I LOVED..

"DECISION TO LOVE"

MY REVIEW

"DECISION TO LOVE"

(SACRED VOWS SERIES)

BY

MICHELLE SUTTON

The third and best read in this series.  Michelle is a writer with class and pizzaz.  She is in the top Christian authors among my favorites.  Skilled with putting the right words about questionable situations in the proper place.

MICHELLE SUTTON

This story begins with a startling bang,  Time has passed eight years and we find Tony at ex-wife Brenda’s bloody side as she dies from gash wounds to her stomach. Tony is arrested for her murder, even though he maintains his innocence.  We are reminded that Tony has been a “bad boy,” “womanizer,” and the man whom Hope had an affair in the beginning book of this series, “Sacred Vows.”  His life hasn’t become any better.  Following his divorce from Brenda, he married again and that marriage ended for shocking reasons through this now second ex-wife Kristy entertaining a lesbian lover.  Tony is busy raising his son during all this time and still has no understanding of who God can be in his life until he meets someone in jail who shares with Tony the love of Jesus.  Tony’s life begins to turn around when he commits his life to being a Christian.  After Tony is cleared of murdering Brenda, he will have another surprise waiting for him further along in this incredible story.

The next scene, eight years following the affair, we look in on Hope and her husband James who had been romantically reunited with renewed love and commitment.  Their son Jimmy who is now in college, returns home for Thanksgiving.  Hope’s joy about having Jimmy home is spent planning a wonderful holiday celebration for her family. That joy is soon marred when James and Jimmy begin an argument over Jimmy’s lack of interest in girls and socializing.  During their tense Thanksgiving dinner, Jimmy declined to offer the blessing and spoke out on the teachings he’d learned in a class about the Bible; and he had developed a different attitude toward Christianity.  James is angered and Hope is deeply concerned.  She does a bit of snooping on Jimmy’s social network page causing perplexed blinking in disbelief that Jimmy indicated his interest was in men.  The end of this day already being full of shock and awe, Hope is further disappointed and concerned in James’s inability to perform to their liking in bed.  Later, during a phone conversation between Hope and Jimmy, he admits having sexual feelings, but not for girls.  He tells Hope about Jack, a male friend he is attracted to, but nothing has happened between them.  Jimmy invited his friend, Jack, to spend Christmas with him and his parents. This visit is the catalyst at causing estrangement between Jimmy and his dad, and is literally responsible for the sudden death of James, leaving Hope widowed and dismayed over the recent turning of tragic events.

Not wanting to reveal any more of the turns and circles in the maze of this creative and imaginative story, (the best of this series so far); I wait anxiously curious as to what happens beyond the ending.  The story involving all the characters is very true to the title, “Decision to Love.” I'm so impressed with how far out on the edge Michelle Sutton takes the story yet binds the story well within the limits of acceptability and decency. Michelle’s writing offers so much about the grace of God and his gentle mercies.  Her writing never disappoints me.  If she offered to teach a writing course, I'd be the first to enroll.

So friends, there you have a few subtle hints about the fabric of this book.  I hope you will be running to the book sites on the internet; or take a hot drive to your nearest book store and get Michelle's book in hand.  After you've read it (along with a box of kleenex).....then....PASS IT FORWARD!

I'm looking forward to seeing you next time.

Blessed by Grace,

Barb