The Keepsake

Love at the Crossroads #3

by Pat Simmons

Christian couple Desiree and Michael Bishop’s marriage is pure bliss…until Desiree walks away.“Desi” is devastated when she finds evidence of her husband’s affair. God knew she didn’t get married only to one day stand before a judge and file for a divorce. But she wants out, no matter how much her heart says forgive him. That is easier said than done. She’s hurting and she sees Michael’s indiscretion as God’s opt-out clause for ending their marriage.Michael is a repentant man who loves his wife of three years. If only he had paid attention to the red flags God flashed before him, then he wouldn’t have fallen into the devil’s snares.Once Michael repents, God forgives him instantly. Desi’s forgiveness seems nowhere in sight. After all the tears are shed and forgiveness received, the couple learns that some marriages are worth keeping.

Genres: Christian

166 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 16, 2014

About the author

Pat Simmons is a multi-published Christian romance author of forty-plus titles. She is a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth who is passionate about researching her ancestors, then casting them in starring roles in her novels. She is a five-time recipient of the RSJ Emma Rodgers Award for Best Inspirational Romance: Still Guilty, Crowning Glory, The Confession, Christmas Dinner, and Queen’s Surrender (To A Higher Calling). Pat’s first inspirational women’s fiction, Lean On Me, with Sourcebooks, was the February/March Together We Read Digital Book Club pick for the national library system. Here for You and Stand by Me are also part of the Family is Forever series. Her holiday indie release, Christmas Dinner, and traditionally published, Here for You were featured in Woman’s World, a national magazine. Here for You was also listed in the “7 Great Reads That Help to Keep the Faith” by Sisters From AARP. She contributed an article, “I’m Listening,” in the Chicken Soup for the Soul: I’m Speaking Now (2021). Pat is the recipient of the 2022 Leslie Esdaile “Trailblazer” Award given by Building Relationships Around Books Readers’ Choice for her work in the Christian fiction genre.

As a Christian, Pat describes the evidence of the gift of the Holy Ghost as a life-altering experience. She has been a featured speaker and workshop presenter at various venues across the country. Pat has converted her sofa-strapped sports fanatical husband into an amateur travel agent, untrained bodyguard, GPS-guided chauffeur, and administrative assistant who is constantly on probation. They have a son and a daughter. Pat holds a B.S. in mass communications from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts and has worked in radio, television, and print media for more than twenty years. She oversaw the media publicity for the annual RT Booklovers Conventions for fourteen years. Visit her at www.patsimmons.net.

Reviews

[Debbie DiFiore · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disgusting gross pig hero. But he loved his wife. I have no idea why I read this. It is truly horrible. They reconcile but his reason for cheating was just She kissed me and the devil made me do it. All the religion in this was off-putting and it bothered me that he could just claim the devil tempted him and pray and move on. And when he tells the Pastor with his betrayed wife in front of him, that he had unprotected sex with the ho in the back seat of a car and then went home, took a shower and had unprotected sex with his wife in the same night, it just made me disgusted. Just don't read this. I am stupid. It showed up on my recommendations and oh I wish I had brain bleach. The devil made him do it? Wtf? I just hated him and I hated the ending and oh yeah, I hated the whole book. Aaaghhhhh. I am not even sure a Garwood would help me forget this piece of trash.

[Esther]

Self note:
CHRISTIAN BOOK. CHEATING BETWEEN H AND h.
The affair lasted a month. He broke it off before she caught him, but she caught him anway.
H had sex with ow without protection, then shower and had sex with h without protection.

[Valentine]

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

I read all the 5 stars reviews....

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

re read 4/4/24 No longer a novice to the genre and no longer one who so easily doles out 5 stars w ease I grapple between a 3.5 and 4 star rating.
His initial cheat escapade in the parking lot/ back seat is reminiscent of Eve Asbury's Bring on The Rain where the 17 yo did same.Revelatory of the male species?🤣

A rather intricate,well.conceived Christian tale of a Husband's infidelity and it's painful,extended sequela. The subsequent power of love and forgiveness beget by mutual faith and community support aided in their ability to reconcile(.FYI,Heavy on the Bible Quotes)The tale supports that men of faith undoubtedly fall prey to the apparent relentless,uncontrollable yearning of that alternate little head and can offer no alternate substantive reasoning for the stray other being ruled by it!😂

[Cheesecake · Rating 2 out of 5]

Desi the wife and Michael the cheater.
This was interesting. It's pretty short (125 pgs for $4! sheesh) and not much happens. It's really just a look at how this couple deals with his cheating.

Michael has a month long fling with some woman who pursued him through his job. She was basically a homewrecker. There's no mitigating circumstances. He just went with the flow, so to speak.
Desi of course notices his changed behavior and hires a private investigator to follow him.
Once she finds out the truth she leaves him.

You are party to both their thoughts. He is sorry of course. He had broken it off just before Desi confronts him. But still, it was a WHOLE MONTH. So nothing like an oops, i was drunk honey. Not that that is an excuse either.

They are both practicing Christians and there's a lot of biblical quotes. But I found it kind of interesting to see two people using the bible to cure their relationship woes.
I didn't think much of the Pastor. He compares Desi wanting a divorce to chopping off your toe because you stubbed it. I'm like, say what?!?
That just doesn't fly, fool.

Did I think Michael redeems himself, kinda. I'd still be watching him with my peripheral vision for years before I'd be able to trust him again.
I didn't like how he would view his cheating as the fault of the Devil. Like there's a fourth party in this. The Devil seduced him through Brenda, and it was his fault for not keeping his guard up. Except I kept interpreting 'his guard' as him constantly being drawn to other women and he has to keep his guard up to stay true to his wife. I don't think that's what the author intended but that was how it felt to me. Personally I'd rather my honey not be drawn to others in the first place!

So while he grovels and stays true to her for their year of separation. I never felt like he really understood why he did it in the first place and that he was the betrayer, not the Devil.
The angst was pretty good.

Safety is not good of course it takes a year for her to forgive him. My fave part of the book was how Desi sued the OW for seducing her hubby. I didn't know you could do that!

[Tmstprc]

I gave up, though I usually find faith based books more than readable, I struggled with this one.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debated between a 2 and 3... I felt the H was very immature emotionally, in his faith and in his commitment to his wife. He just seemed to lack depth. After his affair and following the separation from his wife, his angst and groveling seemed very superficial. It was like, okay I screwed up but said I am sorry so let's move on.

The OW was a predator and I was glad that the h was financially holding her accountable. Why? It seemed like this is the only weapon which would impact her lying, cheating, evil hide.

If the H does not develop some depth in his commitment and do some serious self analysis with intense counseling, I do not believe his 'redemption' will sustain their HEA.

[Maxxxine · Rating 1 out of 5]

⚠️WARNING SPOILER⚠️

- He a that blamed devil/satan for his infidelity. Well, i’m from a VERY STRIC christian family and i DON’T AGREE! Temptation was there when ow kissed H out of nowhere. He had 2 options, push her or kiss her back. He kissed her back and went to full sex in his car. So NO! That’s not devil! H made his own decision, he’s an adult, and he responsible for his own ACTIONS!

- h…at first I thought i like her. She was angry, had self respect, walk away with dignity, and she felt disgusted with H. I kinda hope she’d angry until the end. But no, out of nowhere they kissed. Whaaattt???? Girl! He cheated on you for a month! The first time he fck OW, he came home and fck YOU! 😩😩😩 h invited him to stay the night (on the couch, thank goodness), and they act all friendly. She cried on the court said ‘I don’t want divorce’ but 5 minutes later said ‘I should divorce you’. Where’s your self respect on the first page? 😩

- well, he grovel, not great but okay. I don’t feel enough the angst.

Well, if you want christian cheating-groveling, I recommend devotion and dry as rain (both on my grovel’s bookshelves) at least their H never blame satan for their own actions 🙄 and with better h who stay angry until the end.

[Valarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Should this have been book #2. Anyway "When the enemy comes in like a flood" and that's what happened to Desi & Michael. No one gets married just to end up in divorce but Desi has all the grounds for one. Although she knows that she is called to forgive because she has been forgiven, that proves easier said than done. What do you do when the pain comes for the one you trusted the most? Is it possible for God to get the best out of any situation. Michael knows that he has hurt the person that loves him the most but can he win her back after this? God forgave him instantly upon repentance but it's not so easy for Desi and her sisters to do so. Can he stand up and be the man to wait on God and will God fix this mess he so easily got himself into.

[Mary Calton Gerard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Restored

I enjoyed this book after thinking the worst of Michael, the ex cheater. This work had the characters, "Desiree and Michael" living through infidelity. Praying for each other and all the players results in total forgiveness. I'm amazed at the ministry that this author has created.
The message of forgiveness resonates throughout the book.

[Uzoamaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

It was so hard to leave reading this book for a second till I finished! I love the message here; forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration. Allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us to God’s purpose and plan. Will recommend this book for both married and single.

[Karen Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Repetitive

Very disappointed that so much of the previous book was repeated in detail in this book leaving it with little content. It took away from the enjoyment of reading the book. Need,Ed’s to say it was disappointing. Happy that the Bishops reconciled.

[annie r bradshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is hope in pain

Thank you for this book, God can take our ashes and make something beautiful out of them. She thought that mistake made it overbut God said not so!

[Tabitha Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It is a great eye opener to married couples who fail the infidelity test. It is a great reminder that their is a higher power on this earth and if you repent you will be forgiven. I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Simmons at last week and feel in love with this cover so I knew I had to read it.This book is about Michael and Desi. When Desi finds out that her husband has strayed she wants nothing to do with him at all and jumps the gun and decides that divorce is the only answer. Not giving Michael a chance to explain she withdraws completely. Michael is appalled by his own doings and he begs the Lord for his forgiveness. The devil is such a liar he will con and deceive you anyway he can and that is exactly what happen to Michael. Desi was very sure that she wanted to go through with this divorce but decided to give counseling a try. I believe this book is current with today's society. There are a lot of folks out there that think it is ok to stray. This books helps you realize that you can have second chances and have a happily ever after.Give your heart over to God and he will forgive.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What the devil tried to tear up, the Lord in His wondrous mercy has retstored." The Keepsake had me all up in my emotions, crying for both Michael and Desi, praying for their healing. Pat Simmons has another hit in this installment of Love at the Crossroads, she does not fail to deliver. A beautiful demonstration of overcoming the Devils destructive plan by placing all your trust in God's plans.
Jacqueline White

[Ellowyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great job Pat Simmons. Mrs. Simmons takes you through the lives of Desi and Michael after infidelity has become a part of their marriage. She points out how infidelity affects the couple and others around them. Mrs. Simmons also points out how when you take your eyes off of the Lord how things like this can creep in a marriage so easily. Looking forward to her next book.

[Latanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

True Love!!

I REALLY loved this story! The Bible exemplified throughout! I appreciated how a real life depiction of forgiveness, love, and restoration was felt...Desi is my new hero...lol. I always walk away from Pat Simmons' books feeling encouraged, entertained & greatly loved by the power of God! Another awesome job well done by Pat Simmons!!!

[Cf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Godly repentance is reflected in your lifestyle. Michael actions were in alignment with the word of God. I adored this book and how it handled the very serious issue of adultery. A moments pleasure is not worth losing your eternity in heaven.

I can't wait to read Zachary's book.

[Sharon Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

She did it again!

At the beginning of the story, I thought I had it all figured out! Well, I was wrong what I thought did not happen. This was a great love story about Desi and Michael! Reading Book 4 next!

[Michelle Lindo-Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed reading The Keepsake. I had a chance to meet Desi and Michael Bishop. What an excellent read about God's grace and restoration. It was slighty edgy and had good, solid characters.

[Shannan Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good story by Pat Simmons. Love and Forgiveness is a beautiful thing, especially during a test.

[Jeannette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved It!

This book was truly a blessing thank you Pat Simmons and may you be blessed to keep giving your fans these good stories.

[Sada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great author-great story

Without God it's hard to forgive. Happy that Desiree forgave Michael. Hope to read a story about her sisters and Michael's brother.