Argosy Jct. Montana~Pop. 13,223 Lane~ Five years after her family broke ties with The Brethren, the cult-like church still has firm ties wrapped around her heart and soul. The more she rejects them, the Lord, and anyone who claims a relationship with Christ, the more she realizes how empty life can be. Matt~ Fresh from the inner city, Matt arrives in Argosy Jct. ready to explore the Montana … ready to explore the Montana countryside. He’s prepared for anything but sheep, cults, and a rancher’s daughter with a chip on her shoulder.
Not until she saves Matt from assault by sheep does Lane begin to understand that Christianity is a relationship rather than a checklist to godliness. Before he met Lane, Matt never understood how damaging the body of Christ can be to its own.
Join them as they explore Montana, Rockland, and the possibility of a merge between two very
different worlds.
Argosy Junction is the second book in the Rockland Chronicles
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The author has given us a story with a sweet romance, but we also are shown how one cult was formed, and what it did to the faith these people once had.
There are some good chuckles, and loved the beginning of this read, but it did take a bit to get to the conclusion. You can picture a man terrified of sheep, and read to them, funny! The story does have good bones, but I was glad when I found the answers.
We move from rural, or ranch living to inner city and see the vast difference, but mostly we see what a cult does to friends and family, so sad.
I received this book through Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.
Argosy Junction
I loved how Lane and Matt meet, he was stuck out on her family’s land surrounded by sheep. Matt was on vacation and decided to take a picture of the sheep but got surrounded by the sheep and too scared to move.
Lane little sister was so special, has the cutest name of Patience. She nine years old and becomes good friends with Matt. Lane is a wonderful big sister.
After Matt vacation is over and he goes home they do a lot of emailing between him, Lane, Patience and even Lane’s father. I enjoyed that they kept in touch with each other, great dialogue.
They all have so much differences to work, which I won’t go into in my review. This was a very interesting and enjoyable book. I definitely found the characters so visual in my mind.
I received an complementary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit, I was not required to write an positive review.
What I love most about the author’s books is that she writes with her whole heart. The characters come alive and whatever issue they are facing, the author doesn’t try to minimize the problem. She engages the characters with realism and readers are able to relate to them. I liked this story because it deals with a couple of things I have dealt with before. There are many churches out there who have different beliefs and some are even dare I say judgmental. It is hard to be a perfect Christian in the eyes of some of the churches. They are quick to point fingers and shun you. I have felt that exact thing in a church. It hurt me to the core and I became distant from God.
I was very intrigued by the Brethren. The history of how it came to be was interesting. It was hurtful for me to read how they treated Lane and her family. Can you imagine living in a town where no one wants your business or even to be friends with you? I admired how Lane handled it with grace. She is quite a great character with a heart that has been damaged with rejection. Of course my favorite character from the story has to be Patience. What a lovely child full of adventure and life. You can’t help but love her. She radiates energy and happiness.
It was fun to see Matt come out to the sheep ranch when he wasn’t wanted in town. He sure tried to impress Lane, but I think his ranching skills need a little tweaking. His time there was special and he really bonded with the entire family. I could see a little spark between him and Lane. Will Matt be able to help Lane forgive the people who have hurt her and come to understand what a real Christian is? To me the simplest way to tell someone what a Christian is by loving unconditionally, not judging and reach reach out to those who are hurting with compassion.
When Lane and Patience go to see Matt in his town, it is a little different for them. They are used to small town living. Where Matt lives, there are homeless people found on the streets and rough neighborhoods that are not safe to travel around at night. Lane gets a new perspective of where Matt grew up. I enjoyed how Matt shared his heart with Lane and opened her eyes to a different background from hers. I kept thinking that Lane may be a little sheltered from the real world and it upset me that she was appalled that a prostitute was allowed to be in Matt’s church. I think being around The Brethren back in Montana may have caused her to be judgmental without realizing it.
I liked the conversation that Lane’s parents had. Thank you to the author for not mixing words and calling what happened to Lane and her family “spiritual abuse.” Lane’s father is such a good character and I liked that he was able to open up to his wife. This has been a book that I will not forget. It is a story about a real relationship with God and knowing when you are deceived. It is about pride and being judgmental. It’s also a book that takes two people that believe differently and shows us how hearing the truth can set you free.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Argosy Junction by Chautona Havig
Pride was the downfall of the church in Argosy Junction and led the people of the congregation trying to live up to rules and regulations that they created so they would appear to be godly to the others. In the process, they caused much damage and created a cult. While on the outside it appeared that they were doing well and living lives that would be pleasing to God, their hearts were filled with wrong motivations, judgement, and hypocrisy.
As I was reading, I was a bit in awe over the way that the author appeared to have such an intimate knowledge of the inner city – what it felt like to grow up and live there. Matt’s caution for Lane being alone in his neighborhood and yet his casual attitude towards being there himself was so interesting, yet it fits. The way he chose a career that he didn’t love because it paid better than other options and had better advancement opportunities – ouch.
Matt was pretty much a perfect hero. I mean, really. Who doesn’t love a tough yet tender man? One who can deal with a gangbanging teenager and spout poetry. Oh, and did I mention his intense love for the Lord which led him to surrender the one thing he desired above all else? He was a man who knew how to love.
One of the things I liked the most in this book was the correspondence. Author Chautona Havig wrote this so well. There was a great deal of correspondence going on between Matt and the various members of the Argosy family. My favorites were the e-mails and letters sent from Patience, Lane’s younger sister.
Speaking of Patience, I loved her heart. And as much as I admired Matt, Patience certainly topped my list of favorite characters. At nine years old, she still had a tender and loving heart that didn’t judge. Though her entire family obviously doted on her, she was not spoiled. She so naturally cared about the homeless people and wanted to meet their needs, not reacting with fear or judgement that so many of us do. . .
Reading what I have here, this looks like it is a very serious book. It is, but it is also filled with the author’s inimitable humor throughout. Not only in the way she turns a phrase but also the situations the characters find themselves in, such as reading sonnets to sheep!
Argosy Junction is challenging. It deals with so many deep heart issues. I challenge you to read it and not find some area in your life that it shines a laser beam on and make you squirm. I hope you will pick up a copy and read it prayerfully. Not that I’m saying you should use it for Bible study. Just see what perhaps the Lord may speak to you about in your life.
Read the full review of Argosy Junction by Chautona Havig with a Preview and Guest Post at AmongTheReads.net
I bought this myself