My Review of Never Without Hope by Michelle Sutton


Book Review!

Never Without Hope is a heartbreaking story of what sometimes happens to couples when the honeymoon’s seemingly over. Since I’ve been married for more than 32 years, I can relate (just kidding, honey!) to the challenges of keeping that spark alive. I admire Michelle’s willingness to write about stuff most Christians whisper about behind closed doors. The subject she tackles in this novel may curl your hair if you live in an alternate universe where impropriety and sexual sin don’t exist. But if you are in the real world, you know that many men and women get enticed by flames old and new if the pilot light in their marriage grows dim or gets snuffed out.
My favorite thing about this novel is the main character Hope and the hope she gropes toward in her quest for healing. Nicely written, Never Without Hope examines a hot-button issue that needs to be more openly discussed in both Christian and secular circles. Four stars.

Here’s the Back cover copy:
Hope believes she is above sexual temptation; that she would never break that commandment like her husband’s previous wives had done. After all, she is a good Christian and a loving mother. She has no reason to stray . . . until her husband starts neglecting her needs and things begin to look hopeless. Though she clearly communicates her pain to her husband, he refuses to get help. She starts to wonder…Will she never have sex with her husband again? She soon learns that she, too, is capable of such betrayal when she succumbs to the unthinkable.

But things that first seemed sweet and reasonable given her painful situation soon produce a bitter taste when combined with the overwhelming guilt. No substitute will ever replace her love and desire for her husband. If only he would touch her like he used to. If only they could make love again. She misses him so much and wants to tell him the truth hoping it will propel him to do something to fix their problem, but she fears his rejection. Yet, she can’t continue living such a hypocritical life. She knows it’s wrong even though she continues to crave physical intimacy. Steeped in the quagmire of adultery, Hope must find her way back to solid ground to save her marriage. But will she lose everyone she loves in the process?

About Linda S. Clare

I'm an author, speaker, writing coach and mentor. I teach both fiction and nonfiction writing at Lane Community College and in the doctoral program as expert writing advisor for George Fox University. I love helping writers improve their craft and I'm both an avid reader and writer of stories about those with wounded hearts.

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