The Sinners' Garden

About The Book:  In the small Lake Erie township of Benning, someone is at work cultivating a supernatural garden …  fourteen year old Andy Kemp’s young life has been as ravaged as his scarred face. Disfigured by an abusive father, the teenager hides behind his books and an impenetrable wall of cynicism and anger.  As Andy’s mother struggles to reconnect with him, his Uncle Rip returns transformed from a stint in prison and wants to be a mentor to the reclusive boy, doing everything he can to help end Andy’s pain. When Andy begins hearing strange music through his iPod and making near-prophetic announcements, Rip is convinced that what Andy is hearing is the voice of God.  Elsewhere, police officer Heather Gerisch responds to a late-night breaking and entering in one of the poorest homes in town. She soon realizes that the masked prowler has left thousands of dollars in gift cards from a local grocery store. As the bizarre break-ins continue and Heather pursues the elusive “Summer Santa,” Andy and Rip discover an enormous and well-kept garden of wildflowers that seems to have grown overnight at an abandoned steel mill.
Soon, they realize who the gardener is, and a spree of miracles transfigures this small town from a place of hopelessness into a place of healing and beauty.

About The Author:  William Sirls was once a senior vice president in a large investment firm. He was charged with wire fraud and money laundering and was incarcerated. While in prison, William learned the meaning of faith, grace, and forgiveness.

My Thoughts On The Book - What an amazingly well-written story about forgiveness, struggles, family, community, faith, grace, and redemption. The characters in the story are very real and you feel as if you know each one of them personally.  They became my friends and I was very sad when the book ended.  While I read the book and  became familiar with Judi, Andy, Rip, Heather and Reverend Welsh I laughed, cried, imagined, felt what the characters were experiencing. I could not wait to turn the page and see what else was waiting for me. This is one of those books that everyone should run our and buy, right now!   This modern day Cain and Abel story took me by surprise.  It does not matter what life is dealing you, this story will move you in many ways.  This is an incredible book that shows us just how much God loves us and want to be a part of our lives.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing, Litfuse Publicity Group, and Net Galley.com.  I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*