"Written with tremendous care, skill and confidence … a powerhouse of a book. One of the best first novels I've read in a long time. A captivating story, you really cannot put it down … this book is a definite for the Montana shortlist next year." Listen…

Mary McCallum, author of The Blue, Nine to Noon on Radio New Zealand National

"Susan Pearce's first novel doesn't feel like one; confident, self-assured and accomplished, she is a writer fully fledged. Acts of Love is a good read with great depth, a novel of style and substance … characterised by warmth and tenderness … both compelling and very touching."

Louise O'Brien, The Dominion Post

"Susan Pearce's fascinating debut [is an] intriguing, unusual novel [that] mounts to a crackling finale. In wonderfully assured prose, Pearce shows us both the attractions and the hazards of cloistered religious fellowship … [the] portrayal of life inside the commune is utterly convincing." Read more…

Jolisa Gracewood, New Zealand Listener

"Acts of Love is a very good read … [the] characters and their relationships are perfectly executed … Susan Pearce does an excellent job of detailing a family's functions and dysfunctions." Read more…

Jennifer Van Beyen, The Lumière Reader

"A stunner of a first novel … a compelling read, an impressive debut." Read more…

Graeme Beattie, Beattie's Book Blog