Giveaway: “A Bridge Unbroken” by Cathy Bryant (US, Ends 6/7)

Cathy Bryant recently did a blog tour for her new book, “A Bridge Unbroken”.  You can read all about the book and author here.  I just finished reading “A Bridge Unbroken” last night.  Late, last night.   I couldn’t put it down!  The main character, Dakota, has had a difficult life and is always running away from something or someone.  But now, she wants to stop.  She wants to put down roots and stay in one place.  Make friends, belong somewhere.  When she inherits her grandfather’s farm, it gives her the opportunity to finally make the dream of belonging a reality.  But there are strings.  She doesn’t inherit it fully, her old love Chance also has claim to the farm and the two find themselves forced to work together to rehab the property.  The farm house needs a lot of work, and so does an old bridge on the land.  Almost as much work as the relationship between Chance and Dakota needs to become whole.

The strength of this book, “A Bridge Unbroken” is in the character development and the relationship dynamic created by the author, Cathy Bryant.  Very quickly, the reader comes to feel that they know and care about Dakota.  Chance’s character is revealed more slowly but with all the depth, complexity and interest as Dakota’s.  As their relationship grows, reverts to past history, then returns to the present, the reader is drawn along.  Bryant knows how to portray the questions, betrayal, and feelings of love that are in every relationship in a suspenseful and meaningful way.

I only found Christian fiction later in my life and it has had a profound affect.  In reading Christian fiction where characters uses their faith to deal with difficulties, share their joy, and weave faith into their daily lives, I have a model for my own journey.  Especially if you aren’t surround by people of faith in your community, Christian fiction provides examples of what living your faith really means.  One of the main themes of this particular book is forgiveness – something I think all of us struggle with.  As Dakota and Chance try desperately to forgive and find forgiveness from each other for past wrongs, Bryant presents a biblical study of forgiveness.  But it is so artfully woven into the story, that readers may not even realize it.  I am reading about Dakota’s journey.  But after I put the book down, I start thinking about my own experiences with being hurt or unintentionally hurting someone else and the complexity of forgiveness.  It’s not easy.  But reading the struggles of the characters gives me something to think about for my own life.  Additionally, with Christian fiction, although there may be violence and romance, it is written in a way that certainly portrays the situation but without gratuitous gore or sex.  It reminds me of the treatment of violence in old movies and today.  In an old movie, you may see a shadow or hear a sound whereas in today’s films you will see anatomically correct blood and destruction in close-up, full-color realism.  They both may have their place, but I prefer (and sleep better) without details and full-on realism.

“A Bridge Unbroken” is part of a series of books, it is a “Miller’s Creak Novel”.  You don’t need to have read the others to appreciate this one, but you’ll find yourself wanting to!

You can find out more about Cathy and her books at www.CatBryant.com.  Here are a few other places to meet up with Cathy in cyberspace:

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One lucky KLY reader is going to win “A Bridge Unbroken”.  

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