Selling the Lite of Heaven

This is a beautifully written,simple, quick read about a Polish American family and the romance of the only daughter.Raised by a cold and unloving mother,the narrator grows up to be a very religious girl with absolutely no ambitions to move on in her life or to make something of herself.A plain looking girl,with no particular charm, she amazingly captures the attention of Eddie Balicki, one of the local boys who has returned to the small town after an absence of some years.Their friendship develops into a strangely pure love affair and they become engaged and plan their wedding.Just prior to the wedding,Eddie informs her that he can't marry her after all as he intends to become a priest.I felt so sorry for this poor girl as her wretched mother carped at her before her engagement and just as much during her engagement and now that it's been broken off, is convinced that it's her daughters fault! She just can't win with this mean minded, petty woman. A happy ending does eventuate but one can't help but wonder why some family member hasn't dealt with this awful creature long before this.

This is one of my favorite novels. I would never donate it to the library (although I just might buy an extra copy to donate). In fact, I've never lent it to anybody because I just don't want to lose it. I was raised Catholic (in a family where church attendance was required, including every holy day), so I really related to the dutiful main character. She was brought up to be nice; just as I was. She was raised to stay close by her parents, just as I was. She believed that she would find happiness by finding the polite, virtuous man that any Catholic mother and father would approve of. Deep down, I used to believe that as well. Finally, she needed to learn that she has a right to her own life, on her own terms, a prospect that many people raised in a similar environment find especially frightening. Selling the Lite of Heaven is inspirational for anyone who has grappled with these issues. I loved the ending of this book. If you relate at all to what I've written, and you're looking for an inspirational read, buy it.

As an aspiring novelist and great reader, I am always interested in reading a debut novel. SELLING THE LITE OF HEAVEN did not disappoint me. A story of a woman who finally finds what she and her mother never thought possible---true love, she gets left at the altar for the altar by her too good to be true fiance. SELLING THE LITE OF HEAVEN is charming, funny and delightful, and kept me laughing all the way through. Good work Ms. Strempek-Shea!!

Hats off the Ms. Shea....I felt as though she were writing about my Mom....and my Babci....what a great and funny way to get to know the Polish American people...not only from Western Mass....but from all over the country.

This is a literary masterpiece. It's hard to imagine that anyperson could live with a dominating mother and never rebel when herheart is broken. I was hooked on the realism of the author's description when the mother went into panic about the deposits that were already made for the reception and wedding. The deposits were more important than the anguish that her only daughter would suffer when her groom cancels the marriage to become a priest. A lot of mother's are like that and we still love them. Read the book and you'll understand why. This book is not for the casual reader who wants to simply enjoy a funny story in a Polish-American-Catholic setting. It is a gripping story that demands your constant attention to details. It makes you think and challenges your imagination. It's as good as Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" and better than some of John Grisham's great novels. I read it twice and will do it again. Submitted by: Stanley J Strychaz West Hills, California