I have read two of this author's other novels and enjoyed them immensely. (Chasing Fireflies; When Crickets Cry). My fave so far has been When Crickets Cry.
STORY SUMMARY
MacThomas Pockets used to be a member of the Scottish Special Forces. He also was a bodyguard to the Queen of England. Now he has been hired to consult with a filming director to help out with certain scenes....and that's when he ended up moving to LA to become the bodyguard for a famous and wealthy movie star named Maybe Joe Sue. She's known as Joe or Mrs Joe. She's super kind, generous and ambitious.
However, she has two side: the one the public sees with her "perfect" life and a famous Hollywood husband named Syd Painter. And the private Joe Sue: a woman with a traumatic childhood, a drug addiction and a desperate need for a child of her very own, which is not working out for her physically.
After five years, Pockets and Joe part ways. But he continues to track her life. Only a few people notice when her world falls apart.....he is one of them...and he steps back into her life.
The question that comes up: how far would anyone go to save someone you really love?
MY THOUGHTS
This book was fast-paced with well developed characters. However, this storyline is a bit far fetched in my opinion. It's an interesting plot and the protagonist is almost like a Christ figure. Yet it often seemed forced to me. Especially the first 2/3s of the book. Hard to put into words.
There are heart wrenching moments for sure......and there are some hilarious moments with a lot of drama thrown in. It's not a sappy romance but there's an underlying current of unrequited love. and then real love, and truth, and hope.
The main themes appear to be faith, sacrifice, love, hope, drug addiction, adultery, surrogacy, betrayal, forgiveness.
The ending of the book moves quickly which I liked and I have to say this author really knows how present the Truth of Jesus' love for us without mentioning a word from the Bible explicitly or even using God's name. It's a beautiful analogy.
There were many great quotes from this book. Here's my faves:
"If you have to spend money to show you have money, then you don't." (pg 246, The Last Exchange by Charles Martin c. 2023)
"I've found hope staring me in the face when reason screamed I had none. No matter what you do---ignore it, shove it in a closet, drown it with drink and pill, or stab it with science, experts and talking heads---you can't kill hope. Not in all of human history has hope ever been laid to rest. When we breathe it in, it's the stuff that expands our lungs. It's the reason we're not just dust." (pg 261)
".....there was one thing I had not protected her from because it's the one thing on planet Earth that sets us free from teh stuff that enslaves us and holds our heads under the water. The stuff trying to kill us. We can lie to one another to soften the blow, but lies only strengthen the chains. There's only one thing in this universe or any other that cuts through prison bars and sets us free from the prisons in which we live. And that thing is the truth. Without it, there is no freedom." (pg 341)
"Brokenness is not weakness.....look around. We're all broken. Welcome to the human race. Weakness is being broken but too proud to ask for help.....real strength is knowing that and understanding that you're broken. Only then do you got anything." (pg 347)
In my opinion, this faith-based book is appropriate for ages 14 and older. (keep in mind there are some mature content but nothing explicit and no swear words)
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this an 8.
3 comments:
One of my favorite authors. His stories are quite deep and make me think for days after. I did a review for this book this week too. Not my favorite of his but still very good. My all time fave so far is Water From My Heart and Wrapped in Rain. You'd probably like the Murphy Shepard Series (3 books) that deals with the s*x slave trade as I know that is a subject close to your heart.
OOH I was actually looking for those books at our town library this morning, Susanne when I returned this one. Sadly, they don't have them so I"m going to request them as other libraries in the Capital Region might have those. I'll have to read Wrapped in Rain. I do know they have that one! My fave so far is When Crickets Cry. It was SO good. really moved me.
Hi Faith. Another good review. I will keep an eye out for this book. Thanks!
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