Uncover the true love story behind the famous hymn that stirs the hearts and ignites the faith of millions around the globe.Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found… John Newton is a young sailor wandering aimlessly through life. His only duty is to report to his ship and avoid disgracing his father—until the night he hears Polly Catlett’s enchanting voice, caroling. He’s immediately smitten and determined to win her affection.
An intense connection quickly forms between the two, but John’s reckless spirit and disregard for the Christian life are concerns for the responsible, devout Polly. When an ill-fated stop at a tavern leaves John imprisoned and bound, Polly must choose to either stand by his side or walk out of his life forever. Will she forfeit her future for the man she loves?
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A powerfully moving account of one man’s epic journey from doubt and despair into a world of radiant faith. Newton and Polly is impeccably researched and punctuated with glints of genuine humor… I loved it!
Amazing Grace, indeed! Newton and Polly is one of the most powerful love stories I have ever read, wrenching the heart and waking the soul. If you read one book this year, this should be it.
I really enjoyed learning more about John Newton through this novel. Jody Hedlund does a wonderful job of turning history into a romantic novel. However, given that the hero and heroine spend much of the novel apart, I would consider it more of an historical novel than a traditional romance. That doesn’t lessen the rating one bit. I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
Be sure to read the author’s note at the end of the book to learn what was fact and what was fiction and more.
A sweeping tale rife with adventure, love, and God’s relentless pursuit of his own. With her signature depth and detail, Jody Hedlund plunges her readers into a fascinating and powerful story that has gone untold—until now. Set sail with Newton and Polly and become anchored in amazing grace.
In this story of the lives of John Newton and Polly Catlett, author Jody Hedlund skillfully weaves together the history, romance, and Christian faith that inspired the world’s best-loved hymn. Evocative and illuminating.
Jody Hedlund’s Luther and Katharina is an absorbing and deeply researched look into the life and ministry of a figure in church history I’d previously known only from a few dusty facts. Jody breathes life into those facts with this fascinating and intimate portrayal of Martin Luther’s life. Luther and Katharina is a compelling tale of tested faith, tumultuous church history, and incredible courage against daunting odds—and one of the most unique love stories I’ve read in ages.
Jody Hedlund’s historical detail is immaculate, and her storytelling will bring you to tears. Newton’s conversion was truly remarkable, sparking a legacy that has impacted millions of lives. Newton and Polly invites readers into that powerful experience.
As a book lover with a “to-read” pile that will likely outlast my time on earth, I seldom re-read books due to an overwhelming desire to conquer my tbr. However, Jody Hedlund has given Newton & Polly that little something extra that earns it a spot on my permanent bookshelf. Captivating and memorable; it has enough details to satiate history buffs, a sweet romance, and an outstanding story of God’s pursuit of one sinner which would be unbelievable if it weren’t rooted in reality.
John Newton’s life exemplifies that of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). In reflection, I can see how Hedlund instilled in me a fondness for John even while he was making small, seemingly insignificant, poor choices. I found some of his actions endearing because his heart for Polly was overriding his sense of reason. Nevertheless, as his sins became more egregious my affinity for him waned and his suitability for Polly came into question. I could feel Hedlund building towards a monumental event. At the climax of the story I was both relieved and elated — completely invested in the tale.
With Newton & Polly, Jody Hedlund secures a place on my Best of 2016 reading list as well as a Christian Shelf-Esteem book club endorsement. #ReadGoodBooks #ShelfEsteem
I received a free copy from the publisher (BloggingforBooks.com). All opinions are my own.
4.5 stars I really enjoyed this book by author Jody Hedlund that brings to life in a fictional story the life of John Newton and the love of his life, Polly.
I found so much about this book incredibly fascinating. The historical details the author captured were amazing and I found myself googling more information about Newton after I finished this book. I also loved how she brought so much swoon to the story, especially when so much of it had to have the characters apart. Truly fantastic with the romance! The Christian themes were appropriately strong, especially as the focus was how Newton would come to write Amazing Grace. I have an even deeper love for that hymn now after reading this book.
I strongly encourage the reader to take the time to read the author’s note. I found it so timely for our day about keeping history in context of the time period and what was happening then. We shouldn’t be so quick to judge using the lens of today.
This is a clean historical novel.
What a poignant and sometimes difficult read. I knew the basics of John Newton’s story before I began reading, however, this fictional form brought it into vivid, uncomfortable detail. Of course, the ending is beautiful, but the journey to get there was difficult and rough. Well researched, this is an excellent choice if you want to know more about John Newton and his story.
Just wow! What an amazing novel by Jody Hedlund! This is the story of John Newton, the man who would later pen Amazing Grace, and Polly, his eventual bride. What a love story!
I highly recommend this story for everyone!!
I am always interested in early history so just wanted to know how my favorite song came about
I loved the book but I love reading historical fiction about real characters. Get a little insight into their real lives.
I’ve read a lot of Jody Hedlund’s books,. ‘Newton and Polly” did not disappoint me. I was shocked when I read the last page. Jody is a Christian author that weaves faith into her stores very well. This was a historical Christian romance story based on research. All of her stories are researched and usually her characters could have been in the era written. ẞhe is one one of my favorite authors.
The true story of the man who penned Amazing Grace was riveting as well as romantic. I didn’t know the love story behind this well known hymn and was pleased to learn that this couple survived many insurmountable difficulties. There were some tragic parts that were hard to read but added to the authenticity of the tale.
I enjoyed reading this book. In a sense you “know the ending” if you know that John Newton wrote Amazing Grace, but I kept wondering how many hard things it would take before John was humbled by the grace of God. Newton is portrayed as a likeable character, but numerous flaws and immaturities that push him far from God. Knowing that the main events in the story are true makes it truly an inspirational read.
This is the mainly true story of John Newton and the girl he had to wait several years to marry. Polly loved him the first time she saw him but he didn’t know God and his was totally lacking responsibility. John with Polly’s example and several narrow escapes from death came to know the Lord and eventually penned the song Amazing Grace. The author explains at the end the few times she left truth and added some fiction and why she did so.
God’s grace is indeed amazing.
Listened to this through the Chirp app—good narration. This author knows how to write a romance novel, for sure! There were a couple of writing habits that got on my nerves about this book. 1) There was a lot of mental telepathy going on—i.e. one character knowing what the other character was thinking without having to say it (and they were always right!). I only wish it worked that well in real life. 2) The main character’s internal struggles got a bit repetitive at times—mayhap, mayhap, mayhap. But overall, this is a solid historical romance.
Jody Hedlund is one of my favorite writers. Whether she is writing about lighthouse keepers, orphan trains or anything else, I have read many of her books. I waited for a long time to read Newton & Polly and it surprised me. At first I found it a chore. I was prepared to be inspired by John Newton, because, after all, he wrote Amazing Grace, one of the most revered hymns in Christianity today.
I could not get excited about John Newton the man. Once I realized how I felt about him, I kept reading and in true Jody Hedlund fashion, she researched her subject so well that it was reflected into his character. This man was quite the opposite of what I expected. When I think of a clergyman from the 1700’s I am not thinking of an irresponsible young man who strays from duty so far that he goes A.W.O.L. from his shipboard duties, mocks the faith of fellow seamen, drinks to excess, gambles and deals in the slave trade. It was only by the grace of God that he was saved. It was after such a long and hard fall from grace that he realized the path of destruction he was on. It was then, after he was saved that he penned the words to the beautiful song describing what a wretch he had been. In the end, I was inspired by this man’s story and how far he had sunk before finding his faith. If you enjoy reading historical Christian fiction I recommend this book to you.