Proof of Heaven

"Faith is the recognition of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen." - Hebrews 11:1

Colm Francis Magee had died seven times before his seventh birthday. Cardiac arrest. Not to be mistaken for a heart attack in which clogged arteries prevent blood from reaching the heart and then the muscle withers. There was nothing wrong with Colm's strength of heart. No, Colm Francis Magee's heart simply and inexplicably stopped beating at the most inopportune moments.

And that is the beginning of Mary Curran Hackett's latest novel, Proof of Heaven. Wow! What does a parent do when faced with those overwhelming situations? You do what Cathleen Magee does as a single mom, you do whatever it takes to find the answers to what you son, suddenly with very little warning, has his heart stop beating and dies until they can revive him. After visiting so many doctors and compiling a massive medical file, no one has been able to successfully diagnosis the reason why this happens. Cathleen fears that if she doesn't find an answer soon, one of these times, Colm may never wake up again.

When she is referring to Dr. Gaspar Basu, she immediately notices quite a few things are different about him. For one, he is very young, mid thirties at least, well dressed and above all speaks very little to her but mostly to Colm. He is very tuned in to what he has to say, how he feels before his attacks happen and what he feels upon waking up. He immediately suggests that Colm receive a pacemaker to help keep his heart beating when his body refuses to do so on its own. Confused and bitter after making this suggestion after just a few minutes, Cathleen is doubtful that he knows what he is talking about especially when he has ordered no tests like all the others.

Asking for time to consider this option, she heads to talk to her brother Sean. Being able to offer very little as far as advice goes, Sean suggests that she do it, at least it may help keep him alive and offer a sense of normalcy that neither of them have now. It's only when Colm has another attack that leaves him "dead" for 10 minutes, Cathleen is willing to do whatever it takes to keep him alive, only she's not sure is Colm will have much brain function after being clinically dead that long.

I received this book compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and LOVED it. This book will completely grab the reader by the heart strings and never let go. You are caught between a mother's unconditional love to do whatever it takes to make sure her son doesn't die and Colm's strange notion that he understands more than he can tell his mom. He knows he isn't getting any better and is fearlfull of what will happen to him "after." Hands down this one rates a 5 out of 5 stars in my personal opinion but a word of caution, once you begin this one, you'll be committed til the very end.

Here's even more information about this book, the author and where you can come along for the journey by reading the first chapter.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Proof of Heaven William Morrow Paperbacks (November 1, 2011) by Mary Curran Hackett



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mary Curran Hackett is the mother of two children, Brigid Claire and Colm Francis, and is married to Greg Hackett. She received an MA in English Literature from the University of Nebraska and a BA from the University Honors Program at Catholic University in Washington, DC. Born and raised in Danbury, CT, she has traveled extensively and lived in various places throughout the U.S., but her favorite place in the world is home with her kids, husband, and her stacks of books. Like her character Colm Magee, Mary suffers various heart and brain ailments, but thanks in part to her brother, a physician, as well as her own doctors, she now has a pacemaker and a heart that beats on its own at least most of the time. This is her first novel.



ABOUT THE BOOK

A mother’s faith, a child’s courage, a doctor’s dedication—a moving and thought-provoking tale of hope, love, and family.



He might be young, but Colm already recognizes the truth: that he’s sick and not getting better. His mother, Cathleen, fiercely believes her faith will protect her ailing son, but Colm is not so sure. With a wisdom far beyond his years, Colm has come to terms with his probable fate, but he does have one special wish. He wants to meet his father who abandoned his beloved mother before Colm was born.

But the quest to find the dying boy’s missing parent soon becomes a powerful journey of emotional discovery—a test of belief and an anxious search for proof of heaven.



A magnificent debut novel, Mary Curran Hackett’s Proof of Heaven is a beautiful and unforgettable exploration of the power of love and the monumental questions of life, death, and the afterlife.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Proof of Heaven, go HERE.