The Promise of Jesse Woods

The Promise of Jesse Woods

Recipient of Christianity Today's 2017 Book Award of Merit, 2017 Christy Award Winner

The summer of 1972 was pivotal in Matt Plumley's childhood. While his beloved Pirates battle for back-to-back World Series titles, Matt's family moves from Pittsburgh to Dogwood, West Virginia. A fish out of water, Matt forges a fast bond with two unlikely friends: Dickie Darrel Lee Hancock, a mixed-race boy, and Jesse Woods, a tough-as-nails girl with a sister on her hip and no dad in sight. As the trio traipses the hills and hollers, Matt begins to fall for Jesse, and their promises to each other draw him deeper into her terrifying reality.

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What Readers Are Saying . . .

  • "[June Bug] is a stunning success, and readers will find themselves responding with enthusiastic inner applause."

    — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

  • "A mesmerizing tale . . . [Almost Heaven] will surprise readers in the best possible way; plot twists unfold and unexpected character transformations occur throughout this tender story."

    — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

  • "An involving novel with enough plot twists and dramatic tension to keep readers turning the pages."

    — BOOKLIST on June Bug

  • "In this edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense, all of the characters ring true."

    — BOOKLIST on Borders of the Heart

  • "A captivating story. . . ."

    — CHRISTIANBOOKPREVIEWS.COM on June Bug

  • "A tale of secrecy, sacrifice and family . . . This poignant story is worth the heartache: Complex and layered, The Promise of Jesse Woods goes beyond a youthful promise to center on a bond renewed by a desire for truth."

    — BOOKPAGE

  • "[In this] soul-searching novel of faith, friendship, and promises, Chris Fabry invigorates the small-town lives of three teens in 1970s West Virginia with his exquisite, lyrical writing. . . . A literary delight . . . this novel is worthy of a standing ovation."

    — SHELF AWARENESS on The Promise of Jesse Woods

  • "Great Christian novels are more than a story, they leave the reader pondering the state of his or her own heart. Not in the Heart demonstrates God's power to transform the seemingly untransformable."

    — TITLETRAKK.COM

  • "A book about deep secrets, the effort it takes to heal catastrophic hurts, and a thriller with an excellent plot climax."

    — 1340MAGBOOKS.COM on Dogwood