‘Exposed: A Novel' by Ashley Weis – Book Review

One of the most destructive industries for both the individual involved and the people observing is the pornography industry. In Ashley Weis’ debut novel, ‘Exposed: A Novel,’ she shows the industry from both sides of the lens.

Here is the synopsis of this novel:

Allyson Graham, marriage counselor and lover of love, lived a life of romance few could imagine. Until her husband’s secret addiction stared at her from the computer screen. Will she be able to forgive the man who lied to her all of those precious years?

Follow her painful story alongside the heartbreaking story of Taylor Adams, a young girl searching for her worth in the world. As Allyson struggles to forgive her husband for lying about his addiction, Taylor naively falls into the same self-destructive industry and discovers that the attention and fun is nothing like she thought it would be.

Here is the biography of the author:

Ashley Weis is continuously discovering the beauty after rain with her husband, George, after God rolled back the clouds that casted shadows over their romance. With a heart for hurting hearts, Ashley fights for love and marriages daily on her blog, More than Desire, with hope that one day every marriage will be cleansed of the stains that drench their core.

I was intrigued by this ‘Note to Readers’ that Ashley shared at the beginning of the book:

Throughout these pages you will see the aching truths hidden behind the porn industry’s mask. This is not reality for every porn star, but it is for many. I have chosen to omit language and details to protect the minds of my readers, but the porn industry can be much, much worse than it is portrayed in these pages.

Also, the wife’s story may seem melodramatic to some, but it is loosely based off of my story and the story of many women who write to me. No story is the same and some may be better or worse than the lives I’ve chosen to show in these pages, but for many of us… these stories are painfully real.

The storyline revolves around the lives of Allyson Graham, whose husband is addicted to pornography, and Taylor Adams, who becomes personally enmeshed in the industry. The chapters alternate between their stories.

Taylor had just turned eighteen, and she needed a job. The classified ad in the newspaper piqued her interest – Models 18+ needed, $500 a day. She called the phone number:

          A man’s voice said something, but I couldn’t hear.

          “Hello?” I said.

“Yes, yes,” he said as though a huge smile were on his face. “Andy Cross, how can I help you?”
“I’m sorry, I must have the wrong number.”

“Are you calling about the modeling ad?”

Don’t kid yourself, Taylor, I thought.

“Are you interested in the modeling job? I bet you are. I can tell you’re beautiful just by the sound of your voice.”

Whoa, his words felt like Chapstick to sun-scorched lips. “Um, yes, would you tell me more about it?”

“Sure, would you like to meet for an in-person interview?” (p. 9)

And so began Taylor’s relationship with Andy Cross…

As time went on, Taylor’s life spiraled down. She grew cold and cynical, and cocaine, which she nicknamed ‘Cola,’ was her constant companion. It helped her cope with the lifestyle she was lured into:

To cope with the good news [Chlamydia], I spent the night with Cola. But I got so fearful of Mom finding me that I duct-taped clothes to my windows so no one could see in. I taped and taped and taped my entire apartment until I ran out of tape.

I didn’t want anyone to kidnap me. And the more I taped, the more I knew that the trees outside my window were spying on me and telling Mom everything. After I finally covered every window, I looked at my television and knew it had some kind of video camera lodged in there, watching my every move. So I draped a blanket over it. (p. 51)

On the other side of the industry, Ally discovered that her beloved husband Jessie had an addiction to pornography. That revelation broke all of her personal insecurities to the surface. They had a hard time even going to dinner:

          “Don’t lie to me. Were you looking at her?”

His shoulders dropped.

Another tear trailed my nose. 

“Were you attracted to her?”

“Don’t ask me something like that.”

“Tell me.”

“Yes, I was attracted to her, okay? I didn’t mean to look at her. She just caught my eye and you happened to look at me right when I saw her. I didn’t stare at her like you think.” (p. 57)

During that exchange, I felt sympathy for both of them.

Taylor had a cynical view about God as much as she did about every other aspect of life:

I didn’t believe in prayers. And I didn’t believe people went somewhere when they died. I figured they closed their eyes and said goodbye forever. Nothing next. No reincarnation. No heaven. No hell. No darkness. (p. 91)

Allyson’s relationship with the Lord also suffered during this trying time in her life:

Following Jesus under these circumstances would only worsen things. And I didn’t know what Jesus would do anyway, it’s not like He had to worry about being beautiful to His husband. I needed to believe in myself on this one. (p. 103)

She was shown an example of forgiveness to the extreme from her father; her mother had left him decades ago, but he never gave up on their marriage:

“I made vows to your mother thirty-seven years ago. She can break them all she wants, but I don’t plan to.”

“You mean…what?”

“I love her, Allyson. That’s never changed. Never will.”

“But all she’s done.” I raised my voice. “This. She’d lied, betrayed you, she’d made a mess of my life. How can you possibly forgive her, much less still love her?”

Dad pointed to the clouds. “Because He forgave me.” (p. 112)

Taylor, in particular, saw example after example of judgmental people who proclaimed themselves to be Christ followers. Fortunately, the Lord also brought a couple of ladies into her path who exemplified the love of Christ to her.

In the end, the lives of these two women who were precious in the Lord’s sight crossed paths. I will not divulge how or where it happened, but I was glad for the ending, albeit it was bittersweet.  

I have very limited involvement with pornography, I am grateful to say. I have always believed that it was harmful to the people personally involved in it, but it is clear that it is also devastating to the readers/viewers and their significant others. The pornography industry has long been portrayed as a ‘victimless crime.’ This fictionalized account, which includes many real scenes, makes it clear that there are victims far and wide.

This is the second book I have read with the pornography industry as the main theme; the other book is ‘Scars and Stilettos,’ an autobiography by Harmony Dust (you can read my review here), whose life was redeemed by Jesus Christ. From the small glimpse I have had of this industry, it is so harmful all the way around. I am so grateful that God has shielded me and my husband from this menace, and I pray that that shield stays intact for us. I also pray that this book will be useful for many people to see how God can redeem lives.

A unique aspect of this book is that Ally continues her story in a blog, which is accessible to buyers of this book. Another helpful piece of information is that a portion of the proceeds will be used to support three ministries dedicated to helping those harmed by pornography – CovenantEyes, an accountability software program; XXX Church, and the Pink Cross Foundation.

It is rare for Christian-themed books to address such difficult issues (although less so, thanks to authors like Mary DeMuth, who is listed in Ashley’s Acknowledgement pages). I am grateful to Ashley for bringing this tough theme to the surface and for presenting it in such a compelling and compassionate way. I encourage anyone who wants to get a better perspective on the harm that pornography foists on its participants (both those in the industry and those indulging in it) to read this well-written book.

You can order this book here.

This book was published by Winslet Press and generously provided by the author for review purposes.

‘The Naked Gospel: The Truth You May Never Hear in Church’ by Andrew Farley – Book Review and Giveaway

If one really looks at the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we find that it is fairly simple.  That is the premise of Andrew Farley in his first book, ‘The Naked Gospel: The Truth You May Never Hear in Church.’  Here is the description of this book from the back cover:

Jesus plus nothing.  100% natural.  No additives.  It’s the truth you may never hear in church.  The Naked Gospel is a chapter-by-chapter assault on the churchy jargon and double-talk of our day.  It puts forth a message that is simple but life-changing.  With a fresh take on Scripture and an unapologetic style, The Naked Gospel will challenge you to reexamine everything you thought you already knew.

And here is Andrew’s biography:

Andrew Farley is lead pastor of Ecclesia.  He cohosts Real Life in Christ, a television program that airs on ABC-TV in the West Texas and New Mexico area.  He is a tenured professor of applied linguistics at Texas Tech University and lives in Lubbock, Texas, with his wife, Katharine, and their son, Gavin. 

Here’s an interview with Andrew talking about his book:

There was a book entitled ‘The Naked Gospel’ by Arthur Bury in 1691.  This is how Mr. Bury explained the concept in his book:

The naked gospel [is] discovering what was the gospel which our Lord and his apostles preached; what additions and alterations later ages have made in it; what advantages and damages have thereupon ensued.

Dr. Farley noted that the original ’The Naked Gospel’ was burned by the church of his day. 

In his book, Dr. Farley offers this invitation:

I once thought I knew all about the Christian faith, but it wasn’t until fourteen years after I’d received Christ that I would begin to grasp the real thing.  I’m not talking about another salvation experience or a second blessing.  I’m talking about a return to the foot of the cross and the door of the tomb to learn all over again.

And for me, there was as much unlearning as learning.

With that in mind, I invite you to dive deeply with me toward the indispensible, powerful core of the Christian faith.  I found genuine answers that don’t disappoint.  I’m excited to share them with you.  I’m betting you’ll be surprised at least a time or two along the way.

The real thing has a tendency to do that. (p. 16)

I liked the sound of that!  I have realized over the last few years that I have been exposed to a lot of false teaching in different churches in my lifetime.  I was anxious to see where Andrew was going to take me with this simple journey.

Andrew makes the point that there is a lot of style over substance in many churches today – just as there are in the world:

There’s nothing wrong with top-quality facilities, creative programs, and a genuine sense of community.  But the fundamental question is, “What message are we sharing in our community and within our walls through our programs?”  I believe it’s our substance, not our structure, that is leaving so many stagnant and dissatisfied.  A church may have polished programs, well-trained staff, and dynamic speakers.

But content is what people walk away with. (p. 27)

Andrew also points out that many Christians live such sad and defeated lives that their lifestyle is not attractive to non-believers.  He proposes another way:

So what if there is another way?  What if we could do away with all of the religious guilt and live from delight?  What if we could enjoy so great an intimacy with God that it would seem he was nearly beneath our skin?  What if we could just go through life being ourselves and somehow express Christ along the way?  And what if all of this could come at no expense of our own?  It would mean the religious things could end.  It would mean we wouldn’t have to analyze ourselves and measure our spirituality. (p. 36)

Dr. Farley differentiates between the Old and the New – the Old Covenant with its innumerable rules and regulations, and the New Covenant – Jesus’ death and Resurrection.  When Jesus said “It is finished” on the cross (John 19:30), He meant it!  Yet many Christians live under both Covenants.  Andrew doesn’t mince words about Christians who make that decision:

It’s preposterous for Christians to adopt portions of the law of Moses as our guide for living.  We’re presuming that God grades on a curve.  But the law is completely incompatible with our other attempts to “do our best.”  Law is a pass-or-fail system.  

And one strike means you’re out. (p. 52)

He goes on to say this about those who continue to keep the Ten Commandments after they’ve been saved:

We may think that placing ourselves under the Ten Commandments is a good way to clean house.  But law-directed living has the opposite effect.  The only sensible choice is to allow Christ to be himself through us.  This is God’s way of impacting our lives and placing his life on display. (pp. 57-58)

It’s also another way for Christians to justify keeping control of their lives to themselves instead of yielding it to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  It is difficult for Christians, especially in the success- and achievement-driven society we live in here in the U.S., to accept the gift we have been given.  Andrew points out what is stated in the Bible on that subject:

The author of Hebrews invites us to rest along with God.  We rest by ceasing from the dead works we thought would gain us favor with God.  Rather than performing religious acrobatics to rid ourselves of sins, we can sit down with Jesus.  We can simply agree “It is finished.”  That is entering God’s rest. (p. 66)

Andrew provides a real-life example of how the Naked Gospel idea changed the life of a lady named Barbara:

…We had examined a few dozen Scripture passages about her identity in Christ, her freedom from the law’s demands, and the boundless forgiveness she has in Christ.  She told me that when she set her mind on those truths, she began to experience some relief from her debilitating depression. (p. 86)

Andrew points out the fact that sometimes Christians have a hard time accepting God’s gift of grace through the sacrifice of Christ.  He considers grace to be the secret formula:

Grace is the system that the Holy Spirit uses to counsel and teach us on a daily basis.  Grace is in place, whether or not we’ve sinned recently.  We worry that an absence of law will result in a lifestyle that is out of control.  This concern is natural.  But it contradicts what the Scriptures say about the effects of grace.  Grace isn’t just a treatment for sin; it’s actually the cure for sin!

…Our greatest fear is that we’ll be out of control.  But we were never made for control.  Self-control has always been a natural attribute of the Holy Spirit.  The reason he lives within us is to produce the self-control that we’re afraid we lack under grace. (p. 91)

Dr. Farley points out the biblically sound way to live:

Living a life of dependency on the Spirit is really more than being ourselves.  We were built for it from the ground up.  After all, we are now God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10).  We’re designed for walking in the attitudes and actions that God has already prepared for us. (p. 115)

Dr. Farley sums up ‘The Naked Gospel’ this way:

In short, the real gospel is a bulletproof message that is essentially spiritual common sense from every angle.  It makes biblical and practical sense, and there is no verse in the entirety of the Scriptures that ruins its splendor. (p. 218)

And he expresses what he thinks the apostle Paul would tell us today (p. 208):

          Celebrate the New!

          Learn who you really are!

          And then just be yourself!

I greatly appreciate what Andrew shared in this book.  This basic information is rarely shared in most churches today.  I am grateful I attend a church in which the teaching is solidly biblical – plus we have an awesome building and great technology (I love serving on the Video Tech Team).  I am grateful that Andrew is filling that large void – and pray that many lives will be changed by being made aware of the truth of the Gospel.  I give this book the highest recommendation.   It is biblically based and solid – and provides the truth for the problems of this world – the person of Jesus Christ.

You can download a sample of the book here.

You can order this book here.


This book was provided by Zondervan for review and giveaway purposes.  I am pleased to be participating in the Blog Tour Spot blog tour with these others bloggers.
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I have a copy of this book that I would love to send along to one of you! 

There are several ways to gain entry:

1) Leave a comment here on the blog, telling me what your thoughts are on this book and its message.  Please make sure to leave your email address in this format – sample[at]gmail[dot]com.

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So there are five chances to enter!  Please limit one entry per option.

This giveaway is for U.S. residents only.  The deadline for entry is Thursday, May 13 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST.  A winner will be chosen via the Random Number Generator on Friday, May 14, 2010 and will be contacted via email.  The best to all of you!