Fire Sermon is a short intense book that can be read in one sitting. It flits back and forth in time, as Maggie struggles with her faith, her love for her husband Thomas, and her desire for possible lover James. I suppose the underlying story is familiar, but the execution is potent and at times beautifully written. The sex is fraught, and at times explicitly so. The emotions are uncomfortable, but not shocking to be shocking--rather, they feel like the honest complicated emotions of a conflicted person. And once I fell in step with its rhythm, I really appreciated the fragmented writing--snippets of thoughts, emails, conversations, and inner dialogues with Maggie's Christian God and a real or imagined therapist. It all come together nicely -- including the choice Maggie makes at the end. This won't work for readers looking for straightforward stories or narratives, but it's definitely worth a try if you're open to fiction that is more meditative and non linear. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.