Changing Habits

This story was very interesting and gave me a lot of info as to the religious beliefs. . I found the individual women's stories to be quite realistic and I could imagine the heart felt decisions each of them had to make.

This book was a page turner from start to finish. I really enjoyed reading it and it was, as all Debbie Macomber books are, a delightful story. I highly recommend this book; you won't be disappointed!

Interesting insight of the priests and nuns within the Catholic church as it went through its transition to the modern Catholic church. It's hard to imagine nuns and priests being - well - human, not implacable and infallible. Thank you, Debbie!

I was not excited about reading this one, but as an avid Debbie Mccomber reader, I jumped in. I was most pleasantly surprised!! I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all. Not a religious book, but one of human experiences.

For anyone who entered the convent in the 60's this book is awesome. The facts of convent life then is so true to form. I couldn't put the book down and couldn't wait to see how the lives of the 3 girls changed along with the changes that took place in Religious life at that time.

I loved this book! I could remember that time of the year I think it was in the 60's when the Nuns started changing their Habits! HAIR!! I always thought the Nuns were bald under their habit, and now I see they do have hair!. ☺ LOL " I will read this one again and again! ☺ Cindy Santistevan

I couldn't help but think that there was an anti-Catholic undercurrent woven throughout the book.....it almost seemed to me that the entire concept of the storyline was to discredit the teachings of the Catholic Church. I am a big fan of Debbie Macomber's books, but I was very disillusioned by what seems to be her anti-Catholic bias.

I was a nun during the same time period, so for me, it had a lot of meaning. Fortunately for me and the many women who left the same order during this time period, the superiors were much kinder and more humane. It was still a struggle to make the adjustment, but not because of anything the convent personnel did or didn't do. The book may leave the impression that most nuns who left their orders did so because of a man who was a priest or another man. I do not believe that to be true. It is a good thing this is a fictional account.

This was a descent book - but a little confusing. It kept flip flopping back and forth between the characters and at times was hard for me to keep up with which one she was telling about. It was not one of my favorite books from Macomber.

Having gone to a convent college in the 60's, I enjoyed reading about how the nuns lived. I remember many of them leaving and wonder about the why, and what they are doing now. It was a quick , fun read.

This is the very first book I have disliked of Debbie Macomber and tossed prior to completion. Far too much detail, fair too much bias religion. I had full.confidence this would be awesome just like all her other books. Not so!

I understand that this is an older book of this author but it was one that I hadn't read yet. I found this to be one of the best books that I have read by Debbie Macomber. Seeing as I'm not Catholic, I thought the subject matter would not appeal to me but I was WRONG. The story may have been about nuns but anyone that has gone through a major change in life will be able to relate to these women.

Once again I am blown away by the author's ability to reach out and grab me from the first page and not let go until the last.

This is the very first book I have disliked of Debbie Macomber and tossed prior to completion. Far too much detail, fair too much bias religion. I had full.confidence this would be awesome just like all her other books. Not so!

I understand that this is an older book of this author but it was one that I hadn't read yet. I found this to be one of the best books that I have read by Debbie Macomber. Seeing as I'm not Catholic, I thought the subject matter would not appeal to me but I was WRONG. The story may have been about nuns but anyone that has gone through a major change in life will be able to relate to these women.

Once again I am blown away by the author's ability to reach out and grab me from the first page and not let go until the last.

Being a former nun, I related to many of the things that they went through, except we didn't have individual rooms, just a large dormitory, separated by curtains. It definitely changed their lives just as mine was changed when I left and came home. I loved my time there and made many new friendships that last to this day. I loved the book and the characters. Debbie Macomber's books always are a quick read and so enjoyable. Thanks

I recall reading this book when it first came out. It was okay, but nothing really special.

I really dislike the fact that more and more books by authors that are popular are being rereleased with new covers with NO information stating it is a rerelease from years ago. It's only fair to let people know because people that read a lot may not remember they've already read these until they have purchased it.

I've done this more than once and feel RIPPED OFF when this happens. Publishers need to let us know!

First, I am not Catholic, but I am a Christian. This book was interesting. But I kept waiting for it to get really good. I suppose there are actual cases of alcoholic priests, bishops looking the other way, nuns being falsely accused, just as there are teens in the 1960's who had sex in the detailed way the author felt she needed to describe. There might even be a former nun who would bring a man she met at the park into her home, have wine and foreplay, and then be surprised she was raped. I suppose this might happen, since she said she did her research. But I kept expecting something uplifting and wonderful, but it never was. I had seen a Christmas Hallmark movie based on her writing, and expected something nice. This is the first and last book I will read by her.

I agree with the other readers. I nearly bought this book without reading the reviews. I read the introduction and it sounded very familiar. As the other readers have said it is unfair to readers not to say that this is a older book being re issued. Thanks to the other readers for bringing it to our attention.For those who have not read it, it is a great book and worth purchasing.

Changing Habits is the 70th stand-alone novel by popular American author, Debbie Macomber. It follows the lives of three women of different ages from their first awareness of a vocation to serve God in the order of St Bridget’s Sisters 0f the Assumption, through profession as nuns and their lives in the religious order to their eventual rejection of vows and return to secular life. The period from 1958 to 1972 was a time of great upheaval in the Catholic Church and also saw major changes in the secular world: Macomber uses these changes to anchor her story’s era and to show some of the effect these changes had on the lives of women in the convent. Angelina Marcello joined the order against the wishes of her widowed father, an Italian restaurant owner who always saw her as inheriting the business; Kathleen O’Shaughnessy knew from a very young age that she would be a nun, something that was simply accepted in her family; Joanna Baird turned to God when her fiancé came home from the Vietnam war with a pregnant Vietnamese wife by his side. Eventually, these three very different women meet at a convent in Minneapolis. Soon enough they are facing issues that lead them into disillusionment and dissatisfaction with their lives, and a crisis of faith. This novel is quite a departure from Macomber’s romances, and is more reminiscent of her Cedar Cove and Blossom Street series: her main characters are strong women dealing with life-changing issues. Alcoholism, rape, teen pregnancy and abortion feature, and the Catholic Church’s paternalistic mindset, in particular with birth control, plays a significant part. Macomber has certainly done her research on the Catholic religion: those educated or raised in the Catholic faith will recognise many of the practices described. While the endings for each character are fairly predictable, this is still an interesting read.

In the early sixties, three young girls make a decision that will affect the rest of their lives. For one girl, it would divide her family; for another, it would devastate her father; for the other, it would be the family's shining moment. Each girl has her own reasons for making the life-changing decision. One seeks to heal a broken heart, one feels a calling from God, and one just did what she knows her family wants her to do. The girls leave behind their families and all their worldly possession, and join into a new family and a new way of life when they enter a convent to become nuns.
In her new book, "Changing Habits," best-selling author Debbie Macomber explores a world that fascinates many but has remained a mystery for ages; the world of the sisterhood of nuns.
Three young women join the sisterhood of St. Bridget's Sisters of the Assumption. Angelina had gone to Catholic schools all her life and had a special affinity for the nuns who taught her. She felt she had a calling from God, and despite her father's objections, entered the convent determined to return the gift of learning by becoming a parochial teacher. Kathleen had known she would become a nun since she was six years old because it was what her family expected of her. Joanne entered the convent broken-hearted and searching for peace after her fiancé returned from Vietnam married to another woman.
Each woman goes through the process from postulate to novice to sister, and each finds her vocation within the sisterhood. Angelina and Kathleen become teachers, and Joanne becomes a nurse. Although secluded from most of the "real" world in their early years, as they mature and become more involved in their community each sister finds that events of the world soon affect their own lives, and eventually causes each to reconsider their place among the religious order.
Angelina loves her position as a teacher, but when she feels that she has failed a young pregnant teenager she finds herself longing to return home to help her father in the family restaurant. Kathleen helps out the young and handsome parish priest with problems with an older priest, but when evidence turns up that she helped the priest cover up money problems she is forced to leave the sisterhood amidst betrayal and shame. Joanne finds that she is drawn to the Vietnam Veteran doctor she assists at the hospital, and leaves to become a devoted wife and helpmate to the man she loves.
The stories of their individual journeys back to the world are complex and enriching. Although they are no longer called "Sister," Angelina, Joanne, and Kathleen find that they are influenced throughout their lives by their time spent as nuns.
Normally considered a romance writer, author Debbie Macomber has entered the world of mainstream women's fiction with great success. In this novel, Macomber was inspired to write this intriguing story by a cousin who had been a nun, and had also left her order to pursue life in the "real" world. Her depictions of women who lived the cloistered life and who returned to live full and satisfying lives as wives, mothers, and successful business women is realistic, warm and enlightening.

In the 1960s, three young women from diverse lifestyles enter St. Peter's Parrish in Minneapolis with the belief they are destined to become nuns. Angelina Marcello, Kathleen O'Shaunessy, and Joanna Baird had different reasons for becoming "Brides of Christ", but shared an idealism to serve God and help the community.
In 1972 the three nuns struggle with crisis of faith. For Sister Angelina, it was the simple failure of the Church to deal with the problems of a pregnant teen Corrine that sent her back to her father's restaurant. Temporarily taking over the accounting journal led Sister Kathleen to Father Brian Doyle with both wrestling between their vows and a very human love for one another. For Sister Joanna, the return of Viet Nam vet Dr. Tim Murray reminds her that she joined for the wrong reasons as she begins to fall in love with the still recovering medical practitioner. Will the church lose three more dedicated people or will the vows prove strong enough to keep these Sisters within the fold?
CHANGING HABITS is not the typical fare from Debbie Macomber, but is an insightful look at some of the problems the modern day Catholic Church is confronting in America. The story line is well written as the trio of nuns seems so genuine and human. The support cast enables the audience to understand their motives from entry into the Church until the individual crisis of faith occurs. Readers will feel strongly what each one of the Sisters contends with as Ms. Macomber powerfully focuses on the critical loss of nuns facing the Church today.
Harriet Klausner

I read this book in less than a day. I could not put it down. And yes, I sometimes get snobby too about "romance" novels, but this is neither a romance nor a "throwaway" book. Debbie Macomber is always a good storyteller, but this novel, about three women who choose to be nuns before Vatican II and what happens in their lives is moving, spiritual and has a truth that resonates.

I'm not going to do spoilers and retell the plot, but I will say that I was deeply drawn to each young woman who took the step in becoming a Sister. None of the three was fey or silly about her decision; each prayed long and hard and believed she was making the right choice. The very real struggles, heartaches and triumps of these women, and their heartfelt wish to be good members of their convent, moved me deeply.

This is a beautiful, beautiful book, well worth the read. It won't leave me soon.

Nearly forty years ago, three young women feel that they are called to serve God, and their chosen way is to become nuns. Though they enter the same order, each is a very different person.
Kathleen has always felt called to the convent, Angie enters despite her father's opposition, and Joanna goes in to help heal a heart broken by betrayal. As the years pass, each one is called upon to make sacrifices, to face humility, and to use her gifts to the maximum. Through the changes wrought by Vatican II, Vietnam, and life's own quirks, the girls are brought to the point where they must choose whether or not to remain as they are or to rejoin the world outside the convent doors...This timely, serious novel will face critsism as anti-religious by some, yet the opposite is true. It shows how you can serve God, even if it's not always the way you think you are meant to at first. Love and duty can sometimes be at war. Like Father Greeley, Ms. Macomber sheds new light on the lives of the secluded and tells a fine story in the process.

Changing Habits is an extraordinary book. It introduces us to three young women from different backgrounds, Kathleen, Angelina, and Joanna, and their journey through the convent and later life outside the convent. Told through their eyes, each chapter features one of the girls experiences and how it affects their life in the convent and eventually the women they become.

When I picked up the book, I didn't know how wrapped up in the story I would get. Each girl had their own story to tell and how their personal struggles affected themselves and their faith. I didn't know much about the Catholic Order, but with reading this book, I got information that was both interesting and not overwhelming. This book touched me in ways that most books can't even begin to match. It's a wonderful book that will make you think differently and look at your life in a whole new light.

A must read for anyone looking for a heartwarming and touching book!

This book was very different than Debbie Macomber's typical stories. It is a story of following God in what you believe is His call for your life and realizing that you may have been wrong. It shows that God has a plan for our lives even when we take a wrong turn - He is always there waiting for us - waiting to pick us up when people fail us - as they always will. This book gave me hope and it was truly interesting to read about the three main characters lives as they join the convent and how their individual lives intertwine. Very interesting to learn about the Catholic church through the last few decades.

I was really surprised by how much I ended up liking this book, as I didn't think the subject matter would appeal to me. The pacing of this novel was perfect, not too fast and not too slow. I liked the characters and found that every page offered another reason for me to want to finish the book. With such a mixture of happy, funny, sad and emotional this book was able to transport me out of everyday life and into another world for a while.

Debbie Macomber is a master at defining human emotion in literature and she has proved this again with this spectacular work. If I could have offered it more than five stars I gladly would have.

I have read tons of Debbie Macomber's books over the years and have always liked her as a writer but this book changed all that. This book unfortunately perpetuates all the stereotypes of the Catholic church which are misinformed. Despite that the book was fairly innocent until the rape scene which was totally unneccesary. If you are a faithful Catholic and looking for a good spiritual, rated G book, don't waste your time with this one. Maybe Debbie, a former Catholic, should visit a Catholic church again to see how it really is and understand the reasons behind the doctrine of the Church before writing misinformation and perpetuating the untruths.

Angelina, Kathleen and Joanna each had very different reasons for joining St. Bridget's Sisters of the Assumption in the early 1960s. But each was devoted to her faith, and despite the strict, complex rules of the convent and the swirling controversies of the outside world, each stayed true to her call.

But one by one, each woman suffers an unexpected crisis of faith. And ultimately, all three leave the sisterhood for the exciting, confusing world outside the convent walls. It's not an easy choice, and it's not an easy change.

I found this book fascinating - I had no idea what a nun's life was like, and I felt that Macomber did a good job of exploring and explaining the maze of regulations that rule a so-called simple life. She touches on controversies within the church in dramatic, poignant ways, weaving storytelling in with historical facts.

I do wish the women's lives had been more entwined - while they're all nuns and they all know each other, they don't interact that much, and I found myself wishing for that deeper friendship that's often woven through Macomber's novels. Also, since the book covers such a large span of time - starting in the late 50s and ending in the new millennium - there are large chunks of time that are glossed over. I wanted more details.

Still, small complaints in an overall compelling story.

After working in a bookstore for a few years, I am ashamed to admit that I sometimes still judge a book by its cover and, more often, by where it is shelved.

Changing habits is written by Debbie Macomber, who is shelved in romance. Yet, somehow, she just doesn't fit there. This book more than any of her others shows that.

Changing habits is a group of very well told tales that are also very well blended - a challenge for any author. The stories span time and yet somehow are all contemporary. There is romance, but not in the bodice-ripping or even sassy-female kind of way one comes to expect these days.

The stories are about faith and the loss of it, religion and the turning from it, the struggles within the Catholic church, and, at its best, life, and how some very different women live it.

I enjoyed this book. More, I'm happy to recommend it as a light but deep read for women of many ages.

(*)>

I first read Changing Habits when I was in high school and loved it. My favorite characters were Kathleen and Brian. When I saw this audiobook, I was happy to return to this world. What I didn't realize at the time was that it was an abridged audiobook and almost nothing of Kathleen's story is a part of it. What. The. Hell. I am so disappointed.

Heard the taped version of CHANGING HABITS by Debbie Macomber . . . it is the story of two women who enter the convent, then both leave it for various reasons . . . their respective

tales were interesting, and I enjoyed reading about both of them--until the ending . . . Macomber seems to have gotten tired of writing at that point in time and fast forwards things

to a reunion of all the sisterhood members . . . I wanted to know more about what happened to the two women; instead, the last 30 years of their lives were condensed into a few minutes (pages, I imagine, if you're reading) at the end . . . Trini Alvarado--an actress I've admired but who just hasn't been in that many films to suit my taste--did an excellent job of narration.

This book was a surprise. I just had checked it out as a library book, because I really love books by Debbie Macomber. I went thru a lot of emotions when reading it. Debbie had researched this topic quite a bit. This book caused me to keep reading, I had a hard time putting it down. I liked how it mostly ended for two out of three people, but I couldn't see a different ending for the third person. Another thing is if religion interests you this one is about Catholic Religion.

I have read several of Macomber's series including Cedar Cove and Blossom Street. I considered them light reading, for the most part. I read the back of this book and thought it would be interesting. I would love to read more books like this one from Macomber. In my opinion it is her best. Changing Habits is enjoyable reading and I could not turn the pages fast enough, I was so enthralled by the story. Definitely women's fiction, it also dealt with religious and feminist issues as well as the relationship issues Macomber is known for. I would not consider Changing Habits a mental Twinkie, as I have categorized so many of her other novels. This is a great novel. If you have or have not read Macomber, you will love this book.

For the most part I couldn't put it down, although a little slow in parts. For someone who's not a Catholic, it was a really interesting perspective into a nun's training, life in the convent and what goes into the decision making process of a young girl entering the convent, and ultimately deciding to leave the convent and having to assimilate back into society. I liked the development of characters throughout most of the book, but thought there'd be more to it in the end. I wish she would have gone into more details regarding their lives when they left the convent, and some of the life-changing experiences they had after leaving. All in all, it was really interesting - and I would highly recommend.

Changing Habits by Debbie Macomber was released in 2003. A fine story of three ladies who become nuns as young people. After some years each decide to question their earlier choices. Interesting book. Fans of Debbie macomber will like this the most.

Had there been an in-depth treatment of the motives, situations, and dispositions of the four characters, the premise of this novel could have been intriguing. Unfortunately, the characters are quite one-dimensional, and the situations not treated with any depth. The general effect is of a poor play.

The attraction to convent life is peripheral in all of the subjects, and they do not ultimately confront true convictions or their own motives. The odd effect is of women in young adulthood (all leave the convent while still in their twenties) who are shaken by confronting troubling situations, common in some form to any adult life, and who find some vague solution merely by departing from convent life. The two who marry seem childish and impulsive in the choice (one drawn by a handsome face and the idea that she's got the man to return to church, the other suddenly contemplating marriage to her spiritual advisor, who cannot deal with having a homosexual priest in his parish) - though, at the end, there is a sense of 'happily ever after, one as Catholic, the other renegade.'

Though Macomber writes of an era when convent life was in tumult, neither the overall situation nor a directly related conflict in the lives of the Sisters is treated. The Sister who is unjustly accused of 'doctoring the books' for her own advantage, and the other who blames herself for a student's having a back alley abortion, seem to be running from their first look at tragic but common parts of life. The reader seems to be told that the Sisters are departing from an unfair Church, yet incidents such as these are never developed as quite common paths to mature knowledge of oneself.

The 'fudged' ending has no resolution or purpose. We learn that they have no regret for having been nuns, yet still cannot see what drew them to the life or how leaving was the answer to their problems.

The deficiencies in plot, theme (if indeed there is one), and characterisation are all the more unfortunate because a premise such as this could have been fascinating. The potential for reflecting history, exploring spiritual and psychological aspects, and treating of the complexity of human nature was ignored. We are left with one-dimensional characters who cannot even consider the larger picture of their own community.

What a great beach book! I loved the way the author took 3 young ladies from different areas and time periods and weaved their stories together into a perfect tapestry. What a step back to the 1960s; it evoked many memories. It was fascinating to see how the church changed over the years and the impact it had on the women. From the first page to the last Ms. Macomber has written a compelling novel with no loose ends. Sometimes it seems like authors rush to finish a book, resulting in a weak ending. That is not the case with this one--it's quality through the last tissue in the box! It was my first Macomber book, and it won't be the last.

This book was one that I kept passing over each time I went to the library. For some reason, I was thinking that it wouldn't interest me, but recently, I had run out of things to read and decided what the heck, I'd take a chance on this one.

I'm so glad I did!! It hooked me from the get-go, and I was actually sad when I finished it because I wanted it to continue! Absolute best book I've read in a while!

A must-read, for sure!

This was the best I've read by D. Macomber. Reason? It had depth, showed research as well as being a page turner. Sometimes you read a book and can't delve into the next book because you'still digesting the recently completed book. This book was one of those.

I have never read this before as a different book so it was new for me. Having gone to Catholic School with thoughts of becoming a nun during this very time period, it touched me in how realistic the stories were and all the issues and questions I had at the time. I loved the story development and the characters. Very well written and insightful book.

Very disappointed in how the Catholic Church was portrayed. I've been a Macomber fan for many years. Not sure I'll be able to read another of hers. I felt that only one side of issues were told in the story. Wanted to stop reading in many places in the book but decided to see how it ended. Very disappointing.

This is a touching, thought provoking look at what had and has been the life lived by nuns and priests of the Catholic Church. It is interesting to see the struggles these people had trying to deal with what they were trained for and how life really is.

I enjoy Debbie Macomber's books, generally, but I wonder if this one WAS the abridged version. One story line contained what was essentially a rape, and there was no discussion or consideration about reporting it. Minimally, it should have crossed her mind.

A story of sisters...not just sisters of the heart, but Sisters of the Church. Three women enter religious life. Watching their journey, both in spirit and in life, makes for a tender story of faith, life...and love.
Debbie Macomber is a talented author whose stories always touch me...this one even more than most.

I did nor realize that this was a release from an earlier time. I agree with the others, because that is indeed frustrating and a waste of money to find it's a book you've already read . Since this is the first time reading the book I am truly enjoying it. My sister, was once in the convent and I remember the rituals that she went thru and the adjustment when she left. I really think Macomber did an excellent job researching information for this book. To think I once thought I wanted to be a nun...but then most all Catholic girls thought that at least once in there life.

I absolutely loved this book and the author's style of writing. It was the first book I read by her but it won't be the last. In my opinion, this author works very hard to make her characters believable and interesting. Great book.

I did nor realize that this was a release from an earlier time. I agree with the others, because that is indeed frustrating and a waste of money to find it's a book you've already read . Since this is the first time reading the book I am truly enjoying it. My sister, was once in the convent and I remember the rituals that she went thru and the adjustment when she left. I really think Macomber did an excellent job researching information for this book. To think I once thought I wanted to be a nun...but then most all Catholic girls thought that at least once in there life.

I absolutely loved this book and the author's style of writing. It was the first book I read by her but it won't be the last. In my opinion, this author works very hard to make her characters believable and interesting. Great book.

Interesting perspective of women during time of great change not only during turbulent times in Church but country. Showed lack of career choices for women. Yet, basic struggles about wanting a family and serving God. Showed he lack of any influence in the Church hierarchy.

I really enjoyed the book - it was a novel about 3 teenage girls and their lives and how each one of them ended up joining a convent and becoming a nun. And their journey back to their lives when they left the convent and a reunion with their former nuns. It was an enjoyable journey.

Difficult to read, as a Catholic, even though there was some truth to some of the sentiments in the book. Appears anti-Catholic in some ways, while in others it seems like a cry out for the Church to make some changes that are needed.

I agree with the positive things that the other reviewers said about this book. However, this book left me feeling the same way as I did at the end of Cast Away. There just wasn't enough time spent describing how the sisters assimulated into secular life. 30 years were wrapped up in a chapter or two.
I gave this book 3 stars because while it was good while it lasted at the end I felt down. I won't keep this one in my library to read over again.

I don't know what religion Debbie Macomber is, but this book was anti Catholic. Why not write a novel on the wonderful Nuns who educated so many and have done so much for the poor and needy. I had always enjoyed reading her books, but this will probably be the last one I purchase.

I believe it is her Best! I could not put it down! Growing upon in a Catholic School environment was a positive experience for me,and I was always curious about how they adjusted to all the changes brought about Vatican II.

I recall reading this book when it first came out. It was okay, but nothing really special.

I really dislike the fact that more and more books by authors that are popular are being rereleased with new covers with NO information stating it is a rerelease from years ago. It's only fair to let people know because people that read a lot may not remember they've already read these until they have purchased it.

I've done this more than once and feel RIPPED OFF when this happens. Publishers need to let us know!

I went to a Catholic school and always thought the priest a Principal had to much control over nuns and students. We were lead to believe every thing they said came from God. So many nuns left the Orders that were so strict.

The story is about learning to understand and communicate with each other. They are two people who are learning that it takes time to understand how your partner thinks and operates in order to have a relationship that is lasting and fun.