Before we jump into my thoughts on the book, let's first take a moment to appreciate the stunning cover. It is truly a simple cover that gives nothing away in regards to the story within its pages. I don't know exactly why, but I really appreciate this.

"Even So" is narrated by two very different women living very different lifestyles. Angela is a well-off married stay-at-home mom who quite honestly isn't very likable at all. Her demeanor is off-putting, and she is very much the " I am better than you are type." And our other narrator is Sister Eileen. She runs the Daily Bread food pantry that Angela is currently volunteering at. To be honest, she isn't very likable either. She seems to struggle with traits that we would expect from a nun. Both women have a lot they need to work on within themselves.

These two women are brought together by unfortunate circumstances. Neither woman truly seems to like the other, but they need each other more than they realize. Through their interactions, they prove that even the most unlovable people deserve love and forgiveness, and no matter how painful, it is necessary to truly transform one's life.

"Even so" is not a light read. It covers some downright uncomfortable topics. Some of the more sensitive topics included are alcoholism, child abuse, sexual abuse, suicidal thoughts, and car accidents. This is a book that makes you think and will continue to resignate with you long after you read its final page.

As always thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review

This book has lovely prose and well-written dialogue. I found the descriptions quite evocative, and they stuck with me. This one is a slow burn, but I enjoyed the journey.

This story is told from the points of view of a nun (Sister Eileen) and a woman named Angela, a well-to-do stay-at-home wife who volunteers at the food bank run by the nuns. After the first 10-15% I wasn't sure if I could stick with it but I skimmed some of it early on, eventually was pulled into the story and ended up with a grudging admiration for the book. I say grudging because I'm not a fan of the church or its doctrine. One thing I found extremely unusual is that the nuns in this book refer to God as "she". Really?!

Angela, feeling stifled and unappreciated in her marriage, begins a flirtation with a Danish man who is helping the food bank start a series of community gardens. The flirtation becomes a full-fledged affair and Angela makes a few bad decisions that result in far-reaching consequences. She confides in Sister Eileen who tries to guide her onto the right path. Angela wasn't very likeable as a character but I guess the whole point is that even unlikable people deserve love. Excessive alcohol consumption plays a part in this story as it did in The Empty Room. I was impressed by the author's depiction of the nuns in this story; they seemed so nice and down-to-earth. I'm afraid my opinion of nuns has been influenced by the stories I've heard and movies I've seen.

This book won't be for everyone but I liked it much more than I expected at the outset. The writing is beautiful.

My thanks to Dundurn Press via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a General Fiction. This book is told by two women that are living two way different lives. The first point of view this book is told in is Angela who is married to a well off man and is a stay at home wife. The second point of view this book is told in is Sister Eileen, and she runs Daily Bread Food Pantry. I think this book covers so many topics that is hard hitting and hard to read at times. I do think this author cover these topics so very well. I did feel that the beginning of this book was slow moving and at times boring. It took me a bit to get pulled into this book, but once I was pulled in I did not want to put it down. I loved that this book made me think about things, and It always made me feel from these characters even when I really did not like the things they had done. The characters in this book is not lovable, but they are not written to be lovable. I do feel that the characters are well developed. This book with touch you in so many different ways. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Dundurn Group) or author (Lauren B. Davis) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Just fabulous! This book had me from the first page, and rightfully so! This is such a relatable story for many, struggling through marriage, vocations, temptation, parenthood, poverty. Give it to God. Let Him “take it.” This was just a wonderful story about letting go of “self,” forgiveness, loyalty, love and loss. Beautifully done!

Many thanks to NetGalley for the advance digital copy.

First, after going to school near the Princeton area, I loved the references.

This is such a different story from what I usually read. However, I couldn't believe how beautifully written it was even though the characters are not all that likeable, the story is very different from what I have every read before

This wasn't the worst and it wasn't the best I've ever read... I wasn't into all of the religious stuff but there is probably someone out there that loved these parts. I thought the book was a little slow and a bit longer than it needed to be. Just meh for me

a compelling tale of forgiveness, learning to love people who don't seem 'worthy' of love, and redemption. Davis' prose is enjoyable to read.

Thank you to Dundurn Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Even So and provide an honest review.

I was initially drawn to this book after reading several others from Dundurn Press and actively sought out additional titles by the publisher. The premise sounded intriguing and the book did not disappoint. Lauren B. Davis' writing is absorbing and powerful as she tells a story of privilege, service, redemption and forgiveness. There were several passages that took my breath away due to the author's evocative and thoughtful descriptions, none more than paragraphs marking the passing of time near the end of the book. I reread the passage several times, as it was crafted so perfectly. I have already started to recommend this book widely and am looking forward to its publication date so that other readers have the chance to read this remarkable work.

Wonderful story. Lauren's novels are always a pleasure to read with relatable characters and topics.

this is an interesting story. Unlike books that I usually pick, but I liked the cover and the summary intrigued me so i decided to get it. The story does not disappoint. It is set in Princeton where Angela lives. As a character, i really grew to like angela and understand what she is going through. The writing is well done and so is all of the character development. I was very happy that I decided to read it and recommend it to others!

Lauren Davis describes how she wrote this book to explore how it can be easy to love someone who has been harmed, but much harder to love someone who has done the harm. This novel is an exploration of empathy and how to be loving and forgiving to someone even when the decisions they are making are frustrating, angering, and damaging to other people. I enjoyed Davis’ nuance as she described the choices and consequences of her complex characters.

The novel follows two women, switching between their points of view. The first is Angela, a Princeton housewife who is bored of her marriage and life. In her search for passion and excitement she is willing to burn down all the other parts of her life. Sister Eileen is a catholic nun who is dealing with a feeling of separation from her faith. Angela and Eileen work together at a food pantry, and when Eileen offers Angela the opportunity to work on the new community garden she unknowingly starts her down a destructive path. This culminates in one decision that forever impacts Angela’s life and several others around her.

Following this moment, Eileen as well as the reader must find empathy for Angela despite the harm she has caused to others around her. Davis finds a great balance between Angela’s perspective which allows the reader to understand her decisions, while also allowing us to understand Eileen’s struggle to love and help someone despite their selfishness.

The plot of this book was entertaining, but it was even more interesting to think about the character’s motivations and the larger questions about humanity and empathy that this book asks. Thank you to Dundurn Press for providing me the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is themed on loving people who are hard to love - those who harm others in the most appalling ways. Angela, a well-to-do wife from Princeton, is exhausted from carrying on with her long-dead marriage and is on the lookout for some passion, and while on this lookout, she ends up doing something dreadful, harming multiple lives. Sister Eileen, a nun who has devoted her life to the betterment of the downtrodden, is struggling to hear the voice of God and this disconnection is preventing her to sympathize with people like Angela. How can she help someone she finds detestable?

Davis takes us through this difficult journey from the POVs of Angela and Sister Eileen, to make us understand that even the most undeserving of us deserve love. The plot seemed quite ordinary and predictable, but Davis' heart-touching writing makes up for the lack of it and doesn't let the mind wander even when you know what's to happen next. There is a philosophical touch to the writing without being sanctimonious. The nuns in the story are interestingly likeable characters with a cool sense of humour and stand out.

Overall, an ordinary story with an extraordinary takeaway.

4/5🌟.
TW: Sexual Abuse, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Death of an Animal, Car Accident, Divorce, Guilt, and Suicidal Thoughts.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s about a woman who cares only about herself. Everything she does has a self- importance to her. I liked the way the story evolved into the main character’s becoming a totally changed human being. Perhaps because I’m pretty much an agnostic, I had to skim a lot of the religious references. Thank to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

From this book I have received a lot more than I had expected.

'Unconditional love' sounds such a cliché, yet in this book it is depicted beautifully. The author says this novel is about loving difficult people, and how accurate wording this is! It is easy to love someone to whom harm was done, but not so easy to love someone who does or has done harm to others.

In this story two worlds collide: rich and poor, self-centered and unselfish, the world of Angela and Eileen. Both women has a decisive event in their life which they have to live with for the rest of their days. Full of emotions, human weaknesses and inner struggle, this is also a great read of hope, forgiveness and generosity.

Eagerly anticipated new novel by Lauren B. Davis does not disappoint. The stage is set in affluent Princeton where housewife, Angela, is beginning to show signs of discontent with her husband, their friends and her life. It doesn't take long before Angela is making decisions that will irrevocably alter not only her life but the lives of those around her.
The brilliant writing takes the reader on this journey that makes us turn the pages ever more quickly while at the same time not wanting to experience the inevitable.