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Book Review of Fifty-Nine Front Street

Fifty-Nine Front Street
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This captivating but controversial novel gives the reader a shocking look behind the scenes at Brendon Falls Bible Church, as it describes the love-hate, hide-'n-seek romance between Pastor Jim Shanley and young Rebecca Reinhardt--they are finally able to follow their hearts, but with unexpected and drastic consequences. The heart-gripping, sexually charged nature of the story blew me away a few times--I never saw writing so explicit from a minister--yet as a disenchanted evangelical, I found the story to be most authentic and compelling, especially how it relates to being in love outside the rules, which I think probably happens to most of us at some point in our life, whether we admit it or not, whether we're into church or not. True love never seems to fit, and this book develops the clash of heart versus expected behavior in a truly artistic and powerful manner. This is one of the best books I've ever read. It was even better than THE THORNBIRDS which deals with the same theme