Redemption

by Jacquelin Thomas

Praised for embracing the power of love and forgiveness in her award-winning novels, Jacquelin Thomas now explores the rewards of Redemption as a woman's desperate choices threaten to destroy her. She's Marin Alexander, a beautiful actress who's forfeiting her career for a marriage to televangelist Warner Brice. But will the lure of the spotlight and the wayward gratifications of fame be too desirable to leave behind?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Romance

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 6, 2000

About the author

Jacquelin Thomas is an award-winning, best selling author with 94 titles published. Her books have garnered several awards, including two EMMA awards, the Romance In Color Reviewers Award, Readers Choice Award and the Atlanta Choice Award in the Religious & Spiritual category. Jacquelin was a 2005 honoree at the Houston Black Film Festival for the movie adaptation of her novel, Hidden Blessings. She was the first recipient to receive the Writers Achievement Award at the North Carolina Book Festival in Winston-Salem. She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times Magazine.

Jacquelin has published in the romance, women's fiction, inspirational and young adult genres. Her second book in the YA series, Divine Confidential was nominated for a 2008 NAACP Image Award.

Jacquelin is happily married to her best friend and is the proud mother of three children. Jacquelin and her family live in North Carolina.

Reviews

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book years ago and still remember how it took me on a journey; the power of redemption.

[SassyMama · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Redeeming Tale

Another refreshing novel, to quench the soul. Jacquelin Thomas' novels always move me. It's amazing how much of an answer I find for myself within her novels. This was definitely a tear-jerker. I wept for Marin, I wept for Warner and their children throughout this novel. It truly was an uphill battle for Marin and she lost alot, but in the end I do believe she was redeemed. Throughout all the trials and tribulation she put Warner through, I believe she did love him and never meant to hurt him. I however, think she just didn't love herself enough to totally accept that despite her faults and short-comings Warner loved her unconditionally as did God. But in the end, I believe she finally came to learn to lean on God and hear His voice and heed His word. I think she finally realized that God loved her despite her sins, and I think she finally understood the true meaning of unconditional love, by the letter she wrote to her husband on his birthday. It was such a moving letter. She was willing to love him enough to let him go, because she knew that despite how much he loved her, he was still hurting and struggling with all the horrible things she had done. Warner was definitely a man of God, not many, if any would have stood by their wife or taken her back after all the evil things she had done to him. Despite all the humiliation and gossip he held to God's Word and would only listen to Him. And as you can see a few times he fell short and had to fall to his knees and pray and ask God's forgiveness for his weaknesses, it just went to show that even being a man of the cloth he was just a man, and sometimes fell short, too. This was just a deeply inspiring story.

[Chandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so awesome! I literally cried my eyes out when I finished reading. This was a definite page turner. I had to know what Marin, the main character, would do next. The lesson to be learned from this book: You can't be happy with anyone else or make them happy until you are happy with yourself!

[Linda Leon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Redemption takes a classic biblical story and modernizes it. I thought the book was too predictable and not very believable in certain aspects. However, it did stay true to the Bible in terms of a person's life being able to be redeemed from very destitute circumstances. I would have liked to have seen a stronger ending.

[Renee Tate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hated the ending. I understand that redemption does not always mean a happy ending but I would have liked to see Marin really right her wrongs.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was pretty good. It took me 3 days to finish it. The only thing I wanted to know more about was the relationship between Marin and her mom.

I was hoping to see Marin and her mother actually have a heart to heart conversation about how they feel about each other- especially her mother because of how she treated her. I wanted to know why she was so negative towards her own daughter. Instead, they just let it go without apologizing nor find any solutions.

Overall, it was a great book to read and I learned a lot from it.

[Demetrice McKoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book touched my heart, amazing

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Marin was a woman who allowed her career to destroy her life. She's married to a very prominent preacher and they were living the life but her desire for for her acting career causes her to take a chance and use cocaine. Now she's spiraled out of control and too ashamed to go back home to, not only her husband and their two sons but her parents as well. Marin has finally hit rock bottom and needs the assistance of God and then builds up the courage to contact her husband. Now she returns home, pregnant with another man's child. After almost a year of being clean, Marin loses her life after giving birth to her daughter, Marin Danielle. Redemption lives up to its name and sometimes you will want to snatch Chanel and shake the Holy Ghost in her.

[Sandra Menefee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another novel stressing the importance of following God's plan for our lives. A minister and a hollywood actress - what a mismatch. Dispite the minister father's disagreement witht he marriage at first and all the other obvious obstacles, love prevails. Jacuelin Thomas show how easy it is to get caught up in everyday life full of temptations and evils. Marin goes though a deadly downward spiral after their marriage and hits rock bottom that only through God's redemptive powers can she be set free. Truly gutwrenching.

[Adrian Major Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I had to pick this book up 3 times to attempt to read it, each time it ended up back on the shelf. The beginning was so incredibly dry. I had this book over a year before I could actually bring myself to finish it. But once the story gets rolling and you learn more about Marin and her troubles you get sucked, I did at least. The ending really pulled my heart strings. I won't ruin it for those who haven't read it but it was unexpected. Very good book if you can get past the extremely dry beginning.

[Jewell · Rating 2 out of 5]

A modern day marriage parallels the story of Hosea and Gomer from the Bible. Now I don't hold any disdain for religion but Redemption has got to be one of the sappiest and whiniest stories I've ever read. The reader is constantly reminded about how badly the main character feels about herself for being selfish, then for ruining her marriage. Her husband is a minister and comes across as chauvinistic, controlling, and sanctimonious all of the martial problems could be solved by God .... this book just didn't do anything for me.

[Donnique · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst books I've ever read. I have never read a book where I had been thinking about how it could be better. I felt no emotions other than anger at Marin. She was being stupid and really unrealistic in some parts. Some characters were horribly underdeveloped.
I enjoyed only the surprise ending. The epilogue then ruined that. If I had a choice, I would go back in time and NOT have read this.

[Latechia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very simply written. A good storyline. But the writing was too simple and I couldn't enjoy the journey because it was just simple for me. I didn't like the ending...... It was just too unrealistic. I would have liked to see her develop the characters more, particularly the husband, who is the main character I don't feel like I got to know him well. As a Christian, I didn't like the fact that the judgmental "stereotypical church" people never learned to be loving and accepting.

[Delores Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was soo good!!!!!
I love the modem spin on the biblical story of Hosea. It was well written and the characters were easy to connect with. Lesson is God dose not always give us what we want but he gives us what we need for his will to come to pass. Might be extremely painful but there is always light at the end.
Great read. I have so shared this book with multiple friends and they all loved it!

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read a book in awhile that made me tear up! A very nice story of love, faith and the will to follow the path that God has set for you. I wasn't expecting the end but it showed how life throws you curveballs when you least expect them and how you deal with them shows a lot about your character and faith.

[Shannan Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. It's an older story, but a great one that represents Gods love for us as his children. Pastor Brice has heard from God and takes Marian Anderson, a Hollywood actress, and let's just say it's not all a bed of roses. Once you finish this book, read the story of Hosea in the Bible. This book was just amazing.

[Krystal Esmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. Jacquelin Thomas is a good writer, she keeps you interested. The woman in this book, Marin, is crazy, I don't know if God really told Warner to marry her, you know, with him being a preacher. They don't seem to be a good match...

[Sixrs cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read. A fictional account of biblical facts it tells the story of a man who marries a woman who goes WAAAAAAYYY to the left and instead of listening to the world, listens AND follows God. This book still resonates in my heart.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a powerful and moving message of God's love and redemption in this novel. The author did a wonderful job of portraying the story within the book of Hosea in the Bible in a contemporary setting.

[Darlene Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so awesome, it was so hard to put down. It was also a tear jerk, a true God fear man of unconditional love. I wish I could find a man that loved me like Warner loved Marin. Warner was truly a man of the cloth. This was a great, great book of god love.

[Shari Rosario · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book of faith. If you believe in God you definately should read this book. I've learned if you put your faith in God all things are possible. It is a tear jerker though.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow talk about forgiveness! A nice book with a couple two,three surprises along the way

[Jasmine]

At first I didn't know if I would like the book or not. But once I started reading it, I couldn't stop. I took that book everywhere I went. It was amazing, and a future life changing book.

[Angenette Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read...

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful! The story is about unconditional love and addiction!

[Carol Hornsby-mccoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful ending to love ever after.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written and scripturally educational. What a story, what a couple...what an illustration of how God wants us to love.

[Che' Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Book!!!

[Bernadette Williams]

Winding, but Good

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good read.