Rating: 
Summary: What Happened to Patricia Haley's Writing?
Review: "Follow your heart" is the main theme in Blind Faith. Throughout this book, faith in God and how people who profess to be Christian are supposed to regard one another makes walking by faith and not by sight a practice, not just a sometimes-overused cliché. This book tackles racism and I think Ms. Haley has done a great job of bringing a new way of addressing this sensitive issue. Introduce yourself to Courtney a recent graduate of Northwestern University who has returned to Philadelphia and a nice job as a marketing executive. She's returned home to the same tired life she left 4 years ago, she's returned home to her boyfriend Paul who isn't about anything and isn't trying to get anything and Courtney is tired of the same experience. Her family is head over heels for Paul though. Her cousin Edwin, a successful attorney is experiencing many of the same feelings as Courtney and family pressures from Aunt Sis really make the story twist. Courtney receives a call from a classmate of hers Sebastian, who has decided to relocate from Boston to Philadelphia to attend business and law school. He comes into town and immediately falls in love with Courtney and she is smitten by him as well. Her relationship with Paul meets a successful conclusion and if not for the fact that Sebastian is white their relationship would grow. Edwin's brother Jamal also enters the picture and has suffered at the hands of the police department. Constantly harassed because of his color he continually winds up behind bars. Edwin, the attorney of the family, is charged with getting him out while calming his mother (Aunt Sis) down and catering to her every whim. The family dynamics weigh heavily on Courtney's decision to pursue a relationship with Sebastian. Courtney often wonders why the lessons taught at church on Sunday at Fifth Baptist aren't practiced during the week and throughout the community. The plot twists are dynamic-- race, class and religion are well written and expertly examined. Each character learns more about their individualist nature and matures from the inside out. Blind Faith speaks about the way we should conduct ourselves around others. We should be blind to what the world says is right and have faith in a higher power to do what is right.
Rating: 
Summary: Religious Fiction that Has a Message
Review: "Follow your heart" is the main theme in Blind Faith.  Throughout this book, faith in God and how people who profess to be Christian are supposed to regard one another makes walking by faith and not by sight a practice, not just a sometimes-overused cliché. This book tackles racism and I think Ms. Haley has done a great job of bringing a new way of addressing this sensitive issue. Introduce yourself to Courtney a recent graduate of Northwestern University who has returned to Philadelphia and a nice job as a marketing executive. She's returned home to the same tired life she left 4 years ago, she's returned home to her boyfriend Paul who isn't about anything and isn't trying to get anything and Courtney is tired of the same experience. Her family is head over heels for Paul though. Her cousin Edwin, a successful attorney is experiencing many of the same feelings as Courtney and family pressures from Aunt Sis really make the story twist. Courtney receives a call from a classmate of hers Sebastian, who has decided to relocate from Boston to Philadelphia to attend business and law school. He comes into town and immediately falls in love with Courtney and she is smitten by him as well. Her relationship with Paul meets a successful conclusion and if not for the fact that Sebastian is white their relationship would grow. Edwin's brother Jamal also enters the picture and has suffered at the hands of the police department. Constantly harassed because of his color he continually winds up behind bars. Edwin, the attorney of the family, is charged with getting him out while calming his mother (Aunt Sis) down and catering to her every whim. The family dynamics weigh heavily on Courtney's decision to pursue a relationship with Sebastian. Courtney often wonders why the lessons taught at church on Sunday at Fifth Baptist aren't practiced during the week and throughout the community. The plot twists are dynamic-- race, class and religion are well written and expertly examined. Each character learns more about their individualist nature and matures from the inside out. Blind Faith speaks about the way we should conduct ourselves around others. We should be blind to what the world says is right and have faith in a higher power to do what is right.
Rating:
Summary: Religious Fiction that Has a Message
Review: "Follow your heart" is the main theme in Blind Faith. Throughout this book, faith in God and how people who profess to be Christian are supposed to regard one another makes walking by faith and not by sight a practice, not just a sometimes-overused cliché. This book tackles racism and I think Ms. Haley has done a great job of bringing a new way of addressing this sensitive issue. Introduce yourself to Courtney a recent graduate of Northwestern University who has returned to Philadelphia and a nice job as a marketing executive. She's returned home to the same tired life she left 4 years ago, she's returned home to her boyfriend Paul who isn't about anything and isn't trying to get anything and Courtney is tired of the same experience. Her family is head over heels for Paul though. Her cousin Edwin, a successful attorney is experiencing many of the same feelings as Courtney and family pressures from Aunt Sis really make the story twist. Courtney receives a call from a classmate of hers Sebastian, who has decided to relocate from Boston to Philadelphia to attend business and law school. He comes into town and immediately falls in love with Courtney and she is smitten by him as well. Her relationship with Paul meets a successful conclusion and if not for the fact that Sebastian is white their relationship would grow. Edwin's brother Jamal also enters the picture and has suffered at the hands of the police department. Constantly harassed because of his color he continually winds up behind bars. Edwin, the attorney of the family, is charged with getting him out while calming his mother (Aunt Sis) down and catering to her every whim. The family dynamics weigh heavily on Courtney's decision to pursue a relationship with Sebastian. Courtney often wonders why the lessons taught at church on Sunday at Fifth Baptist aren't practiced during the week and throughout the community. The plot twists are dynamic-- race, class and religion are well written and expertly examined. Each character learns more about their individualist nature and matures from the inside out. Blind Faith speaks about the way we should conduct ourselves around others. We should be blind to what the world says is right and have faith in a higher power to do what is right.
Rating:
Summary: God doesn¿t run a segregated heaven
Review: Blind Faith chronicles the plight of a young couple whose relationship with God is as strong as steel. We flow with them through brief internal conflicts about their relationship, and fight with them through external nuances for validity and acceptance of their relationship. Blind Faith has a spectacular balance of characters. They are well defined, colorful, and brazen. All are strong and passionate in their beliefs and their commitment. The story initially unfolds slowly, but once it gets going, you won't want to put it down. The controversy, conflict, and tension lure your nerves and attention until you reach page 286.We meet Courtney Young three months after she graduates from Northwestern. Courtney belongs to an extremely tightly woven family, which includes aunts, uncles, great aunts, and cousions. All for one and one for all. The Youngs are a middle-class family spinning their future and pride on the present generation of young adults. Courtney is an only child, but labels Aunt Sis' two boys, Edwin & Jamal, her surrogate brothers. Sebastian Alexander Whittington the third is a brash, intelligent, handsome, and rich young man. His family comes from old Boston money. He's at Penn State seeking a law degree and an MBA. He knows exactly what he wants, "When I asked you for my soul mate, I had no idea you would make her so beautiful, so radiant, so perfectly suited for me. Let the walls of racism fall down far enough so Courtney and I can climb over into the land that you have established and purposed for us before the beginning of time. I thank you God...Amen." We watch as a budding, yet subdued friendship blossoms between Courtney and Sabastian. As they spend time together Courtney realizes that "Sebastian didn't look like her, but he sure thought a lot like her, not in every area, just when it came to their views on education, their careers, the Lord, their families, and even their ideas of how to have fun. Wasn't that what she'd hoped and prayed for in a man? But he was the wrong color." While Sebastian knew exactly whom God had for him, Courtney was still praying for direction. She thought God was slow in speaking to her. She'd soon learn that she was slow hearing God. In this didactic novel Haley gives faces to the many black males who are harassed by the men in blue just because their skin is darker than vanilla. She gives voices to the broad cultural differences between blacks and whites, and highlights that the chasm between the races exceeds past slavery injustices, plowing into modern discrimination that is subtle and backstabbing. She approaches the race 'issue' from a heritage perspective leaning back on our familial cocoons at night and showing how we must be bicultural at work during the day. What I liked most about this novel is how Haley presents the flip side of racism...black racism against whites. While she doesn't make you feel guilty or bad, she does make you examine your values as a Christian. She puts religious hypocrites on the spot...those that attend church religiously on Sunday, then forget about God until the next Sunday. During the week they practice bigotry, racism, gossip, and unforgivingness just to name a few. It takes remarkable writing talent to eloquently weave such touchy issues into a story without sounding preachy and judgemental. Once I got to page 100 things flowed smoothly. Prior to that the establishment of 'blackness' was loud, but as you continue reading you'll see that the beginning is integral for establishing the eventual growth of the main characters. After getting off that shaky limb, the novel flowed serenely. This is truly Christian fiction. This couple could only fight the obstacles in their way by having faith and a real relationship with God. Reviewed by KaTrina Love (MissLove)
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
Rating:
Summary: Blind Faith
Review: Blind Faith, is a novel that challenges everyone's, but especially Christians', perception about interracial relationships. This novel demonstrates that no one is exempt from being or becoming prejudiced, not even someone who has been a Christian for many, many years. One of the major themes in the book was an individual's right to choose their own path to happiness, despite the objections of family and friends. There were also significant underlying themes about family, priorities and the impact your words have on the actions of others. I thought Haley did an excellent job in depicting the struggles Courtney and Sebastian went through. I liked the fact that their struggle didn't have anything to do with sex, but it was still turmoil, nonetheless. A lot of the characters reminded me of people that I have grown up with, so I felt a lot of familiarity with Brice, Courtney, Sheila and even Aunt Sis. The novel was easy reading and is great for a road trip...which is when I read it.
Rating:
Summary: Not Your Typical Christian Novel
Review: Blind Faith, is a novel that challenges everyone's, but especially Christians', perception about interracial relationships. This novel demonstrates that no one is exempt from being or becoming prejudiced, not even someone who has been a Christian for many, many years. One of the major themes in the book was an individual's right to choose their own path to happiness, despite the objections of family and friends. There were also significant underlying themes about family, priorities and the impact your words have on the actions of others. I thought Haley did an excellent job in depicting the struggles Courtney and Sebastian went through. I liked the fact that their struggle didn't have anything to do with sex, but it was still turmoil, nonetheless. A lot of the characters reminded me of people that I have grown up with, so I felt a lot of familiarity with Brice, Courtney, Sheila and even Aunt Sis. The novel was easy reading and is great for a road trip...which is when I read it.
Rating:
Summary: What Happened to Patricia Haley's Writing?
Review: I am surprised at Ms. Haley. Her other book No Regrets was good. She wrote this book, Blind Faith, without feeling it. I did not like it at all. Too many narratives. Characters were too flawed. Maybe she should try writing a sequel to No Regrets cause this book just wasn't happening. It was so boring. No recommendation on this one.
Rating:
Summary: Blind Faith
Review: I tried to like this book but, just didn't. It was filled with stereotypical characters and situations. The only (2) characters that were enjoyable were Sheila and Sebastian. Especially, Sebastian and that was because he knew what he wanted and wasn't afraid to go after it. Why he wanted someone so spineless as Courtney I couldn't begin to understand. This book was a definite disappointment.
Rating: 
Summary: " A Disappointment "
Review: I was awaiting the release of this book after reading "No Regrets". However, as soon as I started reading the book I soon regreted purchasing it. It was not as interesting or attention holding as previous books by Patricia Haley, but it did touch on a very controversial matter (inter-racial dating).
Rating:
Summary: A moving contemporary story for today's woman
Review: If you have never considered an interracial relationship as a possibility in your life, Patricia Haley's "Blind Faith" is a safe opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone. The author's portrayal of the characters is very convincing and leaves the reader uncertain of the possible twists involved with further reading. Haley created a few note worthy characters in supportive roles along side the main character Courtney that really helped to add life to the story line. There were many touching moments of sisterhood and good advice between the female characters and there were moments that have you doubled over laughing while reading this book. Although I thought this book was entertaining, I did not like the additional surprise piece at the end for one of the characters. As a reader who may struggle with the idea of an interracial relationship, it almost forces one to "accept" the relationship simply by default. I would have enjoyed the book even more if I were left to struggle with my own thoughts and new insight concerning love and race. I did, however, appreciate the unrelenting faith Sebastian had for God and his desire to serve Him. It is delightful to read of men who are praying for their helpmate as fervently as women often do. ***Reviewed by S. Graham for www.goodgirlbookclubonline.com The GOOD GIRL Book Club
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