ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Love Ordained
Author: Tara Taffera
Release Date: February 14, 2021Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction
Where Great Loss Turns to Ordained Love
When Gina Andros loses her husband Alex and almost two-year old daughter Teresa in a car accident, her world falls apart. Her mother-in-law Helena, a woman she views as a second mother, blames her for the accident and cuts her out of her life. Doing so, she turns her family, including Gina's best friends, Anna and Christian, away from her. Gina falls deep into the pit of grief, but slowly the family starts to heal—due in part to a major event in her life. But not before Helena goes to great lengths to derail Gina’s recovery. Will Helena’s heart melt, bringing the family back together?
As the months go by, the possibility of new love arrives in Gina’s life, but is it the love God has planned for her? Will Gina realize the one she is meant to be with, and if she does, will he be ready to love her unconditionally?
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My Review 🖤
Talk about an emotional story!
Love Ordained by Tara Taffera tackles some tough subject matter, and is a novel that is hard to read, yet it is a story that needs to be heard, though I will add this caveat: read with caution and make sure you are in the right frame of mind, as I can see this being a very triggering read for some.
I felt all the feels while I was reading this book. The weight of depression and despair that comes with loss, anger and frustration when people are blinded by their own pain and can't see the truth, and thus mistreat those they claim to care about. I growled in anger, and choked back tears of my own, as certain instances brought back bitter memories of my own, but this made this read all the more real and powerful.
I love that the story is told from varying points of view, including Gina, the grieving widow, and her in-laws, who also share her pain, but chose to side with their bitter mother and her crazy idea that the accident that took her son and granddaughter's life was somehow Gina's fault. All the moments with the mother-in-law, and all of her senseless hostility, was beyond frustrating to me, though seeing redemption throughout the entire family was truly breathtaking.
One of the biggest things that bothered me about this narrative was the fact that certain aspects felt rushed to me and lacked a certain depth. I can't go into more detail without spoiling a few things, but there was such intensity with certain aspects, and with others I felt like particulars were lacking, giving me an unbalanced feel. If there could've been more equity, I think this would've been a close to perfect novel.
The writing grips you and grabs you, pulling you into the sadness, allowing you to capture a glimpse into a life that was thrown the most unbelievable circumstances, yet Gina overcame with grace and the strength of the Lord, thanks to a powerful and unshakable faith. What an exquisite testimony for Gina and what a wonderful read!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tara Taffera is a journalist living in Stafford, Va., with her husband of 23 years, and her three daughters. In 2020, she realized her dream of writing her first novel, Love Ordained. She has always loved to read, and anyone who knows her knows how fast she can plow through a good book. Her mother always says, how as a youngster, she was always asking to go back to the library for more books. She started writing Love Ordained more than 20 years ago, and she finally made it a priority in early 2020, and finished the book--a Christian romance. It was published on February 15, 2021, and she is currently working on book 2 in the series.
*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book for JustRead Tours and read through Kindle Unlimited. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
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