About the Book

Book: Faith’s Journey

Author: Heather Greer

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Release Date: February, 2018

Sometimes it’s the unexpected path that leads you on your journey back to faith.

Katie McGowan left her parents and their faith behind years ago. However, when faced with a devastating betrayal, Katie is ready to go back to Carbondale, Illinois to help her elderly parents despite their tempestuous relationship. Drained by the constant friction, Katie finds emotional support and encouragement in Austin. His practical, simple faith speaks to Katie, and she finds herself yearning for a new connection to God. As their friendship grows, so does the attraction between Katie and Austin.

Before her fledgling faith and thoughts of romance have a chance to take root, Katie’s cheating fiancé returns, remorseful and promising change. Can her tentative faith strengthen their past love? And if her heart breaks again, will Katie’s journey to faith end before it has really begun?

Click here to get your copy.

About the  Author

Heather Greer is a pastor’s kid and pastor’s wife from southern Illinois. Though her nest is quickly approaching the empty stage, with three of her four children out on their own, she enjoys the times she gets to spend with all her children, husband, and grandson. Equal mix geek and romantic, you could as easily find Heather watching an episode of Doctor Who as the latest Hallmark movie. Of course, you may find her baking, reading, or crafting too!

Heather’s writing and teaching ministries revolve around a passion to see believers grow in their faith. Though God has used her most often with teens and adults, she has worked in ministries reaching all age groups through the years. It is Heather’s prayer for God to use what she writes in her books and on her blog to challenge and encourage readers in their faith walks.

More from Heather

What happens when a person raised in church begins to see the failure of those within the church to live their faith every day instead of on Sunday morning? Often, the truths of scripture are pushed aside in favor of blanket statements like “churches are full of hypocrites” and “I don’t want to follow a God whose people are like that”. In frustration, they walk out the church doors in frustration. Sometimes they walk out with their beliefs intact, but other times faith gets left in the pew they vacate.

That’s what happened to Katie in Faith’s Journey. And when she left home for college disappointed with the people in the church she was raised in and at odds with her mother, it was all too easy to listen to the voices in her life telling her religion and God made no difference in life.  Deciding she knew better than anyone what her life should be, Katie makes her own decisions without considering the God she left behind.

It takes a return home for Katie to start realizing there may be more to God than the people in the pews. Maybe she was quick to see the failures of others to live their faith but slow to see her own problems with the same issue. And maybe it’s time to acknowledge that regardless of how others are living out their faith, God has plans for her and desires a relationship with her that defines who she is every day.

While the original idea that sparked Faith’s Journey was what happens when someone you love betrays you, I quickly realized Katie’s story was more than that. In a sense, the first betrayal she needed to face wasn’t the one with her boyfriend. It was the perceived betrayal by those in the church who failed to live faith outside the church walls. It’s a feeling I believe many Christians have to face since there isn’t a perfect person in any pew.

I pray Faith’s Journey may be an encouragement and give a new perspective to those who currently struggle with the idea of church. And I hope it’s also a challenge to those of us faithfully in the pews each week to make our time there about more than religion or habit. I pray Faith’s Journey challenges us to evaluate the depth of relationship with have with God and let Him change the way we live every day, not just on Sunday.

One of the things I liked the most about this story was how easy it was to relate to the main character. Katie grew up in a Christian home but at some point she starts to turn away from God. I am a pastor's kid and was dragged to church every time the doors opened. Much like Katie, I started moving away from God and cut ties with my parents. It was interesting to see Katie returning to her parents house to help out. Her mother is injured and Katie's dad needs help taking care of her.  I could fill the tension as Katie first walked through her childhood home. I also was called by my dad to come help him when my mom became very ill.

Katie was more than ready to come home to get away from a disastrous relationship. Her life seemed to be falling apart. What I liked was how the author takes a character and allows us to witness her failures and triumphs. Katie and her mom have a difficult relationship. Her mother was always criticizing her and it made for many tense moments between them. The author explores their relationship and it is an honest account of a struggle between mother and daughter. Katie's dad is wonderful and is always thanking Katie for her help. One thing is constant in the house; that constant is God's presence.  Katie's parents know she has slipped away from her faith but they have always continued to pray that she would find her way back to God.

Katie has a trust issue and her faith has fallen along the wayside. It was hard for her to see people she knew and trusted in church be something completely different on Monday. It shattered her trust and belief in God. As we are introduced to Austin, I found him to be a very caring person. He is genuine and shares his faith with Katie as they get to know each other.  It was a great friendship between them  until one day Katie's trust in Austin is broken. What made Katie feel like Austin had betrayed her?  Her life is in shambles as she faces hurt once again. There are some pivotal moments in the story where Katie is talking to God that is inspiring and very emotional. 

The author has written a story that not only shows a person finding their way back to God, but allowing themselves to trust again. I loved how Austin didn't give up on Katie but knew he also needed to work on his relationship with God as well.  Readers can expect a strong faith element in the story as well as a very honest look at people with flaws. I hope you pick up a copy and find your own "faith journey."

"God has a plan for our lives, but we have to be willing to follow."

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. 

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, January 24

Through the Fire Blogs, January 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 26

Inklings and notions, January 27

janicesbookreviews, January 28

Artistic Nobody, January 29 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, January 29

For the Love of Literature, January 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 31

Quiet Quilter, February 1

Older & Smarter?, February 2

Emily Yager, February 3

Godly Book Reviews, February 4

Pause for Tales, February 5

A Baker’s Perspective, February 6 (Author Interview)

Batya’s Bits, February 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Heather is giving away a Cozy Winter Nights giveaway including a $15 Amazon gift card, a mug, assorted teas and hot chocolates, chocolate, and a fleece blanket to create the perfect reading experience on cold winter nights!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f52e/faith-s-journey-celebration-tour-giveaway