Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

I found this book in my local library when browsing for helpful stuff for teaching English. (not in the right section I know... maybe I wandered a little...)

It's a modern retelling though of the book of Hosea from the Bible, and I tell no lie in saying that I have never cried so much reading a novel, I was in floods pretty much from the first chapter.

So Hosea, you may or may not know, is about a prophet called Hosea, that God tells to marry a prostitute. She keeps leaving him, and he keeps going back for her. It's a really amazing picture of our relationship as Christians with God. How we turn our backs on Him over and over again, and go back to our old sinful ways, but He always comes to find us and bring us back.

Here's the blurb:

"Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive.

Then she meets Michael Hosea. A man who seeks his Father's heart in everything. Michael obeys God's call to marry Angel, and to love her unconditionally. Day by day, he defies Angel's every bitter expectation until, despite her resistance, her heart begins to thaw.

But with her unexpected softening come overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. So Angel runs..."

I'm sure it has flaws theologically, but I couldn't really spot any glaring ones. It's actually pretty good at explaining the Gospel, talking about Jesus and sin. It is SO moving and heart breaking, I really think that if you don't mind Christian novels, this is for you. And even if usually you don't like them, you should give this one a go, even if you wouldn't call yourself a Christian.