Yet another amazing book from Charles Martin: "A Life Intercepted" @centerstreet

about the book....

Twelve years ago Matthew "the Rocket" Rising had it all. Married to his high school sweetheart and one of the winningest quarterbacks in the history of college football, he was the number one NFL draft pick. But on the night of the draft, he plummeted from the pinnacle of esteem. Falsely accused of a heinous crime with irrefutable evidence, it seemed in an instant all was lost--his reputation, his career, his freedom, and most devastatingly, the love of his life.

Having served his sentence and never played a down of professional football, Matthew leaves prison with one goal--to find his wife, Audrey, whom no one has seen since the trial. He returns to an unwelcoming reception from his Gardi, Georgia, hometown to learn that Audrey has taken shelter from the media with the nuns at a Catholic school. There she has discovered a young man with the talent to achieve the football career Matthew should have had. All he needs is the right coach. Although helping the boy means Matthew violates the conditions of his release and--if discovered--reincarceration for life, he'll take the chance with hope of winning back Audrey's love.

my review....

Charles Martin's writing career seems unstoppable. Every book that comes out makes me think "this is his best yet!" and his latest is certainly no exception. In fact, I honestly wish I hadn't read "A Life Intercepted"...because then I would be able to read it all over again as if experiencing it for the first time! It is simply THAT good. Within a few pages of charging into the story, I found myself living and walking alongside the characters, feeling an ominous sort of tension building as I waited to find out exactly how things ended up going off course for Matthew. And, although I don't always enjoy it when authors switch back and forth between present time and past events, Charles Martin did so in a seamless manner, drawing me into the story. Fans of Christian-themed fiction will notice that the book is not written with an overert gospel message, but the book simply breathes with grace, celebrating selfless sacrifice and the beautiful gift of forgiveness. The writing is powerful, tapping deep into our emotions and exploring what it means to be human, to make mistakes, to rise above our circumstances. If you are anything like me, expect to get emotional! Nearer to the end of the book, I suddenly realized that I had tears silently streaming down my face.

To those who are not football fanatics, don't let the football theme deter you from reading from this book. While Martin's love for the game shines through the pages, the story is not so much about a football star as it is about a boy growing into a man, who must lay his own self down for those he loves. The story may not move along at a pace that a suspense novel does, but there is still one twist and turn after another that will keep you running through the pages. This is my favourite book that he's written yet, and I can't wait to see what will next emerge from his fertile imagination!

Readers looking for a fantastically written, moving read should pick up a copy for themselves. You will be glad you did! I highly recommend "A Life Intercepted" and award it 5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher (Center Street, an imprint of Hachette Book Group) for the purposes of this unbiased review.

About the author....

Charles Martin is the author of eight novels. When not writing, his hobbies include bow hunting, working out (a blend of old school stuff and martial arts, called Fight Fit), and Tae Kwon Do, in which he currently has a blue belt, though he notes he is "the least flexible person you've ever met." He lives with his wife, Christy, and their three sons in Jacksonville, Florida.

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