Review of Hearts Set Free

Brittany Sadler · Post by **Brittany Sadler** » 23 Jul 2021, 11:20

[Following is a volunteer review of "Hearts Set Free" by Jess Lederman.]

4 out of 4 stars

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The plot of Hearts Set Free by Jess Lederman follows three different storylines and timelines that somehow weave their way together to create a fantastic novel. We first meet Alaskan natives, Luke and his mother Yura in 1925. They had just been abandoned by Luke’s father and set off across America to find him and extract revenge on the woman that had lured him away. We are next introduced to David in Paris of 1914. He is a rough and tumble bachelor who is constantly questioning his faith and looking for his purpose in life. The final timeline of the story is set in 2011 where we meet science channel producers Joan and Tim in New York. Eventually, all three of these storylines come crashing together in a beautifully done approach. Along the way, we see each individual question what they know, learn about their purpose in life and overcome the evil that tries to break them.

What I love about this book is that it is not your typical Christian novel. When I think of a Christian book, the image that pops into my head is that of an Amish girl, working in a field with bonnets in her hair. Thankfully, this is not the case with Hearts Set Free. The book was easy to follow along with despite having multiple timelines to follow. I found the story to be extremely unique and so well done that I think it could become a movie one day. Other aspects about this book I enjoyed were the historically famous characters we got to meet. While none of the interactions were real, it was fun to imagine what they would have been like in their prime and how they would have interacted with everyday people.

I did not find many negatives with Hearts Set Free. My only complaint is that there was a love story within the book that remained hidden and does not come to light until the very end. I wish I could have seen it unfold. I do not want to spoil the story for any future readers so I will not say anything else about it.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. A large part of my excitement about this book comes from the fact that I have not found a Christian novel quite like it and believe that it competes on the same level with any fiction or historical fiction book.

The primary audience for this book would be someone who enjoys Christian fiction, historical fiction, and fiction in general. Regardless of your religion you can find this book enjoyable, but I do think a person who is either a Christian or is interested in Christianity would get the most out of it.

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Hearts Set Free
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Ashley-Osuna · Post by **Ashley-Osuna** » 04 Aug 2021, 14:32

The plot of the three timelines coming together sounds amazing. I love when authors manage to make different characters from different backgrounds together in such a way. I am not Christian, so I appreciate you mentioning that I may still enjoy it. Thank you for the recommendation!