REVIEW SUBMITTED TO AMAZON
Families have secrets and drama– even Christian families
I was attracted to Gwen Plano’s novel, Redemption: A
Father’s Fatal Decision after reading much about the
beauty of this novel through peers on the WordPress
writing community. I tend to shy away from
psychological thrillers that inadvertently do something
to my psyche and leave me out of sync. But there were
a few things that attracted me to this one: the buzz
around this novel, the curiosity of what it’s like to live
multiple lives, the drama in the Holmes family that
mentions redemption in the title, and after reading
a few of the reviews, the claims that this story involved
a Christian worldview. It was then that I set discomfort
aside and purchased this novel.
Ms. Plano doesn’t vacillate with lengthy setup to arrive
at the inciting incident. We’re presented with that almost
as soon as the story begins. And with barely a hello and
a hug from the supporting characters we enter in the
midst of this family’s drama. But with one member
forced out right away and the other debilitated for
almost the entire novel, we rely on learning about the
family dynamics and the ‘promised’ redemption that
comes at the end through Lisa’s childhood
memories/flashbacks told in short glimpses.
The story is told in third-person, present tense, and
does an excellent job of immersing us in the goings-on.
I never felt misguided by the words Ms. Plano presented
me with. There was mistrust, of course, but those red
herring moments were precious and I gobbled them up.
And the fast pace of the way the secret unfolds worked
for me.
I was pleased with how some hard-lived experiences
were told in retrospect as that buffered some of the
traumatic aspects of such a life. Still, at every turn,
I realized this story could very well be happening to
some people right now.
Ah, I’m pleasantly in favor of this author’s style in
telling such a story. When I got to the end and
realized that forgiveness was the only way this could
work for the change to come to these characters,
I nodded in agreement.
A new awakening for me in this fascinating story, so,
if you’re queasy about picking up bad guy stories but
perhaps want to know how well to tell a story of such
caliber, look no further: this is your story. Let the
promise of redemption and forgiveness be that
stepping stone. It was for me–I give this book a
resounding 5-star rating.
As seen on my area’s Amazon Website.
This book was a good choice and I’m happy I followed the crowd for this one.
I was pleasantly surprised. Thanks, Gwen Plano.
Also posted the same review at Barnes & Noble. Find it here:
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/redemption-gwen-m-plano/1142988218
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7341478.Gwendolyn_M_Plano
Gwen’s Website is: https://www.gwenplano.com
And thanks to everyone for reading my review.
I bless you all.
Are you on Instagram? Here are my latest posts on that platform.
Yesterday was a holiday for us and we went forest bathing again.
That’s the latest post with video on your left. Enjoy.
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Love your photos, pretty lady 💙.
Beautiful review, Selma. These are the kind of reviews I look for when I’m thinking of buying a boom that I’m not familiar with or with a genre I don’t usually go for.
I’m delighted you found value in this review, dear Maria. This book, but most importantly this Author, is a work of art. I already knew what her poems sound like but hadn’t tested her novels. Wowed me. I adore her style. I’ll try to read more of her books. And I hear she has a new one coming soon. How amazing.
Thanks, Maria. Blessings.
It’s great to take a chance and then discover that we’ve become a fan of an author. 😊💙
Great review, Selma. I agree it is a fantastic read!
It’s such a fantastic read, D.L. It grabbed me at the right moment and lead me to the end in no time. This is what good writing does. I’m so happy I read and enjoyed this so much.
Thanks for the comment. Sending blessings.
🙂
A great review, Selma. I agree that Gwen’s book is one you won’t want to put down.
Hey, Joan. 💗 Thanks for appreciating my review of this amazing book. Lots of happy readers already reviewed this gem. And sang its praises. I had to take a look. I was, as was expected enamored and am happy to join in to spread the good word. So happy.
Gwen is definitely in the zone.
Thanks for reading and commenting on my post. Blessings.
Great review, Selma! I have this book on my list and look forward to reading it.
Yvette M Calleiro 😊
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
Yvie. Greetings, dear friend. It reads like silk—smooth and enwraps you in warmth and makes you wish you had such a relationship with your siblings too. You will love it.
It’s like the relationship of the two sisters in your book, Chronicles of the Diasodz —that I read last year. I purchased two from that series but only accomplished one. I’ll hurry up and get to the other. Bless you.
Be well, my dear. I send you hugs.
Very nice & interested review. Excellent instgram photos.
I am so happy for Gwen. She is such a talented writer. Thanks for sharing, Selma.
Hey, Beem. Thanks for the visit. I’m so happy that now I, too, know what one Gwen Plano novel sounds like. Wow. She is good with the pen! I was completely enamored with her style. I love how the characters narrated the past—it buffered some of the trauma for me. And I was grateful. Thanks for commenting, dear Beem. Come again 😉 XoXo
Raj, my dear. Thank you. Glad you liked. Xoxo
Most welcome, Selma! glad too. 😂
What a wonderful review of Gwen’s latest! I enjoyed this story so much. The deep exploration into the family dynamics of these characters made me reflect on my own family. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this book, Selma, and congratulations to Gwen!
Hey, Jan. Gwen Plano didn’t/doesn’t need another reviewer (she’s rocking that world already) but she got one more anyway 🤣
—Heartfelt from someone her words turned into a believer.
The retelling of the traumatic past told in retrospect buffered a lot of the hurt. I adored this!
Truth be told, that’s how I tried to tell the story I started working on in 2017. Gwen’s style gave me the feeling that… well, maybe I too… we’ll, you know… one day.
Thanks for reading and commenting here. More power to Gwen. I’m glad I read and shared this here. Blessings.
I enjoyed this one, too. Glad to see it getting such a wonderful review.
Aww, you’re a Gwen fan, then. I see. I see. I appreciate you reading my review and feeling so moved to tell me how you feel about it. Thanks so much. This warms my heart.
I appreciate this so much. Sending blessings. XoXo
Oh Selma, I’ve been away for almost 2 weeks. How wonderful it is to return and find your beautiful review. Thank you so much. ❤️
Glad to have surprised you with this review, Gwen. Thanks for all you do. Your book is so much: beauty and excitement wrapped up in a lovely package. I learned so much and truly enjoyed it just like I said in the review. Here’s looking at you for your continued success.
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Beautiful review, Gwen! I know Selma is delighted!❣️