Redemption by Karen Kingsbury

   
 Disclaimer!! This is not your regular Mills & Boon or harlequinn romance novels (if you know you know). It's a beautiful story of family, faith, love, marriage, and the painful consequences of marital infidelity. It is set in Bloomington town of Indiana, U.S.A. and the major characters are The Baxter family with Kari as the person of focus (I feel like a member of this family already, LOL), Ryan Taylor, Tim Jacobs, Dirk Bennett, Angela Manning, and Pastor Mark Atteberry. And yeah, it's the first of a 5-book series (Redemption series) and each book focuses on each of the five children of the Baxter family.

     Kari Jacobs nee Baxter is married to Professor Tim Jacobs. Prof Tim is a renowned journalist and lecturer at Indiana University. Their marriage is all good until Tim starts 'catching feelings' for Angela Manning, his star student. One thing leads to another and they start having an affair. Kari eventually finds out and is shattered, but despite her pain, tries to work things out with her husband. She believes this is God's will for her marriage but it takes two to tango, right? Of course, Tim is not ready to leave his new belle for anything or anyone. Despite the warnings of her siblings, she is steadfastly holding on to her marriage and is willing to work out their failing marriage. Tim has lost faith in God and his marriage to Kari. 

     As God would have it, Kari discovers she is pregnant and informs Tim. This news touches his heart and he feels remorse. Things are looking up for Tim and Kari as they reunite and start going for counseling. Their happy ending is short-lived as Dirk Bennett, Angela's ex-boyfriend, guns Tim down in front of Angela's apartment and he dies. It was soon discovered that Tim went to her apartment to apologize to Angela and officially end the affair (Angela lies that she's pregnant just to win him back). Fortunately, Tim makes peace with God before he takes his last breath. 

    Aha! Kari's first love, Ryan Taylor was in town all this while (major yawa). Anyway, sparks are still flying between Fine boy Ryan and Mrs. Kari. Let us see if it'll lead to something deeper.

A penny for my thoughts

  My most relatable character is Kari Jacobs. I think it's because like so many other women out there, she was enduring her marriage at some point. At times I wanted to beat Tim with a stick and open his eyes to see what an amazing woman Kari is.

Lessons

• Salvation has no expiry date as far as life on this earth is concerned
• Love is a decision, it is beyond feelings
• Having a family is important. They don't always have to be blood relatives. Family are the people with whom you're 100% you
• Trust God's plan, no matter what your present looks like.
• Forgiveness isn't easy but then good things don't exactly come easy.

That's it, guys. Just in case you're interested in reading this book, find the link to download it attached below.

Redemption

Adios!

yawa - problem

  

"...and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus"

Romans 3:24 NIV