Michelle Sutton

Decision to Love is easily my favorite installment in the Sacred Vows series by Michelle Sutton. It continues to follow the lives of Hope and Tony, eight years after their illicit love affair from book one Never Without Hope. This is book three in the series, following Their Separate Ways which showed us the aftermath of their affair and the struggles that each had in trying to put the pieces of their lives back together. In this book, however, we also follow Hope’s son Jimmy, now a show more college student. What I love most about this book is its brutal honesty. Sutton once again takes the Christian reader where others fear to tread and brings us face to face with the struggles faced by gay and lesbian people who are searching for peace with God. There is so much more to the story than just sexual attraction or lust. The feelings and struggles go deep and I applaud her bravery in tackling such a timely and important issue. I have no doubt that this book will minister to many. These are not easy topics and it is done with grace and taste while still keeping it real. What is especially exceptional is that she doesn’t attempt to ‘fix’ all the problems with pat solutions. Bravo for a book that will minister to people struggling with sexual sin of any kind.
I have read and appreciated many of Sutton’s books including the first two in this series, but I think this book could be understood and enjoyed without reading the first two. Be warned that there is definitely sexual content, but it unapologetically focuses on Christ and the message that there is hope for all through Him. show less

Michelle Sutton does not shrink from writing about challenging subjects and writing story people who could be your next door neighbors.
I haven't read a lot of Christian fiction, and what I have read has often been too unrealistically sweet for my reading taste. I grew up with five pastors in my family, one being my grandpa. So for me, pastors are just people. People are human, not perfect, and they make mistakes. So I don't have much patience with Christian fiction that does not portray show more people in a realistic way.
Never Without Hope did not disappoint because Michelle has written some gritty truths here and truths are what all good fiction needs. show less

First Response
First Response is number three in Michelle Sutton’s Tombstone Series. It definitely lives up to the standard of the first two books in terms of its romance, character development and Christian theme. Trinity is a massage therapist and Chet, whom we’ve met in previous books, is an EMT. He’s hurt his back and needs treatment and thus the romance begins. The book is set in modern day Tombstone where ordinary citizens role play characters from the ‘wild west’ for the many show more tourists that visit. As in previous books, Trinity and Chet participate, but this doesn’t seem to be as central to the story as it was in the first two books. Instead, the real crux of the story is their struggle with sexual purity. Both of them are fairly new Christians and find that the sexual attraction they feel might be more than they can handle, despite their mutual faith. To complicate matters, Trinity’s ex boyfriend, a very nasty fellow, wants her back and continues to threaten her. Of course, Chet saves the day on more than one occasion. The main characters from book one, Sammie and Jimmy, become a sounding board as well as a lifeline for the couple. Also woven into the story is a lovely relationship between Trinity and her elderly grandmother, a fun and feisty lady who has a bit of a mischievous streak. Trinity struggles with abandonment issues because her own mother abandoned her as a child, but with the help of Granny and Chet, she is able to move forward and leave the pain behind.
I would give First Response a fairly high rating on the ‘sensual’ meter. For a book that is unapologetically Christian, it also gets pretty steamy at times. It stops at giving a graphic play by play, but some readers may find the sexual references beyond their comfort zone. This is quintessential Michelle Sutton style, however. Sutton isn’t afraid to tread the ‘edgy’ tightrope. She typically tackles real life issues that others shy away from, and presents her characters – even the ‘born again’ Christians - as real, fallible, human beings. I found the book maintained a healthy balance between the romance and the inner struggles faced by the couple. The characters and situations were quite believable and I would recommend the entire series to those who want more than a ‘sweet’ romance, but who want to remain on the moral high ground. show less

NEVER WITHOUT HOPE by Michelle Sutton is anything but the typical Christian romance. This is the story of one woman’s decent into an illicit love affair, despite the fact that she loves her husband and is a professing Christian. Hope is a passionate woman, and when her husband begins to pull away from her sexually and emotionally, she finds herself being drawn into a relationship with another man, against her better judgment.
Sutton does not pull any punches with this novel. Although not show more erotic, per se, her descriptions of Hope’s encounters with her lover are quite explicit. Written in first person, we get a glimpse into the deep emotional turmoil that she has put herself in. There were times when I felt extreme frustration – even anger - with the main character. She seemed to be on a continuous merry-go-round, going from dissatisfaction and unhappiness, to uncontrollable desire, to remorse, back to dissatisfaction again. Sometimes it almost seemed like the story wasn’t moving forward, but was trapped in this swirling vortex of conflicting emotion.
I suspect this sense of being trapped in a vicious cycle was exactly what author Michelle Sutton wanted, however. When Hope finally breaks the cycle by telling her husband about the affair, the book makes a major shift. In my view, the story actually peaks somewhere in the middle, with the climax or turning point coming with Hope’s decision to terminate her affair once and for all. However, even though this might seem like a long resolution by modern standards, I actually found this to be the most satisfying part of the read. In fact, the plot structure reminded me of a Shakespearean play – not a shabby comparison by any means.
This is not a book for the faint of heart. Readers who may be alarmed by sexual frankness will not enjoy this book. Similarly, if you want your Christian heroine to be above reproach, then this one is not for you. If you want an honest portrayal, however, with a superbly satisfying finale that oozes with the restorative power of God, then read NEVER WITHOUT HOPE. In my view, this is Michelle Sutton’s best work yet. It is full of depth and emotion, and the message of hope and redemption come across loud and clear. show less