Review: A Lovely story of grief, recovery, faith and love
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 22, 2013
I absolutely love a good contemporary inspirational, particularly if it has something different.  This book met my expectations and then some.The slow build of Gabriella's and Ryan's relationship is juxtaposed against the undertow of grief and loss in both of their families.  For Ryan and his two children it is his wife, who died two years ago.  For Gabriella it is her mother's death, followed by her difficult relationship with father and his death. And Mandy, the difficult bride-to-be, serves as the perfect catalyst to bring everyone to an understanding of what is really going on in their lives.Untangling the Knot works on all levels. The children are realistically drawn and tug at the heartstrings throughout the book, while at the same time demonstrating they can be just as bratty as the next kid.  Gabriella's faith and belief is like many church-going parishioners. It is natural and based on a child-like acceptance, rather than an adult's full understanding of the commitment and the ability to accept both the pain and the love it can bring.  Ryan, the groom-to-be, serves as the opposite of Gabriella. Someone who has closed himself off form love, faith, and emotion as a whole. He moves the world saying and doing all the right things, but refusing to feel.Each of these five characters are expertly interwoven, simultaneously living a tangled outward life while carrying burdens of an inner life.  It is the way in which they come together, fall apart, and reunite that makes the amazing work of a healing presence real.  The secondary characters of Ryan's mother and the Priest also play important supporting roles.Both Christians and those who simply believe in finding and knowing love, in all its guises, will appreciate this book and be pulling for each person to find healing and love. I absolutely highly recommend this book.I received an ebook copy as part of a blog tour and in return for an honest review.