Book Review

                         Redeeming Love
                           By:
                          Lillie Hankel
   
    I am reviewing the book Redeeming Love written by Francine Rivers. This is a fiction book that Francine Rivers wrote. It has got to be the best fiction book I have ever read also. Redeeming Love is such an inspiring story. “It is a life-changing story of God’s unconditional, redemptive, and all-consuming love.” It has a beautiful portrait brought to life through her characters that she created. That is one of the things I am going to share with you, the characters.
    The lead of the book is from the Prologue. Alex Stafford was just like Mama said. He was tall and dark, and Sarah had never seen anyone so beautiful. Even dressed in dusty riding clothes, his hair damp with perspiration, he was like the princes in the stories Mama read. Sarah’s heart beat with wild joy and pride. None of the other fathers she saw at Mass compared to him.
    Sarah had, I would say, a very lonely life and dark life. She was raised with a loving mother and an unloving father. Sarah was not a planned child but her mother loved her to death. Sarah was always a happy, fun, and loving girl when she was a child. She loved life and she wanted the best for her family. Being so little, it takes courage for that. When the worst things comes for her that she wouldn’t ever have imagined, her total personality changes and the way she views her life and everything in-between.
    When her mother dies, everything changes. She is sold into prostitution and only as a child. And her name changes to Angel, by the man that bought her. As a child and having to live in fear and hatred the rest of her life is a scary thing. The only way she survives is by keeping this fear and this hatred alive. Who she hates the most are the men who use her and leave her feeling empty and dead inside. Making herself feel like junk. Angel really doesn’t care about life that much anymore. When she meets Michael Hosea though, the way she views life changes for her.
    The way the story is plotted is, through love. She doesn’t have anyone to love her after her mother had died. Through one mans love for her though, she learns the truth about what love really is.
     When she meets Michael Hosea, things start to change. Michael obeys God’s call to marry Angel and love her unconditionally. Everyday Michael goes to Angel. He never hurts her or uses her, He wants to talk. “Day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation, until her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.” Even though all the love, unconditional love she has gotten from this man, Angel runs away. She has overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear of the past. She runs back to darkness, away from her husband’s pursuing love, terrified of the truth, she can’t deny anymore. She must heal from the only One that loves her, the One that loves her more than Michael ever could, the One that will never, ever let her go.
    My favorite part of the book is when Angel starts to fall in love with this man that is so dear to her and so caring. Little by little, Angel falls in love and it takes awhile for her to actually fall in love with Michael. Michael doesn’t want to hurt Angel so it is so cute how he loves her and he makes her feel like she is worth something. It is so strong and unconditional. It shows that love should not be used in the wrong ways. Michael shows that and he doesn’t do anything that she wouldn’t want to do. Love is something beautiful and wonderful. Love wasn’t supposed to be something gross. It was to be beautiful and amazing. God made love for something special. Michael follows God’s ways in doing that and makes it wonderful.
    This book is about strength, courage, and love. I love this book cause it is so inspiring and it gives a wonderful message. It tells that the One will never leave you and he is always there. Angel didn’t know of the One God until Michael. She didn’t know that someone could love her with an unconditional love, with a love that is so pursuing, a love that can’t leave her, can’t let go.
    I think others should read this book cause it is amazing. It shows a love so deep and a love that is so powerful, a love that one another doesn’t, can’t have. Redeeming Love shows so much courage. From a little girl who goes into prostitution, to trying to find out what real love is from beginning to end it shows faith. Having faith in someone so hard to love and not even know. Redeeming Love shows a certain love of a, redeeming love, a love from the only One.

                                The End