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Home Ties Trilogy #1
Abide With Me
The three Long sisters of Welleswood, New Jersey, felt they could handle any problem, any crisis together...
But suddenly, each was facing the most critical challenge of her life. Andrea, a single mom, was in a fight for survival, against cancer. Madge, who'd once lived a storybook life, needed to find forgiveness--if she ever could--for a husband who'd kept a shocking secret for years. Jenny, pregnant with her third child, longed to keep her husband's dream alive, whatever the sacrifice.
To get through it all, they would have to lean on one another as never before, trusting that their love and hope--and their faith, no matter how far it was tested--would see them through.
But suddenly, each was facing the most critical challenge of her life. Andrea, a single mom, was in a fight for survival, against cancer. Madge, who'd once lived a storybook life, needed to find forgiveness--if she ever could--for a husband who'd kept a shocking secret for years. Jenny, pregnant with her third child, longed to keep her husband's dream alive, whatever the sacrifice.
To get through it all, they would have to lean on one another as never before, trusting that their love and hope--and their faith, no matter how far it was tested--would see them through.
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2006
54 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Delia Parr
28 books130 followersDelia is the author of fifteen historical novels who now devotes herself to writing inspirational historical romance. The mother of three grown children, she is a full-time high school teacher in southern New Jersey who spends her summers writing on Anna Maria Island in Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 5, 2010
Couldn't get through this one, too much preachy talk.
January 25, 2018
i actually give it a 2.5
you can read the summary of the book....
It is a christian , inspirational type of read. which I don't mind. However I did find it a bit preachy, and a bit unbelievable at times. but might not be a bad read for some.
you can read the summary of the book....
It is a christian , inspirational type of read. which I don't mind. However I did find it a bit preachy, and a bit unbelievable at times. but might not be a bad read for some.
September 23, 2018
Another good read
I really enjoyed this series spotlighting more mature women! Good stories, fast read, and good messages we all need to hear and be reminded of.
I really enjoyed this series spotlighting more mature women! Good stories, fast read, and good messages we all need to hear and be reminded of.
December 17, 2015
I am getting super frustrated with the Christian and Inspirational books I am reading. I started reading these books because they were well written, not always full of doom and gloom, and because they -at least the first dozen or so-showed people working at , and through their problems, in a deep and conscientious manner. All I seem to find now is people behaving abominably, saying God forgives me so you must to-and Fast, and taking virtually no personal responsibility for their actions ,nor the ramifications that follow.
This book is well written, and I certainly got engrossed in the story and the characters, but the plot line of Madge and Russell defied all reason and turned what could have been a 4 star experience into a one [I averaged it out a bit for the star part of the review.]
The author missed a HUGE opportunity to develop this story in a more realistic way. I am very disappointed, especially because she writes well and had interesting story lines for the other two sisters.
SPOILERS AHEAD.
I can accept that Madge decided to stay in the marriage, and forgive her husband, as well as raise his ' love child'. I cannot , for the life of me, accept that she treated his ongoing ,3 plus years ,actions as if they were a 'mistake' that needed forgiveness.
The fact that she didn't express any emotion about hubby carrying on with another wife for 36 months plus; living with another woman;sleeping with another woman;even getting a pet for his love child when he wouldn't let his 'real' sons have one!! Nothing Nada-nope, let's just let it all skate by-because I took vows. Well those vows say 'for better or worse'. They Don't say: be a doormat; let your spouse walk all over you; allow your spouse to persuade you to lie to your adult children. I mean, isn't lying a sin? Or lying about something that the other person had a moral right to know-oh, like "hey sons, you have a sister"?
He MARRIED the other woman, lived with her as a husband, raised the little girl as a bio father, and spent just as much time with the 'second' wife as he did Madge. There is NO WAY that that is 'just a mistake', and absolutely no way that any self respecting woman would gloss over an entire alternate life. I mean , that is waaaay beyond betrayal. The fact that Russell basically said 'oops, sorry, it's all on you' about his other family and divorce, is even ,more offensive. He had an entire second life for at least 3 years. What woman wouldn't be seriously emotionally wounded by the thought of her husband having regular sex And an emotional commitment to another woman? Forgive all you want, but you don't forget, and that seems to be what Madge did-and what Russell expected. It's as if Madge had an emotional lobotomy, one that had Russell's approval. Then on top of that he forces her to maintain his lie and not inform their adult children of Daddy's duplicity. Oh, and her sisters encouraged her to keep all the lies juggling in her life.
I honestly do not 'get' this idea that I find in more and more Christian novels, that actions have no real consequences, that the characters in these books tend to be far from sincerely remorseful, instead they, and their pastors tell the betrayed one " you must forgive" and that , as far as sneaky, cheating hubby's think, is the end of it.
It is well written, but I am truly disappointed.
This book is well written, and I certainly got engrossed in the story and the characters, but the plot line of Madge and Russell defied all reason and turned what could have been a 4 star experience into a one [I averaged it out a bit for the star part of the review.]
The author missed a HUGE opportunity to develop this story in a more realistic way. I am very disappointed, especially because she writes well and had interesting story lines for the other two sisters.
SPOILERS AHEAD.
I can accept that Madge decided to stay in the marriage, and forgive her husband, as well as raise his ' love child'. I cannot , for the life of me, accept that she treated his ongoing ,3 plus years ,actions as if they were a 'mistake' that needed forgiveness.
The fact that she didn't express any emotion about hubby carrying on with another wife for 36 months plus; living with another woman;sleeping with another woman;even getting a pet for his love child when he wouldn't let his 'real' sons have one!! Nothing Nada-nope, let's just let it all skate by-because I took vows. Well those vows say 'for better or worse'. They Don't say: be a doormat; let your spouse walk all over you; allow your spouse to persuade you to lie to your adult children. I mean, isn't lying a sin? Or lying about something that the other person had a moral right to know-oh, like "hey sons, you have a sister"?
He MARRIED the other woman, lived with her as a husband, raised the little girl as a bio father, and spent just as much time with the 'second' wife as he did Madge. There is NO WAY that that is 'just a mistake', and absolutely no way that any self respecting woman would gloss over an entire alternate life. I mean , that is waaaay beyond betrayal. The fact that Russell basically said 'oops, sorry, it's all on you' about his other family and divorce, is even ,more offensive. He had an entire second life for at least 3 years. What woman wouldn't be seriously emotionally wounded by the thought of her husband having regular sex And an emotional commitment to another woman? Forgive all you want, but you don't forget, and that seems to be what Madge did-and what Russell expected. It's as if Madge had an emotional lobotomy, one that had Russell's approval. Then on top of that he forces her to maintain his lie and not inform their adult children of Daddy's duplicity. Oh, and her sisters encouraged her to keep all the lies juggling in her life.
I honestly do not 'get' this idea that I find in more and more Christian novels, that actions have no real consequences, that the characters in these books tend to be far from sincerely remorseful, instead they, and their pastors tell the betrayed one " you must forgive" and that , as far as sneaky, cheating hubby's think, is the end of it.
It is well written, but I am truly disappointed.
November 2, 2013
It was good to see how each sister's faith helped her thru her struggles, along with the love and support of her sisters. However, even though I consider myself a strong Christian, I found some of the dialogue a bit unbelievable and preachy. All in all, it was an enjoyable book. It showed how a strong faith can help one deal with all kinds of struggles - with health, finances, relationships, marital problems. It also illustrated the importance of relationships, with family and with friends. However I think the rather heavy handed use of "churchy" dialogue could drive away any readers who are not already strong Christians - and who are the ones most in need of receiving the message of this book.
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June 19, 2012
Loved the close relationship between sisters! Gives great hope to Cancer diagnosis which touches so many of us in different ways.
December 2, 2012
enjoyable read to pass some time, was a little preachy, but nothing overly so or offensive for that matter.
February 22, 2013
did not read
February 28, 2013
Wonderful book about three Sisters. Everyone should read this book! :)
September 12, 2014
2.5 stars--Three sisters, one with cancer, one with cheating husband who has a surprise daughter, another who longs to be a SAHM. Slow and weird POV changes, but core story good.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews