Shades of Blue

Karen Kingsbury has a talent for writing memorable Christian fiction that is deeply meaningful. I've read all her books and have gotten a lot out of them--especially the Redemption series. I have to say, Shades of Blue moved me more than anything she's written.Brad is a twenty-eight year old man with a great career and a wonderful fiancee, Laura. Their wedding is set for 5 weeks away. Brad and Laura are serious Christians who have refrained from relations, waiting for their wedding day. Brad has let Laura believe that he is a virgin as she is. But he has a dark secret in his past that troubles him more and more as their wedding approaches.Ten years earlier, Brad had made a terrible decision that is very much on his conscience. He and his childhood sweatheart Emma allowed their passion to overcome all their good intentions, and Emma became pregnant. Brad and she were 18, just ready to start college. When Emma told Brad they were going to have a baby, his reaction was not at all what she expected. He was stunned and dismayed at the news, and saw this as something that would ruin both their futures. He simply didn't have the courage and character to face the consequences of fathering a baby. He pushed Emma to have an abortion. Not wanting this, but so afraid of losing Brad, she reluctantly went through with the abortion. Afterward, Brad's love for Emma and his religious convictions couldn't withstand the tension over what they had done. His feelings for her changed and he just wanted to get away from her and forget what had happened.Over the next ten years, Brad has managed to bury the experience deep in his memory. He has matured in his Christianity and fallen deeply in love with Laura, a devoted Christian who loves Brad completely. Now as the wedding is so close, Brad's conscience is bothering him so much that he realizes he cannot marry until he has gone to see Emma to apologize for everything he did and didn't do in the past. In the meantime, Brad's fiancee Laura has become very concerned that Brad might be getting cold feet, because he seems to be growing distant as the date nears. Brad finally tells Laura about his past and his decision to go see Emma and make his apology in person.I won't go further into the story and spoil it for anyone. Suffice to say that Brad, Emma, and Laura are all suffering greatly as Brad heads back to his childhood home to look up Emma. Brad is overcome by guilt about the way he forced Emma to kill their unborn child, then abandoned her. Emma has become a first-grade teacher who has let her sorrow and guilt ruin her life. Laura is despondent that Brad misled her and now might be drawn back to a relationship with his first love.Kingsbury delves deeply into the souls of these people as she tells the story. The dialog is believable. The sharing of feelings is so powerful that I seemed to see inside each character in turn. The recounting of the abortion itself was so realistic that I actually felt the anguish and terror of Emma's experience.I don't think any reader could close this book unscathed. It made me realize how serious the consequences are when we knowingly go against God's will. One decision can change a person's life, and of course, one decision can take a life before a baby ever gets the chance to be born.Karen Kingsbury courageously took on a hugely difficult and controversial subject, and she did it masterfully. I hope many, many young people read this book. In fact, I hope EVERYONE reads it. It is a masterpiece of Christian fiction.

This story is very touching. I loved watching the charactors grow stronger in their faith and change along the way. Brad and Emma are with the help of her parents busy planning for their up comming wedding. Brad wants nothing more than to become Emma's husband except first he feels he needs to make ammends with his past before moving on with the next chapter in his life. When he was younger Brad and the girl he loved Laura made a wrong choice that changed both of their lives forever. She became pregnant and they decided that having an abortion was the right choice. This made things difficult as they battled with their choice Brad decided it was best to go on his own way and he went off to collage leaving Laura to be alone all except for her mother who died not much long after. Brad decides that before he gets married he needs to go back and ask Laura to forgive him. He shares this news with Emma who is very upset with this decesion at first and says maybe they should call the wedding off. She wonders Why must he go back searching for his ex unless he no longer cares for her. He can only hope that Emma will come to understand and wait until he gets back. He assures her that he loves and wants only her. He hopes she will understand why it is that he must do this. I wondered when he saw Laura if they would end up back together. Part of me said they should while the other half said no that it was time to close the past and move on. This left me wondering what would happen and if they would change their minds later on. How they go about puting an end to their past and would be enough? This was a book that i couldn't put down. I have read several books by this author and I have always found them uplifting each with their own special messages. I can't wait to read the next one.

I cried happy and sad tears. We all make choice’s in our lives that we wish we could have a do over. This book shows us God’s wonderful mercy on us. Loved this book, didn’t want to put it down.

Karen Kingsbury doesn't shy away from the tough topics in her novels. In "Shades of Blue," it's abortion.Brad Cutler is a young advertising executive in New York, preparing to marry Laura James, the boss's daughter, in what looks to be a storybook wedding. But there's a problem - Brad's haunted by a relationship that ended a decade before.The relationship was with Emma Landon, a childhood friend who became the high school sweetheart and love of Brad's life. Emma is a teacher, haunted by what happened in the relationship with Brad. And the "what happened" was an abortion.In many ways, this isn't an easy novel to read. Kingsbury writes about pain, and makes the pain real. The reader is often moved to tears, tears for Emma, tears for Brad and tears for the life they created and made the decision to end.But "Shades of Blue" is also about forgiveness and the need for a closure that's marked by love and faith. I didn't know how she'd pull off the story she had set up - it could have moved in several directions. But ultimately, that's what she did, and she did it in a realistic, believable way.

When I first saw & decided to get this book, I wasn't entirely aware of what I was getting myself into. When the subjects of this story delve into their healing process, I, too, began a healing that I thought I'd dealt with years ago! I cried harder & longer & felt God's Mighty healing arms holding me close to Him as I prayed fervently for my own forgiveness, and for not realizing deep down that I hadn't totally dealt with my own guilt, shame & lies about my own abortion so many years ago.Thank you for listening and obeying God as you write this book to so many of us! God bless you!!

We all have a choice. To accept Jesus, we accept His forgiveness. We must then forgive ourselves and others to continue walking with the Lord!Excellently written, a story of forgiveness

Excellent & touching story!!

I read this a while ago and forgot to review it. I did enjoy it very much, so much so that I bought it for a friend who also loved it and passed it on to her daughter while in Australia.

Another great story from Karen Kingsbury. Couldn't put it down until I was finished it! . Would recommend to others.

very good

As usual Shades of Blue is another easy read from Karen Kingsbury. The perfect accompaniment for me on a recent trip where I knew I would be spending several hours waiting at the airport.