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The Fifth Gospel
Rome. A shocking discovery and dark secrets. Is the leader of the Catholic Church hiding something that could change the world?
Investigative journalist Flic Bastone overhears a startling conversation she can’t ignore. There is no proof, nor does she want any. Poking into Vatican affairs is dangerous. Aware that the secret could soon be exposed to the world, Flic hastily pens a novel that shares alarming similarities to the uncovered truth.
Eager to capitalize on what they recognize as a best seller, Griffin Publishers fast-tracks the novel to print, propelling marketing guru Anna Lawrence and Flic on a grueling promotional tour. Pushed closer together when attempts are made on Flic’s life, their growing attraction intensifies. Who’s targeting Flic? And will Anna move beyond her own religious beliefs while their worlds fall apart?
Investigative journalist Flic Bastone overhears a startling conversation she can’t ignore. There is no proof, nor does she want any. Poking into Vatican affairs is dangerous. Aware that the secret could soon be exposed to the world, Flic hastily pens a novel that shares alarming similarities to the uncovered truth.
Eager to capitalize on what they recognize as a best seller, Griffin Publishers fast-tracks the novel to print, propelling marketing guru Anna Lawrence and Flic on a grueling promotional tour. Pushed closer together when attempts are made on Flic’s life, their growing attraction intensifies. Who’s targeting Flic? And will Anna move beyond her own religious beliefs while their worlds fall apart?
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 18, 2016
5 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Grubb
8 books30 followersMichelle is Tasmanian born and now resides in the UK, just north of London, with her wife. She's a fair weather golfer, a happy snapper, and a lover of cafes, vinyl records, and book shops.
Michelle harbours an unnatural love for stray pieces of timber (she promises her wife she'll build her something one day), second hand furniture shops, and the perfect coffee.
She can play six chords on her guitar, stumble through a song on her drum kit, and if you see her wearing headphones, she's probably listening to Mumford and Sons while dreaming up stories and plot twists.
It goes without saying that writing is Michelle's favourite thing to do.
Michelle can be contacted at MichelleGrubb
Website: http://www.michellegrubb.com/
Michelle harbours an unnatural love for stray pieces of timber (she promises her wife she'll build her something one day), second hand furniture shops, and the perfect coffee.
She can play six chords on her guitar, stumble through a song on her drum kit, and if you see her wearing headphones, she's probably listening to Mumford and Sons while dreaming up stories and plot twists.
It goes without saying that writing is Michelle's favourite thing to do.
Michelle can be contacted at MichelleGrubb
Website: http://www.michellegrubb.com/
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 2, 2019
'ARC provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review'
**'To be a good storyteller you as a writer need to have the mind to first internalized readers...'
Impeccable storytelling at its best!
From a religious perspective i must say this was well written and not too risky of a topic --it hit the right mark on most fronts because of today's social issues etc. The author did a fantastic job with both leading ladies in writing about and having readers acknowledge all their conflicts,arguments and many other issues in this story that both had to deal with -- which were very raw and also felt real and even because of their non-religious belief & faith both eventually did show that love can conquer what they created for each other. A well thought-out and also beautiful story about the Catholic Church and his Holy Father's secret told in such a way with all the backlash and media stuff to go along with a really nice love story. Highly recommend to everyone!
**'To be a good storyteller you as a writer need to have the mind to first internalized readers...'
Impeccable storytelling at its best!
From a religious perspective i must say this was well written and not too risky of a topic --it hit the right mark on most fronts because of today's social issues etc. The author did a fantastic job with both leading ladies in writing about and having readers acknowledge all their conflicts,arguments and many other issues in this story that both had to deal with -- which were very raw and also felt real and even because of their non-religious belief & faith both eventually did show that love can conquer what they created for each other. A well thought-out and also beautiful story about the Catholic Church and his Holy Father's secret told in such a way with all the backlash and media stuff to go along with a really nice love story. Highly recommend to everyone!
February 17, 2016
The Catholic Church is rocked by rumors of what may turn out to be the biggest scandal to hit it in modern times. A scandal so serious it may shake the thousand-year-old institution to its foundations. But the Vatican is keeping mum...not admitting or denying anything. Enterprising (or opportunistic, for some) investigative journalist Felicity 'Flic' Bastone, capitalizing on an overheard conversation, writes a fictional novel that seems to be uncannily accurate. Our fictional Dan Brown finds herself an overnight celebrity author courtesy of the scandal and embarks on an adventure of a lifetime. But one doesn't tear down an institution without ruffling a few feathers. From book readings and promo tours to dodging bullets and bombs, has she bitten off more than she can chew? Helping Flic navigate her newfound fame and infamy is her publisher's best marketer, Anne. Flic is instantly smitten, but not only is Anne 'not' gay, she just happens to be the most devout Catholic around.
I love these kinds of plots that are sadly all too rare in lesfic. I don't mean the religious themes per se but the bold, engrossing, headline-grabbling yet completely plausible storylines. Of course, my main reason for reading this (the fact that it's a lesbian genre romance) also pretty much guarantees the plot's ultimate outcome and consequently it's predictability. But no matter. As every romance lover knows, it's the journey that counts. ;)
The progession of Flic and Anna's relationship--from reluctant and somewhat antagonistic colleagues to friends to something more, is very well done. I quite enjoyed Anna's personal journey from strict religious conformity to a more open and accepting worldview, to eventual enlightenment. Of course, viewed from the other side, it can also be described as her 'corruption and descent into sin and eternal damnation', lol. The book strikes a good balance between exploring the character's internal conflicts in-depth and moving the plot along. Thankfully there are no endless philosophical or theological musings or debates. I also liked how the book doesn't demean or belittle Anna's faith.
I would have liked to get into Flic's head more with regards to her seemingly unrequited crush on Anna. What is it exactly about Anna that attracts her so? Was it all physical? Was it her eyes? hair? Was it Anna's take-charge personality? Or was it the fact that Anna is the most unattainable woman to her? Being that physically close to someone who is essentially her 'forbidden fruit' must be excruciating. A good part of the book has Flic attempting to tear down Anna's great wall of unshakeable Catholic faith, and Anna's steadfast defense of it. Flic and Anna spend a great deal of alone time together and I just thought...maybe if the author gave us more angst (lol, you know me...) on the part of Flic... wouldn't it just be heavenly? But I did love the after-sex talk. Flic's bit about cheating is gold.
The book contains some thriller elements but it never really approaches the level of a true thriller.
ARC from netgalley.
4.45 stars (mostly for the audacious premise)
P.S. The spoilers are minor and may be clicked if you can't decide on the book.
I love these kinds of plots that are sadly all too rare in lesfic. I don't mean the religious themes per se but the bold, engrossing, headline-grabbling yet completely plausible storylines. Of course, my main reason for reading this (the fact that it's a lesbian genre romance) also pretty much guarantees the plot's ultimate outcome and consequently it's predictability. But no matter. As every romance lover knows, it's the journey that counts. ;)
The progession of Flic and Anna's relationship--from reluctant and somewhat antagonistic colleagues to friends to something more, is very well done. I quite enjoyed Anna's personal journey from strict religious conformity to a more open and accepting worldview, to eventual enlightenment. Of course, viewed from the other side, it can also be described as her 'corruption and descent into sin and eternal damnation', lol. The book strikes a good balance between exploring the character's internal conflicts in-depth and moving the plot along. Thankfully there are no endless philosophical or theological musings or debates. I also liked how the book doesn't demean or belittle Anna's faith.
I would have liked to get into Flic's head more with regards to her seemingly unrequited crush on Anna. What is it exactly about Anna that attracts her so? Was it all physical? Was it her eyes? hair? Was it Anna's take-charge personality? Or was it the fact that Anna is the most unattainable woman to her? Being that physically close to someone who is essentially her 'forbidden fruit' must be excruciating. A good part of the book has Flic attempting to tear down Anna's great wall of unshakeable Catholic faith, and Anna's steadfast defense of it. Flic and Anna spend a great deal of alone time together and I just thought...maybe if the author gave us more angst (lol, you know me...) on the part of Flic... wouldn't it just be heavenly? But I did love the after-sex talk. Flic's bit about cheating is gold.
The book contains some thriller elements but it never really approaches the level of a true thriller.
ARC from netgalley.
4.45 stars (mostly for the audacious premise)
P.S. The spoilers are minor and may be clicked if you can't decide on the book.
January 24, 2016
The Fifth Gospel by Michelle Grubb is an absolutely wonderful book. From the first chapter you will be spellbound. Beginning to end this book is fantastic, it's romantic, intellectual and everything you want in a book.
Felicity "Flic" Bastone is an investigative reporter that stubbled upon the ultimately secret of the Pope. She took this secret and turned it into a novel, that is on the precipice of becoming a best seller. Her book release is coinciding with the Pope announcing his love affair with his Camerlengo. Wowzers talk about a moment in history! Flic's publishing company, Griffin is doing everything in their power to capitalize on this momentous event.
Flic is just a cool character. She is the epitome of a nice person. She is sweet, caring, thoughtful and highly intelligent. Flic is one of those characters that you wish in real life they existed so you could be their friend.
The other leading lady in the story is Anna Lawrence, marketing superstar of Griffin Publishing. Anna is Catholic, and as a devout follower of the Catholic Church she is not a huge fan of Flic's book. She finds solace in her religion and she is terrified what this book might do to her beloved church. On the flip side, she will do everything in her power to market the hell out of this book, even agreeing to help Flic on her promotional tour of Europe. Oh yeah, you know what's going to happen, the sexual tension is high!
The thing that is so awesome with this book is the conversations between Anna and Flic. Our two protagonists square off on so many subjects, and their conversations are enlightening and so engaging. Michelle Grubb did a fantastic job developing strong characters that are intelligent and witty. The author did a wonderful job showing how each character feels and why they feel the way they do. Anna is Catholic and never is she demeaned or ridiculed for her beliefs. She expresses why her faith is important to her, and Flic in turn respectfully accepts her feelings and explains her side. I loved how each character had her feelings about religion and that was okay. Never did I feel like the author's personal beliefs came through or the proverbial soap box came into play.
There is also an element of a thriller in this book, I mean if you piss off some highly religious folks at least three of them of going to try to kill you, right! This part of the plot was a little thin in my opinion, but the romance and the intelligence of the two leading ladies more than make up for it. I read a lot of books, almost all in the lesbian romance genre, when a great one comes up, you cannot help but smile. This book made me excited to read, I smiled the whole way through. This one is solid gold!
Felicity "Flic" Bastone is an investigative reporter that stubbled upon the ultimately secret of the Pope. She took this secret and turned it into a novel, that is on the precipice of becoming a best seller. Her book release is coinciding with the Pope announcing his love affair with his Camerlengo. Wowzers talk about a moment in history! Flic's publishing company, Griffin is doing everything in their power to capitalize on this momentous event.
Flic is just a cool character. She is the epitome of a nice person. She is sweet, caring, thoughtful and highly intelligent. Flic is one of those characters that you wish in real life they existed so you could be their friend.
The other leading lady in the story is Anna Lawrence, marketing superstar of Griffin Publishing. Anna is Catholic, and as a devout follower of the Catholic Church she is not a huge fan of Flic's book. She finds solace in her religion and she is terrified what this book might do to her beloved church. On the flip side, she will do everything in her power to market the hell out of this book, even agreeing to help Flic on her promotional tour of Europe. Oh yeah, you know what's going to happen, the sexual tension is high!
The thing that is so awesome with this book is the conversations between Anna and Flic. Our two protagonists square off on so many subjects, and their conversations are enlightening and so engaging. Michelle Grubb did a fantastic job developing strong characters that are intelligent and witty. The author did a wonderful job showing how each character feels and why they feel the way they do. Anna is Catholic and never is she demeaned or ridiculed for her beliefs. She expresses why her faith is important to her, and Flic in turn respectfully accepts her feelings and explains her side. I loved how each character had her feelings about religion and that was okay. Never did I feel like the author's personal beliefs came through or the proverbial soap box came into play.
There is also an element of a thriller in this book, I mean if you piss off some highly religious folks at least three of them of going to try to kill you, right! This part of the plot was a little thin in my opinion, but the romance and the intelligence of the two leading ladies more than make up for it. I read a lot of books, almost all in the lesbian romance genre, when a great one comes up, you cannot help but smile. This book made me excited to read, I smiled the whole way through. This one is solid gold!
February 3, 2018
The Fifth Gospel was another strong novel from Michelle Grubb.
Having such opposite viewpoints on religion and life I really wondered how these two women could ever arrive on the same page, let alone fall in love with each other. It took me at least half the book to experience the romance part because I felt somehow disconnected (mostly with Anna).
And wow, what did poor Flic do to deserve such bad karma! She got . At least she got royally compensated for writing a bestseller.
f/f explicit
Themes: love is love, I had some weird thing with the name Flic… for some reason my brain kept changing it to Clit… me and my weird Tourettes brain, when Anna finally gets over herself she turns out to be quite a tiger in the bed chamber, didn’t see that coming, Grubb is a solid writer and I am a fan but I wasn’t absolutely in love with this one, still recommend it though.
4.3 stars
Having such opposite viewpoints on religion and life I really wondered how these two women could ever arrive on the same page, let alone fall in love with each other. It took me at least half the book to experience the romance part because I felt somehow disconnected (mostly with Anna).
And wow, what did poor Flic do to deserve such bad karma! She got . At least she got royally compensated for writing a bestseller.
f/f explicit
Themes: love is love, I had some weird thing with the name Flic… for some reason my brain kept changing it to Clit… me and my weird Tourettes brain, when Anna finally gets over herself she turns out to be quite a tiger in the bed chamber, didn’t see that coming, Grubb is a solid writer and I am a fan but I wasn’t absolutely in love with this one, still recommend it though.
4.3 stars
February 28, 2016
This review has the potential to go on for a bit as I am quite passionate about the topic of religion and gay rights as I grew up in a very religious family who are open minded about gay rights. But don't worry I will work hard to keep it short.
I have found too often that religious people are the villain in lesfic books showing the very extreme bigot view. Now don't get wrong religion is a big argument against gay rights therefore we all naturally see religious people in a negative light. What I loved about this book was that we were shown that there are so many different point of views in the big discussion of religion and gay rights. That we don’t just have the extreme point of views that there is so much grey. I thought the discussion points were well balanced which gave us points of views from lots of different groups from atheists, the classic bigot that make our blood boil, religious gay groups, gay people, family members with gay family and friends and the standard religious person.
I think the message that Michelle Grubb did a really good job of getting across in this book was the view of prochoice on sexuality and religion. That everyone has a right to their faith or to love who they wish to love without judgement.
Moving on to the characters, I thought they were both lovable and provided a perfect balance for each other. The banter between them was perfect and thought the humour was just right. The action kept me on the edge of my seat and I struggled to put the book down!
This book was moving very quickly to getting 5 stars however I just struggled to give it 5 because the romance between the two characters that I loved just, just missed the mark for me. Maybe because I was loving everything about this book I wanted everything to be perfect but I just didn’t feel as big of an emotional pull as I was expected and it left me feeling slightly deflated. I have been trying to put my finger on why and the best I can come up with was that this book had so much in it romance, action, and a big topic of religion. I think that the romance towards the end just felt rushed for me (I’m worried I am nitpicking here).
In saying that I have rated this book 4.75 because I thought it was so close to being perfect but just couldn’t get there in the end.
I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review.
I have found too often that religious people are the villain in lesfic books showing the very extreme bigot view. Now don't get wrong religion is a big argument against gay rights therefore we all naturally see religious people in a negative light. What I loved about this book was that we were shown that there are so many different point of views in the big discussion of religion and gay rights. That we don’t just have the extreme point of views that there is so much grey. I thought the discussion points were well balanced which gave us points of views from lots of different groups from atheists, the classic bigot that make our blood boil, religious gay groups, gay people, family members with gay family and friends and the standard religious person.
I think the message that Michelle Grubb did a really good job of getting across in this book was the view of prochoice on sexuality and religion. That everyone has a right to their faith or to love who they wish to love without judgement.
Moving on to the characters, I thought they were both lovable and provided a perfect balance for each other. The banter between them was perfect and thought the humour was just right. The action kept me on the edge of my seat and I struggled to put the book down!
This book was moving very quickly to getting 5 stars however I just struggled to give it 5 because the romance between the two characters that I loved just, just missed the mark for me. Maybe because I was loving everything about this book I wanted everything to be perfect but I just didn’t feel as big of an emotional pull as I was expected and it left me feeling slightly deflated. I have been trying to put my finger on why and the best I can come up with was that this book had so much in it romance, action, and a big topic of religion. I think that the romance towards the end just felt rushed for me (I’m worried I am nitpicking here).
In saying that I have rated this book 4.75 because I thought it was so close to being perfect but just couldn’t get there in the end.
I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review.
April 11, 2025
I liked this a lot more than I should have considering this book is kind of a mess. It has a bit of an identity crisis. It doesn't know if it wants to be a thriller or a romance and so it doesn't necessarily succeed as either.
The thriller aspect of the novel is better executed than the romance, in my opinion. Felicity, aka Flic, has written a novel that threatens to disrupt the Catholic church in ways it may not easily recover--especially because it just may be true. It's on her book tour that things start to take dark and scary turns.
The romance is cute, but it's not super well developed. Anna goes from I absolutely would never consider a relationship with a woman because I'm Catholic and it's not right to I love you way too quickly for me. And Felicity comes on way too strong. She made me uncomfortable.
I won't go into the stupidity of the whole publishing aspect of the plot and an entire book campaign and print seemingly happens overnight (I think it's actually two weeks). Nor will I linger on the fact that Anna is doing things that have nothing to do with her job for reasons of plot. But I will take a moment to relay that "love is love" was way overused in this novel (21 times). It's the motto of the book tour/campaign and it makes the novel feel really dated. I started rolling my eyes whenever it came up.
I bought this book a while ago and hadn't gotten around to reading it, so I'm glad I finally did. It was entertaining. I liked it more than I didn't.
The thriller aspect of the novel is better executed than the romance, in my opinion. Felicity, aka Flic, has written a novel that threatens to disrupt the Catholic church in ways it may not easily recover--especially because it just may be true. It's on her book tour that things start to take dark and scary turns.
The romance is cute, but it's not super well developed. Anna goes from I absolutely would never consider a relationship with a woman because I'm Catholic and it's not right to I love you way too quickly for me. And Felicity comes on way too strong. She made me uncomfortable.
I won't go into the stupidity of the whole publishing aspect of the plot and an entire book campaign and print seemingly happens overnight (I think it's actually two weeks). Nor will I linger on the fact that Anna is doing things that have nothing to do with her job for reasons of plot. But I will take a moment to relay that "love is love" was way overused in this novel (21 times). It's the motto of the book tour/campaign and it makes the novel feel really dated. I started rolling my eyes whenever it came up.
I bought this book a while ago and hadn't gotten around to reading it, so I'm glad I finally did. It was entertaining. I liked it more than I didn't.
January 23, 2016
Captivating
Great story! This was an interesting and captivating story. The concept of the Pope being in a sexual relation is daunting and for it to be with a man, well that's just crazy weird. I was sucked right in from the beginning, the characters, the storyline, the romance and the action all came together beautifully. I'm not sure how many would feel about a scandal from the Vatican of this magnitude, or how they would react I mean it's the Pope after all, but I enjoyed it greatly. The interactions between Felicity and Anna, though at times conflicting, gave this story a nice balance and a bit of incite as to how the Catholic religion would be dissected in the face of such an event. The Pope is a very important part of our upbringing as a people of Catholic beliefs that this could tear the very fabric of what many perceive as the one true religion. I have to say that I agree that Love is love, and though the Pope is higher up there than most, he is still human. As a Catholic and a Lesbian, I was not insulted nor did I feel rage at the idea of such an incident. I did however feel a bit of anger at the negative impact it had on Felicity, because in a real case scenario, we would most definitely get a similar reaction.
Great story! This was an interesting and captivating story. The concept of the Pope being in a sexual relation is daunting and for it to be with a man, well that's just crazy weird. I was sucked right in from the beginning, the characters, the storyline, the romance and the action all came together beautifully. I'm not sure how many would feel about a scandal from the Vatican of this magnitude, or how they would react I mean it's the Pope after all, but I enjoyed it greatly. The interactions between Felicity and Anna, though at times conflicting, gave this story a nice balance and a bit of incite as to how the Catholic religion would be dissected in the face of such an event. The Pope is a very important part of our upbringing as a people of Catholic beliefs that this could tear the very fabric of what many perceive as the one true religion. I have to say that I agree that Love is love, and though the Pope is higher up there than most, he is still human. As a Catholic and a Lesbian, I was not insulted nor did I feel rage at the idea of such an incident. I did however feel a bit of anger at the negative impact it had on Felicity, because in a real case scenario, we would most definitely get a similar reaction.
January 14, 2022
4 stars. This was so close to being a five star for me but the actual suspense and plot of who was trying to kill Flic was so underwhelming. It could’ve been handled better but other than that this was absolutely fascinating. Two women with opposing views on the world falling in love. I was absolutely hooked.
Anna is a very religious practicing Catholic and she’s homophobic though she adamantly denies it. Flic is an out and proud lesbian who writes a fictional book about the Pope being gay after overhearing a shocking secret. Anna works with Flic on the marketing tour of the book and things get crazy. Poor Flic has someone trying to kill her and Anna is fighting her growing feelings towards her. It’s a lot but so well done. I loved both characters because the way Grubb presents both of their sides. Anna’s character development was superb. She was honestly very hard to get behind in the beginning but I grew to like her by the end. Flic I loved right from the jump. She’s awesome. The romance between them develops at a great pace and their chemistry was believable.
The ending was a bit abrupt but that might just be me being greedy and wanting more. This never at any point felt heavy handed nor was there a clear cut “one side is better than the other”. Both characters were open and had conversations about their differences which I can respect. Wonderful read and I will definitely be picking up more from Grubb.
Anna is a very religious practicing Catholic and she’s homophobic though she adamantly denies it. Flic is an out and proud lesbian who writes a fictional book about the Pope being gay after overhearing a shocking secret. Anna works with Flic on the marketing tour of the book and things get crazy. Poor Flic has someone trying to kill her and Anna is fighting her growing feelings towards her. It’s a lot but so well done. I loved both characters because the way Grubb presents both of their sides. Anna’s character development was superb. She was honestly very hard to get behind in the beginning but I grew to like her by the end. Flic I loved right from the jump. She’s awesome. The romance between them develops at a great pace and their chemistry was believable.
The ending was a bit abrupt but that might just be me being greedy and wanting more. This never at any point felt heavy handed nor was there a clear cut “one side is better than the other”. Both characters were open and had conversations about their differences which I can respect. Wonderful read and I will definitely be picking up more from Grubb.
July 28, 2016
I read Girls with Guns back in March. That is a short story collection that had, at that time, included three authors I had never previously read. Though I had had at least one of them on and off the possibilities list for years. I gave the Carsen Taite story in that book a rating of 4.85; the story by Grubb a rating of 4.75; and the story by Ali Vali a rating of 3.00. I mention all of that to then note that I proceeded to read 5 books by Taite, and 1 by Vali before, at long last, I tried a full length work by Grubb.
Which brings us to this book here. Two things to note immediately: I rather liked Flic Bastone from the beginning and that impression never changed; I didn’t particularly like Anna Lawrence when I first meet her, but she, eventually, grew on me (I made a comment at some point that I wished I wasn’t inside Anna’s head; because her thoughts her not helping me like her much up to a certain point). I mention that because there are several elements that might otherwise have caused me to lowly rate this book. The book was, at least in my opinion, saved by the romance between the two. Not to imply that the plotline and other ‘non-romance’ parts were bad or anything. But the romance really helped push the book along and helped me rather like the book.
I had certain problems along the way:
1) I have certain difficulties about books like this – the kind that seems to include mention within it of the idea that some ‘big thing’ is going to ‘destroy the church’. Reminds me of a short story I read. It was alternate history. Involved Lewis and Clark heading out on their expedition and seeing . . . . a wooly mammoth. Therefore utterly destroying the church. Wasn’t a badly written short story, but the logic escaped me. I think it had something to do with evolution, or the possibility that wooly mammoths were not explicitly mentioned as being among the animals on Noah’s ark or something else equally grand. Admittedly having the Pope turn out to be both gay and in a gay relationship would have an immense impact on the church. I just don’t see that that in of itself would ‘utterly destroy the church’. Hell, you have priests, bishops, and the like raping young children and the church slumps along un-destroyed – and that’s with the church mostly attempting to a) cover it up; b) moving priests around instead of cutting their balls off (they are the church, I assume they could do that if they wanted), or defrocking the priests. Actually, I've wondered why they, way back when, hadn't gone with a eunuch priesthood (the Catholic Church at least). And, I should note, eunuch's are not exactly unknown to the church - there was a time they made certain types of singers that way, by cutting off the balls of little boys.
2) saying all that in the first part, my bigger problem was Anna and her connection to the church. It, in various ways, confused me. She herself said she had a relatively . . . um, well, I forget now what she said, but she is not from an ultra religious family, I’m not even sure her parents are even religious at all. No, she’s just someone who was the offspring of people who moved a lot and had had Anna by accident; and a person who found ‘contentment’ in seeing a church at each location they moved, and spending time in it (I suppose I should be glad that it hadn’t been a McDonald’s she latched on to, eh?) Anna’s personality and character would have made a lot more sense if her back-story had been different. Hell, I had a stronger connection to the Catholic Church growing up than she did, based on what is revealed in the book, and I didn’t reach adulthood assuming that every single bloody Catholic is exactly the same (the numerous times she spoke for the billions of Catholics was very annoying. Stop speaking for me, bitch).
Right. So. The book was enjoyable. The relationship between Anna and Flic was good enough to pull me along. I had certain issues with Anna specifically, though not with the depiction of the church or its supporters/opponents. More with Anna’s connection to the church.
I wasn’t sure if I’d actually get around to reading a book by Grubb, despite loving that short story I had read, since none of her books looked like things I wanted to read. The most interesting one had that church/religion connection, and I’m less than interested in reading that. But I’m glad I, forced might be pushing things, myself to read this book.
June 14 2016
Which brings us to this book here. Two things to note immediately: I rather liked Flic Bastone from the beginning and that impression never changed; I didn’t particularly like Anna Lawrence when I first meet her, but she, eventually, grew on me (I made a comment at some point that I wished I wasn’t inside Anna’s head; because her thoughts her not helping me like her much up to a certain point). I mention that because there are several elements that might otherwise have caused me to lowly rate this book. The book was, at least in my opinion, saved by the romance between the two. Not to imply that the plotline and other ‘non-romance’ parts were bad or anything. But the romance really helped push the book along and helped me rather like the book.
I had certain problems along the way:
1) I have certain difficulties about books like this – the kind that seems to include mention within it of the idea that some ‘big thing’ is going to ‘destroy the church’. Reminds me of a short story I read. It was alternate history. Involved Lewis and Clark heading out on their expedition and seeing . . . . a wooly mammoth. Therefore utterly destroying the church. Wasn’t a badly written short story, but the logic escaped me. I think it had something to do with evolution, or the possibility that wooly mammoths were not explicitly mentioned as being among the animals on Noah’s ark or something else equally grand. Admittedly having the Pope turn out to be both gay and in a gay relationship would have an immense impact on the church. I just don’t see that that in of itself would ‘utterly destroy the church’. Hell, you have priests, bishops, and the like raping young children and the church slumps along un-destroyed – and that’s with the church mostly attempting to a) cover it up; b) moving priests around instead of cutting their balls off (they are the church, I assume they could do that if they wanted), or defrocking the priests. Actually, I've wondered why they, way back when, hadn't gone with a eunuch priesthood (the Catholic Church at least). And, I should note, eunuch's are not exactly unknown to the church - there was a time they made certain types of singers that way, by cutting off the balls of little boys.
2) saying all that in the first part, my bigger problem was Anna and her connection to the church. It, in various ways, confused me. She herself said she had a relatively . . . um, well, I forget now what she said, but she is not from an ultra religious family, I’m not even sure her parents are even religious at all. No, she’s just someone who was the offspring of people who moved a lot and had had Anna by accident; and a person who found ‘contentment’ in seeing a church at each location they moved, and spending time in it (I suppose I should be glad that it hadn’t been a McDonald’s she latched on to, eh?) Anna’s personality and character would have made a lot more sense if her back-story had been different. Hell, I had a stronger connection to the Catholic Church growing up than she did, based on what is revealed in the book, and I didn’t reach adulthood assuming that every single bloody Catholic is exactly the same (the numerous times she spoke for the billions of Catholics was very annoying. Stop speaking for me, bitch).
Right. So. The book was enjoyable. The relationship between Anna and Flic was good enough to pull me along. I had certain issues with Anna specifically, though not with the depiction of the church or its supporters/opponents. More with Anna’s connection to the church.
I wasn’t sure if I’d actually get around to reading a book by Grubb, despite loving that short story I had read, since none of her books looked like things I wanted to read. The most interesting one had that church/religion connection, and I’m less than interested in reading that. But I’m glad I, forced might be pushing things, myself to read this book.
June 14 2016
April 17, 2016
This exceeded all my expectations. I'm surely a romance-head, though I found myself just as entrenched in the religious tension and action. The story doesn't preach and I empathize with Anna's character, even though I'm more in Flic's boat of thought. When their issues take a dangerous turn, I devoured it until the end.
Many writers handle religion in a heavy-handed manner. Not Michelle Grubb. I could easily slip into the perspectives that surrounded the main characters' dilemma. I wish Flic's book existed in real life. Sounds juicy. Didn't realize I'd love a book about a book so much.
Many writers handle religion in a heavy-handed manner. Not Michelle Grubb. I could easily slip into the perspectives that surrounded the main characters' dilemma. I wish Flic's book existed in real life. Sounds juicy. Didn't realize I'd love a book about a book so much.
March 10, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Inked Rainbow Reads in return for an honest review.
This was an extremely interesting book, full of smart choices by the author and events that really provoke thought. What would happen if an investigative journalist overheard a conversation that revealed that the Pope was in a homosexual relationship? The easy answer would be an expose, but how fascinating that Grubb makes the readers realize how bad that would actually be. So Grubb has her journalist write a fictional account of the same thing. And the book is ready to be published right as the world waits for the Vatican to confirm or deny the allegation. A big publisher buys out the rights to the book and cashes in on the biggest story of the moment. Now the journalist/author is catapulted into fame, with supporters and detractors alike mobbing her appearances. Enter into the story the Catholic marketing guru, Anna, who is in charge of making the book a success. She feels like the book is an attack on her faith, but she can't help liking Flic, the author of a suspiciously timely book about a gay Pope. Now add in a few others who don't take kindly to the book and aren't afraid to make their objection in a rather fatal manner. Things get dangerous pretty quickly for Flic, and Anna is close enough to go along for the ride.
This book explored what faith is, what happens when those we put on a pedestal turn out to be human after all, and whether one's sexuality really affects job performance. I found the issues a bit thought-provoking, and interesting. The suspense was exciting, and the romance was interesting. I liked the book and recommend it whole-heartedly.
This was an extremely interesting book, full of smart choices by the author and events that really provoke thought. What would happen if an investigative journalist overheard a conversation that revealed that the Pope was in a homosexual relationship? The easy answer would be an expose, but how fascinating that Grubb makes the readers realize how bad that would actually be. So Grubb has her journalist write a fictional account of the same thing. And the book is ready to be published right as the world waits for the Vatican to confirm or deny the allegation. A big publisher buys out the rights to the book and cashes in on the biggest story of the moment. Now the journalist/author is catapulted into fame, with supporters and detractors alike mobbing her appearances. Enter into the story the Catholic marketing guru, Anna, who is in charge of making the book a success. She feels like the book is an attack on her faith, but she can't help liking Flic, the author of a suspiciously timely book about a gay Pope. Now add in a few others who don't take kindly to the book and aren't afraid to make their objection in a rather fatal manner. Things get dangerous pretty quickly for Flic, and Anna is close enough to go along for the ride.
This book explored what faith is, what happens when those we put on a pedestal turn out to be human after all, and whether one's sexuality really affects job performance. I found the issues a bit thought-provoking, and interesting. The suspense was exciting, and the romance was interesting. I liked the book and recommend it whole-heartedly.
May 6, 2016
I wanted to like this more than I did in the end. It's a really interesting premise, but I just didn't buy the repeated message that the main character's approach to religion was respectful. I don't think you can go to mass with an LGBT Catholic group, compare God to Santa and still self righteously claim that you treat other people's religious beliefs with respect. Both characters did progress, so Flic did understand Anna better by the end, but Anna's character progression from repressed, closeted, virgin felt unconvincing to me. I also don't believe such a big publishing house would have put a homophobic Catholic employee in charge of PR for that book, it didn't ring true at all.
January 8, 2016
An honest review thanks to Netgalley, this was an amazing book. The opposing views of the two main characters made their friendship and eventual relationship all the more amazing. This was something new and I loved it for lesbian romance, everything about this book was amazing and I need to look up the author as I have never heard of her before. If you are looking for a breath of fresh air and a book that you can't put down this is it, enjoy.
August 24, 2022
Worthy read and an original story
SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: not a romance, out of your comfort zone, coming-out story, favorite trope; UNICORN: faith (possibly other categories)
A journalist overheard a discussion about the Catholic Pope possibly being gay, and wrote a fictional story based on the information. A major publisher bought out a smaller publishing company that had the original contract with the journalist due to rumours leaking out about the Pope. The new publisher wanted to get the book published before anything was verified about him because the book had potential to be an international best seller, making millions. The company's public relations director - a devout Catholic woman - was tasked with promotional tours and events to boost sales for the book. The scandalous story had devastating impacts on all sorts of people, and the journalist became an assassination target. The PR director did not want to be any part of the book promotion, and matters worsened after the assassination attempt. She was also struggling with the fact that she was falling for the journalist. A battle between Catholicism, human rights, tolerance, raging fear and homophobia because of a novel relating to "true events," a journalist just trying to publish her book, and a woman struggling with her faith and identity, all tied together for an excellent, thrilling read.
SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: not a romance, out of your comfort zone, coming-out story, favorite trope; UNICORN: faith (possibly other categories)
A journalist overheard a discussion about the Catholic Pope possibly being gay, and wrote a fictional story based on the information. A major publisher bought out a smaller publishing company that had the original contract with the journalist due to rumours leaking out about the Pope. The new publisher wanted to get the book published before anything was verified about him because the book had potential to be an international best seller, making millions. The company's public relations director - a devout Catholic woman - was tasked with promotional tours and events to boost sales for the book. The scandalous story had devastating impacts on all sorts of people, and the journalist became an assassination target. The PR director did not want to be any part of the book promotion, and matters worsened after the assassination attempt. She was also struggling with the fact that she was falling for the journalist. A battle between Catholicism, human rights, tolerance, raging fear and homophobia because of a novel relating to "true events," a journalist just trying to publish her book, and a woman struggling with her faith and identity, all tied together for an excellent, thrilling read.
August 10, 2016
I received a free copy via Inked Rainbow in exchange for an honest review.
If a story combines elements of romance, suspense, and religion, I can pretty much be guaranteed to read it. This book delivered on all three.
The biggest selling point for me was the excellent way Ms. Grubb handled the difference of opinion on religious matters between atheist Flic and devoutly Catholic Anna. At no point were either of them expected to compromise on their views about God, yet they challenged each other on matters surrounding what it means to hold belief. I loved the dialog between them and the way they came to an understanding as their relationship grew. I feel this was done with a lot of grace and sensitivity, and I appreciate the gentle touch.
The action is nicely balanced with the romance. Both built nicely over the course of the book. I will admit to having multiple theories about the outcomes of both storylines, none of which were correct---and I'm glad. It held my interest throughout and gave me plenty of time to fall in love with Flic and Anna while still fearing for their safety.
This was an engaging and satisfying read.
If a story combines elements of romance, suspense, and religion, I can pretty much be guaranteed to read it. This book delivered on all three.
The biggest selling point for me was the excellent way Ms. Grubb handled the difference of opinion on religious matters between atheist Flic and devoutly Catholic Anna. At no point were either of them expected to compromise on their views about God, yet they challenged each other on matters surrounding what it means to hold belief. I loved the dialog between them and the way they came to an understanding as their relationship grew. I feel this was done with a lot of grace and sensitivity, and I appreciate the gentle touch.
The action is nicely balanced with the romance. Both built nicely over the course of the book. I will admit to having multiple theories about the outcomes of both storylines, none of which were correct---and I'm glad. It held my interest throughout and gave me plenty of time to fall in love with Flic and Anna while still fearing for their safety.
This was an engaging and satisfying read.
February 1, 2016
The Fifth Gospel is the kind of book I could have found utterly amazing. I liked it very much, but it didn't reach its potential, with the thriller part being rather so-so.
February 13, 2018
Religion is a contentious subject around the dinner table so to put it into a lesbian romance, add Catholicism and the possibility of a gay pope can only blow it out of the water. This was a really good read: it was fast-paced, interesting, thought-provoking, thrilling and beautiful.
Felicity 'Flic' Bastone is a atheist journalist who writes a novel in which Pope Valentine II is gay and in love. Just as it is about to be released, rumours start bubbling from the Vatican. Anna, a homophobic Catholic, is given the job of marketing the book to coincide with any possible announcement from the Vatican.
I spent half the book shouting "Run Flic, run" every time Felicity expressed an interest in Anna. Flic is a fantastic character in that she is smart and funny but also quite modest and naive. I struggled with Anna as a character not because she is homophobic but because
There was an interesting emphasis on reactions and ramifications of the possibility of the pope being gay with a lover rather than that he would be breaking his vow of chastity. One's sexuality and sexual orientation is irrelevant if one has taken a vow of chastity, surely?
In spite of this I highly recommend The Fifth Gospel.
Felicity 'Flic' Bastone is a atheist journalist who writes a novel in which Pope Valentine II is gay and in love. Just as it is about to be released, rumours start bubbling from the Vatican. Anna, a homophobic Catholic, is given the job of marketing the book to coincide with any possible announcement from the Vatican.
I spent half the book shouting "Run Flic, run" every time Felicity expressed an interest in Anna. Flic is a fantastic character in that she is smart and funny but also quite modest and naive. I struggled with Anna as a character not because she is homophobic but because
There was an interesting emphasis on reactions and ramifications of the possibility of the pope being gay with a lover rather than that he would be breaking his vow of chastity. One's sexuality and sexual orientation is irrelevant if one has taken a vow of chastity, surely?
In spite of this I highly recommend The Fifth Gospel.
April 21, 2018
The cover design is the best thing about this book.
Okay, that's a bit harsh, this book isn't that bad. But I do take issue with the premise of the woman being inspired by a conversation she overhears -- but then the book notes there's leaked emails that caused a scandal. So really, the thing spawnd from those emails, not some randos speculating.
This book doesn't have a proper ending too, there's some side plots that are never expanded on (apparently the one woman cheated on someone? maybe?), and .
Still, the book is competnetly written, with an intersting enough premise.
Okay, that's a bit harsh, this book isn't that bad. But I do take issue with the premise of the woman being inspired by a conversation she overhears -- but then the book notes there's leaked emails that caused a scandal. So really, the thing spawnd from those emails, not some randos speculating.
This book doesn't have a proper ending too, there's some side plots that are never expanded on (apparently the one woman cheated on someone? maybe?), and .
Still, the book is competnetly written, with an intersting enough premise.
July 15, 2017
Enjoyed this one cover to cover. There were some unexpected twists and turns throughout.
August 7, 2017
Religion is not my cup of tea. I selected this book as I thought is was more of a historical novel.
May 11, 2018
2.5 score -- I've got several objections to the plausibility of the plot.
March 12, 2017
An amazing story - read it one a sitting. Really took a different tack than I thought it would but definitely enjoyed it. Religion/Homosexuality/Faith/Catholic Church vs "Love is love".
Read it, it's worth it.
Read it, it's worth it.
May 13, 2016
The Fifth Gospel by Michelle Grubb is the first book I’ve read from Michelle Grubb. I can assure you; it won’t be the last. Her style is smart, sexy, and well-crafted. She adds a touch of humor in just the right dose so as not to detract from the tension of the drama, but enough so that it feels real. What I liked best about the book is the intellectual approach she took to dealing with the conflicting matters of faith. The debate was always respectful, despite passionate beliefs. And the characters were a model of open-mindedness. We could learn a lot from these characters in how to conduct our real-life religious debates.
Michelle gives us a plausible inside look into the making of a celebrity. It is at once both human and sensational. The suspense delivered a generous dose of adrenaline which fueled your need to turn pages quickly and efficiently. I cannot say enough good things about the quality and substance of the religious debate. Here is where this The Fifth Gospel by Michelle Grubb went from a good story to a great story. It stands above in its ability to teach as well as entertain.
From a lesbian perspective, The Fifth Gospel by Michelle Grubb is a toaster oven story. And you know we all celebrate a successful recruitment. But it is so much more than that. The poignant philosophical dialogue turned me into an instant and forever fan of Michelle Grubb.
Michelle gives us a plausible inside look into the making of a celebrity. It is at once both human and sensational. The suspense delivered a generous dose of adrenaline which fueled your need to turn pages quickly and efficiently. I cannot say enough good things about the quality and substance of the religious debate. Here is where this The Fifth Gospel by Michelle Grubb went from a good story to a great story. It stands above in its ability to teach as well as entertain.
From a lesbian perspective, The Fifth Gospel by Michelle Grubb is a toaster oven story. And you know we all celebrate a successful recruitment. But it is so much more than that. The poignant philosophical dialogue turned me into an instant and forever fan of Michelle Grubb.
March 5, 2016
"The fifth gospel" is a very enjoyable read. I found the premise of the book fascinating, it had me hooked from the very start. The story revolves around author Flic Bastone, who after accidentally hearing a conversation one day, writes a book about the pope having a homosexual relationship with another member of clergy. When the book turns out to be accurate, Flic's life becomes a whirlwind of success. This is when she meets PR woman Anna. A catholic woman who hates the very idea of Flic's book and what it will do to the catholic church she loves so much. Being forced to go on the book tour together creates some really interesting conversations between the two, which i found absolutely fascinating. The idea of two people coming together from such different view points was a delight to watch, and i felt very invested in watching the evolution of their relationship. There is also the other aspect of the book, those who oppose the mere idea of a gay pope. Flic is threatened and injured several times and eventually has to go into hiding. I do wish there was a little less philosophical discussion and a little more cloak and dagger, but that's just being super picky. I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it.
February 27, 2016
Felicity "Flic" Bastone is an investigative journalist who overhead a conversation while in Rome about the Pope and turns it into a novel. Griffin Publishing House sees an opportunity to take a calculated risk in publishing's Flic's novel due to current events. Anna Lawrence, in charge of marketing Holy Father, Holy Secret, has moral qualms in promoting it considering she's a devout Catholic. Anna is then forced to join Flic on the promotional tour.
I enjoyed the intellectual discussions that Flic and Anna had and were able to see each other's views without belittling them. The author did a good job at presenting both views in an interesting and engaging way on such a controversial topic.
I think there could've been a little more angst in Flic and Anna's romance, but I did find their story sweet and realistic in pacing.
The action/thriller portion of the book I felt could've been more exciting but overall it was nicely done to further the plot along.
Review also posted here: http://wp.me/p4Pp9O-8H
I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the intellectual discussions that Flic and Anna had and were able to see each other's views without belittling them. The author did a good job at presenting both views in an interesting and engaging way on such a controversial topic.
I think there could've been a little more angst in Flic and Anna's romance, but I did find their story sweet and realistic in pacing.
The action/thriller portion of the book I felt could've been more exciting but overall it was nicely done to further the plot along.
Review also posted here: http://wp.me/p4Pp9O-8H
I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 8, 2016
I received this book from Inked Rainbow Reads in exchange for an honest review.
This book is one of the most thrilling and exciting books I have read in a long time. It covered what is a controversial topic with style and aplomb. At no time was it disrespectful to the main subject matter and Ms Grubb produced a believable and gripping novel.
The two main characters were polar opposites yet slowly their relationship changed and a full blown love affair was revealed. At the same time the author led us on an exciting and gripping chase to find out who the protagonist was that was stalking the leading lady.
The book also raised questions surrounding love, religion and beliefs. Ms Grubb did this while maintaining her readers interest and absorption in all aspects of this fascinating novel.
If you a looking for stimulating read coupled with a great love story and you are prepared to read something that some might consider rather a contentious issue then this book will certainly fulfil what you are looking for. I really enjoyed this novel and thoroughly recommend it.
February 6, 2016
I really enjoyed The Fifth Gospel. It made you think, laugh, and all the other things you want from a book. The book had a nice pace to keep you interested. But it did have a flaw in regards to Anna's sexual coming out that I am still wondering about and the ending just seemed rushed and a bit abrupt. I am thinking/hoping with the book ending the way it did there might be a sequel.
But still an enjoyable!
But still an enjoyable!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2016
Hot topic! I will add this to my favorites.
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