Necessary Sins

Necessary Sins by Elizabeth Bell. My first reaction is Wow. How do I even begin to review a book that left me thinking about things I never knew about the priesthood in the catholic religion and the slavery issue. I know I would not like to live in their time. But I found it very interesting the history in the book. I loved the priest Joseph and his story. I cannot wait to read the next book.

I stumbled across Necessary Sins in a Facebook group and knew I HAD to read it! Historical fiction. Epic family saga. Antebellum south. Forbidden love. Yes, please! I was instantly pulled into the story of the Lazare family and had a hard time putting it down. Elizabeth Bell’s debut novel is a must read! The only thing I don’t like is the fact that I have to wait for the next book in the series!

Necessary Sins is a meticulously researched, fast moving book. It is also an epic, multi-generational, decade-spanning family saga. I was hopelessly hooked from the beginning and it held my interest throughout. It took me to places I hadn’t been before and introduced me to situations I hadn’t thought to imagine. The main character is richly portrayed, complex, and imperfect. The writing makes you care about his struggles, and the other characters in the book are just as engaging. You can tell this author has made an enormous personal investment in crafting this sensational novel. I’m sure it was a labor of love, and it probably took years to create. The result is a work of art that was well worth the effort to create.
ARC via Netgalley.

Wow, what a book. It is hard to find the words to describe this epic start to the Lazare family story. Bell has meticoulsy researched and written this book. At times the events are shocking and hard to read. This novel will touch you deeply. The characters are real and flawed living with misunderstands that shape their view of things and turn their lives in different directions. This is a true masterpiece.

I received Necessary Sins by Elizabeth Bell from Claire-Voie Books through NetGalley.

Necessary Sins is an epic family saga at its best. Fans of McCullough's The Thorn Birds will find much to like here.

The well-researched writing touches upon all the aspects of catholicism that at times is almost too much, but is necessary to the story. The reader needs to experience the passion of resisting the sin to understand its gravity. There are several love stories, in all it's many forms, and it's not always pretty how that love story plays out. Everything drives the story forward to an understanding of perception as we learn the characters flaws and truths, and the ultimate battle of hypocrisy on so many fronts.

Lovers of epic family sagas will really enjoy Elizabeth Bell's efforts.

NECESSARY SINS by Elizabeth Bell is a beautifully-written and compelling work of historical fiction set mainly in Charleston, South Carolina. It is an epic multi-generational family saga that spans several decades and moves from the West Indies to Europe and finally to the antebellum South. The story of the Lazare family held me captive from the very beginning of the book to the dramatic conclusion of Book 1. The characters were richly portrayed and the vivid descriptions of the settings made me feel I was right there with them. NECESSARY SINS is a moving tale of family, love, sacrifice and resilience that is, at times both heart-breaking and uplifting. The time periods covered are captured with accuracy and authenticity. Certain parts are hard to read because of what happens to the characters, but their experiences are shared with compassion and empathy. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to delve into Book 2 when it becomes available. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Necessary Sins, the first novel in the Lazare family saga by Elizabeth Bell, is a page turner and I was hooked from the start. This epic tale starts with Rene Lazare’s birth to a slave in Saint-Domingue in 1789. His grandmother is determined he will not grow up in bondage and whisks him away to Charleston, South Carolina. He becomes a doctor and no one suspects his unpropitious beginnings. It follows his life and the lives of his three children, centering on Joseph, an astute Catholic lad who becomes a priest. He struggles to come to terms with his mixed heritage which has been kept a secret and his strong feelings for a lovely Irish lass who he encounters after he has taken his vows.

This story is told in the narrative style. This allows the author to fill the pages with colorful descriptions of the adventures of the characters. You are drawn into their lives and become invested in the outcomes. You rejoice in their triumphs and mourn their tragedies.

I found this book very intriguing and I can’t wait for the next novel in the series. However, because it covers a brutal time period in the history of Saint-Domingue and Charleston, South Carolina, I recommend this book for teenage to adult readers. Slavery was the way of life in both places and the author’s rendition stays true to life and does not sugar coat any of the gruesome details.

Necessary Sins is stunningly beautiful historical fiction! It is a sweeping saga that takes readers from Haiti in the late 18th century to Charleston in the 1840s. The book about the Lazare family is filled with passion, goodness, temptation, duty, and sacrifice. I was completely riveted by the subjects that this novel deals with—slavery, Catholicism, and those affected by both. I look forward to reading the next installment in this saga.

Thank you to Net Galley and Claire-Voie Books for the chance to read and review this book! It is definitely a great read! When I read the beginning chapters, I wasn't sure if this was the book for me. I really loved the description of the story though, so I kept going. I am so glad I did. This is the first installment in the Lazare Family Saga and I really enjoyed it.. I learned so much about the Catholic church as well as learning about this complex family. I could really feel Joseph's pain-the church or Tessa? Can't wait to see what happens.? Highly recommend!

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

Found this to be rich in history of Charleston. The subject that Elizabeth Bell writes about isn't soft and fluffy. She truly gets into the nitty gritty of human emotions. There no sugarcoating only humans with true raw emotions and desires. It was a lot like diving into a bowl of Gumbo with many layers of flavors to unfold. Story unfolds in Antebellum period of Charleston. Dealing with the Catholic faith, slavery, and Mulatto race. The main characters Renee and Joseph deal with finding out they are mixed race in a time when it dangerous to be part black. Then Joseph is also learning to embrace his Catholic faith and becoming a priest. How can he keep his faith and still fall in love with Tessa?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I am rating this book 4 stars. I enjoyed reading about the Lazard family saga. This historical fiction book has a bit of everything from forbidden romance to family drama. I enjoyed reading about the historical aspect of this book too. Usually I don’t gravitate towards novels of this type, but found this one to keep me enthralled!

The first book in a saga that promises to be a best seller with many volumes to come. The story of a family with secrets that manages to overcome many of the roadblocks faced in the era of slavery. Overcoming these roadblocks mean they must live with secrets that could destroy their life's work and keep them from real happiness. There are so many family sagas that this book reminds me of that it is very hard to just name one, The Thornbirds, John Jakes series, Clifton Chronicles, all examples of excellent writing and stories that revolve around a family dynamic that you could easily add Necessary Sins to the list. What happens in the second book will tell us if Elizabeth Bell can continue to wind the magic through her stories.