Tag: Mary Hawkins

What's the first Christian book you remember reading as an adult?

Bookish Question #296 | What’s the first Christian book you remember reading as an adult?

I didn’t grow up in a Christian home, so didn’t read a lot of Christian books as a child except for the illustrated Children’s Bible my aunt bought me when I was around eight.

I didn’t read a lot for pleasure during university, even though I lived relatively close to an excellent Christian bookshop.

In hindsight, lack of funds might have had something to do with that …

However, once I started work, I also started visiting the Christian bookshop at lunchtime. And that introduced me to Christian fiction, which I have read voraciously ever since.

Here are three of the earliest Christian novels I remember reading:

This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti (recommended by the aunt who bought me the Children’s Bible), which opened my eyes to the realities of spiritual warfare.

A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers (recommended by my pastor), which my pastor loaned me, and which got me completely hooked on Christian fiction.

Search for Tomorrow by Mary Hawkins, the first Christian novel I read by an Australian author, and one of the first Christian romances I ever read. I guess that means I can credit/blame Mary Hawkins for my subsequent addiction?

What’s the first Christian book you can remember reading as an adult?

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 64 | Return to Baragula by Mary Hawkins

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m celebrating the re-release of Return to Baragula by Mary Hawkins by sharing the first line:

First Line from Return to Baragula: As Emily's breathing slowed, the awesome feeling of ecstasy evaporated, and the full realization of what had happened raced through her.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About Return to Baragula

When overcome by being alone with the man she loved on the romantic beach setting, teenager Emily Parker failed to keep her promise to God never to make love until married. She never dreamed how it would impact her own life and the lives of many others. Six years later, despite the hateful way she’d been treated there, she has to return to her home town, but discovers that Matthew Davidson, the man she’d yielded to, is now the local doctor.

While Emily’s faith is now weak, even believing God can no longer love her, Matthew’s life has changed since he committed his life to Christ. However, now he has to deal with all the consequences of his actions with Emily. When he becomes ill and is still weak when disease attacks the community, Emily, a registered nurse, has to help him. But danger from her life in the city has followed her, and now also threatens her family. Through it all, will Matthew and Emily’s faith and love be strong enough to forgive each other, and deal with all the consequences of their behaviour?

You can find Return to Baragula online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

And don’t forget to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!