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Glendale #5
Gray Area: Inspirational Christian Fiction
Will a blurred line between right and wrong keep her from succeeding?
In Gray Area, book two of The Mothers of Glendale Series, book five of the Glendale novels, Carla (Cordel) Martens is remarried with a new faith, a successful career, and back at home in the city she loves. But when she comes face to face with Truth, she realizes choices that are neither black nor white, have left her marriage, her faith, and her character, on shaky ground.
This heartfelt Christian women’s fiction series tells the gripping stories of Glendale mother figures as they weave together to create a beautiful tapestry of faith, hope, and unconditional love. With raw realities that women face every day, covered by the grace of a very big God, this series invites readers to go a step past young love to the heartache of infertility, painful secrets, skewed priorities, and health scares to rediscover the beauty of forgiveness, resiliency, quiet strength, seasoned faith, and a life well-lived.
In Gray Area, book two of The Mothers of Glendale Series, book five of the Glendale novels, Carla (Cordel) Martens is remarried with a new faith, a successful career, and back at home in the city she loves. But when she comes face to face with Truth, she realizes choices that are neither black nor white, have left her marriage, her faith, and her character, on shaky ground.
This heartfelt Christian women’s fiction series tells the gripping stories of Glendale mother figures as they weave together to create a beautiful tapestry of faith, hope, and unconditional love. With raw realities that women face every day, covered by the grace of a very big God, this series invites readers to go a step past young love to the heartache of infertility, painful secrets, skewed priorities, and health scares to rediscover the beauty of forgiveness, resiliency, quiet strength, seasoned faith, and a life well-lived.
- GenresChristian Fiction
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2012
23 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Ann Goering
17 books13 followersAnn Goering is an award-winning journalist and author of Christian fiction.
Goering is passionate about helping women encounter Jesus, experience transformative hope, and live a life deeply rooted in the Word of God. She’s worked alongside an international Christian ministry for the past 15 years, as well as serving at her local church, and leading groups of women into encounters with Jesus through small groups and Bible studies.
She believes so much in the power of stories to illustrate spiritual principles, grow faith, and increase empathy, so wherever she is, you’ll find her sharing stories that reveal the beauty of Jesus amidst everyday life.
Goering loves entrepreneurship, travel, rodeos, interior design, deep friendships, and good hair days, but her absolute favorites are the people in her life.
She’s a Midwest girl soaking up the sunshine in the American Southwest, living on chicken molé and sweet tea, homeschooling her three best friends (aka daughters) with the only guy she’s ever kissed.
Goering is passionate about helping women encounter Jesus, experience transformative hope, and live a life deeply rooted in the Word of God. She’s worked alongside an international Christian ministry for the past 15 years, as well as serving at her local church, and leading groups of women into encounters with Jesus through small groups and Bible studies.
She believes so much in the power of stories to illustrate spiritual principles, grow faith, and increase empathy, so wherever she is, you’ll find her sharing stories that reveal the beauty of Jesus amidst everyday life.
Goering loves entrepreneurship, travel, rodeos, interior design, deep friendships, and good hair days, but her absolute favorites are the people in her life.
She’s a Midwest girl soaking up the sunshine in the American Southwest, living on chicken molé and sweet tea, homeschooling her three best friends (aka daughters) with the only guy she’s ever kissed.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 12, 2017
Originally I gave this book 3 stars, but then thinking about the message contained in these pages, I felt a 4 rating is more deserving.
This book is about a subject I feel strongly about - working at your marriage each day and ensuring you leave certain doors closed, especially relationships with someone of the opposite sex who is not your husband no matter how platonic you might think it is.
For the most part of the story, I felt frustrated with Carla. As a reader I could clearly see the choices she is making is starting a downward spiral to destruction, and she can't see it. By placing all of her energy in her work, other balls got dropped. I felt for Tim, her husband, especially how she spoke to him and felt for them as fighting continued and escalated. Her reasoning at times frustrated me because I could see it is the result of choices she makes and she can't see it. Nothing happening came as a surprise, however the message is worth the read.
The turning point for me from giving this book 4 stars instead of 3, was the turning point for Carla as well. The message she learned was so strong and it was enjoyable to see the how she started to make right choices.
The strong Christian message : Be Holy because I am Holy, spoke to me and made me think what I allow in my life which could taint my relationship with God and subsequently my husband and other people.
This is a story which should be speaking to all married people as well as people who see marriage in their future. It was a great picture of what can go wrong when you allow certain small foxes in your life without really realising it.
This book is about a subject I feel strongly about - working at your marriage each day and ensuring you leave certain doors closed, especially relationships with someone of the opposite sex who is not your husband no matter how platonic you might think it is.
For the most part of the story, I felt frustrated with Carla. As a reader I could clearly see the choices she is making is starting a downward spiral to destruction, and she can't see it. By placing all of her energy in her work, other balls got dropped. I felt for Tim, her husband, especially how she spoke to him and felt for them as fighting continued and escalated. Her reasoning at times frustrated me because I could see it is the result of choices she makes and she can't see it. Nothing happening came as a surprise, however the message is worth the read.
The turning point for me from giving this book 4 stars instead of 3, was the turning point for Carla as well. The message she learned was so strong and it was enjoyable to see the how she started to make right choices.
The strong Christian message : Be Holy because I am Holy, spoke to me and made me think what I allow in my life which could taint my relationship with God and subsequently my husband and other people.
This is a story which should be speaking to all married people as well as people who see marriage in their future. It was a great picture of what can go wrong when you allow certain small foxes in your life without really realising it.
July 16, 2025
This is book 2 in the Mothers of Glendale series. Another fantastic book of restoring relationships. This one was a little difficult to get through in places due to the story line. However, it was more difficult because I have found myself in compromising "friendships" with the opposite sex. I know the emotions and battles that go along with this. It's a dangerous slope, and the only way out was through God. He will always provide us a way out when we are tempted. That is so comforting to me. I hope this book is healing for people who have been on either side of this drama.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews