To Forgive, Divine

by Melissa Leedom

Book Overview

Bonnie Callaway Since the accident that killed her husband two years ago, Bonnie's had no room in her heart for new love. She certainly didn't plan to fall for her also-widowed pastor! Jeff Wells... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0595294952
• ISBN13: 9780595294954
• Release Date: October 2003
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Length: 260 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Couldn't put it down!

Great book - so realistic and as a pastor for 30 years, I could relate to the chain of events and to "Clara". Clara by any other name is still a Clara!! I am not sure there is a church without one!!! Thanks too for showing the Pastor as a real person with real emotions and the ability to err from time to time. It was nice not to see him on a pedestal but also to see him as a man's man - not some effeminate tea-sipping white collared incompetent. It was a great read and I appreciate the insights that are woven through the story, especially a glimpse into the life of a single again person's feelings, etc.

Visit the author's website!

Go to www.forgive490.com to read fan mail praising To Forgive, Divine! Click on John 1:12 to see a beautiful slide show prepared by the author. Explore the rest of the site, send e-mail to Melissa, and let your friends know about www.forgive490.com, too.

A Page-Turner

"To Forgive, Divine" is a different kind of romance novel. It has intelligence, wit and charm woven into a plot that accurately reflects the concerns of our time. Ms. Leedom's characters are multi-dimensional, with the all-too-human faults and failings of ordinary people finding their way in a complicated world. From the first tenuous steps of a man and a woman recognizing a mutual attraction, through their journey of understanding, to the ending that could only be written with Divine guidance, the book is a page-turner. I look forward to Ms. Leedom's next book.

Original, inspirational, emotional, and highly recommended

To Forgive Divine by Melissa Lea Leedom is a superbly written love story about lasting bitterness that can leave poison that cripples relationships and life itself, in contrast to the healing power of forgiveness. Presenting the irony of a man and a woman who witness the transforming power of the love and forgiveness of Jesus, and must come to terms with their own Christianity despite their lingering grudges held against each other, To Forgive Divine is original, inspirational, emotional, and highly recommended reading.

A Glimpse into the Culture of a Church

Melissa Leedom's book is interesting for those who may have never entered into a church or been a part of its society. Sometimes we can have concepts of what life is like behind the stained glass windows, thinking that the members are either perfect or boring. They simply don't have mundane or deep personal problems as ordinary people--so we may think until we read Leedom's account. She depicts the people honestly and objectively--warts and all. We see that no one, even those who go to church "religiously" are perfect--even the pastor. The story is weaved in such a way that it is easy to judge certain characters before we find the whole story about their lives.To understand the pace of the love story in a church setting, Leedom lays the background of the cultural values in a clear manner. This is important for readers who don't go to church and may not be familiar with the moral standards of this society.The story bravely gives an account of church politics, exposing its cancerous dangers of gossip. We see how innocent people can be the victims of leaders of the church. It makes you wonder how many "lost sheep" have actually been to church but were hurt instead of helped.An interesting sub-plot concerns the church's outreach activities to the community. The church members are not patronizing, and learn to understand the needs of the underclass in America. The characters also grapple with problem that all people who want to do good have to deal with--their own need and motivation to help the "unfortunate".Although Leedom takes the roof off of the church and let's us peak into their private lives, she is always gracious. For those of you who may sleep in on Sunday mornings, this is a great book to learn about your neighbors who may wake you up with slamming the car doors, and shouting "hurry up or we'll be late for church."