California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep.
Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.
Then she meets Michael Hosea, a man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything. Michael obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.
But with her unexpected softening comes overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband’s pursuing love, terrified of the truth she no longer can deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael does…the One who will never let her go.
A powerful retelling of the story of Gomer and Hosea, Redeeming Love is a life-changing story of God’s unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love.
Includes a six-part reading group guide!
What I thought:
I’m sure many of you have read this book, at least that’s how I felt when I first let people know that I was reading this book. So many of my friends expressed shock that I had never read it, many of them reading it while we were in high school and our early college days. Even my mom read it. How did I miss this?! Frankly, I have no clue how I did. Francine Rivers is a name that I’ve heard and seen, and I was surprised to find out that she had previously been a mainstream romance writer. Trust me, she’s got a knack for that particular kind of romance, that is more about the romance and less about anything physical. I would be willing to bet good money that most women know exactly what I’m talking about and are just as much of a succor for it as I am. The emotional connection one feels with someone can be more powerful than anything else. Redeeming Love is just that. It’s an emotional, and spiritual romance novel. I couldn’t put it down. I was absolutely addicted to it.
The story, it was just amazing. What kind of love is this?! It was a beautiful representation of the love Christ has for us. He never gives up on us! Ms Rivers painted a word picture like none I’ve read in a really long time. It is a rather long book but it didn’t feel like it, there was no real slow parts, which is a pet peeve of mine. Everything that was written mattered to the story.
I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone! If you have older teenage daughters…yes!! I’m already looking forward to my next Francine Rivers book. In the Spring of 2014 Francine Rivers’ new book, A Bridge to Haven, which takes places in 1950s Hollywood is being released. I’m so excited!
5 out of 5 Stars
