A Time to Stand

Everyone in America should read this book! It grabbed me and i couldn't put it down til the fantastic and satisfying ending. Robert Whitlow writes with the best of plots, addressing issues in ways that have eternal results. I highly recommend this and every one of Robert Whitlow's books. I've read every one and anticipate each of his books with high expectations! I am never disappointed!

Robert Whitlow writes outstanding legal novels that don't go over the reader's head or tangle us up in lawyer-speak. This one parallels America's experiences over the past few years with white cop / black victim?perpetrator? shootings. I hope Christians of all colors saw it as balanced as I did, given that Whitlow clearly worked hard at even-handedness. The author loves Georgia and does not take any cheap Hollywood-style shots at the South. Great novel.
One thing left me disturbed, though. A pastor and his deacons want to censure a church member who chooses to forgive the man who shot her grandson, without a demonstration of repentance on the officer's part. I was waiting for the author to correct this unBiblical theology, but it did not come. A word study of "forgive" and "forgiveness" in the New Testament will contradict their assertion.

With author Robert Whitlow I have always been impressed with his ability to entertain and inspire with his novels. His book THE CHOICE is one of my favorites and now with A TIME TO STAND he shows that when it comes to pursuing what is right it should be as easy as black and white.

The book takes us into a series of events that seem as though they could be ripped from the headlines: a white police officer shooting an unarmed black teenager, but with Whitlow there is always more than meets the eye. Enters the character Adisa Johnson. She smart and has layers to her own story that lead her down a path she probably never expected for herself.

In the middle of the turmoil of the shooting there is also the issues of trust of law enforcement, how race will play a part in the officer's fate as well as the issue of forgiveness. When faith and the law come together will they be able to overcome the anger and frustrations that are rising? That is what the reader will see.

Delivered in a way that keeps you reading and hoping for ways to address the social ills that many are grappling with, A TIME TO STAND reminds us of the importance of doing what is right even when it's not popular and not allowing the darkness to overcome the light we all have the ability to shine.

Robert Whitlow does another masterful job of story telling. This time he takes a current event, white police officer shooting an unarmed black teenager, and brings to the story a mix of plots that will keep you interested.

Anisa Johnson is a young African American Attorney who has been working on Corporate Law for several years since graduating law school. She is confident that she is going to move up the corporate ladder herself and get a partnership with the large prestigious law firm she works for. But through a series of ill fated circumstances she now finds herself out of work.

Her grandmother is in the hospital so she returns to her small town home to take care of her. But when she gets there she discovers the town in turmoil over the police shooting of an unarmed black teenager.

When she is approached with a job offer from the local law firm (where she did some intern work) there is a string attached. Not only will she do some corporate law, but they want her to assist with the defense of the white police officer. This will cause quite a stir in the community and with her family.

The story works in all the major details you would want to learn about this type of event. The feelings of the Black Community. The local Black Pastor who sees it as his duty to speak out for the Black Community. The feelings of the white police officer and his family and their worries, fears, anxieties and struggles as they go through this trial.

I think that there are great themes of racial injustice, prejudice, forgiveness, mercy, grace and redemption that are all worked through the story. Add to that the young attorney who is caught in the middle and her struggle to come to terms with her own feelings and with her relationship with God and you have a very interesting story.

Enjoy!

In a small Georgia town where racial tensions run high and lives are at stake, can one lawyer stand up for justice against the tide of prejudice on every side?
Adisa Johnson, a young African-American attorney, is living her dream of practicing law with a prestigious firm in downtown Atlanta. Then a split-second mistake changes the course of her career.
Left with no other options, Adisa returns to her hometown where a few days earlier a white police officer shot an unarmed black teen who is now lying comatose in the hospital.
Adisa is itching to jump into the fight as a special prosecutor, but feels pulled to do what she considers unthinkable—defend the officer.
As the court case unfolds, everyone in the small community must confront their own prejudices. Caught in the middle, Adisa also tries to chart her way along a path complicated by her budding relationship with a charismatic young preacher who leads the local movement demanding the police officer answer for his crime.
This highly relevant and gripping novel challenges us to ask what it means to forgive while seeking justice and to pursue reconciliation while loving others as ourselves.

A Time To Stand is book that deals with a very touchy topic of today. Police killing, prejudices, stereotyping, inequality and racism in today's society. A Time To Stand tries it's best to pull you in, but doesn't quite make it.

I really tried to like this book. A Time To Stand was very dry, and the characters were dry. And the book was a very slow burn. I tried to see it from every character and enjoy the story. You flip flop to each character so quickly there was no time to stop and really care about each character.
Lastly the end of the book seemed like such an easy way out, it was down to the last 50 pages or so when something big happens and then it's over. A Time To Stand is not a horrible book in any sense, it has family, a mostly caring community, but it does not give me that justice I was looking for.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from BookLook Bloggers.

“White cop shoots African-American youth” – racial tensions rise. Everyone reacts from their understanding of the situation. Hatred is fueled and things get heated. We see it in the news. This author takes readers on an unexpected journey as characters seek justice, reconciliation, and forgiveness.

The story kicks off with readers getting into the police car with Officer Luke Nelson as he goes about doing his job. He responds to a possible 211 – armed robbery in progress. He’s too far to go to the crime scene but hears the dispatcher give the fleeing assailants description and the direction they head. Tension builds and emotions escalate as readers scout out the area with Officer Luke to find the suspects. He’d worked on the Campbellton police force for 18 months and this was his first 211. When he worked in Atlanta he responded to calls like this every week. He knew the drill.

After Officer Luke Nelson tries to capture the assailant the story switches and readers are introduced to Adisa Johnson; a young female African-American attorney who has taken a break from her “dream job of practicing law with a prestigious firm in downtown Atlanta,” to take on a pro-Bono case she believes in. All is well until a split-second decision changes the course of her life and career.

While reeling from her work situation Adisa gets a call concerning her Aunt Josie. She headed to the hospital in Campbellton as fast as she could. When she got there the town was in an uproar about a controversial case. She felt bad about what happened but she didn’t have time to think about it. Her life’s dream had just blown apart and her heart ached for her Aunt’s health condition.

“Lives are at stake; can one lawyer stand up for justice against the tide of prejudice on every side?” This author did a brilliant job of showing this horrific situation from many viewpoints. It is a multi-faceted story that takes place in a small town in GA. I was apprehensive about reading this book because I didn’t know where the story would take me. The author has the gift of getting readers to instantly connect with and care for his characters. I liked that he gave readers a front row seat as the facts unfold in the case.

This author acutely shows how fast hate and miss-conceptions can fly every which way! The situation can quickly become bigger than the small town. The author shows what happens in the church and how the boy’s family handles things. The reader sees Luke and his family struggle with what happened and sees the back lash from the community.

This situation seems impossible until the people let God intervene. God can do far more than we could ever imagine. Both Adisa and Luke struggle with letting go. Do they leave God out of this and handle it themselves? What could it hurt to seek God’s counsel? Pray. Lay it all down at His feet.

A Pastor says this in the middle of the storm, “It’s time to stand! To look past differences the Lord created and come together in the unity of God’s spirit! To stand in agreement that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. To stand together on earth as we will one glorious day…...”

This is an amazing, heart-wrenching, hopeful read that shows how God can intervene if we let him. This is not a preachy book. It’s an honest look at what could happen if people pray and let God move in their lives. When He intervenes, hearts change so does our perspective; no matter what storm we face. I liked the plot twists and surprises inside this powerful drama.

This novel will get you thinking and praying. This is a must read for everyone. It will make a great book club pick as the author includes seven discussion questions to help navigate your lively book club meeting. Robert Whitlow hits it out of the park with this one. It will move your heart and have you look at life differently. If you haven’t read this author before I highly recommend this book. It’s a keeper.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

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Robert Whitlow is a practicing lawyer and a veteran writer of legal fiction. I enjoy the genre, so I thought I'd pick up A Time to Stand. Whitlow has been called Christian publishing's version of John Grisham, so it's probably no accident that Whitlow's novel about a race-fueled conflict in the South echoes Grisham's novel A Time to Kill. I've read a lot of Grisham, and Whitlow compares favorably in style and skill.

Whitlow displays the great story-telling chops that it takes to make enjoyable legal fiction. The main character, Adisa Johnson, is a corporate lawyer in Atlanta, on her way up the legal career ladder. She returns to her tiny hometown to visit her aunt and ends up sticking around. A local lawyer, for whom she had worked as an intern many years earlier, asks her to help him with a case. His firm is representing a white police officer who shot an unarmed black teenager. Adisa, who is black, is torn between her convictions about black-on-white police violence and racism, and her desire to pursue justice and honor the law. Under conviction from God, but to the consternation of the entire black community, she chooses to work on the case.

Things become more complicated when she becomes romantically involved with a local pastor who is a leader of the movement to prosecute the police officer. Adisa struggles with her own race-based predispositions, while the community at large comes to terms with racial tension that few were aware had been swirling under the surface in the peaceful town. Whitlow is, of course, pulling this story straight from the headlines. He strikes an insightful balance between the attitudes of the black community and the white community, avoiding the extremes of the violent groups, black and white, that have poured gasoline on simmering racial fires in recent days. Adisa's wise aunt Josie voices Whitlow's take on the matter: "The kind of love that removes bricks in the wall of prejudice only comes from above. Anything else is like a Band-Aid on cancer." Later on, the pastor preaches that "there is only one definitive, all-encompassing answer to what divides us, isolates us, and causes us to mistrust--transformation of the human heart through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Whitlow avoids lecturing about race and racism while telling a thoroughly enjoyable and believable tale. Yes, it's fiction, but I felt like the dialogue, the courtroom scenes, and the church scenes were well-written and realistic. I do wonder how authentic A Time to Stand would seem to black readers. Robert Whitlow is a white male, well into his legal career. Adisa is a black female on the early end of hers. Beyond that basic issue, I wonder how a black activist would relate to Whitlow's presentation. To me (also white), it seemed balanced and realistic. I'm just very curious what a black person would think. . . . Personally, I'm with Whitlow. No matter the details and circumstances, blacks and whites need to shed their pasts and prejudices and come together in love, and the best--perhaps the only--way for that to take place is through the power of Jesus.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

Whitlow did an amazing job telling this story. I loved the characters and their struggles dealing with this timely topic. The story presents the complexity of the racial tension that is prevalent in our society today.

I liked Adisa a lot! She was an honest character that struggled with her commitment to justice and her breaking heart at the situation that surrounds her.

I think the thing that impressed me was the way the author portrayed the different viewpoints in a situation like this. Although I don’t agree with some of the attitudes displayed by the two sides in situations like this one, I think I understand them a little better.

If you want a story that is “ripped from the headlines” that gives a fair look at both sides this is an excellent choice.

I give this 4 stars on the Goodreads scale/5 Stars on the the store Scale

Disclaimer: I did receive a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, I was not required to give a review and the opinions here are my own.

Your heart breaks for Officer Luke Nelson as he struggles with the hopelessness of a trial. His family is trying to maintain an appearance of normalcy, yet how can an officer of the law move forward when there are so many voices in opposition to his quick response on that near fatal night. His wife Jane is standing in faith that Matthew 10:26 will bring forth the truth and clear her husband's name.

Is there any doubt that a mother's heart can pray a child through the darkest moments of life? Well for Mrs. Armistead it will be a grandmother's heart who will be praying her grandchild, Deshaun, through. As a mighty prayer warrior, this seasoned warrior will give witness to the truth of forgiveness.

Aunt Josie is in the hospital and Adisa will be answering the call to be at her bedside even though she is in the middle of negotiating a legal case for her law firm. What Adisa was unaware of was that her law firm would be changing and she would be representing Officer Luke Nelson. For Adisa, this change will usher in her heritage. She will face the truth of about prejudices, the truth about her Christian roots, and the truth that God's hand at work is mightier than any deception.

Campbellton is a town that becomes torn between the races. It will need prayer intercessors who have strong roots in faith to keep from becoming one of those towns consumed with hatred. Those cloaked in faith will need to "suit" up for the battle that is brewing. Will false-hooded deceivers bring an innocent man to "justice?" Or, will the town have the scales removed from their eyes by the hand of God?

With a scenario we witness all over our nation, these characters are so well defined they become real life prayer warriors that you would want on your side!
MrsK

A book ripped from recent headlines—with a twist.

Adisa Johnson, a young African-American attorney, is practicing law with a prestigious firm when a mistake changes the course of her career. She returns to her hometown where a white police officer shot an unarmed black teen who is now lying comatose in the hospital. Adisa starts out wanting the position of special prosecutor, but feels pulled to do what she considers unthinkable—defend the officer. A black woman willing to defend a white police officer? That’s not something you see every day, right? Racism is powerful motivator of hate, but A Time to Stand Whitlow showed how powerful forgiveness and loving others is.

"Remember, just because two of God’s children disagree about one thing doesn’t mean they can’t talk about other things."

Despite the topic of this book being all over recent news, this was difficult to read. Whenever I see a headline regarding a police shooting, I simply hang my head. I must remind myself that I wasn’t there, I don’t know what happened and shouldn’t judge. I wasn’t sure which way this story would lead. Would the police officer be charged and go to jail? Would the young man survive his bullet wounds? Whitlow tackled the topic and did it well in my opinion.

However, I found most of the book to be slow. The side stories of Adisa’s “relationship” with a local pastor and the health of her aunt took away from the case itself, which is what I wanted to hear about. But! A twist at the end put this book at a 4 star rather than a 3 star, which it was through most of the book. I appreciate a surprise and this was a twist that had not entered my mind.

This was the first book by Whitlow that I’ve read, but I’ll certainly be checking out some of his others. If you’re a fan of what I’ll call Christian/Crime Fiction, grab a copy of A Time to Stand.

"But I am going to tell you there is only one definitive, all-encompassing answer to what divides us, isolates us, and causes us to mistrust—transformation of the human heart through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Robert Whitlow did a fantastic job in addressing current day problems inside of a fiction story. His idea for this book came up at something that was sort of similiar to what he wrote about in the book. There was a multiethnic prayer meeting held and the idea for this book was birthed.

The story touches on quite a lot of issues, but I think racism and the police shootings are the two big discussions throughout. I have a lot of respect for Robert Whitlow to even touch two hot topics where there is such division. He does so with respect and presenting two sides.

Adisa Johnson is an attorney who finds herself out of a job in Atlanta, but is offered a job near her grandmother. It seems like such a blessing because she can be near her Aunt Josie, who is recovering from a stay in the hospital. However, this job offer comes at a price. Not a physical price because she would be working pro bono on a case, but it comes at a price to herself and her community.

In her hometown, where Adisa is now living, a white police officer shot a black teenager. However, he swears that he heard a gunshot and the teen was racing towards him instead of stopping and walking slowly, like he asked. Now that black teenager is comatose, and who knows what life will be like for him when or if he wakes up.

Theo Grayson is the attorney who offered Adisa a job. The catch: she has to represent the white police officer, whom the white community believes is innocent and the black community believes is guilty. The racial division in this case made me look at myself. It helped me to see a little of where both sides have some preconceived ideas about each other, whether they mean to or not. That is broken down by the end, all starting with the teen's grandmother saying she forgives. 

I also didn't realize how difficult these cases could be for a black woman to represent a white police officer, especially in this type of case. Adisa goes outside what is acceptable in her community to stand for justice and the law. And I couldn't help but respect Reggie, the pastor, who disagreed with Adisa taking on the case, yet they agreed to disagree and he respected what God had called to do. He even found himself standing up for her.

There was so much beauty within these pages that we all can learn something from. In this case, the police officer and his wife is praying for the truth to be revealed. The black community is praying for justice to be served. This is a case that crosses racial lines in many ways. But even more beauty comes at the ending. May our nation learn from this book and become unified and may it start with the church.
__________
I received this book free from Booklook Bloggers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Unputdownable. That's a great way to describe Robert Whitlow's writing. When I wasn't reading A Time to Stand, I was thinking about it and wondering how it would all turn out. The concept of an African-American attorney representing a white police officer who shot an unarmed African-American teenager is intriguing, and I thought Whitlow handled the topic well.

Adisa, the attorney, is such a fascinating character. Longing to prosecute but feeling God calling her to work for Luke's (the officer's) defense, Adisa's emotions and struggles struck me as incredibly realistic. The reaction she faced from her own community as she defended the officer (even while being unsure if he truly was innocent) coupled with the prejudice she encountered drove much of the plot.

As I read, I wasn't sure if Luke would end up serving time, even as I was fairly certain he had acted appropriately (based on how the shooting scene unfolded). However, I didn't like Luke very much; perhaps I wasn't supposed to. The final resolution wrapped up the case satisfactorily without being too predictable, and Luke did end up becoming more likable.

The one portion of the novel that didn't ring true to me was a subplot involving Adisa's relationship with a local pastor. Their relationship progressed incredibly quickly without much evidence as to why, and I think I would've enjoyed the book more if the pastor hadn't been a love interest for Adisa.

Overall, A Time to Stand feels very timely, and it's a compelling read. I've seen Whitlow compared to John Grisham, and that seems accurate to me. Fans of legal thrillers will find much to love in A Time to Stand.

Disclosure of material connection: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Your heart breaks for Officer Luke Nelson as he struggles with the hopelessness of a trial. His family is trying to maintain an appearance of normalcy, yet how can an officer of the law move forward when there are so many voices in opposition to his quick response on that near fatal night. His wife Jane is standing in faith that Matthew 10:26 will bring forth the truth and clear her husband's name.

Is there any doubt that a mother's heart can pray a child through the darkest moments of life? Well for Mrs. Armistead it will be a grandmother's heart who will be praying her grandchild, Deshaun, through. As a mighty prayer warrior, this seasoned warrior will give witness to the truth of forgiveness.

Aunt Josie is in the hospital and Adisa will be answering the call to be at her bedside even though she is in the middle of negotiating a legal case for her law firm. What Adisa was unaware of was that her law firm would be changing and she would be representing Officer Luke Nelson. For Adisa, this change will usher in her heritage. She will face the truth of about prejudices, the truth about her Christian roots, and the truth that God's hand at work is mightier than any deception.

Campbellton is a town that becomes torn between the races. It will need prayer intercessors who have strong roots in faith to keep from becoming one of those towns consumed with hatred. Those cloaked in faith will need to "suit" up for the battle that is brewing. Will false-hooded deceivers bring an innocent man to "justice?" Or, will the town have the scales removed from their eyes by the hand of God?

With a scenario we witness all over our nation, these characters are so well defined they become real life prayer warriors that you would want on your side!
MrsK

A book ripped from recent headlines—with a twist.

Adisa Johnson, a young African-American attorney, is practicing law with a prestigious firm when a mistake changes the course of her career. She returns to her hometown where a white police officer shot an unarmed black teen who is now lying comatose in the hospital. Adisa starts out wanting the position of special prosecutor, but feels pulled to do what she considers unthinkable—defend the officer. A black woman willing to defend a white police officer? That’s not something you see every day, right? Racism is powerful motivator of hate, but A Time to Stand Whitlow showed how powerful forgiveness and loving others is.

"Remember, just because two of God’s children disagree about one thing doesn’t mean they can’t talk about other things."

Despite the topic of this book being all over recent news, this was difficult to read. Whenever I see a headline regarding a police shooting, I simply hang my head. I must remind myself that I wasn’t there, I don’t know what happened and shouldn’t judge. I wasn’t sure which way this story would lead. Would the police officer be charged and go to jail? Would the young man survive his bullet wounds? Whitlow tackled the topic and did it well in my opinion.

However, I found most of the book to be slow. The side stories of Adisa’s “relationship” with a local pastor and the health of her aunt took away from the case itself, which is what I wanted to hear about. But! A twist at the end put this book at a 4 star rather than a 3 star, which it was through most of the book. I appreciate a surprise and this was a twist that had not entered my mind.

This was the first book by Whitlow that I’ve read, but I’ll certainly be checking out some of his others. If you’re a fan of what I’ll call Christian/Crime Fiction, grab a copy of A Time to Stand.

"But I am going to tell you there is only one definitive, all-encompassing answer to what divides us, isolates us, and causes us to mistrust—transformation of the human heart through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Robert Whitlow did a fantastic job in addressing current day problems inside of a fiction story. His idea for this book came up at something that was sort of similiar to what he wrote about in the book. There was a multiethnic prayer meeting held and the idea for this book was birthed.

The story touches on quite a lot of issues, but I think racism and the police shootings are the two big discussions throughout. I have a lot of respect for Robert Whitlow to even touch two hot topics where there is such division. He does so with respect and presenting two sides.

Adisa Johnson is an attorney who finds herself out of a job in Atlanta, but is offered a job near her grandmother. It seems like such a blessing because she can be near her Aunt Josie, who is recovering from a stay in the hospital. However, this job offer comes at a price. Not a physical price because she would be working pro bono on a case, but it comes at a price to herself and her community.

In her hometown, where Adisa is now living, a white police officer shot a black teenager. However, he swears that he heard a gunshot and the teen was racing towards him instead of stopping and walking slowly, like he asked. Now that black teenager is comatose, and who knows what life will be like for him when or if he wakes up.

Theo Grayson is the attorney who offered Adisa a job. The catch: she has to represent the white police officer, whom the white community believes is innocent and the black community believes is guilty. The racial division in this case made me look at myself. It helped me to see a little of where both sides have some preconceived ideas about each other, whether they mean to or not. That is broken down by the end, all starting with the teen's grandmother saying she forgives. 

I also didn't realize how difficult these cases could be for a black woman to represent a white police officer, especially in this type of case. Adisa goes outside what is acceptable in her community to stand for justice and the law. And I couldn't help but respect Reggie, the pastor, who disagreed with Adisa taking on the case, yet they agreed to disagree and he respected what God had called to do. He even found himself standing up for her.

There was so much beauty within these pages that we all can learn something from. In this case, the police officer and his wife is praying for the truth to be revealed. The black community is praying for justice to be served. This is a case that crosses racial lines in many ways. But even more beauty comes at the ending. May our nation learn from this book and become unified and may it start with the church.
__________
I received this book free from Booklook Bloggers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Unputdownable. That's a great way to describe Robert Whitlow's writing. When I wasn't reading A Time to Stand, I was thinking about it and wondering how it would all turn out. The concept of an African-American attorney representing a white police officer who shot an unarmed African-American teenager is intriguing, and I thought Whitlow handled the topic well.

Adisa, the attorney, is such a fascinating character. Longing to prosecute but feeling God calling her to work for Luke's (the officer's) defense, Adisa's emotions and struggles struck me as incredibly realistic. The reaction she faced from her own community as she defended the officer (even while being unsure if he truly was innocent) coupled with the prejudice she encountered drove much of the plot.

As I read, I wasn't sure if Luke would end up serving time, even as I was fairly certain he had acted appropriately (based on how the shooting scene unfolded). However, I didn't like Luke very much; perhaps I wasn't supposed to. The final resolution wrapped up the case satisfactorily without being too predictable, and Luke did end up becoming more likable.

The one portion of the novel that didn't ring true to me was a subplot involving Adisa's relationship with a local pastor. Their relationship progressed incredibly quickly without much evidence as to why, and I think I would've enjoyed the book more if the pastor hadn't been a love interest for Adisa.

Overall, A Time to Stand feels very timely, and it's a compelling read. I've seen Whitlow compared to John Grisham, and that seems accurate to me. Fans of legal thrillers will find much to love in A Time to Stand.

Disclosure of material connection: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.

I love Robert Whitlow books. He writes fantastic legal fiction with a spiritual lense…that didn’t mean that I wasn’t hesitant to read this book once I read what it was about. Obviously US race relations are tense and let me tell you, I consider myself to be a Christian Evangelical, but half the time I can’t stand them. They drive me nuts when it comes to race relations. I have stopped reading an author who I liked because of what she would say about black Americans on her social media sites…thus I was worried. I didn’t want to start side-eyeing one of my favorite authors. I remember picking up this book and saying Whitlow you can either make me love your writing and make me hate it. Reader, I loved it.

What I liked:

Race relations. Whitlow could have chosen to really sugar coat this book and he didn’t. I thought he did a very accurate job of showing the suspicion on both sides of the racial line and of dealing with the fact that blacks and whites have a complex history. I love that he acknowledges it instead of shying away. You can’t deal with a problem if you pretend it’s not there.

Adisa. Adisa is a young black female attorney who works hard and loves the Lord. She is faced with quite a few challenges in this book. I did not envy her once. Nevertheless, she stays continually in prayer and trusts that God will work things out. She is a main character you can trust to make the right decisions and to handle delicate situation. When she faced difficult decisions, her thought process felt real.

Luke. I will admit he wasn’t my favorite person in the world, but Whitlow made him real. I managed to be both irritated at him and still want him to be cleared. So kudos Whitlow.

Law. I can never argue with Whitlow’s grasp of the legal field. As a lawyer, reading all that Adisa had to do made me tired. Poor girl.

Secondary characters. They are much needed to the telling of this story so that you can get different points of views. There is even a little romance (but this is a book that didn’t necessarily need it.).

How it wrapped up. I’m sure you would like to know. It worked.

Sidenote: Whitlow is either an aspiring chef or a foodie. He made me hungry on several occasions.

Spiritually, there is a great emphasis on the power of praying and how if you serve God, He will bless your descendants.

What I didn’t like:

I liked the entire book!

Romantic scale: 7

Overall, a wonderful book. I think Whitlow handled the topic beautifully. I was worried at first, but if anything he made me love his writing more. It was a book I couldn’t stop thinking about and read much faster than I intended.

**I received a copy from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**

All frosting, no cake. If you like your courtroom drama neat and clean, with no swear words, but a good healthy dose of old-fashioned Bible thumpin’, this is the read for you. I found the characters two-dimensional and uninteresting. A story about a churchified family-oriented Black female lawyer defending a churchified family-oriented White police officer for shooting a Black teenager could have been interesting and compelling, but the treacly treatment negated that possibility. An overload of what is supposed to be family drama, but fails to be anything but maudlin cliches. No loose ends, everything wrapped up nice and neat, nice happy ending. Sing Kumbaya, everybody.

A Time to Stand has some very pertinent themes which could have been taken straight from todays newspaper headlines.

When a white cop is accused of shooting a unarmed African American teen, a town begins to fracture as each side positions itself for the fight ahead. Both believing that they are searching for justice and the truth but can each truly handle the truth when it is finally revealed?

Robert Whitlow pits age old racism and bigotry by having the police officer’s attorney a young fiery African American prosecutor who wasn’t planning on taking on that side of the case at all.

I had mixed feeling about this book. While the premise was great - I did find that the story dragged somewhat to get to the expected court case and resolution. While there is a lot of issues to ponder and dwell on - the overall plot seemed slightly lacking. It definitely didn’t feel as fast-paced as previous books I have read.

That being said - it was still a highly thought provoking read.

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher as part of the Thomas Nelson/ Zondervan Fiction Guild. I was not required to post a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.

After a white police officer shoots a black teen who happens to be unarmed, the community of Campbellton, Georgia, is left in an uproar. A local movement arises demanding the police officer be held accountable for his actions, and the community is soon being torn apart. When African-American Adisa Johnson is called to her hometown from her home in Atlanta in order to care for her ailing Aunt Josie, she is ready to offer her services as a special prosecutor. But instead, she heeds God's call to go against her instincts and to defend the officer. Soon, she finds herself caught between truth and justice, and the storm of prejudices arising on all sides.

"A Time to Stand" is Robert Whitlow's best book yet, with a drama-filled plot that had me glued to the pages from beginning to end. The scenes felt ripped from the headlines, capturing the racial tension that is broiling in communities across North America in real life. I love the twist he threw into this novel, having an African-American attorney fight on behalf of a white police officer, exposing the reality that prejudice lies on all sides. The characters are real and as flawed as you and I, and this makes Adisa all the more lovable as a hero. However, as remarkable as Adisa is, it is her Aunt Josie who stole the show for me, living out a powerful faith that truly moves mountains. I am convinced that it will be prayer warriors like her, ones who change the very atmosphere around us, who will be given the most honour in heaven one day! As with Whitlow's other novels, he weaves faith into the very fabric of the novel in a remarkable manner, showing how God is on the move in the most difficult of circumstances. Readers who dive into this novel will not only be greatly entertained by the story they encounter, but will find themselves encouraged in their walk with God along the way.

I was honestly moved to tears by the time I turned the final pages of this amazing story. I highly recommend "A Time to Stand" and award it a full 5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of the Booklook Bloggers review program. Available from your favorite book retailer from Thomas Nelson, a division of HarperCollins.

A robbery. A shot. Thunder and lightning. There in the middle of the street in the heat of the dark an officer is face to face with a suspect. This is where the story begins, but it is far from where it ends.

Here in my area, being close to St. Louis, the protests and riots over a criminal being shot by an officer, this novel brings a fresh and honest portrayal of justice at work when the truth is first on being sought out.

The character, Adisa, stands out for me. I really admired her strengths and weaknesses. She walked with a great integrity and through circumstances in her life she is faced with coming true to who she is and what she believes.

This is hometown South. A white officer is accused of shooting a black man. Adisa, a black attorney, feels one way about this case, but when she takes this case it is amazing to see truth prevail through her actions along with others to seek truth justice, not street justice.

Through this novel we see the lives of the officer, the attorney, and the young man who was shot come to life before our eyes. Whitlow has long been a favorite for me. Choosing another novel penned by his talent was a no brainer, but I was really surprised at the content of this novel. I wasn't sure in what direction he would take these pages. He shows us that what's on the surface isn't always the truth and when we dig down deep we find that love, respect, and honor can come to life when we look beyond our self. Especially when we look beyond what generations have taught, what the media places in our face on the nightly news. This novel shows that hate gets us no where, racism is on all sides, and too often we don't want the truth, we just want to be angry.

The more I read the more I wanted to spend time in these words. That's a clue I have a great read in my hands. I cannot wait to see what's next for Whitlow.

This novel was a gift from Thomas Nelson for sharing my review with you.

Adisa Johnson, a young African-American lawyer, never expected that conversing with a reporter would lead to losing her job. Luke Nelson, a white police officer, never planned to shoot an unarmed African-American youth. When their split-second decisions alter Adisa and Luke's lives, they find themselves uncomfortably situated together. Adisa, as a reluctant and loyalty-divided defense lawyer, and Luke, as a suspicious but desperate client. Their tenuous relationship serves as an example of their respective communities and the racial tensions that exist far after slavery's abolition. As circumstances escalate and Luke's hope of exoneration diminishes, the future seems dark. Everyone involved, white and black, must confront their own prejudices. Only then can light, hope, and life arise.

A Time to Stand is the first novel I've read by Robert Whitlow. The plot was engaging, but not captivating to where I felt I couldn't put it down. Adisa's relationships, spiritual growth and the preparing of a legal defense were the most interesting aspects of the story to me. As expected, the challenging issue of racial prejudice spans this entire novel. The author attempted to address multiple sides of the issue, but I'd be interested in hearing the thoughts of an African-American reader as to how authentic this book reads. While the main issue of the book is racial prejudice, there are other thought-provoking nuggets throughout the book including a most encouraging one: Our actions and prayers matter more than we'll ever know.

I recommend A Time to Stand by Robert Whitlow to readers looking for a thought-provoking read with elements of suspense and drama.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

This novel could be taken right from the headlines, A Time To Stand tells a real and modern story about race division, prejudice and how we are too quick to judge others without all the facts. We are all created by Jesus, to not judge, to look past differences, to love, to come together. Ecclesiastes 3- there’s a time for everything under the sun, time to love- A Time To Stand! Can we all learn to ultimately forgive?

A Pastor says this in the middle of the storm, “It’s time to stand! To look past differences the Lord created and come together in the unity of God’s spirit! To stand in agreement that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. To stand together on earth as we will one glorious day…...”

After a white police officer shoots a black teen who is not armed in Campbellton, Georgia leaves the community in an uproar. A powerful message, sides drawn, anger boiling over and Adisa Johnson, a young black lawyer caught in the middle. Her loyalty lies with the teen who was shot, but she was hired to defend Luke, the police officer and the African American community feels like Adisa turned away from her “own people.”

A Time To Stand will teach us to not judge others before we have all the facts, that race/color should not matter. Heart wrenching, but yet hopeful book that shows how God can intervene in our lives if we let him. If we all pray and let God move in our lives, miracles can happen, hearts change no matter what we face.
This was my first book by the author and will be reading more of Robert Whitlow.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In the book A Time To Stand, author Robert Whitlow follows the life of Adisa Johnson, a young African American lawyer. Her world is turned upside down by several events and she returns to her hometown. During this time her hometown has been rocked by a police shooting by a white officer and an unarmed African American teen who is now in a coma. Adisa now struggles with wanting to be a special prosecutor against the officer or should she walk the path against the grain and defend the officer.
Whitlow really captured the struggles of forgiveness within the context of racial struggles. He does a great job of weaving a story that keeps you interested and twists that you are not expecting.
I would highly recommend this book. I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story revolves around a crime that has been committed...a young black man being shot by a white officer. But it goes beyond the crime to explore the racial tension in the community and how that affects the case. While the plot does focus on legal matters, very little of the action takes place in the courtroom. It mainly focuses on Adisa, a young black attorney, who must decide whether she can go against her racial prejudices to defend the officer.

I enjoyed the book, but a piece of bad theology left me unsettled. In the story, the grandmother of the boy who had been shot stood up at church and announced that she had forgiven the officer and asked others to show him mercy. Instead of supporting that act, the preacher and deacons think she needs to be rebuked. He says "On the issue of whether it's necessary for someone to ask forgiveness in order to be forgiven. Does Jesus forgive our sins if we don't ask him to? I don't think so. If that's the standard he laid down, how can anyone, even Thelma Armistead, forgive someone who hasn't admitted to doing something wrong and asked for forgiveness? Several of the deacons were telling me I have to publicly rebuke her." This line of thinking was never corrected. I know this is a work of fiction, but it bothers me to think that someone may assume this is true. From what I've read in Scripture, we absolutely can and should forgive others, even if they don't ask for it.

Other than that, the book was well-written and thought provoking. There are 7 discussion questions at the back of the book.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

Many people will say they are not prejudiced toward people of other ethnicities. However, if put to the test, they might discover some things about themselves that they never realized. A number of the characters in this book find themselves at just such a crossroads as scenes similar to those we have seen on the evening news are played out. A young white police officer, responding to a burglary at a convenience store, shoots a black teenager who is running down the street towards him, even after the officer has told him to stop. A young black female attorney finds herself unemployed and moving back to the home of the great-aunt who raised her and her sister, while the great-aunt is in the hospital struggling to recover from a stroke. The young black pastor of the church the teenager attends with his grandmother is drawn into the movement to seek justice for the teenager. While the teenager is lying in the hospital in a coma and the police officer is seeking legal counsel to try to keep him from going to prison and leaving his wife and baby girl for years, we find two special women who are busy doing God’s work. Aunt Josie is a prayer walker, known for walking all over the city and praying for the people who live in the homes and work in the businesses she passes. Even as she is confined to a hospital bed during her recovery, she is busy praying. The grandmother of the teenager who is clinging to life is also a woman of prayer. As they pray and follow God’s leading, things start to happen. The book is compelling and challenging. I believe this story will cause you to evaluate your own prejudices and prayer life and hopefully help us all move closer to where God wants us.

The opening pages of ‘A Time to Stand’, the seventeenth novel by Author, Robert Whitlow, transport the reader back to a time and place in our nation’s history, where the shrouded hope of freedom cautiously exists side by side with the naked uncertainty that the documents declaring it contain at face value. To the casual learner, the Emancipation Proclamation freed untold thousands of slaves from the paltry bonds of their owners. In reality, it did little to truly free the hearts of either. But like wisps of smoke through time, the echoes of the opening characters softly reappear in the small Georgia town, where they emerged so many years before, to observe and reveal the hearts of present day men and women.

On a quiet street, under the leading edge of an approaching storm, a black teenager is felled to pavement alongside the first ominous drops of rain, by the gun of a white police officer.

Justice means different things to different people, sometimes irregardless of law, truth or fact. The common denominator among us in those things is that our own personal prejudices are soothed in its processes. But that is ever a rare exception, rather than a dependable rule, and patience for the criminal justice system to provide it, is almost nowhere to be found. In Campbellton Georgia, the malignant aftermath of this tragedy quickly begins to peel back layers, and the years covering them, to revealed the inconsolably indignant nature of prejudice that has crept unnoticed into the heart of everyone, without regard to race, creed, fact or truth.

Appalled at the tragedy and leaning in lock-step solidarity with the tightly knit, small town black community she grew up in before finding success in the sterile corporate law firms of Atlanta, Adisa Johnson suddenly found herself back home amid the tension, hoping only to quietly nurse her elderly aunt back to health from a debilitating stroke. The well respected and successful white lawyer, Theo Grayson, whose heritage is as inextricably tied to Campbellton’s well-trodden soil as Adisa’s, held out an olive branch to her, on a small patch of common ground between them, wooing her to help him defend the white officer, resolutely innocent in his own mind, which she tepidly accepted against all reason and logic.

Through these overarching circumstances and the contrast of colorful characters, unwittingly soiled by the monochromes of prejudice, Whitlow weaves a tapestry of troubling events that parallel our own inner biases, tugging at the hopes and fears stained by them, only to break away in a direction that many of us haven’t yet known. A direction that presses headlong through the darkest of dark, to search for light.

Suspenseful and entertaining, this book confronts the private paradigms of judgement we all hold tightly in darkness and beckons us to release them into the light.

"Ecclesiastes states that there's a time for everything under the sun . . . . It's a time stand! To look past differences the Lord created and come together in the unity of God's Spirit"!

The small town of Campbellton, Georgia is reeling from the news that a young unarmed black teen was gunned down by a white police officer. The officer insists that he fired in self-defense, but the victim remains unresponsive in a coma.

Through no fault of her own, Adisa Johnson, a young aspiring African-American attorney, has moved back to her home town of Campbellton, after her brief employment in a prestigious Atlanta law firm was terminated. While becoming reacquainted with a well respected local attorney is promising for her career, there is a troubling "string" attached; he requires her assistance in representing Officer Luke Nelson.

When racial divides become increasingly clear in the case, and Alisa's attraction to the charismatic black pastor leading the charge for indictment become public, the line between truth and justice for all becomes terribly muddled.

From cover to cover, Whitlow has carefully wrapped and unwrapped a potentially explosive social issue with skillful legal finesse and abundant grace. "Time to Stand" is a story that matters.

The new fall book releases are quite good this year. And Robert Whitlow has a new story.
Interesting how an author will write a fiction story about a current event in our world. I think authors like to voice their opinions through a story.
In any event, this is quite an tine resting story.
Adisa Johnson is a young African-American attorney who enjoys living her dream of practicing law in Atlanta.
However, Adisa returns to her small Georgia hometown where racial tensions are flying high because a white police officer shot an unarmed black teen who is comatose in a hospital. But Adisa must consider what she believes/stands for because she is to defend the police officer who shot the teen.
And she is in a budding romance with a charismatic young preacher who is demanding that the local police officers make this a crime and punish the police office who shot the black teen.
This story is more about emotions and how people, no matter what the skin color, can be racist.
This is a think.about.it.read . . . what one really values and what one really believes is right no matter what ones skin color may be.

*This book was provided for review by the Fiction Guild*

An unarmed young man is shot by a police officer. I don't like hearing about these incidents in real life, so I wasn't sure I wanted to read this novel. I chose it because I was curious about African-American attorney, Adisa Johnson. Although there were issues in her family life, the time she spent in the law office and courtroom and every page that included law jargon was what interested me. Her reason for wanting to defend Luke: I did not see how this had anything to do with him possibly being innocent.

Whitlow sends a message of what God's love should look like when Christians have to endure pain that comes from unfair circumstances and, of course, forgiveness is key. God forgives. God wants us to forgive. But a character's immediate forgiveness of an act of violence isn't believable. Forgiveness is the road to freedom, but it isn't always easy even in the simplest circumstances. Sometimes the road is long and winding with a few bumps.

This isn't the emotional read I thought it would be. The story lacked the level of intensity I was expecting, but there were thought-provoking moments. And I liked Deshaun Hamlin from the beginning.

When the media today seems to be highlighting problems in race relations, especially in the way police relate to citizens, Whitlow's book is is very timely. It explores prejudices of both blacks and whites. When a young black attorney is called on to defend a white police officer accused of shooting a young black man, racial tensions run high in a small Georgia town. Lots of prayers are said for the truth to be revealed and for mercy and grace to be given. What they learn is summed up in this quote: "There is only one definitive, all-encompassing answer to what divides us, isolates, us and causes us to mistrust -- transformation of the human heart through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ...It's more people loving God with all their heart and loving their neighbor, regardless of skin color or culture, as they love themselves."

Apparently Robert Whitlow is a pretty famous author, where have I been? I looked forward to reading A Time to Stand, as the topic is very current. A white police officer is accused of shooting a black teenager and is going to be put on trial for the shooting. In comes a local lawyer who hires a young, black women lawyer to help him with the case. Do I have your interest yet?

This book is so well written! I love the fact that it is a Christian book and most of the characters in the book use their faith openly in the book. The suspense is great and you feel like you know the characters personally, always the sign of a good author!

I would highly recommend this book all readers.

I was given a copy of this book to read and review from Book Look. All opinions are 100% mine.

A Time To Stand what a dynamic, Prolific, entertaining, phenomenal story. This one starts off in the past to lay the ground work to your story and may I say - well done - it was awesome. Then comes Chapter One and then you are off and running and that ain't no lie. You have a convenient store, a high school jock, an obstinate customer, and a group of ne'er do wells and something happens and then the ball keeps rolling from there and it is incredible. The author brings the LORD in at just the right points and that means a lot to me;. It is so enjoyable and may I say it is so totally worth your time. I received a copy of this book from the Publisher and Netgalley; all the opinions expressed in the review are all my own.

Thanks to Net Galley for a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

In a story that could have been pulled from today’s headlines—Whitlow tackles the drama surrounding a white police officer’s shooting of an unarmed black teenager. The story constantly challenges the reader to consider what forgiveness and reconciliation mean in the current racial tensions in this country. Written from the point of view of the white police officer and the African-American attorney who is defending him gives background and motivations to the story. Highly recommended.

This flat plot might have been tolerable if it hadn't been for the over the top Christian propaganda. Now I understand that sometimes a character's religion is a part of the development and background necessary to tell a story, but this was just ridiculous and often forced and out of place random scripture quotes. If the storyline had been better, the characters not so mamby pamby and vascilating, I would have overlooked it. However the next reader should be warned.

Thanks to Net Galley for a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

In a story that could have been pulled from today’s headlines—Whitlow tackles the drama surrounding a white police officer’s shooting of an unarmed black teenager. The story constantly challenges the reader to consider what forgiveness and reconciliation mean in the current racial tensions in this country. Written from the point of view of the white police officer and the African-American attorney who is defending him gives background and motivations to the story. Highly recommended.

This flat plot might have been tolerable if it hadn't been for the over the top Christian propaganda. Now I understand that sometimes a character's religion is a part of the development and background necessary to tell a story, but this was just ridiculous and often forced and out of place random scripture quotes. If the storyline had been better, the characters not so mamby pamby and vascilating, I would have overlooked it. However the next reader should be warned.

This novel truly captures what could unfold in today's social climate and challenges the reader to keep turning the page. A Time to Stand has a young attorney standing initially for integrity, but warring her emotions. Authentic characters that the writer intends you to know and feel compassion for, but enough surprise to be real. This novel reflects what true emotion would appear given the situation. Can't wait to read more from this author, I highly recommend this book.

I found this book very appropriate in light of recent events in our country. Personally, I thought it was a bit more interesting than his last 2 books, especially the first half. It did drag just a little in the second half, but the ending was great! Not an easy topic to tackle, and I was not sure exactly how everything would come together, but Robert Whitlow did a great job of it, I think.
Thanks to the Fiction Guild for giving me the book! All opinions are my own.

Adisa Johnson, a young African American woman is living her dream. She is an aspiring lawyer in a prestigious firm in downtown Atlanta with a promising career. However, a simple makes changes the trajectory of her career and causes her to lose the job she loves. Around the same time, her dearly beloved aunt became ill and Adisa to move to be closer to her aunt and looks for a new job. A few days earlier a Caucasian police offer had shot an unarmed African American team who is fighting for his life in the hospital. With racial tensions high, Adisa wants to be bought on as a special prosecutor on the case. Although, when she speaks with a fellow mentor and victim's grandmother, she is left with conflicting feelings on the case. Which side will Adisa choose? What happened during that faithful of the shooting?

I like that the novel took on racial topics that are very prevalent this day. However, I felt the story lacked depth and suspense. The story seemed to drag on and on, filled with details that just cloud the story. Sadly, I also couldn't find myself liking the any of the characters. As a WOC, I loved seeing a fellow WOC in charge, smart and engaging. But I felt like Adisa fell flat and act impulsively/emotional. For example, when she was let go of her job she didn't want to steal her former employer's clients. But when she asked her mentor for a job, she had no problem becoming a special prosecutor on the same case her mentor was defending on.

Luke Nelson, a white police officer, shot a black teen by the name of Deshun Hamlin. No weapon is found on the teen, who is in a coma and unable to state his side of things. Is the officer guilty or not-guilty of murder? Adisa Johnson is a young African-American attorney who is asked to be the defendants attorney. Is she doing the right thing? I really liked how all the events were woven together to reach a satisfactory end.

Robert Whitlow is one of my favorite authors, and his latest novel is a good read about a relevant current topic. I believe he presented different perspectives realistically and with a Christian attitude that might be unusual for some but very believable for those who believe God still speaks to his followers as he did in the New Testament.

Robert Whitlow writes in a straightforward style that is easy to follow. A story that could be plucked from today's headlines captured my attention and kept me coming back for more. Lots of characters to keep track of, but they are introduced in a manner that makes it all easy to keep up with. Very good, enjoyable story.

I received this copy from The Fiction Guild. I was not required to give a favorable review. This was another stand out book from Robert. It hits on everything that is going on in the world & US today. And makes you think about what would you do. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good intriguing book.

Robert Whitlow is one of my favorite authors. I've read everything he has written. The writing in this book was as good as ever. However, the actual story could not gain my interest. I struggled to make it through 7 chapters before giving up. Hopefully the next one has a more interesting story line.

I have loved all Robert Whitlow books I have read, but I have to say this one was a disappointment. I had a difficult time staying with it to the end. I just didn't feel the writing was Mr. Whitlow's standard. The story line was good. Adisa is a young African American attorney who comes back home after her aunt, who has raised both Adisa and her sister, has had a stroke. A few days prior to Adisa's arrival, a young African American teenager is shot in the street by a Caucasian police officer. The black community cries out for justice. The police officer felt his actions justified as he felt his own life was in danger. Adisa is fired from her job in the city and is brought on by an attorney to assist in the defense of the police officer. This brought outrage from the black community. Adisa believes everyone deserves a fair trial, but does have mixed emotions about her part in the case. The story just seemed to drag on and on and wasn't engaging for me, the reader.
I was given a free ecopy of this by the publisher, Thomas Nelson and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

As always, Robert Whitlow books never disappoint. This is another incredible storyline that makes you think, tugs at your heart and points you right back to Christ! This book is for men and women alike, young and old. Mr. Whitlow's ability to transplant you right into the story is amazing. This topic is such a hot spot right now in our society and the way it is played out in the book really causes you to self reflect.

Just finished this book. I love reading Robert Whitlow's book. He touches those parts of our lives we tend to forget or very precious to us. He reminds us we need to take a stand for God in our personal lives and everything else will fall in place!