Blog Tour: Rhythm of Secrets by Patti Lacy

The Rhythm of Secrets by Patti Lacy was unique in both style and story. Sylvia is a pastor's wife living a lie and hiding from her past. When her son Samuel appears on her doorstep, she must choose whether she will accept him into her life and relive the past or continue on has she has for the past 20 years. Sylvia then tells her son the story of her life, his birth, and what happened after she gave him up for adoption. Alternating between the past and present (but mainly focusing on the past), we hear an incredibly moving story of a teenager forced to grow up too fast. About two-thirds of the way through the book, Samuel reveals the reason he came to find his mother ... in hopes that she can help him free his fiance from a terrible life in Thailand. Sylvia must choose between her husband and her son, the past and the present, and ultimate trust in God for direction.

To be perfectly honest, the book started out pretty slow for me. It was intriguing but I had a hard time determining the actual plot, and therefore deciding if I was going to like it or not. However, once I got into it, it moved along really well. I actually found myself feeling sorry for Sylvia as a teenager (instead of annoyed as I started out feeling). Samuel was an interesting addition to the plot. It was nice to see the past and present come together. However, the reason for him seeking out his mother seemed a little ... strange. Almost too far-fetched. Both were good stories (Sylvia's story and the reconnection of Samuel and Sylvia/trek to Thailand to save his fiance), but they could have almost been two separate books. I loved the way that biblical truth and Scripture was woven in throughout the book and in the life of Sylvia.

Overall, I would say this is about 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Book
Since 1955, Sheila Franklin, a talented musician, has perfectly performed the role of devout pastor’s wife, locking away her past as Sheba Alexander and Sylvia Allen. Her carefully constructed façade crumbles with a single phone call from a young Marine named Samuel, the illegitimate son she secretly put up for adoption. Samuel begs Sheila to use her government contacts to get his fiancé, Mali , a Thai prostitute, into America . A dangerous mixture of love and guilt spurs her to help her only child even though it devastates her husband Edward and exposes her questionable past. After a quarrel with Edward, Sheila and Samuel board a C-130 for Thailand and then search Bangkok ’s steamy streets for a Madonna-faced prostitute. The two whisk Mali from a brothel but are seized by a warlord who considers Mali his “number one girl.” In a teak “ghost house,” Sheila discovers God’s grace and gains the freedom she needs to find her own identity—Sheila, Sylvia, and Sheba . A framed story, this novel has roots in the bohemian 1940s New Orleans French Quarter and spans three decades, including the turbulent Vietnam era.

About the Author
Baylor graduate, taught community college humanities until God called her to span seas and secrets in her novels, An Irishwoman's Tale and What the Bayou Saw. She has two grown children and a dog named Laura. She and her husband can be seen jog-walking the streets of Normal , Illinois , an amazing place to live for a woman born in a car. For more information, visit Patti's website at www.pattilacy.com, her blog at www.pattilacy.com/blog, and her Facebook daily Artbites.

Enter the Rhythm of Secrets NOOK eReader Giveaway

Patti and her publisher, Kregel, are giving away a NOOK prize package worth over $150 to one lucky winner!!!!

Enter the Nook eReader Giveaway and you could win:

* A brand new Nook eReader with Wi-Fi
* $25 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble

To enter, simply click here to enter, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest. Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on February 16th at Patti's Rhythm of Secrets Facebook Party.

But, wait there’s more! Come to the Rhythm of Secrets Facebook Party on February 16th!

Patti will be announcing the winner of The Rhythm of Secrets NOOK giveaway at her Party on FB February 16th! She’ll be hosting a book club discussion of The Rhythm of Secrets and giving away other fun prizes! (signed copies of her books and gift certificates to Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, & iTunes!). Don’t miss the fun at Patti’s FB Author Page on February 16th at 5pm PST ( 6 pm MST, 7 pm CST, & 8 pm EST)!