I've read many books by Nora Roberts (Sanctuary, Genuine Lies, Honest Illusions, to name a few), and I've always been able to count on her novels to hit the spot when I want to read something interesting and romantic.

Blue Smoke didn't fail to satisfy...until the last 60 to 70 pages. There is a very violent and graphic rape scene which really got to me. I just didn't expect that from a Nora book. Usually, things like that don't bother me that bad, but it was a bit too much. She could have left that part out and the book would have been a typical 9 or 10 of 10 by my rating system.

The book's saving grace was the main character, who is spunky and strong. I enjoyed reading about her close-knit family and the ins and outs of their lives. And the guy she finally ends up with was a fun character, too.

Also, I found it difficult to comprehend how the main character could be so dense as to not catch on to who the bad guy was. It was so obvious. If you're looking to give Nora a try, I don't recommend this particular pick. Go with one of her other novels or trilogies such as her In the Garden Series (Blue Dahlia, Black Rose, and Red Lily).

My partner says that in Britain it is easier to come out as gay than as a Catholic. If the first is likely to spark some curiosity, the second sounds dull. The publication reviewed here is exactly about being gay and … well, if not always Catholic, then at least having a taste of religion.

Disclosures: Conversations Gay and Spiritual by Michael Ford is a very simple read. It is a collection of interviews with gayand lesbian people, mostly Christians from Britain and USA and few from other places in the world. A lot of these peoplewere or are engaged in different ministries in their faith communities. An Anglican priest who left his Church after a [straight]bishop made clear that no personal talents he had could overweight his homosexuality. Two mothers, Catholic women, withchildren in their teens fell in love with each other. A boy, whose family belonged to a fundamentalist Christian community, at thefirst opportunity went to look for Christians who would not be disgusted with him for being gay. Among the twenty five stories there is one of a person with whom many of us in Quest came across – James Alison, a theologian from London. The last chapter is a particularly touching interview with Sister Eva, a Catholic nun who for some ten years worked for the Terrence Higgins Trust,  the first HIV agency in Britain.

This book is not about prayer or transcendental experiences of two dozen gays and lesbians. “Spiritual” in its title refers to broadly understood fundamental questions, like: Who am I? Why does it happen to me? What should I be like?

A lot of the stories Michael Ford has collected are dramatic. They touch major struggles and decisions: coming out to one’s parents, or wife, or bishop; leaving the seminary or priesthood, separating from a spouse or accepting that one’s relationship would never be accepted, celebrated and supported by the Christian community, etc. Some of those to whom the author spoke, were still struggling to come to terms with who they are. Others spoke about being at peace with what they had discovered about themselves. All these interviews explored, in one way or another, stories of being a gay person in the context of faith, in a  community of believers or of leaving such a community. This book gives a voice to those whom many of our brothers and sisters in the Church would prefer not to hear at all. Especially, because it is not a discussion, or a series of arguments, but a sincere witness to the joyful and sad experiences of these men and women.