Ransomed Dreams By Amy Wallace

About four years ago I met a special lady via the Internet. Her name is Amy Wallace . She and I hit it off right away. We shared many of the same passions--our children, great books, even the same homeschool curriculum and a starry eyed pursuit of publication of our novels.

But more important than all of that, Amy and I shared a passion for the healing grace of Jesus Christ.

Each of us, through our own unique journeys, had discovered jubiliant freedom as we let God heal our hearts, teaching us to forgive others and ourselves.

Soon after our Internet meeting, Amy and I met face to face at a writer's conference. I'll never forget how she beamed as she showed me her "one-sheet" full of the books she'd written and or how she could often be found off in a corner somewhere, praying with friends.

I was thrilled when I heard of Amy's first book contract and what made it even sweeter was that she sold her book to the publisher she'd always dreamed of representing, Multnomah. I love it when God gives us His gifts all wrapped up in a pretty bow.

It is with great pleasure that I write this review for Amy's debut novel, Ransomed Dreams.

To be honest, I read the prologue to Amy's book and put it a way for a couple of weeks. It wasn't that it was bad writing. It was that it was good writing. Too good. It begins with a young mother watching her husband and children's deaths, caused by a drunk driver. Amy made it so real that it tugged on my mommy heart-strings and I didn't read on for some time.

Eventually, I got brave and picked the book up again. The first chapter actually begins two years later as the mom, Gracie, is beginning the path to healing, so I worried in vain that it would be too sad for me to handle.

Ransomed Dreams chronicles Gracie's quest for justice, her romance with a heroic FBI agent, and her interior journey as she seeks to move beyond tragedy to live again. The suspense elements keep the story moving and are well-paced without becoming too overwhelming for a wimpy reader like me. (I don't like scary books.) Her characters were easy to love and interesting and her research into the world of forensics was well done.

Reader's will fall in love with Gracie's handsome Steven and his adorable son, James. They'll also find themselves skimming the pages quickly, caught up in a world where innocence is defended and justice is wrought. When you read Amy's book, don't be surprised if you catch yourself praying for the safety of her characters as they face the evil that besets them, whether it comes from the outside or from within their own hearts.

Overall, Ransomed Dreams is a good read that will keep you entertained and feed your soul. Amy's passion for God's healing power comes through in this book as her characters grasp their Father's love and set aside the grief of their pasts.

This one's a keeper!

Congratulations, Amy. I'm so proud of you!