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An Unconventional Love
Adeline Harris grew up in surroundings steeped in religion, from the beloved ayah in India who told her stories of Jesus wrestling tigers, to the strict father in England who placed a stone under her knee when she said the Rosary. It was no wonder that she always wanted to be a nun and a saint.
Brought up to respect the church's authority, the parish priest was an important early influence in her life. And when she met the new charismatic priest, Father Kelly, her interest and amazement instantly deepened. She enjoyed spending time with him and rapidly began to spend every spare moment at the church, learning much from the principled man.
Following her father's death, Adeline's mother struggled to cope and Adeline was sent to live with Father Kelly. As Adeline grew up, she found herself falling in love with her guardian and hoped he might return her feelings. Then, when she was 18, she met a young man, Andrew, at a local dance. Soon she was pregnant and turned to the one person she could always rely on for help. He offered to look after Adeline and her baby, but he couldn't understand her affections for Andrew. And, as time passed, deep down she always knew it was a friendship that was destined to end in heartache.
Brought up to respect the church's authority, the parish priest was an important early influence in her life. And when she met the new charismatic priest, Father Kelly, her interest and amazement instantly deepened. She enjoyed spending time with him and rapidly began to spend every spare moment at the church, learning much from the principled man.
Following her father's death, Adeline's mother struggled to cope and Adeline was sent to live with Father Kelly. As Adeline grew up, she found herself falling in love with her guardian and hoped he might return her feelings. Then, when she was 18, she met a young man, Andrew, at a local dance. Soon she was pregnant and turned to the one person she could always rely on for help. He offered to look after Adeline and her baby, but he couldn't understand her affections for Andrew. And, as time passed, deep down she always knew it was a friendship that was destined to end in heartache.
146 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2010
1 person is currently reading
34 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 7, 2021
i actually liked this book.
it is about a girl called adeline harris.
she lives in india.
she has an ayah or a maid called clara whom she loves deeply.
it is based in india.
it is about the 1947 partition of india and pakistan.
she then goes to england with her family , which means her father and mother.
it is called the best country in the world.
she really misses clara and wants to go home to india.
she is a christian and follows jesus.
it is about christianity.
she then meets a man called father kelly whom she falls in love with and then she goes to the convent and decided to become a nun.
she wants to follow jesus.
she then starts seeing a man called andrew and then she gets pregnant and her mother and father kelly are very upset.
she eventually gets married to andrew and gets pregnant for the second time.
and in the end father kelly dies.
i liked this book but it was quite short!
it is about a girl called adeline harris.
she lives in india.
she has an ayah or a maid called clara whom she loves deeply.
it is based in india.
it is about the 1947 partition of india and pakistan.
she then goes to england with her family , which means her father and mother.
it is called the best country in the world.
she really misses clara and wants to go home to india.
she is a christian and follows jesus.
it is about christianity.
she then meets a man called father kelly whom she falls in love with and then she goes to the convent and decided to become a nun.
she wants to follow jesus.
she then starts seeing a man called andrew and then she gets pregnant and her mother and father kelly are very upset.
she eventually gets married to andrew and gets pregnant for the second time.
and in the end father kelly dies.
i liked this book but it was quite short!
May 8, 2020
India born British girl, and her journey back to Britain , her upbringing and love came to her life is bit unconventional but a true one. Then she get in contact with a boy like an accident and then leave him to make her true love Happy. But over the time she end up living with boy forever keeping her true love alive deep inside.
Well narrated. Good and simple language makes you connect directly to what she feels.
Well narrated. Good and simple language makes you connect directly to what she feels.
December 30, 2024
THIS. It is a refreshing tale as opposed to what many would think since this is a healing journey-type of story that is supposed to focus on this little girl healing spiritually and learning more that just what was known to her. It's a memoir of the author's childhood and I'm glad that this actually focuses on a child's innoncent point-of-view, especially on topics of religion and how it played a huge role in her life moving forward.
February 9, 2018
A refreshing change from the plethora of tales of abuse within the Roman Catholic Church. One little girl deprived of parental love and real security, finds a true friend in a strange priest. A gentle unravelling of a unique kind of bond.
December 22, 2025
What an amazing book and life! I was drawn into the author's story immediately and she maintained my attention throughout. Highly recommended for the tale of an (indeed) unconventional love (and life).
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July 30, 2011An interesting but strange memoir of a girl born in India, whose family returned to England under difficult circumstances. The book focuses on Adeline's troubled childhood, and strengthening friendshi with a Catholic priest 40 or so years older than her. Her faith and religion play a great part in her life.
September 23, 2015
A true account of a young girl,s unconventional and profound friendship with the local catholic Priest which unfortunately ends in heartbreak.I found it gives good insight in to the scarifies that a catholic priest has to make and ultimately demonstrates that they are but human in the end, a must read .
December 23, 2015
In style, this book is fantastic. I was hooked from beginning to end, the descriptions of people and places leap off the page. The nature of the relationship between Adeline and Father Kelly was disturbing and romantic at the same time. It was a good and thought provoking read, but I'm not sure if I'd read it again.
July 11, 2012
With that sort of childhood it's a wonder she turned out to be a quite normal and well-balanced person.
January 3, 2015
This is one of those books that you just have to finish reading because it touches you to the core. It certainly did me. Will get my kids to read it too.
July 2, 2023
I think this is a nice book to read about someone's life.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews