My First Taste of Catholic Fiction

As the wedding gets closer, I was wanting another book to review, but decided I needed something that was an 'easy read'. I was so excited to check out the list of options and see Catholic Fiction! First of all, fiction is really easy for me to get into. Where I can enjoy nonfiction, I usually have to read it bit by bit to really absorb it. But with fiction- good fiction- I can get completely lost in it. 


Let me tell you, Until Lily by Sherry Boas absolutely did not disappoint. It wasn't an easy read in terms of the thought provoking subject matter, but very much an easy read in terms of me getting happily lost in the pages. In fact, it was better than I expected it to be. The premise of the story is a woman, Bev, who ends up raising her sister's three children, including Lily who has Down Syndrome. She had no interest in raising these children, especially Lily. We learn about what life was like as she learned to mother these children, how having a special needs child affected her life and her faith, and how her own illness helped her to understand Lily's life. We see Bev facing her own mortality and searching for someone to care for Lily, even the father of Lily, who Bev swore to her sister she would never contact. The book is written from Bev's point of view, and I almost found myself in tears at the end of the book... there is a twist that I would not dare reveal, but it really surprised and touched me.


As someone who works with people with developmental disabilities, the author caught the joys and frustrations so well. She writes realistically, and does not sugarcoat the feelings a parent, especially someone who never wanted to be a parent!, might have when raising a child with special needs. She digs into real life issues such as the role of the caregiver for a special needs child, and what happens when that caregiver becomes the one needing care.


 I had two reactions to trying out Catholic fiction. My first was that I was excited because I don't think I've ever read anything like that before. My second was that I was anticipating it to feel like the author tried too hard to incorporate Catholicism into the book. I was very wrong about that assumption. It was really refreshing to read something that felt like my life. I loved reading snippets here and there about going to mass or confession, or someone having a Mary statue. The unique ways we celebrate our faith are just not found in most books, and it was really comforting to find that part of myself in this fiction novel.


So do you really want to know how good this novel was? Between house hunting, wedding appointments, and having bronchitis this week (a busy week!), I received the book on Tuesday and finished it Saturday morning at 7am... after staying up until 1am the night before to read! The best part? It's part one of a trilogy, so it's not over! 








*This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Until Lily . They are also a great source for a baptism gifts or first communion gifts. I was not paid for this review, but was given the book at no charge. However, the opinions in this review are my own.