Friday, June 11, 2010

Book Discussion: A Passion Most Pure

Welcome to the first ever book discussion on "Seasons of Humility!" Before we get started, I wanted to share the poll results with you.

Our first poll asked the question: "What is your favorite genre of fiction books?" Of the eleven who responded, the breakdown was as follows:

  • Suspense (1--9%)
  • Romance (4--36%)
  • Historical (5--45%)
  • Science Fiction (0--0%)
  • Mystery (1--9%)
  • Other (0--0%)

It's nice to know that the people who read my blog share similar interests with me. Of course, the fact that you read my blog might be because we have similar interests! Funny how that works. =) Well, I read a lot of Christian Romance and Christian Historical Romance, so you can get your fix of your favorite fiction here!

As to the other poll, there was an overwhelming majority in favor of discussing Julie Lessman's A Passion Most Pure. (And this book just happens to fit into the Historical Romance category!) I am happy to oblige! Julie's debut book is simply fabulous! It's been about a year since I've read the book, though, so I hope I can still lead a good book discussion!

That being said, for any who haven't yet read the book, it is possible (actually, quite likely) that there will be some spoilers given away throughout the course of this discussion. If you're the kind of person who doesn't mind and you would still like to be a part of the discussion, feel free to join in! If not, however, than maybe just reading this far in the post will inspire you to pick up Julie's book. =) I highly recommend it!

And one more order of business: I have a wonderful surprise for all of you! Be sure to stop by on Friday, July 9, because I'm going to be featuring Julie Lessman here--on this blog! And yes, there will be a giveaway! It's going to spectacular, so be sure to mark your calendars!

And now for the book discussion! I'll get us started by asking a few questions and/or making a few comments on the book. How deep the discussion goes will be entirely up to you. I might be out and about for a while tomorrow, but I'll try to stop by occasionally to respond and guide the discussion as best I can. And I think Julie herself might grace us with her very sweet and very fun presence, so be on the lookout! =)

First, here's the description of the book from Revell:

"She's found the love of her life.
Unfortunately, he loves her sister.

As World War I rages across the Atlantic in 1916, a smaller war is brewing in Boston. Faith O'Connor finds herself drawn to an Irish rogue who is anything but right for her. Collin McGuire is brash, cocky, and from the wrong side of the tracks, not to mention forbidden by her father. And then there's the small matter that he is secretly courting her younger sister. But when Collin's affections shift, it threatens to tear her proper Boston family apart.

Book 1 of the Daughters of Boston series, A Passion Most Pure will carry your heart from the sophisticated streets of Boston to the green hills of Ireland as men go off to war and women long for their return. Full of passion, romance, rivalry, and betrayal, it will captivate you from the first page."

So (finally!) here are my observations/questions to get us going:

  • The verse at the beginning of the book is Ecclesiastes 2:26, which says, "To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind" (NIV). Why do think Julie Lessman chose this verse to start out the book, and how do you think it fits with the story?

  • I found it to be an intriguing twist that instead of having the story focus on three sisters--Faith, Hope, and Charity--only Faith and Charity have a "real" part. In fact, Hope was Faith's twin sister, but she died before the story even begins. What do you think the author was trying to say through this symbolism? What is the effect of having already lost "hope" before the start of the book?

  • On page 303, Faith says, "Mitch, please understand, my faith means the world to me. I have every intention of saving my . . . well, my affections . . . for the man I marry. I want to see you, I do. But I can't indulge in 'favors,' as you put it, because they're wrong. That means if you and I are going to have a relationship, I need you to know I mean what I say. We can occasionally kiss, Mitch, but when I say no, the kissing is over. And if it isn't, the relationship is." What do you think of Faith's stand? Do you think she is demanding too much, or too little? Should she let a man she is not married to kiss her at all?

  • When it comes to Collin, sparks fly for more than one sister. Do you think you could ever love a man who had loved your sister first? And do you think it's possible that a man can change because of a woman's love (or vice versa)? How would you be able to tell if he had truly changed, or if he was just putting on a show? (Feel free to cite examples from the book.)

Whew! I could go on and on, I'm sure. =) I've given you some food for thought, and I'd love to hear your feedback! Don't feel like you have to address all these questions! Address just one, or all if you desire. I'll check in later!

Let the discussion begin!

29 comments:

Kav said...

Hey -- I'm excited to see a book discussion online!!! I'll tackle two of your discussion points for starters.

First -- Faith Hope and Charity!!!! I totally didn't make that connection at all!!!!!!! And that Hope is lost -- now that's profound. I wonder if Julie planned it that way? And I can't believe that flew right over my head. It definitely does seem to be a foreshadowing of Faith and Charity's relationship. I felt pretty hopeless for them by the end of the book.

I did clue into the fact that Faith's name totally suited her while Charity's totally didn't! LOL.

As to Collin and the two sisters. Aaaarghhh. That was so hard to read!!! I think part of the problem was being there as he blundered his way through that love triangle. I found him the least lovable of the Daughters of Boston series' heroes...well, I warmed up to him eventually. :-)

We saw Collin at his worst, whereas we met Mitch at the tale end of his debauchery :-)so though we knew he had a past, we didn't live it with him. I found Mitch easier to champion because of that.

Casey said...

Hmmm, what a GREAT book to start the discussion with. Of those three in that series, this one is still my favorite.

I think because I am so much like Faith. And when she stood up to Collin, is what I appreciate so much about her. She has a strength of character that is inspiring, but she has her weaknesses too. She isn't perfect, but she grows and that is what I love about her.

I found the twist about losing her twin sister Hope an interesting angle. It played into so many of the dynamics in that family that on the surface you don't see, but dig down deep enough and it comes out loud and clear. It really breaks your heart to think of them sufferiing and not realizing that they are actually causing harm certain areas of their lives.

I gotta run, but I will try to come back later or at least tomorrow. Great discussion!!

Michelle said...

I love this book! It's at my parents house, so I might refresh myself with it a little while I'm there this weekend.

I never bought that Collin was in love with Charity. In lust with her yes, but love, no. When he was with Charity, I'm not even certain he knew what love really was. That was my take on him.

Amber Holcomb said...

Great comments, everyone! :) Thanks for taking the time to join the discussion!

KAV: Glad you could join in today! :) I remember thinking about that when I was reading the book, trying to figure out what the significance would be of "Hope" being gone. I think you really hit onto something there about the sisters. Because Hope was the "middle" sister--correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm not sure which twin was the oldest--than all hope "between" them seems lost. But is that a permanent situation? Could something revive that hope, in a sense? Only God could perform such a miracle! :)

And that's an interesting point about Charity's name not suiting her. Is there any way she can grow into the name? Faith seems to mature in her faith as the story progresses--maybe Charity can eventually find the meaning of love and display it in her own life?

And yes, I do believe you're right! It was hard to stumble through the love triangle with Collin, and it was so easy to love Mitch! It was heartbreaking to see him suffer, because I really fell for him. On the point about Collin--isn't it grand that God loves us even after going with us through all of our struggles?

CASEY: I agree--A Passion Most Pure is a great book to discuss! And so far, this book is my favorite, as well. :)

I also agree with you about Faith maturing/growing as the story progresses. She is an admirable character, and like I was talking about in my "To Tell a Story..." post recently, it's the fact that she's "real"--that she makes mistakes, hurts others, and struggles with temptation--that we love her and we can learn with her.

And quite literally, you're right. Losing a member of the family is bound to put strain on the family's relationships with each other. Each person will have their own set of memories (of none, if they weren't old enough to remember), their own heartache, and their own anger/grief to deal with. What a test on family bonds! Do you think that the loss of a sister affected Faith's and Charity's interactions, not just with each other, but with others--like Collin--as well?

MICHELLE: I love this book, too! I wouldn't mind re-reading it myself sometime! ;)

That is an excellent point. Collin didn't seem to really love Charity--his feelings for her were strictly physical for the most part. Do you think his feelings for Faith were different? Did you feel that Collin learned what love was all about by the end of the book?

EVERYONE: Feel free to address any of the questions I ask others! It's a discussion, so we can build off of each other's responses to delve even deeper into the book! :)

Kav said...

About Collin and Charity: I think he was infatuated with her -- the allure of a young woman of good standing. What a challenge! I think it was the O'Connors he fell in love with and he'd do anything to be a part of that family! It was everything his was not. From the very beginning of the book he was yearning for something more but didn't know how to go about finding it. The O'Connors had the answer, it just took him...like the WHOLE book to figure that out!!!!! LOL. I was demented by the end. Really...I was an emotional basket case and had to read a romantic comedy to snap out of it! LOL.

Bluerose said...

I didn't put together Hope's name at the beginning either. I love that!
I'm going to address the last two. I love that Faith stayed pure! I don't think she demanded too much or too little, and I don't think that issue should change with times. Maybe kissing isn't so taboo, but it's still very respectable to stay pure. :)
I loved both Collin and Faith's characters the most. They were my favorites. I knew that he didn't love charity and while i didn't approve of him being with her, I still longed for the moment Collin and Faith would get together. I don't know that i could marry someone after all that, but i guess we all do crazy things for love.
And about changing a man(or woman)....never expect it. That is more of an exception than a rule!!! It does happen, though. There are several examples of couples at my church. The best way to change someone, whether the male or female, in my opinion is by example. Faith was a great example. She even inspires me with her faith! I don't know if I could have not married my husband if he didn't have faith in God. I love how the characters do prove that anybody can change, though, with lots of prayer, example, and faith. :)

Kav said...

About whether Charity can grow into her name...:-) Read the rest of the series to find out. (Bouncing up and down in excitement because I know what happens next!)

Kav said...

About what bluerose said re. Faith being a great example. Totally agree, but she had a temper too and I like that she stood up to Collin and spoke her mind when she needed to -- and not always calmly either. She had an edge to her, but her faith tempered it so it wasn't as sharp as Charity's. (hope that makes sense).

I completely marvel at how Julie Lessman created such vibrant and distinct individuals in these sisters and then remained true to them right through the series. Now that's talent!

As to Faith's stand on chastity: I loved that she was up front with Mitch right from the beginning. That was a gutsy thing to do because she risked losing him. given his background. What I liked about that whole scene was the fact that she had obviously made the decision to remain pure long before she met Mitch. I think that's a great example for any woman. Those kinds of decisions have to be made 'when cooler heads prevail' so to speak. If you aren't sure of your standards yourself, any guy you're with can't be expected to be able to figure it out for you. Julie did a huge service to her readers by providing them with an example of the right way to enter a relationship with a man. And it's just as applicable today as it was a hundred years ago.
(stepping off my soapbox now!)

Bluerose said...

I think maybe I like Faith more because of her temper. :) I'm strong in my faith and very shy, but I also have a temper, which, as my husband tells everyone, has been passed onto my son. :)It's a great reminder that even the strongest Christians have weaknesses.
I completely agree about Faith already having her mind made up! I want to shout it to the world, too, about making that decision before even starting to date.
I am just amazed at how beautiful Julie Lessman writes!

Kav said...

Well, tempers do spice things up, don't they? :-) And we can't forget to add in another fine O'Connor sister quality -- stubborness!!!! Those two are a lethal combination for the men in their lives!

Amber Holcomb said...

Wow! I feel like I'm interrupting a great conversation. ;) Hope it doesn't feel that way to you two!

KAV: Oh, that reminds me of Little Women! I saw the movie again recently, and it's just as Laurie says: "Just as you have known you would never marry a pauper, I have always known that I must be a part of the March family." What an intriguing concept! Do you think if Faith was from a different family that he still would have fallen in love with her? And how much does family background play into romantic relationships, do you think?

As to your note regarding Charity--I confess I already read the second book in the series. :) So I do know what happens! I guess I was kind of tossing that question out there, just to see what everyone thought and if it seemed like a realistic possibility. :)

Also, I agree with both you and Bluerose that Faith is a great example. She was direct about her stand on not being physical before marriage, and I know we all applaud her for that! :) I like what you said about the girl needing to know before even entering a relationship, because the guy won't know unless you make it clear.

This reminds me of the book discussions I had with my roommate on the book Quest for Love by Elisabeth Elliot. It really makes you wonder what exactly our stand should be. No kissing until you're engaged? Or is a peck on the cheek alright? What about holding hands? Do you think some things differ for the individual? Perhaps some people can share a kiss without getting too carried away, but others should avoid it until they're married in order to assure their purity. It's a lot to think about! But in all of this, I think we can agree that purity is of the utmost importance in a relationship.

BLUEROSE: I really like what you said in regards to my fourth question/observation. God is all-powerful, and we should never underestimate his power to change others. And He can definitely use those with a godly lifestyle to influence others. BUT, I most definitely agree that one should never enter into a relationship expecting to change a person. I feel like I'm echoing my mom here :), but it's so, so true! People can make themselves seem very different in order to catch someone's eye (in a sense), so it's always best to get to truly know someone first. And people can promise all kinds of things to secure a relationship, but not really mean it. It makes one wonder when you can really trust someone when it comes to dating. But I think God speaks to our hearts, and knowing the person--seeing how they interact with family, friends, and strangers--before dating/engagement/marriage is key. At least, so I've heard. :) I don't really have much experience in this area, but I've heard some great advice throughout my life!

Anyway, it's great to bring up the point once again that we are not perfect--and one of Faith's weaknesses could indeed be her temper. ;) We all have a lot of growing to do, and perhaps reading about certain characters' weaknesses will remind us of some of our own we need to work on!

KAV and BLUEROSE: Thanks for contributing so much to this discussion! :) Way to go!

Kav said...

I've enjoyed book talking, Amber. I hope you do this again sometime.

:-)

Julie Lessman said...

OMIGOSH, Amber, my apologies for getting here so late. I have been lost all day in rewrites for A Heart Revealed, Sean and Emma's story which took me nine months to write and was like giving birth with nine months labor!! And the real kick is that just last week, my agent threw a grenade in it which means MAJOR rewrites ... and the book is due to Revell JULY 1ST!!! Can you say nervous breakdown??? But God has stabilized me (what would we do without Him???) and I am on the fast track to get it done. So THAT'S why I forgot to stop in today!

That said, I am absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the comments in this discussion! You guys are all pretty young, right? (teens and 20s?), so to see how articulate and deep you are in dissecting a book is truly impressive.

For instance, I am SO totally impressed that Amber hooked in to the "Hope" symbolism! Wow, to be honest with you, I didn't figure that out till I was halfway through the book, so to answer Kav's question, NO, I did not plan that! As often happens when God is involved, things come out realllly freaky.

For instance the Scripture at the front of the book is from Ecclesiastes regarding "Chasing after the Wind," which was the original title of A Passion Most Pure. I did not realize until after I wrote the book that that Scripture applied to both Collin and Faith. Faith was "chasing after the wind," or the Holy Spirit, which is symbolized by wind, and Collin was "chasing after the wind" as Solomon referenced it in Ecclesiastes, which is chasing after things that cannot satisfy.

Anyway, I cannot tell you HOW many times that has happened in these books! Soooo God and soooo fun!! :)

Hugs,
Julie

Julie Lessman said...

KAV ... as far as Faith's name fitting her and Charity's not, actually Charity's DOES fit her! She is woman obsessed by the need to be loved, which is what her name means -- Love.

It is, however, rather ironic that a woman who goes by the name of Love cannot attain or give love in the truest sense of the word in Book 1. But Book 2 begins to change all that, and by Book 3, we see definite growth. BUT ... it is in book 5, A Heart Revealed, where we see the true depth and healing of Charity, when her name truly typifies her. I guarantee you are going to LOVE her by book 5!

And, Kav, very insightful when you said, "We saw Collin at his worst, whereas we met Mitch at the tale end of his debauchery." I hadn't thought of that, but it's true. And I think it's interesting that both you and Amber found it easy to like Mitch. I thought most young girls would like Collin best, at least based on Renee's poll (I think it was Renee, wasn't it?), but as an older woman, I favored Mitch because I just love the grumpy, no-nonsense type who will not let me get away with murder (my husband is not grumpy, but he definitely doesn't let me ride roughshod over him, like Mitch is with Charity, which I SO appreciate and love).

Hugs,
Julie

Julie Lessman said...

CASEY SAID:
"I think because I am so much like Faith. And when she stood up to Collin, is what I appreciate so much about her. She has a strength of character that is inspiring, but she has her weaknesses too. She isn't perfect, but she grows and that is what I love about her."

Move over, girl, because if you are like Faith, we are two of a kind. I became a Christian at the age of 23, a 70's "wild child" who completely turned over a new leaf to become a totally on-fire Christian. As a result, I WAS Faith, which is where I got the character of Faith O'Connor in APMP. I was determined to be totally moral for God and even went so far as to tell every guy I dated up front that I was a Christian and would not put out. They would laugh and act like it was no big deal, but NONE of them would ever take me out past the fourth date. I could never understand why until I finally called this one guy I realllly liked and said, "We had a great time together and really seemed to like each other, so I don't understand why you stopped calling." His response? "Well, Julie, I do like you a lot, but to be honest, I can find a girl I like who will put out too." I was stunned. So much so, that when my husband and I were dating and we came to the fourth date, I told him that I was really glad to have met him and that I wished him well. He was confused and asked me what I was talking about, and I told him that no guys ever took me out past the fourth date because I was a strong Christian.

But guess what?? Being moral is a safety net built-in by God to protect us. Because when we stay true to God's precepts in dating, the wrong guys will leave, and the right guy will stay. Trust me ... I'm living proof and have the best marriage I have yet to see on the planet. Why? Because "God honors those who honor Him!" 1 Samuel 2:30. COUNT ON IT!

Hugs,
Julie

Julie Lessman said...

MICHELLE, you are dead-on -- Collin was never in love with Charity, he was in love with her beauty and the fact that she was in love with him. Think about it ... Collin was looking for love ... Charity's name means "love," yet Collin wanted to be in control of that love so it wouldn't hurt him, which is what he could do with Charity. With Faith, he was vulnerable because it meant he could get hurt.

And you are absolutely correct that he had no clue what real love was, which is why Faith and the O'Connors fascinated him. He wanted what they had ... and he wanted it with Faith, but she knew the true definition of "love" ... having God in the middle of the relationship. I know from practical experience that THAT is the only way to the type of love we are all looking for.

Hugs,
Julie

Julie Lessman said...

AMBER, yes, Hope was the middle sister because I was going for "Faith, Hope and Charity," so it is interesting that "Hope" is the middle or connecting point to Faith and Charity's relationship. Faith "hoped" in book 2 that someday she and Charity would be close, and that finally happens, at first at the end of book 2, and then completely in book 3.

And there's no question that Hope's death affected Faith and Charity's relationship AND how they both interacted with others. Hope was the sister who doted on Charity, so when Hope died, you might say Charity's hope died too. Especially when the person she loved most in life other than Hope, her father, turned away from her to dote on Faith, the cripple.

This affected how Charity saw Faith and consequently treated her poorly, and in turn, how Faith saw Charity. As a result, because of Hope's death, Charity was robbed of love and spent the rest of her life looking for it in all the wrong places.

Faith was devastated by her twin's death, a factor that eventually helped turn her to a deeper relationship with God.

Because of Hope's death, Charity resented Patrick, resulting in their poor relationship.

Bottom line, the death of someone we love affects all of us in profound ways we never even realize.

Hugs,
Julie

Julie Lessman said...

KAV SAID:
I was demented by the end. Really...I was an emotional basket case and had to read a romantic comedy to snap out of it! LOL.

Oh my, Kav, I never meant to do that to you, girl!! I'm just one of those authors who THRIVES on romantic tension and drama. When my best friend and prayer partner (who is NOT a romance reader) first read APMP, she asked me why it had to be so "tense." "Why can't you you just write a sweet romance?" she asked, "without so much tension?"

DUH ... because I'm a drama queen, pure and simple. And a romance-loving DQ at that! :)

Hugs,
Julie

Julie Lessman said...

BLUEROSE SAID:
The best way to change someone, whether the male or female, in my opinion is by example. Faith was a great example. She even inspires me with her faith!

AMEN TO THAT, GIRL!! When I married my husband, I made darn sure he believed in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, so he was definitely a "Christian," but not on fire (or born again) like me.

Early in our marriage, he told me that he was worried that I was a fanatic and that it would ruin our marriage. I remember crying to my sister, asking her if she thought I was a fanatic (I was REALLY on fire for God with TONS of fervor). Fortunately for me, I had JUST brought that very sister to the Lord the prior year and she told me point blank, "No! You are not a fanatic. You love Jesus Christ, and that's how you live. Do not let Keith (my husband) change you! You are right where God wants you."

You know what? She was right. I stayed the course, but kept my mouth shut (a VERY difficult thing to do!), loving Keith by example (and submitting to him in love). As result, my husband is today 100% on fire for God and we pray about everything. He tells our kids all the time that their mother demonstrated love he had never seen before. And what kind of love was that??? The love of God ... the only love that NEVER fails.

Hugs,
Julie

Julie Lessman said...

Hubby's calling ... gotta go to bed and watch JAG (our new obsession! That David James Elliott is one good-looking hunk, let me tell you ... at least to an older gal like me!).

I'll check in tomorrow to respond to the additional comments. I hope this is as much fun for you guys as it is for me! Thanks, Amber!

Hugs,
Julie

Amber Holcomb said...

Oh Julie!!! I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to see you here, and how thrilled I am that you took the time to respond to all of us! :D You are so sweet! (Although I'm horrified that I'm taking you away from precious time writing more of the books I love to read!) ;)

It is amazing how God works! :) If I ever write anything worth discussing, it will all be because of God! Any great connections, any depth and beauty, will be from Him. It is so humbling to know that He can use us to bring Him glory! Our humble efforts can be used in mighty and powerful ways! It's wondrous, indeed!

As to your first responses to Kav, I can't wait to see how Charity matures even more! It's so great that you're writing a saga so that you can make the changes more gradual--and thus more realistic--so we can really appreciate the outcome! :)

And don't be surprised! I LOVED Mitch, and I remember that when I read the book I was so sad for him...I really wanted Mitch and Faith to be together! As much as I agree that the ending was happy-sigh-worthy, it was also heartbreaking. I guess that added another dimension of realism to the story, though, as in a love triangle, someone is going to be hurt.

And thank you for sharing that story in response to Casey's comment! What an encouragement and a wonderful reminder--that God has a plan, and if He wants us to be married, He will bring the right man to us. He will bless those who honor Him! Your story is so inspiring! :D

Also, thank you for pointing out the repercussions of Hope's death on the O'Connor family. It's very insightful to see those connections, and a sad but true reminder of tragedy's toll on us all that affects us in ways we might not even realize. That is definitely a reminder for me to be more understanding and not quick to judge, because only God knows how others have been hurt and why they behave the way they do (even if it doesn't excuse that behavior).

Anyway, enjoy watching JAG, and hope to see you again soon! :) Can't wait until July 9! ;)

Thanks again, Julie!!!

~Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

KAV: Thank you so much for being a part of the discussion today! You really added a lot, and I appreciate it! :)

I'm so glad you enjoyed the discussion, and maybe I will have to do another one soon. I've got some great stuff planned for this summer, so I hope you can stop by again!

Thanks again! :)

~Amber

Kav said...

I'll look forward to your summer blogs, Amber, even though I'm not as young as Julie thinks I am. LOL.

Julie -- loved all your comments!!!!! Thanks for taking the time to share so much. And goodness...even a celebrated writer like yourself has to contend with editing logistics? You think they'd give yo free rein by now!!!!! LOL.

And just so you know, you converted me to Charity when I read her story in A Passion Redeemed. I set out not wanting to love her, but I did in spite of myself! :-)

For anyone who hasn't read the rest of the Daughters of Boston series...don't stop until you're all caught up and ready to read 'A Hope Undaunted' coming out in September.

Julie Lessman said...

KAV SAID:
If you aren't sure of your standards yourself, any guy you're with can't be expected to be able to figure it out for you.

Oh, lady, you said a MOUTHFUL!! You MUST set standards and be married to those standards if you ever want to be "married" in the way God intends. Not that we aren't human and make mistakes, but as young women, you must make the men you are dating understand that you mean what you say AND that you really MEAN what you say!

Bluerose ... oh-oh, those "shy" people with tempers are dangerous ... talk about still waters running deep. But I LOVE writing about people with tempers because I am from a family of HUGE tempers, myself included (which, I am happy to say, God has curbed considerably!).

Thanks Kav and Bluerose for your kind words -- always music to my ears!

Hugs,
Julie

Julie Lessman said...

Oh, KAV ... STUBBORNESS!!! My ALL-TIME favorite trait in the characters I write ... mmm, wonder where they get it ...

AMBER said: Do you think some things differ for the individual? (regarding kisses and purity).

Oh-oh, this is a subject that I wish I had time to go into today, but I am leaving in five minutes and will be gone all day and night BUT ... I DO think it differs per individual, Amber, up to a point. For some, kisses are okay, for others, maybe not. We are responsible before God for our own hearts and consciences to tread the line that protects us from sin.

I apologize, but hubby is dragging me out the door again (talk about a cave man!!) for a day of landscaping at my son's house, so gotta scoot. I will try to pop in tomorrow before church, but then will be gone all day, so not sure how long this book club will be up.

Have a GREAT weekend, everyone!

Hugs,
Julie

Casey said...

Oh Julie, what a sweet meeting for you and your husband! You were certainly blessed for sure! :) Thanks for stopping by, you'll get the rewrites done, I know you will, I have complete confidence in you!!

Love,
Casey

Amber Holcomb said...

KAV: Thank you! I'm having fun planning out some cool summer events for this blog! Hope you'll enjoy them, too!

JULIE: Thank you for addressing that point. :) It is such a hard thing to think about, but it does seem that a lot (definitely not everything, though!) depends on the individual. It's so nice to hear your thoughts on the subject! And no worries about rushing off--I completely understand and I'm just thankful you took the time to stop by and leave such thoughtful comments!

EVERYONE: As long as you have anything you want to discuss about this book, and as long as you keep leaving comments, then the book discussion will continue. :) It's entirely up to you!

~Amber

Julie Lessman said...

KAV SAID:
I'll look forward to your summer blogs, Amber, even though I'm not as young as Julie thinks I am.

Oh, KAV, you have NO idea how good that makes me feel ... the older the better because at my age, I always feel like an old lady around you young kids. But I relate well, I think, which should give you some idea about my maturity level for a woman my age ... :)

KAV SAID REGARDING MY REVISIONS:
You think they'd give yo free rein by now!!!!!

GRIN ... uh, no. I actually got spoiled because A Passion Most Pure and A Passion Redeemed literally sailed through with very few revisions, but on Denied, I got taken to the woodshed, and it was the same thing on Undaunted. Trust me, I'm shaking in my boots on A Heart Revealed ... :)

Thanks, CASEY ... I'm giving the revisions my best shot, so we shall see.

AMBER ... LOVE the blog!!! And you will always be "Borders Girl" to me! :)

It was great chatting with you guys -- THANK YOU for reading my books and your invaluable support.

Hugs,
Julie

Amber Holcomb said...

Julie

Thank you!!! Your encouragement means so much to me! :D And it has been so nice to have you here for our book discussion! You are welcome here anytime!

~Borders Girl (That's so sweet that you remember!)