Breaking Free

Breaking Free is missional fiction at its best. With some of the most realistic characters in Christian Fiction today Slattery gives a glimpse of what alcoholism, gambling addiction, lack of communication, and financial dishonesty can do to a family - even a Christian family that seems to have it all together. But she also shows what can happen when said family reaches their breaking point, cries out to God, and decides to come together and find their way again.

This book really made me take a moment to remember that just because a friend seems to have it all together that she may not. Deep down she might be suffering from a marital problem so deep she doesn't even know how to get help for it. I pray that if I ever had a friend in trouble that she would know she could come to me for help.

I really loved reading a book where I truly felt God was using the author's words to reach people. I loved that nothing was sugar coated and that no character was perfect. I know that many readers will focus on certain sins in this book but I felt Slattery really portrayed a couple where both parties played a role in the demise of the relationship. So often society places all the blame on one person and I liked that in this book multiple times Alice admitted that she didn't know what to do and even didn't know how to or want to pray.

Breaking Free is not an easy read. It will show you the depths of sin and the awful feelings everyone felt as a result of the sin. But it also showed ways out from under the sin and talked about the importance of relationships and meetings for addiction.

I did struggle personally with the ending a little bit and how fast it seemed but even though it seemed fast I felt it was handled very well in a very redemptive way. I am thankful that there are second chances.

I received a free advanced copy of this book from the publisher though NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Trent finds himself in a downward spiral caused by his addictions (alcohol and gambling). Alice is pretending everything is okay and refuses to see what's going on. Until they hit bottom and their family is falling apart. Not a never heard of story. Jennifer Slattery tells an every day story, throws in a little suspense and faith and the result is a gripping book with characters taken from real life that has a message: There's always hope in Christ.

I want to thank Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alice and Trent seem to have the perfect life. Trent has a high paying job and Alice is very involved in church activities . They have two boys that seem well adjusted and enjoy sports. Everything seems to be going well until Trent starts to slip. He turns to drinking and then becomes involved in gambling. It is hard to keep these things from his wife as their money starts dwindling and his moods being to swing. That is how subtle the enemy is. He comes into your life, dangles enticing things at you and before you know it the trap is set.

I really enjoyed how Alice tried so hard to hang on to their marriage by being there for Trent until he stared shutting her out. Trent knew he was in big trouble and couldn't find a way out. He had gotten involved with some veangeroys men and needed to find a way to pay his debt. Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom , before we reach out for help. The story is well written and very faith based. The anguish they both felt was written with raw emotions and you could feel their desperation. It is hard for us to forgive when we are so hurt, but when you finally surrender, the feeling of peace surrounds you. Alice and Trent both needed to ask God to forgive them and slowly allow Him to confort then. The book is filled with a great message of hope, forgiveness and renewal. The characters are well written and you can feel yourself glued to the story as they try to restore what the enemy had tried to destroy. I was a bit surprised that the story seemed to end abruptly or felt like it was rushed. I wanted the author to spend a little more time on writing about restoration of a marriage . The children seemed to not be involved in working together with their parents to restore the family. Overall it is a good story that deals with a marriage torn apart and the trails the couple go through to get their life back on track.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

image Breaking Free by Jennifer Slattery

New Hope Publishers

Christian

Pub Date Apr 4, 2016

I was given a copy of Breaking Free through the Publisher and their partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:

On the outside Alice appears to have it all but her life and her marriage are in shambles. Her husband is a third generation drunk and now money is missing from their accounts. Soon her husband is selling her antique jewelry for a fraction of what it’s worth to settle gambling debts. Her teenage Son would rather not admit he had a Mother. Both of her Son’s can sense that something is going on with their Father.

Instead of turning to the very friends who can help her and most of all God she is running away from them and from God.

Soon her Son Tim is falling down the dangerous path of drinking, and acting like his Father.

Will Trent be able to get it together stop the drinking and gambling or will he loose it all including his wife and boys.

Five out of five Stars…

Happy Reading…