Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Gabriel and the Devil
AUTHOR: Robert P. Rowe
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 117 pages
RELEASE DATE: January 4, 2019
BLURB:
Flirting with the devil can lead to a helluva good time.
Gabriel is a regular angel. The former altar boy plans to graduate from college, become an accountant, get a good job, find a wife, and live a faithful Catholic life.
But one Halloween night, the devil pops in out of nowhere, challenges everything he believes, and heats up Gabriel’s lonely life.
Marcello is full of the devil. He’s lusted after Gabriel forever, but what he really wants is Gabriel’s eternal soul. Still, his mischievous sense of humor, along with his tricks and jokes, leads to a misunderstanding that could condemn him to hell on Earth. Only the truth will let these souls find true love and happiness.
REVIEW:
Well this book will make you think for sure. If it doesn’t…..well, I’d be shocked. Everyone has free will to believe or not to believe in a higher power. Or something in between. Often times I’ve found life changing events changes a person’s perspective as well. And it does in this book. It’s a book of discovery in so many ways. A test of faith, if you will. And finding where you and your heart belongs, no matter what anyone, especially a church has to say.
Gabriel has done all he can to live his life right and good. Raised Catholic, he feels that the church is where he belongs. Little does he know in that same little church, for YEARS, he’s been watched. By a dark headed boy who thinks he’s an angel.
Marcello has tried to get Gabriel’s attention for a long time. In church, in school, and just in passing. Sometimes he’s so close to giving up but one late night he gets his wish and he can’t resist playing a bit of trickery. Pretending to be a devil after Gabriel’s soul, Marcello opens Gabriel’s eyes to many things. Sex, love, and more. But because Marcello isn’t being completely honest, what they are doing is causing Gabriel a crisis of faith. Gabriel believes being with a guy is wrong or he’s been told it is by the church. But Gabriel’s heart tells him it’s right. But the guilt is adding up and Gabriel doesn’t think he can continue seeing Marcello. And Marcello finds it’s time to tell the truth before he loses his angel for good.
This book was kind of hard for me. Although, I’m not Catholic, I did grow up in church. I was preached at that it was wrong and all that. But to me, people are people. And they all deserve love. I admit my views on some things have changed as I’ve gotten older and seen things in a different light. And that’s what happened to Gabriel. When that stuff is drummed in your head your whole life, it’s hard to break away from it. And Marcello was only trying to show Gabriel that maybe there’s a different way to think and see things. Because how can something feel so right be so wrong? Gabriel ran many times, but little by little he started to think on his own. Question things. He sought council but sometimes we have to find things out on our own. Gabriel had to learn to deal with the guilt. And learn to trust that maybe Marcello had a point to things he was saying.
This was definitely a different read. But good. I like books that make you think. Amd this one does.
RATING: 
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