Title: Bridge to Haven
Author: Francine Rivers
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot: Abra was abandoned as an infant in the 1950s. Paster Ezekial Freeman found her under a bridge during his morning walk. She grew up in the city of Haven with an older ‘brother,’ Joshua. Abra was never content with her small town life. She longed for more. After she graduated high school, Abra headed for Hollywood. She quickly caught the eye of a manager. He changed her name to Lena Scott. Lena embraced her new life but at a cost. Her manager controlled every aspect of her life. She slowly lost all of her freedom. Lena moved in with her manager and started a very controlled relationship with him. Her manager continued to control more and more of her life. She was told what to wear, what to eat, and where to go. Everything she did was monitored. Lena learns about what she truly wants, and it’s not the Hollywood life. But try as she might, she can’t escape. Will Lena ever be able to escape? Does she have the courage to return home? Can she every have forgiveness for her mistakes? Can she be set free from her past?
Rating: 4.0 – a good book of loss, and forgiveness
Opinion: This was a different style of book for Francine Rivers. It was a little grittier than other books that I’ve read by her. But it still tells a heart rendering of love, loss, and forgiveness. This book doesn’t have many twists but Abra/Lena’s story still captivates your heart. Every person can relate to her story to some extent. Every person has some desire to escape growing up and longs for something bigger. There are many who, when they get their desires, find them unfulfilling, disappointing, or not at all what they wanted or expected. Abra/Lena’s story is also one of forgiveness. When we’ve made a mistake, or a series of them, we long for forgiveness. This may not be the most accurate in the way of forgiveness, because everyone forgives Abra/Lena. This does not always happen in real life. But I will give Francine Rivers this, she is great at dealing with the aftermaths of Abra/Lena’s actions. She struggles with coming to terms with her past. She struggles with it for a long time and has lasting effects. With time, Abra/Lena learns to accept her past and is at peace. This is an excellent story of love, loss, redemption, and forgiveness. If you love Francine Rivers, then you’ll love this story. This is a great story that pulls at your heart, I highly recommend it.
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