Recipient of Christianity Today's 2017 Book Award of Merit, 2017 Christy Award Winner
The summer of 1972 was the most pivotal of Matt Plumley's childhood. While his beloved Pirates battle for back-to-back World Series titles, Matt's family moves from Pittsburgh to Dogwood, West Virginia, where his father steps into the pulpit of a church under the thumb of town leader Basil Blackwood.
A fish out of water, Matt is relieved to forge a fast bond with two unlikely friends: Dickie Darrel Lee Hancock, a mixed-race boy, and Jesse Woods, a tough-as-nails girl with a sister on her hip and no dad in sight. As the trio traipses the hills and hollers, Matt begins to fall for Jesse, and their promises to each other draw him deeper into her terrifying reality.
One night, the wrath of the Blackwoods and the secrets of Jesse's family collide, and Matt joins Jesse in a rescue that saves one life and ends another . . . and severs the bond of their friendship.
Years later, Matt is pulled back to Dogwood and to memories of that momentous summer by news of Jesse's upcoming wedding. He could never shake the feeling that there was more to the story of that fateful night, and he's determined to learn the truth behind the only promise Jesse Woods ever broke.
The Promise of Jesse Woods released in July 2016 and received the 2017 Christianity Today Book Award of Merit in the Fiction category. The book also received the 2017 Christy Award in the General Fiction category. Visit the Christy Awards website for a complete list of 2017 winners and finalists.
It's time for readers to meet Jesse Woods and her little sister, Daisy Grace. I'm hearing that this story is as deep and heartfelt as June Bug and Dogwood. It may be even deeper because of the longings of the heart it represents. In a sense, this is a love story and a mystery wrapped together in two summers—1972 and 1984.
The main character, Matt Plumley, moves to Dogwood, West Virginia, and is immediately thrust into a foreign world he doesn't understand. With the help of two friends, he navigates his way into the hills—and falls for an Appalachian girl.
It's a simple story of some simple people who are just trying to love their way through life and making mistakes just like the rest of us.
So I invite you to walk down the dusty road of my youth. Hear the junebugs, watch the fireflies, taste the roasted marshmallows and Faygo soda, hear the dog barking underneath the cinderblock steps at Jesse's house, and learn the heartbreaking truth about the way Matt and Jesse's lives have been affected by one fateful night.
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"I haven't read anything so riveting and unforgettable since Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. Fabry has penned a remarkable love story, one that's filled with sacrifice, hope, and forgiveness!"
— NOVEL REVIEWS on June Bug
"[Fabry's] poignant story is driven by deeply drawn characters who evoke empathy and frustration, compassion and anger. But in the end, the painful labor of rebirth will bring tears of joy!"
— Christine, CBD Fiction Editor, on Looking into You
"[In this] soul-searching novel of faith, friendship, and promises, Chris Fabry invigorates the small-town lives of three teens in 1970s West Virginia with his exquisite, lyrical writing. . . . A literary delight . . . this novel is worthy of a standing ovation."
— SHELF AWARENESS on The Promise of Jesse Woods
"There is so much to love about The Song . . . Heart-wrenching and emotional scenes abound in this tale of fame, fortune, loss, and redemption."
— ROMANTIC TIMES, 4½-Star Top Pick Review
"[Every Waking Moment] has authentic characters, a compelling narrative, and a complex exploration of the brokenness and hope of human life."
— Susannah Clements, department chair of literature, Regent University
"Fabry's [The Promise of Jesse Woods] could have been too heavy due to the subject matter and the tumultuousness of the time period, but his superior writing skills make it more of a nostalgic, sweet tale. . . . This is a fast-paced read with many endearing characters."
— ROMANTIC TIMES, 4-Star Review
"Ultimately a story of love and forgiveness, [Dogwood] should appeal to a wide audience."
— CBA RETAILERS + RESOURCES
"This absorbing novel should further boost Fabry's reputation as one of the most talented authors in Christian fiction."
— CBA RETAILERS + RESOURCES on Not in the Heart
"Dogwood will captivate you from cover to cover."
— READERVIEWS.COM
"A mesmerizing tale . . . [Almost Heaven] will surprise readers in the best possible way; plot twists unfold and unexpected character transformations occur throughout this tender story."
— PUBLISHERS WEEKLY