No Greater Love

Extreme Devotion #1

by Kathi Macias

Forbidden romance, an unlikely martyr, and an even more unlikely hero Orphaned four years earlier when their parents, active in the African National Congress (ANC) movement against apartheid, were murdered―16-year-old Chioma and her 15-year-old brother Masozi now live and work on an Afrikaner family’s farm. When Chioma and Andrew, the farm owner’s son, find themselves attracted to one another, tragedy revisits their lives. Chioma escapes to join an ANC rebel band in her effort to survive and gain revenge for her family and culture. When cultures clash in life-or-death struggles, Chioma must choose between violence and revenge―or forgiveness and selfless love. Loosely based on historical events and set near Pretoria, South Africa, in the violent upheaval prior to ANC leader Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 and his ascendance to the presidency of South Africa, this story of forbidden romance produces an unlikely martyr who is replaced by one even more unlikely.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Historical, Romance

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

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About Kathi

0019 Kathi Macias - EDITED emailed (2)



Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Her novel set in China, Red Ink, was named Golden Scrolls 2011 Novel of the Year and was also a Carol Award Finalist; her October 2012 release, Unexpected Christmas Hero, was named 2012 Book of the Year by BookandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

Kathi is passionate about The Voice of the Martyrs and Open Doors. To learn more about the persecuted church, please visit VOM’s website and Open Doors Website

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Greater Love is an amazing tale about the troubled heart of a young South African woman who learns the meaning of sacrificial love from people she least expected. This story is similar to Scared by Tom Davis, which I adored, except that No Great Love deals with Apartheid and true Christian faith as opposed to the AIDS epidemic. This story begins in a powerful way and I was enthralled with the storyline. Then I read in disbelief as the world around this young woman crumbled. I wasn't sure how the author would be able to keep me reading after the devastation that occurred. But I was curious and kept reading only to discover that the story continued just as powerfully even with an entirely different set of circumstances. I could not stop reading this story and was emotionally moved by the plot and the amazing characterization. The pacing was excellent and the spiritual thread was strong. This is a novel that is life-giving and inspiring. Just how willing are we to be used of God despite the potentially negative consequences that might occur from our obedience? This wonderful story makes you think hard on that subject. I highly recommended it!

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book and a good story. It's definitely a Christian book which is nice. I don't know anything about South Africa, so I enjoyed learning about it too. The only thing I didn't like was the ending which was short and sudden. It's not exactly a cliffhanger, at least as far as I can tell, but it seems like one.

[Retha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite is the word that comes to mind when I think of No Greater Love.
No Greater Love is a historical fiction. Racial or gender or any other discrimination is a sin that we humans have committed in our history and are still doing today. In the history of South Africa, racial discrimination was given the word “apartheid”, which means separation, and very few were left unscathed.

No Greater Love is a story of separation and of “separation”.

Kathi Macias tackled a part of South African political history that has affected many people whether they were active participants or not. Without discrimination, she tells the story of separation, through the characters of Chioma, her brother Masozi, the Voster family –Anana, Pieter, Andrew- and Themba.

Each character tells a story of loss, of unfairness, of choices, of love and of hope. Normally, as a reader, there is one character that stands out more than the others. This is not the case with No Greater Love. You become so part of the story, there is no favorite character to pick. As a reader, you, live with them, their choices, and their emotions through the whole spectrum, of love, hate, fear, regret, etcetera, but never indifference.

“They need to belong. That’s what she heard in the cry."

The greatest message of separation that No Greater Love tells is about the love Jesus has for each and every one of us, without discrimination. Jesus separates us; He sets us apart when we make the choice to accept Him as our Saviour. No human, no political system, nothing can come between God’s love for us.

I highly recommend No Greater Love.

The author, Kathi Macias, provided this book to me for free in exchange for this honest review.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although Kathi Macias has authored more than 20 books, this is the first one I have read, and I promise you, it certainly won't be the last!

If I had to sum up "No Greater Love" in one word, it would be "incredible"! Kathi has taken the hardship and pain of those involved in the apartheid-era of South Africa and brought it alive throughout the pages of this novel.

This story grabbed me and held me captive until the end. It was edgy and raw and the characters were so realistic that I had to remind myself more than once that this was a novel and not a true story. Even knowing that, I couldn't help but hold my breath and even tearing up at times.

The main characters are amazinly realistic. Chioma captured my heart and will be staying with me for a long time. She is one of those characters that has had a real impact on my outlook and what I have to be thankful for.

"No Greater Love" is definitely one of the best books I've read this month. Make sure to add this to your must reads list - I highly recommend it!!

[Tim Chavel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of Kathi Macias that I have read. I thought it was an excellent book. It is a story about apartheid and how the "love of Christ" can overcome that type of hatred. "No Greater Love" does an excellent job of explaining the Gospel. I pray that many will be saved who read the book!

[Margaret Chind]

*Thanks to CFBA and New Hope Publishers for providing a copy for review.*

[Julia Reffner · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, I had to wait on my fiction list, because I had a feeling this one would be on it. This is a powerful, impacting story about apartheid but more than that about amazing men and women of God.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the diversity but quite average as a story.

[Cami Checketts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book. It was engaging, suspenseful, and heartbreaking. Can't wait to read Kathi Macias's other fiction works.

[Ana Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I have to say that I absolutely loved it!
The whole storyline was written perfectly and just draws you into the story as if you are there.
I loved reading about Chioma and how God was reaching out to her even in the tough times she went through.
I have to say that I was extremely surprised with some of the events that happened as I never saw that coming but they ultimately made the book even better!
It was so beautiful and emotional to read how God changed Chioma from this hurt, bitter young woman who doesn’t believe in God or God’s love to believing in God and coming to understand and feel the greatest love of all.
It was also amazing to read the changes that God makes in Pieter, and Anana. With them coming to terms that they haven’t been showing God’s equal love for all races to those around them.
I also really love reading about diversity in Christian novels and I definitely think there should be more.
I’m really looking forward to reading the other three books in this series and also more books by this author.

[Sue Cory · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very interesting

This was my first christian fiction and I really enjoyed it. I do not know the author but certainly feel she has a gift for writing and a knowledge of the subject. I will read the next one. The rating stars are having a problem. It only allows one star??? I would give it five.

[Dee Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Greater Love Than to Give One's Life

No Greater Love by Kathi Macias is a book of love and hate, hope and hopelessness. The Bible is referred to often as scripture is used to explain happenings and feelings. The scene is South Africa pre-1994 during Apartheid days. If you enjoy religious novels and civil unrest you will like this book.

[Frances M. Burris · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Greater Love

This is the story of Chioma. She was born in South Africa during a time of war between blacks and whites. If we all had the love Chioma found, there would be no race issue. We would all know the greater love of Jesus! Pray this book touch

[Jeanette Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a heart wrenching read. I loved this story --- difficult to read but honest. First book in the series although I don't believe they overlap---started #2 this morning and it takes place in a different country with different characters. It is a book that captivates you from the start.

[Alicia Schulz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book!

[Gift Nwafor · Rating 1 out of 5]

My is to read

[lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

1989 was not a good year to fall in love – at least not in South Africa, and certainly not with a white man.

with that opening line, we are thrust into the life of Chioma, a young orphaned black woman who has a fierce hatred for everything about white people. and yet, she finds herself drawn to Andrew, a white man and the son of her employers. when Chioma’s brother Masozi is carelessly murdered by one of Andrew’s friends, the cultural imbalance and danger of apartheid is made vividly clear and the choices that they both make set a series of unexpected events into motion that will change the simplicity of life as they know it.

He was an Afrikaner, and he knew his place. He was white; Chioma was coloured. Nothing else needed to be said.

the narration hopped between the various characters and offered vastly different perspectives of the same series of events. this allowed Macias to really explore the prejudice, injustices, and religious convictions of each individual from a more personal place, and to provide insight to the strengths, weaknesses and development of each of the characters. i thought this was very well done and created a highly readable page turner that was difficult to put down. i also appreciated that although the book was published as Christian fiction and as a romance, that none of it was overdone. everything was presented tastefully in a way that makes this book accessible to readers across many genres.

Chioma - She thought of her name and wondered, as she had so many times through the years, why her parents had labeled her so inappropriately. She could understand Masozi’s name, as tears were a familiar phenomenon to her people. But Chioma – “God is great”? She nearly snorted with contempt. If there was anything great about the gods, she had yet to see it, and certainly didn’t expect to any time soon.

however, considering its Christian ties, i was surprised that there was as much conviction in the writing in regards to the violence and hypocrisy. i had naively expected something light and fluffy and Godly, but there were no pulled punches here. we see the actions of the militant group led by the fierce and aggressive Themba, as well as the often misguided intentions of the devout plantation owner Pieter and although they were on opposite sides of the hostility, the sincerity of their actions made them both seem accessible and honest.

my favorite moments in the reading were those that explored the cultural history of South Africa through the militant groups and activists, like Chioma’s parents, that sacrificed their lives for the cause. the voice within her father’s journal actually felt the most tangible to me of all the characters and it really made me sympathize with Chioma and the plight of her people.

I have come to the sad conclushen that sometimes vilence is warented.

if i were to offer any criticism, it would be that i would have liked to have seen more depth and variety in the voices presented during the various narrators, but i thought that the presentation was sufficient. my only sort of nagging criticism is that in certain passages, there tended to be strings of rambling questions based on the characters stream of consciousness. it seemed to be an odd technique that distracted from the flow of the story for me. yet, at the same time, it was a very intimate look at the characters thought process, so i can’t really fault it either.

all in all, i really enjoyed No Greater Love and would definitely recommend it to those looking for a good piece of Christian fiction, or even possibly for people who are just looking for an interesting cultural piece on South Africa. the mix of historical and cultural fiction with the romance and Christian aspects actually panned out to make a very nice read.

[Nora St Laurent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so thankful to have received a review copy of this most electrifying, moving historical novel by Kathi Macias. I was hooked from the very first line “1989 was not a good year to fall in love-at least not in South Africa, and certainly not with a white man.”

This author had my attention and kept it until the very end. I’m not a history buff and appreciated the fact that Kathi Macias showed the affect of the Apartheid from both a white and black perspective. I was clueless about the political system that governed South Africa from 1948-1994. The author says “Apartheid was a tragedy of humanity, a mockery of divinity, a fallacy of purity—in black and white. It was a subjugation of the majority at the hands of the minority.”

This author does an amazing job of developing multifaceted characters and situations that are so believable. I cared, and stayed up late reading to find out their fate. Chioma, 16-yr-old orphan, along with her brother, Masozi, worked on a farm as slaves. Trouble-seeking men disturb Chioma and Masozi as they are resting at the side of the road, before making the trek home to the farm. Andrew, the farm owner’s son, stops to see what’s up. That’s when all heck breaks loose. No one expected trouble. But, the ANC rebel band will not stop their taunting until they have had their fun.

Andrew’s dad preaches every week and is a strong supporter of the Apartheid. Andrew doesn’t believe in the Apartheid. How could he when the bible teaches that God loves us ALL? God doesn’t pick a favorite and say that He only loves them. No, the bible says, “He loves us ALL, and died for everyone, in order to have everlasting life.” There’s the rub. Didn’t his father see that? He couldn’t preach love on Sunday and enforce the Apartheid the rest of the week. Andrew couldn’t live like this. God was moving in his heart and opening his eyes.

Chioma has to decide if she believes the white man’s God. How could she when she watched her mother and father die at the hands of white men? She had to stay strong for the cause - it’s her only hope. Then after an unexpected uprising where Andrew, a white man who came to her and her brothers side, Chioma begins to look at life a little different.

This was one powerful story that showed the situation from both sides and had the characters come to the realization something had to change. They couldn’t do life as usual anymore. They were tired and had had enough! But how could one person change the world and what would that look like? It was scary. It was almost more comfortable for Chioma to not make waves. But the feelings they had inside where killing both Chioma and Andrew. They started to look at change in a whole new light. The Light of Jesus! He is the Light of the world. This is the first book in the Extreme Devotion Series. I look forward to reading the next book, More than Conquerors.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com

[Susan Hollaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chioma, a sixteen year old girl, along with her 15 year old brother, were orphaned when her parents were murdered during their fight again apartheid. Both she and her brother found work and lived on an Afrikaner family’s farm after the tragedy where Chioma and the farm owner’s son find a forbidden attraction developing between them. After a devastating heartbreak, Chioma escapes to join an ANC rebel band to survive and exact revenge for her family and culture. She does not understand the white man or his God. Life and death struggles abound and Chioma must choose the path she must take – one of revenge and hatred or one of love and forgiveness.

Chioma must make decisions that are more than difficult. Sometimes even the simplest mistake could bring upon disaster or even death. Who must she give her allegiance? Can he really protect her? Can she trust him?

How will the chain of disastrous events change Andrew’s family? Will they draw closer to God when He reveals truth to them? What will happen to the traditions and beliefs they’ve accepted for so many years? Many lives are changed in this story.
------
No Greater Love was the first book I’ve read by Kathi Macias. Wow! This book had it all – romance, danger, suspense, and sacrifices made in the name of love for reasons in which many of us would be unfamiliar. It took twists and turns that I did not see coming. It kept me in suspense throughout the entire book. Gripping tale!

No Greater Love is part of her Extreme Devotion Series. Well named, I must say. Her publisher describes it as fiction with a mission and I would agree. Facing persecution for one’s faith is demonstrated in this book in ways that many in the United States could not begin to fathom. This book was loosely based on historical events, set in South Africa, in approximately 1989, in the midst of the upheaval prior to Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990. New insight was given to me about this time and its events in South Africa.

I never thought I’d be intrigued and drawn into a danger/suspense type novel. I was wrong. I was hooked from the moment I turned the first page. This book brought forth so many emotions. It was sad, but joyous. It was believable, yet contained shocking events. I’ve not read a book such as this in the Christian market. I would call this story edgy and I mean that in the most complimentary way. Her stories need to be told. Missionaries experience things that many probably have no clue about, including me. If anyone ever tells you that Christian fiction can’t be edgy, contain violence, show revenge and hatred, yet still contain the message of God’s love, the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, and spread the gospel through fiction – they’d be wrong in my humble opinion. And they need to read this book. We are all sinners saved by grace. Some of us have more horrific and tragic events in our lives than others. But we all need the saving grace of Jesus Christ. This story contains grace, mercy, and redemption in ways that need to be shared.

Kathi has an extraordinary talent in telling a story to make it come alive. I’ll be watching for more of her books to add to my reading list. Congratulations, Kathi. Well done, indeed!

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I don’t know where to start. This is my first book of Kathi’s so I had no idea what to expect. I just knew her books were awesome from the talk about them and I really wanted to read them all! And having just read “No Greater Love,” I totally agree. We hear about Christians being murdered because of their faith, but reading the events in this book makes the situations come to life. Even though this book is fiction, the author enlightens us to what it means to be a martyr for Christ. Obviously there was an extreme amount of research by the author before this book was written. As well as research of each unique character and the rolls they play in the book. I loved Chioma, she had a loving and caring heart, even as she was trying to hate whites. And the author created a heartwarming love between Chioma and Andrew that will stay with you for a while.
This is a masterpiece by Kathi Macias! Her unique way of storytelling captures you from the very first pages, keeping you in suspense and the edge of your seat until the last page. The heart-wrenching hatred between the blacks and whites in the era was unbelievable. I agree with Jerry Jenkins, with Kathi’s extreme knowledge of the subjects and the setting in the book, she gives you a feeling of being there, right in the middle of the scenes. I shed many tears, as well as wanted to pray for the characters, especially sweet Chioma!

As for recommending this book, it is a must read. Even if you don’t like to read, you need to read this book. I urge you to run out and get this first book of the Extreme Devotion Series “No Greater Love,” 3, Your life will never be the same after reading this book. If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. It is now on the very top of my ‘Best Reads’ list.

I want to thank the author Kathi Macias for providing me a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions and the review are mine only. I was not expected or required to write a positive review.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 big stars goes to this book that is adventurous, touching, memorable, romantic, and a wee bit suspenseful - all at the same time! Told from several unique character's viewpoints, this story kept me turning the pages, wanting to learn more about Chioma's past and where her future was headed. Each chapter held a new piece to this special story of her hard, pain-filled life, and her journey toward salvation.

There were only two scenes that, depending on the age and maturity of the reader, might be considered unnecessary to the story or bothersome. After a couple are married, it has a scene the next morning where the reader is informed that they are not wearing clothes. And later on, a woman is accosted by three men while she is bathing herself and her infant son, though it never says if they saw her out of the water.

Besides these two mild parts, the book was amazing from beginning to end! I loved and enjoyed every moment. There were a few scenes that made me smile, while others made my heart ache for the characters suffering. A book like that is priceless! And to add to that, it also has a lot of history of how the times were while Nelson Mandela was in prison in the 1980s. I always enjoy learning new facts and information from history - and getting to learn it within a story is even better!!

If you've been looking for a book that won't quickly leave your thoughts or that will cause you to pick it up more than once to re-read those special scenes, then I highly recommend No Greater Love to be at the top of your list! ;-)

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chioma, 16, and her brother, Masozi, 15, were taken into an Afrikaner’s family as servants, after they were orphaned four years earlier, to work on their farm–their parents were brutally murdered because they were a part of the African National Congress (ANC) movement against apartheid.

Tragedy strikes when Andrew, the Afrikaner’s son, becomes enamored by Chioma, a forbidden relationship at that time, and she subsequently escapes to a rebel ANC band to survive.

Kathi portrays the chaos, violence, murder, prejudice, ugly hatred, and revenge during this frightful time in history of fighting against apartheid. Her use of personal, heartrending emotions make the story very real and touching.

Throughout the injustices woven into the storyline, Kathi intricately weaves a story of love and self-sacrifice. It’s made abundantly clear that nothing will break down these barriers other than God Himself. But are the characters willing to set aside their revenge and hatred in the name of peace, love, and forgiveness? Kathi’s genius storytelling keeps us wondering til the very end.

You won’t forget the horrors of apartheid and the only true way to solve it. Living in America today, it’s hard to comprehend the national turmoil presented here in Kathi’s story. It’s not an easy read, so be prepared, but it’s worth it.

This book was provided by Kathi in exchange for my honest review. If this is the first book of the series, I look forward to other three!

[Christy Trever · Rating 4 out of 5]

No Greater Love by Kathi Macias is the first book in the Extreme Devotion series about Christians around the world facing the ultimate test of faith. In 1989 South Africa is still under apartheid. No one knows that better than Chioma. Now a servant on the Vorster farm, she watched her parents slaughtered by the white authorities for insurrection, then her brother murdered by friends of the Vorster's son Andrew. She's tried to fight her feelings for Andrew, but his knowing blue eyes force her to see him as more than just the color of his skin. After yet another tragedy, Chioma lives on the run, hiding with rebel forces known as the ANC. Meanwhile, the Vorsters, Anana and Pieter are forced to reconcile their deep faith with apartheid and how it has affected their family. Macias does a wonderful job portraying the complicated emotions of the Vorsters as they struggle with their faith, as well as with Chioma's wavering loyalty. She puts the reader in the middle of a story that can have no happy ending, but forces us to sympathize with Chioma's suffering as well as the Vorster's confusion. Macias makes the characters come to life and refuses to take the easy way out. It's a powerful novel that will force readers to think deeply about what true faith looks like.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my blog...[return][return]No Greater Love is the first novel in Kathi Macias' Extreme Devotion series and it is a captivating debut, which will grab the reader's attention and tug at the reader's heart from the beginning until the last page. Macias brings the reader to the harrowing times of a deeply divided country, nearing the end of apartheid in South Africa, filled with oppression, segregation, degradation as well as strong characters, strong leaders, and unwavering faith. The reader gains insights into apartheid through the victims of apartheid, the freedom fighters, and the Afrikaners. An orphaned girl, her martyred father's journal, and the gift of a Bible help spread the word that Christianity and apartheid cannot co-exist. No Greater Love is told with vivid imagery, flowing prose, realistic characters, and the reader will be swept away with by Chioma's resilience, Andrew's questioning of right and wrong, Themba's brutality, and the Vorster's faith. Macias tells the tale through various sets of eyes, and while they are all of different stations each has a deep love for their country of South Africa. No Greater Love is an astonishingly beautiful tale of the brutality of apartheid and the grace of faith.

[Anne Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a book, what a writer!
Maybe I could best describe the book by describing some of the personalities in the book.
First, there's Chioma, a 16-year-old black girl-woman in apartheid Africa, beset by grief for one dear one after another lost to her. Courageous, beautiful, sincere, angry--and seeking.
Then there's Andrew, the baas's son, attracted to this lovely black girl-woman against his own better judgment. Brought suddenly to honesty and adulthood by circumstances wildly out of his control.
Enter Themba--strong, attractive, domineering, and sometimes tender. Hating, killing, stealing, dedicated to the violent overthrow of the Afrikaners.
Emma--how does she enter into the picture? Faithful to her God, frightened of these violent intruders, yet able to offer love. Will she be able to win Chioma to a white man's God?
These characters were so real I could see them, hear them, even smell their fear and anger.
This book alternately invoked grief, hope, fear, and joy. I found myself interwoven with the characters, living with them in their lives, occasionally wanting to scream out, "NO! Don't do that! Please, not that! Dear God, open their eyes!"
Thank you, Kathi. You've done it again.

[Lori Twichell · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this opening installment to Macias’ Extreme Devotion series, we learn very quickly that Kathi pulls no punches and sugar coats nothing. She tackles the hard subjects and the most difficult moments in history with style and grace. As the title of the series would indicate, the devotion employed by the characters in Macias’ book experience everything in the extreme.

In a comfortable society like the United States where most people are comfortable, well fed and for the most part, civil, it’s sometimes hard to grasp that even within our lifetimes, people are dying for their faith. Kathi brings the reality of a life of sacrifice, devotion and upheaval into sharp focus. Readers will be drawn in and engaged in the story on a new level. No mere afternoon read, this story has the potential to change perspectives and make readers understand what the depths of faith and devotion truly entail.

As difficult as it was to read, I devoured this book and loved (and hated!) nearly every moment of the gorgeously woven tale. Give yourself this one book with Kathi and you’ll be hooked. Trust me.

*Review copy provided by Kathi Macias!

[Georgia Herod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1 in Macias' Extreme Devotion series hooked me from the very beginning pages. The tension mounts quickly as the reader discovers that 16-year-old Chioma and her 15-year-old brother Masozi had been orphaned four years earlier when their parents were murdered for having participated in the African National Congress movement against apartheid. The two now live and work on an Afrikaner family's farm.

Tragedy is on the horizon from the early chapters, when Chioma and Andrew, the farm owner's son, find themselves attracted to each other. When Chioma escapes to join an ANC rebel band in her effort to survive and to gain revenge for her parents' deaths and for her culture, Chioma finds herself facing life-or-death situations when she must choose between violence and revenge --or forgiveness and selfless love.

The plot was a powerful reminder of the fear and hate so many live with in different parts of the world, but also the power of redemption to change lives in small and huge ways.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apartheid in South Africa is a subject most Americans don't fully understand or know very much about, but if you read No Greater Love it will become real to you, both the effects of it and the ways people had to change in order to change South Africa. I absolutely loved this book and did not want to put it down. Some scenes are very difficult to read because the situation in South Africa was such a horrific one, but Kathi Macias is excellent at portraying this in a way that doesn't offend most Christian readers. We sometimes forget the miraculous ways God can use small details and events to perfect His perfect plan for someone's life, and this is shown delightfully in this novel. The first novel in the "Extreme Devotion" series, it is actually the third I have read out of the four, and I must say this series is at the top of my "Best Ever" list. Kathi Macias has a way of involving the reader that will have you examining your own faith for a long time afterward.

[Sarah Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Journey along to South Africa and meet a young woman caught in the midst of life and death struggles, not only in the physical sense but emotional and spiritual as well. Chioma works for white farmers who hardly know her name. But she’s safe and she has her brother. Yet how long can those things last given her new interest in the farmer’s son, a young man she wants to hate but can’t?

In a series of events, Chioma finds her life wrecked and her goals changed—survival comes first. Then revenge. Then…will she have the courage to face her past, present and future in one critical decision?


This book did not take the direction I thought it would. Much better and more intriguing than the traditional twists and turns I expected from the opening, No Greater Love is heartbreaking in its tales of tragedy and loss, love and redemption.

A great mix of traditional culture and ironic apartheid beliefs, No Greater Love is a journey you will—and won’t—want to take. But I’m glad I did.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was an interesting story with compelling characters. I vaguely remember hearing about Apartheid when I was a kid, and this book made me want to learn more about it. As the story unfolded, I could kinda guess how some elements were going to play out, but there were still other things that were surprises. I did find it a little hard for me to get into at first, but after a few chapters I was drawn in. While I could guess at what the meanings of the words that aren't in English, I would have liked a glossary or something to define the italicized words in the book. (I'm not sure what language it is.) Despite that, I would recommend this book, and I look forward to reading the second book in the series, More than Conquerors.