Red Rose Bouquet: A Contemporary Christian Novel (Grace Revealed Book 2) by Jennifer Rodewald

Book Description:

The dark places in life have taught her this much—some things simply cannot be forgiven.

Cheryl Thompson learned over a decade ago to guard her shattered heart with a veil of cold indifference. Life since that day has been an endless cycle of detachment and loneliness, followed by superficial relationships. Break up, rinse, and repeat. Until something in her snaps. This life…she can't do it anymore. She returns to her childhood home in the Colorado Rockies to help her nana, only to discover a man capable of thawing her iced-over emotions—a man she knows she doesn’t deserve, so she pushes him away. But he keeps coming back.

Brock Kelly lived high as King of the Slopes in the world of snowboard cross racing. Medals. Money. Fame. But after a visit to an orphanage in Mexico, he gave up his adrenaline-packed lifestyle to follow a calling from God he didn’t know he had—helping kids who’d been damaged emotionally. When his best friend's baby sister returns to town, he recognizes the hollow look in her eyes and sees the pain beneath her icy armor. It seems God has issued new call on his life. One he is not prepared for.

Falling in love with a woman who keeps secrets is dangerous all on its own. But when Cheryl finally tells Brock what she's never told anyone else...no wonder she is the way she is. It would take a miracle to heal that wound, and a love bigger than Brock had ever imagined to walk with her through the process.

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Wow, I am a little overwhelmed with emotion, as I have just finished reading this novel. Rodewald took a delicate and controversial subject and brought it to life in an honest, heartfelt and redeeming way. I do not want to give away too much here, but understand that going into this novel there are subjects that may be hard for some to read, but also may be good for them to read at the same time.  This is most definitely not a light hearted novel. This novel, has a message and it is a good one; but it will bring tears and work on your heart.

We first meet Cheryl in Book 1, Blue Columbine. Cheryl is abrasive and not a warm and fuzzy character, but you get to the heart of why that is in this novel. I enjoyed Blue Columbine, which dealt with one of the main characters being an alcoholic. In that novel too, I felt like Rodewald did a wonderful job of conveying the struggles of the person in need of help, as well as those who are there trying to help. However, in this story I felt like Rosewald really took it up a notch. She powerfully brought to life the struggles and truths in this situation, in a way that was both moving and transformative.

There are no perfect people, but there is a perfect Savior. While our love is not perfect, His absolutely is. Christ offers grace and He can and does redeem anything. There is no sin that is too great for God to redeem. This is the beauty that this story portrays.

Definitely worth the read!