Book Review - Redeeming Love

Yet another one of those have to read in one sitting books. I tried but at 4am I fell asleep - not because the book was boring but because I had only slept 3 hours the night before staying up to read then worked for 12 hours, made dinner, then started this book. This old body just can't get by on 3 hours of sleep 2 nights in a row. Redeeming Love is by Francine Rivers. This book I can't rave enough about.......I give it a 5+ of 5. It had all the elements of love, Christianity, sex, frustration, humility, and expectation all wrapped up in a powerful work of art.

Here is an synopsis from the author's website:

Can God’s Love Save Anyone?
Best-selling author Francine Rivers skillfully retells the biblical love story of Gomer and Hosea in a tale set against the exciting backdrop of the California Gold Rush. The heroine, Angel, is a young woman who was sold into prostitution as a child. Michael Hosea is a godly man sent into Angel’s life to draw her into the Savior’s redeeming love. This remarkable novel has sold over a million copies globally and has been a fixture on the CBA bestsellers list for nearly a decade. A six-part reading guide, suitable for individual use or group discussion, is included in this best-selling novel.

Story Behind the Book
“Writing Redeeming Love was a form of worship for me. Through it, I was able to thank God for loving me even when I was defiant, rebellious, contemptuous of what I thought being a Christian meant, and afraid to give my heart away. I had wanted to be my own god and have control of my life the way Eve did in the Garden of Eden. Now I know to be loved by Christ is the ultimate joy and fulfillment. Everything in Redeeming Love was a gift from the Lord: plot, characters, theme. None of it is mine to claim.”

I read a wide variety of books but this one went straight to my heart. It is the first Christian book that told the story as it happens in real life and rather than in who or what we are supposed to be as Christians. The Christian theme is not overwhelming but is a continuous thread throughout the book. Once read, you feel redeemed and celebrate Sarah and Michael's ultimate joy and fulfillment they find when they finally understand God's unconditional, redemptive, and all consuming love.