Customer Reviews

A Change of Heart: A Harmony Novel

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Get ready for a readable joy-ride in this installment of the Harmony series, A CHANGE OF HEART. Author Philip Gulley sets the drive on cruise control for his fifth offering --- humorous, low-key storytelling full of the characters you've come to love throughout the previous four full-length novels.

If you haven't picked up other books in the series, put it in "park," stop reading this review now, and go back and begin with HOME TO HARMONY. You'll acquire the needed context for the characters and an appreciation for just how much has changed in the little town of Harmony --- and how much remains the same.

Already up to speed? For those of you fans who have followed the series, this one opens with Pastor Sam Gardner celebrating five years at Harmony Friends Meeting, which is "about four years and eleven months longer than he'd predicted when he became their pastor." Sam prefers funerals to weddings --- "the guest of honor lay quietly, without a word of protest or advice, not worrying for one moment whether he'd forget the vows or she'd trip on her bridal gown." As always, he has his hands full with his quirky congregation. If you're a small-town churchgoer, you'll quickly recognize the personalities in the Harmony Friends meeting --- only the names will be different.

There are some small-town sorts of changes in the air. Dale Hinshaw, the curmudgeonly church member and thorn in the flesh for Sam, is threatening to leave the Quakers for the Baptists. Deena Morrison is getting ready to walk down the aisle with a handsome doctor, and Harmony has its first traffic light.

But the more things change in a small town, the more other things stay the same. Bob Miles, editor of the Harmony Herald, still pens his column, the "Bobservation Post," and dishes out all the local gossip --- true and untrue. Former Indiana Sausage Queen Nora Nagle continues working the checkout counter of Kivett's Five & Dime, waiting for the right man to come along. Sam's idea of an exotic date with his wife Barbara hasn't improved much --- this time it's sneaking over to the Holidome in Cartersburg to swim at the pool, eat bologna sandwiches and HoHos, and share a coke from the vending machine.

It's a laid-back, mellow read. There are a few bumps on the journey but no real controversies or upsets. In some previous novels, Gulley hasn't been afraid to open a few cans of worms (homosexuality and the church, doubt and the clergyman), but in this one there's not much readers could raise an eyebrow over, theology-wise. The major crisis in this novel revolves around Ellis and Miriam Hodge's adopted 16-year-old daughter, Amanda, and Ellis's ne'er-do-well brother, Ralph, and his wife. Ralph had "sold" Amanda to her uncle and aunt while addicted to the bottle, but now he's back, fresh from Alcoholics Anonymous and wanting to start a new life as a family. However, the tension never escalates much past a gentle concern. Gulley writes with plenty of points of view that switch back and forth throughout the book, but the transitions are as slick as an automatic transmission.

I've known Phil Gulley for years (in the interests of full disclosure, he used to date my sister, so I consider him "almost" family) and I grew up just a few miles from Danville, his hometown. When I read Gulley's novels, I recognize many of the places he's drawn from. In the tradition of all great storytellers (he's often compared to Garrison Keillor and Jan Karon), Gulley has a knack for drawing from true life and embroidering it to make excellent fiction (there's not much in Cartersburg except a fire station, for example). The ring of authenticity in his novels comes from his knowledge of Indiana small towns and the characters who populate them. If you visit Danville, Indiana --- Gulley's hometown --- you'll even be able to visit the walk-up Dairy Queen, the site of the "sprinkles shortage" that made headlines in his May 4, 2005 Harmony Herald newsletter (sign up for this monthly e-newsletter at www.harmonyherald.com) or see for yourself the town square and coffee shop that provides setting material for the novel.

But you don't need to go to Danville to recognize the setting or the characters. Anyone familiar with small-town Midwestern life and churches will feel an instant comfortable recognition with Harmony and Harmony Friends Meeting. A happy ending will leave Gulley fans satisfied and looking forward to the next installment.

Enjoy the ride!

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

I just LOVE small town books. This series is up there with Mitford. After reading these books I always ponder and think about all the lessons in them.

Amanda's parents come back to town. Will Ellis find it in his heart to forgive his brother for abandoning and abusing Amanda? Will Dale live to see another day? Will Harmony ever be harmonious? Read the book and answer these questions and more.

Also, don't forget to go to the website to read the Herald!

Someone picking this book up might think it is another one of those sugar coated nostalgic looks at how we like to view ourselves, or rather what America used to be like. But it's not, or not entirely, because Quaker pastor Gulley avoids romanticizing his little town. He as pastor has a sometimes rocky relationship with his congregation. Early in the book, he says that every Sunday he urges his congregation to become a new creation and every week they refuse to do it. There is plenty of bad behavior in this book, but there's also a wonderful sense of community -- of living somewhere where there are no secrets. The community also manages to come together when there are troubles, however.

The theme of this book is forgiveness. Two brothers are at odds, with one brother, Ellis -- the one who stayed home and behaved -- being unwilling to forgive his brother Ralph, an alcoholic who left with his wife 5 years ago, leaving behind their daughter Amanda to be raised by Ellis and his wife. Ralph and his wife have quit drinking and are working hard. But they want to resume their relationship with Amanda, and Ellis doesn't trust them and he can't forgive Ralph.

I love these books. Reading Gulley is a lot like wrapping yourself up in a home-made quilt.

The whole Harmony series is very enjoyable, and it among my favorite in the fiction genre. They are all light-hearted and full of wonderful and entertaining characters. The books follow Sam, a pastor in a small-town Quaker church, and the eclectic group of individuals who are members.

That being said, this was my least favorite of the series. I fear Gulley is runnung low on humor! This one was very pleasent and feel-good, but was not quite as funny as the previous ones. Also, one of the things I love about these books are the touching one or two-liners he usually ends the chapters with. They just warm your heart! But this book didn't have those.

Either way, these books are easy, pleasant and clean reads. Enjoy!

Philip Gulley is my favorite author, hands down. His Harmony novels are funny at all the right times and full to overflowing with Christian wisdom and gracious inspiration. "A Change of Heart" is no exception.

When I read "A Change of Heart", I devoured each chapter with a sense of eager anticipation as to where Gulley would go with the several stories contained within this one. Later I went back to the book and savored the brilliant writing more slowly. Both times, as with all of Philip Gulley's fine books, I was captured by the consistency of the characters and the truth of the stories therein.

Now about "A Change of Heart", I must admit, my dark side cursed dear Sam Gardner when he revived that strangely familiar character, Dale Hinshaw. And then I cursed Dale himself when he left his waitress a creative evangelical "tip" which fit his nature perfectly. I wonder why so many, like Dale, feel they have to be so sneaky about their gospel witnessing?

Anyway...the resurrection of Dale in "A Change of Heart" is a tale full of grace and of Sam's honest struggles in dealing with legalism in his midst. This story is a familiar one to me, as I too struggle to love those whom I hold dear...those well-intended souls who, like Dale, are blinded by the all-consuming flame of religious fundamentalism.

Anther plot that runs through "A Change of Heart" that was even more thought-provoking, was the story of Amanda Hodge. I found myself obsessing as to whether or not her no-good parents were really going to steal her back. I labored, just like the rest of Harmony, to really believe that her folks had changed. I remember Sam's musing, "I wonder what's harder...to change or to make people believe that you've changed." Good stuff.

Rest assured, not all of "A Change of Heart" is so gut-wrenching. You'll be delighted at each turn of events to find many a laugh-out-lound scene. One of my favorites is when Sam slathers tanning lotion on Barbara while they bask under the palm tree...no matter that it's all inside. Ha!

This, the long anticipated Wedding, and so much more, awaits the reader in this wonderful sixth Harmony novel. I highly recommend it. And, by the way, it makes for great family read-aloud time.

I was worried because it had been a while since I read the "Harmony" series but I shouldn't have. It didn't take long to fall into step with the "Harmony Townies". I truly missed them and Gulley didn't disappoint me. I loved the storyline
and was happy to connect again with my favorite characters. It was over far too quick.

Sam Gardner and his delightfully dysfunctional Quaker congregation are back again as this series just seems to get better and better. There are lots of humorous moments with special Harmony events such as the Blessing of the Noodles, the Corn and Sausage Days Festival, and the Progressive Nativity Scene. There are also more serious events and a threat to the lives of two of the members of the Harmony Quaker church. There are family squabbles between Ellis and Ralph Hodge and bumpy places in the new marriage of Dr. Pierce and Deena. Again Philip Gulley makes us laugh, makes us cry, and makes us think which is a surefire recipe for a good read.

Like with Harry Potter, it is time to spend another year in Harmony, Indiana. In Harmony they don't have the Harry Potter kind of magic, they don't have the gruesome murders most foul. In Harmony they have a bunch of people that live in, well, not exactly harmony. They have the usual dysfunctional people struggling along as best they can and usually making it through another year.

With each year the characters of the residents of Harmony get better defined. Some of them we want to go join for dinner, at McDonald's of course. Some of course we'd just as soon leave behind.

A sample of the dialog:

Sam read aloud from the twenty-five years ago this week column in the paper: "Sam Gardner ... will receive a fifty-dollar schlorship to the college of his choice and a shoe-care kit, compliments of Morrison's Menswear."

"Do you still have it?"

"The shoe-care kit?"

"No, the fifty dollars."

"Spent it a long time ago," Sam reported.

"Rats. I wanted to eat out tonight."

No gruesome murders, no slapstick humor, just good solid fun.

This brings all the previous book together and leaves you open and waiting for the next. A great read.

This harmony novel was deeper and more thought provoking than most of the series, though still full of gentle humor. This book will help you believe that people really can change. It will also make anyone with teen age drivers in the family shiver.