Virtual Blog Tour for Angel by Laura Lee

Title: Angel

Author: Laura Lee

 

Description: Since the loss of his lively, charming wife to cancer six years ago, minister Paul Tobit has been operating on autopilot, performing his religious duties by rote. Everything changes the day he enters the church lobby and encounters a radiant, luminous being lit from behind, breathtakingly beautiful and glowing with life. An angel. For a moment Paul is so moved by his vision that he is tempted to fall on his knees and pray.

Even after he regains his focus and realizes he simply met a flesh-and-blood young man, Paul cannot shake his sense of awe and wonder. He feels an instant and overwhelming attraction for the young man, which puzzles him even as it fills his thoughts and fires his feelings. Paul has no doubt that God has spoken to him through this vision, and Paul must determine what God is calling him to do.

Thus begins a journey that will inspire Paul’s ministry but put him at odds with his church as he is forced to examine his deeply held beliefs and assumptions about himself, his community, and the nature of love.

 

My Thoughts:

Paul lost his wife six years ago to cancer and since then he finds himself just going through the motions of the day. Nothing makes him feel as alive as he did when she was alive. Then one day upon visiting her grave he asked, for a sign. Anything to give him some direction in his life. Upon returning to the church to carry on with his ministerial duties he gazes upon what he thinks is a beautiful Angel. Only to realize this Angel is a male with beautiful angelic features. After that one sighting Paul finds himself drawn to this Angel known as Ian a young man who was there for AA hoping to get his drinking problem under control. Paul finds himself constantly thinking, hoping, and having a few fantasies about Ian. Soon Paul winds up helping Ian out. After a while they both give in to their attraction, the fantasy and become a couple.

 

Everybody has those certain books they dread reading. It can be because they are scared it won't live up to what they hope or maybe it's not their genre . Some will look at the blurb of this book and just pass it by because it may make them uncomfortable. Heck, I'm very open minded about M/M books . I find some hot but even this one made me feel a twinge of uneasiness to read it. Why, because it mixed in another controversial issue and that is religion. I have to give it up to Lee for taking a risk with two very controversial issues and writing a well written book. I went in to it even though I was a bit hesitant at first, with an open mind and found myself really enjoying  how the characters each progressed and felt out their feelings. Though, she teases the readers with hooking up she doesn't go into full blown descriptions. It will makes you think about your own opinions,thoughts as well as beliefs. I know it did for me. I also think I progressed in my thoughts after reading this book. One of the joys about being a reviewer is you read books you normally wouldn't and you find there are some you may really enjoy. Angel is definitely worth the read and I wouldn't pass it up just because the blurb may make you hesitate. I believe there was this book is meant to show us lessons to be learned. Lee has created a provocative and sure to be controversial read. I enjoyed having my hesitation turned around into a reading enjoyment. 

 

4 out of 5 Stars 

 

You can buy it here : 

 Amazon 

Barnes and Noble

 

 I am the author of more than a dozen books, the novel Angel, and numerous non-fiction titles including The Pocket Encyclopedia of Aggravation (Black Dog and Leventhal), now in its third printing and published in France under the title Le Dictionaire des Contrairites; Arlo, Alice and Anglicans (Berkshire House/W.W. Norton), which tells the story of the church made famous in Arlo Guthrie’s song and movie Alice’s Restaurant; The Name’s Familiar: Mr. Leotard, Barbie and Chef Boyardee (Pelican Publishing), a Book-of-the-Month Club alternate selection and its sequel The Name’s Familiar II; the 100 Most Dangerous Things in Life (Broadway Books/Random House), which was featured on Good Morning America and CNN’s American Morning; Blame it on the Rain (HarperCollins), The Elvis Impersonation Kit and A Child’s Introduction to Ballet (both Black Dog and Leventhal), Schadenfreude, Baby! (Lyons Press), and Broke is Beautiful (Running Press).

The San Francisco Chronicle has said of my work, "Lee's dry, humorous tone makes her a charming companion… She has a penchant for wordplay that is irresistible.