Review – Joline’s Redemption, by Vickie McDonough

Joline’s Redemption, by Vickie McDonough, is a tale of one woman’s journey from her selfish, self-centered ways to understanding her purpose in God’s will. Joline, seeking the finer things in life on the arm of a handsome man, finds herself duped by two different men. The result, she becomes trapped in a brothel with her infant son. When the owner, Badger, tries to force her to give up her son, she makes a break for her sister’s home in Guthrie, Oklahoma, knowing full and well what will happen if he catches up to her. The previous beatings she received after her last few escape attempts leaves her no doubt what her fate will be if she is caught. However, her sister’s home also holds its challenges, including Baron, her son’s uncle.

I loved how the author developed the characters quickly; you genuinely like them and are interested in how their story will end up. This, along with the fast paced story, keeps you reading along. Though this is the second book in the series, I was able to easily read the book without feeling like I missed out on something by not having read the first book. And because I adore all of the characters, I would be prone to buy the first book to get to read Lara and Gabe’s story.

With that being said, there was a lot going on in the book as far as plot lines go. Plus, the point of view switches often, including main and secondary characters. The effect was not positive and I felt it could leave the reader feeling a bit overwhelmed. I also believed the ending dragged on and the book could have stopped a chapter or two earlier.  Finally, I’m not a fan of fluff-filled happily ever after books, and I felt that everything unrealistically panned out for Jo.  

Overall, I liked the story and would recommend it, but it wouldn’t be on my must read list.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.