The Garden of Happy Endings

[NorthernLight]

I just finished reading the novel, The Garden of Happy Endings, by Barbara O’Neal. The story’s main female character is a former Catholic, now Reverend in a Unity church, who had walked the camino 20 years before with her fiancé. The fiancé ended their betrothal on arrival at the Cathedral, when he announced he had been called to become a priest. Because of an evil event affecting her church, she is now facing a crisis of faith and returns to her hometown, where the former fiancé is now the priest and is her friend.

It’s a pleasant enough read. The story has love, goodness and evil, angels, and search for redemption and for faith. The references to the camino are frequent and folks may find it a good read.

There is just enough detail about the camino to make me think the author may have walked.

 

[TrvlDad1]

I just finished reading the novel, The Garden of Happy Endings, by Barbara O’Neal. The story’s main female character is a former Catholic, now Reverend in a Unity church, who had walked the camino 20 years before with her fiancé. The fiancé ended their betrothal on arrival at the Cathedral, when he announced he had been called to become a priest. Because of an evil event affecting her church, she is now facing a crisis of faith and returns to her hometown, where the former fiancé is now the priest and is her friend.

It’s a pleasant enough read. The story has love, goodness and evil, angels, and search for redemption and for faith. The references to the camino are frequent and folks may find it a good read.

There is just enough detail about the camino to make me think the author may have walked.

We have a Camino book club (Book Club 3.1 thread) on the Forum, and the selections for the next several books will be fiction (as opposed to memoirs). You are welcome to post a recommendation on that thread with your review, and we may select it for a future read. Fiction books about the Camino are a more limited, so we would welcome your recommendation. Bob

 

[stevelm1]

I suspect many of us have read the "Walk, Eat, Sleep, and Blisters" memoirs, there are many out there. Some are pretty good, some not so much. Happily, I have been finding a number of Camino related novels of late. Here is a list of three of the novels that center around the Camino. 1) 'Merchant's List' by A.N. Caird. Actually I have not read this one yet but I will soon. 2) 'The Way, Through a Field of Stars' by Brian John Skillen. This is the first of a series of three (the other two are not out yet). I would call this book a work of historical fantasy that I very much enjoyed. 3) 'Revenge on the Camino' by Ken Privratsky. This too is the first of a series of three, and the other two are not out yet. This is a modern who dun it that was also a good read. 2 & 3 are both written by authors who have walked the Camino. If you are looking for books like this, like I was, there seem to be a growing number -- yeah!

 

[TrvlDad1]

Stevelm1, Merchant’s List is the current Camino Book Club 3.1 selection. Would love to have you post a review on that thread. And thank you for the other fiction books. We’ll consider them for the BC3.1. Bob

 

[Undermanager]

The Garden of Happy Endings?

(Schoolboy snigger) a book is called that? Really?

 

[dailycamino]

The Garden of Happy Endings?

(Schoolboy snigger) a book is called that? Really?

I wondered how soon someone would post that

 

[La Rubia]

Barbara is a dear friend of mine and yes, did a short Camino in 2010. She is a wonderful writer, and walking the Camino was a great inspiration to her.

 

[Undermanager]

I'm glad it ended happily for her. .

 

[Undermanager]

*Barbara is a dear friend of mine"

When you next see her, could you ask her if an editor or the publisher pulled her to one side before publication and said,

"Listen Babs. 'Bout the title of your new book ....."

 

[trecile]

*Barbara is a dear friend of mine"

When you next see her, could you ask her if an editor or the publisher pulled her to one side before publication and said,

"Listen Babs. 'Bout the title of your new book ....."

Agreed

 

[VNwalking]

Barbara is a dear friend of mine and yes, did a short Camino in 2010.

Congratulations, and best wishes for her writing success.

(Schoolboy snigger) a book is called that? Really?

Sorry. I don't get what's so funny?
I don't relate to immature male humor I guess.
(No need to explain. TMI.)