Song of Mercy
Published July 7th 2020 by Vivant Press, Kindle Edition
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 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?
User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Brenda Anderson is one author who can set my tummy churning and my nerves rattling with her frank, no-holds-bar approach to topical issues that affect us all...not just her characters. I'm always better for reading one of her novels.
So, Stephenie. I didn't like her at first. I was all judgy and...dare I say, snooty?...toward her. In the beginning. But then Anderson weaves her magic and I found myself falling under her storytelling spell and, ironically, discovering that passing judgement is one of the themes in the novel. (Yes, my face is red.) But more importantly, I've learned my lesson. Maybe. :-)
And, oh, my goodness, did I cringe in places. My tummy did flips and my temper flared and...gah! But there's so much more to Stephenie than I first realized. And while Kyle is in a much better place, he wasn't always. These two were a train wreck waiting to happen ten years ago but now they are facing a very different kind of train wreck and it's going to take the grace of God to see them through to the end.
This story is very pertinent to our media-crazed culture where our words have more power than ever before thanks to the internet. And while going viral can seem like a good thing, it can also go very bad very quickly. Stepheneie learns that lesson the hard way and the result is a compelling tale of grace and mercy.
Side note: Song of Mercy would make a great book club selection because there's a lot of meaty subject matter on various current issues -- some particularly pertinent to Christian life. The story may be over for me but I have so many thoughts whirling around in my head now. I want to sit down and go over some of the scriptures cited and dig deeper into the issues presented here. That's the mark of a great author -- when you can't shake free of their spell.
My thanks to the author for gifting me with a copy of this book.
Rating: really liked it
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
Rating: really liked it
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.
Rating: really liked it
Fantastic BookThis is a very inspiring and refreshing story. We all need to practice and remember what the Bible teaches us about how to treat others. This book explains it perfectly.
Rating: really liked it
I loved this story, such a beautiful reminder that God is in the business of offering us mercy, grace and forgiveness, no matter how much we may have messed up. Kyle has made many mistakes in his life and hurt a lot of people but he's not the only one who has made mistakes. The main characters in this story are just like us, they may be fictional but a lot of us have walked in their shoes which makes this story more real. Not only does it have a message for us but it is also a romance with some mystery and suspense. It takes a lot of courage to be able to do what Kyle and Stephanie have done. It also teaches us some little things to think about before we open our mouth to correct someone or give them our thoughts. A really great book.
I received a free download of this book from the publisher. This review is my own honest opinion of a book I enjoyed very much.
Rating: really liked it
This story is about Stephenie Winter who was very shy in high school. She met Kyle through
the church where he was the Music Pastor. They dated but broke up and Kyle started dating
the Minister's daughter, Ronnie. Through this relationship, they had daughter, Evie.
While Stephenie is jogging in the park, he comes across an older gentleman she thinks is
stalking and taking pictures of children in the park. Stephanie has a blog in which she posts
about this gentleman and also adds his photo to the blog.
The community is all abuzz over this blog posting and gets down right mean. The gentleman's
home is vandalized with graffiti.
The lessons of this story is that before adding to social media postings - one should make sure
they have the "true" facts.
Stephenie and Kyle join forces to correct the wrongs = along the way they learn to forgive, admit their wrongs and make amends.
Rating: really liked it
Stories of redemption and second chances tend to give the reader hope. Brenda S. Anderson’s new book Songs of Mercy takes an impossible situation and turns it into a redemption story. The book is also about fixing mistakes you have made as well as the dangers of not fact-checking before posting things on social media. She also brings in the dangers of Christians who don’t call fellow Christians to task for un-Biblical behavior. There is so much to like about this book! Anderson does a great job with plot development - readers will stay engaged throughout the story. Her character development is also well done. Stephenie and Kyle both grow throughout the experience which brings them back together as well as closer to God. I don’t know if Anderson has another book about these two planned, but I’d love to read it if she does. Songs of Mercy is book 12 in the Potter's House Books Series 2, but it is a stand alone novel.
While this is an adult novel and there are 2 unwed pregnancies mentioned in the story, I think Songs of Mercy has a great message for teens on the dangers of social media. I think this clean romance (the pregnancies occur before the story begins)would be an excellent addition to a K-12 Christian school library. It is appropriate for middle school and up.
I am a member of Brenda Anderson’s launch team and received a complimentary copy of Songs of Mercy. This is my honest review.
Rating: really liked it
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.
Rating: really liked it
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.
Rating: really liked 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.
Rating: really liked it
Amazing bookThis is one of the best books I've read! It was solo good! The theme was so good and so fitting for the day and age in which we live. I also liked the unexpected mystery twist. I highly recommend reading this; it was phenomenal!
Rating: really liked it
A lovely story. Main themes, forgiveness firstly from God then from man. Also teaches about getting facts right before sharing on social media etc and the consequences of not checking the facts. A good read for anyone.
Rating: really liked it
This Book Kept Me AwakeUsually it is a suspense book that I read too close to bedtime that interferes with my rest. This time Brenda Anderson wove such a tale of corruption within the leadership of a church plus the fact of a posting on a social media post which connected the two that had my heart involved. Read it. It's so realistic in light of today's climate that it may touch you also. Ms. Anderson, thanks for you giving us a Story of grace and redemption.
Rating: really liked it
Praise for a lovely book!A well written book with interesting characters, a storyline that will hold your attention but most of all, a book that gives glory to God!
Rating: really liked it
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
