My latest book review/blog tour book is Healing Promises, the second in the "Defenders of Hope" series by Amy Wallace. I haven't read the first book, so I started out at a little bit of a disadvantage for a few of the characters, but I didn't feel like I missed anything all things being equal. This book very easily stands on its own as a good read. This book tells the story of FBI Agent Clint Rollins as he works with his Crimes Against Children Unit to try and apprehend a kidnapper who inevitably ends up killing his victims before it's too late for the latest victim. At the same time, Clint and his wife Sara (an oncologist) face difficulties at home as Clint is diagnosed with cancer when he is admitted for routine treatment of a gunshot.
The FBI story is well written and intriguing. But the secondary plot line, that of how Clint and Sara battle their doubts of God's love in the midst of Clint's cancer that I enjoyed the most - because Amy Wallace allowed these characters to be real. And the people who interacted with them were real. And so you were able to get a glimpse of the anguish Christians suffer when they are paralyzed with fear and doubt and their faith slips a little in the midst of painful circumstances - and you see how that doubt leads to guilt because it's unwelcome and yet, it's there.
I enjoyed this and didn't really want to put it down except at a chapter break (and only then if I really had to.) I'll have to see if my church library has the first one in the series and catch up.
23 hours ago
Hi, Beth!
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading Healing Promises and writing a review. I so appreciate what you had to say about the characters. They were real for me, so it's fun to hear they were for readers too. ;-)
You couldn't put the book down? High praise, indeed. Thanks so much!