The Abbey: A Story of Discovery

Written by James Martin

Narrated by James Martin

A story about finding strength in our faith when faced with struggle from New York Times bestselling author Reverend James Martin.   

In his debut novel, Reverend James Martin, SJ, provides a window into the spiritual journeys of three people seeking direction, showing us firsthand how God uses our worries, questions, and even anger to help us become whole.

As he did in his previous bestsellers, Martin once again crafts a book that incarnates deep spiritual wisdom while being accessible and full of humor and grace, with characters such as:

• A divorced single mom, Anne can sometimes barely cope with life and struggles to make sense of the death of her young son.
• A former architect who had a promising career, Mark works as a handyman and wonders how his life got off track.
• The abbot of the Abbey of Saints Philip and James, Father Paul sometimes questions how to best live a life that secludes him so thoroughly from the world.
• At a Pennsylvania abbey, this unlikely trio will discover the answers they seek—a miracle of hope and understanding that bears witness to the surprising power of God to bring healing and wholeness to our lives.

“With this beautiful, touching and utterly believable novel, seekers will be gently invited to encounter the divine and believers be encouraged to deepen their relationships with God. I loved this book and loved the characters!” -Richard Rohr, author of Everything Belongs

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9780062421197

James Martin

Patrick Robinson is the co-author of the international bestseller, A Colossal Failure of Common Sense – the inside story of the collapse of Lehman Brothers. Before that, he co-authored Lone Survivor with Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, which was a number one New York Times non-fiction bestseller. Patrick is also the author of eleven international bestselling suspense thrillers, including To the Death, Nimitz Class, Hunter Killer and Diamondhead. He lives in Ireland and spends his summers in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Reviews for The Abbey

[Nancy Steinhausen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sweet fable.
There is nothing remarkable about this story. It reminds us of what is important and who is walking beside us.

[joanne · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a beautiful story! It touched my heart deeply! I found its compelling for me to listen continuously, and lead me to discover more about love

[hazel1123_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a short, easy to read book about God’s love and infinite mercy. It’s context is a fictional where individuals with very human problems encounter God. The message is relayed through conversations these individuals have with the abbot of a local monastery. The message is sound Ignatian spirituality, something the author effectively writes about in his many non-fiction books. I enjoyed reading the book and the message - people of my persuasion can’t help like being reminded of God’s love for us. At the same time it was quick and didn’t have the depth that I am used to in the author’s work. It would be a very good book for someone beginning their spiritual journey. I will be recommending it to the many ‘questioner’ I have in my life.

[livelylady · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The abbey, a monastery in a small town known for the jam it makes, brings together a small group of people. A story of God's grace and how we never know where it will lead! A very uplifting read! I believe this is the author's first fiction book. I would like him to write more.

[doondeck · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As good a primer on prayer as you'll ever read. While it might seem sentimental, it is a very touching story.

[dubiousdisciple · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Author James Martin aims for a story of spiritual awakening and falls short. A divorced mother grieves the loss of her son, when circumstances contrive to bring her to an old Abbey, housing monks. There she finds solace and inspiration in an image of Mary, mother of Jesus.

Martin writes with humor and believability, but lost me when the plotline turned flat. He teases us with the potential for romance, and again with the mysterious image of Mary, but both tangents lead nowhere. Instead, about halfway through the book, it turns into a teaching opportunity for Martin to introduce us to Jesus.

I believe this book could be comforting to the right reader, but it just simply didn’t resonate with me.

HarperOne, © 2015, 212 pages

ISBN: 978-0-06-240186-1