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A prisoner of guilt for so long... Mike Taylor is the epitome of stability. His family is proud of his academic and athletic achievements at Georgia Tech, and despite the temptations of college life, he has maintained his moral standards. Yet beneath the peaceful surface, Mike is consumed with guilt, fearing condemnation and rejection. A former girlfriend's abortion and the intense love he feels for his roommate's wife constantly remind Mike of his failures. Unable to forget and full of shame, he refuses to forgive himself. When Danielle enters his life, he realizes he can no longer hide the past. Will she be able to reach him or is Mike past the point of redemption? Described as "encouragement personified", Wolfe's five-book Southern-based series portrays love and friendship overcoming all obstacles. Known as "Spunk On A Stick" to her fans, Wolfe is also a professional speaker. Originally from Oregon, she now resides in North Carolina. "With a positive attitude, any goal can be achieved!"
306 pages, Paperback
First published March 16, 2007
13 people want to read
About the author
L. Diane Wolfe
17 books52 followersL. Diane Wolfe
Professional Speaker & Author
www.spunkonastick.net
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
Known as “Spunk On A Stick,” Wolfe is a member of the National Speakers Association. She conducts seminars on book publishing, promoting, leadership, and goal-setting, and she offers book formatting and author consultation. Wolfe is the senior editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and the author of numerous books. She travels for media interviews and speaking engagements and maintains numerous websites & blogs, including the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.
Professional Speaker & Author
www.spunkonastick.net
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
Known as “Spunk On A Stick,” Wolfe is a member of the National Speakers Association. She conducts seminars on book publishing, promoting, leadership, and goal-setting, and she offers book formatting and author consultation. Wolfe is the senior editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and the author of numerous books. She travels for media interviews and speaking engagements and maintains numerous websites & blogs, including the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 11, 2009
Circle Of Friends and Diane Wolfe
Inspirational author, Diane Wolfe, who has created an intriguing series called Circle of Friends; a five-book Southern-based series portrays love and friendship overcoming all obstacles.
What intrigues me is her ability to get into the heads of her young characters in such a way that both old and young can enjoy the story. Connect emotionally with the characters and find inspiration as well.
Her stories, like Diane herself, are positive and uplifting. The series focuses on friendships—love between friends, fulfilling your dreams, and how to overcome problems, as well as the challenges all face, but especially teens and young adults.
Having a teen and seeing his close connection with some his friends made me appreciate how Diane presents the problems these young men and women face. I have several nieces and nephews I’m close to who are in their early twenties. I’ve watched and listened as my son as well as his cousins’ talk of problems they’ve had and how they’ve tried to resolve them. Sometimes asking for guidance, sometimes not. Many times they only want a listening ear. They, like us, rely on a circle of friends to give support and advice. Some things aren’t easy to solve, or forgive, regardless of your age and have lasting impact on our lives.
Such is the case with Mike Taylor, the young protagonist in Book IV of Diane’s Circle Of Friends series.
What if a decision compromised your spiritual values?
What if a past mistake went against your very moral foundation?
Could you live with the guilt?
Mike Taylor is the epitome of stability. His family is proud of his academic and athletic achievements at Georgia Tech, and despite the temptations of college life, he has maintained his moral standards. Yet beneath the peaceful surface, Mike is consumed with guilt, fearing condemnation and rejection. A former girlfriend’s abortion and the intense love he feels for his roommate’s wife constantly remind Mike of his failures. Unable to forget and full of shame, he refuses to forgive himself.
When Danielle enters his life, he realizes he can no longer hide the past. Will she be able to reach him or is Mike past the point of redemption?
My Thoughts:
Mike is a good friend, just not good friends with himself. He has his moments of laughter and fun, he cares deeply about his friends (if you’ve read the other stories you see another side of Mike), and has a code of honor. Faith if you will.
At times I wanted to smack him, which is nothing new when dealing with males and young ones in particular (I grew up with seven, very Celtic and southern brothers full of attitude, lol!). There were points in the story I wanted to tell him, get over it for goodness sakes and come out of your miasma of negativity.
Then I reminded myself that the young are harder on themselves than anyone else can be. Life is more black and white with little gray area. I think the gray tends to develop as experience does. Guilt is tough regardless of the age, but young ones Mike’s age, don’t have the life experience yet to put things into perspective and this is what the story is about. Dealing with the blows life hands out, putting them into perspective and making sense of them so you can live life to the full. About moving past mistakes and growth as a person.
Mike is very realistic as a character. Diane did a good job getting into the mind of someone consumed with guilt. She understands males are just as deeply affected by problems of life and emotional issues, as females, but being males they are supposed to be all stoic and tough. They still have to process things emotionally to grow. Some, like Mike, feel things very deeply, especially when they feel they’ve compromised their moral code.
When he meets Danielle he learns about acceptance and forgiveness. Danielle is the perfect foil for him. She’s full of spunk and has a positive attitude. I like how the two of them are together. Danielle is my kind of girl.
This story is by no means negative. It’s a good story about finding inner peace and forgiveness. It touches the heart.
Those that have followed this series will no doubt love this one told in Mike’s point of view and how resolves his guilt and how he faces his future with hope.
“Book IV…Mike is such a powerful, engrossing, incredible, beautiful novel. But it still manages to be light hearted, funny and heart felt. There is real emotion and real people in these pages…”
-The Book Pedler -
View the OVER COFFEE interview with Diane Wolfe, Archives date, Week 10/11/09-10/18/09:
Circle Of Friends and Diane Wolfe
© Sia McKye 2009 all rights reserved
Inspirational author, Diane Wolfe, who has created an intriguing series called Circle of Friends; a five-book Southern-based series portrays love and friendship overcoming all obstacles.
What intrigues me is her ability to get into the heads of her young characters in such a way that both old and young can enjoy the story. Connect emotionally with the characters and find inspiration as well.
Her stories, like Diane herself, are positive and uplifting. The series focuses on friendships—love between friends, fulfilling your dreams, and how to overcome problems, as well as the challenges all face, but especially teens and young adults.
Having a teen and seeing his close connection with some his friends made me appreciate how Diane presents the problems these young men and women face. I have several nieces and nephews I’m close to who are in their early twenties. I’ve watched and listened as my son as well as his cousins’ talk of problems they’ve had and how they’ve tried to resolve them. Sometimes asking for guidance, sometimes not. Many times they only want a listening ear. They, like us, rely on a circle of friends to give support and advice. Some things aren’t easy to solve, or forgive, regardless of your age and have lasting impact on our lives.
Such is the case with Mike Taylor, the young protagonist in Book IV of Diane’s Circle Of Friends series.
What if a decision compromised your spiritual values?
What if a past mistake went against your very moral foundation?
Could you live with the guilt?
Mike Taylor is the epitome of stability. His family is proud of his academic and athletic achievements at Georgia Tech, and despite the temptations of college life, he has maintained his moral standards. Yet beneath the peaceful surface, Mike is consumed with guilt, fearing condemnation and rejection. A former girlfriend’s abortion and the intense love he feels for his roommate’s wife constantly remind Mike of his failures. Unable to forget and full of shame, he refuses to forgive himself.
When Danielle enters his life, he realizes he can no longer hide the past. Will she be able to reach him or is Mike past the point of redemption?
My Thoughts:
Mike is a good friend, just not good friends with himself. He has his moments of laughter and fun, he cares deeply about his friends (if you’ve read the other stories you see another side of Mike), and has a code of honor. Faith if you will.
At times I wanted to smack him, which is nothing new when dealing with males and young ones in particular (I grew up with seven, very Celtic and southern brothers full of attitude, lol!). There were points in the story I wanted to tell him, get over it for goodness sakes and come out of your miasma of negativity.
Then I reminded myself that the young are harder on themselves than anyone else can be. Life is more black and white with little gray area. I think the gray tends to develop as experience does. Guilt is tough regardless of the age, but young ones Mike’s age, don’t have the life experience yet to put things into perspective and this is what the story is about. Dealing with the blows life hands out, putting them into perspective and making sense of them so you can live life to the full. About moving past mistakes and growth as a person.
Mike is very realistic as a character. Diane did a good job getting into the mind of someone consumed with guilt. She understands males are just as deeply affected by problems of life and emotional issues, as females, but being males they are supposed to be all stoic and tough. They still have to process things emotionally to grow. Some, like Mike, feel things very deeply, especially when they feel they’ve compromised their moral code.
When he meets Danielle he learns about acceptance and forgiveness. Danielle is the perfect foil for him. She’s full of spunk and has a positive attitude. I like how the two of them are together. Danielle is my kind of girl.
This story is by no means negative. It’s a good story about finding inner peace and forgiveness. It touches the heart.
Those that have followed this series will no doubt love this one told in Mike’s point of view and how resolves his guilt and how he faces his future with hope.
“Book IV…Mike is such a powerful, engrossing, incredible, beautiful novel. But it still manages to be light hearted, funny and heart felt. There is real emotion and real people in these pages…”
-The Book Pedler -
View the OVER COFFEE interview with Diane Wolfe, Archives date, Week 10/11/09-10/18/09:
Circle Of Friends and Diane Wolfe
© Sia McKye 2009 all rights reserved
February 14, 2010
Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com
Mike's just finished college and has managed to stick to his moral values. As a result, he believes that is the reason he has been given a great job at Sandia Labs in New Mexico.
When he gets there, he meets Danielle and starts falling head-over-heels for her. His past, however, still haunts him, and he worries that a mistake he made in high school that led to his ex-girlfriend getting an abortion will affect his new relationship. He also worries that his feelings for his former roommate's wife might affect his ability to form a lasting relationship.
Will Mike find the power within to forgive himself for his past mistakes? Will Danielle be understanding when she finds out the truth?
A moving, heartwarming story about forgiveness, friendship, and love. Although the plot has a fairly slow pace, the author does a great job of keeping the reader's attention. Her portrayal of the characters and their inner struggles is also well done.
Readers who need an uplifting story or who like Christian fiction, clean romances, and books about people finding their inner strengths will all enjoy reading this book.
Mike's just finished college and has managed to stick to his moral values. As a result, he believes that is the reason he has been given a great job at Sandia Labs in New Mexico.
When he gets there, he meets Danielle and starts falling head-over-heels for her. His past, however, still haunts him, and he worries that a mistake he made in high school that led to his ex-girlfriend getting an abortion will affect his new relationship. He also worries that his feelings for his former roommate's wife might affect his ability to form a lasting relationship.
Will Mike find the power within to forgive himself for his past mistakes? Will Danielle be understanding when she finds out the truth?
A moving, heartwarming story about forgiveness, friendship, and love. Although the plot has a fairly slow pace, the author does a great job of keeping the reader's attention. Her portrayal of the characters and their inner struggles is also well done.
Readers who need an uplifting story or who like Christian fiction, clean romances, and books about people finding their inner strengths will all enjoy reading this book.
October 7, 2009
This is probably my favorite of the 3 Circle of Friends books I’ve read. Mike was my favorite character since I read Sarah’s book and I was so excited to find out he was getting his own book. The story did live up to my expectations except for the end. The beginning was a lot of the same as in Sarah’s book just from Mike’s point of view. We finally get to see how he met his girlfriend Danielle and see their relationship progress. The story moved along at a great pace, not too slow and not too rushed. The main thing I did not care for was the ending. I actually found myself seriously disliking Mike and even though he changed his attitude at the very end I still found it hard to forgive him. I’m sure Mike’s reactions to the situation are realistic for some but it just rubbed me the wrong way. Overall, still a great book though.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews