The Name I Call Myself

by Beth Moran

All Faith Harp wants is a quiet life--to take care of her troubled brother, Sam, earn enough money to stop the poverty wolves snapping at her heels, and to keep her past buried as deep as possible. And after years of upheaval, she might have just about managed it: Sam's latest treatment seems to actually be working, Faith is holding down a job, and she's engaged to the gorgeous and successful Perry. But, for Faith, things never seem to stay simple for long. Her domineering mother-in-law-to-be is planning a nightmare wedding, including the wedding dress from hell. And the man who killed her mother is released from prison, sending her brother tumbling back into mental illness.

When secretly planning the wedding she really wants, Faith stumbles across a church choir that challenges far more than her ability to hold a tune. She ends up joining the choir, led by the fierce choir-mistress Hester, who is determined to do whatever it takes to turn the group of ragtag women into something spectacular. She also meets Dylan, the church's vicar, who is different than any man she has ever met before . . .

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Faith, Adult Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2016

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Beth Moran initially worked as a biochemist and then taught antenatal classes before becoming an author. She loves to write contemporary women`s fiction set in and around Sherwood Forest, where she lives with her family

Reviews

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faith’s future mother in law, Larissa, is insisting Faith wear her wedding dress. Nothing about this dress is appealing. It is just one more way Larissa seems to be taking over and trying to run the whole wedding the way she wants it, never mind what the bride and groom want. This includes the venue and number of guests. Not wanting to upset her fiancé Perry, Faith tries to go along with it. Until it all becomes too much. Faith ends up visiting her mother’s old church. There she ends up being drawn into the choir and finding something she never knew she was missing. With the members of the choir and the friendship of the young minister she starts to feel safe. Yet all the time the darkness of her past is edging closer. A past her millionaire fiancé knows nothing about. And as for her brother Sam, how can she make Perry understand all he has gone through and how much Sam needs her?
Given the cover, I picked this up expecting it to be light chick lit read. But this book is so much more than that. It is genuinely funny and I’m not often much of a one for amusing fiction. But some of Faith’s and her friend Marilyn’s antics had me chuckling at times. However there are also deeper issues that surface in this book. It is filled with some extremely likeable chracters, especially Faith, Dylan, Marilyn and Hester the choir leader. Hester does have some interesting ideas about ways to bring the choir together though and it’s easy to see why she experienced some rebellion at times. There are some downright obnoxious characters, especially among the privileged rich and scary characters from Faith and Sam’s past plus others who are victims of their own sad choices.
Differences in class and lifestyle, community, family relationships, friendship and love are just some of the themes covered in this book, as well as darker themes of choices and abuse. It is all told with humour, and engages the emotions in so many ways. This is my first book by this author and I loved it. Absolutely lapped up every single word, while laughing and crying my way through it. Yes, it was a little predictable. But I didn’t care. I adored it. This book was just so much more than I expected. A very welcome change to the reading diet. I will be interested to track down more of this writer’s books.

[Irena BookDustMagic]

Don’t let the cover of The Name I Call Myself fool you. It screams qirky and funny chick lit in all it’s glory.
And yes, it was quirky, it was fun at times and you could say it is a chick lit (even though it is a true piece of women’s fiction in my opinion), but it is also so much more.

The story follows Faith, 25 years old girl who is engaged to Perry, who’s family come from the old money.
Faith has some trouble preparing for the wedding as her mother-in-law likes to have everything under control, from Faith’s wedding dress to wedding invitations, every possible aspect of Faith’s big day.
While trying to arrange what church the wedding should be in, Faith and her best friend Marilyn stumble upon a choir and decide to join.
What hurt can some choir practice bring, right? Especially where there’s a cute church vicar involved…
But Faith also has so much more on her plate. The life she lived before, her unreliable brother she’s taking care of and some ghosts from her past will shake her everyday life and make her question her decisions in a search for herself.

This book took me by surprise. I enjoyed reading it as much as I expected, but what I didn’t expect was the seriousness that the story took.
At first, it started as a typical chick lit, with a clumsy protagonist and humoristic scenes that even made me roll my eyes.
But as the story progressed, it took another turn and it became more serious, covering some pretty important issues like addiction, violence and abuse.

Characters we met in this novel had more dimensions and I liked how they seemed real.
Faith was a great protagonist. The writer made her relatableand at some points, even though I didn’t agree with her, I saw where she was coming from.

I only wish we got to see more scenes with Perry. In that case, we’d got a chance to meet him better so he wouldn’t be so mysterious. I can’t even tell if his absence came as a planned part of the story or if his character was just neglected in the process of writing.
Whatever it is, I think it would be better if there was more of him.

The writing style was really good. From pacing to describing, everything is well managed and the book reads pretty quickly.

This was my first time reading the work of Beth Moran.
I am glad I had a chance to read The Name I Call Myself because now I’d like to try Moran’s other work.

If you are a women’s fiction lover, I highly recommend you to put The Name I call Myself on your to-be-read list.
In my opinion, it is worth giving a try.

Read this and more reviews on my blog: http://bookdustmagic.wordpress.com

[Hristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was incredibly fun to read. The characters were colorful, wonderfully written. The plot, which isn't a typical rom-com, but a storyline that talks about the challenges of being a woman and trying to juggle it all. The writing style is quite interesting, and it's what has you hooked most of all.
I loved it. I can't wait for Beth Morgan's future works, but I also can't wait to get my hands on everything she's written before.

[Iola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beth Moran is an English Christian author. The Name I Call Myself is her third novel, following Making Marion and I Hope You Dance. If you’ve read either of those and didn’t like them for any reason, then I doubt you’ll enjoy The Name I Call Myself, so you can skip this review. But if you liked them or haven’t read them, read on.

I will admit I found The Name I Call Myself a little difficult to get in to. It had a lot of similarities to her previous novels, in that it centres around a young woman discovering her true self. This isn’t helped by some early scenes which reminded me of Bridget Jones at her least intelligent. Faith isn’t an easy character to get to know (even though the book is written in first person). But once we get past the awkwardness that is Faith’s engagement party, the novel really picked up both pace and interest.

Faith is a complex character.
She was raised by her grandmother (now dead) and her older brother, Sam, after their mother was murdered by her partner … as Sam watched. That experience drove the teenage Sam down a trail of alcohol, drugs and mental illness. And he’s never recovered. It left Faith with … well, ‘issues’ almost begins to describe it. She is a very private person, and it takes a long time before I understood enough of her history to really understand the reason she didn’t share a lot.

The Name I Call Myself is about Faith’s relationships. Her with relationship with Perry, her fiance. Her relationship with her brother and his new girlfriend. And her non-relationship with her future mother-in-law (who takes controlling passive-aggressive to new levels). Then there is her relationship with the Grace choir, including Hester the bully conductor. And her almost-relationship with Dylan, the pastor. It’s in her relationships with these supporting characters that we get to know the real Faith …

The Faith perhaps not even Faith knows.
Yes, there are touches of romance, of comedy and of suspense. But The Name I Call Myself is really about Faith’s search for love, acceptance and identity, a search many of us can relate to.

Recommended for fans of contemporary Christian fiction with an edge.

Thanks to Lion Fiction and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

[Stace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faith is marrying rich-boy Perry, unfortunately his mother Larissa seems to think that she is marrying the whole Upperton family and has invited herself to be the unwelcome wedding planner. From wedding rings, to wedding dress, and even what underwear Faith wears on her wedding day, Larissa is trying to interfere in every aspect of the wedding.

The Upperton’s don’t see Faith as their equal, more of the pauper who is marring their son, as Faith used to be the girl behind the bar at their pretentious private members club, the HCC, and to them is a ‘nobody’.

Faith however, has more on her mind than the wedding. From caring for her mentally unstable brother Sam, to trying to hide from a dangerous past that is trying to catch up with her. Her life is exhausting and emotional, but with the help from her new-found hobby, choir singing, she is slowly learning to release some tension, learning to love herself and believe in herself, whilst at the same time making some wonderful friends, including the church’s Pastor, Dylan.

Sometimes you come across a book that takes you by surprise, and isn’t exactly what you envisage it to be like. For me this was one of those books.

True the plot was different to what I imagined it was going to be, but believe, me this was a good thing. This book isn’t a chick lit, sweetness and roses kind of book. This books covers some hard hitting issues whilst at the same time, makes you laugh and smile, and feel warmth inside.

The story was one I could truly emphasise with, and I completely understood how Faith was feeling. It didn’t just feel like I was sat reading the book, it felt like I was part of it, fully immersed in Faith’s life and dilemmas.

The characters are incredibly life-like. There are a lot of them, but you never feel overwhelmed as they all play their part in the book, and add depth to it.

I loved every minute of this book and found it hard to put down. I want to thank Beth for writing a magnificent book that will stay with me for long after I turned that final page.

Reviewed by Stacey at www.whisperingstories.com

[Rachel McMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, Beth Moran is at the top of the womens' fiction game pairing warm, wonderful characters against the backdrop of a beguiling Nottingham setting.

You might think from the whimsical cover, the unusual happenstances at a church choir and Faith's over-bearing mother-in-law-to-be that this would be a run-of-the-mill chicklit doused in cliches.

Instead, we are offered a heartbreaking view at the pressures placed on women: from Faith herself balancing an upcoming marriage, a troubled brother and whether or not she fits with her wealthy fiance, to a range of women finding themselves within the construct of a church choir, navigating love and motherhood.

A perfect balance of dark and light, Faith's journey toward acceptance of herself and her past is a joy to watch unfold.

As is now to be expected in an offering from this talented voice, the cast of characters is quirky, relatable and dimensional.

Social class also comes into play and provides an added layer to a book with adept depth as to abuse, violence and family rifts.

There is, of course, a romance but it is slow moving, blossoming out of a friendship and not fully realized until Faith is able to accept herself: in all of her reinvented incarnations.

Moran impressed me greatly with Making Marion and I Hope You Dance and The Name I Call Myself proves a continual trajectory: Moran gets better and better.

[Tess Liebregts · Rating 5 out of 5]

PLEASE READ THIS BOOK! That was all I had wanted to say, but let me elaborate.

I was expecting a funny, witty, light chick flick kind of novel, but it isn't exactly that. This book has some unexpected depths and discusses some very serious topics. This book is something everyone should read. It's not just a love story. It's about family, friendship and self-growth. It's bubbly, yet sad. It's just that book you need when you are looking for something simple, yet meaningful. It is like that movie you watch over and over again when it's late and you just want to feel feelings and smile whilst emotion is obstructing your eyesight (but only a little).

[Diane Estrella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all three of Beth Moran's books and this is her best yet. The characters were well developed and the storyline, although not typical for most women to live through and experience, had many moments of relate-ability. The emotions you feel for the characters are deep both joyfully and sad. Deeply sorrowful. It's like your own best friends that you are riding the roller coaster of life with ... taking the journey together, come what may.

There were a lot of ladies in this book and occasionally I did get slightly, temporarily confused as to who I was following but it quickly sorted itself out. This is a complex book with women as true friends lifting each other up and supporting them in their highest and lowest moments. As a woman, I know how much we need a small band of friends to see us through. This book does not pretty up real life. The author does not sugarcoat and she shows the scars of survival. Sometimes just barely...

I truly look forward to reading more from this author. Bravo.

I received this book from the publisher but was not required to leave a review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Beckie Burnham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beth Moran knows how to write characters that are real — real in their attitudes, struggles, and emotions. Characters that make you want to climb into the book and become their best friends. I have now read three novels by Moran and can honestly say that each successive book is my favorite. The Name I Call Myself was such a satisfying read. I laughed, I cried, and I loved every minute of it. The best book I have read by Moran . . . until the next one is out!

Faith Harp is a survivor. From violent childhood trauma through abuse by a menacing boyfriend on to the struggle of keeping her mentally ill and drug-addicted brother alive, Faith adapts to her surroundings and settles for good enough. But with the help of an odd assortment of other surviving women, Faith learns to take control and live.

Written from the first person perspective of Faith, The Name I Call Myself has great moments of wit and humor. It also examines tough issues like mental illness and abuse. Although Faith is the main character and it is her story that is central, there is an ensemble cast of characters that give the novel an added depth; a feeling of fellowship and community between women who love each other. The choir that becomes Faith’s outlet and therapy was the highlight of the book for me. I couldn’t wait for the next team-building exercise that director Hester had in store for them — truly laugh out loud funny! But the lessons learned by the choir (and the reader) made all of the mud, scrapes, and self-examination worth it. As Faith puts it after recognizing the importance of shouldering each other’s burdens:

I made a decision not to keep trying to carry my load alone. It wants heroic. It was stupid. And prideful. And bordering on obsessive. (p. 204)

Faith had many names throughout her life, but she and the others soon could call themselves courageous, capable and worthy.

An added bonus to the hilarity and the soul-searching was the romantic thread that Moran includes. It’s not a major part of the story, but it does add some sweetness and spice.

Another winner from Beth Moran, The Name I Call Myself is a book I will be recommending to all my friends. It gets a highly recommended rating from me.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: adults

(Thanks to Kregel and Lion Hudson for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Name I Call Myself is not at all what I expected. It was so much more. I thought it would be a light romantic comedy (I’m not sure why… maybe the whimsical cover), and while there are certainly lighter moments that lean toward the romcom spectrum, this novel is much less chick lit and much more women’s fiction. In the best possible ways.

The Name I Call Myself reaches in to the heart of every woman and exposes our deepest wounds, but it does so with much grace, at the same time inspiring strength and courage and celebrating the beauty of friendship. It casts a spotlight on domestic abuse, mental illness, substance addiction, insecurity, and the pressures that go hand in hand with being a woman. But in between these scenes that break your heart, there is life and love and laughter to soothe the wound and to remind us that there IS joy as well as hope to be found even when the world seems its darkest and most frightening.

The cast of characters tromping through this novel are quirky and endearing and lifelike. Particularly the choir that Faith rather stumbles into. This choir is the heart of the novel, to be sure – a ragtag group of women from all walks of life, with all manner of history and insecurity and hidden scars. Their fearless leader Hester is a force to be reckoned with, but in one scene in particular – one brief sentence really – she had me completely in her corner even as my eyes filled with tears.

Bottom Line: The Name I Call Myself is a book of great heart, of much courage, of subtle faith, and of true love. It is one that will linger with you after you’ve reached the end, and you’ll find yourself thinking about these characters beyond your tenure with the book itself. It took me a couple of chapters to really get into the story, but I’m so very glad I pressed on. Any woman who has ever felt alone in the world, confused by her situation, or overwhelmed by life needs to read this book!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)

See my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faith is looking forward to her marriage to Perry - well sort of. What she wants is stability in her life and to be able to look after her brother, Sam who has several problems, and to forget about her traumatic childhood. But she is not keen on having her life taken over by her future mother-in-law, Larissa who seems determined to arrange every detail of her wedding not to speak of her life.

Going in search of a different wedding venue Faith stumbles across a choir with a difference run by the very organised Hester. Faith finds herself a member of the choir and it starts to change her life and it shows her the power of female friendship and introduces her to Dylan - the pastor - who is almost the successful Perry's opposite.

When the man who killed Faith's mother is released from prison, she finds herself living on a knife edge and her brother is plunged back into mental illness. Can Faith rescue her life from the brink of an abyss?

This is a real feel good story without being unnecessarily sugary and sentimental. Faith has serious problems to confront and major decisions to make but she has some new friends to help her and a new found determination to make the best life she can for herself, regardless of what other people think she should be doing.

I found this an uplifting story and while there is a religious element it is not obtrusive and the book can be read and enjoyed by people of any faith or none at all. I like Faith - an interesting character who has had a bad start in life but who wants to turn her life round with the help of friends who truly do want the best for her. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.

[Agi · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading and loving Beth Moran's last release, "I Hope You Dance", I was waiting impatiently for her new novel. I haven't read Beth's debut novel yet and I must eventually treat myself to it but reading her previous book made me fell in love with her writing and the way she tells her stories - stories that usually have much more to them than meet the eye, complicated, beautiful, incredibly sad but also incredibly uplifting stories with the right mix of humour and tears. It was really like Christmas coming in summer when I've received an email asking if I want to be a part of Beth's blog tour for the new novel and when the book itself arrived on my doorstep I dropped everything and started reading it on the spot.

Looking at the cover of this book you may expect a light, fluffy rom - com and partly you get this, but "The Name I Call Myself" mostly concentrates on much more serious issues. However the fact that it is about abuse, violence, mental health issues and women that don't believe in themselves doesn't mean that the book isn't uplifting or optimistic - because it is! Thanks to the writing style the tone switches from comedy to dramatic and this is all so very well balanced and the book is going to make you laugh out loud and cry in the next second. I am lost in admiration how well Beth Moran "does" feelings and emotions, everything she writes about rings the bell, feels so realistic and close to life and I often had desire to shout yes! I know how it feels!

Faith is planning her wedding to Perry, a "millionaire playboy". However, she very quickly realises that the wedding day is going to be not her own big day but rather her future mother - in - law, interfering mother of Perry, Larissa's, who has planned everything - also Faith's wedding dress, the "Ghost Web". But quickly we learn that the "Ghost Web" and Larissa could be Faith's least essential problems. She is supporting her very troubled brother Sam and is at his beck and call - there are awful secrets and dark past involved. Even though a fiancée to a millionaire, Faith is struggling financially, as she doesn't want to accept Perry's help and is determined to earn her own money and bread. Then, accidentally, when visiting the church her mother went to and its Minister Dylan, Faith finds herself joining the choir, and it is actually then that everything happens - she starts to learn to live again but her dangerous past is suddenly trying to catch up with her and Sam...

The cast of characters is brilliant! They are all not only vivid, larger than life people with their own personalities but they feel like 3 - D people. They're dimensional, they're relatable and all of them have their own stories. Faith. Oh my word, Faith. Independent, strong on the surface but inside she was carrying the weight of the whole world on her shoulders and she had scars that will probably never heal. She's only 25 years old but she seems so much older and so much wiser for her age, I was actually surprised when I learnt that she's so young, but it's not a wonder that she is like she is as her past was not a bed of roses. What I so adored in her was that even though Perry was incredibly rich and offered her money at every turn, Faith wanted to be independent of him and insisted to work, which sometimes led to very hilarious situations, let's only mention Faith's engagement party. Faith's past was so, so sad, and all the time new facts came to the light, there was always more to know, and I admired her for the fact that she always tried to keep her chin high and look forward. The way she was telling the story made me feel like a part of it, as if I knew faith personally for a long time.
Larissa may be considered your clichéd future mother - in - law but the scenes with her, as much as they made me desperate to bite her head off, were brilliant and added so much fun to the story. She's a true nightmare, Larissa, and I know it is so easy to say that Faith should have just say no to her - I think it was impossible. I wouldn't dare. Even Perry wouldn't dare, and he was his son, so we can't expect it from Faith, the strong, brave Faith.
The story of Sam was at the beginning truly engaging and heart - wrenching, though I must admit that through the course of the novel it started to knacker me out. He had no idea how lucky he is with the two women dumping everything and everybody when he was in need. Sure, I can't put myself in his shoes, and I even don't want, I truly can't imagine what has happened to him and I am certain it was freakingly difficult for him but on the other hand, he got so many chances, he had so many possibilities and still he wasn't strong enough. It doesn't mean his story didn't move me, because it did, I am just incredibly sad that after all the things he and Faith went through he just gave up.

The biggest highlight of the book is, I think, the choir and its members. It was a very special choir and let me tell you this one thing: if you had such a group of friends around yourself, you needn't fear anything. With those women you could move mountains and they'd walk a mile in the rain to help you out. It's not a wonder that Faith finds solace in the church and its choir group, even with the choir master Hester who - yes, sometimes terrifying - gives the women what they need - confidence, makes them feel comfortable in their own skin, even if in a controversial and sometimes very adventurous and dangerous way. Being in the choir helps Faith to find herself and to open up to people. It was incredible, this choir, only reading about it and seeing how strong Hester was made ME feel stronger and like ME better. Because of the choir members there are many characters in this book but they are all so incredibly vivid and life - like that I've never had a problem with who is who, and they all added tons of depth to this book. I loved them all and I fell for them all and I kept my fingers crossed for them. They were strong, believable characters that you root for and the author so effortlessly brings them all to life.

The romance element is there, of course, and I found it a little misleading. For a very long time I was thinking Perry to be a really great guy, the real Prince on a White Horse, the perfect showpiece and the friendship (or more) of Faith and Dylan was - even though really sweet and full of understanding and seeming as if those two were a real match made in haven - confusing. I couldn't understand why Faith feels such reservations towards marrying Perry (I'd better not mention Larissa here. It would be enough to end all relationships and engagement), even though she's agreed to marry him, they're engaged. It was confusing, because Perry was always there for Faith, he didn't ask questions, he helped her, so it was a kind of mystery to me and it took a long time before the situation was cleared.

Beth Moran in a perfect way blends and covers so many issues in one story - it is about families and friendships, abuse and violence, mental health, love... She somehow manages to combine all the threads together and delivers an emotional, moving and terrific story that is thought - provoking and so light to read. Ms Moran has already placed herself at the top of my favourite authors list and I am already waiting for her next book (and in between, I'm just hitting the "Order" button for "Making Marion"). I would compare this book to the novel written by Marian Keyes - full of sadness and difficult issues but also full of hope and lightness, bitter - sweet novels about brilliantly drawn characters with many layers. "The Name I Call Myself" is full of surprises, it is brutally honest and it can easily break your heart, but it is also uplifting, optimistic read that shows that with some work you will eventually find your happiness. It is this kind of story that stays with you for long after you turn the final page, which is a magnificent feeling. It is this kind of book that you wanted to finish as soon as possible to see how it's going to end but you also want to last and last and never end. It is a book with a soul, it's deep, it's incredibly gripping and it feels really genuine. The author puts her characters through so much and together with them we are taken on an incredible, funny and sad journey through ups and downs, twists and turns. It, in a beautiful way, describes friendship, love and trust. Just like with the last book, this time the author has offered us the perfect balance of bitter and sweet, of dark and light, of hope and hopeless and I adored every single second of it - highly recommended!

Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a review.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This was a pretty amazing book. The thing that struck me the most in this book was that every single character in this book was SO multi-dimensional! (Except for one - Perry was pretty flat comparatively, but a nice guy mostly... well I guess most everyone else from his world came across as flat too, but they weren't really main characters, so that was okay.) I really enjoyed this book. It was a book of finding oneself, many times over. The main character was figuring out how to confront and accept herself after serious and repeated abuses. Her brother is in his brokenness from witnessing horrific events, and both of them fearing a new confrontation with the evil. I LOVED the church choir and how the women rally around each other, forging friendships that will help them through the fires of life. I adored Marilyn - she's such a real mom, stressed to near blowing but giving of herself until it blesses her beyond what she could have imagined. Dylan was the man version, so determined to help others.

I was slightly disappointed that there was so little real Christianity in it with the main group being a Church choir, and one of the main characters a minister. It was more of a "nod" to God's influence instead of the infusion of true hope that God can give people like them. The larger lesson here was how much we need each other; we do SO need one another, so there was tremendous value there.

This would make a great book club book.

[Paula Vince · Rating 4 out of 5]

My biggest take-away from this novel is that our experiences are grained into the fabric of our personalities. Even with a wealthy fiance, new car and the offer of limitless financial support, Faith still thinks with the battler's perspective and insists on working hard to look after herself. It's easy to understand, when you consider the gradual revelation of all she's been through. It's quite fascinating. She's planning to marry a millionaire, but still has a broke person's mindset. Overall, Faith comes across with a strong sense of her own personhood, which she never compromises or allows to be violated. It makes her an admirable main character.

Beth Moran's writing style is fantastic. She knows how to play with a reader's emotions using a good blend of humour and pathos. She also has a way of making every character well-rounded and three-dimensional, including those with cameo roles. Each of the ladies in the choir stands out as individuals.

The heart and wisdom of Hester the choir director, is one of the good parts of the story. She wants the ladies to develop such a loving bond that they support each other like a single organism, and convinces them that they must believe the best of themselves before they can expect their singing performance or lives to get any better. I liked her creative schemes to get them out of their comfort zones. Bonding happened, as Hester hoped, but on a few occasions some serious accidents were narrowly avoided. At those times, she came across a bit like an unqualified, self-appointed counselor who took huge decisions on herself. She was lucky they didn't turn out any worse.

The progression of Faith's romantic dilemma was interesting. Although it's pretty clear from the start that Dylan, the rugged pastor, is marked to be the hero, it was looking like she could've easily gone with Perry. He wasn't an anti-hero. In fact, I think it's to his credit that he turned out as nice a guy as he was, having been brought up by his snobby, overbearing mother. Perry was a product of his upbringing and circumstances, just as Faith and Sam were of theirs. Parts of the story seemed a bit rough on him, but I think he had a narrow escape too, since he could have ended up with a woman who wasn't in love with him and could never share his view of the world. He should have got out earlier, since there were many alarm bells. For example, she never said, 'I love you.' They probably could never have really been a good match, since their world outlooks were poles apart from childhood.

I think many readers who enjoy the 'One true love and you'll know when it hits you,' ideal will enjoy this book. It shows even big girls aren't too old for fairy tales, which sometimes do come true. Hey, I'm not sure if it's ever fully revealed why Dylan was still single. He said he'd explain one day, but did he ever?

I'll try not to drop plot spoilers, but I decided to take one star off because although the writing is top-notch, some of the events of the plot left me horrified. I found one part of the story to be the emotional equivalent of a whack in the guts. It's most disturbing because the characters concerned are forewarned in plenty of time and do all they can to take precautions, calling on people who ought to be equipped to help, yet the situation still turns out just as they'd feared. That creeps me out. It was like a nightmare, which doesn't say much for the help we can expect from our society (or God, some readers may add).

Sure, plenty of novels reflect the devastating turns life may take, but I thought it a bit unfair to the reader that this turns out to be one of them, because we were lulled into a sense of security. The cheery front cover design and some of the hilarious happenings early on lead me to expect for certain that this particular plot thread would be cleared up okay. Especially since the characters were doing all the right things. When I got to that stage, all I could do was gulp and say, 'I really didn't think she'd take it there.' It's just one of the hazards of the adventure of reading, I guess.

Thanks to Lion Hudson and NetGalley for my review copy.
Find more reviews on my blog, http://vincereview.blogspot.com.au/

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

Some of my all time favorite movies are chick flicks with a touch of comedy added to completely make them memorable. The Name I Call Myself by Beth Moran is exactly that and so much more. It involves a complex relationship between Faith Harp and her multi-millinaire fiancè, Peregrine Upperton or Perry for short. For one thing, you would think most women would jump at the chance to marry a handsome rich man who has eyes only for you, but Faith keeps him at arms length due in part to a past she hasn't yet shared with him. It's kinda hard when you have an abusive past with a number of men including your step father and then a roommate of Faith's and her brother Sam, named Snake.

Turns out that their stepfather Kane, is being released from prison and in doing so has vowed to take revenge out on Sam and Faith for putting him there. To top it off, Sam is struggling with all the mental issues that go with watching your mother brutally murdered and now the man who did it is being released from prison. It's no wonder Sam is a substance abuser and will use whatever he can find to help him escape from his past, but with all his panic attacks, he calls Faith whenever his life spirals out of control and she always comes to his rescue.

Perry's overbearing and controlling mother, wants Faith to wear her wedding gown which she and her best friend Marilyn have dubbed, The Ghost Web because it is so hideous and looks so horrible on Faith, that she would have to be dead to want to wear it. But Faith is a bit of a people pleaser and goes along with virtually everything that happens in her life, until she walks into the church her mother used to attend as a possible wedding venue and gets drafted into the choir. Believe it or not it will change her life in ways she could have never imagined, but first she will need to find a voice if she is to be heard. That is where Helmet head comes into play! Life is about to get so interesting.

I received The Name I Call Myself by Beth Moran compliments of Lion Hudson Publishers and Kregel Publications. This novel will have you feeling all kinds of emotions from laughing out loud, to grabbing the nearest box of tissues. It is the perfect blend of comedy and romance to keep things interesting and engaged and I honestly enjoyed this novel more than I thought I would. It's like Monster-In-Law meets Pride and Prejudice. It is simply that good. But before you begin reading it, you will want to carve out a few hours so you can enjoy it uninterrupted. My favorite part is the purpose of the choir. Oh how I had one just like it here, I'd sign right up! For me, this one easily hit at 5 out of 5 stars.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel about a woman finding herself, friends, and true love.

Faith is engaged to the wealthy Perry, a man she met while working at a high class country club. She appreciated the man, well, really his money. Money she needed to care for her mentally unstable older brother, her only family after their mother was murdered. Faith knew she didn't really love Perry, but she could do this for her brother, couldn't she?

Faith begins a truly life changing experience when she and her friend go to a church Faith wants to have her wedding in. There is a choir practice going on and Hester, the choir director with hair like a helmet, assumes they are there to join the choir.

This is a choir like none other. Hester wants the best from her women and that means bonding experiences and times of self revelation and growth. Some of the times were hilarious while others were full of tears. It was amazing to see how these women found their personal strengths and formed strong and supportive friendships.

The characters in the novel were very well crafted. Choir director Hester was like a general but she loved those women in her choir and watched them grow. What a woman. On the other hand was Faith's soon to be mother-in-law. What a snooty and condescending brat. I felt like slapping her so many times.

Those fine aspects of the novel are wrapped up in themes of love. Faith had tremendous love for her brother. She learned to love the women in the choir and help them in their journeys to personal power. And they were right beside her in her journey too. And then there is romantic love. Just perhaps, perhaps Faith will find out what that is before it is too late.

I highly recommend this novel to those who enjoy one about women coming into their own, forming strong bonds, and finding their personal strengths. It would be a great book for a woman's reading group as there are many themes to discuss and a good set of questions are included. Be sure to have a box of tissues handy as you near the end. Finding out what real love is can be a little tearful.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Judi Easley · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review:
Faith Harp seems to lead more than one life. At work as a waitress, she's organized and is considered the best there is. She's very much in demand in the temp business. In her personal life, she seems to pick up people without trying. She picked up Marilyn sitting in the HCC meeting. Now Marilyn's her best friend. She and Marilyn pick up the choir when they go to Grace Chapel to see if it would be suitable for Faith's wedding. The women in the choir become very close friends. She meets Dylan, the handyman at the church, who turns out to be more than a handyman. They turn into really good friends, too!

Then there is the "emergency response" she does for her brother. Her brother has become totally dependent on her with his alcohol and drug addictions. And now her fiance's money for rehab. Sam, her brother, has panic attacks, too. And a new girlfriend named April. And, of course, April and Faith become good friends and April joins the choir.

Sounds like quite a life, right? Well, she is marrying a very rich man. That would be Perry. His mother is Larissa. Larissa and Faith do not become friends, ever. And then there is the Ghost Web. Faith's name for Larissa's wedding gown, which she has given to Faith to wear for her wedding. Faith and the Ghost Web don't become good friends, either. In fact, no one but Larissa and her husband, who will do anything to keep her happy, like the Ghost Web.

Faith is so busy responding to Sam, being best friends with Marilyn, singing with the choir, keeping track of Sam, and working as a temp waitress for events, that Perry sort of gets lost in the shuffle. A neglected fiance? And then the past rears its ugly head. Who is Rachel?

Grab some ice tea and settle into your chair. This is a great summer read! Maybe you and Faith will become good friends!

[Melissa (So Behind) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flawed, realistic characters coupled with an intriguing storyline make for another stellar novel by Beth Moran. Readers will long for a group of friends like the ones Faith finds in her choir group. The humor will have you laughing out loud, yet the poignant moments call forth a few tears. At the same time this is both a novel to savor and one that is difficult to put down. Faith's future mother-in-law brings up many unpleasant emotions, and the dilemma about Faith's love life and the class differences have no easy answers. All of these points combine for a thoughtful, insightful book.
Faith Harp has spent most of her life looking out for her brother, Sam. A tumultuous childhood filled with tragic events has left Sam with deep mental scars. Faith is swept off her feet by the wealthy Perry, and the two begin to plan their wedding. Perry's mother has a large amount of input, none of which seems to mesh with what Faith wants, but the point is the marriage, not the wedding, right? While exploring locations, Faith finds herself joining a choir and this quirky group of women become closer and more important than Faith could have ever imagined. Especially after she meets Pastor Dylan, who causes some strange feelings.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I like the way that she writes, it is very accessible and she brings life to wonderful, quirky characters. For me this book struggled to decide if it was chick-lit or realistic fiction. It had too many dark elements (abuse, depression, drug use, past violent crime) to be a purely enjoyable chick lit book, but it was a bit to stereotypical and neatly turned out to be a strong realistic fiction book. Except for the dark elements, it was clean.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I love about Beth Moran’s writing the most is that she always manages to surprise me – including elements in her books that I’m not expecting, that are grittier and have a more emotional edge and I’m half convinced they’re simply there to break my heart except for the fact they fit into her stories quite perfectly. Beth always faultlessly manages to weave sad, scary and brutally honest themes into a story that at its heart is warm and funny and uplifting, in its own way. She crafts books that will leave you feeling good at the end but also aware that you’ve had to work for it a bit by seeing your emotions all over the place – which is a purely satisfying experience!

The Name I Call Myself surprised me all over again. Three books in, having read Making Marion and I Hope You Dance previously, I still never expect the stories to go the way they do, but I love reading them. I found this book to be quite character driven, and Faith, the main character, is completely fascinating. At the beginning, I was struggling to work her out but that was part of the charm of the story. Faith is different – there’s a lot more than meets the eye and she has secrets, and a family and past that was both shocking and sad. The way Faith is telling the story to the readers was full of character and made me feel like I knew her like I would a close friend. But there was always more to know about Faith and that’s part of the reason I just had to keep on reading.

Faith is engaged to Perry, which sadly means she is also marrying into to his rich, overbearing family, who would honestly drive any woman insane. Perry’s mum in particular, Larissa, has taken control over the wedding planning and she is in absolute nightmare. Faith’s own plans for the wedding include her mother’s church, but this sees her having to confront her own life in more ways than one. Especially when she meets Dylan…

Then there is Sam, Faith’s brother, and his story revolves a lot around his mental health. Seeing the past dragged back up for Sam had be completely shattered and his story really moved me.

I don’t want to take anything away from this book so I won’t. But do read it! My favourite aspect of this book (I think, it was hard choosing) is the theme of friendship. During the lead-up to her wedding, Faith finds herself joining the choir and that opens her up to a world where friends are made – time spent with women learning to be strong, kind to themselves as well as to others, and the power of friendship shines through the pages. There’s a lot to love about the theme of friendship in this book, as well as the individual and memorable characters that make up the choir. A lot of characters to keep up with, but that’s never really a problem. The author’s insight into friendship and the way she portrays this is warm and inspiring.

The Name I Call Myself is a book I was really sad to see come to an end. Beth puts her characters, and with that her readers, through so much over the course of a few hundred pages that in truth the book doesn’t really leave you once you’ve turned the final page. I’m still thinking about it now. The darker tones to this book especially are still on my mind, mostly Sam’s story, and I really think The Name I Call Myself had it all, a wonderfully engaging, honest and surprising story of family, friendship and the strength we all have within ourselves.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from Kregel Publications for no charge in exchange for my honest review of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Description:

All Faith Harp wants is a quiet life—to take care of her troubled brother, Sam, earn enough money to stop the poverty wolves snapping at her heels, and to keep her past buried as deep as possible. And after years of upheaval, she might have just about managed it: Sam's latest treatment seems to actually be working, Faith is holding down a job, and she's engaged to the gorgeous and successful Perry. But, for Faith, things never seem to stay simple for long. Her domineering mother-in-law-to-be is planning a nightmare wedding, including the wedding dress from hell. And the man who killed her mother is released from prison, sending her brother tumbling back into mental illness.
When secretly planning the wedding she really wants, Faith stumbles across a church choir that challenges far more than her ability to hold a tune. She ends up joining the choir, led by the fierce choir-mistress Hester, who is determined to do whatever it takes to turn the group of ragtag women into something spectacular. She also meets Dylan, the church's vicar, who is different than any man she has ever met before . . . “Uplifting tone, memorable characters, and snappy dialog make this [a] great vacation read.” ―Library Journal “An exceptional novel of faith, hope, and fresh starts.” ―Christian Market “Moran cleverly utilizes elements familiar within love stories, resulting in a compelling and whimsical tale. . . . The plot is excellently paced and builds to a near-perfect emotional climax.” ―Foreword Reviews


My Thoughts:

A Name I Call Myself is Beth Moran's latest book and it is fantastic. I am a big fan of Beth Moran's books so I was excited to have the opportunity to read this latest book. Beth Moran writes with authority on weddings, mental illness, family challenges, abuse especially physical and sexual, mental illness, substance abuse,insecurity, and the struggle as women we encounter. This book grabbed me from the start. I could NOT put this book down. Beth Moran's books are Christian Chick-Lit and I love them. The characters in this book are great. They have messy lives and struggles just like the rest of us. I especially loved Faith.  Faith really takes family seriously and works hard to make everyone happy, except herself.  All she ever wanted was a peaceful, comfortable life. I did also love Faith's choir and her best friend Marilyn. They absolutely help Faith navigate her sticky life.  This book had me crying in many parts but laughing in between. This book really grabbed ahold of me and will stay with me for awhile. I could not put this book down, I felt like I was there with Faith navigating through these things. I absolutely love Beth Moran's books, each one just as good as the next. I cannot wait to read more from Beth Moran. I HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone who enjoys Christian Chick Lit, you will not be disappointed. I also recommend the other books by Beth Moran. I give this book 5 STARS.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faith isn’t at all the girl her fiancé thinks she is. In fact, her name isn’t really Faith; but with good reason. The problem is, Faith has a past that she is trying to put behind her. Her fiancé and is prominent, wealthy family could never understand or accept the real faith, so she is doing her best to move forward.

The problem is, she can physically remove herself from past situations, but she can’t remove herself from the memories and shame. It is even harder because she is struggling also to help her fragile older brother move forward as well, and that isn’t working so well. Of course, it is inevitable that Faith’s past will be revealed before she is ready to confess all to her fiancé.

This book was such a delightful mixture of suspense, romance, and comedy; all wrapped up in a book classified as Inspirational Fiction. Laugh out loud moments when Faith and her best friend wind up in a church and somehow find themselves joining a church choir. Well, Faith is invited to join to sing. Marilyn, her best friend who is maybe the closest to knowing much about Faith is only accepted because of her marvelous baking skills. If she is needed in the choir to balance out numbers, she is given strict orders to just lip sync.

Marilyn is also the person who bails Faith out of a sticky situation when Faith finds herself waitressing at her own surprise pre-wedding party at a posh venue where only the upper echelon are in attendance, waiting to meet the bride-to-be. To say that Faith isn’t exactly what they expected is an understatement. Another laugh out loud moment.

Never fear, though, as things get really tricky and downright scary, Faith finds someone she feels she can totally trust. It becomes necessary for Faith to reveal all, but she still isn’t quite ready to tell it all to her fiancé, but the situation is serious and dangerous and she needs help.

While a light read, it was engaging and the ups and downs kept me on the edge of my seat. I was cheering for Faith the entire time and I knew she would make the right decision in the end. I should say, decisions—plural.

The only thing I would have changed would have been a very sad part of the ending. I had hoped…but I can’t say that one thing ruined the book for me. It just made me a little disappointed.

[Rachel L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

“As I was saying,” Hester rapped out. “Sing as if it’s the last time you will ever get to sing. And as if it is the first time you truly understand these words. A thrill of hope! O night divine! Think about how the best song you ever heard made you feel. How your heart sped up and your skin tingled and your ears strained to catch every glorious, beautiful note. Ladies, you have the chance to lift eighty spirits out of the mundane clamour and clatter of life. To make them forget their stress and their sorrow, their broken dreams and bad-tempered bosses. To switch off their phone and step into something timeless and magnificent. Give it everything you’ve got. And do not sing one note like startled chickens, drowning hippopommi, or lifelong losers!”

This book surprised me. The fall-in-love-while-engaged-to-another trope isn’t my favorite, but the love story wasn’t the central plot and the rest of it was really good. I love the growth of the women of the choir and Hester is a new musical role model (minus the crazy teambuilding activities). And the quote above deeply resonates with my musician soul. Did I mention I want to be like Hester?

Trigger warning: significant abuse and addiction.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a huge Making Marion fan I was looking forward to this book. I found it fairly disjointed and difficult to follow. It dealt with some very difficult subjects head-on, but I felt one large problem was "resolved" too easily.

[Bek B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended by my sister E, I initially wondered why she made me read it...
But it turned out to be a light, easy read that was surprisingly empowering - not change-the-world powering, but get-to-know-yourself empowering.
Will probably read it again soon.

[Caroline Feller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute book and I enjoyed reading it. I felt some of the major parts were rushed and short, but other minor parts were given too many words. Mind wandered a lot throughout the read and had a harder time staying focused.

[Anna Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

+.5

[Rene · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got bored and quit reading about halfway through.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It really touched my heart. There were times when I put it down to think through some of the questions that faced Faith for myself.

[Amber Jasmijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jammer dat het begin van het boek start met 'fat shaming' ik had hem daardoor bijna weggelegd.