Title: Free From
Guilt
Author: Pat Simmons
Pages: 304
Year: 2012
Publisher: Lift Every Voice
This novel is written with an emphasis on ancestry,
Jesus as Lord, and being completely surrendered to His will. The main characters are highly educated; work
hard to succeed, with some learning that Jesus is what matters most. The author’s passion for family history is
put to use by being a sleuth in discovering the stories behind the names via
the lead male character. Strong family
ties are also a major theme throughout this work of fiction. Even when choices are made contrary to the
Word of God by the various players, the elements of forgiveness, humility, and
restoration shine through.
The
lead female character, Gabrielle, is portrayed as a woman of strong faith and a
penchant for romance. While she works
for an airport company as a supervisor, her relationship with the Lord is
foremost. Gabrielle wants to meet a man
who loves the Lord first and then her. The
lead male character, Cameron, is about to challenge her strongest resolve. Her longing to love and be loved is shown in
the back and forth battles of the heart her character goes through. Gabrielle has a brother who is an
evangelist. While this is a work of
fiction, one theme really stands out and that is to treasure people, pray that
the Lord would help you see them as He sees them, love them as He does. In our flesh we can’t do anything, but in
Christ we can do all things.
Cameron
is a highly motivated and educated man, who mainly pays lip service to his walk
with the Lord. Cameron’s view is that
the work he has put forth is what has gotten him all the material things he
owns. He is seen as being prideful and
self-centered though easily turning on the charm once he determines what he wants
or in this case who. Since Cameron has
researched 10 generations of his family’s heritage, he is aware of an incident
in the past that comes to the forefront when an uninvited guest attends a
wedding. Cameron measures his walk with
the Lord one way, but is it the way God sees it? Is Cameron all about show and tell without
substance?
People
are drawn to romance novels for many reasons; the unusual characteristic about
this one is that it teaches. Through
various characters makeup, lifestyles, and/or professions, the tension between
the two characters comes down to their different levels of commitment to
Christ. Various conversations within the
novel are sprinkled with scripture verses or references that challenge everyone
to have our speech seasoned always with salt, our mind and life centered upon
His Word.
Relationships
are part of our makeup because God made us to be in relationship with Him. When I started reading this novel, I
struggled to get into the story. Yet, as
I pressed on, I was glad when I began to capture the essence of the story and
the many themes running throughout. Some
of what I gleaned I shared above, but what will you enjoy about the novel? Is there anything that causes you to stop and
think about God, His Word or your relationships?
My rating is 3 stars.
Note:
I received a complimentary copy for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are solely
my responsibility. Other reviews can be
read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/
. Also follow me on Twitter
@lcjohnson1988, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson.75457
