Sunday Morning Secrets [Paperback]

Shirlita K McFarland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 7, 2008

In this riveting tale of intimate secrets and hidden agendas, Pastor Jonathan Pierce is caught between the prominent church he is rebuilding and protecting his wife¿s abominable secret. The fact that two of his devoted parishioners are murdered because of his deceit doesn¿t deter unforgiving church member, Alma Curtis, from harboring a shameful secret of her own, that if revealed, will destroy much more than her saintly reputation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 268 pages
• Publisher: Ladies of Caliber Publishing (July 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891601237
• ISBN-13: 978-1891601231
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,314,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Shirlita K. McFarland, a North Carolina native, is married and the mother of two young adult children. After attending the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, she held various positions in media, marketing, and advertising. She was the 2007 winner of the Intergeneration Foundation's Annual Storytelling Award and is a contributing author in the 2011 edition of Great Lives from History: African Americans. "Sunday Morning Secrets" is her first published novel.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can you say "WOW"?, November 22, 2009

By 

LaShawn L. Strange "Reflections Book Club Member" (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sunday Morning Secrets (Paperback)

This novel was a page-turner! My bookclub read this book and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Don't be fooled---this is not a "christian fiction" novel. While based on relationships in the church, this book really has a bit of everything---intrigue, suspense, love, sin, faith, redemption---you will not want to put this book down. Shirlita McFarland had done a wonderful job of feeding the reader's interest and intellect. The novel is not predictable and will keep you on your toes until the end! It is a must read!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Secrets Will Be Revealed, April 13, 2009

By 

L. Romich "Book Nympho" (Akron, oH) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sunday Morning Secrets (Paperback)

In Sunday Morning Secrets, King's Chapel has many underlying secrets, and they will soon be revealed. Pastor Jonathan Pierce is caught between his moral values and God's teachings or hiding his wife's drug addiction at any means necessary. Unfortunately, there is one person who knows about his wife's drug addiction and is blackmails the pastor to help him with his illegal activities.

Busybody, but devoted church member, Alma Curtis suspects something is not right within the church. When the FBI comes knocking, because of a murder that leads to the church doors, Alma is determined to find out the truth.

Unbeknownst to everyone else, Alma has a secret of her own, that she has been hiding for years. If this secret is revealed, it will hurt those closest to her. Unfortunately, the damage proves to be too much and Alma does the unspeakable. Everyone will be shocked to the core.

Sunday Morning Secrets by Shirlita McFarland proved to be a surprisingly fantastic read. This is definitely unlike any Christian novel you will ever read. Although it is sprinkled with some sermons, it really has an awesome storyline that will keep you engrossed. I really enjoyed this novel and eagerly anticipate more from this author. Due to minor editing issues, with words running together, my final rating would be 4.5 stars.

Reviewed by Leona R.
APOOO BookClub

4.0 out of 5 stars I literally yelled out loud "Oh My God.", May 20, 2011

By 

Dianne Rosena Jones "Dijones247" (Duluth, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sunday Morning Secrets (Paperback)

When I started to read this book I thought I knew how this story would unfold. I couldn't have been more wrong. The twists, turns, and discoveries of the plot left me in shock. I closed the book with my mouth wide open. At one point, I literally yelled out "Oh my God!"

"Sunday Morning Secrets" proves to be better than your average Christian Fiction novel. The characters and their lives are weaved together beautifully. The story takes the reader on a journey from failure, betrayal, deceit, and danger; to faith, forgiveness, and redemption. The author clearly illustrates how dangerous secrets, lead to severe consequences once exposed. Some are devastated by the revelation and others are set free. We find that all of the characters have secrets but each decides whether exposure will destroy them or make them stronger.

I must admit that I wasn't prepared for the ending. "Sunday Morning Secrets" demands a sequel. Bravo to the author for creating such a compelling cliffhanger. I might even dare to say that the ending may leave some readers disappointed to be left hanging at such a pivotal point in the story. I'm anxious to read the next installment. Eager to see how the author will deal with the spiritual implications and the psychological repercussions surrounding the decision made by one of the main characters. I hope that the author's sophomore work picks right up with the last chapter as the prologue and continues from there.

I closed the book wondering if all the secrets of every member in our local churches were exposed for all to see would it be as shocking as "Sunday Morning Secrets?" I came to the conclusion that the only reason we would be shocked is because we have unrealistic expectations of what it means to be a Christian. We place people on pedestals and then we are disappointed, and blame them when they fall off of the pedestal we should have never placed them on in the first place. The characters in this book remind us that no matter how much we may sing and shout in church on Sunday morning, no one is without sin, flaws, or secrets.

There were some formatting issues that caused words to be improperly spaced throughout the book. It was a distraction from an otherwise gripping storyline. Despite that I'll be looking for the next book with great anticipation.

____________________
Dianne Rosena Jones is Transformational Life Coach, Inspirational Speaker, Host of "Becoming Who I AM" on BlogTalk Radio, and Author of "Tragic Treasures: Discovering Spoils of War in the Midst of Tragedy" voted "BEST INSPIRATIONAL BOOK OF THE YEAR [2010]."