Redeeming Love is truly my favorite read of the year up to this point!

It is a book that manages to be both heartbreaking and extremely uplifting at the same time. I found myself being moved to tears on numerous occasions while delving into its pages.

The storytelling in this book is excellent. Francine Rivers has done a remarkable job of retelling the story of Hosea and Gomer in a way that is both engaging and thought-provoking. The characters are strong and well-developed, making it easy for the reader to become invested in their lives and emotions.

Overall, I cannot recommend Redeeming Love highly enough. It is a book that will stay with you long after you have turned the final page. I give it a full 5 glowing stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

I read this article years ago and it just occurred to me that I hadn't given it a rating.

It is such a beautiful story! The words seem to dance on the page, painting a vivid picture in my mind.

The characters are so well-developed that I feel as if I know them personally.

The plot is engaging and full of twists and turns that keep me on the edge of my seat.

I can't help but be drawn into the world that the author has created.

It's a story that makes me laugh, cry, and think.

It's a story that will stay with me for a long time.

I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good read.

The dawn is a beautiful and gentle thing. It spreads hope, optimism, love, and warmth. ✨

As the sun rises slowly, it casts a soft glow over the world. The darkness of the night fades away, making way for a new day filled with possibilities.

The dawn is like a promise, a promise of better things to come. It gives us the strength and courage to face the challenges ahead. It reminds us that no matter how difficult the night may have been, there is always a new dawn waiting for us.

We can feel the warmth of the sun on our skin, and it makes us feel alive and full of energy. The dawn is a time of new beginnings, a time to set our goals and pursue our dreams.

Let us embrace the dawn with open hearts and minds, and let its beauty and warmth fill our lives. ✨

Redemption. This is a story about redemption that truly touches the heart.

I am not the kind of person who usually struggles to find the right words. However, as I sit here in front of my computer, eager to write this review, I find myself at a loss for words. The beauty and profound impact that this novel has on the reader are simply indescribable. After reading "Redeeming Love", I am emotionally drained. I have shed countless tears, felt anger, hurt, and horror at the atrocities depicted in the story. And yet, when I think about the hope that this novel offers and the truth of God's love and dedication to all, a silly grin spreads across my face.

I cannot go into all the details of this book, but I can say that it is about a little girl who had her innocence stolen at a very young age. This little girl grows up to be a beautiful woman who has had to harden her heart in order to survive her life as a prostitute. She is burdened with shame, an innocent victim of life's cruelty, who has never known true love from any man... until Michael Hosea.

Michael Hosea chooses to love this woman, knowing everything about her. He sees her worth and inner beauty and pursues her relentlessly. Even when she betrays him and refuses to accept the free gift of his love, he continues to pursue her. It is in his unwavering pursuit that we witness a commitment and love so powerful that it can only come from a higher source.

This is not an easy read. It is an emotional and spiritual journey through the depths of abuse, neglect, and shame. There are distinct spiritual themes throughout, as Angel seeks to find peace not only within herself but also with God. God's love and dedication to her are evident as He uses the believers around her to show her love, forgiveness, mercy, and ultimately freedom.

There are not many books like this one. I believe it is inspired. A 5-star rating is simply not sufficient to convey its true value.

Yelp! Well, this is the lowest rating I've ever given a book.

Sorry, guys. This one just isn't my cup of tea. I want to write a review, but I'll do it after I gather my thoughts and read the Bible a bit more.

Full Review: 9/21/22

Usually, if I'm not enjoying a book due to its content, I'll DNF it and explain why. However, I read this book cover to cover. It has diverse reviews, and in my edition, the editor noted that you must read the whole book to appreciate it. Do I believe that? No. I think the \\"Book of Hosea\\" in the Bible, on which this book is based, is a better read. But everyone must form their own opinion by reading it or not. I respect the author and each reader's opinion. This review is in no way against the author or its fans.

I also know I usually don't give one-star reviews. So, I'll explain my rating system for this book. I deducted stars for the writing, head-hopping, graphic sexual content, graphic violence, unlikable characters, lack of enjoyment, and some Biblical content I disagree with. In this review, I hope to explain all these in depth. If you have a question about any of the topics I bring up from the book, feel free to comment or message me, and I'll do my best to answer and explain.

Want to follow my Bible research/study for this review? Here are all the Bible verses and resources I looked up: \\"The Book of Hosea\\", \\"The Book of Ruth\\", \\"Song of Songs\\", \\"1st Corinthians Chapter 13\\", \\"2 Corinthians 6:14\\", \\"Psalm 24:4-5\\", \\"2 Corinthians 7:1\\", \\"1 Timothy 5:22\\", \\"Matthew 5:28\\", \\"1 John 2:15-16\\", \\"1 Corinthians 6:13\\", \\"2 Timothy 2:22\\", \\"Galatians 5:16\\", \\"Romans 8:6\\", The Bible Project \\"The Book of Hosea Overview\\" https://bibleproject.com/explore/vide..., The Bible Project \\"The Book of Ruth Overview\\" https://bibleproject.com/explore/vide..., The Bible Project \\"Song of Songs Overview\\" https://bibleproject.com/explore/vide... Enjoy!*

*Note, I used the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible for my research. Since it's been a while since I read \\"Redeeming Love\\", I probably didn't look at every Bible verse mentioned. I just looked up the ones that bothered me while reading. After forming my own thoughts on the Bible verses, I went to \\"The Bible Project\\" to gain a better understanding. I recommend checking them out. They're really cool and good at what they do! I didn't discuss how \\"Redeeming Love\\" uses \\"Song of Songs\\" in this review as it was getting too long and that book is difficult to understand anyway.

Before delving into the Biblical parts, I want to first give an overview of my feelings about this book.

This is one of the first books that made me feel dirty while reading. I wanted to scrub my eyes with soap. Honestly, it made me feel embarrassed. That's never a good sign. And yes, this book contains rape and prostitution, with some of the graphic and gross details intact. But it also made me want to burn it during the supposed happier moments about marriage. You know, the parts I'm supposed to be \\"cheering\\" for. Sex is mentioned in almost every chapter. Sometimes it's not just mentioned but \\"shown\\" happening. While the book doesn't give every possible description, it doesn't leave much to the imagination. Some may disagree, but I prefer a \\"fade-to-black\\" or \\"close-the-door\\" type of romance in books and movies. When people don't close the door in books and keep going with intimate acts, it feels awkward. I realize the book was trying to teach about having a \\"healthy sexual and godly relationship with your spouse,\\" but maybe we don't need to be taught like this. Maybe a good talk with healthy, godly parents or a married friend about a healthy sexual relationship before God is what we need. I don't think being in a room with naked, frictional characters will teach us the best morals for a \\"healthy sexual relationship with your spouse.\\" Just a thought.

Some other things that bothered me were that I couldn't get behind any of the characters and \\"cheer\\" them on. For some reason, all the adults and teenagers in this book are \\"horny.\\" I was warned not to read YA for this reason. *Shrugs* Everyone wanted to have sex, was lustful, or horny. Even our main character, Michael Hosea, was lustful after Angel. I was surprised by how many people talked about sex in the story. I'm not naïve, but this isn't something the people I'm with talk about regularly. It made me not like any of the main or side characters. And some of the characters were actual jerks in how they treated others. Like, what? How am I supposed to want this jerky guy to marry this naïve girl? Something the book was trying to make positive.

Oh, and this book \\"head-hopped.\\" I've said it once and I'll say it a million times, head-hopping is jarring and takes you out of the story. It's not a good writing practice. Maybe it was a good thing it made the book jarring, but I don't like head-hopping, so there goes another star.

Now, while the book made some good points, I feel many of the points it was trying to make were lost in all the content it throws at us. The \\"Book of Hosea\\" was trying to show that even though we've committed serious sins against God, He still loves us and chases after us because of His love. (There's more to it than that, but this is the basis I think \\"Redeeming Love\\" was trying to use.) Kinda like how a husband loves his wife. Because a husband and wife share something special that they usually wouldn't with anyone else. A unique relationship. But \\"Redeeming Love\\", which claims to be a retelling of the \\"Book of Hosea\\", uses the metaphor of a husband and wife relationship too much. Instead of seeing the beauty of a healthy relationship with a husband and wife or even God, I just see sex, sex, and more sex with a bit of violence. Not to mention, \\"Redeeming Love\\" really focused on the sin. I know the \\"Book of Hosea\\" also talked about some sins, but it's described differently than in \\"Redeeming Love\\". I get that the things in \\"Redeeming Love\\" happen in real life and it's sad. But sometimes, when trying to make a point, using fewer descriptions and knowing how to use language can be more powerful for your story and the people around you.

My Biblical Research:

This book is based on the \\"Book of Hosea\\". An overview of \\"Hosea\\" shows it's a poem. It introduces us to God telling Hosea to take a wife, Gomar. They have three kids, and then Gomar is unfaithful and commits adultery. God tells Hosea to continue pursuing Gomar. Hosea ends up paying dues to Gomar's lovers. This was all a prophetic symbol of God's relationship with Israel. The book goes on to explain God's relationship and how the Israelites were sinning against Him. Even though God is angry with them and thinks about ending His covenant, He still loves them and will continue to pursue them like a husband pursues his wife. The \\"Book of Hosea\\" goes into a lot of depth, and I recommend reading it yourself as this is just a basic summary important for this review.

Sure, \\"Redeeming Love\\" has many of the points it was supposed to have to retell the \\"Book of Hosea\\". Like people sinning, God telling Michael to go after Angel even after she leaves him, and showing how God pursues people because He loves them. BUT, I really think the message gets muddled by all the sexual content. As I said, everyone has different rules about content and what's too much. But I do think that when there's a certain amount, it can change how your message impacts people.

For example, when was the last time you cried for a character's death in a horror movie? Usually, these deaths are meant to be a shock factor rather than make you cry. The grosser it is, the more the shock factor. But there are movies that can have a monster kill a character and still make you bawl before the scene is over. And those are the movies that don't focus on the grossness but on the overall characters and plot.

Sorry.

I can relate more to monster stories than to overly strong romance stories.

Anyway, I'm sure you see my point.

I think one reason \\"Redeeming Love\\" focuses on the sexual aspects is because in the \\"Book of Hosea\\", God's love for others is often compared to marriage. That's why Hosea is told to go after Gomar even after she committed adultery. Husband and wife have a special relationship they wouldn't (or shouldn't) share with others. And in the \\"Book of Hosea\\", the Israelites were trying to share their special relationship with God with idols. Even though they'd be punished, God was still going after them because of His love. Like how a loving husband will go after his wife. It's really beautiful if you think about it. The problem is when you focus on the sin or the special part of the relationship that husband and wife have, I have a hard time seeing the beauty.

As I said, \\"bedtime\\" should be for husband and wife and I shouldn't be included as a reader.

\\"Redeeming Love\\" might have worked if it didn't just focus on the sexual sins being committed. Sure, this stuff happens in the real world. But the Bible talks about having a pure heart (\\"Psalm 24:4-5\\", \\"2 Corinthians 7:1\\", \\"1 Timothy 5:22\\"). There were times when I wondered if this book was pornography for Christians, which is wrong and sinful. I do think Christians should talk about this stuff and how to reach people in these situations. But this book felt like it went too far.

That's another thing I want to talk about in this review. I know \\"Redeeming Love\\" had the fictional reasoning that God told Michael to go and make Angel his wife. And in the \\"Book of Hosea\\", God also told Hosea to go after Gomar. But in the Bible, it was done as a prophetic symbol for the Israelite people who turned their backs on God and started worshiping other gods. I felt that with \\"Redeeming Love\\", it was more personal to Angel than the people sinning in the area. (There was one scene where you might be able to argue this point, but Michael isn't part of that scene.) And I felt that people could go out in the real world, \\"save\\" someone from prostitution, and get married to them because \\"God\\" said so. When in reality, they might be following their own lustful desires. Yes, I'm sure God could ask someone to marry a prostitute to point others to Him. (He did in the \\"Book of Hosea\\".) I'm not trying to limit God and His ways.

Though, there's also this Bible verse about not marrying someone who isn't equally yoked (\\"2 Corinthians 6:14\\").

Look, I'm not saying we shouldn't go out and try to reach prostitutes and \\"love\\" them as God loves them. And if you end up marrying one, that's between you and God. I just think we should use the Bible as our guidebook and God as our Leader. \\"Redeeming Love\\" isn't the best example or have the best morals to follow. Sure, it's a \\"retelling\\" of the \\"Book of Hosea\\", but I also think it's relying on making sex equal to love.

While I do agree that sex might be part of a marriage relationship, when you start making it only about that, it makes our world really twisted. A great place to look in the Bible about love is \\"1st Corinthians 13\\". It talks about how love is patient, kind, and never fails. Sure, Michael is like that with Angel. But the Bible also talks about lustful desires here: (\\"Matthew 5:28\\", \\"1 John 2:15-16\\", \\"1 Corinthians 6:13\\", \\"2 Timothy 2:22\\", \\"Galatians 5:16\\", \\"Romans 8:6\\"). So, was it love or lust? I think the biggest difference between God's love and Michael's love here is that God truly knows us inside and out and still loves us. Michael, for most of the book, only knows Angel the prostitute. And while he learns more about her later, it's only after they have a sexual relationship. And Michael supposedly loved her before he knew her. Okay. Maybe that's possible, as we're called to love people. But there are different kinds of love, and I felt this book constantly pushed the sexual kind of love on us readers.

Also, there's a part of the book that made me really mad. I hate how Miriam tried to justify subduing a man because supposedly Ruth did so to Boaz in the Bible. No, no, no, no, no, no, no! First of all, Paul was a jerk in this story. And second, why would she even want to marry him? He was never nice to her throughout the whole novel. I really hate how she tried to use that Bible verse to justify what she did.

What Ruth did to Boaz (in the Bible) was more of a cultural thing (not the same as subduing). It was the closest relative's responsibility to marry a widow to provide for her. Ruth wasn't being seductive but was showing Boaz her situation and that she was available for marriage. The \\"Book of Ruth\\" is a beautiful book that shows us that even in difficult times, God is with us.

With Miriam, Paul had already told her he didn't want to marry her. Yes, I know the reason why he didn't. And while there weren't many bachelors around for Miriam to marry, she wasn't desperate in terms of her needs as her family was taking care of her. Her wants shouldn't count here, especially since she was already told no. I feel some people, especially younger readers, might look at this example and think it's okay to keep bothering your boyfriend/girlfriend to marry you, even to try and force them to marry you by sleeping at their house to subdue them when they've already said no. That's not okay and creates very toxic relationships.

In conclusion, I found the love in this book to be extremely erotic, toxic, and at times gross. Sure, it had its moments, but there were so few and they were overshadowed by the abundance of sex. Sure, we don't get every detail of the sexual scenes, but we were given enough to feel uncomfortable and not leave much room for imagination.

Content Warning:

1. Near explicit sexual/rape/prostitution/lust/adultery scenes. These are not fade-to-black scenes and are not recommended for young readers. Even though it doesn't give every bodily detail, it gives too much information. Sometimes the scenes involve adults, other times very young children. And there was some stuff mentioned about a girl having sex with her dad.

2. Graphical violence.

This is one of the books on Goodreads that is kind of a "must-read". It has been on my radar for a long time, and finally, I decided to start it. To be honest, I feel like a complete heathen and a heartless bitch for not liking it. I must have rolled my eyes dozens of times while reading. It's so cheesy and preachy. I knew it was promoted as a "Christian book", but it's really not my cup of tea at all. If I want to be "preached" to, I'll go to Mass next Sunday and listen to Father Pat. I don't really have much more to say than that. Almost all of my friends who read it loved it. I think my expectations were way too high. It has also been made into a film, but I've been told not to bother with it. But could anything be worse than the book? From the pictures on Instagram, it looks nice enough.

Michael - he was a bit too understanding in my opinion. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't have been so patient.

Don't judge me. Enjoy it if you read it, and for all of you who did read it and enjoyed it...

My first Christian romance, and perhaps it may be my last.

There is nothing objectively wrong with the writing. It's just that this particular genre isn't quite to my taste. I was brought up as a baptized and confirmed Catholic, having attended Catholic schools. However, over time, I have become a semi-atheist. Please don't judge me too harshly for that. After reading this book, I still don't feel the inclination to convert.

The romance aspect of the story is above average and is told in a smooth and engaging style. Nevertheless, I couldn't fully buy into the message that the author was trying to convey. It was a bit of a struggle to see the words 'God' and other religious references popping up so liberally throughout the text.

I thought that the hero really deserved a wake-up call to ditch the heroine. He is portrayed as being far too saintly, with a heart that seems as vast as an ocean, considering he accepts the runaway heroine time and time again.

I can understand why the ending was considered touching and moving by some, but I had expected so much more. Oh, and by the way, I've never been a fan of books that don't know when to stop at the Happily Ever After (HEA). It spoils the romance for me when I read epilogues where the hero and heroine perish at a certain age after a long and blissful marriage, complete with a boatload of children and grandchildren. Why not just leave it at the point where they finally meet again and get their HEA? Spare me from such a morbid ending.

Wow, this book is truly remarkable.

It has touched me in the deepest of ways, and the profound truth hidden within the story has brought me to a state of awe.

The metaphorical beauty of this tale is simply undeniable, making it one of the most powerful books I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

As a woman, I could relate to Angel on multiple levels. The feelings of unworthiness and mistrust that haunted her daily life resonated within me.

I adored how Rivers incorporated so much of Angel's inner monologue into the story. It allowed us to truly get to know her for who she was, and witness her internal battles between God and her earthly desires.

Michael's unconditional love for Angel left me completely amazed. Time and time again, he would pursue her, bringing her back home to him. This made me reflect on all the times the Lord has pursued me and brought me back to His fold.

The last 75 pages or so of this book were simply captivating. I couldn't put it down. I was completely overcome by the beauty and the resounding truth that permeated the entire story.

One of my favorite quotations from the book is found in the note from Francine Rivers at the end. She describes the book of Hosea as "A deeply moving story of His passionate love for each of us - unconditional, forgiving, unchanging, everlasting, self-sacrificing - the kind of love for which most people hunger their entire lives, yet never find."

As followers of Christ, we have access to that very same love if we so desire it. This book has motivated me to seek that love from the Lord on a deeper level and has truly helped me understand the meaning of redeeming love.

Cleanliness:

Although this is a Christian book centered around the story of Hosea and Gomer, I believe it surpasses merely "sketches the general outline" and delves too deeply into the couple's tumultuous love story. The sex scenes may halt just before the act, but the paragraphs preceding them are both emotionally and sensually stimulating, with a certain degree of graphic detail.

Certainly, prostitution is mentioned as that was Gomer's occupation. However, there is also an entire scene involving a pedophile who molests and rapes a young girl.

**Do you like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more similar ones. With each review, I offer a Cleanliness Report, highlighting any objectionable content I encounter so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like myself) can decide in advance whether they wish to read a book or not. Content surprises are extremely irritating, especially when you're already 100+ pages in. So here's my effort to assist you in avoiding that!

Therefore, follow or befriend me here on GoodReads! You'll witness my updates as I'm reading and know which books I'm enjoying and which ones I'm not finishing and the reasons behind it. You'll also be able to make use of my library to look up titles and see if the book you're considering reading next contains any objectionable content. From swear words to romance to bad attitudes (in children's books), I cover it all!

Utterly heart wrenching. Gripping. Riveting. Extraordinary. These words only begin to describe the brilliance of "Redeeming Love." The story is not just about drama or angst or sexy love scenes. It is a powerful and eye-opening exploration of faith and redemption.

Sarah, or Angel, is a beautiful but damaged woman who was sold into prostitution as a child. She has been abandoned, abused, and alone, and her past has left her a prisoner. Michael, on the other hand, is a patient and kind man with unwavering faith in himself and in God. His love for Angel is astonishing, and he tries to show her an honest life.

The writing in this novel is simply outstanding. It is eloquent and graceful, bringing the story and its characters to life. The themes of faith, redemption, and love are explored in a profound and moving way. This is my first Christian Fiction novel, and I was initially unsure what to expect. However, I found the element of religion to be comforting and enlightening, rather than preachy.

Overall, "Redeeming Love" is a must-read for anyone who loves a powerful and inspiring story. It is a story about rising up from the dust of despair and finding oneself worthy. It is a story about the unparalleled ways love and faith can conquer all. I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a beautiful and fulfilling journey.

**DNF 45%**

I was truly disappointed by this book. I had heard nothing but rave reviews, claiming it restored faith in God, so my hopes were sky-high. However, from the very beginning, the strange way it was written, with point of view switching paragraph to paragraph, was off-putting. But let's focus on the plot.

I'm a devout Catholic, and if this had been my introduction to the faith, I would have fled in terror. The men in this book are far from what I know Christian men to be. Michael, in particular, is the most abusive, controlling, and manipulative character I've ever encountered. The idea that Angel was "made for him" without any reciprocation from her side is dehumanizing and possessive. The way he forces her into marriage without her proper consent is unacceptable. She's beaten and barely conscious during the ceremony, yet the author treats it as a legitimate marriage.
After the marriage, Michael's behavior only gets worse. He's patronizing, controlling, and inconsiderate. He refuses to call her by the name she wants, despite her repeated requests. He orders her around, telling her what to do and where to go. When she has a triggering nightmare and doesn't want to be touched, he forces her to travel with him, threatening her along the way. Their sexual encounter is also disturbing. She doesn't enjoy it, but he only cares about his own pleasure.
Angel repeatedly expresses her desire to leave, but Michael ignores her. He believes he's protecting her, but in reality, he's making her life a living hell. When she finally manages to escape and returns to being a prostitute, Michael comes to "save" her, but he's violent and horrible during the process. He calls her names, manhandles her, and makes her afraid for her life. The way he treats her is unacceptable and not what a healthy relationship should look like.
Overall, I cannot recommend this book. It's full of red flags and promotes abusive and controlling behavior. I'm truly disappointed that it was written off as a healthy relationship. I had to stop reading at 45% because I just couldn't take it anymore. Screw this guy, and screw this book.

DNF @ page 50

I was supposed to read this book all the way to page 200 as a punishment for a lost bet. However, I'm going to be the dishonorable scum and simply bail out of it. The reason is that I just can't continue with this anymore.

This book might be really good if you have an interest in this kind of stuff. But for an anti-romantic, cynical atheist like me, a religious romance about redeeming love is just pure torture.

I find it extremely difficult to relate to the themes and the overall tone of the story. It seems to be written for a completely different audience with different beliefs and sensibilities.

Maybe if I had a more open mind or a different perspective, I could have found something to appreciate in it. But as it stands, I just can't bring myself to read any further.