I enjoyed this book, could have been pulled from news headlines. A pastor of a Mega church is accused of having a relationship with another man. A fall from grace and all of the end results from that fall from grace are the bones of this story. Not a light read, but instead made for lots of thoughts!

Heaven and Earth by Joshua Senter was a great read! A good mix of literary fiction and lgbt. Would recommend to a friend! 10/10!

I read an ARC from NetGalley.

I’m not sure how to rate this book because I have strong mixed feelings. The writer is clearly talented, so it’s not a matter of skill. I think it’s more a matter of craft choices. The characters are devoutly Christian and struggle because of their Christian upbringing which influenced how they viewed themselves, the world, and their beliefs. I hurt for their self-imposed prison. On the other hand, because their suffering was due to their beliefs, I wanted badly for them to step out of these beliefs because relief was available. And that is how Ruth (ironically) finds her salvation. But why could t she do it earlier? The author drags us through her painful thoughts for long stretches, when the pacing could and should have been more swift. Another challenging point was that I didn’t like Sam. He was the source of the distress, but I didn’t find him empathetic. Lastly, the book was uncertain if it wanted to be Christian or erotic, and those make for strange bedfellows. The only thing I can say is that if the mark of a good book is that it unsettles you, then this book is it.

Ruth’s husband, pastor Sam, is outed for having an affair with a man. Ruth and Sam relocate their family to escape condemnation. This was an interesting plot. Not what I was expecting.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this novel. When I read the blurb I thought this might be a easy light read. Was I surprised!
I live in Lynchburg, VA so I am very familiar with Liberty University. And... I am not a fan. I am aware of the "rules" students must follow. It was fun reading about places in Lynchburg mentioned. I also have a gay brother so I was impressed when Sam explains his past and how it is not a live choice.
Having a mega church preacher fall from grace (much like Jerry Jr) the book was pulled from current headlines. Seeing how one can become caught up in religion that is now so far right an then having a crossroads when one questions everything was eye opening.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and read it in 2 days. I was disappointed that more explanation of the preachers transgression was not explained. Thought the ending (even though I guessed it) was a little underwhelming.
I have shared the book with many of my reader friends and suggest that they read it. Anyone who lives in Lynchburg, VA and has witnessed the power the Faldwells have will find it interesting.
Again, thank you for accepting my request.

Heaven & Earth
by Joshua Senter

Ruth Christianson is at an unfathomable crossroads in her life. Her husband, the esteemed Pastor Sam Christianson, has just been outed for having an affair with a male prostitute, and they have been exiled from the megachurch they built together in Charleston, South Carolina. With their three children in tow Ruth and Sam attempt to escape the condemnation that follows the very public scandal by disappearing to the small, Missouri farm where Sam grew up. Once there, Ruth must decide whether to maintain her bonds of holy matrimony or walk away from the only man she's ever loved. As she reflects on the events that brought her to this moment in time, Ruth suddenly realizes there is a third much more radical option, but choosing it may well destroy her very soul.

A family was torn from their home and a mega-church when Pater Sam is found in a compromising position of his addiction to men. His wife and children move back to Sam's Home. His family is full of their interpretation of the bible and sin and evil. They are some die-hard native people. It seems his Mom has taken his side, not Ruth. Ruth makes the decision to leave and does. There are many difficult areas to touch on.

It is hard to explain this book, but I read it very quickly. It is heartbreaking and angering all at once. If you have been on any sort of social media for the last few years you are bound to see a post about some religious and/or conservative figure or politician being exposed for partaking in some sort of activity that goes directly against what they speak of, an especially common one is homosexuality.

This book takes a look at the aftermath of the once influential family from the wife's eyes. All the characters are extremely flawed in either how they use religion to harm others with a sense of moral superiority and use religion to take the blame away from themselves.

This is not a happy read and the ending while expected is still hard.

I rated this four stars just because some of the punctuation and sentence transitions were all over the place. In addition, the writing of a female character becoming aroused happened way too quickly and read like something from smut (which did not fit the vibe with the rest of the book).

I hope that this review does not come across negatively. I would 100% recommend this book, especially for a book club. This book deserves discussion.