Action/Adventure(798)
Allegory(374)
Amish(5,082)
Biblical(1,055)
Children(980)
Classic Fiction(588)
Contemporary(9,251)
General Contemporary(5,599)
Women's Fiction(2,997)
Drama(1,290)
Fantasy/Science Fiction(2,137)
Historical(3,067)
Poetry(7)
Prophecy & End Times(683)
Romance(14,855)
Short Stories(123)
Suspense & Intrigue(9,029)
Teens(633)
Westerns(706)
Shop Now At Christianbook.com
Shop Women's Fiction or
Choose a Category
- Academic
- Accompaniment Tracks
- Advent
- Adventures in Odyssey ™
- Audiobooks
- Bible Accessories
- Bible Covers
- Bible Studies & Curriculum
- Bibles
- Blooming Bargains
- Books
- Catholic
- Children
- Christian Living
- Christmas
- Church & Pastoral
- Church Supplies
- Closeouts
- Clothing & Accessories
- Crafts & Recreation
- DVDs
- Download
- Easter
- Education
- Fall
- Family
- Father's Day
- Fiction
- Focus Magazines
- Focus Resource
- Focus Reviewed
- Focus on the Family
- Gift & Home
- Graduation
- Homeschool
- MP3 Music Downloads
- Mother's Day
- Music
- New Release
- Patriotic
- Pre-Order
- Radio Theatre
- Slightly Imperfect
- Software
- Spanish
- Spring
- Subscriptions
- Sunday School
- Teens
- Thanksgiving
- VBS
- Videos
- Winter
- eBooks
Customer Reviews for Abingdon Press Fiction Long Time Coming
Abingdon Press Fiction Long Time Coming
Faithful Christian Deidre Clark-Morris is a career-minded woman with a loving husband, but no children. Kenisha Smalls has lived in poverty her entire life, has three children by different men---and has just been diagnosed with inoperable cancer. While their meeting appears accidental, could God be using them to experience his unexpected blessings? 352 pages, softcover from Abingdon.
Average Customer Rating:
(7 Reviews) 7
Rating Snapshot (7 reviews)
5 stars
3
4 stars
3
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
0
5 out of 5100%customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Long Time Coming
Review 1 for Long Time Coming
Overall Rating:
Good book but not appropriate for church library.
Date:April 30, 2013
Lenie
Location:PA
Age:Over 65
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
I am the church librarian and do all the buying of books for the library. This story is completely believable in today's society but not appropriate to go into a church library because of some of the details given in the story. Otherwise, it is a good book.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 2 for Long Time Coming
Overall Rating:
great
Date:June 7, 2011
baba
Location:los angeles , california
Age:55-65
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
these series of book have been very great and have kept me reading and recommending the books to others
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Review 3 for Long Time Coming
Overall Rating:
Would Love To See This As a Movie...
Date:February 11, 2011
Kaye
Location:Missouri
Age:35-44
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
I decided to read this book after my book club had a discussion on it and their comments peaked my interest. If I had saw this book on the shelf at my local bookstore I'm not sure I would have bought it. So I'm very glad that the book came up for review at the book club. This is a story I would not have wanted to miss.
Warning: This story is a real tear-jerker, so keep the Kleenex handy.
The story follows two women Deidre, a grade school principle who strives to follow after God's heart and Kenisha, a 23 year old mother of three, who could care less about God, because she figures He feels the same way about her. She is dying.
The women's paths cross when Kenisha treatments interfere with her picking up her son from school. However, Deidre isn’t aware of Kenisha’s condition and things are said between the two and it becomes quite clear that they won't soon become fast friends. But God had other plans.
"Long Time Coming" by Vanessa Miller is a story of faith and sorrow. As you journey with these women through their story you learn a lot about understanding the hearts of those who have hurt them deeply as well as those that they have hurt. Then being able to learn to forgive them and accept forgiveness. And in Kenisha's case, that also includes forgiving God.
I give "Long Time Coming" four stars because of its riveting storyline and the poignant way this story was told. My only disappointment was the predictable ending. However, this is a book that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. It will inspire you to reach into your own heart and your own past to see if there's anything there that you still need to give to God. This is one book that I would love to see made into a movie.
Buy a copy for a friend. Trust me, they will be eternally grateful.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 4 for Long Time Coming
Overall Rating:
Great Book
Date:November 8, 2010
Sylvia
Location:Memphis TN
Age:55-65
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
It's a great book. I think everyone should read it. Many women go through the things that the various women went through in this book.
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Review 5 for Long Time Coming
Overall Rating:
Unconventional Christian Fiction
Date:November 8, 2010
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
When Deirdre and Kenisha first meet it seems like they have nothing in common, but circumstances conspire to bring them together and build a surprising friendship. Deirdre is a high school principal with a lovely husband, but she's depressed because a medical condition has left her unable to have children. Kenisha is scraping through life as a single mother on benefits, having birthed three children to three different fathers, and has just been diagnosed with inoperable cervical cancer. Deirdre initially stereotypes Kenisha, thinking that it's impossible for such a woman to be a good mother, but she finds herself drawn to her son, Jamal. When Jamal calls Deirdre for help when his mother becomes ill, she begins to see Kenisha for who she really is and finds herself called to help her. But it may well be Kenisha who ends up helping her...
This is the first book I've read from the author, and also my first foray into the African-American genre. As far as I know, we don't have any race-specific genres in Britain, and although I've read some excellent books by black authors such as Dorothy Koomson and Malorie Blackman, I know that they don't specifically aim their books at a certain race. For this, I'm quite please as I doubt there's anyone out there aiming books at someone who is half Scottish, three-eighths English and one-eighth Indian! However, I throughly enjoyed this book and truly don't think that you have to be African-American in order to read it.
This book will really pull at your heartstrings, as would any story about someone in their twenties dying of cancer. I really felt for Kenisha and her anguish at leaving her children without a mother. Although there were a few moments where I had tears in my eyes, I wouldn't say that this is a depressing book. The way that Kenisha and Deirdre helped each other deal with their problems was incredibly uplifting. Each of them made judgements about the other but were able to overcome these in order to become friends and support each other. The character dynamics in this story were excellent, and Kenisha's children were adorable. I always find that children brighten up a story!
I did have a few problems with this book, namely in the last third. Although I really enjoy Christian fiction, I felt that a lot of this story focused on Deirdre trying to convert Kenisha and in some places it almost came across in a "Bible-bashing" manner, where Deirdre felt that conversion was more important than simply being there for her friend and letting God shine through her actions. I'm a firm believer of showing Christ to people through the way you speak and act, and waiting for them to ask you questions, rather than trying to talk about God all the time. This was mainly present in the last third of the book, and although it didn't make me dislike it, I do feel that it brings my rating down a bit. I also found the epilogue incredibly cheesy! I do like a happy ending but this overdid it a bit.
Although I felt that this novel had its faults, I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for unconventional Christian fiction. Kenisha isn't your typical heroine, but she's incredibly endearing and you'll find yourself rooting for her to let go of the past and to find peace with everyone in her life. I found it more difficult to relate to Deirdre as I felt that she'd caused so many of the issues she had in her life, but it was excellent seeing her grow as a character, and watching her overcome stereotypes and judgements in order to become friends with Kenisha. I also appreciate that the author felt brave enough to deal with so many popular issues in our society - drug addiction, single-parenthood, alcoholism, poverty, death, cancer, street crime, infertility - and that she did so in a tactful manner. So many Christian novels focus on "safe" topics, so I admire Vanessa Miller for stepping out of the mould. Definitely an author to watch!
Many thanks to Abingdon Press and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 6 for Long Time Coming
Overall Rating:
Date:July 16, 2010
Elementary school principal Deidre Morris wants a baby, but a physical disorder makes having one highly improbable. After seven years of trying, shes still not pregnant, and she hasnt shared with her husband, Johnson, the awful truth she already knew when she married himthat all the trying in the world isnt likely to make them parents.Twenty-three year old Kenisha Smalls has three children, each fathered by a different man. Deidre and Kenishas first meeting is not exactly friendly. But the two women soon find themselves connected by a cord of necessity woven strong by a mutual goal. A cancer diagnosis sends Kenisha on an aggressive search for a good home for her three children. She thinks Deidre and Johnson would be perfect parents for her kidsbut will Deidre ever find the courage to confess to Johnson her deception? And if she does, will their marriage survive? In the process of crossing is and dotting ts to help Kenisha ensure the future for her children, Deidre also seeks opportunities to show Gods love to the other woman. Not an easy task. Kenisha is bitter against God, Whose silence in the face of her childhood pleas for rescue from repeated sexual abuse convinced her of His absolute unconcern. Will Deidre have time to soften Kenishas heart and see her new friend make things right with her Maker before cancer claims her?An interesting book. The author paints an honest picture of hurting humanity, a sometimes painful look into the hopelessness of lives ruled by poverty, drugs, alcohol and perversion, as well as a glimpse into another kind of worlda more cultured, educated, comfortably middle-class lifestyle.I cant in all honesty place Long Time Coming among my favorites either in writing style or content. I found it a little slow at times, but the storyline is captivating and the message sound. Its certainly worth the read.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 7 for Long Time Coming
Overall Rating:
Date:June 3, 2010
You will be captivated by this book when you begin to turn the pages. There are no coincidences in life as we see clearly from this book. God is moving behind the scenes in this beautifully told story that will be released in November 2010 by Abingdon Press. Vanessa Miller grabs our hearts as she tells the story of two families, two totally different families coming together.Deidre Morris is a principal at the school where Jamal heads to every day. Deidre sees something special in this little boy, but is not quite sure what yet. Deidre is fighting secrets of her past as she is trying to face the future with her husband, Johnson. They are trying to have children, but the process is not going as planned. Only Deidre holds the key to her husband understanding why. Through Jamal we meet his mother, Kenisha Smalls. Kenisha has grown up in poverty, and with a family that is far from being together. She too is running from her past as she is facing her future with cancer. She is taking treatments, but the cancer is gaining ground quickly. She too needs to unveil her secret that she is holding, let go of the past and live in the now. As Kenisha is fighting for life, she and Deidre become acquainted. At first they do not hit it off, but God has other plans for them. We see this friendship blossom, we see both of these women grow, and we see their families come together for one last day, Christmas. I must say, I loved this story. There is forgiveness, redemption, and grace. My favorite part is the epilogue where Kenisha shines light on a place far more beautiful than we can ever imagine, but I will leave that for you to read. You will be blessed as I was. We learn to let go of the past, let go of secrets, and live for each day. This book was a gift by Abingdon Press for its review.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.