A Gathering in Hope

There is nothing funny about a bunch of bats living in the attic of the meeting house. While the committee members continue to struggle about the best use of the financial windfall they have inherited by the recent passing of a former member of their church, it seems unlikely that the building of the addition to the church is going to happen. At least not under the watchful eyes of the Department of Natural Resources who have declared that the bat colony taking up residence is under federal protection of the species and can not be disturbed for at least three months possibly more.

While the pastor of the church, Sam Gardner, couldn't be more pleased, things are about to get interesting as one series of events will lead to a chain reaction that will have everyone questioning one another's real motives. The Fink couple who manage to wind up in the middle of everything is the catalyst. Sam doesn't care for them because it seems like they are just waiting for him to mess something up with running the church so he can be removed. So while it may feel like walking on eggshells that is nothing compared to what is coming. It can only be described by the reader as downright comical in the scheme of things, but to those who it is happening to, it is catastrophic as assumptions are made, rumors spread and everyone is questioning everyone's true motives over what they would rather believe is true.

Who would have ever thought that a colony of Indiana bats could stir up the congregation and cause such outright division about the community but also within its members and even right into the core of one's family. When someone kills all the bats without knowing they have been declared protected, pretty soon rumors spread that the bat bodies found in the trash bag by the local trash company is just the beginning of a Satanic cult begin lead first by the pastor himself but then fingers are pointed that it really began with the wife and the pastor is just an innocent bystander. Will they ever get things sorted out so they can reestablish the community of believers and finally decide on how best to spend the inherited money? Be prepared for the ride of your life!

I received A Gathering in Hope by Philip Gulley compliments of Center Street Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside for a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. This series is really all about the quirky personalities that make up a small town community church and how each of them interacts with one another. From the church busybodies who want to know everything that is really going on, to Sam's mother who in her old age, believes that she can still bike ride about town like she did when she was a girl until she is hit by a teen while texting and driving. In her confusion, she knows she is prescribed one pain pill for her injury but thinks if one is good, two can be better, and then again why not double that. Rumors fly when her doctors think she has a prescription drug problem and soon everything is off and running again. I thoroughly enjoyed this book better than the previous one in this series and this one truly makes up for it doubly so! Well worth 4 out of 5 stars.

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A Gathering in Hope by Philip Gulley

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