Bookshelf Friday - Bridge to Haven by Francine Rivers

First off, the winner for my May Bookshelf drawing...

Sarah Nichols!

Sarah, you can Facebook or email me which book from my May Bookshelf Reviews you'd like, and I'll get it to you:) Congrats!! And thanks so much not only to you, but to all of you who've followed or liked my sites. It truly means so much!

Now let's keep the love-fest going straight into today's review because I love Francine Rivers, and I have for years. She is one of the very first CBA authors that stood out to me, and if you've ever read a book by her you know why. If you haven't, then you need to start. Pick anything up with her name on it, and you'll be happy! Today, though, I've got her newest to chat about. Here goes!

To those who matter in 1950s Hollywood, Lena Scott is the hottest rising star to hit the silver screen since Marilyn Monroe. Few know her real name is Abra. Even fewer know the price she’s paid to finally feel like she’s somebody.

To Pastor Ezekiel Freeman, Abra will always be the little girl who stole his heart the night he found her, a wailing newborn abandoned under a bridge on the outskirts of Haven. Zeke and his son, Joshua—Abra’s closest friend—watch her grow into an exotic beauty. But Zeke knows the circumstances surrounding her birth etched scars deep in her heart, scars that leave her vulnerable to a fast-talking bad boy who proclaims his love and lures her to Tinseltown. Hollywood feels like a million miles from Haven, and naive Abra quickly learns what’s expected of an ambitious girl with stars in her eyes. But fame comes at an awful price. She has burned every bridge to get exactly what she thought she wanted. Now, all she wants is a way back home.

Alright, confession time here...I picked up this book at our church library on Sunday with every intention of having it read, but then my week went a tad crazy. I had a few things writing related that I had to accomplish, so I didn't get this fully read! However, what I can say is how deeply it has drawn me in from page one. Not only are the characters rich, but the story has just enough questions to keep me turning the page. Francine is so amazing at writing characters and their struggles with such authenticity and relatability that I truly feel like I know them. And I love, love, love how Truth is always at the core of all her stories, and this one is no different. I'm mid-way through and I have no doubt, now that my schedule is a bit more free, I'll have it finished very quickly.

If you'd like to purchase Bridge to Haven, you can find it here. And if you'd like to know more about Francine Rivers, you can visit her website, here. Happy Friday, all!