Title: Remember Me
Author: Penelope
Wilcock
Year: 2012
Pages: 217
Publisher: Crossway
Note: I received a
complimentary copy for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are solely
my responsibility. Other reviews can be
read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/.
Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988
This is
the sixth book in the “Hawk and Dove” series as well as the third book
involving the monk, William de Bulmer, as the main character. The author does a wonderful job of showing
some of the intricacies of the relationships between some of the monks. The story takes place at St. Alcuin’s
Abbey. She does a masterful job of showing
us rich historical details as well as the struggles of people trying to live godly
lives.
The life of a monk would seem to be
rather routine, right? Well, not for
William. He has fallen in love with the
Abbot’s sister, Madeleine. The Abbot is
his boss as well as friend. Remember
monk’s take a vow of celibacy. The Abbot
speaks to both William and Madeleine about their blooming romance so as to put
a stop to it. Madeleine is living on the
property of the abbey in a cottage at the charity of the monks. If her feelings for William were made know,
then she would be made to leave and has nowhere else to go. The same is true for William. He has been a monk since the age of 19, and
is now 50. He has known no other
vocation so he couldn’t support himself outside of the walls of the abbey. They try to end the romance, but are both
miserable.
William makes a friend of
Madeleine’s next door neighbor, an old widow also living in a cottage on the
charity of the monks. She asks him to be
her confessor, but he also confesses to her.
She comes to love him as a son.
Madeleine helps to take care of her as well. She knows those two still love one another,
but what can she do to help?
William already has a broken heart
and is trying to remain faithful to his vows when he receives a message that
causes him extreme distress. He tells
Abbot John about the message and seeks forgiveness from his fellow monks. Can they truly forgive him? William then descends into his own personal
prison of suffering. He loses weight,
can’t sleep and keeps away from the other monks. How can he possibly make up for what he has
done?
Penelope Wilcock does a wonderful
job of portraying the real human emotions that everyone, including monks,
feels: love, fear, anger, hurt,
kindness, mercy to name a few. Some of
the scenes are so very poignant. Does
William find forgiveness? Will his heart
finally be settled? Don’t miss this
great book!
My rating of the book is 4 stars.
