Sittin' in the Front Pew: A Novel

by Parry A. Brown

From the author of the national bestseller The Shirt off His Back comes a novel about love, family, and honoring loved ones

Death brings about strange emotions, and people’s true colors start to show. Glynda Naylor discovers this when she gets the call that her father has died suddenly and she must fly from Los Angeles to Baltimore to bury him. Her beloved daddy, Edward Naylor, raised his four young daughters after their mother's death, and was the perfect father, brother, fiancé, and friend to those who loved him. As friends and family gather to pay tribute to this pillar of the community, Glynda and her sisters begin to search for answers about who the real Edward Naylor was. Their father was a good man, without question, but he also took a secret to his grave. What happens when his secret shows up for the funeral?

Genres: Fiction, Family

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Diep Pham · Rating 4 out of 5]

When i first started this book, it was not that good. However, after i read more and more, it turned out to be great. Funny, family-ish, and a bit mysterious ( I was so curious about the relationship between Mr.Naylor and Mrs.Nina Blackford ) and etc. Highly recommend if you want to be cheered up !

[Joi Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

don't want to spoil, you gotta read won't be disappointed

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me so much about dealing with the death of my mother. It’s funny, full of histrionics, and shows the true side of what happens when a close loved one dies in some families.

These four sisters will learn soon enough about putting people on pedestals. No one is perfect but in the eyes of Dawn, Renee, Glenda, and Collette, their father almost walked on water……until….

A good read that I wished I had read several years ago.

[Vernetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice storyline. Being used in a book study. Good discussions taking place.

[SassyMama · Rating 2 out of 5]

Family at its Best and Worst

Sittin' in the Front Pew let us inside the lives, of four of the Naylor sisters planning the funeral of their much loved dad. How can a man so loved be afraid to share such a secret with his family? Especially considering this happened so long ago. Can you imagine a person going to his grave and not telling the people he claimed to love the most something so important. Then when the mystery person shows up and is allowed to sit on the front pew, one of the sisters refuses to attend. Collette later decides to come and all hell breaks when she shows up in very inappropriate attire. This book was an emotional read, yet it was quite humorous at times. It allows the reader to go behind the scenes and actually see what can happen to a family after losing a loved one, and having to plan the funeral and discovering loaded secrets along the way. An interesting read.

[Collette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so very good. As you watch the lives of four sisters as they endure the death of their beloved father and pillar of the community. Each one of these ladies plus their uncle and daddy's fiance' are each going through their individual drama while preparing for the funeral. Watch what happens when one of them just focuses on the amount of money being spent and taking it out of what she could have. Look at how relationships are being handled, the outcome of a family secret that their father had kept from all of them. I completely enjoyed this and I know you will too.......go ahead and give it a try.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Currently reading this book, but may not finish it. The opening sequence, with the father dying is a bit depressing and the attitudes of the sisters is ridiculous and outrageous at times. I'll give it a few more pages, but if it doesn't improve and this actually becomes the major theme of the book, I'll be putting it down early. Give me a novel with some substance, some inspiration and some characters that are logical. If it contains nothing noteworthy, something I can actualize in my own life or at least apply to my world, then it's just providing drama I'm not really interested in.

[Lynecia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really delves into the meaning of disfunctional family.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. So many familiarities!

[Wendy Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty close to the reality of church environment.

[Shonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book several years ago and met the author at a community book club (Q/A). I finsihed the book however my mother did not. Either way, the book was okay.

[Weather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. loved every minute of reading it. Family is wonderful thing. with the love of your family you can get through anything. This book made me appreciate my family even more!!!

[Jennifer Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so funny.......I kept thinking " I know some of these people"....not deep or intellectual but very entertaining.

[Toni Buycks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Sha M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story

[Pamela Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite funny. It had a great message regarding family, secrets and love.

[Doris Raines · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. Is. A. Great. Book. Read.