Review: Bishop Street by Rene D. Schultz

Title: Bishop Street
Author: Rene D. Schultz
Pages: 332
Published: Feb. 28, 2014
Genre: Drama/ Women's Fiction
Review: ebook

Bishop Street is an emotional, gut-wrenching journey of survival, friendship, and second chances...

This story is about four powerful friendships that begin at Bishop Street Orphanage. It becomes tainted with lies and deceit, after they leave at eighteen.
Margaret Gray for the past twenty years has hidden behind a facade of normalcy. Now at thirty-nine, her childhood nightmares are back. Despite a successful writing career, and a flawless reputation, she is unable to keep all that she has built from crumbling around her. It’s been twenty years since she’s heard from her friends. Why didn't they answer her letters? Why didn’t they contact her? Had they survived? Or... had Sister Theresa at the orphanage deceived them with lies, aiming to destroy their friendship, forever?
With nothing left to fear, Maggie hires Damon Depre, a private investigator to find her friends, and seek the truth. This starts her down a twisted path that will once again, test her strength of character. Will she find more than just her friends?

I have heard a lot of good things about this book and I was so glad that I was finally able to read it.

We follow Maggie as she is a successful writer, but lately she is being plagued by nightmares of living in the Bishop Street Orphanage with her three friends that meant the world to her. She feels guilty because she left them behind but she had no choice because she was 18 she had to leave. 

Now she wants to take on the steps to finding them and reconnecting! I think this is amazing. She hires a handsome P.I. to help her find them and then our journey begins as we follow Maggie find her friends Elizabeth, Randolph, and Lucy. Each of these people have gone down a different path and it is not all roses and sunshine for them. Now I like each of the characters in their own way. But for me Maggie seemed a little bit too much of a pushy person especially when it came to doing nice things for people especially Elizabeth. I could understand where Elizabeth was coming from on wanting to pay for things on her own but Maggie kept insisting. Now I did see the big heart that Maggie had so in a way I could understand the pushiness but it did feel overbearing. 

We enter into the lives of each character and see where they were in the past and how they ended up in the future. One character who is just a best friend of Maggie's I liked her. Denise is a witty character who likes to keep Maggie on her toes and it was great to read her being sarcastic every now and then. One character that my heart broke from and I was amazed at how her story was turning out was Lucy. She is in a bad way but Maggie never once gave up on her, it felt real with Lucy and what she has endured. It just goes to show that cycles can be repeated but it is up to YOU to change them. And I think Lucy was finally starting to see that. The ending had my eyes watering as I just could not believe it was a dream come true for Lucy, she needed the happiness in her life more than anything. 

It honestly is amazing that even though they all were together when they were young, went their separate ways, they all came back together and can help each other heal. 

This is a very touching story and one that I recommend to everyone. Pick it up. 

I’m divorced and I live in a small community just north of Los Angeles where I raised my two sons. I love to garden, try new recipes, take lots of pictures, and occasionally I enjoy a glass of wine with dear friends. I’ve never jumped out of a plane, climbed Mt. Everest, or seen the Northern Lights of Alaska. But, I have danced in the rain, sent a message in a bottle, and I’ve rode my motorcycle down The Pacific Coast Highway on sunny California days!

After my divorce, I waltzed into the world of online dating. I didn’t find my knight-in-shining armor, but instead in 2008, I wrote a very successful book on my entertaining experiences. My first book “Searching4MrRight.com” was published by a small press and you can find it on Amazon.

My first fiction novel “Bishop Street” is coming out July 2013. This story is about four powerful friendships that begin at Bishop Street Orphanage. It continues with lies and deceit after they leave at eighteen. Then, twenty years later, redemption plays out and ultimately the strength that got them through their childhood becomes the catalyst that binds them back together.
My passion of writing has lead me on the most amazing journey. Now, my focus is on fiction. I thrive on developing strong storylines that showcase today’s contemporary lifestyles. Rags to riches, Robinhood, and surviving the odds, seems to be my one common denominator that showcases my fascinating and diverse characters.