Aaron Dunbar knows how to captivate an audience. Whatever his technical skills might be slightly lacking are entirely made up for with strong story lines, characters, and heart.

I was hooked on “Forgiving God,” from the first sentence. It is not an easy story. The main character has been through so much, but his journey and the mystery of the Native American girl who comes into his life are entwined in such an uplifting way that the reader is comforted no matter what they have been through themselves.

Rich with action and faith, this book is a Christian tale. There is no mistaking that. Being a Pagan, myself, I did not find this off-putting. It’s refreshing to see someone sharing their faith through their work in a sweet, respectful manner.

I recommend this story to anyone who appreciates a spiritual/religious tale written with love.

The ending did drag in a little bit of identity politics (which aren’t bad when approached with balance). It caught me off guard because that didn’t seem to be what the story was really all about, but in this industry it’s shoved down our throats so much that Dunbar’s subtle use of it doesn’t sully the work.

Here are my favorite quotes from this piece:

-“Even the oldest dog will learn a new trick if you leave no other options.”

-“Karma has a way of balancing positive and negative elements throughout the cosmos. Where there is misfortune or suffering, there is also a counterbalance of boundless good─if you’re patient and know where to look for it.”

-“We never quit learning, no matter how old we live to be.”

-“We’re all a work-in-progress from God’s perspective.”   

(Oh yeah: And if you look at the cover, they are standing on the boulders at Elephant Rock State Park. I happily allowed the author to use my photo for his cover image. Sometimes I pretend to be a photographer haha)