Review – Ransomed Dreams

Grab a box of tissues before you sit down to read the debut romantic suspense novel, Ransomed Dreams by Amy Wallace. By page sixteen I had a tissue in one hand and the book in the other, my eyes riveted to the pages. In the opening chapters Wallace touches that tender place that parents hope never to tread. As Gracie Lang watches, her husband and two darling little children are killed in an automobile accident. We then pick up the story two years later where Gracie has healed as much as a parent could from that kind of loss. She is ready to move forward, which includes following a romantic interest in FBI agent Steven Kessler who heads up the Crimes Against Children Unit.

But before Gracie can heal as God would have us all do in our pain, she has to fully let go of the past. She thinks finding the hit and run driver who killed her family will do that for her. She hires a private investigator to dig into the accident and bring the killer to justice. Only then does Gracie think she’ll find closure. The PI’s sleuthing resurfaces all of Gracie’s dormant emotions and propels her into a run for her own life. Still, she must move toward, forgiving the driver if she hopes to be whole again.

Agent Kessler fights a similar struggle with forgiveness. His demons, an ex-wife who has a devilish agenda of her own and his failure to save the lives of abducted children, keep Stephen from pursuing the relationship he desires with Gracie. Ransomed Dreams shows us his and Gracie’s clear struggle to love again through forgiving those who have hurt them, a process only possible through God’s forgiveness.

This romantic suspense moves along well. Wallace provides a good balance between action, romance, and personal growth. From page one, Gracie gains our love and sympathy from the loss of her children, but as we read on, she gains our respect for courage in the face of a seemingly insurmountable loss. We can apply her struggle to our everyday fight to let God take over our lives and heal our hurts.

If you love romantic suspense, Ransomed Dreams is a must read. And be sure to watch for the coming sequel.