|
BOOK REVIEW: Forgiving Heart
|
||
|
Click cover to purchase book |
by: Anne McDonald Dancing Word Publisher/Editor
Title: The Forgiving Heart ISBN: 0-373-87119-8 Genre: Inspirational/Contemporary/Romance When Officer Callie Brockman takes a juvenile shoplifter home, she’s not expecting a run-in with the town’s psychologist and social worker, Rhett Wheeler. But the man’s reaction to his son’s arrest frightens Callie, and she wonders if he will act unwisely and ruin his son’s life. Rhett Wheeler is fit to be tied. It’s bad enough the police haul his son, Brandon, in for shoplifting, but to have the newest cop in town speak her two cents is more than he cares to take. Recognizing his immediate attraction to this lovely woman only serves to add to his anger. Rhett’s outrage convinces Callie that Brandon’s father is the cause behind the teenager’s problems. "A father isn’t born," she tells Rhett. "He’s made. Do Brandon a favor and act like a real father." Callie’s words leave Rhett stunned. Brandon’s recent rebellion has him stumped. Where has he gone wrong? Can he find a way to breach the emotional canyon between them? When he tries to approach his son, Brandon accuses Rhett of not listening to him and rejects his father’s attempts to make things right. In a fit of anger, Rhett grounds Brandon from playing football and threatens to send him to military school. As soon as the words cross his lips, Rhett regrets his words, but he refuses to back down. Brandon slams out of the house and Rhett slumps on his son’s bed. "I’ve really done it this time, God," he prays aloud. "How on earth am I going to get out of this one?" The rocky start to their professional relationship makes interaction between Callie and Rhett strained and awkward. Rhett realizes his behavior toward her has been less than Christ-like. When he tries to mend things by introducing Callie to the dogs he uses in this juvenile rehabilitation program, her fear causes him to wonder about her past. Callie realizes her heart is falling quickly for Rhett, but she’s got enough baggage to last a lifetime. The dogs stir up bad memories of her angry father and missing brother. Guilt nags at her heart for her part in Colin’s banishment from home and his subsequent disappearance. When Colin finally shows up on her doorstep, Callie surprises herself by turning him away. Unforgiveness and regret threaten to destroy any chance Callie has for happiness. Can she learn to turn her heart over to the One with all of the answers? Deb Kastner has done an excellent job of capturing the complexities of relationships and the power of God’s love in this intriguing story. |
|
