Published in 2009 by Full Quiver Publishing
406 pages

Review of In Name Only:

In Name Only by Ellen Gable, is a powerful Catholic historical romance novel layered with rich story lines, vibrant characters, and authentic atmosphere. I read this 406 page novel over the course of one week, and when I wasn’t able to indulge in reading, I found myself pondering the story—it was that absorbing!

In Name Only is Ellen Gable’s second novel, and she has once again written a finely crafted Catholic romance. This time, she demonstrates her diverse writing abilities by transporting readers back to 1876 Philadelphia. Amidst a convincing historical setting, readers follow Caroline Martin through the course of several years during which she faces challenges and heartaches which cause her to grow and mature. At the start, nineteen-year old Caroline journeys by train after her father’s death to live with her wealthy (and practically unknown) uncle and cousin in an impressive mansion. Caroline also meets her new neighbors, two brothers—Liam and David O’Donovan—who apparently couldn’t be any more different. While Caroline admires gentle Liam and even grows to love him, she despises David, who lives a callous, crude lifestyle and seems to have no sense of shame or remorse.

When tragedy strikes, Caroline’s life shatters. David’s presence only increases her torment, yet she cannot escape him. But God works in mysterious ways, and Caroline discovers first-hand how He can bring good out of evil, and that God’s plan really is more amazing than anything she could imagine. Ellen Gable manages the Catholic elements deftly, without preaching and slowing the story’s pace. The religious aspects are not forced, but interwoven naturally and believably. (Incidentally, I enjoyed the inclusion of the Latin Mass and Douay Rheims Bible.)

In Name Only reads true to life, with crosses, temptations, blessings, redemptions, and happiness. Despite how it sweeps you in, this is not a light and airy romance novel; it has substance and does not skirt serious issues, nor rely on graphic “love” scenes to hold your attention. Indeed, it depicts true love. The preciousness of life—particularly of the unborn—is emphasized. In addition, In Name Only illustrates the weakness of human nature, the far-reaching consequences of giving into temptation, and the power of forgiveness. Serious issues involving abortion, chastity, conversion, and marriage are dealt with skillfully. Due to such mature themes and subjects, please note that this is not a novel for young teens. One other warning: You may need a box of tissues. But your heart will glow at the story’s end.

In conclusion, this is the the best book I’ve read in a long time. It has all the qualities that make for an outstanding, memorable novel—and it’s Catholic as well! I highly recommend it!

Alex O’Donnell and the 40 CyberThieves by Regina Doman

and

In Name Only by Ellen Gable

Now the difficult decision is, which to read first?! All I know is, when my two-year-old goes to bed tonight, I’m having a reading fest!

So stay tuned for the reviews–I promise they’ll be coming soon!

Past Suspicion by Therese Heckenkamp

$9.95

Read the latest review of the Catholic young adult suspense novel Past Suspicion!

This review was written by Catholic author Ellen Gable and is featured on the website CatholicFiction.net:

“Past Suspicion is an intriguing young adult thriller which tells the story of orphaned 17-year-old Robin Finley. Before her mother dies, she whispers, “Don’t trust anyone. . . .”

Read the full review here.

The following book review was submitted by Rachael Dalhoff:

“Tyborne” is the story of two siblings, Walter and Isabel de Lisle, who are caught up in the anti-Catholic world of Queen Elizabeth I of England. Raised by good Catholic parents, Walter and Isabel become the wards of the Protestant Earl of Beauville upon their mother’s death. Each is faced with the choice between the compromising life of an apostate, or the sacrificial life of a recusant. Their souls hang in the balance. How will Walter and Isabel decide? This is a thrilling tale with all the suspense of a modern novel, heroic courage in the face of unimaginable suffering and torture, and true love which will leave the reader in awe at its triumph.

The 1994 edition is published by The Neumann Press.

These minor setbacks aside, anyone looking for a truly Traditional Catholic novel will enjoy this book, particularly if you’re looking for a love story.

“For Better, For Worse,” is more than a mere love story, however. It begins with “falling in love”– the easy part–and then goes on to deal with after the honeymoon and the problems that may crop up in marriage when it truly becomes “for worse.”

The story is told interchangeably from two viewpoints, Jerry’s and Felicity’s. This young couple marries and thinks all will be smooth sailing. Time passes, Jerry becomes absorbed in business and neglects his religion. He leaves suddenly on a “vacation,” and meets a tempting young woman. (The unsavory aspects are written very tactfully.)

This is a story about mistakes and forgiveness, and how sometimes a spouse is called upon to rise to the occasion of giving 100%, not just the 50/50 deal toted by today’s society. Modern day couples and Catholics would certainly profit by reading this book, and it’s enjoyable, too!

Review of “Emily’s Hope”:

“Emily’s Hope,” by Ellen Gable, is a fascinating and poignant story about two women separated by years but bound by painful family ties. Their life experiences are similar, yet strikingly different.

At the start, petite seventeen-year-old Emily is a student looking for love and going along with modern attitudes despite the resulting conflict with her Catholic faith. This 353 page book is a fascinating journey through Emily’s emotional life as she makes many mistakes, marries for love, experiences tragedy, and uncovers a dark secret from her family’s past. Through it all, Emily grows in maturity and faith in a believable way, and the reader grows to love Emily while identifying with her trials and tribulations.

The story of Emily’s great-grandmother, Katherine, is interspersed skillfully throughout, and gives a disturbing picture of Katherine’s hard but selfish life. The consequences of her choices affect so many innocent souls, bur her heart is hardened to the truth, and the reader wonders if there is any hope for Katherine.

Keep in mind that it is certainly not a novel for children or young teens. Many unsavory situations arrive in the course of the story, such as pre-marital sex, suicide, infidelity, and abortion. These things are not used gratuitously, but are essential to the plot, illustrating the far-reaching consequences of such actions.

However, I debated about reviewing this novel here at all. From a Traditional Catholic perspective, the book does have many modern “Novus Ordo” touches. “Guitar masses” are included and Natural Family Planning is used by the main characters as soon as they are married (for convenience and without a grave reason and permission from a priest). This is not surprising, but it is disappointing and weakens the true Catholic aspect.

That said, decent modern Catholic novels are difficult to find, and this one has a lot of redeeming qualities, and the author obviously put her heart and soul into the writing. Also, the novel promotes saving sex for marriage and frowns on contraception.

In conclusion, “Emily’s Hope” is an absorbing novel with many admirable messages. The characters are vivid, the story engaging, and it may move you to tears while inspiring you.

Past Suspicion
$9.95

Review of “Past Suspicion”:

It is not often that I write about a woman who cut her first draft of a mystery at age eighteen, but it is true in the case of Therese Heckenkamp, a fellow Wisconsinite! Heckenkamp has already won numerous awards for writing at her young age and lives in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.

Robin Finley has just lost her mother, her home, and any family except an uncle in some small town in Wisconsin, where she is headed for an uncertain future. She meets two young men, almost right off the bat. One is a newspaper reporter, and the other is a “free spirit” who captures her imagination and desire for freedom. Then there is the matter of just what happened to her mother in this small town. She had a mysterious fall off of a balcony at a deserted mansion more than twenty years before. Robin begins to unravel the story of her mother’s high school years: the romances; the “fall”; her relationship with Robin’s quiet but caring uncle; and the map, which turns into the focal point of the story. Robin also overhears a conversation which leads her to believe she might be in danger:

“The words were spoken with such wrath, it hurt my ears to hear what little I did, but I had to stay and listen. What did this mean? I trembled in my hiding place. The very fact that these two guys the only two guys I knew in this whole town were together, alerted me that something was up…”

Being home-schooled, Heckenkamp probably understands something about the brilliant recluse. It shows in her writing. Her heroine is sensitive, angry, hurt, intelligent, stubborn, curious, and has a large heart underneath all of her confusion. She is a typical seventeen year old…Heckenkamp captures the angst of those years beautifully. Her plot is solid, and is very movie or television friendly…lots of action; pathos; conflict; glamor; etc. It’s all there, and Heckenkamp is a confident and sure writer. She has no trouble keeping all of her balls in the air and resolving them at the end of this page-turner with a flair. Her denouement is terrifying, exciting, and then whoosh…she brings in the romantic element with panache.

Past Suspicion is a terrific first mystery/novel from a very promising talent. It is a particularly compelling achievement considering Ms. Heckenkamp has her future ahead of her. Bravo!

Reviewed by Shelley Glodowski
for the Midwest Book Review

]]> http://traditionalcatholicnovels.com/2009/11/past-suspicion-by-therese-heckenkamp/feed/ 0 http://traditionalcatholicnovels.com/2009/11/a-case-of-conscience-by-isabel-c-clarke/ http://traditionalcatholicnovels.com/2009/11/a-case-of-conscience-by-isabel-c-clarke/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:40:13 +0000 Therese http://traditionalcatholicnovels.com/?p=221

A Case of Conscience
by Isabel C. Clarke

Published in 1927 by Benziger Brothers
370 pages

Review of A Case of Conscience:

In this highly readable and entertaining novel by Isabel C. Clarke, the plot does indeed revolve around issues of conscience. What do you do when your conscience seems to stand in the way of what your heart desires? This novel deals with love, vocations, keeping the faith, and mixed marriages–all without preaching or being heavy-handed.In nineteen-year-old Elizabeth’s case, she falls in love with Timothy, but she must guard this fact so as not to come between him and her half-sister Opal. As a fervent Catholic, however, Elizabeth cannot in good conscience support the idea of Timothy marrying outside of the Church, as Opal’s family demands. Thus Elizabeth is put in an awkward position. She already feels unwanted by her mother (who left Elizabeth as a baby and abandoned the Faith). The animosity is increased when Elizabeth’s mother accuses Elizabeth of driving a wedge between Timothy and Opal for her own selfish benefit.

In Timothy’s eyes, Opal is a vision, an enchanting beauty, all he’s ever wanted–he only wishes she’d see how important his faith has become since his visit to Italy, which awakened him to his previously lax ways. Yet Timothy is convinced he cannot be happy without Opal. He cannot give her up an any cost. He is given an ultimatum by Opal’s imposing father. What can Timothy do when love and the Catholic faith are at such odds? How can he choose one and forsake the other?

Finally, there’s Opal, the stunning beauty raised as a wealthy and spoilt only child. She’s captured Timothy’s heart. She wants to marry him, but can’t go against her Father, whom she adores and yet who decrees that the two cannot marry in the Catholic Church. (Her mother and father hate the Catholic Church, for reasons revealed in their history.) Opal thinks Timothy is being stubborn over a silly “scruple,” and if he truly loved her, he’d make this little sacrifice and marry outside the Church.

The characters are richly and deftly written so that they strike the reader as vivid and real. Description is well-done without being overdone. The story moves at a fine pace, with new turns of events keeping the reader’s interest. This novel with a conscience is highly recommended for high school students and young adults alike.

To give you a glimpse inside the book, here is an exchange between Timothy and Elizabeth, from page 159:

He stood alone, defending a lost hope, a forlorn position.

“If I hadn’t gone to Italy–” he said suddenly.

“You must be glad, not sorry that you went,” she said softly, with kindling eyes.

“Elizabeth, you’re a little saint, but you’re only fit for the cloister, not for this hard work-a-day materialistic world! Didn’t you ever want anything you oughtn’t to want and that you knew it would be bad for you to have if you could only get it by going against the Church?”

His shining blue eyes sought her face with an almost painful scrutiny. But in its grave unchanging pallor it offered no indication of emotion.

“Lots of times, Timothy. You mustn’t think life is any easier for me than for you.”

As she spoke she visualized Timothy and Opal standing side by side just as she had seen them on that first evening of her arrival in London, when it had seemed to her that they possessed all the gifts that human beings could possibly desire. They were young and beautiful, they loved each other. And while she looked at them she felt that her heart had been pierced by a sword . . . .”

]]> http://traditionalcatholicnovels.com/2009/11/a-case-of-conscience-by-isabel-c-clarke/feed/ 0 http://traditionalcatholicnovels.com/2009/11/in-sight-by-gerard-d-webster/ http://traditionalcatholicnovels.com/2009/11/in-sight-by-gerard-d-webster/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:25:05 +0000 Therese http://traditionalcatholicnovels.com/?p=218
In-Sight
by Gerard D. Webster

Published in 2009 by Outskirts Press

In-Sight has received the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval!
In-Sight is also a Readers Favorite 2009 Award Winner!

Review of In-Sight:

In-Sight, a novel by Gerard D. Webster, is not only a thoroughly enjoyable read, it is a page-turner with a purpose. I read this 415 page book in less than a week, but I know I will remember it for much longer.

In-Sight is actually the story of many people—some good, some bad—whose lives intertwine in a dangerous conflict over transforming a little island community into an extravagant resort. Political and personal interests, power, corruption, and greed come into play. The full cast of characters include Ward McNulty, who is living a “successful” worldly life as a syndicated columnist who eventually must face the disturbing consequences of his actions; Carrie Hope, a beautiful, ambitious news woman with personal issues; Dan McNulty, Ward’s father (who is too Catholic for Ward’s liking); Father Bart, an old army chaplain; Bob Rohrbach, a defense-lawyer-turned-real-estate-lawyer who champions for what is truly right; and, of course, plenty of bad guys! Here’s a brief passage from the book that illustrates one of the villains, a heartless drug baron:

Galarza scoffed at the weakness of lesser men whose scruples kept them from ever becoming truly powerful. Of all the things he ever killed, he thought, his conscience was the easiest.

It is in fact how the characters deal with their consciences—whether they listen to them or smother them—that makes this story. Worldly vision of life can be—and often is—far from accurate, and the author’s take on this theme is intriguing. A little less than half-way into the book, the story takes a twist that makes you say, “Ah-ha! Now I really get the title. Great double-meaning!” This dramatic twist would be hard to believe without the convincing context that Mr. Webster has created throughout the story.

It is important to note that this is definitely not a book for kids, as the very adult content deals with issues such as immoral lifestyles, drugs, abortion, and some very low-life characters. However, realize that these are used with a purpose to simultaneously further the plot and reveal the dark results of evil choices. Many of the characters swear and use bad language. While all in this book is not strictly “traditional” Catholic, it is a worthy book in its depiction of moral issues with consequences. Also, In-Sight contains precious bits of wisdom without resorting to awkward preaching.

Normally, this is not the type of book I would read, as a glance would make me assume that it’s a boring, confusing, political book for mainly male readers. Happily, this is not the case with In-Sight. Mr. Webster has obviously done his research. He is a talented writer who managed to pull off a work of this magnitude successfully, while including nice touches of humor. The story appeals to males and females, contains no gore, yet culminates in an exciting, gun-fire climax, then slides into a satisfying resolution.

To sum up, I’d like to leave you with a short excerpt from the book, one that I think emphasizes the skill of Mr. Webster’s writing and the reality of what sets his book apart from the masses:

It was not just a run-of-the mill investigation. Nor was it just another legal battle. It was nothing less than the epic battle between the Truth and the Lie—between Good and Evil. And it was being played out on their tiny earthly stage—but with eternal consequences.

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