"The Masterpiece"

"The Masterpiece" is Francine Rivers latest novel and this is a wonderful story that is emotional, gripping and a sweet story of God's grace and love.  

Roman is a rising artist in LA and he is one that collectors are watching and gallery owners are trying to get him to produce more artwork.  However, he has a past and a side that others are not aware of.  Grace is trying to get on her own two feet and create a life for herself and her son; however this is not easy.  Grace takes a temp job as that is all she can get at the time and finds herself taking on the job as Roman's personal assistant, a role that has been recommended as something he needs so he can focus on his artwork.  

I love how Francine started this book, by introducing the characters and sharing bits and pieces of their lives and sharing bits and pieces alluding to their pasts leaving the reader wanting to learn more and becoming completely intrigued by the characters.  I started reading and was completely hooked on the first few pages and I wondered what compels Roman to leave his mark in the form of graffiti.  What has happened to leave Grace on her own and struggling with the decision of raising her son, that she originally planned to give up for adoption?  As I kept on reading and turning the pages I found myself drawn into Roman and Grace's lives and becoming completely lost in their stories, their pasts and then also their current story, how their lives are weaving together.  

Here's a little tidbit about the author and a few questions that she has answered about this new book:

New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers has published numerous novels—all bestsellers—and she has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her Christian novels have been awarded or nominated for many honors and in 1997, after winning her third RITA Award for inspirational fiction, Francine was inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. In 2015, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Francine’s novels have been translated into over 30 different languages, and she enjoys bestseller status in many foreign countries. She and her husband, Rick, enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren.

New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers returns to her romance roots with this unexpected and redemptive love story, a probing tale that reminds us that mercy can shape even the most broken among us into an imperfect yet stunning masterpiece.

What does The Masterpiece have in common with your other novels? How is it unique?

Every story I’ve written contains a love story. This book has that in common with all my others. However, in other stories, I’ve had one main character be strong in faith. The difference in this novel, both people are broken and struggling. Grace is the Christian, but she has fallen several times, and suffered greatly for it. Her faith is an uphill, arduous climb. Roman adds to that battle. They both come from traumatic childhood experiences that have shaped their lives. The strong Christian voices in this story come from secondary characters.

What do you hope your readers come to know about God through this story?

I want readers to know that no matter who you are, where you come from, what you’ve done, when you accept Jesus, God will make you into His masterpiece.

I highly recommend this book!  It is truly an excellent story and one that will last with you long after you finish reading!

*Thanks to the Tyndale Blog Network for the complimentary copy of this book.*