Customer Reviews

The Amen Sisters

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Angela Benson's third Christian Fiction novel, The Amen Sisters, ventures into the unsettling subject of ministers who commit adultery with women in their congregations. However, that is just one aspect of the storyline.

Francine Amen finds herself in a mental treatment facility following a nervous breakdown precipitated by her best friend's suicide. She is despondent and feels guilty because she was responsible for Toni leaving her family and joining a traveling ministry led by a minister who was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Francine rejected Toni's claim that Brother Payne had impregnated her. Now Francine's sister, Dawn, has come to Ohio to bring her back home to Georgia, back to their family home-and back to the church home she left where she had rebuked the congregation and possibly burned her bridges.

Francine was engaged to Sylvester Ray when she up and left town to join Bishop Payne's traveling ministry. Her fraternal twin Dawn and Sly then began seeing each other and soon married. Together they operate the Amen-Ray Funeral Home business that was started by both of their grandparents. There has always been a sense of competition and sibling rivalry between the sisters but Dawn is determined to be there for her sister in her darkest hour. However, Dawn must contend with the discord in her home and marriage. She is trying to deal with Sly's betrayal as he professes to love her and make things right. It does not take long for Francine to discover there is serious tension between her sister and Sly.

Francine begins working at Mother Harris' bookstore, slowly trying to put her life back together as well as make peace with the way she left Faith Central; she had condemned them in a self-righteous manner. Additionally, she has to face Toni's family, the Roberts, who are angry with her, blaming Francine for Toni's suicide. George, Toni's brother is especially bitter and attempts to discredit her in every way he can.

There are others in Francine's corner though; Mother Harris, Rev. Thomas of Faith Central and Stuart, Sly's best friend, who all try to encourage her faith and strength in the Lord. Francine also befriends Monika, a teenager who works at the bookstore and her mother, Delores. She is drawn into the mother and daughter's dilemma when Monika's desire to know her father's identity threatens the fabric of the lives of some prominent people.

This reviewer found myself frustrated at times with the various storylines as well as the characters, particularly Francine. I needed to know what motivated her over-zealous, self-righteous attitude but to her credit her character did show quite a bit of growth. Additionally, I found the reaction to the infidelity and adultery of a trusted member of the congregation a little too laid back, not to mention the adulterer's reasoning of "it just happened" as an affront to everyone's intelligence. Then there is the matter of seemingly not an eyebrow was raised to the fact that the minute Francine left town, Dawn scooped up her man.

That said, without the aforementioned scenarios, there would not have been the story that it was and true to Benson's style, she is a good storyteller. Known in the mid-90s for her intriguing romance stories with Arabesque, this author seems to have found her niche in Christian fiction. This reviewer also appreciates the fact that her characters are intelligent, upwardly mobile African Americans grounded in a sense of family, community, business and social awareness. The insular world of church folk, including Mother Harris, the voice of reason, like so many Mothers of the church with whom so many of us can identify is presented in a realistic manner. Minister adultery/sexual abuse is tackled as an ongoing issue that needs to be and is being recognized and addressed in churches. The strength of this book is in the writing and the hard lessons learned-God's grace notwithstanding. Fans of this author should be pleased.

Dera R. Williams
APOOO BookClub

After being inspired by Bishop Payne, a traveling minister, Francine Amen decides to leave her old life behind and dedicate herself more fully to the Lord. Before she leaves to join Bishop Payne's ministry, she takes it upon herself to tell off everyone in her church and urge them to get right with God. When her childhood friend, who also joined Bishop Payne's congregation, confides that she is pregnant by the bishop, Francine shuns her. Feeling hopeless and isolated, her friend commits suicide. Plagued with guilt and haunted by memories of the event, Francine spends time in a mental hospital. When she is released, she has no place to go, so she is forced to return to her hometown with her tail between her legs and rebuild her life. It is here that THE AMEN SISTERS, Angela Benson's latest novel begins.

As Francine gets settled in at the home shared by her sister Dawn and her husband Sly, it soon becomes apparent that things between the couple are not quite right. As Dawn and Sly try to cover up their problems, the stress between them continues to build and eventually, something will have to give. In addition, Dawn and Francine have always had a tenuous relationship; the sisters have to work through the issues from the past so they can become the sisters God would want them to be. Francine begins building new relationships and mending old ones and along the way, she and everyone around her must learn not only to forgive one another, but also themselves.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Angela Benson has written a rich, multifaceted work of Christian Fiction that is both timely and realistic. The characters create the pulse of the story, and they are well balanced...not the "perfect people" often seen in this genre. As a result, I was able to relate to and understand the characters, and I found the plot engrossing. THE AMEN SISTERS touches on things that are often pushed under the rug in the church, such as unscrupulous ministers and church members, and "holier than thou" Christians who are fiercely judgmental and look down on others. In addition, the book addresses social issues such as teen pregnancy and parenthood, marriage and fidelity, and even the current challenges many small business owners face. Most importantly, the book highlights God's power to transform lives and the importance of forgiveness.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Angela Benson, one of the brightest voices in Christian fiction brings us her third and most daring novel to date.

The Amen Sisters opens with Francine Amen who finds herself confined to a mental institution after suffering a nervous breakdown brought on by the suicide of her best friend, Toni. Francine Amen was a ministry leader with an up-and-coming church who believed she had found her true calling. She publicly renounced her family, friends and church because she felt they didn't believe "enough" and left her hometown leaving behind a lot of hurt and spiritually wounded friends and family members. Guilt ridden and ashamed, Francine turns to the one person who should always be there - her sister.

Dawn Amen-Ray sticks by her sister, Francine, because she feels it is the right thing to do. Still, Dawn has problems of her own. She recently found out that her husband (Francine's ex-boyfriend) Sly cheated on her. Although Dawn still loves her husband, she is not sure if she can forgive and continue in her marriage.

With Biblical insight and compassion, Angela Benson brings us more than just another novel about a minister going astray. This is a novel with real people who confront real issues. It's about forgiving others and ourselves.

Happy reading!

[...]

THE AMEN SISTERS by Angela Benson is a story about an abuse that apparently has been kept secret for too long -- pastors who misuse their power and sexually abuse women in their congregation. Benson's novel offers insight into this hush-hush world and the lengths that women and pastors go through to keep these secrets. By offering several points of view on this issue from the betrayed women, THE AMEN SISTERS brings to life the fact that pastors are men, fallible and vulnerable, and not the gods that worshippers sometimes mistake them to be. The only points of view missing are those of the pastors, which would have made this a more in-depth read. However, the relationship between the two sisters, Francine and Dawn, and their relationships with the two men in their lives, Stuart and Sylvester, takes the story to a slightly higher level. THE AMEN SISTERS is an engaging, refreshing story of reaffirming love and faith packed with the drama that comes with church-life and the mortals who sometimes confuse the difference between God and man. Like the sexual abuse of children by priests, the sexual abuse of women by pastors must be confronted. So let the church say AMEN and more!

This book covered several different areas that one can relate to in everyday life. I like the fact that the author kept each situation real. I enjoyed reading about the marriages that were able to mend back together despite the break of trust. I think the lesson throughout the whole book was forgiveness, trusting and believing that God will work it out. I think some many people in the story relied on what they thought was right but in the end they all had to rely on God to heal, forgive, and mend back together. This was my first read by this author and the author did a great job with this book. I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Angela Benson, author of The Amen Sisters, tackles a seldom-acknowledged problem in the church -- that of the clergy taking sexual advantage of parishioners. And she does it with care and concern but also with a no-nonsense attitude. It's wrong and she says it's wrong. I like that about this author.

Toni confesses to her friend Francine Amen that she's had an affair with Bishop Payne for several months and is pregnant with his child. Francine doesn't believe Toni and responds in a harsh and judgmental manner. It seems exceptionally harsh when Francine tells her that the Bishop, who is married and has children, has accused Toni of chasing him. Following Francine's strong statements, Toni commits suicide.

Francine is devastated by the death of her friend. When Toni's brother accuses Francine of murdering Toni, Francine experiences an emotional breakdown. After several months of hospitalization, Francine decides to 'get her life in order' by returning home to Georgia. Francine left her home five years earlier and hasn't spoken to her sister Dawn Amen-Ray since then.

Dawn has invited Francine home but is uncomfortable since Sly, her husband of four years, used to date Francine. She's not sure how things will be with the two of them together again. And Dawn is especially concerned since her husband has committed his own sins.

Francine returns home to learn some interesting things about Toni's brother George, the sins of other members of the clergy and herself. Perhaps if Francine is able to let go of her desire for vengeance and will listen to God, things just might work out.

Armchair Interviews says: Benson writes a powerful and compelling novel with characters you will either care deeply about or want to see fall fast and hard.

When Francine Amen does not respond to a friend's cry for help, the effects are devastating for the two of them. Months later after a hospital stay, with a heart still heavy with guilt, Francine moves in with fraternal twin sister Dawn and her husband Sylvester. The sisters' efforts to forge a closer sibling relationship is made more complicated by Francine's past relationship with Dawn's husband; especially since Dawn is already wrestling with resentment toward Sylvester because of his recent affair. It is amid this backdrop that sexual abuse inside the church is revealed in Angela Benson's newest release, The Amen Sisters. Benson effectively peels back the layers of secrecy surrounding this issue, ultimately disclosing its pervasiveness within the church structure. This story should be a requisite read for Christians, as it serves as a powerful wake-up call regarding transgression and the ministry. In The Amen Sisters, Benson reminds that church personnel are not immune from committing sins plaguing the secular world, prompting Christians to find refuge in God and His word, and not man.

Francine Amen thought she found her true calling when she became a ministry leader with an up-and-coming church. She publicly denounced everyone who she thought didn't believe in God enough, including her former church, family and friends. Francine even left her hometown and boyfriend to join this traveling ministry. When Francine's close friend Toni told her that the pastor is sexually abusing her, she turns her back on her. When Toni commits suicide, Francine feels responsible. Francine comes back home to live with her sister Dawn Amen-Ray. She now has to face the same people she shunned before, including Toni's family. Dawn is glad her sister is returning home but the timing couldn't be more wrong. Dawn just found out her husband Sly had an affair. Will she be able to forgive him? Sly is dealing with his past mistake and trying to keep the family funeral home business from being bought out.
The Amen Sisters is a remarkable novel by Angela Benson. Benson masterfully tackles an often taboo subject: Pastors preying upon women parishioners. This novel not only shows what happens when these women try to come forward with their stories, but also shows the lack of support the church gives these women. The pastors are forgiven and the women are not. Francine and Dawn are the central characters of this story but there are also excellent supporting characters. Angela Benson showed great creativity when including the funeral home business into the novel. The Amen Sisters is an engaging, powerful Christian novel that will leave you saying amen.

The Amen Sisters a novel by Angela Benson is a wonderful story of faith, betrayal, and trust. Benson leads you through the lives of two sisters set in the south among a heartwarming collection of Christian family and friends. Francine Amen is apprehensive about going home again after her best friends' suicide. She feels responsible for it, and can't shake the guilt as she faces the grieving family. Dawn Amen-Ray brings her sister into her home after the ordeal, but she has a secret she doesn't want her sister - or anyone else - to find out! This book also boldly confronts the abuse of power by some who are in leadership roles in the Church. It challenges us all to open our eyes as Christians, and confront such issues, both in church and our homes, in the steps laid out for us in the Bible.

The Amen Sisters has a killer beginning and moves along at a pretty fast pace for a while. There is plenty of drama to move the story forward and the tension is realistic and well done. The story slowed a bit in the middle when it got heavy on the church scenes and talking a lot about forgiveness and issues from the past. Then the action picked up again.

I prefer to be in the middle of the action and experience conflict and agony along with the characters. There was potential for emotional suffering at first, but the slower parts were hard for me to get through. That's just the way I see things.

I enjoyed the conflict between Dawn, Sly, Freddy, and Walter. However, I'm a pretty forgiving person so Dawn's ongoing anger started bugging me. I was glad when she and Sly began seeking the Lord more in their relationship, which is the best way to heal from that type of rift. The point the author made about stepping out in faith to rebuild trust and choosing to love was excellently done.

Overall I enjoyed this novel. I liked how the author tied some scenes back to Genesis House, which was from an earlier book the author wrote. But it would've been better with a little less talk and more action in the middle to keep the story from sagging. Regardless, The Amen Sisters ranks high in edgy content, so I'd recommend it to people who enjoy reading about real life issues.