Heaven & Earth
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3.7 • 3 Ratings
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
Ruth Christianson is at an unfathomable crossroads in her life. Her husband, the esteemed Pastor Sam Christianson, has just been outed for having an affair with a male prostitute, and they have been exiled from the megachurch they built together in Charleston, South Carolina. With their three children in tow Ruth and Sam attempt to escape the condemnation that follows the very public scandal by disappearing to the small, Missouri farm where Sam grew up. Once there, Ruth must decide whether to maintain her bonds of holy matrimony or walk away from the only man she's ever loved. As she reflects on the events that brought her to this moment in time, Ruth suddenly realizes there is a third much more radical option, but choosing it may well destroy her very soul.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A megachurch and a marriage are rocked by scandal in the deeply felt latest from Senter (Still the Night Call). Bestselling Christian author Ruth Christianson learns from a cable news show that her husband, Sam, a megachurch pastor in Charleston, S.C., has been having drug-fueled encounters with a male sex worker. She decides to stand by him, for now, and the couple relocates with their three children to Sam's parents' farm in rural Missouri. It's rough going, though. Sam's imperious mother blames Ruth for Sam's sexuality, and her youngest son has stopped talking. The turmoil triggers flashbacks to Ruth's upbringing, including the sudden death of her religiously devout grandmother when Ruth was a child and the bitter argument about reproduction rights she had with her atheist mother shortly before she died. Then the Christiansons face another crisis, pushing Ruth to the breaking point. Though a big character shift feels underdeveloped, for the most part Senter portrays Ruth's emotional upheaval with nuance and depth. It's a thoughtful exploration of the uneasy intersection between religion and sexuality. (Self-published)
