Meghan Carpenter loves God, her yarn business, and her twin brother Ryan-a former marine who currently lives with her. When she agrees to let his wounded buddy live with them on her small Indiana alpaca farm, she expects an American marine. What she gets is a former Afghan interpreter who's painfully shy around women. Scarred from the war, both physically and emotionally, Basir Hamidi is grateful for a place to live. But his attraction to Meghan is a problem. With his honor destroyed by events in his homeland, and nothing to offer her but his broken, scarred self, he vows to avoid her and protect her reputation. Yet he is drawn to her with a strength that can only be God's leading. For a man who has lost everything, letting go of the past is a difficult process. When he must also redeem his honor, his only chance of success is to rely on God.
E.A. West is a lifelong lover of books and storytelling. In high school, she discovered the wonders of sharing her stories with others through writing. She picked up her pen in a creative writing class and hasn’t laid it down yet. Her love of writing encompasses not only the romance genre but also a variety fiction and non-fiction styles.
Born and raised in Indiana, she still resides there today with her family and a small zoo of pets that includes dogs and African water frogs. When she’s not writing or reading, you’re likely to find her working on her current crochet project or discussing current events.
A contemporary Christian romance and inspirational novel, “Redeeming Honor” takes an intriguing look at the life of one Christian convert, and the costs associated with helping Americans.
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E. A. West brings her readers a wonderfully quiet story of love, acceptance and the journey to reclaiming honor that was never really lost.
Every once in a while you are given the privilege of reading a book that doesn’t have a lot of drama, danger or passion but speaks to you in a deliberately quiet way. This book is one of those privileges and I was so glad it was offered to me for review. Ms. West begins her story with a self-employed young woman named Meghan Carpenter who operates an Alpaca farm. She is quickly becoming famous in neighboring areas for the high quality of yarn she gathers and spins but she’s a bit lonely so far out from town. Her twin, Ryan, is a former Marine who is staying with her as he recovers from devastating PTSD. When Ryan requests that Meghan allow a fellow Marine to come stay with them as he recovers from his injuries, she has no idea that her heart’s desire is about to step through her door. Basir Hamidi is an Afghan native who earned his Green Card to the United States for his service alongside the Marines in Afghanistan. A fairly new Christian and American, Basir is struggling to find a place in his new country. Unable to shake all the ingrained traditions and customs of his old life, Basir is trying to find balance between what is of God and what was of the Muslim tradition. Basir is searching for a quiet place to call home and eagerly accepts Ryan’s offer to live with him and Meghan. But Basir is not prepared for his heart’s reaction to the sweet and kind Meghan, who is so opposite of his deceased first wife and the other women of his birthplace. Meghan, too, is surprised at her quick attraction to a man she has only ever known by name from Ryan’s conversations about his time in the Marines. As Basir works to overcome his long-held belief system and the expectations he holds for others, he will find that there is much that falls within the confines of “modesty” and “honor” of which he was previously unaware. And as Meghan begins to understand Basir’s struggle to find resolution, she will make it her mission to help him ease into his new life as comfortably as possible. God will use Meghan to stretch Basir’s faith beyond its known bounds and allow Basir in turn to teach Meghan a deeper sense of honor and respect. I loved reading this book as it opened my eyes to the struggle that former Muslims have when they become Christians and, further when they come to the United States. Mind you, this gentleman came to the United States in a legal manner so his journey to full citizenship is one to be applauded and celebrated. And his spiritual journey towards God is one that offers much to be learned by “Western” Christians, including the understanding of real honor, respect and humility. And while this book was not the most action packed, passion laced story I have read recently, I enjoyed it in a different way as I was able to appreciate its concepts in a contemplative manner. I will most certainly recommend this book to others as it has much to teach and share. I’m also looking forward to reading other works by Ms. West as soon as I am able.
I received this E-Book free of charge from Pelican Book Group in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation from Pelican Book Group for this review.
I thoroughly enjoyed E.A. West's sweet romance set on an alpaca farm. The budding romance between Meghan and Basir goes slowly because of cultural differences. West brings out the Afghan culture well. Basir's struggles to adapt to Western life are realistic. Meghan's big heart helps her understand the hardships of war and lingering battle scars. Her veteran brother allows her to see the side effects of war. I found West's novel unique, heartfelt, and consuming. And I love a happily-ever-after with a bit of realism.
Redeeming Honor was a good read, I enjoyed the story, although I felt the story could have gone deeper into the issues around race, prejudice and also the relationship between Megan and Basir. the language made it a bit of a slower read, but it was appropriate for the story and helped with Basir's character.
I received a copy of this book from PGB Booklovers in return for a review of the book.
Redeeming Honor was an unpretentiously shared story with a tender and gentle flowing romance. I enjoyed the straightforwardness of the story-telling without the unnecessary angst and drama. It was an honest depiction of culture clash, but within an atmosphere of acceptance, love, and willing integration. While I found the romance progressed a little fast, the compelling and likable characters more than made up for it. I only wish that there was an epilogue to have shared a little glimpse into Basir and Meghan's life after their wedding. It would have been interesting to see how their relationship changed within the marriage construct since Basir was so culturally formal beforehand. Overall, it was an absorbing romance with a strong faith thread. (This is my voluntary and unbiased review of an advanced copy of Redeeming Honor)