Unbound

This gripping tale takes us through the lives of Ruthie and her mother-in-law Naomi. Mourning of the sudden and cruel loss in their lives, they are left to grapple with the circumstances. As they try to figure things out and piece their lives back together, they face various obstacles and challenges, not to mention the entry of the self-proclaimed prophet Jake, who seeks refuge in his misinterpretations and misunderstanding of divine learnings, and uses his misinformed points as excuses for his behaviour.
The characterization was lovely. Bertin did a great job with how she has handled Jake, who is brought in as a foil to real and conscientious believers, to show what could go wrong when Biblical teachings are misused. I loved the articulation of particularly heart-wrenching concepts of regret, redemption, and overcoming grief.
Many thanks to Just Read Tours, and the author Eleanor Bertin, for gifting me a copy of this book for an honest review.

Life itself turn a drastic turn one morning when three beloved men died. This is a story of survival by those left behind. There are tragic parts of the book; sweet parts with laughing children; and, elation when new births arrive at the farm. It’s and enjoyable as well as sad story-line; it’s also enlightening on faith and making us stronger.

An attention-grabbing read, UNBOUND is full of realism and goes to the heart of relationships–love and hate, devotion and self-protection, God’s holiness and mankind’s neediness. Each character, for better or worse, has clear purpose in the story (which builds in tension towards the satisfying conclusion), and along the way Bertin plumbs many emotions to give the reader a full picture of the human condition.

Bertin’s descriptions–both of setting and of character–are very rich. For example, she describes northern winters so readers can feel the chill (“hoar frost sparkled in the air as it drifted off trees” while “a fat red sun settled low in the west”; “great swatches of snow like torn tissues flung themselves at the windshield”). She helps us see the surroundings in memorable focus (“Velvet’s Tea room, with its faded rose exterior, sagged like a disappointed woman”). Her explanations of emotions like grief and loss prove that she’s been there herself (“Everything in the room spoke of him, smelled of him”). She understands how women think (“We women see our own lives where the seams show, all frayed and tattered . . . Other women’s lives look all pressed and spiffy to us because we only look at the finished side”). Her very realistic descriptions of bodily functions pull no punches (“Them roads tonight are slicker’n snot on a door knob”). Each realistic description cements the scene in our minds and pulls us toward the relationship the author is illustrating.

Bertin successfully shows how “unbinding” happens–how we can become free of the cords of sin that hold us from true joy and spiritual freedom. Through character interchange and plot progression, UNBOUND offers a clear and convincing presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Unbound by author Eleanor Berlin is the second in The Mosaic Collection published by Leaf & Blade Publishing. Three very different women, bound by their husbands and the ranch they all live and work on. Then tragedy strikes. All three men are killed in a horrific accident involving a semi truck while on their way for an early morning hunt.

Naomi, the matriarch of the three women, Ruthie one of the daughter-in-laws, find themselves rejected by O’Dell, the other daughter-in-law. Puzzled and shaken by the deaths of husbands and sons, Naomi is perplexed and concerned by O’Dell’s behavior, even more so by the virtue of her only grandchildren are O’Dells. She fears being completely cut off from her precious grandbabies.

When Ruthie receives a desperate phone call from Naomi, she rushes to her mother-in-laws home. Upon arrival, Ruthie finds Naomi in an uncharacteristic state of panic, trembling and almost unable to speak. Ruthie is able to calm her mother-in-law enough to hear a story never heard before, about Jake, Naomi’s brother-in-law. Naomi is frightened by him, very frightened, and he is expected to drop by within minutes. It does not take Ruthie very long to put two-and-two together, the things Naomi shared along with Jake’s awful and demeaning comments. When Ruthie leaves the room for a few minutes, she returns to find Jake standing behind Naomi, with a fierce grip on her shoulders while whispering something in her ear; it is clear Naomi is terrified. Ruthie orders the man to leave immediately.

With O’Dell pulling further away, Naomi and Ruthie become closely bound together, both in grief and trying to keep the ranch working, plus Jake doesn’t seem to be at all inclined to leave the women, or the ranch, alone. When he offers a deal, that seems to good to be true, the women must decide whether accepting will enable them to keep their beloved ranch, or lose it altogether to the conniving brother-in-law.

Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Just Read Tours, and am not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions therein are solely my own, and freely given.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

In this loosely retelling of the story of Naomi and Ruth, author Eleanor Bertin does a really nice job of capturing my attention, with characters I grew to love and respect. Of course this version is the authors and her imagination of how it could have been back in that historical time. I always love reading Biblical fiction because it gives me ideas of how it was and it brings the story to life in my mind.

For some reason I had a hard time getting into the story, but then all of the horrific drama begins and it goes pretty fast. I wanted to get to the end to see how the author would weave it altogether. And she did a nice job of ironing it all out and coming up with an ending I was expecting. My heart hurt for Ruthie Adrian, and I cried for her during some of the harder scenes to read. She liked her life just fine, and wanted a family with Mac, but the accident took care of that for her. There was so much hurting and heartache, the raw emotion that so told the feelings of this family. At times it was hard to read because it was so real, and these things happen every day all around us. My heart was breaking as I thought about several families I know who have gone through the same thing in the past several months. Ms. Bertin does an excellent job writing everything into this story it a way that feels real, the characters felt real. And God’s grace, love, forgiveness and the peace that only He can give was weaved throughout the story in everything these ladies had to endure.

A copy of this book was given to me by the author or publisher. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions here in this review are totally mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Unbound by Eleanor Bertin is a marvellous contemporary Christian retelling of the story of Ruth. It has been bought bang up to date so that modern audiences can identify with Ruth and see the love of God in action.
When tragedy strikes, it is normal to ask “Why didn’t God prevent evil?” God gave us free will and with our choices come pain and heartache. Whatever we face, God never abandons us. “No matter what happens, your Maker walks with you.” God feels our pain and hurt. He offers us His love as we walk through life.
God is the God of new beginnings and second chances. “Although I am a great sinner, Jesus is a great rescuer.” He takes our pasts, redeems us and offers us a new start.
There are some difficult subjects that are presented with sensitivity. Eleanor Bertin shows the heart and love of God for His children.
The Word of God is love. Some may twist His words and use “tactics of blame, shame and guilt.” But our God is a God of love. It is His character and He will not change. God offers us His love and grace which will cover all our sins.
Forgiveness is a major theme. We all have pasts. Sometimes our pasts consume us with guilt. It is a heavy burden we were not meant to carry. Jesus came to free us from our burdens. He says we are forgiven and loved. We must forgive the face in the mirror or be guilty of hubris.
I have always loved the biblical story of Ruth and her bond with Naomi. It is refreshing to read a modern take on a familiar story. Unbound is a great read revealing the heart of God to renew and restore, as well as the bond of love between two women.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Wow, what a story! I just finished reading this book. It is one that I couldn’t wait til the ending, yet I didn’t want it to ever end. I love the characters and really enjoyed getting to know Ruthie and Naomi so well. This is the first book I have read by this author and by The Mosiac Collection. I”m very thankful to have been able to read this, as I truly loved it.

The characters were well developed and I had all the emotions reading this book. The author did such a wonderful job writing this story. The emotions of the characters were so real feeling. I was right there in the midst with them. I am hoping to read more by this author as she has quickly become a favorite. I absolutely loved the ending and it would be really wonderful if there was a sequel!

**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. A reveiw was not required and all opinions stated here are solely my own.**

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

I was initially drawn to this story because it is based on my namesake’s Bible character story, Ruth. Her story would have fascinated me even if I had not been named after her, and I was further intrigued because I have never read a modern-day retelling of this story. Additionally, since it is a Christian book, I knew I wasn’t going to encounter anything inappropriate. Furthermore, it is the second book I have read from the “Mosaic Collection,” and so this made me want to read it even more.

First of all, I was pleasantly surprised with the story and the way in which it unfolded. I know the Bible story frontwards, backwards, and upside down, but this story had plenty of twists and turns. I didn’t see some of the things coming, and I can’t thank the author enough for a clever story that kept my attention from beginning to end. I don’t always find that with Christian fiction, and I am grateful to say this book did the job!

Secondly, this story dealt with serious issues. All too often, Christian fiction sugarcoats things more than a “Hallmark movie,” and very often, the difficulties encountered are nothing more than unrelatable whining and implausible circumstances that would never have happened in real life. However, the characters and stories included in this book were realistic and told with such authenticity that I was captivated with their story. I knew there was more than what the characters were willing to divulge at the beginning, and I was definitely shocked as I read about some of their sufferings that I couldn’t even imagine!

I also want to applaud the author for including a “bad guy” who was the epitome of some of the cult leaders we hear about today–those individuals who warp and twist the Word of God to suit their own best interests and go around with a “holier-than-thou” aura that condemns everyone else for their sins while being blind to their own hypocrisy. This is another current issue that plagues so much of Christendom, and I was grateful to see this story play out.

Finally, the gospel is woven into the framework of this story, and I believe that both Christians and non-Christians will see themselves in the lives of these characters. Redemption is key, and no matter how good we are, we can never atone for our sins. We have to accept the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ and receive the forgiveness that God has so freely given us. The message of this story is powerful and life-changing, and I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

As she began her life as a widow, she felt afloat. ‘Who was she now? Where did she belong?’

As I read these thoughts of Naomi I was amazed how author Eleanor Bertin could portray this character’s uncertainty. Naomi had lost her husband and two sons in one tragic accident and she felt lost. Her daughter-in-law’s thoughts were certainly accurate also. Ruthie had lost her husband on that same horrible day and she believed ‘she was twenty-eight years old the day her life unraveled’ and that the happy life she had been living ‘had always been borrowed time’.

There have been several recent books that refer to the biblical account of Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth and Unbound is the newest offering. This story is set in modern times and it touches on so many subjects that can cause grief: infertility, miscarriage, abortion, and of course, death. There also financial problems to add to their burdens and the very real danger of a “false prophet”. Naomi’s brother-in-law proclaims to be a man of God but he is only interested in reminding Naomi of her shortcomings and making her believe that her current circumstances are due to her sins. It is only when she finally admits that she needs help that Naomi finds the strength to move forward and it is through true worship times that she and Ruthie experience forgiveness of their sins.

This is the moving story of love between a mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law and the deep bond that is strenghtened by their common loss. It is also a reminder that we can never earn God’s love and forgiveness through our own actions; it is only through HIs Grace that we can receive true freedom from sin!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and a favorable review was not required. These are my honest thoughts.

Unbound is a contemporary story that roughly retells the Biblical story of Ruth and Naomi. I say roughly because it loosely follows the theme of the story without trying to replicate it in a modern setting. A powerful tale of loss and grief and trying to survive against overwhelming odds when everything in life has changed instantly, this book explores a strong relationship between a young woman and her mother-in-law.

I honestly was not sure I would like this book but I easily grew to care for both Ruthie and Naomi. I liked the natural way the author depicted their relationship with all the ups and downs, even their disagreements. The story was poignant at times yet had moments of joy, forgiveness, restoration, and reconciliation. Most of all it illustrated how the Lord was working behind the scenes even when unexpected. Like other reviewers, I hope there will be a sequel to this novel because I would love to see how life turns out for these brave women.

I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by Just Read Tours. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.