Unfailing Love - Julie Lessman

 Unfailing Love is the first book in Julie Lessman's Isle of Hope series.

About this book:

She stole his heart.
He stole her peace.
Can hope steal their pain? 

At the age of eighteen, Lacey Carmichael was a wild girl bent on fun, promised to Jack Carmichael, a straight-and-narrow pastor’s kid bent on the seminary. When her father kicks her out of the house, she runs away from Isle of Hope, turning her back on everything she loves. Now, eight years later, she’s back as a woman of faith, hoping to make amends to the father she defied, the boyfriend she deserted, and the best friend she denied. Only the bridges she’s burned are still smoldering, kindled by an adulterous affair by Jack’s pastor father that damaged his son’s faith. But can a turning of tables—and hearts—lead the way back to “hope” for them all? 

My review: 

An amazing story of love and forgiveness between the characters and God and between themselves.  A firm reminder than sin, even if done in secret, always has consequences.  Also stressing the everpresent fact that God grants forgiveness and new life in Him.  And if we forgive those who trespass against us, there is hope for new life.  A life lived in hatred and bitterness is no life at all.  Another Biblical truth is also evidenced.  "For the wages of sin is death."  This is especially seen in the life of Adam, Jack's dad.  His pride ruined his life and God saw fit to take it to the extreme when Adam could not find it in his stubborn heart to repent.  In addition, he might as well just have killed his son, when his sins caught up with him.  Jack suddenly sees nothing in the Christian faith but hypocrisy and abandons it all together.

I loved this book so much and it even made it to my favorites list!  Lacey, the sweet giggling tomboy who's ridiculed by her father is taken in the roqdy crowd by her cousin Nicki.  She's dating Jack, a seminary student who she tempts to no end to go further than he wants to.  When she's kicked out of the house by an angry father, she runs away leaving her life behind her.  But now she's back, 8 years later.  She's come full circle - found God and forgiveness and she's forgiven the ones she's hurt most.  She's knows the hope forgiveness can give and she wants nothing more to return to the Isle of Hope to make amends and beg their forgiveness.  Jack, with his unforgiving nature and hurting heart, is taken off guard when Lacey returns, 8 years after she 'abandoned' him, her best friend, and the woman who was like a mother to her.  He was definitely my favorite character with all his competitiveness, love of fishing and teasing, and adorable unwanted jealousy which he tries to drive away by spending time with a flirt of a barbie nurse.  He's a player - but it's not what you think after a certain agreement he made with his twin sisters... He can't deny the deep bond between him and woman he was once going to marry.  But can he ever forgive her?  And she no longer wants him because he no longer believes in God.  Lacey needs someone with her faith and that someone might just be the hot young preacher - Chase.  After losing a bet during a game of basketball, Dr. Jack/Jock finds himself spending far too  much of his time associating with Christians in a church - even though it's mosting just a competitive game of volleyball.  And Chase might just turn out to be good for him...  Tess, Jack's mom is meanwhile at work on her hermit heart-surgeon neighbor, Lacey's dad and the husband of the woman who ran away with her own husband.  Tess is determined to bring him out of his bitterness and hatred of himself and others by bribing him with food for him and bacon for his dog, Beau.  In Ben's opinion, bribery is an outright sin, but it seems to work - until Lacey is conspiring with Tess over how to woo him back to the land of the living.  Lacey is determined to get everyones forgiveness for what she did to them, whether they want to give it or not.  Will Jack ever be able to forgive her?  Will her best friend Cat?  Will her father?  And will that hermit of a father of hers ever get his life back together?  What about Tess, that sometimes lonely mother with 3 of her kids already grown up?  Or Adam, who has long since disappeared?  And who can catch a bigger fish - Lacey or Jack - especially when they're betting?

Julie Lessman has written another masterpiece.  A book filled with the power of forgiveness, hope, good humor (especially when it comes to Jack's family's backyard lake), good-natured competition, fishing, plays on words, and plenty of romance.  Also, beware of plot twists.  The book is full of them!  But, then again, that's what makes a book so great.  The vivid description is another high point of this book.  Since when can an author make a reader see everything that happens without an overloading of the senses so that the action is gone?  Since now!  I have rarely seen description so amazingly executed!  The author's note at the end of the book added so much to the story.  It was a great way to end the book.  I cannot wait to read the story about Cat and Dr. Jack's other doctor friend.  The glimpses we see of him already are touching - him mooning of the pictures of Jack's sisters that are flaunted atop his desk (Jack tells him absolutely not) and his desire to have the barbie nurse, that has attached herself to Jack, as his girlfriend.  One thing I did not approve of, however, was the repeated use of 'freakin' throughout the book.  Language like that should not be in a Christian book and much less spoken by Christian people.  I encourage every one of you to read this book!