The Rhythm of Secrets: A Novel

by Patti Lacy

Sheila Franklin has lived three separate lives. Now a conservative pastor’s wife in Chicago, she is skilled at hiding secrets--a talent birthed during childhood romps through the music-filled streets of New Orleans. But when the son she bore at the age of eighteen comes back looking for answers and desperate for help, her greatest secret--and greatest regret--is revealed. Eager to right past wrongs, Sheila’s heart floods with memories of lyrical jazz music and a worn-out Bible. But when her husband learns of her shady history, Sheila is suddenly faced with an impossible embrace the dream--and son--she abandoned against her will or give in to the demands of her safe but stifled life. As she struggles to reclaim both her son and her identity, Sheila soon realizes that God’s grace spans both seas and secrets and that He is all she really needs. With dynamic writing that makes the reader feel the heartache of a teenage mother, struggle with the disillusionment of an abandoned boy, and revel in the idea of grace despite flaws, rising star Patti Lacy takes her fans on a journey they won’t want to end--and won’t soon forget. "The 'secret' is out--Patti Lacy is easily one of the most gifted authors in Christian fiction today, and her stunning new novel, The Rhythm of Secrets is absolute proof. From the delicious jazz-filled streets of New Orleans to the seedy underworld of Bangkok, Thailand, embark on a journey that transcends the mere pages of a book to become a riveting life experience. No longer a 'well-kept secret,' Patty Lacy is a master storyteller who speaks to the soul with a powerful and unique rhythm all her own, weaving a tale so rich with emotion that story and reader become one."-- Julie Lessman , author of The Daughters of Boston series and A Hope Undaunted "Patti Lacy weaves together another beautifully written and haunting story in The Rhythm of Secrets . I couldn't put it down!"-- Melanie Dobson , award-winning author of The Black Cloister "Patti Lacy has written yet another absorbing novel with words as dazzling and rhythmic as the musical world that her characters live in. The Rhythm of Secrets is a stirring story of faith and endurance that will keep readers turning the page until every last secret has been revealed."-- Tina Ann Forkner , author of Ruby Among Us and Rose House "Patti Lacy is known for riveting tales that span continents, decades, and lives. The Rhythm of Secrets is another great Patti Lacy story, this time of a woman whose past secret lives have caught up with her. Captivating, heart-rending and heart-expanding, The Rhythm of Secrets is a vibrant journey across time in search of the greatest truth of grace."-- Tosca Lee , author of The Story of Eve and A Memoir

Genres: Fiction, Christian, Christian Fiction, Historical

320 pages, Paperback

First published December 22, 2010

About the author

Patti Lacy, a Baylor University graduate, taught community college humanities until God called her to span seas and secrets in her Kregel-published novels, An Irishwoman’s Tale and What the Bayou Saw.

2011 brings two new Patti Lacy novels to bookstore shelves. The Rhythm of Secrets will release with Kregel in January; Bethany House will publish Reclaiming Lily in October.

Patti has two grown children and a dog named Laura. She and her husband can be seen jog-walking the streets of Normal, an amazing place to live for a woman born in a car. Visit Patti’s website at www.pattilacy.com, her blog at www.pattilacy.com/blog, and her Facebook daily Artbites.

I love to hear from readers, manna for a writer's hungry soul!

Reviews

[Barbara Brink · Rating 4 out of 5]

With one phone call, a prim and proper pastor’s wife comes face to face with her secret and painful past. The son she was forced to give up at birth has found her and wants to meet her. Suddenly her life is filled with possibilities. Thus begins the revealing of secrets.
Sheila Franklin’s story begins in 1940’s New Orleans when she was a carefree fourteen-year-old girl named Sheba. It takes a crazy journey to a Catholic home for unwed mothers in St Paul, Minnesota, and from there, loops over to Chicago, during the heyday of D.L. Moody’s Bible Institute.
The author’s use of musical titles for each chapter and threading musical literature through the story was sort of lost on me, but was a large part of Sheba’s life and personality. She was raised on jazz and the life-beat of New Orleans and even though everyone tried to tamp it down or stomp it out of her in later years, she held it close, because it made her feel connected to the parents she’d lost, and her true self hidden away behind a mask of respectability.
It took me a few chapters to really get into this story. The initial meeting with her son is almost painful to read. He has ulterior motives, she has unrealistic dreams of a happy reunion, and the fancy restaurant scene is so cold and formal as to leave you detached from the underlying story. But the author soon brought me in close to feel a young girl’s loneliness—wrenched from everything she knew and loved, a young woman’s losing struggle with a world that despised her for something she couldn’t change, and a middle-aged woman’s desperate need to make up to her son for leaving him, even if it meant losing everything she now has.
The Rhythm of Secrets deals with bigotry, hypocrisy, and hatred, but mostly it’s a story of the search for redemption and the final realization that it can only be found in Christ.



(I received a copy of Rhythm of Secrets in exchange for writing an honest review.)

[GLADYS PREAS · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

This was a great story. I loved how the words from the bible was used. It was a joy to read . It was hard to put down. I would go to bed each night at nine and read until eleven thirty. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read this. I am 75years old. I love to read good clean books.

[Wendy Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. Some tough topics are addressed I applaud the author for the way she wrote racism and it’s evil into the story so tastefully without having to offend people today. I really journeyed through the life of the main character. Loved the book.

[Cecelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/2011...

The Rhythm Of Secrets by Patti Lacy

Since 1955, Sheila Franklin, a talented musician, has perfectly performed the role of devout pastor’s wife, locking away her past as Sheba Alexander and Sylvia Allen. Her carefully constructed façade crumbles with a single phone call from a young Marine named Samuel, the illegitimate son she secretly put up for adoption. Samuel begs Sheila to use her government contacts to get his fiancé, Mali, a Thai prostitute, into America. A dangerous mixture of love and guilt spurs her to help her only child even though it devastates her husband Edward and exposes her questionable past. After a quarrel with Edward, Sheila and Samuel board a C-130 for Thailand and then search Bangkok’s steamy streets for a Madonna-faced prostitute. The two whisk Mali from a brothel but are seized by a warlord who considers Mali his “number one girl.” In a teak “ghost house,” Sheila discovers God’s grace and gains the freedom she needs to find her own identity—Sheila, Sylvia, and Sheba. A framed story, this novel has roots in the bohemian 1940s New Orleans French Quarter and spans three decades, including the turbulent Vietnam era.
This was a powerful, enjoyable book that I highly recommend. Sheila has secrets - secrets that she's never exposed to her husband, a big-time pastor. He doesn't know about her mixed parentage, or parents' background, or about the fact that she has an illegitimate son with dark skin.

This book shows how one simple, single mistake can haunt you for years and years. I know we're supposed to accept God's grace for our sins, but, even when/if we do this, our sins and our bad choices can still affect our lives for a long time.

This novel also shows that it's best to tell the truth, especially to those that you love. Don't hide secrets, what if they come out to bite you later, causing turmoil in your current relationships?

This book also has a pretty deep inspirational message - showing that no matter how tough things get, even if it appears that we may lose our lives, it's best to call upon the Lord, our creator, during times of trouble.

I loved the way the author truthfully showed how judgmental we can be as Christians. You know, this book had me thinking about how some Christians are quick to punish, judge, make others feel unworthy, not following the example that Christ set forth for us in the Gospels. When Sheila, the main character in Rhythm of Secrets, loses her parents and goes to live with her grandmother Mimi, she's forced to suffer from Mimi's judgmental attitude towards her. This attitude partially stems from Sheila's parentage. Yet, Mimi is a Christian? Sadly, the church is filled with Mimis and it'd be great if, the next time we find ourselves judging others for their mistakes, then we should stop, and take a hard look at ourselves. What sins have we committed in our own lives?

I guarantee that this book will get a strong emotional response out of you. For me, the most emotional part happens when Sheila is forced to give up her baby, a baby that she loves fully and unconditionally. Her son's dark skin doesn't bother her, as her baby's complexion is a result of her mixed parentage.

Give this book a try. If you've read it, let me know what you thought about the story.

I'll top off this blog post with a question: Have you experienced a lot of judgmental Christians in your life? Did the judgmental actions affect your faith?

Many thanks to Kregel for providing me with a free review copy.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book! A Christian book once again. This book is about a girl born into New Orleans music world. She goes from there to losing her parents into a fire, to going to a grandmother who seems to not want her. She meets a man finds herself pregnant and sent off to a home for wayward girls. She must give up her son. She has a very different life after that and always misses the son she gave up and hopes he finds himself into her life again. He does but after she is married to a very high profile minister that knows nothing of her past. Her son wants her help.....she has to choose between her husband and helping her son. I'm not going to rehash the entire story as the info is here on good reads and I'll put it in below. The story started off with a leap and I wasn't able to put it down until the end. It was a really good story and I loved it!
Here is the information found on Good Reads:
Sheila Franklin has lived three separate lives. Now a conservative pastor's wife in Chicago, she is skilled at hiding secrets--a talent birthed during childhood romps through the music-filled streets of New Orleans. But when the son she bore at the age of eighteen comes back looking for answers and desperate for help, her greatest secret--and greatest regret--is revealed. Eager to right past wrongs, Sheila's heart floods with memories of lyrical jazz music and a worn-out Bible. But when her husband learns of her shady history, Sheila is suddenly faced with an impossible decision: embrace the dream--and son--she abandoned against her will or give in to the demands of her safe but stifled life. As she struggles to reclaim both her son and her identity, Sheila soon realizes that God's grace spans both seas and secrets and that He is all she really needs.

With dynamic writing that makes the reader feel the heartache of a teenage mother, struggle with the disillusionment of an abandoned boy, and revel in the idea of grace despite flaws, rising star Patti Lacy takes her fans on a journey they won't want to end--and won't soon forget.

"The 'secret' is out--Patti Lacy is easily one of the most gifted authors in Christian fiction today, and her stunning new novel, "The Rhythm of Secrets" is absolute proof. From the delicious jazz-filled streets of New Orleans to the seedy underworld of Bangkok, Thailand, embark on a journey that transcends the mere pages of a book to become a riveting life experience. No longer a 'well-kept secret, ' Patty Lacy is a master storyteller who speaks to the soul with a powerful and unique rhythm all her own, weaving a tale so rich with emotion that story and reader become one."--Julie Lessman, author of The Daughters of Boston series and "A Hope Undaunted"

"Patti Lacy weaves together another beautifully written and haunting story in "The Rhythm of Secrets." I couldn't put it down "--Melanie Dobson, award-winning author of "The Black Cloister"

"Patti Lacy has written yet another absorbing novel with words as dazzling and rhythmic as the musical world that her characters live in. "The Rhythm of Secrets" is a stirring story of faith and endurance that will keep readers turning the page until every last secret has been revealed."--Tina Ann Forkner, author of "Ruby Among Us" and "Rose House"

"Patti Lacy is known for riveting tales that span continents, decades, and lives. "The Rhythm of Secrets" is another great Patti Lacy story, this time of a woman whose past secret lives have caught up with her. Captivating, heart-rending and heart-expanding, "The Rhythm of Secrets" is a vibrant journey across time in search of the greatest truth of all: grace."--Tosca Lee, author of "Havah: The Story of Eve " and "Demon: A Memoir"

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rhythm of Secrets is my first introduction to this author and her work – and I love it! It was a bit slow at the beginning, but there were so many questions and so many hints of a bigger, more complex plot to come, that I was pulled along in the story. Patti writes with so much emotion packed into her words that you can’t help but feel exactly what Shelia went through during her painful childhood. While I never cried buckets of tears (though came very close!), I still felt for Shelia. Patti’s writing showed me what a frightened child she was, what a cold, loveless upbringing she had with her grandmother, how starved she was for someone to love her as she grew older – I couldn’t help but feel Shelia’s pain.

Patti liked using metaphors, and a few times I felt that she might be overusing them – but I soon forgot all this as I got wrapped up in the story, loving the detail she put into everything. The plot was intricately thought out and well developed as the story progressed. In the beginning, a lot is hinted at something big, but it isn’t until later that we find out what Samuel was really up to by searching out Shelia. The way the story is written – in Shelia’s present time with flashbacks to her growing up years – was well written.

In this book, while the beginning might seem a bit longwinded as she recounts much of her childhood, I never felt like the story lagged. I never once grew weary or bored of reading it. Patti has a very different way of writing than most authors out there, but it only makes her books stand out that much more! I can’t remember the last time I read a book that conveyed that much feeling – that showed you so clearly what kind of emotional war the heroine was going through. I loved it! It made me feel like I was inside of Shelia, feeling everything she felt and understanding every confused thought that passed through her mind.

The book dealt with several hard subjects, including having a child out of wedlock and prostitution – both in America and in foreign lands. Patti dealt with all this amazing well and kept it factual and rather clean, despite the subject. There is one scene where a character is nearly raped, but it is stopped quickly and not much is described. There is another scene with a man partying in a night club. While he is drugged and so doesn't know what he is doing, it's still in there - though it's told as the character felt it, through a haze. While I wouldn’t recommend this book to a young teen, I was fine with it and didn’t grow uncomfortable with where it might be heading.

Filled with twists and turns at nearly every corner, this book will leave you with so many lessons. One of the most prominent is showing that your sins will always find you out. You might be able to hide the past for the time, but (as Shelia discovered) it can’t be hidden forever. Another lesson we see is that God can forgive event the worst of sinners. His redemption can purge the filthiest and most sinful of people. I loved the part where God open Shelia’s eyes and she finally realized this. It was beautiful to see a young girl, scared of God’s wrath for everything she’s done, transform into a strong Christian well aware of God’s merciful saving and cleansing powers. Patti has done a wonderful job and I can’t wait to read more of her works in the future.

[Scott Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

With The Rhythm of Secrets, Patti Lacy proves herself an author of immense talent.

The Rhythm of Secrets is an ambitious tale that presents the story of Sheila, a humble woman married to a high-profile pastor. However, Sheila has secrets--dark secrets--that even her husband has not yet discovered. From the wildness of 1940s New Orleans to the chaos of Thailand during the Vietnam War era, Sheila's life is rife with trials and tribulations, and her faith is constantly challenged.

Though The Rhythm of Secrets belongs to a genre I normally don't read, there is no disputing the fact that Lacy expertly delivered this family saga. Most striking of all is Lacy's pure talent with the written word. Her style and structure are smooth, well-crafted, and enjoyable. Characterization is also a particular strong-suit of Lacy's, for her Sheila leapt off the page. Her supporting cast was comprised of well-rounded, dynamic characters that each deserved a book of their very own. And just as Lacy used the perfect word in almost all circumstances, she also painted just enough description to satisfy the imagination without drowning it. Lacy also masterfully employed parallelism, for circumstances and symbols early in the story played pertinent roles many, many years later at the end of the story. This careful attention to plot afforded a rewarding, thought-provoking experience.

My only criticism is the pacing. The Rhythm of Secrets always had a sense of urgency to it, but the first two-thirds of the book were very methodical in revealing Sheila layer by layer. It is her story, and we will know it thoroughly. However, the last third of the book becomes more action-oriented, which was a bit jarring because I had grown accustomed to Sheila slowly divulging almost every aspect of her past. Don't misunderstand: the last act of the book is incredibly exhilarating. However, for me, the increased pace did not mesh with the previously established tempo, and, as a result, Sheila fell victim to the rapidly intensifying plot.

All in all, however, The Rhythm of Secrets is an enticing work that clearly establishes Lacy as a powerhouse within the writing community. Her technique is impeccable, and she has given us a character in Sheila that will reside in our hearts and minds long after we've shelved the book.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rhythm of Secrets was the first book I’ve read by Patti Lacy and I am thoroughly impressed! Mrs. Lacy was able to transport me back to places such as 1940’s New Orleans, a summery beach in Mississippi, a home for unwed mothers and even to a brothel in Thailand, during the Vietnam war. And let me tell you, what an emotional, wild and grace-filled ride, it was!

In all honesty, I didn’t think that I would like this book very much; however, I was immediately captured by the flash back story line of Shelia’s present day and her childhood. I couldn’t wait to hear her story and understand why she gave up Samuel, but I also wanted to find out what would happen now that he was back in her life. Also, I enjoyed how this book dealt with “real” issues of era. Racism, alcohol, prostitution, and a baby out of wedlock are all brought up in this book and they were were handled tastefully and realistically. Lastly, Mrs. Lacy has a beautiful writing style. It is rich with descriptions and at times, I felt like I actually was Sheba grieving the loss of her parents, or Sylvia fighting to keep her baby, or even Shelia struggling to understand God’s love for her.

The only downside to this book (and this is really stretching for a downside) was that there was SO much going on and it was always intense! After following along all the ups and downs of Shelia’s emotional journey, I felt like I should have been on page 400, but when I looked down, it was surprising to find that I was only on page 200.

Overall, I’m so glad that I read this book! Shelia is such a strong and brave character, who perseveres and gets the life that she deserves at the end. It’s an entertaining story that will make you think with all its plot twists and turns, and make you smile with an overwhelming message of forgiveness.

[Naomi Musch · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Edgy" is an anemic way to describe the gut-wrenching realism in Patti Lacy's "Rhythm of Secrets", new 2011 from Kregel. Writers know that to keep readers turning the pages, there needs to be conflict. Lots and lots of conflict. Bad, leads to worse, leads to awful. In Patti's book, the progression doesn't start small. It takes off with tension, and continues to breed one new horror upon another for her protagonist.
Conservative pastor's wife, Sheila Franklin, has been masking a secret past for years, but a disillusioned Vietnam vet destroys her cover when he arrives with plans to blackmail her into helping him rescue his fiancé, a Vietnamese prostitute, from her controllers.
In revealing her past, Sheila must choose between her son -- helping him to rescue his beloved -- or her husband Edward, whose trust and ministry may crumble with her revelations.
Patti's writes with a flair and intensity which crosses that invisible line between CBA and ABA. This is important in an inspirational marketplace where authors and publishers are continually asking themselves where to draw the "edgy line". It's one thing to write about sins of the flesh in a way that stirs base passions, and it's entirely another to write about them in ways that provoke introspection and self awareness of our own downfalls.
That's what Patti does. She doesn't hold back from using intense language (I'm not talking "foul", just intense) and painting pictures of the worst side of human nature. But in so doing, she causes the reader to ponder their own stumbling blocks or self-righteous attitudes. That takes craft, folks.
I recommend that Christian writers who aspire to write provoking fiction read Patti Lacy's books. In them you'll understand how to explore themes of human nature in a Christian world view without being preachy.

[Melanie Coombes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patti Lacy is a gifted writer. In her novel, The Rhythm of Secrets, she takes readers on a spiritual and beautiful journey from the streets of New Orleans in the 1940s, to Chicago, as well as Thailand in the late 1960s.
The book is based loosely on a true story of a woman who has a tragic and sad past. Sheba has lost her parents in a fire and is sent to live with her stern, no nonsense grandmother. Forced to change her name, Sheba, now known as Sheila, meets a soldier and falls in love. However, her soldier soon disappears and Sheila finds out that she is pregnant. Sent to a home for unwed mothers, Sheila is forced to give give up her son. This haunts her throughout her life. She later meets a conservative pastor who she marries and continues with keeping her past a secret. Yet she can never forget the love she felt for her son, Samuel.
More than twenty years later, Samuel tracks down Sheila and confronts her with her past once more. What follows is a tale of lies, secrets and betrayals. Sheila must choose between helping her son rescue his true love in Thailand or keeping her secrets hidden for her husbands sake as his career is advancing in the church.
This is a christian fiction book, but I feel strongly that anyone would enjoy this story. I especially enjoyed reading the part of the book that described Sheba/Sheila's early life in New Orleans and later with her grandmother. Excellent story, with descriptive passages and a meaningful/uplifting tale of hope, redemption and faith.
I won this book through the first reads giveaway and want to say thank you for an amazing story.

[Christy Trever · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rhythm of Secrets of Patti Lacy is a poignant look at how racism and prejudice can affect a life. Sheila Franklin’s life is shattered when she receives a phone call from the son, Samuel, she gave up as an infant twenty –two years ago. Now the wife of a prominent pastor, she has much to lose from the secrets Samuel’s appearance will bring to light. But her son has an reason for approaching Sheila now, one that could destroy them both, and who they love, forever. Lacy has earned a reputation as a powerful historical novelist unafraid to deal with the brutality of racism with her novel, What the Bayou Saw. In Rhythm, she tells the tragic story of a woman held down by prejudice. From her life as Sheba in New Orleans, to Sheila Alexander as a teenager attending a private school, to Sylvia who faces the worst humanity has to offer because of a single mistake, to Sheila Franklin, the composed and perfect wife of Edward, Lacy portrays her as sympathetic, yet haunted by her misunderstanding of the nature of God. The story is compelling, yet difficult to read, because Lacy forces readers to see the real face of prejudice. Whenever it appears, she writes it without whitewash, even when it is incredibly ugly. Lacy creates an ongoing theme of music throughout the story that carries Sheila through even the worst of times and ultimately helps her to find the God she so desperately needs. The ending is almost too pat, but the last fifty pages are incredibly tense and action packed. Lacy will deservedly expand her audience with this novel.

[Sunflower]

Set in 1940's New Orleans, "The Rhythm of Secrets", is a fictional tale that was inspired by a true story; Capturing the mystery and ambiance of New Orleans while wrapping up readers in a tale of romance and intrigue, all the way spinning a tale of "God's Grace", "The Rhythm of Secrets" is not an overnight read, but a tale that will keep you turning the pages and returning to finding out the secrets, the hope and the promise of the characters that, Patti Lacy" masterly captures her readers in.

What I enjoyed about "The Rhythm of Secrets", was just the setting of it being in 1940's New Orleans; I'm just one of those who, as much as I love present day tales, love being swept away, even for a moment in the past and you can almost hear the strains of jazz music in the background as you are find yourself falling into the character's lives and praying and hoping and waiting to discover how all things will turn out for them.

This will stir you up, have yourself asking questions and finding yourself at the edge of the seat and barely breathing as if you are personally there with the characters.

The writing captures the language, the mood and the emotions and seamlessly moves from beginning to end,but leaving you wanting more and not wanting to close the book at the end.

A beautiful written fictional tale that I just find myself slowly humming jazz tunes as I read it.....this book will have your emotions stirred up and yet...not wanting to put the book down...it's so worth checking out and reading.

[Wendi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rhythm of Secrets
By Patti Lacy
Published by Kregel

Heart wrenching yet inspiring, The Rhythm of Secrets is the story of one woman’s journey through loss, rejection and loneliness, and secrets that kept her bound by her past. It is also the story of the strength redemption and forgiveness that all long for, but only the saved receive freely.

Sheila Franklin is a proper preachers wife; legalistic, responsible…and suffocating. One phone call changes everything. Samuel. Her son. Her heart. A floodgate is opened and there is no turning back. She must finally tell her story, his story; the whole truth. A truth long buried, and one that may destroy what’s taken more than twenty years to build.

Samuel Allan is a desperate man. He’s on a mission to save the woman that he loves and he’ll do whatever is necessary to secure her freedom. Sheila however, is not what he expected when he planned their meeting. He needs her, more than he could have ever imagined, but his own journey is a dangerous one. One that will put not only his own life in jeopardy, but all those he loves.

The Rhythm of Secrets is a testament of endurance in the face of extreme adversity and through it all, the forgiveness, grace and redemptive power of a God whose love is so strong there is no sin too great, so complete, it can never be undone, so all encompassing, no man is ever truly alone. A powerful story from an author whose work I’ve never read before, but will seek out in the future. My cup runneth over.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you sit down with a Lacy book you can be sure of two things: twists and turns and the goodness of God’s grace triumphing over the human condition

I thought the book did a good job of showing the forgiveness of God’s grace and how our sins will find us out, effecting more than just that one person.

The beginning was a bit slow, but once the story got going it didn’t quit. Just when you think you have something figured out, a new twist is added. How the author dreams up such plot lines is beyond my own imagination.

This book reminded me a bit of Lynn Austin’s, Hidden Places as Sheila recounts her life to her son. I saw her struggles and mistakes, her desires to change, her growth and in some cases, regression.
This is definitely an edgy story, and towards the end, more edgy than I think I cared for. The other element that got a bit overwhelming were the metaphors. I thought it a bit overdone.

In the end, there is not a strong spiritual thread, but as the book came to a close I thought the message of God’s grace prevailed. It could have possibly been more powerful with a stronger thread, but I was pleased with how it closed.

It’s fiction that makes you think, takes you deeper and reminds you God can take any situation for His glory.

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers through CFBA for my copy to review.

[Carla Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loosely based on a true-to-life event, Patti Lacy’s “framed” story is one that is rich in setting and emotions, giving it the feel of a saga. From New Orleans to Mississippi to Chicago to Thailand, the reader is swept away in THE RHYTHM OF SECRETS. Sheila Franklin is the wife of a successful evangelist whose foundation is on the brink of national attention. Big things are coming, but the secret Sheila harbors may demolish all she and her husband have spent a lifetime building. When the son she gave up for adoption calls with an urgent request, Sheila must choose: continue to live a lie or finally admit the truth about her past even if it means disaster for her marriage and their ministry.

Patti’s writes with flourish, lush in sensory detail, weaving a tale that is true to both of the story’s time frames: the Vietnam War era and the deeply prejudiced South in the 1940s. Music – jazz, classical, and sacred – flows through the scenes as it does in the character of Sheila. The harsh reality made me uncomfortable at times, but there were also tender reminders of the depths of God’s love and grace and the timeless message that He is greater than all the evil and imperfections in this world.

Patti writes with panache in this bold, yet ever redemptive novel. Readers of historical fiction, women’s fiction, and family sagas will love this deeply absorbing book. Bravo, Patti!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its the spring of 1969 when Sheila Franklin gets a call she had been anticipating for the last 22 years. Its a call from her son Samuel born in 1947, a son she had given up a week after he was born. She had kept the secret from everyone including her husband Edward, whom she had been married to for eighteen years. How will this secret affect her marriage and the ministry that she and her husband have worked so hard to build?

The character of Sheba/Sylvia/Sheila was quite interesting. Young Sheba was much loved by her parents, when her parents die in a fire, her world changes immediately. She goes to live with a grandmother that was harsh, who forces Sheba to change her name to Sheila, causing Sheba to fear that she will lose her identity.As Sheila reveals her history to her son Samuel, it was easy to be drawn into her story, to see her life evolve and change, from that little girl wanting love from her grandmother, and making the mistake of giving herself to a soldier who she thought loved her, and then giving her son away, and finally becoming Sheila married to a prominent minister, who has to choose whether or not to help her son!

Patti Lacy is a new to me author whose writing style I really enjoyed. As a fan of historical fiction I really enjoyed reading this story and look forward to reading more of Ms. Lacy's work!

[Laverne Ombadykow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Threaded throughout this book are glimpses of Christ's redemptive love as well as glimpses of how guilt caused the heroine to feel that she was unworthy to accept that love. Even though she eventually accepted Christ's free gift of forgiveness, she still had to work through years of guilt over past sins.

As a reader, I was very much aware of how damaging it is to have an attitude that Christians are perfect people who never sin and that if they do sin, there is no place in the church for them. I wondered how many people are staying away from church and feeling miserable because they have sensed that they were looked down upon and/or not welcomed when they attended services.

Fortunately, before the ending of the book, the heroine experienced healing and forgiveness.

The book was exciting to read and thought provoking. My thoughts have turned toward legalism and how we need to really open our church doors to the poor and needy and hurting members of society and really love them and help them bear their burdens. It sure would help if we also were more honest with one another ~ confess your faults one to another.

~ I received this book free from Litfuse group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ~

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a really hard time getting into this book for the first 100 pages. If I hadn't committed to review it for a blog tour I probably would have set it aside and quit reading. Once I got through the first part of the book I ended up enjoying the last 2/3 of the book and was glad I read it.

This story follows the life of Sheba starting when she was a teenage girl growing up in New Orleans. Tragedy leave Sheba orphaned and eventually pregnant with an illegitimate child. If you've read the book summary it pretty much sums up the end portion of the story but that is only a portion of what the book is about. The majority of the story was spent detailing Sheba's life from the time she was a teenager until she ended up marrying a pastor.

This book deals with prejudice, hatred, forgiveness and the consequences of secrets. Ultimately it has a message of hope and healing through Christ and the love of others.

I would recommend it to adults who enjoy historical Christian fiction.

Content: Clean Read for an adult, no language but there was adult subject matter.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Source: For Review as part of a blog tour

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not an easy book to read. It contains harsh realities of prejudice that were particularly harsh at this time period.

The book starts out with Sheila, a pastor's wife, who gets a call from a man who needs her help. The man is the son she had when she was a teenager. A son she forgot to tell her husband about. But this is a watershed event. Sheila has many, many secrets.

Sheila meets her son and she begins her story. Sheila was once named Sheba, the daughter of a gambler in trouble with the mafia and a prostitute made respectable by marriage. But the secrets continue. Her mother or grandmother was the result of a cruel slave master raping his slave. Sheila has black blood.

The journey continues with the death of her parents, a pious grandmother, a pregnancy, a trip north where she has to give up her baby for adoption, and starting a new life over and over again while carrying shreds of her old life. Eventually Sheila feels she needs to come clean to her husband in order to help her son. The journey takes us to Thailand and it is ugly and uncomfortable but ultimately provides a backdrop for God's grace.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This exciting, suspenseful story goes back and forth between the past (1940's New Orleans and historic Chicago) and the present (Chicago and Thailand.) The faith of the main character, Sheila Franklin, is slow in maturing, but is strong and enduring, helping her through many tragic circumstances. The plot caused me to think about prejudice and the many ways we can be judge-mental, hurting the way others view Christianity and Salvation in the process. This novel was inspired by a true story, and some of the events described are a little on the edgy side for Christian fiction, but tastefully done and appropriate to tell the story.
Patti Lacy does a masterful job in enabling the reader to imagine and experience the environments she uses as settings, and those who love music, especially jazz, will be enthralled by the many ways it influences the lives of several characters. The only drawback I found was that the transitions from past to present were unevenly spaced, and there were times I felt the author dwelt in the past too long without letting us know what present-day events were taking place.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is called The Rhythm of Secrets for a reason, and it's hard to go into much detail without giving something away. With that being said... This was a good book, even though it took new a long time to get through it. Because it alternates between the history of the main character and her present-day situation, there was slot of action to absorb. And yet, the plot seemed to take too long to unfold, with most of the present-day action coming in the last few chapters.

For much of the book I was bothered by the way the main character's husband was portrayed, as well as the portrayal of their present-day relationship - I didn't feel either one was presented very strongly. Thankfully, my concerns were resolved during the climax of the book. I appreciated that, though the resolution of the story felt a little too rushed and neatly wrapped up. (However, that may just be a personal preference of mine; I prefer stories not make significant time jumps after the climax of the story.)

All in all, I right this was a well written book that kept me interested in the protagonist. Nicely done.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The opening pages of this book drew me in and held on. Sheila Franklin’s carefully constructed life, completely built upon a secret (a lie?), comes down around her in the space of one phone call. When she hears the voice of her now grown son, the one she had given up for adoption when he was born, it sends her thoughts back to her past.

The book is told from her perspective and goes back and forth between the past and present. We learn why the son contacted her and also what transpired in her life to force her to give him up for adoption. All this leads up to the exciting final chapters, where in the midst of the events I found her faith thoughts so inspiring. During some highly frightening times Sheila was about to hold on to her faith to get through.

This is the first book I’ve read by Patti Lacy, but her writing style is such that I will now happily search out her other books. My only “complaint” is that I read this book so quickly and wanted more! Easily a favorite book of this year.

[Janna Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patti Lacy has a gift. She has this uncanny ability to find a story and flesh it out to a place where you feel like you are living in that story. I would not say that woman's fiction (you know the kind dealing with heavy subjects that really make you think) is one of my favorite genres, in fact I pass by on a lot of them. But a book by Patti Lacy - it is a must read as far as I am concerned. I loved her first books "An Irishwoman's Tale" and "What The Bayou Saw" but this book was even better! The whole concept behind the book was fascinating... what if a woman grew up thinking that she had to hide the shame of the past she grew up in, and then is confronted with it in the worst way. Will her decision to hide her past cause hurt to others? What can she do to fix it? Will it destroy her marriage? Sheila Franklin is a heroine that makes you cheer for her as you follow her in her choices, good and bad, and I was curious to the end about how everything would turn out. Patti keeps you intrigued until the very end. So worth the read - a keeper!

[Patriciaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense. Lots of secrets swirling around. Betrayal. Heartbreak. Love. Redemption.

Sheila has secrets, lots of them. Her whole life has been about secrets, beginning with the things her parents didn't tell her, didn't want her to know, up through the secrets she kept from her husband, secrets that now threaten her marriage and entire way of life. To find peace and to help her son, all of her secrets must be revealed.

Lacy tells the story through a series of flashbacks which read more like an expert intertwining of a contemporary novel with an historical one, two stories in one.

I found myself wanting, but not quite able, to skip over the narrative. Not because it wasn't good. Oh no. It's good. But because I was so drawn into the story, and so much of the storytelling is through Sheila's dialogue, that I found myself impatient to find out what would happen next.

This book is already on my list of top reads for 2011. Hard to imagine it getting knocked off.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book as a Good Reads Giveaway and want to thank Kregel Publishing for sending it to me.

I was so excited when I won this book and very much looking forward to reading it. For about half of the book I was really loving it. Although a sad story it is an interesting one. I am a big fan of stories that involve people's lives, so it drew me in immediately. Sheba Franklin's life was built on several secrets and eventually those secrets come to reality. One day Sheba , now known as Sheila receives a phone call from her grown son, the one she had given up for adoption when he was born, it sends her thoughts back to her past.

The book is told as a story of her past being told to her son in the present as she tries to help him accomplish something very important to him, saving the woman of his dreams. Her story although interesting to me took a slow turn about half way through the book and began to me to be a bit monotonous.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good, rich story. Watching Sheila struggle with accepting God’s grace and forgiveness is so real and so true. So close to what so many people seeking God go through. The bulk of the book tells Sheila’s story, as she is telling it to Samuel, but her true understanding of God’s loving and grace doesn’t occur until her ordeal in Thailand. Written quite well, this book allows the reader to feel Sheila’s struggles, pain, and even guilt as the story progresses.

We see Samuel’s perspective occasionally, too, and I think that helps to enrich the story. We get perspective and story of the mother, and occasional peeks into the mind of the abandoned son. What astounds me is how quickly he’s able to forgive his mother and learn to love her. God’s grace and presence in his life are evident from the start.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving Lacy’s literary style fiction. The Rhythm of Secrets didn’t disappoint this reader. Where other writers may have fallen short with this surprising tale Lacy’s unique twist of descriptive phrases brought this tale to life.

The story itself is unusual, inspired by a true story that begins in New Orleans, 1940 with a teenager as the heroine. We follow her through the mistakes made in a flash of false love, life changes and finally the facing of who she really is.

The Rhythm of Secrets is the perfect title. Lies are woven with the measure of beats until they become the main character’s musical score.

Lacy has even included the music of the book on her website, www.pattilacy.com This is a book to read and savor and yet not put down. I stayed up until 2 a.m. to finish it because the last third of the book would not let me go to bed.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a first-reads giveaway, and I have pretty mixed feelings about it overall. There were parts of it that I thoroughly enjoyed, and others that I had to force my way through. In the end I'm glad I got to read it, but once is probably enough.

What I love about this story is the portrayal of overwhelming motherly love that endures through all time, distance, and tragedy. The symbolism of overwhelming love that God has for His children is evident throughout the story and is a supremely meaningful message.

I did find parts of the story to be a bit mundane. I'm sure that was for dramatic effect, but it turned me off a bit and I struggled to maintain interest through some chapters.

All in all, this is an enjoyable story with strong religious aspects. I'm glad that I got the chance to read it.

[Catherine Richmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pastor's wife Sheila gets a call that turns her world upside down. It's the son she was forced to give up for adoption twenty years ago. Samuel asks for her help rescuing his fiancée from Thailand. When Sheila's husband finds out about the young man, he tells her to choose between them.

Most writers have a distinctive pattern to their writing. A reader can easily distinguish between Diana Gabaldon and Janet Evanovich by the length of sentences, word choice, and even the white space on the page. But in The Rhythm of Secrets, Patti Lacy so completely captured the rhythm of Sheila's life, her voice and her music, that it would be difficult to identify this book as written by the author of The Irishwoman's Tale. The Rhythm of Secrets takes the reader on Sheila's arduous journey from World War II New Orleans to Vietnam era Thailand. An excellent read!

[Babs · Rating 4 out of 5]

From 1940s New Orleans to late 1960s Chicago, this is a tale of secrets, betrayal, and a love that can never be lost


My 2 Cents:

Sheila has a few secrets she has been holding onto for a long time. The hard part is she has to choose between the man she loves and wants and the son she wants to help. She has to overcome a lot of things, her parents burning up in a fire. her mistake when she was young and had to flee up north. So many things. I like seeing Sheila grow through the years and making her life better. The author captures the 40's- the 60's perfectly from culture to attitudes. This was a good read and be sure to come back and check out the tour the week of the 17th.