About the Book:
Ruthie Adrian loves ranch life with her handsome husband, Mac and his family. But her fading hope for a child dissolves when Mac is killed in a crash along with his brother and father.
Added to their heartbreak, Ruthie and her mother-in-law, Naomi now face rejection by her sister-in-law, and impossible barriers as they try to protect their land.
Jake, a self-styled prophet steps up with a bizarre offer. A Godsend or a trap?
With raw grief, unexpected humour, and life-giving grace, Unbound is a modern twist on a timeless tale of the unique bond between two widows who harbour a few secrets of their own.
Unbound by Eleanor Bertin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
I was initially drawn to this story because it is based on my namesake’s Bible character story, Ruth. Her story would have fascinated me even if I had not been named after her, and I was further intrigued because I have never read a modern-day retelling of this story. Additionally, since it is a Christian book, I knew I wasn’t going to encounter anything inappropriate. Furthermore, it is the second book I have read from the “Mosaic Collection,” and so this made me want to read it even more.
First of all, I was pleasantly surprised with the story and the way in which it unfolded. I know the Bible story frontwards, backwards, and upside down, but this story had plenty of twists and turns. I didn’t see some of the things coming, and I can’t thank the author enough for a clever story that kept my attention from beginning to end. I don’t always find that with Christian fiction, and I am grateful to say this book did the job!
Secondly, this story dealt with serious issues. All too often, Christian fiction sugarcoats things more than a “Hallmark movie,” and very often, the difficulties encountered are nothing more than unrelatable whining and implausible circumstances that would never have happened in real life. However, the characters and stories included in this book were realistic and told with such authenticity that I was captivated with their story. I knew there was more than what the characters were willing to divulge at the beginning, and I was definitely shocked as I read about some of their sufferings that I couldn’t even imagine!
I also want to applaud the author for including a “bad guy” who was the epitome of some of the cult leaders we hear about today–those individuals who warp and twist the Word of God to suit their own best interests and go around with a “holier-than-thou” aura that condemns everyone else for their sins while being blind to their own hypocrisy. This is another current issue that plagues so much of Christendom, and I was grateful to see this story play out.
Finally, the gospel is woven into the framework of this story, and I believe that both Christians and non-Christians will see themselves in the lives of these characters. Redemption is key, and no matter how good we are, we can never atone for our sins. We have to accept the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ and receive the forgiveness that God has so freely given us. The message of this story is powerful and life-changing, and I cannot recommend this book highly enough!
ABOUT ELEANOR
Eleanor Bertin holds a college diploma in Communications and worked in agriculture journalism before leaving the workforce for thirty years of raising and home-educating a family of seven children. What felt like the sacrifice of career and recognition gradually became a joyful calling.
But children have a way of growing up and she returned to writing with her first novel, Lifelines, followed by the memoir, Pall of Silence, about her late son, Paul.
She writes to convey the ways that God’s grace pierces through the armour of even the hardest heart, softening and transforming people, both real and imagined, into true worshippers.
Eleanor lives with her husband and youngest son, who has Down syndrome, amid the ongoing renovation of a century home in central Alberta where she reads, writes, sweeps up construction rubble and blogs about a sometimes-elusive contentment at jewelofcontentment.wordpress.com.
FOLLOW THE AUTHOR
