many journeys through the story with Sarah and her love interest, Tiff.
I feel like this is a novel you will have to choose to either read or not read on your own due to the many controversial subjects of it – sort of an each to their own kind of thing. I know some beliefs can run deep in people and I’m not going to try and explain why my own are one way and why I believe yours are another. Because of that, rather than try to persuade anyone to read one way or the other (outside of my saying – I loved it – it was a fantastic book, and if you read and loved Alex too, you will likely enjoy this one) – I’m going to simply say…
As summed up by Amazon:
Sarah, 18, has been attracted to other girls since she was nine. But she is a Christian, and the tenets of her church are clear: homosexuality is a sin and an abomination. In a desperate bid to prove her virtue, she throws herself at a boy she goes to school with, and ends up pregnant. From bestselling Kindle Suspense author Adam J Nicolai comes a glimpse into the maelstrom of one young woman’s emotions: a place where faith, reason, and human love collide.
I found Rebecca to be uniquely relatable to my own experiences within the Assembly of God church. Having grown up in it myself since the age of 9, I know just how easy it was to believe everything you were told and accept all things as fact. In that, I actually felt pity for Sarah, Rebecca’s mother, the protagonist of the story. As someone who’d spent Saturday mornings standing outside of abortion clinics protesting as a young teen, I could only imagine what a teenager with a devout Christian mother would have to go through upon becoming pregnant.
But more than that, I could relate to the homosexuality plot lines as well. Not because I am a homosexual myself, but because I have several friends, people I spent my entire childhood growing up with in the church, who were disowned by the church purely because of whom they fell in love with. I had actually never read a book that tackled all three of these issues simultaneously – homosexuality, Christianity and teenage parenthood. Because of this, and because of my prior personal experiences, I was immediately enthralled by Rebecca and thoroughly enjoyed going on the many journeys through the story with Sarah and her love interest, Tiff.
I feel like this is a novel you will have to choose to either read or not read on your own due to the many controversial subjects of it – sort of an each to their own kind of thing. I know some beliefs can run deep in people and I’m not going to try and explain why my own are one way and why I believe yours are another. Because of that, rather than try to persuade anyone to read one way or the other (outside of my saying – I loved it – it was a fantastic book, and if you read and loved Alex too, you will likely enjoy this one) – I’m going to simply say…
As summed up by Amazon:
Sarah, 18, has been attracted to other girls since she was nine. But she is a Christian, and the tenets of her church are clear: homosexuality is a sin and an abomination. In a desperate bid to prove her virtue, she throws herself at a boy she goes to school with, and ends up pregnant. From bestselling Kindle Suspense author Adam J Nicolai comes a glimpse into the maelstrom of one young woman’s emotions: a place where faith, reason, and human love collide.
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