Redeeming Love (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Angel pushed the canvas flap back just enough to look out at the mud street..." (more)
Key Phrases: muscle perked, willow chair, mustard flowers, San Francisco, Michael Hosea, Alex Stafford (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In this splendid retelling of the biblical story of Hosea, bestselling author Francine Rivers pens a heartbreaking romance between a prostitute and the upright and kind farmer who marries her; the story also functions as a reminder of God's unconditional love for his people. Redeeming Love opens with the Gold Rush of 1850 and its rough-and-tumble atmosphere of greed and desire. Angel, who was sold into prostitution as a child, has learned to distrust all men, who see her only as a way to satisfy their lust. When the virtuous and spiritual-minded Michael Hosea is told by God to marry this "soiled dove," he obeys, despite his misgivings. As Angel learns to love him, she begins to hope again but is soon overwhelmed by fear and returns to her old life. Rivers shines in her ability to weave together spiritual themes and sexual tension in a well-told story, a talent that has propelled her into the spotlight as one of the most popular novelists in the genre of Christian fiction. This is one of her best. --Cindy Crosby

From Library Journal

Rivers has rewritten a secular historical romance of the same name (Bantam, 1991) for the Christian market, and it is a splendid piece of work exploring both physical love and a love of God. Angel, a young, hardened prostitute sold into "the life" as a child, has no interest in God or religion. Then she meets Michael Hosea, a devout Christian who tells her it is his mission to save her. After being badly beaten, Angel decides to take Michael up on his offer of marriage. Eventually, she learns not only to love Michael but to love God as well. There is not one false note in this wonderful novel. The publisher's foreword rates the book "PG" for its adult themes and subplots of rape and incest. However, these are handled with great sensitivity and are very much a part of the story's development. Very highly recommended for most libraries.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 486 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (May 11, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576738167
• ISBN-13: 978-1576738160
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (651 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #66,450 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Fiction > Historical
  #28 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Authors, A-Z > ( R ) > Rivers, Francine
  #80 in	Books > Romance > Religious

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

156 of 164 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book grabbed me by the collar and would not let me go!, October 29, 1999

By	Nurse.At.Large "Leah" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Redeeming Love (Paperback)

The first day I bought this book, I sat on my desk and told myself I'd just read a chapter before I go to bed. That was 9pm. No matter how hard I tried, I could not put the book down. I found myself teary eyed, reading the ending, at 5am the next morning. Intending to read just the first few pages, I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting (with one bathroom break!).

Everytime Angel would run away from Michael's love, I would say, "you stupid, ungrateful woman!" But as I was reading, God reminded me of all the times when I myself would backslide from my faith, thinking that I could make it on my own without Him - and of how unconditional His love is (like Michael's) when I come to my senses and ask for His forgiveness. After I finished the novel, I couldn't help but thank God for His forgiving, faithful, redeeming love.

I definitely recommend this book. But don't read it like I did - Don't read it in one sitting until 5am when you need to be at work at 7am.!!

70 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At least 10 starts and should be required reading in schools, August 13, 1999

By	Bonnie McKinzie (Garden Grove, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Redeeming Love (Paperback)

I have read very widely, and rarely if ever, has a fiction book held my attention and deep emotions as this book did. Francine Rivers shows the life of children sold into prostitution and the traps they seem to stay in forever. She shows what real married love looks like and the contrasts between good and bad, sweet and bitter, happiness and sadness, truth and lies, all are a major part of this very, very excellent Christian fiction book! It should be required reading in all high schools, private or public and I will recommend this books to all the homeschooling groups I can find. Congratulations Francine, you have done to my heart, mind and emotions what few if any authors have managed to do!

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A moving picture of the unshakeable love of God, July 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Redeeming Love (Paperback)

What a joy to be able to share my thoughts about this book with whomever may read this. This is the first book Francine Rivers wrote after coming into her relationship with Christ. Because of that, it has a rawness and a fresh fascination with the incredible love of God. The characters are real and believable, especially Angel, whose life experiences have left her bitter and angry, certain that there is no hope for redemption or love. The story that unfolds is so much more than the "sappy" romance-novel cover depicts (I wish the publisher would redesign it). Even for me, a Christian for 15 years, it was deeply moving and humbling to read of how unshakeable God's love is, and also His discipline. I have reccomended this book to so many people, all of whom have had similar responses to mine, and I would suggest it as a way to show God's amazing love to anyone you may know who doesn't know Him. Praise God for servants who are gifted in such unique ways as Mrs. Rivers - may she continue to glorify Him with her stories!