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Having Faith
One night changed everything
Faith Barry knew making love with Sawyer Bell had been a huge mistake. First of all, he was an old and dear friend, and secondly, they were representing opposing clients in a complicated divorce case. She wished they'd never crossed that line between friends and lovers .. . .
But they had--gloriously!--and there was no turning deck Even when she would have run in the other direction, she still had to negotiate with Sawyer on legal matters. But Faith was no match for Sawyer when he started pleading his own case. She knew that if he had his way, she was going to get life....
Faith Barry knew making love with Sawyer Bell had been a huge mistake. First of all, he was an old and dear friend, and secondly, they were representing opposing clients in a complicated divorce case. She wished they'd never crossed that line between friends and lovers .. . .
But they had--gloriously!--and there was no turning deck Even when she would have run in the other direction, she still had to negotiate with Sawyer on legal matters. But Faith was no match for Sawyer when he started pleading his own case. She knew that if he had his way, she was going to get life....
220 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1990
234 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Delinsky
307 books4,356 followersI was born and raised in suburban Boston. My mother’s death, when I was eight, was the defining event of a childhood that was otherwise ordinary. I took piano lessons and flute lessons. I took ballroom dancing lessons. I went to summer camp through my fifteenth year (in Maine, which explains the setting of so many of my stories), then spent my sixteenth summer learning to type and to drive (two skills that have served me better than all of my other high school courses combined). I earned a B.A. in Psychology at Tufts University and an M.A. in Sociology at Boston College. The motivation behind the M.A. was sheer greed. My husband was just starting law school. We needed the money.
Following graduate school, I worked as a researcher with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and as a photographer and reporter for the Belmont Herald. I did the newspaper work after my first son was born. Since I was heavily into taking pictures of him, I worked for the paper to support that habit. Initially, I wrote only in a secondary capacity, to provide copy for the pictures I took. In time, I realized that I was better at writing than photography. I used both skills doing volunteer work for hospital groups, and have served on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and on the MGH’s Women’s Cancer Advisory Board.
I became an actual writer by fluke. My twins were four when, by chance, I happened on a newspaper article profiling three female writers. Intrigued, I spent three months researching, plotting, and writing my own book - and it sold.
My niche? I write about the emotional crises that we face in our lives. Readers identify with my characters. They know them. They are them. I'm an everyday woman writing about everyday people facing not-so-everyday challenges.
My novels are character-driven studies of marriage, parenthood, sibling rivalry, and friendship, and I’ve been blessed in having readers who buy them eagerly enough to put them on the major bestseller lists. One of my latest, Sweet Salt Air, came out in 2013. Blueprints, my second novel with St. Martin’s Press, became my 22nd New York Times bestselling novel soon after its release in June 2015. Making Up, my work in progress, will be published in 2018.
2018? Yikes. I didn’t think I’d live that long. I thought I’d die of breast cancer back in the 1900's, like my mom. But I didn’t. I was diagnosed nearly twenty years ago, had surgery and treatment, and here I am, stronger than ever and loving having authored yet another book, this one the non-fiction Uplift: Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors. First published in 2001, Uplift is a handbook of practical tips and upbeat anecdotes that I compiled with the help of 350 breast cancer survivors, their families and friends. These survivors just ... blew me away! They gave me the book that I wish I’d had way back when I was diagnosed. There is no medical information here, nothing frightening, simply practical advice from friends who’ve had breast cancer. The 10th Anniversary Volume of Uplift is now in print. And the money I’ve made on the book? Every cent has gone to my charitable foundation, which funds an ongoing research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Connect with me on Facebook: facebook.com/bdelinsky
Look for my photos on Instagram: instagram.com/barbaradelinsky
Following graduate school, I worked as a researcher with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and as a photographer and reporter for the Belmont Herald. I did the newspaper work after my first son was born. Since I was heavily into taking pictures of him, I worked for the paper to support that habit. Initially, I wrote only in a secondary capacity, to provide copy for the pictures I took. In time, I realized that I was better at writing than photography. I used both skills doing volunteer work for hospital groups, and have served on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and on the MGH’s Women’s Cancer Advisory Board.
I became an actual writer by fluke. My twins were four when, by chance, I happened on a newspaper article profiling three female writers. Intrigued, I spent three months researching, plotting, and writing my own book - and it sold.
My niche? I write about the emotional crises that we face in our lives. Readers identify with my characters. They know them. They are them. I'm an everyday woman writing about everyday people facing not-so-everyday challenges.
My novels are character-driven studies of marriage, parenthood, sibling rivalry, and friendship, and I’ve been blessed in having readers who buy them eagerly enough to put them on the major bestseller lists. One of my latest, Sweet Salt Air, came out in 2013. Blueprints, my second novel with St. Martin’s Press, became my 22nd New York Times bestselling novel soon after its release in June 2015. Making Up, my work in progress, will be published in 2018.
2018? Yikes. I didn’t think I’d live that long. I thought I’d die of breast cancer back in the 1900's, like my mom. But I didn’t. I was diagnosed nearly twenty years ago, had surgery and treatment, and here I am, stronger than ever and loving having authored yet another book, this one the non-fiction Uplift: Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors. First published in 2001, Uplift is a handbook of practical tips and upbeat anecdotes that I compiled with the help of 350 breast cancer survivors, their families and friends. These survivors just ... blew me away! They gave me the book that I wish I’d had way back when I was diagnosed. There is no medical information here, nothing frightening, simply practical advice from friends who’ve had breast cancer. The 10th Anniversary Volume of Uplift is now in print. And the money I’ve made on the book? Every cent has gone to my charitable foundation, which funds an ongoing research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Connect with me on Facebook: facebook.com/bdelinsky
Look for my photos on Instagram: instagram.com/barbaradelinsky
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 25, 2021
I don't know what the qualifications for getting the Harlequin Temptation Award of Excellence were, but I wasn't overly impressed with Barbara Delinsky's Having Faith. I think the award was just a way for editors to play favorites with authors without having to pay them more, but that's just me being cynical.
Faith and Sawyer are divorce lawyers (freaking divorce lawyers in a romance novel!) on opposite sides of the same nasty case. They've been good friends for many years, both went through rough divorces, and they have a very amicable platonic relationship. For over 15 years they've been friends with no sexual attraction. Then one night, they get rip-roaring drunk and have "oopsie" sex. They reveal a lot more to each other than they ever have before, not just that they're compatible in the bedroom, also that they're both jerks. The two of them rag on their exes, Sawyer complaining how his ex-wife's boobs sagged, Faith talking about how her husband was a dud in the sack. They drink some more and have more sex, then wake up with huge hangovers, in shock at what they've done.
Sorry, but none of this fits. These aren't kids. Sawyer talks about being a Vietnam vet and the book was written in 1989-1990, so the youngest he can be is in his late thirties, more likely early forties. Faith is in her mid-thirties at least. Maybe it's just me, but the older I get, the less sexy it seems being sloppy, black-out drunk (I'm certainly no saint, but I haven't done that in a couple of dogs' ages). Your eyes get red, you slur your words, your face contorts all weird, and your body gets all wobbly. It's not a sexy state to be in. Tipsy yes, three-sheets-to the wind, no.
It's also not believable to me that these two good-looking, successful people shared no sexual connection (even though they flirted like fools with each other), were BFFs who shared intimate secrets with one another, and then just out-of-the-blue, one night of drinking was enough to make them forget their boundaries. I get the whole friends-to-lovers trope, although it's not one of my favorites and hard to believe when the pair have been friends for two decades.
Oh, I'm sure there are plenty of love stories in the real world where people have been lifelong friends and suddenly fall in love and that's wonderful. It just doesn't make for a romance that I would gladly plunk down cash to buy, unless there's a funny twist on it like in Lass Small's Four Dollars and Fifty-One Cents.
After their night together, Sawyer decides it's time to take it to the next level and truly be together, but Faith has intimacy issues. While she loves being friends with Sawyer, she's not sure they're compatible as a couple. And besides, there's the drama of them representing opposing clients.
Eh, I always thought the friends-to-lovers film "When Harry Met Sally" was overrated (personally, my best-liked rom-com is "Don't Tell Her It's Me" aka "The Boyfriend School" where Shelley Long is a romance novelist who plays matchmaker for her nice, but loser of brother, Steve Guttenberg, with a reporter played by a wonderful Jami Gertz) and I think this book was so-so, too. Not terrible, just nothing special.
2 1/2 stars
Faith and Sawyer are divorce lawyers (freaking divorce lawyers in a romance novel!) on opposite sides of the same nasty case. They've been good friends for many years, both went through rough divorces, and they have a very amicable platonic relationship. For over 15 years they've been friends with no sexual attraction. Then one night, they get rip-roaring drunk and have "oopsie" sex. They reveal a lot more to each other than they ever have before, not just that they're compatible in the bedroom, also that they're both jerks. The two of them rag on their exes, Sawyer complaining how his ex-wife's boobs sagged, Faith talking about how her husband was a dud in the sack. They drink some more and have more sex, then wake up with huge hangovers, in shock at what they've done.
Sorry, but none of this fits. These aren't kids. Sawyer talks about being a Vietnam vet and the book was written in 1989-1990, so the youngest he can be is in his late thirties, more likely early forties. Faith is in her mid-thirties at least. Maybe it's just me, but the older I get, the less sexy it seems being sloppy, black-out drunk (I'm certainly no saint, but I haven't done that in a couple of dogs' ages). Your eyes get red, you slur your words, your face contorts all weird, and your body gets all wobbly. It's not a sexy state to be in. Tipsy yes, three-sheets-to the wind, no.
It's also not believable to me that these two good-looking, successful people shared no sexual connection (even though they flirted like fools with each other), were BFFs who shared intimate secrets with one another, and then just out-of-the-blue, one night of drinking was enough to make them forget their boundaries. I get the whole friends-to-lovers trope, although it's not one of my favorites and hard to believe when the pair have been friends for two decades.
Oh, I'm sure there are plenty of love stories in the real world where people have been lifelong friends and suddenly fall in love and that's wonderful. It just doesn't make for a romance that I would gladly plunk down cash to buy, unless there's a funny twist on it like in Lass Small's Four Dollars and Fifty-One Cents.
After their night together, Sawyer decides it's time to take it to the next level and truly be together, but Faith has intimacy issues. While she loves being friends with Sawyer, she's not sure they're compatible as a couple. And besides, there's the drama of them representing opposing clients.
Eh, I always thought the friends-to-lovers film "When Harry Met Sally" was overrated (personally, my best-liked rom-com is "Don't Tell Her It's Me" aka "The Boyfriend School" where Shelley Long is a romance novelist who plays matchmaker for her nice, but loser of brother, Steve Guttenberg, with a reporter played by a wonderful Jami Gertz) and I think this book was so-so, too. Not terrible, just nothing special.
2 1/2 stars
March 1, 2015
This was not one of Ms. Delinsky's favorite books. I've read many of her books, but for me this one missed the mark.
I own this book it is part of my personal library.
I own this book it is part of my personal library.
March 1, 2020
This book reads like a made for TV movie. The H and h have some amazing chemistry, stubbornness and definitely no paid clients between them. The dialogues are reminiscent of Harry met Sally as these are two best friends who banter, flirt and don't have boundaries on their conversations.
August 18, 2022
Linda historia, amena y ligera de leer.
July 31, 2025
Me gustó, me sentí identificada con la protagonista en varias cosas y el me pareció un tanto brusco a veces, no termino de descifrar que tanto me cayó bien o mal
December 22, 2019
Really enjoyed Faith and Sawyer’s journey to love. Started as a drunken night of sex between two friends which eventually turns into a love match.
At first I disliked Sawyer’s chauvinism. But he had insight about his shortcomings and listened to corrections.
I totally enjoyed this book.
Quite mature too.
At first I disliked Sawyer’s chauvinism. But he had insight about his shortcomings and listened to corrections.
I totally enjoyed this book.
Quite mature too.
June 2, 2013
Loved this book so much! I love most of Barbara's books, but this one was different, this didn't have that criminal background, but I still loved it. It's funny how I actually wanted it to be longer and more detailed, but maybe then it would've failed it's purpose. I liked many references to life as how we see it, I really noticed some thoughts and events that have happened to me, so it was like a treatment for my own problems. It granted me an insight of how to deal with them. I surprisingly found myself writing quotes out of it, I don't do that a lot, but I really liked the little meaningful things that it gave :)
October 29, 2013
"Eres tú, Faith. Eres lo que yo quiero."
Donde esta mi Sawyer?? Si no aparece ya me voy a sentir muy sola y triste!! Ojalá todos fueran así de persistentes...
Me encantó esta historia. Es fresca, divertida y fácil de leer.
Es verdad que planee asesinar a Faith 3/4 libro, y que ciertas acciones de ellos dos me resultaron bastante molestas, pero era imposible no sentir la tensión que se vivía entre ellos.
Donde esta mi Sawyer?? Si no aparece ya me voy a sentir muy sola y triste!! Ojalá todos fueran así de persistentes...
Me encantó esta historia. Es fresca, divertida y fácil de leer.
Es verdad que planee asesinar a Faith 3/4 libro, y que ciertas acciones de ellos dos me resultaron bastante molestas, pero era imposible no sentir la tensión que se vivía entre ellos.
November 6, 2011
There wasn't much to this story. It was completely predictable, with the relationship between the two lawyers beings the entire story.
November 22, 2011
Good, easy read. Not much substance to the story, but a good way to pass time reading this story.
March 5, 2014
Como es usual en mi, hay un punto donde quiero matar a la protagonista, pero ¡ame a Sawyer! :)
January 27, 2009
One of the author's early light romances. A good foil for the Lisa Gardner gory thing I just read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews