God Spare the Girls

A Novel

By: Kelsey McKinney

Narrated by: Catherine Taber

Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's Summary

"Read it for twists on twists, meditations on faith, and a deeply thoughtful treatment of an evangelical community."  (Glamour, Beach Reads That Are Like Summer in a Book)

“A thoughtful and candid meditation on faith, family, and forgiveness... fabulous.” (Claire Lombardo, New York Times best-selling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had)

Recommended by Good Housekeeping, Elle, Parade, Real Simple, Glamour, Refinery29, Bustle, Oprah Daily, The Millions, Shondaland, Yahoo!, Literary Hub, and more!

A mesmerizing debut novel set in northern Texas about two sisters who discover an unsettling secret about their father, the head pastor of an evangelical megachurch, that upends their lives and community - a story of family, identity, and the delicate line between faith and deception.

Luke Nolan has led the Hope congregation for more than a decade, while his wife and daughters have patiently upheld what it means to live righteously. Made famous by a viral sermon on purity co-written with his eldest daughter, Abigail, Luke is the prototype of a modern preacher: tall, handsome, a spellbinding speaker. But his younger daughter Caroline has begun to notice the cracks in their comfortable life. She is certain that her perfect, pristine sister is about to marry the wrong man - and Caroline has slid into sin with a boy she’s known her entire life, wondering why God would care so much about her virginity anyway.

When it comes to light, five weeks before Abigail’s wedding, that Luke has been lying to his family, the entire Nolan clan falls into a tailspin. Caroline seizes the opportunity to be alone with her sister. The two girls flee to the ranch they inherited from their maternal grandmother, far removed from the embarrassing drama of their parents and the prying eyes of the community. But with the date of Abigail’s wedding fast approaching, the sisters will have to make a hard decision about which familial bonds are worth protecting.

An intimate coming-of-age story and a modern woman’s read, God Spare the Girls lays bare the rabid love of sisterhood and asks what we owe our communities, our families, and ourselves.

“A deeply felt book about love - love for family and community, for people who sustain you and people who disappoint you. And love for God, too, which Kelsey McKinney writes about with humane and incisive frankness.” (Linda Holmes, New York Times best-selling author of Evvie Drake Starts Over)

“The accomplishment of this canny novel is in positing coming of age itself as a loss of faith - not only in the church, but in our parents, our family, and the world as we thought we understood it.” (Rumaan Alam, New York Times best-selling author of Leave the World Behind and Rich and Pretty)

©2021 Kelsey McKinney (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

God Spare the Girls

I purchased this title with no knowledge of the story or author based solely on the fact that an online friend I admire and trust is friends with the author and was gushing over her. To me that was a good enough recommendation since I know she has taste.

The book itself is not one I would have likely bought otherwise; but I did end up liking it.

It’s a story about two young women in the south who have grown up in the shadow of their preacher father along with the expectations they feel they must adhere to. Of course they feel tied down and want to run away but they both know it’s impossible.

One fantastic aspect of this book: it’s about two women who are strong in spirit and stand up for themselves who DIDN’T survive sexual trauma. The dialogue was great and the pace was…not slow, but also not brisk. It’s not a story with twists and turns; instead it’s a character study about sisters who have to grow up one summer and accept their fate.

Throughout the book, I kept picturing this not as a movie, but as a play. It seems to be perfect for the stage.

True to life story of being raised Christian

I enjoyed listening to this story and could relate to the main character and her struggle with the eye rolling hypocrisy of religion. Quick and easy listen! Thanks!

Lacks Authenticity

This story was way too shallow and one sided in my opinion. I highly doubt that the author has had much true experience with Christianity. I've been a Christian since I was nine and got "church hurt", fell away and didn't return for many years. Having said that, I never saw or witnessed the blatant instances that are described here . . . and I live in the Bible Belt. This whole book is weak and could have been better told.

What did I just listen to?

I felt as if nothing was resolved. The scandal meant to really drive the story was also not all that scandalous. This could be a good read for those looking for something predictable.

Delightful

I loved this. So beautifully written and the performance was great. Really grasped the range of familial love and relationships.

Good telling of a good story

This is a good book that touches in an approachable way subjects that are very real. The author doesn't tell us how to feel, instead lets the reader decide.

The narrator was excellent, great tone and pace throughout.

Agonizing

Too many words! Took forever to develop a weak plot. Agonizing and annoying details of teenage angst.

Disappointing

Slow to start. Then a story that didn't go anywhere. The ending was anticlimactic. Felt like I had wasted my time listening to this.

Raised in the church? You may recognize someone.

Arrogant baptist preacher who refuses to own his mistakes. His 2 daughters having to deal with the aftermath while growing in their love for one another and growing into independent women. Really loved this book and could relate to its characters.

A good story!

This is called a novel but I bet it could be an autobiography to many girls and women. A story told through the eyes of a 18 year old and the upcoming wedding of her older sister. This story kind of reminds me of the Hillsong Church story. Anyway it’s a good story but I wish the ending was different!!!