Bridge to Haven

Abra has never quite gotten over the fact that 1) she was abandoned as a baby under the Haven bridge and then 2) abandoned again at 5 when Pastor Zeke's wife dies and he hands her over to the Matthews family (at least that's what she feels). Abra is so desperate to feel loved, she finds herself easily led away from the quiet town of Haven by bad boy Dylan, a rich boy who she soon realizes just wants to use her for his own selfish needs. He eventually tires of her and hands her off to a Hollywood agent on a dare, that the agent can't make something out of her. And so, in her relentless quest to be someone, Abra disappears and in the hands of her agent becomes Lena Scott, a starlet on the rise in Hollywood. But stardom, fame, and men who just want to use her soon begin to wear on Lena and over the years she starts to despair that Abra will ever get a moment of freedom again, especially from her own guilt. She feels hopeless, but little does she know that the ones she left in Haven years ago have not forgotten her, especially Joshua who loves her for who she really is, and more than that, that she can't ever run away from God's love.This is not an easy story to read. Yes, it does end well. Yes, the historical aspects are well done. And yes, the writing is good. Probably what makes the read so hard is that it is all too easy to see a teen girl (and then young woman) who feels unloved making all these horrible choices, falling into a pattern of feeling she has to let men do whatever they want with her because she is so afraid of being thrown away yet again. In the end, the story is one of redemption and restoration, but Rivers doesn't pull any punches to let readers understand the full weight of Abra's journey. Rivers says Ezekiel 16 was her inspiration for the story, but it also has a lot of tones of the prodigal son and the woman at the well. I can see this being a powerful story for women who need to hear that nothing they have done can separate them from the love of Christ, but I also know it won't be right for every reader. Like I mentioned, Rivers doesn't pull any punches about the painful road Abra chooses which makes this a more mature read. I found myself wondering if she really needed to include all of what she put in, but at the same time, I can see the book being less helpful for wounded women if Rivers just glossed over those parts. That said, see the content notes below and know your friends before recommending this book.Notes on content: No language issues. There's a lot of innuendo, as Abra goes from one partner to the next, and though I guess you could say sex scenes are not included you get just about everything but descriptions of the "actual moment". Descriptions of people taking off others clothing, putting hands on each other, etc. Readers are not left guessing that Abra is used by men for sex. Two men are also abusive in their control of Abra, to the point of physical abuse a couple times. There's also an abortion that is described prior to and after the operation. Alcohol and drug use of the Hollywood circle also is talked about and sometimes described. A character is drafted in the Korean War and some of the horrors he experiences as a medic are described.

As a fan of Redeeming Love, I couldn’t wait to dive into—or off of—Bridge to Haven: A Novel. Getting lost in an inspiring story is not Ms. Rivers’ primary or only goal—although the reader will. Her goal is to lead us, with her characters on a journey of worth and hope.The inciting incident for Bridge to Haven introduces us to Abra’s nearly tragic beginning. Abandoned as a newborn, under the bridge to Haven, she is miraculously found by the local pastor Zeke,Abra’s life goes from desperate to one of love and acceptance, until another heartbreak turns Abra’s heart away from God and those who truly love her—the pastor, young Joshua, and a family who adopts her.But the wounds of rejection are too deep for Abra to see and lure her on a brutal search for what she believes is love and value. A search that takes her to all the wrong places.This is a story that asserts God’s unending grace and love—that no matter what we’ve done, He still loves us. He is always calling us to cross that bridge back to Him!Francine is an authentic and elegantly transparent writer. She’s not afraid to depict the real struggles of those searching for truth and love from sources other than our heavenly Father. Which means, there will be scenes and events that are uncomfortable and not for young readers.The only reason I didn’t give this a 5-Star rating is because I couldn’t recommend this book to a naïve reader. It’s not about age, it’s about life experiences. For those who have experienced the disturbing results of wrong decisions, this book is tame, and hopeful. It is also hopeful for those who left their own “Haven” and don’t know how or if they can return.No doubt, Francine Rivers is a storyteller who is unafraid to tackle the real and difficult challenges in this world. Thank you, Ms. Rivers. We need you and your beautifully told stories.

I didn’t enjoy this book from the beginning. A pastor who adopts a baby and then gives her up 5 years later cos his wife died and it’s too hard! Seriously harrowing beginning that had me in tears. I realised Francine was creating the circumstances that put Abra in the frame of mind for what would follow, so I persevered. Wish I hadn’t. 16 year old Abra runs away with a cad. That’s not what is terrible about this book though, it is the passiveness Abra has that allows herself to be treated so awfully, not by one but two men. I got as far as the back street abortion and had to stop. Not what I expected from a pretty famous Christian writer, I’m really disappointed. In this day and age when we are trying to promote women with strength who don’t let men ruin their lives I found this a total let down. Yes it’s full of bible quotes and some lovely Christian characters but that doesn’t mean the morals or storylines are good. 2 stars, well-written but a storyline that wasn't for me.

Francis Rivers never disappoints. I couldn't put this book down! I am especially happy the kindle version is much cheaper.

I am a serious fan of Francine Rivers, but I am yet to find a book of hers that failed to deliver on storyline, content, and the twists and turns as you read and see through the lives of the characters.I always look forward to her new books - already preparing to download the next one.This book made me laugh, cry and shout out at the characters - beautiful tale of unconditional love, forgiveness and finding our identity. A must-read.... 😀

A really really beautiful story, well written, I'm not really religious, but this is the second book of Francine rivers that I really enjoyed

For the one who wants to help bring the bible to life and doesn't want heretical translations like the Message Bible, Rivers is most helpful. My wife enjoys and benefits from these books. Brokenness for our sin and joy in the mercy of the Lord are the repeated results from FR's authorship.