Redeeming Love

A friend gave me A Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers and that was IT--I was hooked. Rivers is hands down my favorite biblical historical fiction writer. Redeeming Love is definitely engaging. I looked forward to reading it each day. I read faster to learn if Michael would rescue Angel/Sarah. It's descriptive without being wordy. The characters are well developed. I have finished Redeeming Love and look forward to starting one of Rivers's three-book series. I had purchased a book of the same genre by another author and am currently reading it until my next Rivers purchase arrives (in a few days). It just doesn't have the engaging characteristic Rivers's writing has. It's an okay read. Consider, though, that this is purely subjective because it has a near five-star rating, which was instrumental in my buying it. A Lineage of Grace and Redeeming Love are excellent reads by Rivers. If they're too pricey for you, consider buying used books or checking with your local library for availability: you get the same reading pleasure for less. Happy Reading!

So a good friend recommended this book to me for my wife. There were themes that she would relate to, and it would likely help her process a lot of her life. Well, for her protection, I thought I'd read it myself first. Yes, a late 30s male reading a 'romance' novel. I don't even like novels outside of Westerns. In any case, before the prologue was even finished, I was wrecked-- in a good way. God used this book, and is still using this book, on SO many levels for me. I was sober at home for a good week. My wife kept wondering what was wrong. Well, nothing was wrong. God was just plowing my heart in so many ways. And while I was embarrassed a little being moved by fiction and the characters, I recognized there are, and have been, many, many Angels, and Luckys, and Michaels in the world. There are real people in these situations. Probably not all situations at once, but each situation, there is a man, woman, or child who knows exactly the feeling of the scene. And that is painful, but necessary to realize. God uses it to change us to action. A few examples, this book immediately awakened my position as a father, especially to my daughter. I desire to love her so much better and be much more careful of my words and actions. The book also destroyed so many walls in my heart, specifically concerning relationships, bitterness, anger, forgiveness, marriage, and worth before Jesus. I don't think there's an area of my life it has not touched. Thus, I'm reading it again, only slower this time, and journaling it. The first time I could rarely put it down and even read it at work! The biggest impact this book made was on my marriage. It really helped me realize I was not loving my wife well at all, when I self-righteously thought I had been. In reality, in tension, I would digress and escape, instead of embracing and affirming her. While my bride does not have a history is a similar career, there were countless times when the life of Angel mirrored my wife's life exactly. Comments Angel makes, situations she is caught in, abuses she receives, lies she was taught. Therefore, I was able to identify with my wife and it has lead to me beginning to love her much more like Christ loves His bride, and not above her as if holier. Likewise, Michael Hosea puts me to shame, though he is a flawed, but faithful husband who wrestles with God, and accepts God's plan and sovereignty over all. He is patient and godly. He walks with Jesus well, while confessing his struggles. He helps her see he is just as wicked and undeserving before God. I also fell in love with Angel, and had compassion throughout. It was not what I expected. There is reader frustration seeing her run, but I also understood every single time. She never ran because she loved other men. I saw her past, youth, wounds, hardness, pain, self-sufficiency. And I had compassion throughout. I think it's what the Lord wants us to feel. I've tended to have a harshness towards the 'adult' themes of life. And of course it's an area for caution. But this book has led me to call out for liberation of those held captive. I believe very few caught in lifestyles of any realm of the sex industry or trafficking likely do NOT wish to be there, but have found themselves there nonetheless. So I am crying out for God to liberate the trapped, helpless girls who face this brutal gauntlet. Man's selfishness runs deep and without regard for the devastation it causes on others. The other characters of the book are simply fascinating, and each has a personality. Again, this is brilliant writing. But it also adds significant sub-stories to the already great book. I also love how Francine uses the latter portions of the book to reveal unknowns in the beginning. Normal I'm sure in novels, but since I don't read them, I'm not used to it! Fascinating from start to finish, and absolutely saturated in scripture and the gospel of Jesus. If I could, I would give Francine a huge hug. She, by the Spirit, has written a masterpiece, albeit 20 years ago now. And Praise God, it has changed my life. I'd like to buy this book in bulk from the publisher. I'd like to give it away. I think it can impact almost anyone. At the same time, as in my wife, I need to talk with her before having her read it. It is a heavy and beautiful book, which is amazing. But it can also be too heavy, if a person is not at a good place to absorb the emotion. As one reviewer put it, this book was clearly an anointing on Francine Rivers. Only God above could create such a story through his own people. So be ready for God to dig deep into your life, male or female, and bring to the surface emotions and judgments that needs exposed, rooted, or healed. I'm praying God never allows me to stop feeling the truth He has shown me in this book.

On my top 5 list this book stands as a monumental work in the landscape of Christian fiction, delivering a powerful retelling of the biblical story of Hosea and Gomer set during the California Gold Rush. This novel transcends mere storytelling, weaving a narrative rich with themes of forgiveness, grace, and the relentless nature of divine love. Rivers transforms a classic tale into an immersive experience, capturing the hearts of readers and leaving an indelible mark on the soul. From the outset, "Redeeming Love" introduces us to Angel, a woman whose life has been shaped by betrayal, hardship, and despair. Her journey is one of stark contrasts, from the depths of hopelessness to the heights of redemption, guided by the unwavering love of Michael Hosea, a man called by God to love her unconditionally. Rivers masterfully portrays the complexities of Angel's resistance and eventual surrender to love, mirroring the human struggle with accepting unmerited grace. What sets "Redeeming Love" apart is not just its compelling narrative but its profound spiritual insights. Rivers delves deep into the essence of God's love for humanity, showcasing it as persistent, patient, and transformative. Through the relationship between Angel and Michael, readers are offered a glimpse into the heart of the gospel, presented in a context that is both relatable and deeply moving. The novel's setting during the California Gold Rush adds layers of authenticity and richness to the story. Rivers' meticulous research is evident in her vivid descriptions of the era, from the bustling streets of mining towns to the untamed beauty of the American West. This backdrop serves as the perfect canvas for a story about finding treasure not in gold but in the human heart transformed by love. "Redeeming Love" is also a testament to Rivers' skill as a writer. Her prose is both elegant and accessible, with a narrative pace that enthralls and captivates. Each character is meticulously crafted, their stories interwoven with themes of redemption that resonate with universal appeal. Rivers does not shy away from the darkness in human nature but confronts it with the light of hope, making the story's moments of joy and revelation all the more powerful. In conclusion, "Redeeming Love" is far more than a novel; it is an exploration of the depths of God's redeeming love for each of us. Francine Rivers has created a masterpiece that challenges, comforts, and ultimately inspires. This book is a beacon for anyone searching for a story of hope in the midst of despair, a narrative of a love that overcomes the greatest of obstacles. Whether you're a longtime fan of Christian fiction or a newcomer to Rivers' work, "Redeeming Love" is a must-read, a journey of the heart that will leave you transformed and reaffirmed in the power of redemptive love.

This book touched my heart in so many ways. It held up a mirror to my soul and helped me to look at my own life. A self righteous sinner wanting love and understanding while making snap judgements, being irritated by others failings and judging them while thinking I am better than them while covered in filth and still God loves me and washes me clean with such pure love. I am lost and found at the same time. God forgive me and thank you for loving me no matter my many failings. I am Angel and Paul. God bless you all. May this book lead you back to God and I pray that it touches you as it has me. Please listen to that small still voice. He loves you so much. Deserving doesn't even come into it. Amen.

Despite its 464 pages, I read this book straight through in one day. Sarah (aka Angel) is born out of wedlock to a charismatic, handsome man who provides for her mother and visits her in her cottage home as romantic escapes from his wife and children. He meets Sarah for the first time at age 5 or 6, and after things unravel between him and Sarah's mother. Sarah's mother can't stop her obsessive loving and longing for him, and it is her downfall into a life of poverty and prostitution. Upon her mother's death at age 8, Sarah is handed over to a Pedophile pimp and settles into every imaginable horror of a life of prostitution over the next dozen years. Rivers does an amazing job of creating a gritty novel where none of what happened is held back but still keeping the novel to a "PG-13". After Michael Hosea comes into the picture and puts into motion a very different sort of existence, things are far from "happily ever after." Life is very much a long, hard row. Sarah struggles with Michael's motivation and his permanency, with her defiled, unworthiness, fear of a different type of enslavement, and is continually tempted to go back into the lifestyle she's known for most of her life. The only slight criticism of the book is that for the first 75% of it "religion" was kept out of it and the focus was very much as a unique relationship with God. Towards the end there was a bit of "non-denominational" religious rhetoric that pulled me out of the story, e.g., increased scripture quoting, daily bible reading, going into a Church for "fellowship", people flocking to the alter to "accept Jesus as Lord and Savior," did those things happen like that in the 1800's? The one-one human-God relationship and personal ways of speaking to people (like through the sunset on the hill) prevalent through the novel were so much more powerful. I love the way God speaks to the main characters in the book as a small still voice and how He always addresses them as Michael, beloved. Or Sarah, beloved. Sarah struggles as well with the voice of a demon in her head, encouraging her to pursue her fears and self-destructiveness. Michael's love for Sarah enables a physical escape, but it takes accepting God's love that washes her clean and transforms her enabling her to fully receive the love of a man. "Spin the Plate" has many of the same themes - The destructive power of horrific fathering; "Love" as a four letter word; a Godly man as the bridge to redemption; the still, small voice of God guiding, healing, transforming; the heroine going back into the hell she's escaped to bring other's out of it. There are so many wonderfully beautiful quotes in this book, such as the inherent danger in loving another and tying it to the Christian theme of new life through death: "Falling in love meant you lost meant you lost control of your emotions and your life. It meant you lost yourself. And couldn't risk that. Even with this man." Another of my favorite themes is that no matter how horrible Sarah is to Michael, he sees through it and loves her just the same. This part was one of the many that made me smile and cry: "She destroyed his dreams, and he made her wind chimes."

Redeeming Love is a beautiful story, based on the book of Hosea in the Bible. It is not an exact re-telling, and I was glad, thinking, if Angel ends up having kids by other men the way Gomer did, I'm not going to like this book. So never fear. I wasn't disappointed, and I don't think you'll be either. Angel has lived through hell. Her life is marked by rejection and hardship. At age eight, her mother dies. She is sold to a child molester, and then eventually into prostitution. As a teenager, she escapes and travels west to California, hoping for a new start. But she doesn't have any useful skills, and so she turns back to prostitution, having no other way to survive. She doesn't know love, and she doesn't believe in God. All she knows is that she should have never been born. Michael Hosea is a man of God who yearns for a wife. He is excited when God points Angel out to him as the one, and dismayed to learn that she is a prostitute. Still, he marries her, and day by day he courageously pursues her cold, dead heart, believing that one day she will fall in love with him and become the wife he longs for. There are people who thought this book a little too risque for their tastes. I thought Rivers did a fantastic job of keeping it clean, especially considering that it is about a prostitute who has endured unspeakable horrors. There are places when she and Michael are being intimate "on scene", but nothing is described or detailed. Rivers only gives insight into their emotions and conversation. Though the prologue is long, it did help me understand where Angel was coming from. If Rivers had introduced me to Angel when she was an embittered prostitute and offered her back story in little bits and pieces, I might not have been sympathetic toward her. The characters were beautifully crafted, but I will say that Michael seemed a little too good to be human in places. I did appreciate his temper and doubts, but he was on speaking terms with a certain character way too fast in my opinion. I did not like Paul at all. I didn't even feel sorry for him for losing his wife. I would have been happy if he had remained a miserable lonely man for the rest of his life. (Yes, I disliked him that much.) And here's where Rivers' talent comes in: she took Paul, a character I wanted to spit at, and had me forgiving him in the last few chapters. Wow. I want to write like Francine Rivers when I grow up. What is it about Francine Rivers' books? She doesn't get fancy with her words or sentences. Her stories aren't packed with adventure or humor. But there's something about them. There's something that draws you into the story and holds you there until the end. Maybe its the unique characters and their life-like emotions and struggles. Or Rivers' honest heart spilling onto every page. Perhaps its the powerful message of redemption and grace, so naturally woven through the plot. Pick up one of Rivers' books. You'll see what I mean. And like me, you'll probably add her to your list of favorite authors to watch.

My favorite book of all time! I bought this back in 2017, my first ever Christian romance novel to read. My bank teller was reading it every time I would go in and wrote down the title for me, which I carried around in my wallet for months before finally buying it. OMG! I have never read a book to this day that grabbed me like this one. I not only cried, but sobbed at the end of it! There is nothing like God’s redeeming grace and love He has for us. If you have not read this book, don’t hesitate one second to buy it, you will not regret it, then consider buying the movie. Francine Rivers’ other books are all good too, but this one is just special.

The movie drew me in and I just had to get the book. I ordered the book the SAME day after seeing the movie and received the book the very next day!! Once I started reading this beautiful story, I finished in 48 hours. I could have sat and read straight through in about 10 hours. The movie is good but the book is beautiful and way more detailed and full and rich and God oriented. They would need a mini series in order to do the book true justice. It is a story that draws you in, tugs at your heart and touches your soul. This is a book that I will revisit again and again. Along with my all-time favorite, “Christy“, this book is now my second favorite book. It took them 25 years to finally make a movie and I’m so glad they did. Some have commented with negative reviews saying that Michael is abusive. Michael is firm. Michael constantly shows love and concern always forgiving and loving Sarah/Angel with a committed love that will never lessen growing deeper each day. Through Michael, God was drawing Sarah to himself creating her as His workmanship. It took time and patience on the part of Michael and God through Michael to mold and reach the defiant, rebellious, contemptuous, hurt and fearful heart of Sarah. It required self sacrifice on the part of Michael. But in the end their life was full of pure joy, fulfillment companionship, endearing friendships and a home full of love. This book draws you closer to God when you understand and allow to touch your heart the nuggets of Biblical truth found in this book. You will rejoice with Sarah, you will fear with Sarah, you will cry for Sarah and you will hurt for both Michael and Sara. But in the end, God works it all out to their amazing and wonderful best.

Highly recommend this book, I’ve never read a book as good as this so far, I couldn’t stop at one chapter and binge read it and finished in few days. Love love love this.

My favourite book for sure. I have in it physically in Portuguese and on my kindle in English

It is mind blowing what a human can endure and still come out on top - Love never fails

I bought this book simply because it was in Amazons suggestion list. I dislike reading any stories that have to do with christianity/bible, its been rammed into me all my life. But this book came from the heart. Every time the text said prayer I could substitue meditate, or another word. When it used the word god, it was the god of my heart and not the god/bible, if you know what I mean. I cried at the end of the book, I sat there in front of the fire blubbering through my tears. This book offered me a notion of love and a knowing of the universe that I had not experienced. Its one of those books that if you let it wash over you it will wash away lots and lots of dried up, negative crud that blocks the view of beauty. Its not for everyone, but it touched me very deeply.

It was a hard book, as I felt all that Angel was going through. But I persevered and so glad I did!!! Amazing book.