So she headed out into the blizzard. In a car that wasn’t exactly hers, with a dog who wasn’t exactly a rat terrier, she drove. Until she ran out of gas in the small Maine town of Mattawooptock. Mattawoopwhat? What on earth is God thinking?
But it is there, in a weird little bathroom in a weird little church in a weird little town that Maggie Hansen finds herself. And as God would have it, she finds a lot more than that.
Shelter was a book that held my interest. It is truly a Christian book. About real life people, real life problems and a very real God who makes a way for them. Maggie left her abusive boyfriend attorney to find herself homeless yet richer than ever before.
I loved the uniqueness of this story. I have never read a story before where the plot was all based around a homeless shelter. The author, Robin Merrill, did a great job of describing all the various characters who interacted with Maggie as she tried to get her life in order while at a homeless church shelter. It didn't take long for her to become a very important part of the daily life in the shelter and also in the life of Galen, one of the volunteers for the shelter. The book is entertaining, humourous, informative and a great read for any age from teenagers and up.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT She begged God to rescue her. He said, “Go.” So she headed out into the blizzard. In a car that wasn’t exactly hers, with a dog who wasn’t exactly a rat terrier, she drove. Until she ran out of gas in the small Maine town of Mattawooptock. Mattawoopwhat? What on earth is God thinking? But it is there, in a weird little bathroom in a weird little church in a weird little town that Maggie Hansen finds herself. And as God would have it, she finds a lot more than that.
MY TAKE This is a fun, Christian read with an interesting cast of characters. It's maybe a romance (it has a strong romantic element), but it's also very much about Maggie's growth and finding herself. Galen is a great guy and quite a contrast to the guy Maggie had been involved with before.
It dragged a little in the late middle of story, and there were some things that happened that didn't really seem to go anywhere, and I wondered why they were included. But perhaps that fits the odd assortment of characters at the homeless shelter.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was adequate but sounded like she was in a tunnel.
This was a fantastic contemporary Christian fiction series starter! The story was believable and the characters heartwarming. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I was provided with a copy of this book by the author as a result of being a Winner of a book giveaway, but it did not in any way affect my review. All opinions are my own.
Got this free from Amazon and really enjoyed it. Fast light read that gives you a different view of the homeless and the people that try to help. Knowing many homeless veterans, there are so many people that look down on them without wanting to know the circumstances. Loved this for showing that and for showing what prayer can do.
I love the characters and their growth throughout this book. I enjoyed how the characters interacted with each other and how the helped one another. Also how the showed the small things could make a huge difference in our live and how giving of our selves can change us. The kindness of strangers can change lives.
This was a great short read! I loved that it stuck with a Christian setting the entire book, no explicit sex or cursing. Was an encouraging read. Very glad I read this book as my first 2017 read.
This book has pretty high ratings but I suspect that comes from born again Christian reviewers. Since the story largely takes place in a church one would expect religious elements in the book so it isn't surprising that the pages are filled with it.
I know that I have never been in the situation of an abusive relationship or homeless to have first hand knowledge of these things but there was so much in the book that did not seem terribly realistic. Does Maine really not have building codes for churches? Does a homeless shelter not need some kind of city or state permit?
Maggie said she was "broken". Is that the reason she jumped right into another relationship? Galen seems pretty perfect though I got the feeling all the way through that there was something in his past that was a real problem. I suppose it was his failed marriage but the way he talked I expected much worse. Never found out much else about it though. In all his perfect man-ness he seemed a bit jealous and possessive. And though the book doesn't really detail much about Maggie's previous relationship, I had the sense that Kirk had been possessive, micro managing and domineering in addition to physically and emotionally abusive. Galen moved a bit too close to that for my tastes. I cringed at his reaction to seeing Maggie looking up a guy on the internet. I was also a bit bothered that Maggie had no qualms with Galen handing over money to her all the time, including buying her a car. Sounded like another Kirk repeat even though Galen is a good guy.
I also couldn't figure out why we needed to see the scene of Galen returning the car owned by Kirk. I thought it was setting up Kirk coming back into Maggie's life in some (probably dramatic and scary) way. But we never see him again. Other events didn't seem to go anywhere either.
I was confused by the score of her cosmetology exam. During the exam she seemed to do quite well. She was rusty on some of the practical application but it didn't seem too bad. Then her score was 76 which equaled a D- and she jumped for joy. Typo? I don't know but it seems to me that a typical 76 would be a solid C. Maybe it is a beauty school thing.
So while there isn't anything bad going on with the main characters, in the background of the story there is sex, drugs, & alcohol. Maggie walks in on a make out scene where the girl has to put her shirt back on. But we don't really see anything else except in the consequences of an unplanned pregnancy, an arrest for theft and trafficking drugs and knowing that there are alcoholics in the shelter. Therefore I still gave it a clean rating but the story was just okay to me.
I really enjoyed this book! It's Christian fiction filled with truth. The main setting is a church that also functions as a homeless shelter and I think it gave an honest portrayal. We saw how some outsiders harshly judge the homeless, but also met some of the residents. They were a mix of characters and not a single one had wandered into the shelter because they wanted to and with intentions of bunking there forever. This reminds us that every homeless person has a story and that caring for the homeless is a true ministry and calling for some people.
The main character, Maggie, is a young woman fleeing an abusive relationship. A new believer, she trusts God to lead her to safety and freedom, remaining obedient even when God's way seemed a bit wacky! Where was He taking her and why? His plans unfolded, though, and this was a joyful reminder to me that God's way is always more interesting, rewarding, and better than any path we map out ourselves.
Through Maggie, who once attended beauty school, we see an example of how our talents can be used to serve others. Even if we feel like our contribution is small, it can be very important to someone else or can work with other things to complete a whole picture. I have to add that Cari, one of the shelter's directors, showed me a great way to surrender and pray when I'm clueless about what direction to take.
The romance between Maggie and Galen is sweet but not sappy. I kind of wish readers were given a little more glimpse into Maggie's past, perhaps some flashbacks to experiences that led to her needing to run in the first place. Then again, we knew enough to know she needed to leave...plus all things were being made new in Maggie's life, so why weigh her story down with the old and the ugly? She was a new creation in Christ and in a position to move forward. This really is a great story!
I received this book (and book 2 & 3 in this series) from my Mom for my birthday. I hadn't heard of it before, but I'm very happy she got it for me.
I truly enjoyed the characters of Maggie and Galen. They had real emotions and personalities, ones that I could relate to and sympathize with. The writing is easy to read and follow and made for a quick read as well. There were a couple situations that I was confused by or ways I thought the story was going to go that didn't end up happening.
For the situation of something I thought was going to happen that didn't end up happening, it was dealing with Maggie's ex. I thought for sure he was going to come back into the story and cause some drama...but he doesn't. At first I was slightly confused/annoyed by this, but the more I thought about it the more I'm glad it didn't go that way...it would have been very cliche.
Then there was a character that was introduced as someone who was lusting after Maggie. In a very short time, she turned him down and he didn't make an appearance until the end and it plays a part in the set-up for book 2. I just felt that maybe this could have not started with him checking out Maggie and started with him checking out Harmony and it still would have all worked the way it needed to to get to the end results.
Again, overall I really enjoyed this book and read it quickly. I'm looking forward to starting in on book 2 and seeing where the story of this little town, it's church with the homeless shelter and the characters that I've come to know and grow fond of end up on the next chapter of their journey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Maggie left an abusive relationship to become homeless which was a true blessing
Open Door Church in Mattawooptock Maine which hosted a homeless shelter is where Maggie ran out of gas when God told her to go and leave the abusive relationship she had been in for years. New to going to church, she began to really enjoy the daily bible studies. She naturally wanted to help the other residents and began cutting their hair which quickly grew into a full time volunteer position. Galen who was a member of the church and helped some with the shelter and had his own automotive garage offered to take care of her dog Eddie since pets were not allowed at the shelter. Galen had fallen in love with Maggie, but the abusive relationship she had left made her reluctant to commit to anything. As Maggie's love grew for God and the other residents of the shelter, she also came to fully love Galen.
Maggie and her small dog Eddie are escaping from a bad situation. She ends up in Maine at a small town church. The church is also a shelter for the homeless. Maggie is homeless. The first person she meets at the church is Galen. He is a musician for some of the church services. And he volunteers to take Eddie since he is not welcome at the shelter. From that small beginning, Maggie finds her new life. With Galen’s encouragement, she begins to realize that she has a skill that can help others. Maggie realizes she has value. There is a strong Christian theme in this story. It is the way Maggie learns about herself as well as the people she encounters in the shelter. There are various secondary characters who add to the texture and depth of the story. I enjoyed the book.
Maggie runs from an abusive relationship and learns to follow God’s direction through difficult times. A sweet story that touches on some difficult issues in our culture today - domestic abuse, homelessness, mental illness and abortion - but is more centered on a being romance. I gave it four stars bc it tries to do too much with difficult subjects while remaining light hearted. The intention of the author needed to be more focused for depth. Also conflicts like Maggie can’t afford to buy lunch or hair coloring but when a benefactor buys her a car there’s no mention of the money needed for gas or insurance costs. Yet she drives wherever she wants. My heart wanted to enjoy the romance but my mind wasn’t suspended.
In addition to being a great read, there are life lessons throughout that make you think without pointing a judging finger. (Hoping the author reads this and sees the word “addition”. 😁). I appreciate books that subtly teach good things. I love that there’s a little bit of romance, a real look at some difficult life situations. I may never experience some of the hard things some of the characters had, but I have a better idea of what it feels like. I pray to keep that understanding and know what to do with it. This life can be hard enough- but sometimes we have the privilege to ease the burden of someone else, and find ourselves becoming more whole in the process.
Shelter, is my twenty-fourth read from author Robin Merrill who I’ve been reading since January of 2019 when I first read Piercehaven: Welcome to the Island & she never fails to entertain with her excellent writing. I got this book back in September of 2015 yet never got around to reading it until now when I'm listening to the Audible version with my wife. 312-pages/5-hours 42-minutes yet reads longer due to the story and characters being slowly & methodically developed, drawing the reader in. Narrator Lisa Kelly adds to the listening enjoyment. I was given both an Audible copy & Kindle copy of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it. The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
This was an interesting book, different than the ordinary thriller, mystery books I normally read. I especially like that it has a good Christian message to the story. The story revolves mostly around Maggie and Galen. Maggie is escaping a bad relationship when she stops into a church that just happens to double as a homeless shelter. We meet a number of homeless men and women (and even children) who are staying at the church, apparently for weeks and months at a time. Maggie finds a niche at the shelter, makes some friends, and meets Galen, who does occasional work for the church/shelter. Galen forms an immediately interest in Maggie (who is beautiful). He is a kind, good man and helps her in various ways. It's a good story with a good message.
As someone who has worked with homeless individuals, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would have liked to have a little more information regarding Maggie's background but there was enough information for me to cheer Maggie on as she adapted to life in a homeless shelter. I loved Galen and his selfless actions toward the residents of the shelter, he truly was an angel in working clothes.
I appreciated the religious element of the story, the residents were able to learn about the love of God without having religion "shoved down their throats."
Overall a good read and an excellent education regarding the homeless and the prejudiced attitudes of others towards the homeless.
A pleasant story that gives one insight into what it is like to come to believe in a higher power because of the trials that a single person has had to live through.
A church that truly believes it is more blessed to give than to receive. Even though the townspeople looked down on the homeless that took refuge in the church they were willing to assist when the need arose.
A great lesson was taught with this story. Not only is God's love significant in each of our lives --it is relevant to all those around us!
A clean Christian book set in a homeless shelter. The many different people whose circumstance bring them together for a time. The listener learns of real problems that people face and how God and his people work to help them. There is even a sweet romance. I hope there will be more books in this series, since this is listed as book 1.
The narration was well done. The characters were well portrayed by Lisa Kelly.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Robin's story of Maggie's coming to Christ and finding her profession was inspiring as well as learning about the shelter and how it runs. As with many churches and shelters there is a core group of very hard workers who are called to help out and this allows the place to run smoothly altho something always comes up. Loved this story as it wasn't too preachy and sickly Christianly sweet but dealt with day to day challenges and how people step in to help each other.
This is a story about a small town in Maine' When Maggie runs from her old life in Mass she asks God for guidance. She gets her answer when she turns off I95. She is out of gas and money and she feels out of options as well. She and her dog Eddie pull into a church parking lot and she goes inside it is not only a church but a homeless shelter as well. I enjoyed getting to know the Main characters Maggie, G, Harmony, Jackie, Cari, Pastor Dan and of course Eddie. This book made me realize that even when you don't think you have something to offer With God All Things Are Possible
This was an easy quick read. Short chapters but they held my attention. The setting of a homeless shelter within a church was something I had never read before and was of interest. I am always amazed how the guy falls so quickly for the girl by outward beauty but was glad to see both main character move past that to the inward beauty. A few characters could have use a bit more backstory and development but I still will give the book 5 stars and will look to read the rest of this trilogy and more by this author.