Never Without Hope

Title: Never Without Hope
Author: Michelle Sutton

Blurb from Goodreads:
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?

My Take:

This is one of those books that some people in "religious" circles will either love or hate. That's one of the things I admire so much about the author. She isn't afraid to tackle the issues that would make most author's cower in a corner sweating. I want to tell you now that this doesn't pull any punches. Hope's feelings - whether they were passion, despair, anger, love or joy - they are all covered fully and without reserve. This is not a secular novel, though. This is not erotica. It doesn't glorify bad choices or wrap it all up neatly like in a "Leave It To Beaver" episode, everyone smiling and no problems while they nibble on a plate of cookies.


What the book does is present a realistic view of what really happens and how families honestly feel and deal with situations like these. That includes the pleasant draw of sin, the difficulty in getting out of it and how very much we all need God's grace and mercy. It also deals with how those consequences can be far reaching. This book was such a breath of fresh air for providing hope, and really offering something that can be shared with those who want to know that Christians aren't perfect either - and if they aren't they can still be accepted, forgiven and loved by God right now. Some people are so afraid of judgment by others in the church that they never share their struggles. I don't think that is what God wanted the church to be like. No we don't encourage the sin, but nobody is perfect but Jesus. We all have our struggles. This was an awesome read. I hope you'll not only read it yourself, but pass it along.