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ashlensreads's review
5.0
I loved the characters and the story. I love this book. It exceeded my expectations.
kbranfield's review
4.0
4.5 stars.
Sweet Forgiveness by Lori Nelson Spielman is a beautifully written and thought-provoking novel about forgiveness. In this powerful novel about granting and seeking forgiveness, talk show host Hannah Farr is thrust into the uncomfortable position of revisiting a very painful time in her life. Her journey leads to an unexpected reconciliation but it also causes her to doubt her perception of long events. Confronting the past is often a double-edged sword and Hannah learns this lesson first hand when everything she has worked for is jeopardized by her decision to seek and give absolution.
Hannah's impulsive decision to use the forgiveness stones as a pitch for a new job is the catalyst for the upcoming turmoil in her life. She really does not intend to move from New Orleans to Chicago, but she hopes to use the job offer as leverage to get her boyfriend of two years to finally propose to her. Hannah is stunned when the ploy backfires and he encourages her to seriously consider the position. Although she decides that accepting the job would be a wise career move, she still has no intention of actually following through on her forgiveness stone idea, but when a conniving co-worker forces her hand, Hannah has no choice but to move forward with her plan.
For someone who has been in the cutthroat world of broadcast journalism for a number of years, Hannah is a little naive and way too trusting. Although her close friend, Jade, warns her to watch her back, Hannah ignores her advice and blunders her way into a situation that quickly spirals out of control.
All the while this professional drama is playing out, Hannah's personal life is also imploding. Her gullibility extends into her relationship with her mayor boyfriend and she is completely blindsided by his reaction to her decision. Hannah is further shocked by his lack of support and his total disregard for her needs.
Sweet Forgiveness is a very poignant novel that does not shy away from difficult topics. While Lori Nelson Spielman handles these issues with sensitivity, the resolution of this part of the storyline is rather ambiguous and a little dissatisfying. However this does not impact the overall enjoyment of the story and the conclusion of Hannah's journey is quite heartwarming. It is a compelling read that is quite unique and one that I highly recommend.
Sweet Forgiveness by Lori Nelson Spielman is a beautifully written and thought-provoking novel about forgiveness. In this powerful novel about granting and seeking forgiveness, talk show host Hannah Farr is thrust into the uncomfortable position of revisiting a very painful time in her life. Her journey leads to an unexpected reconciliation but it also causes her to doubt her perception of long events. Confronting the past is often a double-edged sword and Hannah learns this lesson first hand when everything she has worked for is jeopardized by her decision to seek and give absolution.
Hannah's impulsive decision to use the forgiveness stones as a pitch for a new job is the catalyst for the upcoming turmoil in her life. She really does not intend to move from New Orleans to Chicago, but she hopes to use the job offer as leverage to get her boyfriend of two years to finally propose to her. Hannah is stunned when the ploy backfires and he encourages her to seriously consider the position. Although she decides that accepting the job would be a wise career move, she still has no intention of actually following through on her forgiveness stone idea, but when a conniving co-worker forces her hand, Hannah has no choice but to move forward with her plan.
For someone who has been in the cutthroat world of broadcast journalism for a number of years, Hannah is a little naive and way too trusting. Although her close friend, Jade, warns her to watch her back, Hannah ignores her advice and blunders her way into a situation that quickly spirals out of control.
All the while this professional drama is playing out, Hannah's personal life is also imploding. Her gullibility extends into her relationship with her mayor boyfriend and she is completely blindsided by his reaction to her decision. Hannah is further shocked by his lack of support and his total disregard for her needs.
Sweet Forgiveness is a very poignant novel that does not shy away from difficult topics. While Lori Nelson Spielman handles these issues with sensitivity, the resolution of this part of the storyline is rather ambiguous and a little dissatisfying. However this does not impact the overall enjoyment of the story and the conclusion of Hannah's journey is quite heartwarming. It is a compelling read that is quite unique and one that I highly recommend.
dewirijks's review against another edition
4.0
Aanrader als je van chicklits houdt. Heerlijke roman met humor. #boekperweek 39/52
celinececilia's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
• naives Verhalten der Protagonistin hat gestört
• interessante Idee (Versöhnungssteine)
• einfache Schreibweise
• liebenswerte Nebenfiguren
• insgesamt ein gutes Buch für zwischendurch
• Lake Michigan ♡
• für den Urlaub
• interessante Idee (Versöhnungssteine)
• einfache Schreibweise
• liebenswerte Nebenfiguren
• insgesamt ein gutes Buch für zwischendurch
• Lake Michigan ♡
• für den Urlaub
melissapalmer404's review
4.0
Book #82 Read in 2015
Sweet Forgiveness by Lori Nelson Spielman
I loved this author's book The Life List so I jumped at the chance to get this one to review. It did not disappoint. Hannah is a successful talk show host. She receives a "forgiveness stone" from the girl who tormented her in school. If she forgives the bully, she should send the stone back with a letter. She should also give a forgiveness stone to someone she needs to atone to. This makes Hannah take stock of her life and her relationships, namely with her mother. But at what cost?
Well written, this novel has complex characters and an interesting storyline. This author's writing style is light to read but has great emotional depth. She is quickly become one of my must-read authors. I received a copy of this book from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for a honest review.
http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com
Sweet Forgiveness by Lori Nelson Spielman
I loved this author's book The Life List so I jumped at the chance to get this one to review. It did not disappoint. Hannah is a successful talk show host. She receives a "forgiveness stone" from the girl who tormented her in school. If she forgives the bully, she should send the stone back with a letter. She should also give a forgiveness stone to someone she needs to atone to. This makes Hannah take stock of her life and her relationships, namely with her mother. But at what cost?
Well written, this novel has complex characters and an interesting storyline. This author's writing style is light to read but has great emotional depth. She is quickly become one of my must-read authors. I received a copy of this book from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for a honest review.
http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com
cecilemarie24's review
5.0
I couldn't put this book down! Easy read with a great twist I didn't see coming. Love the turns.
ida_warness's review against another edition
2.0
I both really loved this book, and really didn’t... Had it not been for the way one specific subject was handled, I would have given it 4 stars.
First off I want to say that I love her writing style! How she’s able to make every character connect with the reader is beyond me, but she does, and I’m super impressed.
I quickly became invested in Hannah and her story, and didn’t want to put the book down (or press stop, as I was listening to the audiobook). Her writing moved me throughout the book, both the light, heartwarming parts, and the highly uncomfortable, heavy parts. It’s a truly well written, touching book, in my opinion.
However...
Though I don’t belive it was the intention of the author to belittle such a traumatising, life changing action, I feel like she did just that by having the truth not matter to a potential victim. I know people heal in different ways, but as someone who knows what trauma feels like, the easiness of how Hannah just lets the matter drop, left me unbelievably stressed and frustrated. It just felt wrong.
My main issue however is the amount of victim blaming that goes on (pretty sure unintentionally) in this book. Hannah herself is confused about what happened that night, but outright blames herself for the whole thing several times, and finds a sort of sick comfort in the bashing she gets from others after telling about it.
Even after we’re given multiple signs that suggests Bob’s guilt, and then outright told that he did the same thing to his own daughter, Hannah continues to blame herself for the consequences of that night, and the writing makes it seem like this is how it should be.
For me this book seems like it would be the perfect comfort for, and outright ammunition for those people who victim blames and doubts victims of abuse. A book that tells them victims aren’t to be trusted, and that even if it is some truth to what they’re saying, it shouldn’t really matter that much. The potential victim should just decide that the truth doesn’t matter that much after all, and that forgiveness is key.
Yeah no... Sorry, but that’s a really awful way to handle such a subject, and ruined an otherwise good book.
First off I want to say that I love her writing style! How she’s able to make every character connect with the reader is beyond me, but she does, and I’m super impressed.
I quickly became invested in Hannah and her story, and didn’t want to put the book down (or press stop, as I was listening to the audiobook). Her writing moved me throughout the book, both the light, heartwarming parts, and the highly uncomfortable, heavy parts. It’s a truly well written, touching book, in my opinion.
However...
Spoiler
The highly sensitive subject of child abuse, child molestation, is brought up in a way that made me truly uneasy - not because the subject in itself is uncomfortable, but because of the way it was portrayed and handled. Two things in particular made me give 2 stars to a book I otherwise would give 4:Though I don’t belive it was the intention of the author to belittle such a traumatising, life changing action, I feel like she did just that by having the truth not matter to a potential victim. I know people heal in different ways, but as someone who knows what trauma feels like, the easiness of how Hannah just lets the matter drop, left me unbelievably stressed and frustrated. It just felt wrong.
My main issue however is the amount of victim blaming that goes on (pretty sure unintentionally) in this book. Hannah herself is confused about what happened that night, but outright blames herself for the whole thing several times, and finds a sort of sick comfort in the bashing she gets from others after telling about it.
Even after we’re given multiple signs that suggests Bob’s guilt, and then outright told that he did the same thing to his own daughter, Hannah continues to blame herself for the consequences of that night, and the writing makes it seem like this is how it should be.
For me this book seems like it would be the perfect comfort for, and outright ammunition for those people who victim blames and doubts victims of abuse. A book that tells them victims aren’t to be trusted, and that even if it is some truth to what they’re saying, it shouldn’t really matter that much. The potential victim should just decide that the truth doesn’t matter that much after all, and that forgiveness is key.
Yeah no... Sorry, but that’s a really awful way to handle such a subject, and ruined an otherwise good book.
Spoiler
lecturedudimanche's review against another edition
5.0
J'ai pris le même plaisir à le lire que le premier. C'est un livre qu'on peut relire à tout moment, qui nous met le moral au beau fixe. Un vrai livre feel good, qui sait nous arracher un sourire, un rire, et même une larme quelques pages plus loin !
Le livre traite du pardon d'une jolie manière. Je garde de ma lecture un joli souvenir.
Lori Nelson Spielman sait quoi écrire pour faire sourire ses lecteurs. Ses livres sont un vrai bonheur de lecture !
Le livre traite du pardon d'une jolie manière. Je garde de ma lecture un joli souvenir.
Lori Nelson Spielman sait quoi écrire pour faire sourire ses lecteurs. Ses livres sont un vrai bonheur de lecture !
frenchspark's review against another edition
5.0
Encore un livre qui me confirme que j'adore cet auteur! Impossible de m'arrêter de lire, je l'ai lu en peu de jours et c'était un vrai bonheur! Ce que j'adore dans ses livres c'est qu'on ne se doute jamais vraiment de ce qui va se passer après et ou va l'histoire, on se retrouve dans des situations auxquelles on n'aurait jamais pensé et surtout l'histoire reste réaliste! Fini les histoires ou tout est beau et rose, on parle de la vie, de la famille, de la maladie, des erreurs du passé, de la mort, des échecs, enfin on parle de la vraie vie.
Je conseille vraiment ce livre à tout le monde, un vrai plaisir à lire et il me tarde de lire le prochain!
http://frenchspark.com/lori-nelson-spielman-doux-pardon/
Je conseille vraiment ce livre à tout le monde, un vrai plaisir à lire et il me tarde de lire le prochain!
http://frenchspark.com/lori-nelson-spielman-doux-pardon/
taaya's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Nein, tut mir leid. Viel zu viel in diesem Roman ist eher ein schlechter Kalenderspruch, viel zu viel geht völlig an allem vorbei, was ein guter Therapeut raten würde. Jede Menge Victim Blaming, jede Menge Gaslighting, jede Menge Toxizität.
Vielleicht ist der Roman hilfreich für Menschen, die nicht mehr viel Zeit haben und nicht mehr versuchen können, ihre Beziehungen mit anderen und sich selbst auf gesunde Füße zu setzen. Die nicht mehr die Zeit haben, neue Handlungsweisen zu erlernen und sich zu sensibilisieren.
Aber für Menschen, die auch nur die Chance haben, noch länger zu leben, bietet er genau das Falsche. Und selbst, wenn Vergeben manchmal durchaus gerechtfertigt und vielleicht sogar verdient ist, ist das immer noch nichts, was man frei entscheiden kann. Gefühle hat man oder man hat sie nicht. Das kann man mit langer Aufarbeitung in einer Therapie vielleicht beeinflussen, hier wird sich das aber viel zu leicht gemacht.
Und boah, wurde die Sache mit dem Kindesmissbrauch schlecht gemacht. Die Ursprungssituation hier ist unglaublich schlecht konstruiert, so dass man keine der Emotionen der Protagonistin diesbezüglich nachvollziehen kann. Das nimmt dem ganzen Drama über weite Teile jedwede Glaubwürdigkeit und lässt Leute, die wirklich ihre Peiniger zur Verantwortung ziehen, so da stehen, als würde man ihnen auch nicht glauben können.
Dazu noch das Ende. Oh, nur, weil er krank ist, ist die Wahrheit nicht mehr wichtig? Jetzt ist er plötzlich unschuldig?
Nein, sorry, das Buch ist auf so viele Arten toxisch, dass selbst der wirklich gute Schreibstil es nicht retten kann.
Vielleicht ist der Roman hilfreich für Menschen, die nicht mehr viel Zeit haben und nicht mehr versuchen können, ihre Beziehungen mit anderen und sich selbst auf gesunde Füße zu setzen. Die nicht mehr die Zeit haben, neue Handlungsweisen zu erlernen und sich zu sensibilisieren.
Aber für Menschen, die auch nur die Chance haben, noch länger zu leben, bietet er genau das Falsche. Und selbst, wenn Vergeben manchmal durchaus gerechtfertigt und vielleicht sogar verdient ist, ist das immer noch nichts, was man frei entscheiden kann. Gefühle hat man oder man hat sie nicht. Das kann man mit langer Aufarbeitung in einer Therapie vielleicht beeinflussen, hier wird sich das aber viel zu leicht gemacht.
Und boah, wurde die Sache mit dem Kindesmissbrauch schlecht gemacht. Die Ursprungssituation hier ist unglaublich schlecht konstruiert, so dass man keine der Emotionen der Protagonistin diesbezüglich nachvollziehen kann. Das nimmt dem ganzen Drama über weite Teile jedwede Glaubwürdigkeit und lässt Leute, die wirklich ihre Peiniger zur Verantwortung ziehen, so da stehen, als würde man ihnen auch nicht glauben können.
Dazu noch das Ende. Oh, nur, weil er krank ist, ist die Wahrheit nicht mehr wichtig? Jetzt ist er plötzlich unschuldig?
Nein, sorry, das Buch ist auf so viele Arten toxisch, dass selbst der wirklich gute Schreibstil es nicht retten kann.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Bullying, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Addiction, Abortion, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Pedophilia, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Dementia, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Miscarriage