Title: A Father’s Love: Justice and Forgiveness
Author: Jean Defreese Moore
Publisher: Covenant Books
ISBN: 978-1638146278
Pages: 472
Genre: Christian Literature and Fiction
Reviewed by: Lisa Brown-Gilbert
Hollywood Book Reviews
Author Jean Defreese Moore brings the early American West to life with her soul-stirring, Christian based historical drama series, A Father’s Love, based on life in the early history of the old west. The series focuses on the life and family of mountain man, Travis Britt. A Father’s Love: Justice and Forgiveness is the second book in the series.
Furthering the story of the Britt family, the story focuses on the history of the youngest son Reid, and his new wife Chipeta. Reid is spiritually strong, resilient and dedicated like his father. Meanwhile, the beautiful, Chipeta, is a native Indian woman, who is also the daughter of an Ute medicine man and spent her most of her life, living on the reservation. Additionally, Chipeta and Reid attend the same university and both are serious students, focused on pursuing their studies. Chipeta speaks English well and desires to pursue a career in the field of justice, just like Reid. However, she started out with an ulterior motive, and that was to learn everything she could about white laws in order to be able to fight for her people thereby giving them a better advantage against the restrictions being placed on their lives. Knowing white culture more than she knows her own and having been exposed to the Bible and Christianity, she combines her knowledge of her people’s spiritual belief system and Christianity with the belief that the Gods represented in both belief systems were the same. Eventually she comes to accept Jesus Christ as her lord and savior by being publicly baptized which was completely against her people and father’s beliefs.
However, being Indian, Chipeta would face racism-based difficulties, although she did accept and follow white culture. She could not hide her physical appearance; her dark skin and long dark hair would always give away who she really was. Moreover, after a tragic assault on Chipeta, she winds up living with Reid’s family in order to finish school safely. Chipeta also soon realizes that she is pregnant from her assault and Reid, after a very spiritual dream, containing a message from God, marries her and brings her home to his family, who being Christian, love and accept her willingly. The remainder of the story is a combination of adventure, drama, faith, scripture, love, and lessons of love and acceptance, of fellow humans despite their racial, spiritual or physical differences.
Ultimately, A Father’s Love: Justice and Forgiveness is a fantastic read that I thoroughly enjoyed. This is a well told story, full of trials, tribulations and spiritual triumphs. Thoroughly detailed, historically realistic and containing plenty of scriptural fuel for the soul, this is a read that will easily connect the audience both spiritually and literally. What I truly enjoyed about this book is the masterful way in which the story plays out, especially the strong connection to God and receiving messages. I also enjoyed the well-developed cast of characters and their grounded interactions. This book was truly a joy to read and I look forward to reading the remainder of the series. I do recommend this book to fans of Historical Dramas as well as those who also enjoy Christian based literature as, this was well worth the read and I think it would make a fantastic TV series.