About Mercy House
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (February 11, 2020)
“Never underestimate the power of a group of women. Fierce, thoughtful and dramatic—this is a story of true courage." —Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author
She would stop at nothing to protect the women under her care.
Inside a century-old row house in Brooklyn, renegade Sister Evelyn and her fellow nuns preside over a safe haven for the abused and abandoned. Gruff and indomitable on the surface, warm and wry underneath, little daunts Evelyn, until she receives word that Mercy House will be investigated by Bishop Hawkins, a man with whom she shares a dark history. In order to protect everything they’ve built, the nuns must conceal many of their methods, which are forbidden by the Catholic Church.
Evelyn will go to great lengths to defend all that she loves. She confronts a gang member, defies the church, challenges her own beliefs, and faces her past. She is bolstered by the other nuns and the vibrant, diverse residents of the shelter—Lucia, Mei-Li, Desiree, Esther, and Katrina—whose differences are outweighed by what unites them: they’ve all been broken by men but are determined to rebuild.
Amidst her fight, Evelyn discovers the extraordinary power of mercy and the grace it grants, not just to those who receive it, but to those strong enough to bestow it.
THOUGHTS/REVIEW:
Mercy House by Alena DillonWhat an amazing story and an amazing debut by Alena Dillon.
Jumping into this book, I was not sure I would be interested in reading about the Catholic Church and the religious cover up as part of its dark history. However, I was completely wrong. I loved the story of a renegade and badass nun unlike those I have had in my parochial school.
Sister Evelyn, our protagonist and once a nurse, runs the Mercy House, located in Brooklyn, a safe haven for the abused and mistreated women with nowhere to go. Along with Sister Maria and Sister Josephine, they will go to lengths to protect those under their care. Sister Evelyn’s father placed her in the convent as a promise to God for sparing his son from death. Though this was not Evelyn’s choice, she accepted being a nun to please and gain her father’s good graces.
The Mercy House is under scrutiny and is set to be visited by Bishop Hawkins who shares a dark history with Evelyn. The sisters’ unconventional methods were put into question by the church and leads to Sister Evelyn’s position within the Catholic Church.
Dillon’s gift is writing these formidable characters that were amazing - from the sisters and the residents of Mercy House, you will find an attachment for them and grow to love them. The story moved fast and the plot grips you so much that you have to know what will happen next.
Sister Evelyn truly is an unlikely heroine you will love! She does not conform, is lead by her heart and common sense, not outdated rules created by men in one of the largest institutions in the world, and she is loving, forgiving and for the lack of a better word, a Badass Nun!
I highly recommend this book for its amazing storyline, easy to read, great dialogue, strong women, and puts face front the history of abuse and sexism in the Catholic Church in a way that is not preachy but thoughtful and heart warming.
Social Media
Please use the hashtag #mercyhouse, and tag @tlcbooktours, @williammorrowbooks, and @alena.dillon.
Purchase Links
HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
About Alena Dillon
Alena Dillon's work has appeared in Slice Magazine, The Rumpus, and Seventh Wave, among others. She earned her MFA from Fairfield University. Mercy House is her debut novel. She lives on the north shore of Boston with her husband, son, and their black labrador, Penny.
Find out more about Alena at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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