Remember Me

The Hawk and the Dove #6

by Penelope Wilcock

A monk has fallen in love.

A wise widow knows the truth.

And now the finances of the abbey are in jeopardy.

Father William knew something was changing deep within him. He felt it—from his belly, from his from his heart, from his soul—the reality of what was streaming forth unchecked. There was no denying it. This was love.

Yet Father William has more to worry about than simply upholding his vows to God, to the brothers of St. Alcuin, and to Abbot John. The brotherhood is running out of money and Father William must decide whether or not to take matters into his own hands.

Seasoned author Penelope Wilcock unlocks the story of one man’s struggles, mistakes, and heart’s longings, and traces the possibility of what it means to get things wrong and to begin again. She helps us see the unexpected ways God often chooses to heal a broken life, revealing the heart of God to make us whole.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Spirituality, Christian Historical Fiction, Medieval

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Penelope (Pen) Wilcock is the author of over twenty books, including The Hawk & the Dove Series 1 (9 volumes), and The Hawk & the Dove Series 2.
Having got back the publishing rights to her books, she and her husband Tony Collins have now republished them under their own imprint Humilis Hastings on the Amazon publishing platform. Pen Wilcock shares the profits from all her Humilis Hastings sales with a community of Carthusian monks in Sussex where she lives.
She has been a Methodist minister and has worked as a hospice and school chaplain.

Reviews

[Rod White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penelope Wilcock is the best friend I have never met. I must go to England and find her so I can beg her to write me more books in this series. I need the tears of empathy and connection she elicits periodically. This final book of six is so full of trouble and forgiveness! Everyone who causes trouble and needs forgiveness should read it. Yes, it can be preachy, the plot is more parable than empirical -- it is like the Bible, people. It is like James telling us not to forget our true faces after we look in the mirror of God's grace -- to remember so we can be re-membered. If I could make you read this, I would.

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Penelope Wilcox is the author of Remember Me, the sixth book in The Hawk and Dove series where the reader is immersed into the life of William de Bulmer, a monk of the St. Alcuin who falls in love with Abbot John's sister Madeline and we open the book to find him finally confessing his love and true feelings for her. In this part of the series, we get a more in-depth look at what the life of a monk is like through the eyes of William and it's not always an easy one but this shows his true life struggles with despair, pride and humility pertaining to his feelings towards not only Madeline, but also toward the church and his devotion to serving God.

William also has to come to terms with the loss of the abbey's money that he finds himself solely responsible. How does one deal with these feelings when he is supposed to be walking a narrow path serving God? Is he truly cut out for the life of a monk after all, or will he simply choose to deal with the consequences of his actions and leave his faith entirely for love? I would recommend picking up the first book in this series dealing with William de Bulmer to see why the character is at the place he is when this novel opens. I think it would provide a more solid foundation of the storyline and character development than to simply pick this one up and try to follow along through the tidbits you glean as you read through the book. The first book, The Hardest Thing To Do is followed by The Hour Before the Dawn and these book have been previously well received through other reviews.

I received this book compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and seeing the storyline develop for the character of William, I am hoping to go back and begin this series from the first book to get a better idea of where this novel falls into place. As a stand alone, I rate this one a 3 out of 5 stars but hope to increase this after reading the entire series.

[Danielle Barger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore this sweet series!! The stories are so simple, peaceful, thought-provoking and filled with characters with relatable human struggles. Each book delights me! I appreciate the author always including the character list for everyone living in the monastery as well as the liturgical calendar and glossary of terms in each book.

[Arlena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author: Penelope Wilcock
Published Crossway
Age Recommended: Adult
Rating: 5
Blog For: GMTA
Review:

"Remember Me" by Penelope Wilcock was her sixth book in The Hawk and Dove series and was a christian fiction. This novel was of the life of William de Bulmer who was a monk of the St. Alcuin...has fallen in love with the Abbot John's sister Madeleine ...oops...then he meets Madeleine next door neighbor Mother Ellen Cottingham..who comes to love him as a son..and ask him to become her confessor...and now he has accidentally lost all of the Abby's money"... what would happen for this monk next...could he be truly forgiven? Now, this is where I say you must pick up this excellent read.."Remember Me" to find out just what is going on.


The historical details that this author displays was simply a masterful job in describing the struggles that these monks had trying to live a godly life. We really get a look through this Medieval storyline of that shows this monks true life struggles with despair dealing with love and walking a narrow path serving God.

The main character...Father William was solid wonderful person...very real..along with John(Abbot), Father Peregrine, Father Oswald, Madeleine, Mother Ellen Cottingham, Brother Michael, Brother Robert, Brother Thomas, Brother Fleix, Brother Chad, Brother Ambrose,Brother Richard, Brother Bernard, Brother Giles, Brother Martin, Brother Benedict, Brother Paulinus, Brother James, Brother Peter, Brother Michael, Brother Walafrid, Brother Stephen, Father Domonic, Brother Conradus, Brother Cormac, Father Theodore, Thomas Haydon and I am sure I have left someone out.. but if you pick up "Remember Me" you can see who that was.

"Remember Me" was a wonderful read for me and I truly enjoyed each and every page. I would definietly recommend this excellent novel and it is worth reading.

[bookme4life · Rating 4 out of 5]

William de Bulmer is an unlikeable man who in many ways deserves the many bad things that happen to him prior to this book. In his time at St. Alcuin's, though, he has changed in spite of himself through the grace and love of community.

Now he has a chance at real happiness and relational closeness, but his vows as a monk leave those things just out of reach. His life is complicated further when he makes a choice that, if it pays off, will allow the community to be prosperous. But the exact opposite happens, and now they're threatened with insolvency.

Remember Me is third in the William de Bulmer series (book 1 The Hardest Thing to Do and book 2 The Hour before Dawn) and last in the stories of the monks at St. Alcuin (started with The Hawk and the Dove Trilogy). It is best read as a part of the de Bulmer trilogy , if not as a part of the whole set, to fully appreciate the character growth and emotional impact.

If you like character-driven Christian fiction that will really challenge and encourage you, give this book (and series) a try.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another novel about the monks of St. Alcuin's centering on Father William de Bulmer--he falls in love, questions his vocation to the monastic life, and takes a risky trading venture upon himself. The latter goes bad and the whole monastery is left with the consequences. We agonize with William in his struggles. I could see where Abbot John was coming from though.

These loveable monks, oh, so human! have become fictional friends. I love the way the author delves into each human heart.

Highly recommended as are all of this series.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true love story about a man who is taken into a community of monks when his life is in danger. William learns what love means on so many different levels. The ending is beautiful!

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved The Hawk and the Dove Trilogy and these three subsequent books in the series were just as terrific. Read the whole series - I highly recommend all six books.

[Lori Eby · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I say for this book goes for all six books in this series: I wouldn’t call them high art or stellar literature by some standards, yet they accomplish for me what the best books do: they pull me in, engage me in the characters, and change my thinking. It’s the theology that almost makes me want to reread them immediately.

They nearly earn five stars, and I almost fear it’s literary snobbery that keeps me at four stars, for although I’d say the writing hasn’t reached perfection (too saccharine? sometimes cliche? predictable? emotion leads the way?), these books lead me to see humans, vulnerability, mercy, and grief with new eyes. The insight and tenderness is tangible, and if it’s the right time for you, these stories will change your life.

Also, the first two books contain stories within a story, and I find I can easily skip the framework story and lose nothing: it’s the stories set in the monastery that are memorable.

[Lara Lleverino · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the start of this book I was very worried that what I had valued in this series was going to be tossed aside for tawdry sensationalism common in most modern smut. I didn’t want to read a retelling of Thorn Birds. This book in the series however continued with the same heart and moments of faith and beauty.


Spoilers with content considerations:













This series has never shied away from hard topics and if you have made it this far you know that violence has been explicitly described and it was in this volume as well. None felt gratuitous but if violence has wounded you then you might want to be prepared there is rape, and violent assault. There is a mildly described intimate encounter between a newly married couple, so also maybe not appropriate for all readers.

[Gerry Connolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remember Me is the sixth in Penelope Wilcock’s Hawk and Dove series. Set in medieval Benedictine monastery St Alcuin’s Fr William experiences trauma and love as he tries to adjust to a new life under the Rule of Benedict. In the process he falls in love with Abbot John’s sister, Madeleine, recovers funds lost in a shipwreck through an unexpected inheritance and finds an idyllic life with his paramour. All done with the Abbot’s reluctant blessing. This one is just an improbable plot: no medieval abbot could/would ever bless an ordained priest running off with his sister. 21st century sensibility projected on what would have been a rigid, juridical monastic life style.

[Gabby-Lily Raines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful read with great characters.

While Remember Me is part of a series, it has enough "body" to stand on its own. At least, I have found it so.

Having said that, I will be going on to find the other books in ther series as I think it will give a greater depth to this book.

I look forward to reading Ms. Wilcock's other works very much.

[Kyleigh Dunn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love this series, but I confess that one of the things I find appealing about it is that monks = no romance (at least theoretically; I know historically this is not the case!). Even still, I hoped Wilcock would handle it with more theological depth.

[Margaret Brinig · Rating 5 out of 5]

lessons on vocation

All the books in this series are wonderful. This one, about turning from darkness to light and about vocations, is particularly helpful for all of us who struggle.

[Eris Cardin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Penelope Wilcock has written a breathtaking, beautiful book that doesn't shy away from the brutalities and sorrows of life--but always points back to our Savior and the joy we have in Him.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the tone changed from an insightful medieval romance to a Mills & Boon one, it lost my interest and I gave up on it, for now.

[Jody Bjarnason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am working my way through the series slowly because I dont want it to,end.

[Paula Yerke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilcock is more inspirational than many a theologian. The title of this book is perfect.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book I cried my way through … it’s so true. I will never think of the word ‘remember’ in the same way again. Spiritual truth, a good story, amazing descriptions.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This whole series is amazing. It a story of relationship and human experience. The characters are relatable and even though it is set in history in a monastery, it is still so relatable.

[Coleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you read the sixth book in a series, you have to wonder what occurred in the first five books. Although that is usually the case, I read this interesting book and was not concerned with the previous books. However, I plan to read the first five after reading number six.

Being a Catholic, I had reservations about the turn of events, but the story was a great one, and I can't wait to read one to five....

I received the boothe lucky winner in a giveaway from Goodreads! And I have alread passed the book on to another reader.

[Beth Withers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 6th in The Hawk and the Dove series. Father William has manyu obstacles to overcome in this one. I was a little surprised at the ending, but I am glad it turned out as it did. I have read all the previous books, which makes the book more meaningful for me. I have come to know and love many of the brothers that have appeared in many of the books so far. As always, there is a fair amount of theology in here, some of it pretty heavy and some of it in this one I had trouble with, but I understand Abbott John's position. I look forward to reading the next book.

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penelope Wilcock creates in Father William a person who experiences the universal struggles of humanity. Ms. Wilcock sets this novel of love, oblgation and choice in a medieval monastic framework. Remember Me's framework and the bucolic setting encourage an opportunity for self-examination. I will look for more of Ms. Wilcock's works.
This book was shared by a fellow goodreads winner.

[Jill Kandel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very dissapointed with the writing and the story. After Wilcock's fabulous The Hawk and The Dove, I was expecting more beautiful language. It felt trite. Curious about her other new books in the series.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series, perhaps because I love the Benedictines.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and powerful story of growth, of love, of life, of grace in the midst of the mundane.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hooked.