Forever Soul Ties

October 24, 2011
From the time they met as teenagers, Ethan and Butterfly have shared a powerful connection that hasn’t faded even after 15 years apart. When Ethan reappears in Butterfly’s life, they’re tempted—thanks to unhappy marriages—to pick up right where they left off. As their emotional intimacy grows over the next 10 years, they continue to shy away from sexual infidelity, despite kisses and deep conversations. Ethan finally convinces Butterfly to spend a night with him in a hotel, but before they get to their room she runs into a deacon from her church, whose wife, the next day, accuses Butterfly of adultery in front of the whole congregation. Though she’s innocent, Butterfly ends what she considers to be an emotional affair with Ethan and begins to rebuild trust with her unfaithful, unappreciative husband. Griggs’s newest (after Redeeming Waters), exploring her common themes of fidelity and spiritual faith, is also a lesson in emotional infidelity. Her heroine is unfortunately passive, permitting her husband to mistreat her and Ethan to string her along for a decade. This character trait will likely frustrate readers who otherwise may appreciate a woman’s struggle with her faith.

January 1, 2012

Butterfly and Ethan are childhood sweethearts with serious soul ties. They reconnect years after they have married other people, and the strength of their bond is renewed when they discover that both possess less than blissful unions. Butterfly dares to pursue her dreams and carve an identity beyond that of a mother to three daughters and a wife to the insensitive and unappreciative Zeke. While trying to remain faithful to a self-absorbed wife, Ethan attempts to maintain his status as a minister and father. The temptation for Butterfly and Ethan to dishonor their vows almost overwhelms them, but Butterfly's love of God triumphs in the end. VERDICT The juxtaposition of characters with similar lives and problems results in an overpredictable plot and at times extremely slow pace. However, although the protagonists are not fully developed, they are easy to identify with and endearing. And the sincerity and restraint demonstrated by Butterfly is admirable and refreshing. Those who seek pure, old-fashioned Christian fiction will enjoy Griggs's (Redeeming Waters) latest.--Opalisa L. Jones, Birmingham P.L., AL

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.