In Order to Be Fearless, Two Friends Have to Confront the Past

There’s nothing better than a book that focuses on friendship and faith, and Hallie Lee has a great series, the Shady Gully Series, that kicks off in Paint Me Fearless and goes through the series dealing with all the difficulties of young adulthood and into all the “adulting” that comes the older you get. A Reader’s Favorite winner, this book dives into the past and uncovers a lie that threatens everything.

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In Order to Be Fearless, Two Friends Have to Confront the Past

I don’t know why Hallie Lee makes me think of a contemporary(ish) Anne and Diana in Louisiana, but… there you have it. This award-winning book/series offers a look into the community of Shady Gully and all that goes with it. Meet folks who have known each other for decades and new people who shake things up, and in the end, a lie from the past shakes the foundation of a friendship forged in those turbulent teen years.

You’ll love Hallie Lee’s writing–almost lyrical without being cumbersome. And whooeee… there are three books available (on audio, too!) but it sounds like Hallie has plans for more in this series.

And remember when I said it had four FIVE-STAR reviews? Yeah, in just a month it’s at 88 reviews and 95% of those are FIVE-STAR REVIEWS!

Paint Me Fearless by Hallie Lee

It’s the spring before high school, and Desiree (Desi) and Robin have little in common.

Robin has lived in the small town of Shady Gully, Louisiana her whole life, while Desi comes from the big city of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Robin’s family is devout, reserved, and dedicated to church. Desi has never been to church, her parents are divorced, and her mom, Sunny, is as flamboyant as they come.

When Desi is introduced in class, Robin hates her on sight. But fate draws these two alienated girls to one another, and an alliance born of necessity soon evolves into an affection that endures. Together they become a force strong enough to overcome mean girls, weight hang-ups, and disturbing family dynamics.

As their paths diverge and they raise families of their own, rumors of a shocking betrayal ignite old insecurities, and the three-strand cord of their friendship begins to unravel.

Just when it seems they have lost everything, the truth brings them full circle … to Desi’s long-buried trauma, and to Robin’s obsessive quest for perfection.

In their brokenness, they come to realize there is only one true way to fill the emptiness inside, to quiet the lies, and to ultimately become… fearless.