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The Complete Jewel Series: Sapphire Ice, Greater Than Rubies, Emerald Fire, Topaz Heat
Three half-sisters, Robin, Maxine, and Sarah, share one nightmarish past. With the world and the scars of the past against them, can the three of them find love and learn to live a life of faith?
Hallee Bridgeman's critically acclaimed Christian anthology, together in one book for the first time. Sapphire Ice, the new novella Greater Than Rubies, Emerald Fire, and Topaz Heat. All uncut and unabridged.
[Sapphire Ice] Robin's heart is as cold as her deep blue eyes. After a terrifying childhood, she trusts neither God nor men. With kindness and faith, Tony prays for the opportunity to shatter the wall of ice around her heart.
[Greater Than Rubies] Robin plans a dream-come-true wedding. Anxiety arises when she starts to realize the magnitude of change marriage will involve. Forgotten nightmares resurface reminding Robin of the horrors of her past. She gives in to her insecurities and cancels Boston's "Royal Wedding." With God's guidance, will her bridegroom convince her of her true worth?
[Emerald Fire] Green eyed Maxine fights daily to extinguish the embers of her fiery youth. Barry's faith in God is deeply shaken when he is suddenly widowed. Only trusting God can carry them through the fire.
[Topaz Heat] Honey eyed Sarah remembers absolutely nothing from her bloodcurdling younger years. Derrick fled a young life of crime to become a billionaire's successful protégé. After years of ignoring the heat between them they surrender to love, but must truly live their faith to see them through.
Hallee Bridgeman's critically acclaimed Christian anthology, together in one book for the first time. Sapphire Ice, the new novella Greater Than Rubies, Emerald Fire, and Topaz Heat. All uncut and unabridged.
[Sapphire Ice] Robin's heart is as cold as her deep blue eyes. After a terrifying childhood, she trusts neither God nor men. With kindness and faith, Tony prays for the opportunity to shatter the wall of ice around her heart.
[Greater Than Rubies] Robin plans a dream-come-true wedding. Anxiety arises when she starts to realize the magnitude of change marriage will involve. Forgotten nightmares resurface reminding Robin of the horrors of her past. She gives in to her insecurities and cancels Boston's "Royal Wedding." With God's guidance, will her bridegroom convince her of her true worth?
[Emerald Fire] Green eyed Maxine fights daily to extinguish the embers of her fiery youth. Barry's faith in God is deeply shaken when he is suddenly widowed. Only trusting God can carry them through the fire.
[Topaz Heat] Honey eyed Sarah remembers absolutely nothing from her bloodcurdling younger years. Derrick fled a young life of crime to become a billionaire's successful protégé. After years of ignoring the heat between them they surrender to love, but must truly live their faith to see them through.
662 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2013
13 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Hallee Bridgeman
66 books1,013 followersWith nearly a million book sales, USA Today bestselling author Hallee Bridgeman writes action-packed romantic suspense focusing on realistic characters who face real-world problems. Her work has been described as everything from refreshing to heart-stopping exciting and edgy.
An Army brat turned Floridian, Hallee and her husband finally settled in central Kentucky so they could enjoy the beautiful changing of the seasons. Hallee’s oldest daughter is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, her middle son struggles as a hexagonal “autism spectrum” peg in this round world, and her youngest son fills the house with wooshes and bangs as he fights imaginary bad guys while wearing a Spiderman costume and wielding a Ninja sword.
When she’s not penning novels, you will find her in the kitchen, which she considers the ‘heart of the home’. Her passion for cooking spurred her to launch a whole food, real food “Parody” cookbook series. In addition to nutritious, Biblically grounded recipes, readers will find that each cookbook also confronts some controversial aspect of secular pop culture.
Hallee has served as the Director of the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, President of the Faith-Hope-Love chapter of the Romance Writers of America, is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and the American Christian Writers (ACW), and Novelists, Inc. (NINC). An accomplished speaker, Hallee has taught and inspired writers around the globe, from Sydney, Australia, to Dallas, Texas, to Portland, Oregon, to Washington, D.C., and all places in between.
Hallee loves coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her. She prays her work here on earth is a blessing to you and would love to hear from you. You can reach Hallee at hallee@halleebridgeman.com
An Army brat turned Floridian, Hallee and her husband finally settled in central Kentucky so they could enjoy the beautiful changing of the seasons. Hallee’s oldest daughter is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, her middle son struggles as a hexagonal “autism spectrum” peg in this round world, and her youngest son fills the house with wooshes and bangs as he fights imaginary bad guys while wearing a Spiderman costume and wielding a Ninja sword.
When she’s not penning novels, you will find her in the kitchen, which she considers the ‘heart of the home’. Her passion for cooking spurred her to launch a whole food, real food “Parody” cookbook series. In addition to nutritious, Biblically grounded recipes, readers will find that each cookbook also confronts some controversial aspect of secular pop culture.
Hallee has served as the Director of the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, President of the Faith-Hope-Love chapter of the Romance Writers of America, is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and the American Christian Writers (ACW), and Novelists, Inc. (NINC). An accomplished speaker, Hallee has taught and inspired writers around the globe, from Sydney, Australia, to Dallas, Texas, to Portland, Oregon, to Washington, D.C., and all places in between.
Hallee loves coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her. She prays her work here on earth is a blessing to you and would love to hear from you. You can reach Hallee at hallee@halleebridgeman.com
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 25, 2016
Great Series!
I have truly enjoyed this series of books. The author has shown us that even when life starts out VERY rough, it can change with love and by the strength of a personal relationship with God.
I LOVED how the author wove scripture into each one of her books. Through these characters lives she shows us how even our uneventful lives can still be used by God if we only pray.
I also appreciated that she didn't just make her characters super sweet or without issues. Yet with God's help they were able to over come then. Each of us can relate to at least one of their issues. Great job!
I recommend this book!
I have truly enjoyed this series of books. The author has shown us that even when life starts out VERY rough, it can change with love and by the strength of a personal relationship with God.
I LOVED how the author wove scripture into each one of her books. Through these characters lives she shows us how even our uneventful lives can still be used by God if we only pray.
I also appreciated that she didn't just make her characters super sweet or without issues. Yet with God's help they were able to over come then. Each of us can relate to at least one of their issues. Great job!
I recommend this book!
February 9, 2023
I have to start off with a funny story. I was reading Hallee Bridgeman's Love & Honor series and when I saw what else she'd written, something jogged in my memory. I grabbed my phone and scrolled through my camera roll. Sure enough, the photo of a book my friend owned and I wanted to borrow was by the very same author! Here we are, two years later, and I finally borrowed and read it :)
The reason these are 4 & 3 stars instead of 5 & 4 stars is because of the physical things in the relationships. There are multiple times were a kiss is described in greater detail than I usually find in books, or things get a little spicier than I'm typically comfortable with. It's not open door, by any means, and I wouldn't say "graphic" is a good word but maybe "descriptive"?
I know that romance and sex are God-given and we should not be afraid to talk about them and I do think that Christians should be writing good examples of relationships, but when it comes to intimacy, I think that is better left off the page and we should instead be having honoring conversations with individuals.
I feel like I should add that there is a HUGE content warning for rape. Again, nothing too detailed but more than just a passing mention of it. This is a pretty major part of the plot too, so it comes up a few times. Between that and the possible triggers for people who deal with sexual addiction, I would not be comfortable giving this a blanket recommendation, even though things are handled fairly well. This is definitely a 21+ book and probably better for married women rather than singles.
Are these good books? Yes. They are well-written with good characters and I did appreciate that they deal with real-life problems that aren't often addressed in books. I thought, for the most part, that the hard or touchy subjects were handled well. But there were definitely things that I thought should not be in books but left to real-life conversations.
I will end by saying that one thing in all of the books that I really liked was how real prayer was presented. The characters are constantly praying deep, raw, honest prayers, but they incorporate praise and thanks while petitioning God. It's not something I see very often and I liked it a lot.
Content warning: talk of physical and sexual abuse. Some scenes are mature and I would not recommend this book to under 21. If you struggle with sexual addiction, these books will probably not be helpful for you.
**Minor spoilers**
Sapphire Ice - 4 stars
This book had great characters and a really interesting story-line. I think Robin was my favorite sister and Tony was amazing. I loved their interactions and how Tony pursued Robin. I like his cleverness and gentleness.
Robin's story - and her sisters' stories - is really raw and intense. Robin's is the worst though because she was the oldest. I just felt for her and really admired her for what she had overcome and the tenacity she showed, even though at times it got to be too much.
Hank and Barry were great side characters. I loved Hank in Robin's life. Casey too. Barry is an excellent foil to Tony.
While I didn't love how close Tony was getting to Robin because they were unequally yoked, I also know his situation was rather unique. I just think it sets sort of a dangerous precedent.
Greater Than Rubies - 4 stars
This felt like another book, not a novella. I liked getting more of the story. We get to know Robin even better and man, the things that girl endured. Her fear is totally understandable. The nightmares and memories are intense. I liked how Tony was so thoughtful to Robin's needs during the whole thing. He did so much for her.
There is an amazing sacrifice offered and that shows love in a way that nothing else could. I was blown away and really liked how it all played out. And the surprise at the rehearsal was awesome.
The story-line with Derrick is so redemptive for Tony. I loved to see it. And I really like Derrick. And another side story-line, the one with Sandy, was crazy! I can't recall if that was in this one or Sapphire Ice. I actually think it was probably in Sapphire Ice but it can stay here.
Emerald Fire - 3 stars (The events in this book are three years after Greater Than Rubies)
*sigh* This one is hard for me. See, the thing is, Maxine and Barry were wrong. Their friendship was dangerous and they both knew it but that doesn't really seem to be addressed. I am happy for Maxine, and even for Barry, they are both great, but I definitely think that their interactions should have been called out more, especially for Maxine.
This book also felt less developed and kind of unfinished, although we do get more of a wrap-up in the last book. My favorite thing in this story is Maxine's patient love. She did that part right.
Topaz Heat - 4 stars (The events in this book are ten years after Greater Than Rubies)
This one was more like what I'm used to reading. It had sort of action/suspense vibes. I really enjoyed the dive into Derrick's past and seeing how he's changed. I've always liked him and it was really interesting to see how, and why, Sarah interacted with him the way she did.
I loved seeing where Robin and Maxine are now and getting more of the Tony/Derrick story-line. I haven't mentioned it before now but Peter and Caroline O'Ferrell are such wonderful secondary characters. I liked them floating in and out of the background.
The twists and reveals I did not predict and the epilogue was perfection!!!
The reason these are 4 & 3 stars instead of 5 & 4 stars is because of the physical things in the relationships. There are multiple times were a kiss is described in greater detail than I usually find in books, or things get a little spicier than I'm typically comfortable with. It's not open door, by any means, and I wouldn't say "graphic" is a good word but maybe "descriptive"?
I know that romance and sex are God-given and we should not be afraid to talk about them and I do think that Christians should be writing good examples of relationships, but when it comes to intimacy, I think that is better left off the page and we should instead be having honoring conversations with individuals.
I feel like I should add that there is a HUGE content warning for rape. Again, nothing too detailed but more than just a passing mention of it. This is a pretty major part of the plot too, so it comes up a few times. Between that and the possible triggers for people who deal with sexual addiction, I would not be comfortable giving this a blanket recommendation, even though things are handled fairly well. This is definitely a 21+ book and probably better for married women rather than singles.
Are these good books? Yes. They are well-written with good characters and I did appreciate that they deal with real-life problems that aren't often addressed in books. I thought, for the most part, that the hard or touchy subjects were handled well. But there were definitely things that I thought should not be in books but left to real-life conversations.
I will end by saying that one thing in all of the books that I really liked was how real prayer was presented. The characters are constantly praying deep, raw, honest prayers, but they incorporate praise and thanks while petitioning God. It's not something I see very often and I liked it a lot.
Content warning: talk of physical and sexual abuse. Some scenes are mature and I would not recommend this book to under 21. If you struggle with sexual addiction, these books will probably not be helpful for you.
**Minor spoilers**
Sapphire Ice - 4 stars
This book had great characters and a really interesting story-line. I think Robin was my favorite sister and Tony was amazing. I loved their interactions and how Tony pursued Robin. I like his cleverness and gentleness.
Robin's story - and her sisters' stories - is really raw and intense. Robin's is the worst though because she was the oldest. I just felt for her and really admired her for what she had overcome and the tenacity she showed, even though at times it got to be too much.
Hank and Barry were great side characters. I loved Hank in Robin's life. Casey too. Barry is an excellent foil to Tony.
While I didn't love how close Tony was getting to Robin because they were unequally yoked, I also know his situation was rather unique. I just think it sets sort of a dangerous precedent.
Greater Than Rubies - 4 stars
This felt like another book, not a novella. I liked getting more of the story. We get to know Robin even better and man, the things that girl endured. Her fear is totally understandable. The nightmares and memories are intense. I liked how Tony was so thoughtful to Robin's needs during the whole thing. He did so much for her.
There is an amazing sacrifice offered and that shows love in a way that nothing else could. I was blown away and really liked how it all played out. And the surprise at the rehearsal was awesome.
The story-line with Derrick is so redemptive for Tony. I loved to see it. And I really like Derrick. And another side story-line, the one with Sandy, was crazy! I can't recall if that was in this one or Sapphire Ice. I actually think it was probably in Sapphire Ice but it can stay here.
Emerald Fire - 3 stars (The events in this book are three years after Greater Than Rubies)
*sigh* This one is hard for me. See, the thing is, Maxine and Barry were wrong. Their friendship was dangerous and they both knew it but that doesn't really seem to be addressed. I am happy for Maxine, and even for Barry, they are both great, but I definitely think that their interactions should have been called out more, especially for Maxine.
This book also felt less developed and kind of unfinished, although we do get more of a wrap-up in the last book. My favorite thing in this story is Maxine's patient love. She did that part right.
Topaz Heat - 4 stars (The events in this book are ten years after Greater Than Rubies)
This one was more like what I'm used to reading. It had sort of action/suspense vibes. I really enjoyed the dive into Derrick's past and seeing how he's changed. I've always liked him and it was really interesting to see how, and why, Sarah interacted with him the way she did.
I loved seeing where Robin and Maxine are now and getting more of the Tony/Derrick story-line. I haven't mentioned it before now but Peter and Caroline O'Ferrell are such wonderful secondary characters. I liked them floating in and out of the background.
The twists and reveals I did not predict and the epilogue was perfection!!!
May 18, 2015
Love these books! None of us are perfect!
Love that these stories show that we all have imperfections, we have all done things that we have regretted, but there is nothing that God cannot forgive us for or that will make Him stop loving us. As much as we don't like to think of the "seedy" part of life, there are real people that suffer the same as these characters did and God really can turn their life around! Would love to read more from Ms. Bridgeman!
Love that these stories show that we all have imperfections, we have all done things that we have regretted, but there is nothing that God cannot forgive us for or that will make Him stop loving us. As much as we don't like to think of the "seedy" part of life, there are real people that suffer the same as these characters did and God really can turn their life around! Would love to read more from Ms. Bridgeman!
January 2, 2014
This book had great characters, great storylines and a focus on doing things God's way.
April 20, 2018
One of my all time favorite series, I re-read these books at least once a year!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews