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Eden's Children #3

The Forgiven

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In a place that had been named for paradise, evil had come to call ...

Paradise Lost ... And Found?

Naomi Cross knew evil. She'd felt its presence when her daughter disappeared,
years ago, and she felt it stalking her now.
But this time, danger drove her into the strong, sheltering arms of the one man
who could help her - Alex DeWitt.
The man whose cherished daughter might be Naomi's child.

He was handsome as sin, and just as irresistible.
And when he heard her desperate claim,
Alex shocked Naomi with a wild proposal of his own.
Naomi needed protection; Alex needed a wife.
Together, they could uncover the dark secrets of the past -
and start the long journey home to paradise.

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 2001

14 people are currently reading
146 people want to read

About the author

Amanda Stevens

265 books2,226 followers
Amanda Stevens is the award-winning author of over fifty novels, including the modern gothic series, The Graveyard Queen. Her books have been described as eerie and atmospheric, “a new take on the classic ghost story.” Born and raised in the rural south, she now resides in Houston, Texas, where she enjoys binge-watching, bike riding and the occasional Horror Night with friends.

The Graveyard Queen trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrCf_e...

http://twitter.com/AmandaStevensTX

http://facebook.com/amandastevensbooks

amandastevensbooks@gmail.com

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5 stars
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31 (28%)
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25 (23%)
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9 (8%)
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
178 reviews2 followers
April 17, 2018
October 8, 2001

Amanda Stevens brings the Eden's Children saga to a lovely close in "The Forgiven." Ten years after her daughter Sadie was kidnapped, Naomi Cross learns a secret that sends her to New Orleans--and Alex DeWitt. She believes Alex's daughter is hers. Alex has no intention of losing his daughter to this stranger. Can they dare to work together to unravel the truth about the daughter she believes they share?

Like book two, "The Tempted," "The Forgiven" is an engrossing emotional drama and a true page-turner. Everything that made that book good is present in "The Forgiven." This book stands with Ms. Stevens's strongest, a story with deep emotion and strong characters. The premise faced by the main characters is heartbreaking and Stevens fills their story with her usual moving prose. Naomi and Alex are instantly sympathetic. "The Forgiven" is less melodramatic and more emotional than "The Tempted," making this story that much more effective. This is the kind of book that shows you don't need lots of explosions and action scenes to make a fast-paced read. The story here is mystery and character oriented and flies by.

One weakness that's unusual for Ms. Stevens is the mystery. The intrigue is surprisingly weak for one of her book. The clues aren't dropped with Ms. Stevens's usual grace, and many readers may figure out the ending long before it comes. This is partly because there is really only one solution that makes much sense here. Stevens tries to keep the secret to the end. This results in scenes where we think the characters will catch on, only to have them jump to clearly wrong solutions instead of the more obvious true one. It can be very frustrating watching the characters miss the obvious truth time and again before it finally comes out. However, the romance and character drama are so strong that this flaw is a minor one.

Two words of warning: this book SHOULD NOT be read unless you've read Book Two in the series, "The Tempted." This book flows directly from that one, and the entire plot of "The Tempted" is summarized in the first few pages of "The Forgiven." It can be read on its own, but you won't be able to go back and read the other one later. Also, the back cover copywriter does the reader a disservice by once again revealing late developments in the book.

"The Forgiven" is a very nice end to another solid Stevens miniseries.
Profile Image for Miranda Summerset.
743 reviews5 followers
September 1, 2025
2.5/5 STARS! This had quite the plot. Very fast paced & thrill packed, an easy & good read.
Profile Image for Lindsey Ruppe.
822 reviews9 followers
October 12, 2025
Stevens is one of my favorite authors and a dear friend! The Forgiven was a great read! I went in without reading the other 2 and didn't feel lost. Had good romance and suspense! Classics Amanda
Profile Image for Becky.
814 reviews26 followers
October 11, 2012
Great trilogy with interwoven characters and completely (well, ALMOST completely) surprising elements and ending. Characters, plot, writing all excellent. Enjoyed the entire set, but the last one was full of hidden motives and whatnot. :)
Profile Image for Virginija.
9 reviews13 followers
June 12, 2013
Enjoyed all three stories. I was so into these books, that I even once missed my bus stop, while i was going to work. I was late 10 min :D really, it was everything I like. Drama, romance, mystery, love, crime and many other things at once :)
Profile Image for Lindsey.
127 reviews12 followers
May 12, 2013
The whole series is pretty cheesy and transparent. Just the same, I didn't guess everything but I think I'll stick to Stevens newer works.
19 reviews21 followers
October 14, 2013
i really enjoyed the book.naomi gets new information about what really happened the day she gave birth.and we finally find out what happened to sadie
Profile Image for Voyageusedesmots.
90 reviews3 followers
May 24, 2023
L'intrigue était chouette . Mais je trouve que la motivation a vouloir absolument en faire 1 romance principale à tout gâché. La fin est selon moi bâclé.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews

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