This Christian Romance Novel is modern, entertaining, and educational. It speaks of cultural differences between Asia and America. I have to say that it was an eye opener for me. As a Christian woman in America, I struggle with submitting to my husband daily…but in this book, the main character Lily brings a whole new dimension to the term “submission to men”. In Asia Lily is taught to submit to her father without question and to show an unparalleled level of respect to all men. Then she comes to America and she is thrown into a sea of culture change.

This book contains romance, family issues, and culture shock. Lori Wick did a great job on this one. She teaches you how to be sensitive to the differences in culture while drawing you to hope for Lily to change and adjust to the culture of America.

As an enthusiastic reader of Christian Romance Novels, I can honestly say that this book did not disappoint. Usually, in a Christian romance you know which way the plot is going to turn just a little ways into the book…this book is different. You are longing for a happy ending, and you’re not positive it will come.

The plot and subject matter in this book, I’ll try not to spoil, is very mysterious. I have never read a Christian romance book that dealt with this particular problem before and it was refreshing to read deeper into the mystery and gain a deeper understanding of the characters and all they went through.

The author weaves a love story around the main characters Melanie and Joel. They fall in love and Melanie only knows the vaguest basics of Joel’s life. This leaves Melanie wondering how well she really knows the man she claims to love. Someone from the past arrives and Joel is forced to demonstrate his love for Melanie in the most painful way imagineable.

This book is a very entertaining read as you try to figure out:

• What is Joel hiding?

• Will Joel and Melanie’s love survive?

• Will there be that “Happily Ever After” that CRN readers crave?

I hope you enjoy A Scarlet Cord as much as I did.

A. Gail