Angel

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Since the loss of his lively, charming wife to cancer six years ago, minister Paul Tobit has been operating on autopilot, performing his religious duties by rote. Everything changes the day he enters the church lobby and encounters a radiant, luminous being lit from behind, breathtakingly beautiful and glowing with life. An angel. For a moment Paul is so moved by his vision that he is tempted to fall on his knees and pray.
Even after he regains his focus and realizes he simply met a flesh-and-blood young man, Paul cannot shake his sense of awe and wonder. He feels an instant and overwhelming attraction for the young man, which puzzles him even as it fills his thoughts and fires his feelings. Paul has no doubt that God has spoken to him through this vision, and Paul must determine what God is calling him to do.
Thus begins a journey that will inspire Paul’s ministry but put him at odds with his church as he is forced to examine his deeply held beliefs and assumptions about himself, his community, and the nature of love.

Review

****This book was part of a blog tour I received a copy for my honest review****

What a shame it would be to stay away because you were afraid it would end. What a shame it would be to miss so much beauty.... touching words to finish a stunning book.

Laura Lee, has written a book that will challenge your thoughts on homosexuality within the Christian religion. It is based around Paul, a 42 year old widow that lost his wife 6 years ago to cancer. Since then he has lived a shell of a life and although he is a minister in a church he really feels no inspiration to live.

Ian is a 24 year old very troubled young man, he is an alcoholic who struggles with the belief that he is unlovable and unworthy of time because he is gay.

Paul comes across Ian, who is on his way to his AA meeting, and mistakes him for an angel, a sign from god. This moment is a life changer for Paul who sets out to save Ian because he is drawn to him. He struggles with his new feelings for this young man, especially trying to reconcile his feelings with the views of the church. A secret relationship follows to which these two really form what they both feel is a”blessed union of souls”, no matter what anyone else thinks.

He sat with his head down, letting the emotions wash over him in waves of anger, sadness, shame, and fear. He was the same person he had always been. How could one choice make him seem suddenly different to the world?

I don't want to give this story away. I want you to read it, because it is worthy of people experiencing it with an open mind and ready to see it for themselves without my views on what happens. I will say that this was a highly emotional book for me and affected me very deeply. I loved how easy it was to read for something that had such a real and meaningful message within. I loved how it dealt with the very relevant issues within its pages. I loved how the relationship between the couple seemed like a real relationship with the normal ups and downs but also the underlying tension of the very real problems they faced. You will feel a multitude of things, rage, indignant, righteous, sad, validated, happy, deep sorrow... I felt all of these things. To me that is a sign of a great book, to have been moved and provoked into thought. I will leave you with another quote from this book, because it made me smile and I think it outlines these two characters and their relationship perfectly. Once again, please read, it is a great book that will stay with me for a while.

Ian unwrapped one of the fortune cookies and cracked it open. “‘Everything has beauty’,” he read, “‘but not everyone sees it.’” He shrugged and set the slip of paper down next to the used chopsticks. “What does yours say?” Paul cracked open his cookie. He read the fortune to himself and chuckled at its appropriateness. “Well?” Ian asked. “What’s it say?” “‘Never regret anything that made you smile.”

 

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