The head pastor of an evangelical megachurch, Luke Nolan is known for his sermon on purity, co-written with his eldest daughter, Abigail, which became a viral hit. He is the embodiment of the modern preacher --- he is attractive, has great posture, is a good orator, and his family is perfect --- until his ugly sin is revealed. Luke had an affair with a church member.

This stunning revelation rocks the congregation and his loved ones, especially his younger daughter, Caroline. It hasn’t been easy for the 18-year-old to embrace the status that her father has enjoyed as a popular pastor. She has never felt appreciated by her parents and longs for a more profound relationship with Abigail, even though she feels like she has been living in her older sister’s shadow.

"It doesn’t seem like much is going on here in terms of action, but the plot is strengthened by numerous twists and turns. It is written so masterfully that it reads more like a top-notch thriller."

The book opens with Abigail’s bridal shower. Caroline, who has just graduated from high school, is waiting for the wedding to happen so she can leave for college. What she is really anticipating is moving away from her north Texas town to start a new life. But everything changes the night following the shower. In the aftermath of their father’s confession, and as they wait for the elders of the church to decide on his fate, Caroline and Abigail isolate themselves from their parents and the congregation. They relocate to their grandmother’s farm, where they hope to reestablish their fragile relationship. Not only will the sisters share their own secrets, they will learn old family ones as well.

Luke’s sin forces Caroline and Abigail to choose between what they have been taught all their lives and loyalty to their family. Faced with making nearly impossible decisions, they will have to stand up to their charismatic father for the first time in their lives. Caroline will learn a lot about her faith and come to realize that, even though Abigail is far from perfect, their love for one another is deep and honest.

GOD SPARE THE GIRLS is Kelsey McKinney’s debut novel, and it's an impressive effort. The majority of the book focuses on either Caroline’s thoughts and feelings or her interaction with Abigail leading up to the latter’s wedding. It doesn’t seem like much is going on here in terms of action, but the plot is strengthened by numerous twists and turns. It is written so masterfully that it reads more like a top-notch thriller. McKinney raises some fairly controversial issues and resolves them in a way that might not be acceptable to everyone, but is undeniably realistic.

I did not know what to expect from GOD SPARE THE GIRLS. Despite the slow beginning and the sometimes long and detailed descriptions, it is a highly satisfying read. McKinney won me over with a mesmerizing story that she tells beautifully.