A Life Decision

An Inspirational Novel

Christian - Fiction
298 Pages
Reviewed on 09/03/2018
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

Author Biography

Laurie M. Lamb resides in southeastern Pennsylvania and writes Christian fiction. She is a graduate of Cabrini Catholic College, a member of the Catholic Writers Guild, an assistant Director of her church youth group, the daughter of a Catholic Deacon, and a sponsor for the RCIA program. She is married and has a son. Her stories are inspired by all the lives she's seen transformed by God's love and forgiveness. She invites her readers to sit back, read, and experience the same wonder.

    Book Review

Reviewed by K.J. Simmill for Readers' Favorite

Peyton was a true and devout Catholic. She loved God, and she loved her family. Therein was the problem. After a few miscarriages she was thrilled to discover her pregnancy, but then she heard the words that would forever change her life; the child had Down Syndrome. Her own experience tells her this special child will be loved and happy in their home, but her husband, Joe, is far from convinced. The thought of a special child terrified him, and he told her in no uncertain terms that she needed to choose between him and 'it', and in her religion that's the choice between two unforgivable acts, abortion or divorce. As the pressure mounts, Peyton struggles with the choice, a choice that will destroy her either way, with repercussions that will span the rest of her life. But what will she choose, and will they be able to live with the decision she makes?

Laurie M. Lamb's A Life Decision is a Christian fiction story preaching the moral that actions have consequences, along with the forgiveness and strength to be found in faith. From the start, difficult choices, addiction, guilt, secrets, and betrayal fight for your attention. This book is filled with emotional struggles the reader can't help but be drawn into. More than once I had tears in my eyes as I read about the challenges, heartache, and hardships being experienced by not only Joe and Peyton, but Joe's mother, Gert, and even Peyton's own father. Everyone has a secret they are struggling with, decisions that test, break, and even aid them in finding faith and forgiveness. The book itself is written from the alternating first person perspective of Joe and Peyton, allowing the reader to get up close and personal with their inner demons as they are inserted beside them for the journey of their life. Moving, gripping and impossible to put down, A Life Decision will stay with you long after you've read the final chapter.

Ruffina Oserio

A Life Decision: An Inspirational Novel by Laurie M. Lamb is a story that involves a loving couple and an unborn baby in a conflict of life and death, a story with a powerful moral lesson. What if the child you conceive is a “special child” with Down syndrome? What would you do if you knew life would be difficult for them and for you as well? Peyton and Joe Callahan were so happy when they learned they would soon have a baby. But things change when they learn that their baby has a chromosomal disorder. Having both had experience with children born with this condition, the couple must decide whether to keep the baby or terminate the pregnancy. What values will guide them to make the right choice and can Peyton’s trust that God will be there for them be enough to convince her husband to let the child live? The answers will surprise you!

The premise is strong, so strong you can’t avoid getting hooked to the story and it is one that will hold the interest of any parent. We encounter a couple going through the most challenging period of their life and it is interesting that what should be the reason for their joy becomes cause for anxiety and disagreement — a pregnancy. The characters are well-written with beautiful backstories and I enjoyed the fact that both of them have had similar experiences in the past and these experiences are about to inform their decision. Peyton is unselfish, God-fearing, and strong-willed; a selfless woman who thinks every life is sacred. This is the character that epitomizes the moral of this narrative.

The story is real and it reflects the dilemma that many couples find themselves in today. I have a friend whose child was diagnosed with a bone-marrow condition while in the womb and the courage she had to face the challenge was born from her immense faith in God and in the sacredness of every life and Peyton reminds me of her. A Life Decision: An Inspirational Novel is a gripping tale with deep religious and moral underpinnings, a story well-handled in the deft hands of Laurie M. Lamb. It’s a balanced and beautifully crafted story with strong themes of faith, love, life, courage, and generosity.