Who's Saving Who?
Evangeline is a young woman on the edge. She thinks she's crazy due to her visions of dead people, like her father and ex-boyfriend, and she's mired in depression. When she's about to jump off a bridge to commit suicide, a priest materializes to talk her down.
Remi isn't your average priest. For one, he's hawt. Smokin' hot. Literally--he smokes throughout the novel. He's also an angel, unbeknownst to Evangeline. God sent him to save her soul. Too bad she's so darn charming that he begins to fall in love!
I adored all the tender moments between Remi and Evangeline, like their first meeting:
He reaches a hand in the window and strokes my hair, the way I used to pet our cat, Duchess. It's soothing and comforting. "It's okay. I know you're scared," he murmurs. My breathing eases, and my heart quits hammering. A sense of warmth and peace surrounds me.
and when he blesses her before she falls asleep. "Sweet dreams, Evangeline. You are God's child and in His care tonight and always."
Naturally their feelings progress beyond the tender stage, and Remi is overwhelmed by temptation.
Next time I see him, I'm going to ask Adam if Eve's full name is Evangeline.
Nancee Cain works in the mental health field, and she really nails Evangeline's characterization. The girl's neurotic beyond belief, sweet and lost, with negative beliefs about herself that are so untrue. Some folks have a tremendous gift of emotional sensitivity, yet their ability to read between the lines can feel like a curse without the tools to navigate such keen perception. As Remi tells her:
Outwardly you portray this hardened, smart-mouthed girl who doesn't give a damn what others think. But, that isn't the real you. I think you're a passionate young woman with a huge personality, who hasn't figured out how to channel all this gusto for life productively.
I grew to care about perfectly flawed Remi as well, and freaked out when he disobeyed God.
In addition to the insightfulness of the story is a good dose of humor, like when angel Raphael calls Remi "Judas Priest." Hehehe.
The concept of hell is a tough one for me, but I like Remi's explanation: hell is the absence of love. That makes total sense to me.
Hard to believe this is a debut novel. It's so well-written, with a depth of emotion. Highly recommended!