Christian Romance at its Best

I was introduced to Robin Lee Hatcher about 20 years ago when I was working in a Christian book store part time while in college. I picked up The Forgiving Hour and have been reading this author’s books ever since. Although, admittedly, I’ve missed some books along the years (but that’s just reason for me to go through her catalog and load up on more books). I was not disappointed with Hatcher’s newest book, Beloved.

Diana Applegate is ready to move on with her life. She has had many trials in her past, including being abandoned by her new husband. Now, after years of not hearing from him, and believing him dead, he shows up at her engagement dinner. Tyson Applegate wants to show his wife he has changed. He was young and selfish when he left her but he has grown, both in maturity and in his relationship with God. But how can he convince this woman he hurt so badly to trust him again. He asks her to enter an agreement to live with him for six months while he runs for senate. She wants her freedom after that six months. He wants to show her she is loved by him.

Whether it is historical or contemporary fiction, Hatcher is able to pull the reader into a story. The characters are well developed and likeable and you can’t help but cheer for the happy ending. Beloved is a story about forgiveness, about enduring love and about letting go of past hurts and not letting them define your future.