My friend Lezlie from The Nerdy Narrative was raving about this book when I first found her Youtube channel this year. I had kept it in the back of my mind to read and hadn't even added it to my Goodreads "Want To Read" shelf. I saw it a few times at Goodwill when I was bargain hunting but never pulled the trigger. I figured I'd just buy a new copy when I felt the urge to read a romance. I hadn't been in much of a romance book reading mood this year and I became a bit pickier with my romances.

Then a few weeks back, I was at Goodwill bargain hunting again and found a copy of Redeeming Love that had a different cover than the one I had previously seen. I decided to get it this time. After reading so much fantasy ala Brandon Sanderson since August, I was finally feeling the need for a romance and this one sounded right up my alley with some historical fiction and no smut. I chose this as my last read of 2020 and I'm SO glad I did!!

As you can see from the synopsis this story is set in the 1850s during the Gold Rush time period. I really picked up a lot of "Little House on the Prairie" vibes as far as the setting and descriptions. But what won me over most was the love story.

Sarah/Angel had had a very hard childhood even before her mother passed away (this happens at the very beginning)...feeling rejection from her biological father, feeling like she wasn't worth anything because in her mother's grief, her mother had a hard time caring for Sarah as she should. Sarah's name got "changed" to Angel after a period of time and the things that happened to her were just heartbreaking and unspeakable. The way she began to think about herself as unlovable was heartbreaking.

Enter Michael Hosea. Michael showed Sarah the meaning of unconditional love through his relationship with God and what God teaches in the Bible. I felt this was so touching because Michael had prayed for a wife and when his wife (Sarah) was there, he kept asking God "Are you sure? Is she really the one?" If you ask my husband, he will tell you the same thing...he prayed for a country girl; someone who would love him unconditionally, and be devoted to him and a relationship...and here we are 28 years later. ♥

Thankfully, I've never had to go through some of the horrors Sarah did (I've had enough of my own different ones), but the way Sarah's hard heart and unbelieving spirit gradually softened to allow God to work through her and change her....accepting Michael's love because God was there for them because He had a plan for Sarah and Michael; accepting God's love because no one is unlovable and can't be forgiven.....I was in tears.

Over and over in this book we see how God worked in their lives just as He can and will in ours if we only accept Him as our Savior and Lord. He loves us as no one else ever can or will. We were created to commune with Him and that's why He sent Jesus so we can be washed of our sins, forgiven of our sinful natures, and accept his love and blessings.

I can't wait to reread this book again....I may make this my end of the year read every year.