FIRETENDER (Chalice Book 1) by Erin Lewis
Sometimes true strength only comes with surrender.
Hot-headed Dallas Malone has spent most of his life putting up emotional walls around himself, softened only by his best friend Channing, whom he protects with the fierceness of a big brother. When the two are faced with sudden homelessness, Dallas’s impulsive decisions leave them fleeing from law enforcement and land him in prison. His mistakes threaten to ravish Dallas like a wildfire unless he can learn to allow something more powerful than himself into his life.
Catholic historical fiction.
Firetender is abundant in grit and grace, taking readers on an explorative journey through the fragility of life, the innocence of faith, and the inner battles we face in order to truly love and protect others, ourselves, and God well. The results are equal parts crushingly heartbreaking and transformatively satisfying. Allison Ramirez, author of The Divided Kingdom
With masterfully drawn characters and an ever-compelling storyline, Lewis adeptly brings us through the light and dark of the human condition while illuminating the importance of faith and friendship. Jen Miller
Two teenage boys, both with a history of abuse and neglect by their parents, together face homelessness and the risk of starvation as they travel cross-country seeking a new start. When things go terribly wrong and they wind up running from the law, a tragedy changes everything–but ultimately gives Dallas the opportunity to depend on God rather than himself. The subject matter is difficult, but the author tells the story well and with compassion.
Trigger warnings: child abuse and neglect, prison violence. (ARC provided by author for my honest review) Barb Szyszkiewicz, author, The Handy Little Book of Prayer
ENKINDLE IN ME (Chalice 2) by Erin Lewis
The world wants him. But God wants him more.
Dropped back into the real world with a newfound faith following a lengthy prison sentence, 23-year-old Dallas Malone is bombarded by the tantalizations of secular society and all the changes that seem to have occurred overnight. His Catholic faith burns deep inside him, but now he must live it out amidst morally bankrupt co-workers and without the support of his best friend. Struggling to get back on his feet and prove himself, Dallas’s wounds are becoming scars, and he knows he’s not the same person he used to be. When he meets Samantha, enchanting and headed for trouble, his natural protective instinct is inflamed while past demons of failure chip away at what he thought he knew was a true calling from God enkindled in his heart. Can Dallas forgive himself and heal from his past mistakes to discern the life path God has laid out for him as a man?
Now available!
Reviews:
Erin Lewis is a standout voice in new adult Catholic fiction. As an author, Lewis gets young adults. She understands their hopes, their dreams, and their challenges as they navigate secular society. Enkindle in Me, the second installment of the Chalice series, makes this abundantly clear.
As Dallas Malone grapples with the devastating loss caused by his poor decisions, readers witness his new journey outside the prison walls. The world has changed. So has Dallas. And while his new Catholic faith is strong, his new life is beset by static and temptation. Is God truly calling him to be a priest? What about his grief over the mistakes that cost him everything? What about Samantha, the lonely and beautiful local girl?
With delicate attention to both vice and virtue, Lewis keeps the focus on discernment and God’s grace. Young adult readers will find a kindred soul in Dallas Malone, a friend to root for as he seeks to hear God’s voice in his startling new normal. Enkindle in Me is a story of grace, grit, and virtuous perseverance, and Erin Lewis is an author to watch. Ginny Kochis, Author of Blink and We’ll Miss It
Evocative and emotional…the vocation story our world needs now. Victoria Everleigh, Author of The Love We Vow