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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous!, September 10, 2008
This review is from: Forsaken (Paperback)
Raised by her father, a Special Forces veteran, Taylor always knew she was different. Practical rather than perfect, beautiful yet unaffected with a plethora of survival skills most adults never master, Taylor's soul is still scarred when evil comes calling on her. As a result, Taylor throws herself in to her studies and into a career protecting others, with a tenacity and ferocity rarely seen in a woman. Taylor serves her country well, despite controversy, in the Secret Service before opening her own Security company, Pasbury Security.
Under pressure from his devoted staff, following threats from Muslim extremists, Simon Mason, the world's most revered televangelist reluctantly agrees to a security detail and hand picks Taylor Pasbury. Fighting an attraction to this surprisingly understated man, Taylor implements security changes but is unable to prevent Simon's daughter Kacey from kidnappers who demand Simon make an unthinkable choice if he wants to see Kacey again.
Simon, Taylor and Kacey find themselves caught up in life threatening events that may exact a price higher than death.
I have read many enthralling suspense novels, enjoyed meaningful love stories and delved into books that challenge my thinking and purpose but never has a novel combined all three elements, and with such adeptness, as Forsaken. James David Jordan's Taylor Pasbury is a complex woman with burdens from her past, unimaginable to most, yet is genuinely intriguing. Simon Mason is a man who wields great power yet is grounded in his beliefs and compassion, but still has demons from his past to battle. When the unbearable testing of his soul and spirit occurs, you will not be left untouched and as I did, will contemplate the choice you might make in Simon's shoes. Although the conclusion is satisfying, I was left feeling there was a depth to the characters that remained unexplored so I was thrilled to learn Taylor's story does not end with this book. A fascinating and emotional read, Forsaken will keep you up late, even when the last page is read, pondering your faith, the intricacies of love in all its forms and God's unforeseen purposes in this world.
Truth be told, regardless of the challenging thoughts it leaves you with, Forsaken is one excellent ride, complete with unexpected twists and turns, that neither men or women should miss!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great message of redemption & sacrifice, January 3, 2009
This review is from: Forsaken (Paperback)
When Simon Mason, a widowed, world-famous televangelist gets death threats from Muslim extremists, he hires former Secret Services agent, Taylor Swift, who runs her own security business, for protection. Simon's twenty-year-old daughter is soon kidnapped and he's forced to choose between honoring his faith or saving his daughter.
Told in first person through the eyes of Taylor, we get this tale of pressure, danger, finding love in unexpected places and counting the cost of being a Christian.
Although some parts of this suspense novel were gripping, the abundance of foreshadowing killed some of the tension for me, but that's a personal feeling. Some readers are hooked by it and like it, but I've always had a disdain for it because I don't like to be told what's going to happen before it does. A little bit is fine, but every other chapter or so is too much for my liking. I almost wanted to skip the last few paragraphs of each chapter so I'd avoid those thrill robbers. The last third of the book alludes to how things will end, so when it unfolded exactly the way I assumed it would, the potential, heart-wrenching ride for me was somewhat constrained. I liked that the author saved one shocker for the end and how the final threads wrapped up.
That said, I did get misty in a few spots, and I felt James David Jordan did an excellent job of delving into Taylor's inner demons and agony over being single and alone. This work is also a strong testament of true faith and courage. Any Christian would be blessed and encouraged by its message of redemption and sacrifice.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not your grandma's safe Christian fiction, September 4, 2008
This review is from: Forsaken (Paperback)
Taylor is a former secret service agent who's been called to protect the world's most famous televangelist. She's had a past that calls for her to take this job very seriously. Simon has received threats from terrorists telling him to step down from his ministry or else him and his family will be in harm's way. When the unthinkable happens, Simon has to make a choice that will change everyone who has been affected by him forever.
Reading this book was like watching an episode of 24 in book format. This book was heart thumping non stop action from the first page. It's very gritty, not for the faint hearted. I love how the main character is a female who doesn't need to rely on others to take care of herself. Reading about Taylor's past and how it affected her life and career choice was great buildup for the story. This is honestly one of the best suspense novels I have ever read, in both secular and Christian fiction. With plot twists and good character development, this book was hard to put down. The story is very realistic, one could easily see the news headlines actually happening. It's actually scary to think that there could be someone out there who is plotting this exact scenario. The choice that Simon had to make was extremely difficult. It is a situation that one hopes NEVER to have to be in. It really makes you think about what is the most important thing in your life and exactly how strong your faith really is. The ending is rather interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing how that storyline is played out. I'm highly anticipating the next book in the series. This is one book that you could easily pass on to guys who claim to hate reading. It will definitely grab their attention. HIGHLY recommended.
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