Her insecurity led to shattered relationships and a fractured faith.Can her newfound confidence restore what was broken?Popular BE BOLD & SASSI vlogger Stephenie Winter used to be insecure, but that cost her a long-term relationship, her self-respect, and her faith. Since then she’s learned to speak up, no matter the cost. So, when she spots an older man filming children at a playground, she … playground, she can’t remain silent. What better way to warn the neighborhood than sharing her vlog across social media?
Worship leader Kyle Stevens is starting over. Now a single dad, he reluctantly moves into a twin home owned by his once estranged father. When his dad is accused of stalking local children, Kyle sets out to restore his reputation. He’s shocked to learn that the person responsible for the accusation is none other than his ex-girlfriend, Stephenie Winter, a woman he wronged years ago, sparking his own downward spiral.
Stephenie begins to wonder if she’s made a big mistake, but the vlog has already gone viral, smearing the character of a possibly innocent man. Only by working together can Stephenie and Kyle restore his reputation.
Can they restore their shattered relationship as well?
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This story is Christian romance exactly the way I like it: realistic warts-and-all characters engaging with relevant issues, using Biblical truths and their faith in God to deal with their problems. And falling in love along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This was a wonderfully written book that deals with jumping to conclusions. Brenda S. Anderson does a wonderful job of creating a story that drew me in from the very beginning. I really enjoyed the power of God working His mercy and grace in peoples lives throughout this story! I received a complimentary copy of this book, but have freely chosen to share my own thoughts and opinions.
Brenda S. Anderson has done it once again in her beautiful story, Song of Mercy. I loved every single page of this book. It was a delight getting to know Stephenie and Kyle. There are relatable characters that made me feel as though they were part of my circle. I adored this book!
I am giving Song of Mercy a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy true to life stories that are inspirational.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
Wow!
It is just so amazing how a single story like this could deal with such sensitive topics with grace and truth; sexual purity before marriage, forgiveness, the dangers of using social media wrongly, seeking approval from men and not God…
Song OF Mercy is a beautiful story of God’s love, forgiveness no matter how deep one has fallen.
Stephanie and Kyle had history and suddenly 12 years later their paths were thrown together in the most fascinating but sad way. I loved how God brought out beauty from ashes from their lives and situations.
I loved the beautiful lessons of faith from this book.
I recieved a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion
This story of redemption, forgiveness and second chances is never more timely than now when people tend to believe everything that is put on social media. I love how the author captured both the benefits and drawbacks, the negative effects of bearing false witness and the ripple effects that would follow.
I love that both Stephanie recognized this and did her best with working on making things right before it caused more harm.
There’s also the arc about Kyle’s old church which sadly depicts some of our places of worship presently.
Both Stephanie and Kyle got a heart check, the learned grace, and forgiveness.
As you other every book by this author that I’ve read I enjoyed this.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. All opinions expressed are solely mine
Moving, well written story of how quickly someone’s life can be ruined by use of social media without fact checking first. A suspicious incident reported to the police as it should have been, but then put out on the internet as truth along with pictures identifying someone who was indeed innocent of the perceived action. The story goes on to show how widespread something becomes and how nearly impossible it is to withdraw the incorrect information. The characters learn through their actions and deepen their faith in the process. There is even room for a little romance along the way! I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more from Brenda S. Anderson
Brenda’s stories are real and inspirational. I liked that this one tackled modern issues (the mis-use of technology and how fast rumours spread …) and an issue that is seldom raised. Lots of novels tackle big issues and as a result miss out on more common things. This book would generate good discussion. It seems to only be novella length and so could easily be read by a book club.
This was an incredible installment in this collection of redemption stories. I learned so much from it and was convicted to re-evaluate long held beliefs, just like our characters were. An amazing story with many facets, social media, joint sinning, gossip, and more. Truly an amazing and inspiring story.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This is a well written inspirational story that hooks you on the first page. It has suspense, drama, second chance romance and the power of forgiveness. It will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. This book deals with the problem of posting and sharing on social media without knowing for sure it’s true. This is a problem that can and will ruin a person’s life. This is a book everybody needs to read. It will make you stop and think about what you post and what you repeat to other people.
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Is social media a wonderful tool or an instrument of destruction? This is the question that comes to light in this new book by Brenda S. Anderson and it must surely be a “God-Thing” that it has been released during this time of Covid-19, escalating racial tension in our country, and social media posts that are often misrepresented. This happens in Song of Mercy, the story of a young woman who thinks she is being a good citizen by reporting what she believes is a crime and then discovers that she may have been wrong. As Stephanie Winter tries to correct her erroneous reporting, she realizes the power of social media, both good and bad, and she finds herself turning to Kyle Stephens, who is this man’s son and the ex- boy-friend who broke her heart. Can the two of them forget their past long enough to help his father? Will this man’s reputation be repaired or will he always bear this stigma?
Stephanie and Kyle are very realistic characters and we learn about Stephanie’s past insecurity, Kyle’s return to faith, and the rift that had developed between Kyle and his dad. They is also a one-year-old little girl to further complicate matters and there is clearly a lot to overcome but if I had to choose one word for their story, it would be HOPE. Hurts and misunderstandings are certainly present but Anderson also shares hope and second-chances. Song of Mercy is an inspiring story of forgiveness and redemption and I certainly recommend it to all who enjoy Christian romance.
I received a copy of this book from the author but there was no obligation to write a positive review. These are my own thoughts.
Wonderful!
I loved this story! Which, I’m discovering, is par for the course with Brenda S. Anderson’s books
The false online accusation, dealing with and attempting to recover from the fallout is so timely in our world that takes anything said on social media as gospel truth. I’ve heard people say “the camera doesn’t lie” but know that it sure can deceive if the picture is taken at the right (wrong?) angle.
Drawn immediately into the story, I was so surprised at the things I learned about Kyle’s past, his motivations, and excuses! While I would love to believe the things said about his former church were wrong, I know that, sadly, there are many churches like this one.
Perfectly flawed and broken, Kyle and Stephenie were ripe for heart changes and leaving their past at the cross. She had to turn back to Christ. He had to put the world aside. (Oh, I loved Pastor Mitch, his mentor!)
One thing I enjoyed about Kyle was the nicknames he used. How Trip became Stephenie’s nickname was so clever! And then the nickname he had for his daughter, Evie? Adorable!
Song of Mercy is a touchingly beautiful story of changed lives with a powerful picture of the importance of being careful to know all your facts before taking action.
Read my review of Song of Mercy by Brenda S. Anderson at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
This story is about how social media can be so influential and how we need to take care of what we post. We should stop and think of the consequences of our actions before we post anything. Brenda Anderson has an amazing way to bring characters to life and she’s really good at writing stories that deal with current life issues. I didn’t know how this story would turn out and that kept me glued to the book till it was finished.
I was given this book as an ARC but my thoughts are my own.
Song Of Mercy by Brenda Anderson is a most delightful Christian contemporary novel that is grounded in God. It is part of the Potter’s House series but can be read as a stand-alone.
Once again Brenda Anderson has created a charming set of characters, all very realistic with flaws that are so easy to identify with.
Worshipping God should be as natural as breathing but it should not be a public display. Our motivation for worship should always be to glorify God and not to magnify ourselves.
Prayer is important. We all need prayer warriors in our lives who can lift us up at times of need. Prayer builds our relationship with God. “’Pray about it’…’as if God will listen to me.’” We may have walked away from God but He is still waiting to hear from us.
Sometimes in life we feel overwhelmed. “He now knew Someone who would listen and understand and not be burdened.” God wants us to release our burdens to Him and to live abundantly free. “Beating yourself up again.” We need to surrender to God not be chained to the “anchor of guilt.” We must forgive ourselves and others.
We all have a past. We cannot change it. We must not live in it. We must learn from the lessons of the past and move on. “You can’t change the past, but you can learn from it and affect the future.” Our past shapes us. “Every person has a backstory that leads to their decisions today.”
Our choices are ours to own. If we choose wrongly, we always have the opportunity to correct it. “Her choices weren’t God’s fault… She’s shut Him out because of her shame.” God wants to be a part of every bit of our lives. He never says ‘clean up your act and then come to Me.’ God asks us to come just as we are and then He will renew us from the inside out.
Truth is vital. We must live in the truth and in love. Do we have friends who will lovingly correct us if we are straying from God’s path for our lives?
I adored Song Of Mercy. I adore all Brenda Anderson’s novels and cannot get enough of them – all have wonderful, realistic characters facing issues that are relevant to us all, and all are in need of God.
I will leave you with a quote in the book from Amy Carmichael:
“Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?”
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
Wonderful story! Loved getting to know Stephenie and Kyle’s story. Stephenie was a young shy woman who out of her heartache she became a strong independent woman. Kyle had a Music ministry that went to his head and made no place for God or Stephenie. They broke up.
Several years later, Kyle is on a new path back to God and repairing his relationship with his father.
Kyle must talk with Stephenie
because see falsely accused his father as child stalking in her vlog. Kyle must help her see the truth before his father leaves town or he looses custody of his daughter. I laughed and cried for these people. There where some surprising twists in the story too. If you like second chance, redemption stories with a twist, you can’t go wrong with ‘Song of Mercy’. I highly recommend it. I received this book from the publisher. The thoughts and comments are my own.
I really enjoyed this story about Kyle and Stephenie. Loved the second chances and the renewed faith part of the book. I’m going to be looking for more books by Brenda S. Anderson.
Stephenie Winter usually says herself “Be bold and sassy”, single, vlogger, big family with 3 siblings all married.
Kyle’s saying is “Choose joy”, because his life is a mess.
Both love music.
Lovely, realistic story, that teach you how much damage could be done if you speak without think and verify the things.
Kyle is a amazing man. When Kyle moves back his relationship with his father starts to get better. Stephenie has changed since Kyle dated her. Stephenie gains confidence doing her vogue. When she makes it will effect several people. You won’t be able to stop reading this book. You will feel God working throughout this wonderful story. I had the honor to review this book for the author for a honest review. I would give this book a higher rating than a five star review if I could.
Stephenie and Kyle’s story is so pertinent to today’s social media overtaking of our lives. The overwhelming desire we have to share everything on social media sometimes causes us to post before we think of the consequences. That’s what happens in this story. Stephenie posts on her vlog before confirming the truth of what she’s seeing. Her action causes some devastating reactions to happen to an innocent man, Kyle’s father. This story is so true to life. It will make you stop and think before you share your whole life with the whole world. The happy ending will encourage you as well. I was given an advance reader copy of this book to post my own thoughts about the book.