Ephesians 2:10- New Living Translation (NLT)

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

When I received this novel in the mail, I felt it was a big novel and it would take me a whole month to complete it. Little did I know it would be so interesting and I would be attached to it and complete it in a shorter time than I expected. Leaving me with that sad feeling a reader feels after completing a very interesting book- you know it, right?.

I chose to start the above bible verse from 8 as it captures more and gives a better understanding leading to the last verse, which was the basis of this novel- Ephesians 2:10. When I say Francine Rivers has a way with words, believe me, she does. This book is a contemporary Christian romance novel. The flow and transition in it are outstanding. The author at the beginning of each chapter either takes us back in time to picture the past lives of the characters or tells the story in present times.

The Masterpiece is soul gripping. A redemption story that tells of the wondrous love and mercy we can experience from being children of God who focus on him. God can reach to the deepest and darkest of valleys to bring out anyone and draw them to the light.

The main characters are Grace and Roman Velasco. Roman who is also known as Bobby Ray Dean. These two characters are broken in diverse ways, but they fit perfectly together. With their different attitudes to life and beliefs, one can’t help but love these two. Roman, the once hot-tempered boss that couldn’t keep his employees met his match, or I would say- his perfect personal assistant, Grace. A struggling single mum who is trying to set up a better life for herself and her son.

Dealing with issues of her own, Grace tries to get her feet back on the ground financially by getting a job for starters. With approval from her dear friends, Grace is willing to tolerate Roman and even move into his cottage to be closer to work which happens to be next door. Of course, this came with a change of feelings and emotions as they got to know each other and their past. I liked Grace’s friends. They were always there to keep her in check.

My best part in this book is when Roman gave his life to Christ- Ha-lle-lu-iah! I give the author a five star on how the storyline flowed and connected from Roman’s way of life and unbelieve in God to his visit to hell and back, which drove him to an instant conviction that Jesus is Lord. As a baby born-again, he still made some mistakes, but with time, he got more understanding and began focusing on God, not man (or woman-Grace).

This novel ended in a ‘happily ever after’ for me, I was contented with the ending and I’m sure you will be too.

 

Anne Etim writes short stories and inspirational blog. She is a wife and mother of two lovely children. When she is not working as a Master data coordinator, she brings to life the creative writing side of her. Movie production and screenplay are the goals she’s building up. Connect with Anne through her social media page.