Before I start with this next book review, I have a little bit of a "mud" post to write and share with you. And the reason I picked this particular post to do it is because: if this book were a movie, it would more than likely fall into the following category.
Let me set the stage a little bit. For 2-3 days each week, David comes home from work and then immediately changes to go to the gym. He doesn't stop to eat dinner or hang around much and once he leaves he's gone for a little over an hour (our gym is super close and he works out for approximately an hour each session). Well, when he left I started channel flipping and stumbled upon an oldie, but goodie. Steel Magnolias. OMG, I think most women love this movie because it takes you on that roller coaster of emotions...you laugh, you feel nostalgic/sentimental and most of all sad.
This type of movie I treat almost the same way each and every time I watch it...I watch approximately 2/3 of it and then I shut it off. When David came home he asked me if he could change the channel and I said, "Absolutely, I can't watch the end of this anyway." He just looked at me like I was crazy and said something like, "Why? Doesn't Julia Roberts die? That's all, nothing to cry about." Excuse me, that's all? Apparently these types of movies don't affect men the same way...or something. A couple of examples of other movies that fall within this category are Stepmom and Fried Green Tomatoes (though I can normally watch this one all the way to the end).
Let me set the stage a little bit. For 2-3 days each week, David comes home from work and then immediately changes to go to the gym. He doesn't stop to eat dinner or hang around much and once he leaves he's gone for a little over an hour (our gym is super close and he works out for approximately an hour each session). Well, when he left I started channel flipping and stumbled upon an oldie, but goodie. Steel Magnolias. OMG, I think most women love this movie because it takes you on that roller coaster of emotions...you laugh, you feel nostalgic/sentimental and most of all sad.
This type of movie I treat almost the same way each and every time I watch it...I watch approximately 2/3 of it and then I shut it off. When David came home he asked me if he could change the channel and I said, "Absolutely, I can't watch the end of this anyway." He just looked at me like I was crazy and said something like, "Why? Doesn't Julia Roberts die? That's all, nothing to cry about." Excuse me, that's all? Apparently these types of movies don't affect men the same way...or something. A couple of examples of other movies that fall within this category are Stepmom and Fried Green Tomatoes (though I can normally watch this one all the way to the end).
Redeeming Love is the fourth Francine Rivers book that I have ever read. And I have to say, I can see why so many people just love her. Rivers' writing style is so fluid and easy to read. It's amazing how she can look at a bible passage, do some biblical research and then a beautiful story with dialogue flows from her fingers.
This book is a retelling of the slightly obscure bible story of Hosea and Gomer. The main premise of the bible story is that Hosea is spoken directly to by God and given the command to marry a prostitute. Not just any prostitute, mind you, Gomer. In Redeeming Love the character's names are John Hosea and Sarah, but she is primarily called Angel. Rivers sets the stage in California right in the middle of the gold rush.
Angel/Gomer runs away from Hosea three times in both stories. The effects of these actions, both emotionally and physically to the two involved can be heart-wrenching. I had a friend ask me if I got irritated with Angel for continuing to run away from Hosea. And I have to say 'no.' I know that I am not as messed up in the head as this woman was...for instance, in the prologue you learn that Angel heard her very own father tell her mother that he wishes Angel had been aborted. Talk about a need for some counseling! This book isn't an easy read at times and you will most definitely get a little irritated from time to time, but I could understand and see why each character acted the way they did.
It took me a while to read this book. And not because it was all that long (though it was) or because I got bored with it. Rather, there were times when I would read 20-50 pages and then want to "stew on it" for a little while. This was one of those books that I wanted to sip like a fine wine. So, I took my time...and I'm glad I did...it was worth it. Over one million people aren't wrong, this one is definitely a keeper. I would most definitely recommend it!
You know I agree whole heartedly. But I have to tell you I love how you wrote this post!
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