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Macy
Independent...or Alone?
Macy longed for independence her whole life. Maybe marrying Arthur to escape her home hadn't been the best plan, but it seemed good enough at the time. Now, pregnant and abandoned in a diner far from anyone she knows, Macy must start life all over again. Relying on the mercy of the diner's owners, she begins to put things back together. Macy must make her own decisions for the first time in her adult life but it isn't all it's cracked up to be. And with the too-alluring Toby at her side instead of her husband, she s discovering those decisions harder to make than ever.
All too soon the illusion of freedom comes crashing down when she realizes her family back home might lose everything if she doesn't return. She'd married Arthur to get away from those responsibilities, so how can she face ending up where she started?
With her grandmother's lessons on faith coming to mind again for the first time in years, Macy has to learn what freedom really is...and which road will lead her to where she ought to have been all along.
Macy longed for independence her whole life. Maybe marrying Arthur to escape her home hadn't been the best plan, but it seemed good enough at the time. Now, pregnant and abandoned in a diner far from anyone she knows, Macy must start life all over again. Relying on the mercy of the diner's owners, she begins to put things back together. Macy must make her own decisions for the first time in her adult life but it isn't all it's cracked up to be. And with the too-alluring Toby at her side instead of her husband, she s discovering those decisions harder to make than ever.
All too soon the illusion of freedom comes crashing down when she realizes her family back home might lose everything if she doesn't return. She'd married Arthur to get away from those responsibilities, so how can she face ending up where she started?
With her grandmother's lessons on faith coming to mind again for the first time in years, Macy has to learn what freedom really is...and which road will lead her to where she ought to have been all along.
262 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2014
1 person is currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
April McGowan
4 books81 followersApril McGowan loves to stories of hope, courage, and inspiration. She and her husband, two children, and her 3 mews, Saoirse,Xander, and Liam, live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. April is a member of Oregon Christian Writers, the Christian Authors Network, and American Christian Fiction Writers. She's also the publicity coordinator for Oregon Christian Writers. When she's not writing, reading down her book list, homeschooling her son, or playing board games, you might find her at her drum kit, imagining she's on a world tour. Hey, it could happen.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 30, 2018
This is my new favorite genre. Books like Macy are so raw and real and relatable all in their own way. I love how the faith element played out and I so appreciated the non-preachyness of it. Macy was so relatable because of her flip-flopping moral conundrum about right vs wrong. I feel like that so often and it was nice to have a character without clear-cut answers! Toby is an awesome character despite being full of his own problems and a struggle for Macy, but I LOVE him. More Toby. This book needs a sequel. :)
June 25, 2014
Few authors can draw me in so easily. April's writing style and topics keep you engaged and wanting/needing to get to the stories end.
Her having "real" characters struggling with real life challenges is inspiring. Things are not sugar coated, but with perseverance and a budding faith in God, April's characters learn to face life with a new outlook.
Thank you April McGowan for writing about the tough topics with such amazing care. Reading your books is incredibly comforting, watching as God takes a person and changes their ways in abusive situations, giving them His strength to carry on. Wow! Just Wow!
Her having "real" characters struggling with real life challenges is inspiring. Things are not sugar coated, but with perseverance and a budding faith in God, April's characters learn to face life with a new outlook.
Thank you April McGowan for writing about the tough topics with such amazing care. Reading your books is incredibly comforting, watching as God takes a person and changes their ways in abusive situations, giving them His strength to carry on. Wow! Just Wow!
November 22, 2014
Another inspiring story by author April McGowan. Macy is a young woman with a pure heart who makes the decision to marry at age sixteen - her husband much older. We meet Macy when she's in her early twenties. At the beginning of the story we learn she is pregnant and is instantly abandoned by her husband who never wanted children. In her husband's absence, Macy is attracted to another man,Toby. Toby is more suitable for her and closer to her age. He really sees Macy, really listens to her. The comfort and understanding Lacy finds in Toby becomes an irresistible temptation to her and a friendship develops. Macy is a story I believe will speak to many unhappy married women today. Emotional affairs can happen all too quickly. But what happens when a lonely heart becomes tied to another? Is there hope for a woman like Macy? April McGowan does a wonderful job of diving deep into the issues of Macy's unhappiness. At the beginning of the story we see a woman on the brink of devastation. In the end, we see a beautiful transformation of a woman who has been strengthened by the trials God has placed in her life. A spiritually rich and beautiful story.
January 24, 2015
I truly enjoyed reading this story and highly recommend it. Rarely does a novel successfully leaves me rooting for a character, hoping her life will turn out better, but April McGowan's MACY achieved this! Will look forward to reading more by this author.
November 17, 2017
April is a new author for me and I did not know what to expect. I was a little leery of the description but I was immediately drawn into the story. I was reading to fall asleep and I ended up staying up and reading the entire thing. I didn't want to put it down.
A young woman is abandoned by her much older husband after discovering she is unexpectedly pregnant. I hate giving away the story but this is a great story. It doesn't shy away from describing the reality of pregnancy, of commitment, family manipulation and so forth.
I am excited to check out more of her books and even more so excited to meet her tomorrow at a bazaar in town.
A young woman is abandoned by her much older husband after discovering she is unexpectedly pregnant. I hate giving away the story but this is a great story. It doesn't shy away from describing the reality of pregnancy, of commitment, family manipulation and so forth.
I am excited to check out more of her books and even more so excited to meet her tomorrow at a bazaar in town.
August 27, 2019
Macy has the reader rooting for her from the start, as she is the perpetual underdog. There is mystery, many questions that Ms. McGowan skillfully keeps you guessing at, revealing along the way. Some parts are predictable, but it doesn’t ruin anything, and that is actually good, because it warms the heart when it’s needed.
July 11, 2014
April McGowan’s second novel is outstanding – she has definitely outdone herself in Macy! And she has written another drama that gives glory to God and uses the talents He has given her to show us His grace in even hard circumstances. With outstanding prose and realistic conversations, April writes with excellence and compassion.
What a stunningly terrible nightmare Macy has become aware of, that what she believed about her life and marriage doesn’t begin to resemble the reality. After seven years of marriage to Arthur, Macy was abandoned at a truck stop restaurant because she was pregnant, in spite of their agreement to not have children in their long-haul semi-truck driving lifestyle. The pregnancy was a surprise, but she chose to keep that precious life that was growing inside of her.
Since her father’s death, Macy’s mother relied on her to raise her brother and sisters until Arthur swept her away into a marriage that she thought would be a great love story and adventure when she was still in high school. And now, if Macy didn’t give up her child and return to her husband, her mother would lose the store and auto shop that she inherited when Macy’s father passed away, thereby losing also the home that her younger sisters and brother had. Macy wanted to protect her family. But to save them, could she return? Would the Lord want her to return to husband or family?
Macy began to try to pray as her beloved grandma had, and she began to remember the things she taught her. Could hear her grandma’s words as clear as if she were there with her.
What Macy reminds me of is a question from a beloved Bible teacher – is the Lord more concerned with our happiness or our holiness? What does He want us to do in our given situation? The details and intricacies of Macy’s marriage and her family were not ones that could be understood by outsiders. I am impressed with the depth of relationships, family secrets, and overall, God’s grace and mercy.
I would give highest recommendation to this book for adults of any age. Those who are in abusive marriages or family situations and those who are aware of their situations should especially read this, as well as professional and lay Christian counselors. It is an eye-opener to those of us who are on the outside of spousal abuse situations, and demonstrates what God can do in the lives of those who are willing to be obedient to Him. And I also hasten to say this, those who are in danger need to seek God’s direction – as every situation, every level of abuse has its own challenges.
I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review. (read dates approximate)
What a stunningly terrible nightmare Macy has become aware of, that what she believed about her life and marriage doesn’t begin to resemble the reality. After seven years of marriage to Arthur, Macy was abandoned at a truck stop restaurant because she was pregnant, in spite of their agreement to not have children in their long-haul semi-truck driving lifestyle. The pregnancy was a surprise, but she chose to keep that precious life that was growing inside of her.
Since her father’s death, Macy’s mother relied on her to raise her brother and sisters until Arthur swept her away into a marriage that she thought would be a great love story and adventure when she was still in high school. And now, if Macy didn’t give up her child and return to her husband, her mother would lose the store and auto shop that she inherited when Macy’s father passed away, thereby losing also the home that her younger sisters and brother had. Macy wanted to protect her family. But to save them, could she return? Would the Lord want her to return to husband or family?
Macy began to try to pray as her beloved grandma had, and she began to remember the things she taught her. Could hear her grandma’s words as clear as if she were there with her.
What Macy reminds me of is a question from a beloved Bible teacher – is the Lord more concerned with our happiness or our holiness? What does He want us to do in our given situation? The details and intricacies of Macy’s marriage and her family were not ones that could be understood by outsiders. I am impressed with the depth of relationships, family secrets, and overall, God’s grace and mercy.
I would give highest recommendation to this book for adults of any age. Those who are in abusive marriages or family situations and those who are aware of their situations should especially read this, as well as professional and lay Christian counselors. It is an eye-opener to those of us who are on the outside of spousal abuse situations, and demonstrates what God can do in the lives of those who are willing to be obedient to Him. And I also hasten to say this, those who are in danger need to seek God’s direction – as every situation, every level of abuse has its own challenges.
I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review. (read dates approximate)
July 9, 2014
As seen on my blog:
Hey, Folks!
One of the cool elements of this venture is that I am exposed to material I would not normally gravitate towards. That is the situation in this case. My most recent read is "Macy," by April McGowan. The author provided me with a free copy, so that I could write this review. As always, regardless of the source providing me with literature, I call them as I them, in hopes that those who take the time to ingest this post will be informed consumers.
Macy Stone has always craved freedom, but somehow, it managed to elude her. Marrying at sixteen may not have been the best way to escape her less than stellar home situation, but at the time it seemed incredibly romantic. Seven years later, her happily ever after derailed, she finds herself pregnant and abandoned in an unknown small town at a non descript greasy spoon. Can she figure out how to cobble together a great life, even if it isn't what she planned? When facts come to light that shift her perspective on past relationships, will she be able to choose forgiveness by leaning on the God her grandmother taught her about so many years ago? Or will bitterness take root?
As I mentioned at the top, I might not have been drawn to this novel on my own, but once I started, I was hooked. The story took me a little over twenty four hours to finish. I could not wait to discover what happened. The people portrayed came across as just flawed enough to be real. This book uses real life situations not often discussed in Christian fiction, like domestic abuse and dysfunctional families, to highlight important insights about faith in Jesus. The subject matter is a bit intense, but nothing offensive exists. I would okay it for general audiences, especially directing it as a conversation starter for teenagers and parents. Fans of Karen Kingsbury will be pleased to have another option. My rating is five out of five stars. Stop what you are doing, and acquire this today! I hope to be able to share about other inventions from April McGowan soon. Until we meet again...
Happy Reading,
Carolyn
Hey, Folks!
One of the cool elements of this venture is that I am exposed to material I would not normally gravitate towards. That is the situation in this case. My most recent read is "Macy," by April McGowan. The author provided me with a free copy, so that I could write this review. As always, regardless of the source providing me with literature, I call them as I them, in hopes that those who take the time to ingest this post will be informed consumers.
Macy Stone has always craved freedom, but somehow, it managed to elude her. Marrying at sixteen may not have been the best way to escape her less than stellar home situation, but at the time it seemed incredibly romantic. Seven years later, her happily ever after derailed, she finds herself pregnant and abandoned in an unknown small town at a non descript greasy spoon. Can she figure out how to cobble together a great life, even if it isn't what she planned? When facts come to light that shift her perspective on past relationships, will she be able to choose forgiveness by leaning on the God her grandmother taught her about so many years ago? Or will bitterness take root?
As I mentioned at the top, I might not have been drawn to this novel on my own, but once I started, I was hooked. The story took me a little over twenty four hours to finish. I could not wait to discover what happened. The people portrayed came across as just flawed enough to be real. This book uses real life situations not often discussed in Christian fiction, like domestic abuse and dysfunctional families, to highlight important insights about faith in Jesus. The subject matter is a bit intense, but nothing offensive exists. I would okay it for general audiences, especially directing it as a conversation starter for teenagers and parents. Fans of Karen Kingsbury will be pleased to have another option. My rating is five out of five stars. Stop what you are doing, and acquire this today! I hope to be able to share about other inventions from April McGowan soon. Until we meet again...
Happy Reading,
Carolyn
November 6, 2014
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! No wonder Macy was nominated for an ACFW Carol Award as best in Christian Women’s Fiction. Not often am I wowed by a book, but this one honestly deserves the accolades it’s been receiving.
Author April McGowan got right into the head of a young woman, pregnant and abandoned by her husband. I knew the feelings showed by the character to be true because I was once a young pregnant woman with no husband to help me. So Macy swept me along with the grittiness of real life, but with such tenderness, and frequent glimpses of hope, joy, and loveliness on the horizon.
Your heart hangs on every page as young twenty-something Macy discovers she can stand on her own two feet, especially as she uncovers old family secrets, how she remains firm against the temptation to forget her marriage vows and run off with a new love. We root for her as she does the right thing, and how she struggles in her growing faith.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys authentic Christian fiction with great depth and yet is also beautifully entertaining.
A few of my favorite lines:
“How ironic. I’d finally found a true friend after waiting nearly my whole life, and now I might have to start avoiding him.”
“My apartment shifted around me, warped and warbled like looking at the world through the bottom of a canning jar.”
“She put the plate before me, and I watched as the buttery potatoes were engulfed by the volcano of veggie and meat goodness swirling and melting the sides of the fluffy mounds.”
Author April McGowan got right into the head of a young woman, pregnant and abandoned by her husband. I knew the feelings showed by the character to be true because I was once a young pregnant woman with no husband to help me. So Macy swept me along with the grittiness of real life, but with such tenderness, and frequent glimpses of hope, joy, and loveliness on the horizon.
Your heart hangs on every page as young twenty-something Macy discovers she can stand on her own two feet, especially as she uncovers old family secrets, how she remains firm against the temptation to forget her marriage vows and run off with a new love. We root for her as she does the right thing, and how she struggles in her growing faith.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys authentic Christian fiction with great depth and yet is also beautifully entertaining.
A few of my favorite lines:
“How ironic. I’d finally found a true friend after waiting nearly my whole life, and now I might have to start avoiding him.”
“My apartment shifted around me, warped and warbled like looking at the world through the bottom of a canning jar.”
“She put the plate before me, and I watched as the buttery potatoes were engulfed by the volcano of veggie and meat goodness swirling and melting the sides of the fluffy mounds.”
March 24, 2015
***An especially good read for anyone challenged by spousal emotional abuse***
April McGowan's newest contemporary fiction contains the same biting ring of truth I first saw in her debut release, Jasmine, a compelling story about at-risk girls, drugs and prostitution played out in the life of the main character. She pursues a similar theme in Macy with a convincing story about a young girl, her dysfunctional family, spousal emotional abuse and difficult choices.
When sixteen-year-old Macy Stone agreed to marry Arthur, a man old enough to be her father she thought he loved her and she daydreamed of their future home “nestled in the trees,” with a garden, a dog and children of her own. She didn't know about the secret agreement that was part of the exchange.
Macy saw it as a chance to be independent, released from the responsibilities of “taking care of three little ones at home while her mother nursed her dying father.” She knew Arthur would take care of her and she would learn to love him, even change his mind about wanting children. In spite of the fact he made his living as a long-haul trucker and she would now share his "sleeper-cab" truck with him.
Seven years later…Full Review: http://www.examiner.com/list/macy-an-...
April McGowan's newest contemporary fiction contains the same biting ring of truth I first saw in her debut release, Jasmine, a compelling story about at-risk girls, drugs and prostitution played out in the life of the main character. She pursues a similar theme in Macy with a convincing story about a young girl, her dysfunctional family, spousal emotional abuse and difficult choices.
When sixteen-year-old Macy Stone agreed to marry Arthur, a man old enough to be her father she thought he loved her and she daydreamed of their future home “nestled in the trees,” with a garden, a dog and children of her own. She didn't know about the secret agreement that was part of the exchange.
Macy saw it as a chance to be independent, released from the responsibilities of “taking care of three little ones at home while her mother nursed her dying father.” She knew Arthur would take care of her and she would learn to love him, even change his mind about wanting children. In spite of the fact he made his living as a long-haul trucker and she would now share his "sleeper-cab" truck with him.
Seven years later…Full Review: http://www.examiner.com/list/macy-an-...
July 9, 2014
Macy, penned by April McGowan, is more than a page turner. I literally felt compelled to keep reading and couldn't put it aside until I finished. The story, written in first person, drew me into the heroine's world, kept me rooting for her, and sent my emotions on a roller coaster ride.
Red headed, green-eyed Macy Stone marries her middle aged husband, Arthur, at sixteen and travels with him in his long-haul truck for seven years. Living out of a suitcase and eating on the road sounds fun at first but eventually loses its charm. Though Arthur is emotionally abusive, she remains with him, caring for his every need—including acting as his navigator.
The days pass, not happily, but at the same time they aren't intolerable. That is until Macy finds out she's pregnant.
Secret after secret unravels before her, adding to her pain and burden. But along her journey, she learns about God. How He provides His loving and caring people to make a difference in lives, especially Macy's.
Macy is an exquisite, intense story of forgiveness, healing, and learning to listen to God, a life changing experience. April's first book, Jasmine, has been nominated for a Carol award. I would suggest this one is a candidate as well.
October 21, 2019
If you want a contemporary read that gets down to the grittiness of real life then this is a book you don’t want to miss. It is a page turner from the get go and you won’t put it down until finished. It deals with the messiness of family secrets and bad choices that dictate the destiny of Macy, until she reaches out in Faith to the One who can help her make the right choices. It is written with depth, tenderness, and sensitivity and delves into abuse. The characters are realistic and I know this from experience. It will make you weep and leave you wanting a sequel. This is my first book by April McGowan, but I definitely want to read more. Her written word takes on a life of its own.
I received a complimentary copy from Whitefire Publishing. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
I received a complimentary copy from Whitefire Publishing. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
August 1, 2014
I’m not sure that I have ever read a contemporary novel quite as complex, riveting and inspirational as “Macy” by April McGowan. I had thoroughly enjoyed McGowan’s first novel, “Jasmine.” I absolutely loved “Macy” and did not want to put it down once I started.
The story of Macy Stone begins with a pregnancy, abandonment by the young woman’s older husband, and her rescue by complete strangers. It is a story of discovering what true love between people entails. It is also a story of discovering the meaning of commitment to family, to promises made that need to be kept, and to trusting God with working out the details. The twists and turns in the plot and the complex relationships in “Macy” brought me to tears more than once.
It is riveting, inspiring and deserves more than five stars.
The story of Macy Stone begins with a pregnancy, abandonment by the young woman’s older husband, and her rescue by complete strangers. It is a story of discovering what true love between people entails. It is also a story of discovering the meaning of commitment to family, to promises made that need to be kept, and to trusting God with working out the details. The twists and turns in the plot and the complex relationships in “Macy” brought me to tears more than once.
It is riveting, inspiring and deserves more than five stars.
December 21, 2019
Love! Love! Love this story! After reading on little wings I was looking for another story with just a wonderful story and this popped up under my recommendations on Goodreads so I gave it a whirl. Needless to say, I loved it! It was a wonderful heart warming story even though you got irritated with the main character not making decisions quite fast enough, it was a great read, I read it in a few days. Thanks Goodreads for the great recommendation 🤗
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews