You know that feeling you get when you're turning page after page of a fantastic book? It's thrilling, gripping, consuming. You just want to finish it, to find out what happens in the end? But then, as soon as you read the last word on the last page there's a pit of sadness in your stomach. You wish the story would just go on and on. You don't want to find another "good book" because you just finished reading the best story of all time.
That's how I've felt every since Wednesday morning, right after I finished the last 20 pages in Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I flew through this book. I just couldn't put it down. (And that's not normally the case with me and books. I love a good book, but it's rare that I'm totally caught up in the story I'm reading.) Last Friday, my husband and I went to our little local library.
(Side note: can we just say how much we miss our awesome library system in Michigan and our branch of the library where the librarians knew our names, had our books ready, loved talking with us, and were genuinely sad to see us leave. It was a really big library too, and they knew us and liked us. We weren't an annoyance to them, but their faces seemed to light up every time we walked in the door. I miss that. |end rant| )
On a whim I decided to check out this familiar title to see if I would I would enjoy it. I had heard the basic premise of the story (Hosea's saga), and I'd thoroughly enjoyed 2 other books by Francine Rivers And the Shofar Blew and The Scarlet Thread. Shhhhuuure. Why not?! I needed another book to read anyways.
The preface to this novel was absolutely heartbreaking gut-wrenching. I didn't know how I could go on reading. But something kept me going, calling me in deeper and deeper into the lives of Angel and Michael. And before I knew it, I was closing the book for the last time, having been moved so deeply by these characters and their close connection with the biblical story of Hosea.
I don't want to say much about the story. I would give it all away. But I encourage every woman to read this book. It is soul-stirring--a beautiful picture of redemption and restoration, depicting the way our God seeks us out in all our wretchedness and loves us without condition.
I pray your heart will be moved as mine was.
One of my favorite books {and authors}. Totally agree! A MUST read!!
ReplyDeleteIt's in my top five no doubt. I read this book while I was in college for the first time and I'm not completely sure that it didn't have an impact on my decision to become a social worker. A great book!
ReplyDeleteit is also one of my favorite books! hard to read sometimes but its a story that I can read again and again
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved this book. Loved. it. So glad to see others liked it just as much, too! I haven't read anything else by her, but thanks for the suggestions! :)
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