Our Town Atheist banner

About the Book

Book: Our Town Atheist

Author: Victoria Buck

Genre: Christian Women’s Fiction

Release Date: October 30, 2020

OurTownAtheist_h12793_750 Small-town banker Adam Bender tackles a robber and loses. But that’s not what shakes the foundations of his well-managed life. He awakens in the hospital to the vision of an angel. But that’s not what casts doubt on his reasonable judgment. Turns out the angel is only a beautiful doctor—someone Adam wants to get to know better.

The bank robber is on the loose and out to get Adam. News spreads in the gossipy little town of Adam’s misfortune, his love interest, and his…atheism? He’d thought he could keep that a secret. But Adam Bender can handle it. Or, can he?

What happens one night on a mountain road leaves him questioning his worldview. And his sanity. And soon the whole town is waiting to find out if what Adam saw will alter his unbelief.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Victoria Buck is a native Floridian running a small business with her husband, who teaches her everything she needs to know about both melodrama and comic relief. Wake the Dead is her debut novel. Killswitch is the follow-up to book one. Transfusion is the last book in the trilogy about the world’s first transhuman.

Now, on to other stories! Victoria is currently working on two present-day novels. No transhumans or insurrections. Of course, there has to be a bit of a weird twist!

More from Victoria

Have you ever heard of a porkpie hat? Maurice is wearing one that terrible night when Adam sees him. The Chief of Police hasn’t seen a porkpie in Crossroads for decades, but old Mrs. Jones can tell you all about it. I wasn’t familiar with the hat until I wrote this story. Now I have one of my own!

I admit unusual characters pop into my head. Not your typical protagonist for someone who writes from a Christian worldview, Adam Bender showed up in my imagination after I wrote some blog posts about atheism. Those posts drew more response than I expected from the atheist community. Some were not so kind, but others wanted only to exchange ideas and explain their views in a non-confrontational manner. That’s when this easy-going, fictitious atheist began speaking to the writer in me. I let him talk for a while, and then I had to tell his story.

MY REVIEW

This was quite a unique story. Not many people approach the subject of someone being an atheist. People believe in different things and I liked how the author didn’t make the book preachy. It follows a man named Adam who really doesn’t believe in anything. A robbery at his bank changes him in ways he never thought possible.

I really liked Adam and felt a little bad for him as the small town loved to gossip about him. Everywhere he turned, people were curious about him. I thought his observation about lots of the people in the town didn’t even attend church on Sundays was funny. What I wanted to say to him is going to church doesn’t make you a Christian. Being like Christ and following Him is the way to show you are a believer.

There are several incidents that happen to Adam in the story that could be a way for God to get his attention. Did he see a ghost on the mountain? Was it someone crossing over or did he imagine it? I wasn’t sure if his relationship with Essa was a good idea. The town seems to have mixed emotions about Essa and Adam but I was interested to see where the author would take them.

There is a bit of mystery in the book which tied into Adam and his journey of where he really stands with his belief. I still don’t know what the dog represented but I did like the part where Adam seems to almost change his mind about God. Will Adam find his way to God, or will he continue to have doubts ? I’m not sure I liked the ending but maybe there will be a follow up that will explain some lingering questions I have.

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