This remarkable book has an extraordinary power that reaches deep within and touches the very core of your soul.

It has the ability to bring your innermost being alive and to firmly reinforce the profound meanings of sacrificial love, forgiveness, and grace.

When I finally reached the end of it, I was left breathless.

All of my emotions were churning and bubbling within me in a way that only occurs when you read a book that is on an entirely different level.

This is not just any ordinary book that can be compared to the others.

No, this is a book that has been written under the influence of Yahweh.

It contains something truly special, something that captures the author's testimony and soul within its pages, making it impossible for you not to feel its impact.

I feel that if I were to say much more, I would somehow defile its inherent beauty.

So, instead, I will simply remember the words "The Prince of Darkness is a Gentleman."

I will have to say this will always be my favorite book.

The story is about Angel, who was sold into prostitution at the tender age of 8. Ten years later, she is still selling herself, feeling depressed and lost.

Michel Hosea sees her walking on the street and believes God is telling him that she will be his wife. He rescues her and takes her home.

However, Angel can't overcome her past. Despite leaving and coming back, she remains trapped in her former life.

Can she finally learn to love Michel? Can she be freed from the only life she has ever known?

I have been told the title is silly, but the story is about redemption. We are all entangled in sin, and only God can deliver us. Our task is to let God in and allow him to work.

Some lives are more difficult than others, but God is our redeemer. This book is such a blessing, showing us that no matter what our sin is, God loves us and wants to be there for us.

No matter how many books I have read, and last year it was 273, this book will always hold a special place in my heart. It has changed my life, just as it has for so many others who have read it.

God is my redeemer, and if you don't know this and are lost, please read this wonderful book and let God be your redeemer. He loves you! Our Blessing!

The story presents to the reader the exact facts about the difference between human standards and divine standards in dealing with the events that violate human life. It reveals the wisdom behind the torments and hardships that sometimes afflict human life and which the mind is unable to comprehend or understand. What people generally do not understand has a divine wisdom and a general good behind it. And only those who arm themselves with deep faith can bear the contradictions of life and its conditions.

The interactions between Michael and her, and her interactions with Michael, are a vivid picture of our relationship with God, whose love and high acceptance of us we cannot fathom no matter what our situation is.

Every word in the story has a profound lesson in which the reader places himself in the position of "Sarah" and seeks the love of God in the person of "Michael", the hero.

Wow, what an incredibly powerful story it is!

I listened to this one on my iPod. I made a great effort not to cry, especially as it was approaching the end. However, when it finally concluded, I had to pull over and wipe away my tears. There is so much grief, redemption, and joy intertwined within this narrative. It's a truly fantastic story that managed to draw me in right from the start and keep me completely glued to it.

This is a historical romance that is set in the mid-1800s gold country region of California. Angel is a damaged young woman who is working in a brothel and is constantly struggling with the many horrors from her past. On the other hand, Michael is a devout Christian who firmly believes that God wants him to marry Angel, a so-called "soiled dove".

Apparently, this is a retelling of a Bible story. I think this might be only the second Christian-themed novel that I've ever read, and it's definitely the first one that I've actually finished. While it was extremely inspirational, it managed to refrain from being overly preachy.

It's not an easy or light read. At times, it was even quite depressing. But the writing was so precise and the characters were so real that I just couldn't stop reading. And it does have a great ending. I can't begin to tell you how many times I wished I could crawl into the book to have a conversation with Angel, give Michael a hug, slap his brother, kill a bad guy, or shelter a person who is down on their luck, and so on. I can clearly see why it has received such high ratings from so many people. But my next book will definitely be a light read. I don't think I could handle two books like this one in a row!

What an amazing book it is!

I truly believe that this book has touched my heart in a profound and complete way.

It seems as if God has been speaking directly to me lately.

I have been continuously picking up books that are centered around the spirit.

And now, I'm finally starting to listen.

These spirit-based books have opened my eyes to a whole new world of understanding and inspiration.

They have made me reflect on my own life and values, and have given me a newfound sense of purpose.

As I delve deeper into these books, I feel a growing connection with something greater than myself.

I am eager to learn more and to continue this journey of spiritual discovery.

I know that there is still so much to explore and uncover, and I can't wait to see where this path leads me.

**Redeeming Love: A Captivating Tale of Love and Redemption**

Francine Rivers' "Redeeming Love" has firmly established itself as a classic on my bookshelf. This story is so enchanting that I find myself constantly drawn back to it, envisioning it eventually falling apart from overuse. It's a love story that has completely captured my heart and mind, making it impossible for me to disengage.

I had the pleasure of reading this book while traveling. I was so engrossed that I completely lost track of my surroundings. I didn't notice my connector flights, the departing gate terminals, or even the person sitting next to me on the airplane. The flight instructions about cabin pressure, oxygen masks, and floating devices meant nothing to me as I was solely focused on the turmoil in Michael and Angel's lives and their ultimate destination. I must have sighed countless times, overcome with heartbreak and angst for these characters. I didn't care about my facial expressions; I simply cherished every moment, regardless of what those around me might have thought.
One aspect of this book that I must mention is its categorization as "Contemporary Christian Fiction." Based on the biblical story of Hosea and Gomer, this initially held me back from reading it sooner. However, I urge you not to be deterred. Let me share its wonderful qualities with you. I'm not a religious fanatic; in fact, my reading preferences typically lean towards young adult, paranormal, and dystopian fiction. The idea of picking up a book with a religious or spiritual tone was foreign to me. But when I finally did read "Redeeming Love," I was amazed. It showed me the power of love and sacrifice from an emotional perspective, rather than a strictly spiritual one. It taught me that when you truly love someone, you're willing to forgive their wrongdoings, no matter how much it might hurt.
Overall, this book masterfully weaves together themes of love and betrayal, hope and despair, self-destruction and ultimate redemption. I fell in love with the characters as they embarked on a tumultuous journey towards trust, hope, love, and faith. Michael Hosea was the true angel in this story, forgiving Angel's transgressions time and time again. His gentle and trusting nature, along with his unwavering faith in God, made him a truly remarkable character. As for Angel, despite her many mistakes and sins, I couldn't help but feel a soft spot for her. Her backstory was heart-wrenching, and I wanted to defend her, even when her choices hurt Michael.
Another aspect of this book that I adored was the beautiful scene where Michael takes Angel to the crest of a mountain. After she betrays and abandons him, he shows her the hope and beauty that exists in the world. He points to the moon and holds her tightly, allowing her to soak in the beauty of the new day. This simple act of showing her the world around her was truly touching and reminded me of the song "Moonlight."
In conclusion, "Redeeming Love" is a book that I highly recommend. It's a story that will touch your heart and leave you with a sense of hope and redemption. Whether you're a fan of love stories or not, this book is sure to leave an impression. So go ahead and pick it up; you won't be disappointed.

Okay, before delving too deeply into this reading, it's essential to understand that I only picked up this book because it was a requirement for my book club. Normally, I wouldn't review something I felt so negatively about, as I probably wouldn't have finished it. Nor did I anticipate liking it.

Fair warning.

Redeeming Love belongs to the genre we like to call "Inspirational Fiction." Here, the term "Inspirational" is a more friendly and inclusive way of saying "Jesus-y" or "religious." Or, as I like to put it, "Jesus C fiction," where the "C" stands for both "Centric" and "Christ."

In this case, I don't simply mean that Jesus is an important figure in the characters' lives or that their belief system influences their decisions. I mean that God literally speaks to the characters. In case you're wondering, God's words are distinguished by being in bold. On the plus side, you can just flip through and still catch most of the God-related content. I kind of think God would have the graphic design sense to have his own font, but what do I know?

To briefly summarize, Angel is a prostitute, and Michael is pretty much the best guy ever. He comes along, hears God's voice telling him to marry Angel, and he does. They have their ups and downs. She leaves him three times and even has an affair with his brother, Paul, on the side of the road. At one point, a family traveling to Oregon comes across their land, and Michael invites them to live there with them. They have children, and Angel grows to like them. This brings up the fact that Angel has had some sort of barroom hysterectomy, which apparently didn't take because the epilogue reveals that she inexplicably has kids anyway. Paul marries one of the cross-country travelers after he and Angel make peace, and everyone accepts God as The Man.

I can somewhat understand the appeal of this book in certain ways. It's compulsively readable in the sense that you can easily read 100 pages in one sitting. There's a lot going on, and the pacing keeps things moving.

However, aside from that, I have significant issues with a lot of what this book portrays as love.

For starters, if there were a God who literally spoke to me and told me that a particular person was "the one," it would simplify things quite a bit. Seriously, if God used his divine communication to let me know that someone like Courtney Love was the one, then I'd have no choice but to pursue that person because nobody else would make me equally happy. I probably wouldn't wait until a pimp beats the daylights out of her to make my move and ask her to marry me like Michael did in the book, but I'm just saying the path would be a bit more straightforward.

But life isn't that easy. It really isn't. Maybe Courtney Love is the one for me, but I highly doubt it, and therefore I won't be busting my butt to try and convince her that a Derk/Love wedding is the ultimate fulfillment of God's plan. If it were, the good news is that we could at least all agree that she's crazy and has very bad taste in Fleetwood Mac covers.

One of the unfortunate and difficult aspects of love is that there will always be uncertainty. I've talked to people who have been with many partners, and they're never completely sure. I've also talked to people who married the only person they've ever dated, and there's still uncertainty there. I'm not saying it's the kind of uncertainty that leads to infidelity or wandering, but part of loving one person exclusively is accepting a certain level of doubt and learning how to put it aside or work through it. Or maybe just spending a lot on flowers and tennis bracelets.

The one kind of person I've never talked to is the kind who says God literally told him or her, in an audible voice, who "the one" was.

So if God tells you directly that California's hottest prostitute is the one, I would highly recommend getting a second opinion. Maybe from St. Francis? Is that a guy?

Now, I don't know enough about the romance genre to say whether this is a common theme within it, but I have seen my fair share of romantic comedies, and there's a certain love narrative that I don't approve of.

A lot of romcoms push the assumption that Person A can love Person B so much that it doesn't really matter if Person B doesn't love Person A back. And in the world of romcoms, it's acceptable to pursue someone with a naked aggression that would never be acceptable in real life.

Imagine some of the things people do in romcoms to show their love. If someone came running through Manhattan traffic to catch you on the other side of the street, wouldn't you question their sanity? If you caught a woman peeping into your house from a high-up tree branch, wouldn't you consider upgrading your security system to include lasers or robotic dogs? If Lloyd Dobler was playing a boombox outside your window, would that really change your feelings about him? (Actually, the correct answer to that one is "No," but only because you loved Lloyd Dobler immediately and always.)

The point is, I don't believe in loving someone so much that they eventually love you. Maybe some couples end up together because one person engaged in a tireless pursuit, but I would think it's very rare that several rejections result in an equally shared love. Wearing someone out to the point that it's easier for them to say "Yes" than "No" isn't really the same as making them love you. It might work in a pinch, and if you're better at being annoying than charming, it's worth a shot, but overall, it's not the best plan.

Let's talk about the characters for a moment.

Michael, the main guy, couldn't be more one-dimensional if he were digitally created for the Atari 2600. All this guy does is listen to God and then forgive his wife for everything. While relationships do require forgiveness to some extent, I don't think you should forgive your wife for having an affair with your brother on the side of the road for no apparent reason. Or your brother, for that matter (unless, as we discussed earlier, your brother happens to be Lloyd Dobler, in which case who can blame them?). I mean, if my brother had an affair with my wife, I think this would warrant, at the very least, a heated discussion over a dinner that I probably wouldn't even finish because I'd be too busy being angry at both my brother and wife equally.

There's something about this Michael character that we're supposed to see as very strong, but to me, it comes across as the worst kind of weakness. His entire purpose in the book, the entire scope of his life, is centered around putting up with a woman who takes a very long time to actually love him. He apparently has nothing else in his life and is just a simple, empty vessel waiting for the right woman to come along and not only complete him but also be his Wizard of Oz and give him brains, a heart, and whatever else those other losers got.

This character is a bad example for both men and women. Men shouldn't strive to be like him because his forgiveness goes so far that it would make any real person extremely unhappy. Also, following his example means living a life that has no purpose outside of having a romantic relationship, which means you're an empty, soulless person. And good luck attracting someone else if you have no interests, no passions, and nothing about yourself that you've built or cultivated.

He has no personality, nothing that sets him apart from other men except that he's on the "good" side of the line that all characters in this book can be categorized by. Seriously, this really is like an Atari game where you can easily divide the characters into two camps: good guys and bad guys.

Through the eyes of Angel, we discover that there are two kinds of men in the world: sex-crazed maniac murderers and the nicest guys ever who still only vaguely manage to suppress their sexual urges through a close relationship with God. Basically, all men in the book are tormented by their relationship with sex, and it's all about whether or not they "give in." Even with a spouse, there's some sex that's okay and some that's not okay because it's "giving in."

What a terrible way to view the world. I personally believe there are many men out there who have healthy relationships with sex. Lord knows I'm not one of them, as my internet browsing history could easily attest to, but I firmly believe those men exist. I also think there are men who struggle with sex without imposing their struggles on others. A man can grapple with sex or sexual desire a little without becoming a crazed sex maniac who has an affair with his brother's wife on the side of the road. I'm really fixated on that, in case you couldn't tell.

The author clearly doesn't understand men at all. If you think the ideal man is an empty vessel waiting to be filled, then just buy a blowup doll and whisper your prayers into it every night until it's full. Then wish for it to be a real boy and see how far that gets you.

And what about Angel, the female lead?

Ah, the hooker with a heart of gold.

The concept of the hooker with a heart of gold is very strange to me because it makes some rather unfair assumptions. First, why would we assume that someone who has sex for money doesn't have a good heart? Why would our default assumption be that this person is heartless and mean rather than having a good heart? Why is this the only profession where we hear this? When someone says their husband works at a grocery store, they don't add, "but he has a heart of gold." I've never heard of a baker with a heart of gold. And on the flip side, if these gold-hearted hookers are such anomalies, how come I never read stories about hookers with hearts of wet garbage or hearts of heart meat that function adequately but perhaps a bit coldly?

I do have a great idea for a steampunk novel called Hooker with a Heart of Gold about... well, exactly what it sounds like. And somehow, the mechanical heart gives her special powers. I haven't worked out all the details yet, but I suspect the ending involves her 40 years later living in a small cabin, the one bullet she stopped still lodged in her golden heart. If only she'd been able to stop the other...

Anyway, I thought I'd have more to say about Angel, but she's just as empty as Michael. She's empty in a different way, in that she seems like a self-contained unit navigating her way through the novel, going whichever way she's steered by the various characters. At least she had a career of sorts, so she wasn't completely empty. And I didn't mean that as a hooker pun, but once you start denying hooker puns, you've kind of already lost the battle.

The most redeeming aspect of the book is the idea that Michael is constantly forgiving Angel for her past. I suppose that's a somewhat enlightened view, and I wouldn't expect many men of God living during the gold rush to be too enthusiastic about the idea of making a hooker their wife. Warts and all. LOTS of warts and all.

However, the book loses touch with reality because it's not about recognizing the past as something that has shaped a person into the one you love today. It's about getting over the past, hitting the reset button, and starting a new life, which doesn't even work in the book because everything gets thrown into total chaos every time the past comes up, which it inevitably will.

As an adult, you do have to come to terms with the past, both your own and your partner's. You have to recognize that the past has shaped the person you're with today, and that's the person you love, so for better or worse, things have kind of worked out.

What the book doesn't make clear is that you also have to balance the past. Yes, I think it's good that Michael can make peace with the fact that his wife was a hooker. I mean, it's a little easier to do in this case because she had no choice in the matter, but nevertheless, he didn't seem overly judgmental of her past. But if your wife brings up the fact that she had sex with her own father in a revenge scenario, that's a huge red flag. If someone is angry enough at their own father, or confused enough, or whatever, that when he walks into a brothel, she has sex with him, it doesn't really matter how cool you are with her past because she obviously still has some issues to work through there.

I don't know what kind of love people in the world are looking for. But I hope this isn't it. If you're expecting this story to mirror your own, I'm very sorry for you because I don't have very high hopes. I wish you the best of luck, though, and try not to have an affair with anyone's brother or your own father, and you'll already be on a better path.

Sarah was the result of an affair between her mother and a wealthy married man. This father was only concerned with his mistress and had no interest in his child. Eventually, he abandoned them. Cut off from funds and family, life on the docks was far from easy. When left alone, Sarah was sold to a pedophile and ended up in prostitution.

The main part of the story begins years later. Sarah, now known as Angel, is the most sought-after prostitute in the California gold rush town of Pair-of-Dice. Farmer Michael Hosea comes to town for supplies and spots Angel as she takes a well-guarded walk through the town. God, in His mysterious ways, tells Michael that Angel is the one he should marry, despite the many obstacles. Angel is not only a valuable asset to the brothel where she works, but the life she has been forced to lead has left her with a lot of emotional baggage. The question is, does Michael have enough faith and love for both of them?

The answer is yes. However, it is a very long and difficult journey with many ups and downs. Despite sometimes wanting to hit Angel, I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. River's story is based on the Book of Hosea. Although it is Christian fiction, a genre I don't usually read, I didn't find it overly preachy. My only complaint is with the epilogue. I suggest skipping it and letting the story end where it should have. Oh, and have a tissue box ready for the ending because you will need it.

Overall, it was a great read that kept me engaged from start to finish.

I'm not even going to attempt to review this one.

Why? Because I seriously doubt that I could do it justice.

Besides, there are over a thousand reviews of this book on GR.

It's hard to believe, but I must have been one of the few people who haven't read this book before.

Anyway, let me tell you, it was definitely the best book I've read all year.

In fact, it's probably one of the best books I've EVER read.

It was so easy to read. The story just flowed very smoothly.

However, emotionally, it was extremely difficult to get through.

Parts of the book just tore me up inside.

I had to take frequent breaks to wipe my tears.

I absolutely loved the broken and bitter prostitute heroine, Angel.

And the saintly, patient (almost too good to be true) farmer hero, Michael.

But to simply categorize them in such a basic way seems so unfair.

Because they were so much more than just those simple labels.

I guess this book could be called religious fiction, or maybe inspirational romance.

But don't let that scare you away.

It's based on the bible story of Hosea and Gomer, but you don't have to be an expert in bible studies to enjoy it.

And yes, it does get just slightly preachy at the end.

But you won't really care because you'll be too wrapped up in the story of Angel and Michael.

The book deals with some really horrible and heartbreaking stuff like child rape, prostitution, and incest.

But it's not described in real explicit terms.

Just when you think you've read the worst, something else is revealed that will break your heart all over again.

But please try to get through those tough moments.

Because there is also a beautifully written romance about unconditional love, faith, and hope.

I must have cried buckets while reading the last 100 pages, but it was so worth it.

I don't think I'll forget this story for quite a while. It definitely deserves 5 stars!

Such a great book!

It truly is a masterpiece that captivates the reader from the very first page. The author's writing style is engaging and immersive, drawing you into a world filled with vivid characters and a compelling storyline.

The plot unfolds in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat, constantly guessing what will happen next. Each chapter is filled with excitement and surprises, making it impossible to put the book down.

Not only is the story entertaining, but it also offers valuable insights and lessons. It makes you think about life, love, and the human condition in a profound way.

This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a good story. It will leave you with a sense of satisfaction and a desire to read more from the author. I highly recommend it!

Some of us are liberated by death, and many of us are liberated by love.

And thus "Sarah" - Angel Amanda Mandy Tersa - was liberated by love at the hands of Michael.

Michael, with a heart full of pain and faith in his God, shone a light on all the darkness that surrounded her. He loved her despite her past and her mistakes. He loved her because she was...

No one has the right to judge the life of another person, for none of us knows what he has been through in the past or the reasons that led him to this. And this is what Michael did, despite what he heard from Sarah about her father and his not recognizing her, about the man who raped her when she was eight years old, about her not being pregnant, about her working as a prostitute when she fled to California, the land of gold and dreams.

She always thought that she was incomplete, burdened by her mistakes and sins, unworthy of a man like Michael, with his light, his faith, and his love for others.

But she didn't know that he accepted her as she was, and that his acceptance of her was what liberated her. His love for her was what liberated her. Even his forgiveness of her for her constant running away from him was what liberated her.

I was impressed by the ending and the tear as if she was getting rid of all the sins and the painful past that haunted her, ready to open a new page, white and clean, for her and for Michael, her beloved! ❤️

This is a story from the classics of Christian literature, an imitation of one of the stories in the Bible, and it is the story of Jomer and the prophet Joshua.

Of course, we will not discuss the author's religious beliefs such as her belief in the Trinity, salvation, and atonement and how these beliefs are reflected in the story. However, there are some things that cannot be overlooked.

First, that God chooses the future wife of the hero and talks and argues with him throughout the story. This idea is unacceptable even to Christians themselves as far as I know, as this is a characteristic of only a few prophets.

But I think Protestants, like in some Sufi paths among us, believe in something similar. I have often heard this in Joyce Meyer's lectures: God said to me this and that and that in different life situations that she faces.

So what I understand is that they refer to the talk of the conscience or the internal dialogue of the soul as the word of God to them.

Second, many people exaggerate in patience and tolerance for mistakes that are not forgiven and that are not in accordance with my religious law, even if they understand the educational purpose behind it.

These two points are what I think are lacking in the story.

Let's go back to the story: It is a very beautiful story, with an elegant style, bringing together sin, betrayal, love, sacrifice, adventure, and the change in the soul and life.

I agree with those who describe it as a story about the rediscovery of life.