Customer Reviews

Illusions (Urban Christian)

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Wanda B. Campbell's Illusions dives into the life of a pastor and first lady who put up a facade of happiness for their congregation's benefit. Denise and Pastor Bryce Hightower have been married for three years. Life is great until Denise discovers that Bryce has an addiction that could ruin their marriage and his position as a pastor. Denise decides to keep the secret and go on with their "perfect" life. She tries to get comfort from her mother and best friend, only to see her mother is just as concerned with appearances as her husband. And her best friend is so jealous of her she cannot even fathom there is a problem.

As time goes on, Denise realizes that Bryce is not going to change and does not want to change. That is, until a seemingly nosey neighbor sent from God, comes into their life and guides Bryce to the destiny God has for him. Family secrets are revealed and the root of the problem is discovered. When someone from the congregation is struggling with the same thing and goes to them for help, they realize it can no longer be kept quiet. Will their marriage be saved? Will Bryce overcome his addiction?

Illusions will have you on the edge of your seat. You will not want to put this book down until you find out what happens. Campbell has no problem digging deep into some of the troubles of today's church leaders. Although fiction, the situation is REAL. I definitely recommend this book to others. I cannot wait to see what else Campbell has in store for us.

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Donnica Copeland
APOOO BookClub
Sista Talk Book Club

I know all have sinned and come short of His glory, but what happens when it's your pastor sinning? What happens when that pastor is your husband and his addiction begins to affect you? Your self esteem takes a nose dive and the respect you had for your husband quickly follows. Will you remember that with God all things are possible?

The premises of Illusions is quite often a hushed topic of discussion certainly not Sunday morning sermon material in a traditional church. Ms Campbell opens Pandora's Box with much needed dialogue about "sexual addiction" which often times get overlooked by sermons of prosperity and how to "count it all joy".

The author's writing style was so on point I was able to appreciate how she diagnosis an issue; and moved forward without delay. She didn't place many scriptural verses throughout but you knew the anointing of the Holy Spirit was on the characters. Alongside the topic of addiction the reader caught a glimpse of neglect and abuse and how it played a major role in Pastor's struggle with addiction.

I truly enjoyed this book and certainly look forward to future works by this author. Illusions have the entire list of ingredients this reviewer needs to consider this book a recipe of Christian Fiction. The main ingredient is feeling the characters relationship with God and being able to see the love of God. Have a seat, open your heart and fellowship with the congregation of Word of Life and find out if redemption and deliverance will stop by your pew.

Missy
Readers Paradise

Sex, lies, and deception were things Denise Hightower did not expect to encounter as the wife of a pastor. Denise was elated to know that Pastor Bryce Hightower was interested in dating, marrying, and making her the first lady of Word of Life church. In fact, she remained a virgin until she married. She thought her life was perfect and God-sent; little did she know that her husband held a deep dark secret that had plagued him for over 17 years. A secret that he had never told her or anyone else in the church; until one afternoon she decides to surprise her husband at his office with a picnic lunch, she walks in on something that would change their lives forever.

The theme of this book is one that is not written about very often - pornography and the pulpit. Seeing the emotional turmoil that this man of God went through with his addiction to pornography shows his imperfection as a human being and a Christian. This book opens up a much needed discussion on how we handle this serious and often times overlooked addiction.

Pornography can be the catalyst to end marriages and corrupt pulpits, as this book displays. It also unmasked many myths that confront the fact that we are all human beings and are not perfect, and have addictions that can be overcome with God's help.
Overall, this book was well written and a great read.

It was a Great Read!!! I bought the book yesterday and finished it in 6 hours. I went from Laughing Hysterically to Crying Uncontrollably too many times to count.
Very real issues that happen in everyday life!!!

The picture-perfect life of a highly admired pastor and the first lady is suddenly plagued with adultery and betrayal when the first lady stumbles across the pastors secret life of pornography. The couple goes through a storm to try and cope with the unfortunate event while still trying to stay afloat in the public eye.

I liked the fact that the book showed that even though you may be a devoted Christian, you still have the same downfalls as everyone else. I also appreciated the fact that the person who was placed on a high level than anyone else in the book (the pastor) was the one with the affliction which gave the reader the mindset that no-one is exempt from trials and tribulations. While there were several grammatical errors the book was still an enjoyable read.

[...]

Illusions by Wanda B. Campbell

James 1:14-15 "Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

In Illusions, Wanda diagnosed a cancer in society and wrote the prescription for deliverance, inspired by God of course. She didn't focus on condemnation, but self-reflection to get the job done. Her writing style was precise and to the point. She didn't belabor the story with quoting the scriptures, but showing the love of Christ. Don't let the title "pastor" before Bryce Hightower keep you from passing up this book. Bryce's demon is an equal opportunity, unisex spirit destroyer.

Without giving too much away in Illusions, God has a way of bringing us spiritual growth when we minister to others battling the same problems. Join Pastor Hightower's church and deliverance will come to your seat. There is one word of caution, don't stay up all night to finish.

Reviewed by national bestselling author Pat Simmons, a former book reviewer for Black Issues Magazine and The St. Louis American Newspaper
[...]

I was pleasantly surprise after reading a few chapters of ILLUSIONS. This was my first read by author Wanda B. Campbell. This book takes you into the church in a way I never thought of before. Denise is a weak woman in one sense and a strong woman in another sense, but I did like her character! Pastor Bryce Hightower (Denise's husband) made me so very mad that I could hardly stand it. Denise's mother (Lucinda) was another character that was very maddening. Denise was a woman that had to make up her own mind about what and how she was to handle her marriage, with the help of God and prayer, she became a woman to stand on her own two feet. Her husband, Pastor Bryce Hightower was another one who had to be brought down low to become a better man and man of God? It just goes to show you that no one is without problems and faults. ILLUSIONS makes you smile, makes you mad and makes you happy all within the reading of this book. It is highly recommended by me especially if you are a Christian, because you can see how it relates to some of the people in your church congregation!

Claudia from WE BE BOOK'N BOOK CLUB

I loved the book. I would highly recommend reading it. It was defintely a page turner. I couldn't wait to finish the story. The book showed that with faith in God all things are possible. It also showed that we all have issues and things in our life that we need to over come and can overcome.

Illusions is a novel that truly speaks to the reader's heart, as most of us have, will, or have yet admitted to battling some type of addiction. We often times choose to believe we are winning the battle over our addictions when in fact they are slowly and methodically destroying us.

The esteemed Pastor Hightower is well-loved and well-respected by his First Lady, family, and congregation. It appears he is living a Christian life that is without flaw. Bryce Hightower has managed to keep his deep, dark secret to himself but when he is discovered, Bryce must truly step out on his faith and allow God to heal what's broken in his life in order to save him from his past demons.

Campbell brings reality, awareness, and even wit to Christian fiction. There were several times I laughed out loud and wiped tears away. The characters were brought to life and several times I felt their spirit as I read this amazing story.

Do yourself a favor and pick up your copy of Illusions today, and if you've yet to read Campbell's debut novel, First Sunday in October, treat yourself to two wonderful books.First Sunday in October

Pornography is a multi-billion dollar business, which oftentimes grabs individuals in an addictive hold, even individuals in the church. Denise Hightower stumbles upon her husband's secret quite by accident. Her discovery causes her to feel she does not please her husband of three years, Pastor Bryce Hightower. How can he commit a sin so vulgar, yet lead his congregation to Christ?

The incident where Denise walks in on Bryce is not the first time he committed the act; he has hidden his addiction for 17 years. It is a constant struggle that gets the best of him. Once his secret is out to Denise, he feels he can overcome the addiction with her support, prayers and patience. Yet, he insists they keep the secret from the congregation and he refuses to seek professional counseling. Is Denise willing to compete with lifeless paper dolls while Bryce works through his addiction and is Bryce strong enough for the fight, even with Denise's support?

With ILLUSIONS, Wanda B. Campbell boldly addresses the issue of pornography and sexual addiction in the church. Sexual sins are often swept under the rug and rarely discussed in the confines of the church. However, Campbell brings it front and center with the experiences of Pastor Bryce Hightower. She also shares another deeply inspiring subplot that deals with healing from the hurt Bryce experienced from the lack of his father's affections. The overall theme of the book is there is nothing that God's love cannot overcome.

Reviewed by Paula Henderson
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers