Tangled Violets: A Novel of Redemption

by Denise-Marie Martin

Award-Winning Finalist in the Christian Inspirational category of the 2022 American Fiction Awards

“... an uplifting story of realistic struggle, a desperate drive for connection, and ultimately Christian redemption. ... Martin’s strength in this story comes from a refusal to shy away from life’s difficulties as Lizzie faces tough choices and desires. ... Readers eager for stories about connection and faith will find this engaging. Great for fans of Josie Riviera, Francine Rivers" — BookLife Reviews

“... a moving novel, crackling with sexual volatility and emotional intelligence. An engrossing emotional drama, both shocking and thoughtful ... a provocative subplot handled without a hint of prurient sensationalism." — Kirkus Reviews

Denise-Marie Martin’s debut novel exposes the greatest longings of the human heart: to belong and be loved. Tangled Violets is the riveting story of an adoptee’s search to find out who she is. Advanced degrees, professional success, and a string of failed marriages have done nothing to fill the void that has defined Lizzie Schmidt’s life. Armed with mostly false information, she embarks on an improbable journey of self-discovery, searching for her biological family before the days of the internet or consumer genetic testing made such reunions commonplace.

Tangled Violets is the shocking story of how far one woman is willing to go in search of love and acceptance—a journey that leads to joy, pain, lies, and absolute heartbreak. A tale of redemption and the healing power of forgiveness, this novel demonstrates that no matter what we have done or where we have been, no one is outside the mercy of God and the healing balm of his unconditional love.

WARNING: This book deals honestly with the complexities of incest and the recovery that is possible—a topic rarely addressed in Christian fiction.

393 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 8, 2022

About the author

Denise-Marie Martin is a retired research scientist, wife, mother, and grandmother. Active in her faith community, she writes about God’s relentless pursuit of humanity amidst their brokenness. She and her husband reside in the Pacific Northwest.

Reviews

[Kaye Hinckley · Rating 5 out of 5]

To get to the heart of this novel, and to really appreciate it, the question must be asked: Did Jesus eat with sinners who committed all kinds of sins, or did he not? Did he die an excruciating death for those who think their sins are not so bad? Or did he die for those who recognize that they are steeped in serious sin? Of course, the answer should be well known to Catholics: Jesus died for all sinners—for all of us—because out of his great love, He wanted to bring us home to himself. Tangled Violets is an example of Jesus actually leading one serious sinner back to Himself. It is a powerful book because reconciliation and love are in themselves so powerful. Highly recommended.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, those characters were a mess. I'd need an abacus to count the number of divorces and re-marriages among the cast of characters. But that's the point of Tangled Violets. To greater and lesser degrees, we make messes of our lives by sinning. And sinning some more.

The sins in Tangled Violets are pretty egregious but have the intended effect of (eventually) demonstrating the boundless mercy of God.

From early childhood, Liz struggles to connect with her adoptive mother. As an adult, she makes serial connections with husband after husband after husband. Reunions with her birth parents do little to mend the hole in her heart. In fact, they eventually break her heart open, making her ready to accept God's forgiveness and grace.

I think the novel could've been shorter, despite the decades of Liz Schmidt's life that it spans. Even so, I found myself reading just one more chapter when I should have been going to sleep.

[Gregory Foxley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Denise-Marie Martin’s debut novel, Tangled Violets, is outstanding. It is not in the tradition of usual romances but rather that of two unique and potent writers: Flannery O’Connor and Euripides. Both writers powerfully address life “in the raw” in all its messiness. Martin does the same.
Ms. Martin’s book is a “pearl of great price” because, though it is a “romance,” it addresses a deep truth that both 21st century authors and readers rarely have considered within a lived-experience context: the apparent contradiction between our essential goodness and our existential brokenness residing side-by-side within us. Denise-Marie Martin through her Christian worldview embraces this profound reality not as “either…or” but rather as “both…and.” Her characters’ lives, like ours, are lived-out in this constant “tug-of-war. This tension creates “messy reality.” It is uncomfortable—even shocking at times to, “sit” inside this tug-of-war continuum called LIFE. Generally, we deny this emotionally wrenching experience because it is too painful, too challenging, too unsettling. Ms. Martin’s, Tangled Violets, meets the unsettling, painful reality of incest head-on with candor, insight, nuance, humility, and astounding honesty. Therein, especially, lies its power and merit---all within the context of the possibility and reality of God’s grace and humans’ cooperation with it---placing redemption by Christ within the reach of all of us. This book is the Good News of that possibility for all of us. You, the reader, delve into the raw, messy reality of these characters’ lives because, in the end, you’re not reading a challenging story but rather staring into an unflinching mirror.

[Bart Gallant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine finding the carefully curated personal diary of a colleague. Your colleague is the beautiful and brainy Elizabeth Schmidt and the diary details an agonizing, lifelong search for love and meaning. Inside this journal you find scene after scene so vividly written that it feels like a photographic record of a breathless marathon. This is a marathon wherein winning both failed to satisfy your beautiful colleague and inexorably pulled her more deeply into the morass. It is all here-beginning in a mysteriously detached childhood it is a chronicle of hope, love, abandonment, crushing sadness, new hope, romance, marriages, long affairs, short trysts, and with it all the loss of a once strong spiritual life. Amidst this spiritually chaotic scene is the story of the restless heart of a modern woman’s career / family dichotomy, worldly success concealing the emptiness which drives desperate choices. Unexpectedly and finally, in the most unlikely turn of events, our beautiful Lizzie finds trust, fidelity and certitude in the arms of her long-sought true love. It is in that true love that Lizzie sees Christ’s unfathomable patience, forgiveness and power of redemption. Lizzie’s hunger for spiritual purity finally finds satisfaction in wise Christian mentorship, in total submission to God’s outreach and in the bridge to Christ through holy marriage, a marriage to Jesus and her earthly husband purified by the fires of the hell from which she has emerged.

You won’t be able to put down this riveting fictional account of a lost girl’s dangerous journey to womanhood and the safety of God’s love.

[Ellen Gable · Rating 5 out of 5]

Denise-Marie Martin's debut novel is beautifully written, and I could not put the book down. It's told from the point of view of an adopted child who grows up with many questions. As an adult, when she reaches out to find her birth parents, the story takes an unexpected but disturbing turn. The characters are so real that I felt I was in the story with them. The writing is beautiful and rich in imagery, and the story is compelling. I highly recommend it!

[Linda Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
Waiting for the most divine ‘timing’ of Gods mercy.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 24, 2022
Lizzie Schmidt is a brilliant & tender star; endowed with gifts; intellectual brilliance, & acute abilities to observe the smallest details in everything she sees, smells & feels. Her burden she carries is that of an adopted child, & the hunger for the answer to ‘who am I’?
Lizzie is the beautiful but wounded butterfly catcher, running with her net held high to catch the answer & find the love she’s always yearned for. Looking forward, never down, she stumbles & falls mightily along her way while chasing this illusive butterfly.
At a point of maximum despair, but at the precisely perfect moment ( that’s how God works) He comes to her side, providing all the love, courage, faith & cleansing that she needs to move forward into the light.
The hope & the love that is brought to life by Ms. Martin is there for any reader who has ever looked up & begged for God. Patience in the ‘Waiting Room of Trust’ while God prepares you for the divine & perfect moment… that moment when everything is clear, & you feel the greatest love you’ve ever known.
Denise Marie Martin weaves all of this together in a masterful series of vignettes, drawn & painted by her ability walk you deep into the heart of Lizzie. To read & feel the conflict, the sweetness, the danger, & the strength of this character winning her redemption makes for a spellbinding novel that you won’t be able to put down…

[Mary Thayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must give this Martin book five stars because of the incredible development of characters, honesty of the subject matter, and the beautiful writing style. But be forewarned: Tangled Violets is indeed tangled! This fictional adoption story delves into real life and unthinkable sin. It's not graphic by any means, but it is honest about how unanswered questions and longing can be confusing to a child and lead people to commit incestuous sins. Not everyone who reads this book will be able to have compassion for the raw humanity in its characters. It isn't a sweet Christian novel. It's a Christian novel begging for love and God's mercy amidst dark shadows of the shame of family disfunction. The author sends out a clarion call in this story. We must trust in God's mercy and pray to be worthy of it.

[Lehani Smit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose to read this book because of the author's courage to address serious, unthinkable sin, which will even most likely be condemned by the holiest christian. I chose to read this story to get more in depth insight of Jesus's powerful redemption of lives. The novel deals with adult incest and a broken past. It is a heartbreaking topic. What stood out for me the most, is the test of one's own character when walking a counseling path with someone who committed serious sin. If you really want to call yourself a true christian, will you be able to give the love and acceptance the same way Jesus does?
It is very important to find the right counsellor, and to do research if the counsellor has experience with similar cases. Don't go to just anyone who calls himself a christian, the risk is that you will get hurt even more. Pray and trust that God will lead you to the right one.

[Jill Sturgeon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was amateurishly written with overly flowery language and stilted characters. The characters were unrealistic in almost all ways. The book also includes incest among adult characters. The conversions are somewhat contrived and sudden. I am not sure that I would call it Christian fiction. Very disappointing book.

[Jatinder Koharki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am still torn on how I feel about this story. Deep down I know what happened is possible in real life, but it is not easy to process.

[Julianne Crevatin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even as a debut novel, this book is written with so much passion and depth, you can feel, smell and experience every emotion. The main character is a troubled, complex character struggling to understand why she has never felt loved, nor felt like she belonged. As she unravels the truth behind her adoption, she experiences conflicting emotions that wrench her soul. Although written from a Christian perspective this book spans the universal themes of abandonment, love and redemption making it a good read for all who struggle with their own emotional feelings of unworthiness and who search for peace and God's healing grace. The complexity of multiple families/ marriages and the dynamics within these families is the background for the storytelling. Good read!