Absolved

by Christy Decker

If only Stacey could go back to her childhood, back to her innocence. Back to the happiness she knew before he left, before her pain led to a heartbreaking mistake.
She knows she cannot go back, so she moves forward, harboring a secret that haunts her and leaves her with a heavy weight of regret and guilt.
Her past threatens to destroy her. Is there a way to truly move on and be a whole person again?

110 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 2014

About the author

Author of Absolved, The Consequence and Final 42. Christy is only a part-time author, as she is a full-time mother of six.

Reviews

[Parker Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story about a woman's life haunted by one decision that affects her entire life. Ignoring or suppressing a problem never makes it go away. Instead it festers inside a person until something makes it lash out. Also, I enjoyed the way she had to learn how to forgive. Forgiveness does not come easy, especially when we are the wronged party. I loved how her husband stuck with her through thick and thin. One thing I enjoyed was that it came from a Catholic point of view. This surprising element taught me some things about this particular denomination I had misconceptions about. Absolved was a wonderful read and I enjoyed it.

[Raelee Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in elegant style with raw emotions. The first chapter drops the reader right in to the story, but the next few don't quite have the same charm.

My main complaint is I wish there was more to the story, that we could go a little deeper, have a little more fleshed out. This is also a sort of compliment, though, as I have ADHD and almost never want a book to be longer than it is.

[Hannah Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stacey is hiding a secret from her past that is invading her life and threatening her marriage. Will God truly forgive her for what she has done? Can she ever forgive herself and hope for a brighter future?

I was hooked from the beginning. You won’t put this book down until you finish, and even then, you will wish there was more! What a story of God’s grace and forgiveness in the face of tragedy and sin. It’s a wonderful reminder to draw near to God in all circumstances, for He WILL draw near to you. You will be encouraged and blessed by this author's story.

[Skye Collett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt story of faith and forgiveness
 
This book blew me away.
Reading Christy Deckers 'Absolved' was a journey into understanding of faith, family, love and the struggle for forgiveness.
The author presents all this with such honesty and integrity that I found myself tearing up on more than one occasion.
The main character Stacey goes through levels of highs and lows that the reader emgages in, siding with her on her path to leaving the past behind and moving forward.
I loved this book.
It stayed in my thoughts long after I finished the final chapter, and influenced me to reflect on my personal experiences with forgiveness and faith.

[Jim Landwehr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deals with a number of tough life lessons. It's about perseverance, forgiveness and love. It's about faith in God and demonstrates that His love endures if we allow it. Christy Decker does a great job of laying it all out and letting the reader come to their own conclusions. A nicely done debut!

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolved is an engaging journey about a troubled teenage girl who matures to a reconciled adult and mother. Christy Decker writes with such a casual and personal style that you feel like you are in the heads of her characters. I anguished with her protagonist as she struggled through the disappointments and calamities of life, and cheered as she overcame them all with the help of her savior.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of the book was great. Having grown up Catholic, it was nice to read a story about how someone's teenage decisions affect them through adulthood. The writing, however, was tough to get through.