Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers Book Review

A Story of Love That Won't Let Go - No Matter What!

California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep.

Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.

Then she meets Michael Hosea, a man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything. Michael obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.

But with her unexpected softening comes overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband’s pursuing love, terrified of the truth she no longer can deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael does…the One who will never let her go.

A powerful retelling of the story of Gomer and Hosea, Redeeming Love is a life-changing story of God’s unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love.

Includes a six-part reading group guide!

Francine River's website 

My Thoughts:

Francine River is an amazing author. I don’t think I have read one book from her that I dislike. This is one of her first novels that I never got around to read. I am glad I finally did! 

This is the retelling of the Book of Hosea from the Bible in more modern day context. I would recommend you read the book of Hosea in the Bible first so you can really get a feel for this novel. The picture on the cover doesn’t do the book justice as this is not just a romance novel as the cover looks like it would be. I am not one to grab a book with that type of a cover. I have read enough of Francine River’s books to know I wanted to give it a try.

This is a story about God’s love and forgiveness. A very powerful story that made me tear up way too much.

The characters are well written. Even Angel who makes you just want to hug her and tell her it will be okay. The author makes you see her hurt, fear, and insecurities with such clarity. You can’t help but to not like her even after all her bad choices that she continues to make.

Michael made Hosea in the Bible really come alive. It was always a story I couldn’t quite grasp. I thought I did. I guess I needed to read the story with something that was more modern for my understanding. After reading this book and seeing Michael I think I see it more clearly and have a better appreciate of the real Hosea. Truly it is redeeming love and God’s faithfulness.Francis River makes Angel’s life as a prostitute so real but it doesn’t in no way glorify the life. 

Thank you for another amazing book. This is a keeper on my bookshelf and one I plan on reading again in the future.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book from Blogging for Books- Waterbrook for free in order to write this review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and were not subject to editing from the publisher.