Book review: Love Letter, a Babe's Bible novel

There was a health warning on the back of this book: 'Not for the faint hearted...once you begin you won't want to stop, but be prepared for an emotional journey.'

Love Letter is the third - and, I guess, sadly the last - in the Babe's Bible trilogy. Karen Jones has created a compelling character in Grace, a vicar, who deals with many of life's challenges and problems.  Grace's encounters with her husband and son, her friends, her colleagues and the women she encounters at the women's refuge she has helped set up, are interwoven with the book of Ephesians. Meanwhile, Grace is writing a story of her own: begun in the first book (Gorgeous Grace), it is the story of Mary and Lila, first century women who are disciples of Jesus.

There are many parallels and reflections between what happens in Grace's world, and what happens in the world she has recreated in her book. Yet the stories are not too similar. In Grace's world, sinful characters find redemption and grace; in the first century, there is much evil as the Jews suffer under Roman rule until, in 70 AD, the temple in Jerusalem is torn down. Yet throughout both stories there is a powerful sense of God at work in people's lives.

So yes, it WAS true. I read the book very quickly indeed. It was truly a superbly crafted page turner. Having finished the last in the trilogy, it is probably time to start at the beginning again: because these are books well worth a second read.