If people are curious as to whether this original paperback differs significantly from the new version, I'm sorry to say that I'm unable to answer that query. The reason being that I read the 'clean' version back in 2012. So, when I commenced reading this paperback, I didn't recall a great deal. Consequently, I can't precisely identify what was different. Nevertheless, I can state that it wasn't a 'dirty' version. There were perhaps more descriptions of body parts and some sexual acts (though still not overly explicit). I'm glad I reread this book and that I still remembered certain details. The prologue was extremely challenging to read and was truly heart-wrenching. Angel has been betrayed by everyone in her life, so one can hardly fault her for not trusting anyone and having non-existent self-worth. Michael Hosea is almost saintly in the way he forgave everything. Angel truly put his patience and self-control to the test. Redeeming Love was an intensely emotional, heartbreaking yet also a beautiful story about forgiveness.

4.5 stars

New England 1835

Seven-year-old Sarah lived in a beautiful cottage in the countryside with her loving mother. She was a happy child, but the only thing that made her heartsick was the absence of her father in her life. Her mother told her that she was not old enough to meet her father yet. Every time he would visit, her mother would have the servant take Sarah away from the cottage.

That particular day, her mother told her it was time to meet her father. Sarah was ecstatic, but her father did not seem happy to meet her. She was sent outside, and through the open window, she overheard that her mother was actually her wealthy, married father's mistress. Her father wished Sarah had never been born, didn't care about her, and was angry that her mother had tricked him into seeing Sarah that day.

After that day, Sarah's father did not come back, and her mother grew thin, wan, and depressed. When he did show up, it was to tell her mother that he wanted them out of the cottage. Mother and daughter ended up in the slums of New York's docks, and her mother had to prostitute herself to survive. That winter, her mother became ill and died. Eight-year-old Sarah was sold into prostitution.

At the age of 18, we find Sarah working in a brothel in a Gold mining town in California. She was damaged inside, bitter, cold, and cynical. She lived for the day, having no dreams and hopes, and wishing she was dead but having no courage to end her life. The last ten years had been tremendously abominable. She did not know how to do anything other than prostitution.

Michael Hosea was a farmer and a man of God. He was lonely and asked God to give him the right woman to love and marry. One day, while in the Gold mining town, he saw a beautiful young woman in black and was enthralled by her. To his surprise, God told him, "This is the woman I have chosen for you." Michael had a hard time believing it as the girl was a prostitute at the local brothel.

He visited her that night and asked her to go away with him and be his wife. Sarah thought he was crazy. He kept coming back over and over. He wasn't like the hundred others who paid and played. He wasn't like anyone she had ever known. She found herself thinking of him at odd times. Sarah didn't want to risk going with Michael Hosea. He was by far a darker unknown. She rebuffed him over and over.

Frustrated and angry, Michael lashed out at God, "Why do you tell me to marry a harlot? It's not going to work. She doesn't want anything to do with me." Sarah had been badly beaten by the brothel guard after asking for the gold she'd earned and suffered many injuries. Half conscience and delirious, Sarah agreed to marry Michael. He took her to his farm and nursed her. She made it clear to him that she did not want to be there with him. She was just staying because she was too injured to leave.

Michael knew Sarah was giving him her body but not her heart and soul, and that knowledge was eating up on him. She kept telling him she did not belong there. Deep down, she knew she did not deserve any better than being a prostitute. She did not know how to love. She ran away and got back into being a prostitute. Michael found her and brought her back. She would leave him two more times. The last time she left him, it took 3 years for the two to get back together again. Each and every time, he forgave her transgressions.

Michael and Sarah had a turbulent journey toward love, trust, and redemption. I think Michael was saintly. I am amazed at Michael's patience and perseverance. He saw her worth and inner beauty right from the start. Sarah's life was full of unimaginable horrors. She would eventually find her self-worth, but it was an uphill self-struggle.

The book left me emotionally drained and exhausted as the plot is heart-wrenching, but at the same time, I am glad I read it. The story is based on and inspired by the story of Hosea and Gomer from the Bible. This book is not for the faint-hearted.

I think the purpose of this book was overshadowed by the very dark subject matter.

A lot of people have called this a Christian Romance, but I find that extremely hard to believe.

The story is about a young girl who was sold into prostitution at the age of eight and later rescued by a man named Michael.

The book delves into shocking and disturbing details of the sad life she led.

She runs away from her devoted husband multiple times, which also becomes tiresome.

The whole thing is very depressing, and I only continued to read hoping it would improve.

I also didn't like that her husband was supposed to be so understanding yet was still sleeping with her before she even loved him or before they really had a decent relationship.

If he truly had respect for her and what she had been through, he would have waited until she was ready.

The book was far too long and overly gloomy.

Given the subject matter and details, I would rate it an R.

I truly wish I hadn't bothered reading it.

In regards to the Christian fiction genre, you're not going to find better than Redeeming Love by author Francine Rivers.

This novel beautifully combines the genres of Christian, romance, and historical fiction. The story is set in the 1850's during the California gold rush, transporting readers to a vivid and exciting era.

On the surface, Redeeming Love presents a tale of a damaged woman who struggles to accept her husband's love. Her feelings of unworthiness, along with a lack of exposure to kindness without strings attached, cause her to resist.

However, on a deeper level, Ms. Rivers uses this story as a profound metaphor for her own relationship with God. It showcases the unconditional and redemptive love she has encountered through her faith. As she noted in an interview, it is also a retelling of the book of Hosea from the Bible.

Redeeming Love is an incredibly powerful book that offers hope and inspiration to its readers. It has been recommended to me countless times, and now that I've read it, I fully understand why. If you have an affinity for any of the genres this book encompasses, I would highly recommend it. It's a well-written, engaging, and beautiful love story that I'm truly glad I experienced.

My favorite quote:
\\"Love cleanses, beloved. It doesn't beat you down. It doesn't cast blame. My love isn't a weapon. It's a lifeline. Reach out and take hold, and don't let go.\\"

Every time I think "this is the worst book I have ever read", I convince myself that it'll be the last.

Surely, this must be the final one that disappoints me to such an extent.

But then, as I continue to read, I find myself thinking, "No, this is the worst fucking book I have ever read in my entire life."

The words seem to jump off the page, taunting me with their awfulness.

I can't believe that I wasted my time on something so terrible.

It makes me question why I even bothered to pick it up in the first place.

Maybe it was the enticing cover or the glowing reviews that misled me.

Whatever the reason, I'm left with a feeling of utter dissatisfaction and a determination to be more cautious in my future book selections.

Hm, writing a hard review is no easy task!

I do appreciate the story of redemption that Rivers aimed to tell. However, I wasn't a fan of the way she executed it.

The story initially had me hooked, drawing me in so strongly that I breezed through the first 100 pages without even pausing. But then I had to put the book down to complete a task, and as I did, I realized I was left with a rather dirty feeling.

Indeed, a significant portion of the book delves into sordid and unseemly details. Even after moving away from topics like child rape, human trafficking, the auctioning of women, and seduction, it still dwells extensively on nakedness and marital relations. Frankly, I didn't like what I found myself immersed in.

I also disliked how Michael tried to control her every thought and action in an attempt to hold onto her and prevent her from leaving.

It wasn't a strict retelling of the story of Hosea, but I felt that naming Michael as Hosea was rather forced. Yes, he loses her three times, but it's not because she wants to return to the life she knew. Her situation is depicted as extremely bad, and instead of having Michael be a bright light of God still pursuing her like the hound of Heaven, we have a deeply flawed man who doesn't fully understand who she is beneath her protective walls. He allows her to run back into independence because he has a misconception about what she's going to do.

This doesn't illustrate the redemptive aspect of marriage, where the man is supposed to show what Christ is willing to do for the church. Michael failed her in the end. He gave up on her and remained on his farm in discouragement, rather than chasing after her to ensure her safety.

The real, biblical Hosea persistently pursued his wife, tracking her down and pulling her out of sin even when she chose to return to it. Hosea was a symbol of God reaching out to sinful Israel and leading her back to a pure life.

Sarah's story is powerful, but I felt it often went too far in describing her feelings. Instead of simply presenting the facts, it painted vivid images and elicited emotions when the bare facts would have been far less sensual. We didn't need to descend into the depths to understand how revolting her life was. We didn't need to spend two chapters on her being sold at the age of eight and repeatedly raped by a monster over the next several years.

So, in the end, it fails as an allegory. Michael doesn't pursue her as the real Hosea did, and Sarah isn't seeking to return to a life of sensual gratification like Gomer. Additionally, it crossed the line into sensationalism more than once, ultimately ending up more like a soap opera than a story solely focused on the redemption of a soul and a lifestyle.

I welcome thoughtful comments. I'm quite willing to further explain my thoughts, but I don't want to spend an excessive amount of time on this review.

This is the book that 97 people told me to read and I finally did.

It's gut wrenching and heart breaking. The story takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, first devastating you and then giving you a glimmer of hope. I found myself completely immersed in the narrative and absolutely loved it.

The only reason it's not 5 stars is because I would have loved just a few more pages at the end. There was such an amazing build up to this last scene. After all the hardships and experiences we'd gone through to get there, it felt a bit rushed.

However, despite this small flaw, the book is truly AMAZING. It has left a lasting impression on me and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a powerful and moving read.

I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next.

The original text seems to be in Arabic and means "very beautiful
I loved ❤️". Here is an expanded English version:

The scenery before my eyes is extremely beautiful. The colors blend perfectly, creating a breathtaking visual experience. The gentle breeze blows, caressing my face, and I can't help but fall in love with this moment. It's as if time has stopped, allowing me to fully immerse myself in this enchanting beauty. I am truly smitten by it, and my heart is filled with warmth and joy. ❤️

Listening Length: 17 hours 17 minutes.

I'm extremely excited that the movie is coming out next week. (2022)

Just finished doing a re-read via audiobook this time (September 2020). It's still my all-time favorite book. I'm thrilled that next year there will be a movie adaptation of this book releasing.

Read this book about 10 years ago. Re-reading it now! (March 14th, 2013) I finished and this book remains my all-time favorite book! It truly deserves more than 5 stars.

This book is based on the love story from the Bible of Hosea and Gomer. Gomer is a prostitute and Hosea is a Godly man told to marry her. It's about their struggle as she finds it difficult to turn away from the life she has always known and was basically born into.

This is the ultimate love story! I adored reading about Michael & Angel's love story. There were so many things I wanted to highlight throughout this book. One of my favorite lines was: "Hello, Sarah. I'm very pleased to meet you. Finally!" Also, this written on the cross was very touching: "Though fallen low, God raised her up, An angel." The song "Amazing Grace" reminds me of this book. Michael is definitely my book husband. He isn't someone you just date. He is someone you marry.

Standalone

I feel like my heart has just been put through the wringer. Wow.

There are two versions of Redeeming Love: the original 1991 version, and the 1997 version that was sanitized to remove the coarse language and (very) mild love scenes to make it fit for the Inspirational market. I bought the original 1991 version. Even though it's the original, the story still has a strong religious bent. The love scenes are not explicit but more implied.

To be honest, I put off reading this for a very long time. I thought I wouldn't enjoy it as I don't normally read Inspirational. You just have to browse my bookshelves to know I prefer books with a bit more...spice. ;-) But after reading a friend's review and learning about the 1991 version, I became interested enough to click buy. I have to say, I'm so glad I took a chance on this one! It's such a beautiful, angst-filled, heart-wrenching love story. I know it will stay in my memory for a very long time.

Angel has known nothing but a life of pain from the day she was born. At a very young age, she was sold into prostitution. From that point on, she lives through unspeakable horrors, at times barely surviving and often asking herself why. "Why was I even born?" is a question that often goes through her mind. After reading about the unspeakable things and situations she's forced into time and time again, I honestly couldn't blame her.

Enter Michael Hosea.

From the moment Michael sees the beautiful golden-haired angel walking by, he knows she's the one. The one that would be his wife. How is he so certain? God tells him so.

Michael is a man of faith. His faith is what carries him through during the duration of this story and his heartbreaking relationship with Angel. It's his faith and steadfastness through betrayal after betrayal and hurt after hurt that finally shows Angel that he's unlike all of the other men she's known before him. He doesn't want to use her, hurt her, or take advantage of her…he only wants to love her and have her love him back.

Having never known the true love of any man, it takes Angel a very long time to believe Michael's love is real, and even longer for her to feel she's worthy of it.

Redeeming Love is a deeply emotional roller coaster. Just when you think it can't get any worse...it does. Be prepared for some hard-core angst. Be prepared to cry. But in the end, my tears of pain turned to tears of joy as Michael and Angel walked through fire and came out strong on the other side.

This might not be a widely held view, but here it is nonetheless.

I firmly believe that there is indeed something amiss with this book. In my personal opinion, delving so deeply into the terror of a small child, even in a fictionalized context, as she is led away to face rape and prostitution at the age of 8, is morally wrong.

If you are in the ministry and are actively assisting someone in overcoming this type of trauma, that is both necessary and sacrificial, and it's wonderful. I am grateful for that. However, reading something like this as "entertainment" is at best problematic and at worst repulsive.

There is something fundamentally incorrect about this book being marketed as Christian fiction, and I'm not afraid to voice that. There comes a point where the brokenness is so demoralizing to the reader that any story of redemption is not worth having such imagery in your mind.

This is not what God demands from us or even desires from us. Protect your spirit and your purity. Read something else.

I typically don't rate books that I've chosen not to finish, but I established really strict guidelines for myself a year ago, and this one meets all the criteria listed for a 1-star rating, except for "poor quality". What I read was actually great writing, but the content was abhorrent.

• Irresponsible themes

• Offensive content for the intended audience

• I tell people not to read it

• Poor quality

I read the book because I first saw the movie and I really liked it a lot.

I have to say that the adaptation is very faithful to the book. The only difference we have in the book are some extra scenes of secondary characters and their thoughts, adding to some scenes of the protagonist related to the so-called Christian.

If you are believers in God or enjoy Christian movies, I think you will really enjoy the book. Otherwise, the movie is fine since it doesn't focus so much on that part.

It is one of the few times that I can say that I liked the movie more than the book.

This may seem unusual as often the book is considered the superior medium. However, in this case, the movie managed to capture the essence of the story in a way that really appealed to me.

The visual elements and the acting brought the characters to life in a more vivid way than I had imagined while reading the book.

Of course, the book also has its own charm with the additional details and insights into the characters' minds.

But overall, I found the movie to be a more engaging and enjoyable experience.

It just goes to show that sometimes a well-made movie can surpass the original book and offer a unique and memorable viewing experience.

Whether you prefer the book or the movie, both have their own merits and are worth exploring.