In this coming of age memoir a young woman in the 1970s follows her brother into a new religious group soon to be branded as a cult. She must quickly navigate the fine line between an outside world bent on breaking her faith and an inside world of austerity and impossible goals. Maneuvering the two worlds becomes crucial not only for the realization of her personal dreams, but for the sake of a nation spiraling out of control. Eileen has left friends, family and college for an all-consuming cause not knowing the outcome, but fueled by the belief that if she cannot fulfill this quest - no matter its cost - a spiritual Armageddon will come to the world and a legacy of destruction for those to follow. Fundraising from the coal mining territory of West Virginia to America's heartland, she experiences, on one hand, the nation's deep divisions, and, on the other, endless giving and bountiful grace. At the heart of The Gosling Bride is a story about the adverse road to real love and the reality of a God who never gives up on us. In The Gosling Bride, Williams examines her deep-dive experience in the Unification Church after leaving her family and childhood hometown. Williams and her other team members lived a nomadic life in the 1970s, as the 'boots on the ground' 24/7 to fundraise and spread the word of the Church, often in depressed and distressed cities. The book culminates in her marriage to a man she just met at the largest mass wedding ever recorded. Handcuffed by her past experiences, Williams works to find her inner strength and confidence while balancing an unyielding faith in the face of those who believe she's in a cult. This coming-of-age story explores how to overcome the insurmountable and stay and grow in faith when so much adversity faces you. The Gosling Bride took me by surprise. The reader will discover that Williams is a great writer from the get-go. The story comes alive right out of the gate as Williams layers her beautiful use of analogies to connect the 1970s to current times. Williams' writing style also allows readers to recognize where the author's emotions lie immediately. Williams' writing flow and pace are fast and fluid when writing about people she loves in the book and becomes short, clipped, and dark when describing haunting incidents and abusive characters. And stay tuned to the ending, where she tidies the story up with the most creative and poetic finish. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I learned about the Unification Church and how tumultuous it was to be a member in the 1970s. Williams does a great job relating this story to the readers, especially readers like me, who never lived during this time or have heard of the Unification Church. The book was full of surprises, some heartbreaking and troubling, around every corner and city Williams writes about. I also appreciated that Williams does not push her faith. In fact, the reader may not be sure whether she is still in the Unification Church or not. The book was a good time for me to reflect on keeping the faith and that ordinary people may just be saints in the making. REVIEWED BY: Susan Griggs, Reedsy Discovery A true coming of age memoir, The Gosling Bride by Eileen Bader Williams is about growing up in the tumultuous seventies and its esoteric religious fervor, as she and her brother join a group that closely resembles a cult. Telling the story of being removed from Catholic school in her teenage years, struggling to form relationships with adults as she grew up, and her experience with faith, Williams' story is told with both seriousness and endearing humor. Through her travels, she grows into a woman and discovers she has been on the road to true love her entire life, telling a story of faith about herself and the country writ large. The story moves at a steady pace, and the lively and humorous writing style makes Williams' memoir an engaging and inspiring read from start to finish. - Self Publishing Review Williams has an unusual way of expressing herself. She is honest and knows when to use irony and analogies. The Gosling Bride is largely a fun read and I loved the moments of humor. Life had its difficult moments, although these are always told with objectivity. It was exciting to learn from such an intense story. In addition, I liked it because it has many cultural references relating to those times. The book is perfect for inspiring us to keep going, just as Eileen did. REVIEWED BY: Diana Lopez, Readers' Favorite Eileen has a very unique way of expressing herself. She was very honest about everything that happened from her childhood to her womanhood. Her writing style has a way of connecting readers to her emotions. Her words flow very quickly and easily. She writes in a heroic yet sweet way. I love how she portrayed her journey as an insecure, ignorant young girl that left college for something she wasn't certain about. I love how she was able to make her experience in the 1970s a relata