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Kirkus Reviews

Byhlesbrown

A Well-written, Effective Story

A gay Roman Catholic clergyman faces the sharp scrutiny of a homophobic dignitary in Brown’s novel, the fourth in a series.

This narrative details a particularly turbulent week in the life of Sean Foley, a beloved elder bishop in the Diocese of San Luis Obispo. Foley is best known for selflessly creating, developing, and sustaining the Life Force church group program, which supports at-risk local youth in his jurisdiction. At the age of 75, with retirement imminent, he looks back on a distinguished tenure and his life as a recovering alcoholic and survivor of child abuse.

… Vivid flashbacks generously depict Foley’s chaotic youth as the son of an abusive, homophobic father. These sequences add texture to the core themes of LGBTQ+ unity and equality and lend heft to the protagonist’s challenging mission to finish out his current position.

Employing convincingly realistic dialogue, an urgent plot, clearly motivated characters, and a breezy writing style, the author does an admirable and entertaining job of politicizing the Catholic priesthood experience with melodramatic flair and buzz. Brown’s memorable novel compassionately imparts themes of spirituality and love, examining how they intersect in modern life. A well-written, affecting story of justice and love amidst the rigid strictures of conservative religion.

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    Paul B.

    Byhlesbrown

    This book and series face an intense issue that is common in the Catholic Church. Tackles it head on in fact, and for that the author should be praised. Not always the easiest read, this is still an important one and would recommend to those interested in the inner dynamics of the Catholic Church and its priests.

  • Gordon Jefrries, NetGalley Reviewer

    Byhlesbrown

    The story of Tony Keating (Kit Foxx) is heartbreaking at times and uplifting at other times, but always gripping — a story that, once you get started, you struggle to put down. Each chapter builds on the last, and yes, you want to read it all, but at the same time you don’t want it to finish. Maybe it hasn’t yet — there is surely a sequel in the pipeline. If not, there should be. Enjoyed every minute, and highly recommend. Reviewed on NetGalley, September 24, 2026.

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    Frank G. D.

    Byhlesbrown

    Intriguing PageTurner—Absolutely brilliant. Les Brown tells a story that is complex, multi-layered, full of strange landscapes as divergent as organized crime and monastic life, yet one so well crafted that the reader becomes engrossed in it, unable to put it down. Intriguing PageTurner—Absolutely brilliant. Les Brown tells a story that is complex, multi-layered, full of strange landscapes as divergent as organized crime and monastic life, yet one so well crafted that the reader becomes engrossed in it, unable to put it down.