Book Club Friday: Redeeming Love

This week I'm sharing...

From GoodReads: 

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 come 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.

My Thoughts:

I actually read this back in June, but I forgot to add it here! This book was recommended to me by my coworker. She said it was one of the best books she had read in awhile. I noticed beforehand that this was historical fiction, which is one of my fave genres. But I guess I didn't read the summary, because I  did not realize this was Christian Lit until I began reading, and even then, not until I was already pulled in. I've never read this type of book before, though I identify myself as a Christian. I would say I'm more spiritual than religious, if that makes sense.

Anyway, I really loved this book overall. The only thing keeping me from giving this book 5 stars is the fact that Rivers beats you over the head with the God talk. I understood (eventually) that this was Christian lit, but I didn't need a concussion to understand that the only way Angel was going to be saved was through God.

I did, however, absolutely love the story and her way of telling it; not all at once, but gradually throughout the book. I felt like I was actually there with her. I also liked how Angel, Paul, and Miriam grew and changed throughout the novel.