This is one of my all-time favorite books, and I even mentioned it in a recent forum thread. I keep buying extra copies to share with friends -- yes, I like it that much!

Anyway, in the same forum thread, a friend mentioned she's a fellow fan of Janette Oke's books, but didn't mention Francine Rivers. I'm thinking if she knew her, she'd have mentioned her :) so after something nice she said on the forum recently, I'm sending her this RABCK because I like her, and because I want to introduce Francine Rivers to all my friends!

Oh yeah -- one more thing. I actually started re-reading this copy on the plane and then gave it to my sister. I was reminded how much I like it (by page 30 when I handed it over!), so I'm re-reading this one first. Almost done, so I'll get this in the mail early next week. Here are my thoughts on my original copy, read multiple times before I ever joined BookCrossing.

This was just right for a re-read this weekend! As much as I love this book and keep recommending it to others, I'd still forgotten how beautifully written it actually is. Some days I think it's a romance novel, but most days I think it's so much more. It's such a wonderful picture of how God loves us, that it's hard to categorize.

Because I've already commented on the book in my original copy (see the link in journal entry #1), I'll quote something from the Ryrie Study Bible. It's the opening "description" of The Book of Hosea.

Hosea's Marriage: The theme of the book is God's steadfast love for Israel in spite of her continued unfaithfulness, vividly depicted by Hosea's marital experience.

I hope you enjoy this book -- for me, it's one that's hard to put down! When you're done, feel free to do whatever you like with it -- keep it, release it, share it, etc.

I just received this book in today's mail, as a RABCK from Antof9. Thank you very much! I'm really looking forward to reading it! It was so kind of you to share it with me.

Yes! This is an excellent book, Antof9! Thank you very much, and I will be on the lookout for more of Francine Rivers's books.

This was the Biblican story of Hosea and Gomer, set in the American West gold rush days.

When I was finished, I gave the book to my daughter-in-law.

My daughter-in-law has finished it, and returned it to me. She said it was "really good." She is excused from journaling, as she does not have internet access at home.

I will now make it available for any US bookcrosser as a RABCK, or release it if no one claims it after awhile.

Tomorrow (January 16, 2007) I will mail it as a surprise RABCK to an as yet unsuspecting Bookcrosser.

Sent to another bookcrosser by US mail.

I have learned that havefaith1 is not a Bookcrosser. She emailed me to let me know she has received Redeeming Love. (I sent it along with a book that she had loaned me.) Here is what she wrote, I thought it was so cute I wanted to share it, and got permission.

"Now to the best part, you cannot imagine my delight to find another book (!) Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers included in the package! {{{{HUGS}}}} and thank you! It got even better when I flipped the book open to see that it was a BookCrossing book and that the original "releaser" was Antof9 - what fun! It was like having the two of you conjured before me and I begin to understand the lure of BookCrossing - it's like a little tea party in your mailbox when you receive a book isn't it?"