Library Journal Review

Stereotypes and melodrama abound in this third installment of the "Redemption" series (after Redemption and Remember) featuring the Baxter family in Bloomington, Indiana. Luke Baxter and Reagan Decker made a terrible mistake the night of September 10, 2001, one that neither feels can be fixed in the wake of September 11. Meanwhile, Ashley Baxter is trying to reconnect with Landon Blake, who has gone off to become a New York City firefighter in honor of a friend who perished there. Unfortunately, the characters are little more than cardboard cutouts, and the novel reads more like a public service announcement against premarital sex than a contribution to literature. Every time a Baxter errs, he or she is socked with tragic deaths, life-threatening illnesses, or some other monumental disaster. A far better pick on the ups and downs of relationships is Linda Nichols's If I Gained the World (see below). Purchase only where the "Redemption" series is in demand. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.