Review: Can God redeem what appears to be lost?
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 27, 2014
At the age of 16, Holly comes home to find her parents dead! Her "father" found out that he was not Holly's biological father and so killed his wife before turning the gun on himself.Fast forward to Holly now running a bridal business with her friend Anya, and married to Hunter whose first wife left him and whose mother also had an affair. Hunter is very jealous and doesn't trust Holly, although he tries. Holly has never told him about her past as she knows how he feels about adultery. Although both in church, Holly is the more active one with Hunter just "seeing" too many hypocrites.Although they both love each other, Holly battles with her desire for Hunter daily. She tries to keep her passions tuned down as she thinks that will make Hunter trust her. Why does she think this way? Once she moved in with her real day, her stepmother hounded her, always telling her that if she showed too much passion it would eventually lead to sin and she would end up like her mother.When Seth enters the picture, he understands how Holly feels as he lost his wife 6 months ago in a tragic accident. Sadly she had just confessed to an affair and all he had done was yell at her. He tells her that she needs to share everything with Hunter. When she finally does, Hunter goes off on a deliberately long business trip and yes, adultery occurs.Will there ever be forgiveness? Is there hope when as individuals, they really turn their lives over to the Lord, the healer of everything?I have to admit that this was, in many ways, a hard book to read. At the beginning I just wanted to yell at Hunter and Holly to go seek counseling. Professional Christian counseling could have made the difference and so it frustrated me that as Christians neither of them thought to go that route. HOWEVER I also realize that this is a work of "true to life" fiction and it was important to show how God alone can bring about redemption. This book is dark and sad at times along with making you realize how as parents, our words to our children can either cause damage or bring healing.There were quite a few editing errors, nothing too major but still distracting at times.SO if you are looking for a cushy romance, don't read this. IF however, you like to read "real life" fiction and maybe you have some friends that this has happened to and need to understand them better, even helping guide them towards healing then this is a book for you.