Ben Cahill, a newly sober alcoholic with no idea how to move forward–Compelling novels by Steven Rogers
A Year in the Room by Steven Rogers
Reluctant pilgrim Ben Cahill steps off a flight from Israel facing an unrelenting list of challenges—a fractured family, no job, no place to live, and a dubious grip on his newly-found sobriety. He has no plans for the next steps in his life.
Ben starts over, settling into a small, rented room and working three part-time jobs. As his first year of recovery unfolds, Ben fights an unrelenting spiritual war against his personal demons and the consequences of his past actions. Can a chain-smoking, no-nonsense grandmother, a retired navy cook, a crusty old Scotsman, and an unexpected pilgrimage to the legendary Scottish Island of Iona, clear away the wreckage of Ben’s life and lead him to hope? Join Ben on his journey in this sequel to the award-winning novel Into the Room.
My thoughts: Ben Cahill is an alcoholic. He thought he’d made peace with God about it during a reluctant trip to Israel, but trying to patch his angry family back together and live a sober life back home isn’t working. Ben is wonderfully sarcastic and so relatable because of it. He’s “benignly abducted” by wonderful characters, some “holy rollers” from the past and present who send him on a “Pearl Itinerary” to the island of Iona. A terrific stand-alone novel is the compelling sequel to Into the Room.
Into the Room by Steven Rogers
Can a journey across the Holy Land redeem a reluctant pilgrim?
Ben Cahill’s life is an alcohol-saturated mess. After an insincere effort in a rehab facility, he is alienated from his family, out of work, and determined to continue his habit. To make matters worse, he finds himself on a tour of Israel, along with, as he calls them, a bunch of holy rollers.
As the trip progresses, Ben experiences the Holy Land’s major historical sites and is exposed to God’s word. He interacts with his fellow travelers, gradually learning about their faith and their lives. Along the way, Ben becomes embroiled in a spiritual war, reinforcing his guilt and, in turn, forcing him to recall his past actions and behaviors. He also begins a different journey, one that leads him to redemption and a place in God’s family.
My thoughts: A reluctant and alcoholic traveler, struggling with the mess he’s left his family in, tours the Holy Land with a bunch of “holy rollers.” This masterful and conversational story reveals a man who is rotting from the inside out, step by hesitant step, reach a hopeful transformation. It’s a powerful novel demonstrating that at the right time, all stories are worth telling. This one certainly is!
The Author, Steven Rogers
Steven Rogers is an award-winning author and novelist. His novel Into the Room was the first place winner in the Spiritual Fiction Category for the 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Awards. The book was also named as one of three finalists in the Debut Novel category of the 2022 American Fiction Christian Writers Carol Awards. In 2023 it was a Runner-Up in the Christian Indie Awards. Steven’s second novel A Year in the Room was published in November of 2024.
Learn more about this author on his website.
Steven Rogers’ interview on PJNET.
