Book Review: Glass Angels by Karen Wiesner

This is a wonderful story of forgiveness and how a fragile, broken life can find healing and rebuild in strength.

Glass Angels (Family Heirlooms Series Book 4)

by Karen Wiesner
Book 4 of the Family Heirlooms Series
Inspirational Contemporary Romance
by Karen Wiesner
Available now from Whiskey Creek Press
978-1-61160-009-4 (trade paperback); 978-1-61160-008-7 (electronic)
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 Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance

My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2011

A young Christian woman struggles with seeking pardon from those she's hurt when she can't seem to get past her own inability to forgive those who have wronged her.

Three years ago, Samantha Samuels had suffered under the violent hands of Ryder Feldmann, a juvenile delinquent her pastor father had been counseling. Now she's completed her psychiatry training and plans to help other victims of violent crimes at the rape counseling clinic in her hometown of Peaceful, Wisconsin. Unexpectedly, she finds herself sharing an office building and Sunday services at her new church with the older brother, a divorce counselor, of her attacker...the very man she'd been in love with before her rape.

In the time since Kyle Feldmann's brother was jailed for his crime against Samantha, he's lived with the torment of all he's lost because of his sibling. Before the tragedy that stole Samantha from him and destroyed his dreams, Kyle had begged her to risk her father's disappointment and elope with him. Seeing Samantha again after so many years, being near her, only puts him right back where he was before the rape. Kyle wants to heal Samantha, love her, and fulfill the dreams he grieved the loss of—by marrying her. But how can they be together forever when she's still so broken?

All her life, Samantha had wanted her father's approval, but his selfish part in putting her in a dangerous situation has led her to a painful place of desperately needing to forgive him and her attacker...and being unable to in all the time since the traumatic event that ripped her life in two. As she gives her heart to Kyle once more, her already fractured relationship with the Lord is tested. In the crossfire of faith, she wonders if glass angels shatter beyond recognition when they take a leap of faith, or if they can heal and become stronger than ever before.

Review:
This is Book 4 of the Family Heirloom series. Samantha is the younger sister of Peter who was the male lead in Book three, Foolish Games.  Their father is a pastor who is zealous about bringing lost souls to accept Christ. Samantha was always an obedient daughter, following her father’s instructions even against her own misgivings and intuition.  In Book three, Pastor Samuels was helping a young man, Ryder, through a Juvenile Delinquent program, and chose not to learn what Ryder was accused of.   Pastor Samuels insisted that Samantha befriend Ryder, even though she was uncomfortable with him. The pastor hoped that Samantha could lead Ryder to Christ. Instead Ryder attacked  Samantha, knocking her unconscious and raping her.

Book 4 is Samantha’s story of struggling to reach a place of restoration and forgiveness, not only for her attacker, but also for her father who’s zeal placed her in a position of danger.  Samantha has completed her Master’s Degree in psychology and has returned to her home town to join her friend in their clinic for rape victims, Glass Angels.

Before Samantha was attacked she had developed a secret romance with Ryder’s older brother, Kyle. Kyle wanted to marry Samantha but Samantha knew her father wouldn’t approve of her dating or marrying a divorced, older man.  Their relationship and all of Samantha’s dreams of marriage and a future with Kyle were shattered by the rape.

As soon as Kyle runs into Samantha he begins to hope that they can renew their romance. Can he convince her that she is still worthy of love? Can Samantha find a way through her pain and growing anger to forgive her attacker and her father before her bitterness destroys her own chance for renewed happiness?

The characters are really well developed so you share their anguish and confusion.
The romance scenes are a very warm and real blend of sweet and sensual.  Ms. Wiesner does a great job handling the issues of struggling with forgiveness.  The story also raises interesting questions about family reactions to a young rapist and enabling bad behavior.  This was a very engaging and sweet read. There is sufficient background so this can be read without reading the prior book but I encourage you to read that charming story too.

This opening quote is a great statement!

“Forgiveness is the name of love practiced among people who love poorly. The hard truth is that all of us love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour– unceasingly. That is the great work of love among the fellowship of the weak that is the human family.” Henri Nouwen. Location 27.

How will Samantha answer these questions?

How can I forgive him when I don’t believe he deserves it? And if I take that step and forgive him, how can I stop the cancer from growing even more because of my resentment? Location 2507.

I received this book for review from the Author.