There is nothing
quite like old-fashioned and pure romance, especially when it happens in a book
that is well written featuring likeable and charismatic characters. To Forgive, Divine by Melissa Leedom is such a book with these qualities. Chock full of endearing
characters and set in rural Georgia, To
Forgive, Divine is a Christian "Chick Lit" book that should not
be missed.

Meet Bonnie, a widowed mother of two who is a
dedicated Christian. She resides in Chandler City, GA, one of those small town type of places where you run into people you know every day,
everywhere you go. In the beginning of our story, she has just begun to notice
Jeff Wells, the pastor of Foster Road Baptist. Jeff is also widowed with a
teenage son, and has just begun to notice Bonnie. The two of them however don't
have time for anything but one special kiss between them before it all comes
crashing down. Clara Adkinson, the town gossip, can't
stand to see the two of them get together and starts spreading nasty rumors
about them. And we all know how rumors can spread like wildfire in a small
town! And unfortunately Clara manages to break the two of them up before
anything really starts. Jeff believes Clara, and quickly cuts things off with
Bonnie, who can't believe she has already fallen for him and is crushed.

Meanwhile other things are falling apart as well
- a young boy who recently joined a gangg breaks into the church office; a woman
who has left her cheating husband joins the church, and is suddenly spotted all
around town with Jeff; Bonnie can't stop running into men she wants little or
nothing to do with, including a loud-mouthed, overbearing ex-flame (that she'd
never gotten together with in the first place); Clara tries to have Pastor Jeff
resign from the church because of false allegations; and Bonnie and Jeff can't
stop running into each other even when they try, and it's the last thing they
want! Will this town and congregation ever pull together? Will this group of
people ever learn to forgive each other? Find out in this heartwarming story.

To
Forgive, Divine was a wonderful book
and I enjoyed it immensely. Bonnie, the main character, is a likeable woman
with flaws that many can identify with. Her situation with Jeff as well as the
other characters' lives kept me riveted to the book to see how it would all
end. I also loved how the book wasn't sickly sweet and unrealistic. It showed
the ins and outs of living a Christian life, even some of the bad things about
it, such as hypocrisy and jealousy that sometimes take place. Melissa Leedom manages to get the message of salvation through to
her readers too in this delightful story.

Overall, I recommend To Forgive, Divine to all readers who love a romantic and
down-to-earth story that will tug at your heartstrings. People with a Christian
background will especially like it. Do you think that a true, simple and pure
love doesn't exist? Read this book - it may change your mind!