The Encounter

by Robin Densmore Fuson

At first blush, fifty-two-year-old Renee Harris appears to be a confident sophisticated woman. Hidden are the scars of deep pain and fear. A meeting in an ordinary elevator will not only take Renee to the designated floor but also on a journey of discovery.Chaplain Lance Freeman’s only thought is to help a family in their hour of need though unknown to him, the woman in the elevator needs him more than the family down the hall.Elevators can be strange things. Full of ups and downs, they may be used as a vehicle to change the course of someone’s life. Renee and Lance are about to find out just how much a chance meeting can alter a person’s direction. Can real love be a part of their new beginnings? Will they allow God to lead and interrupt their lives so they can eventually find peace, joy, and love?

168 pages, Paperback

Published March 23, 2019

About the author

Robin lives in Sugarmill Woods, Florida with her husband Jimmy and their Belgian Malinois, Kenzi. She and her husband celebrate with an overflowing cup of blessings with seventeen grandchildren. Robin loves company and challenging her young guests to discover the many giraffes in the obvious and hidden nooks and crannies of their home. An award winner for romance and flash fiction, Robin is multi-published in both fiction and non-fiction and has written well over a hundred stories on her blog for children. Two of her novellas are finalists in the 2020 Selah and one title received third in the Tapestry Awards.

Reviews

[Bonnijean Marley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. It is refreshing to read a romance written with older protagonists, and a faith-based romance with mostly believable characters is encouraging.

A few things about the book reduced my rating. The novel is described in some reviews as fast-paced, but many of the transitions between scenes were too abrupt. The model on the cover looks much younger than the stated age of the female protagonist. The male protagonist is almost too perfect. It would have been nice to have seen a trigger warning before starting to read this novel even though the abuse mentioned is not described in graphic detail. A couple of scenes seemed unrealistic especially the flat tire episode and the one where the daughter asks Lance to follow them, but because he's following them the mom starts speeding and then has an emotional breakdown. Nowhere does the daughter remind the mom or ask her to slow down. Neither the escape scene nor the emotional breakdown scene seems credible to me.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

After I got over the shock of Renee and Lance’s first meeting and the unusual reaction Renee had to her husband’s passing, I was entranced with how Renee picked up the pieces of her life. As she slowly reveals her history, she forges a new direction and takes control of her destiny as a challenge to the childhood that had been stolen from her. Lance is one of those wonderful, fantastic people who deserve a break, and as a bonus, has Renee’s daughter firmly on his side. He finds new love in Renee, but realizes they have a lot of work to do to mend from their recent traumas. After healing, they revisit a potential relationship. Renee learns that Lance has kept important information from her, a blow to her delicate recovery. Together they explore whether they are truly meant to be together or better as friends.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved, loved, loved this Christian romance book by author Robin Densmore Fuson. I loved the way she handled the delicate subject of abuse. Robin is a very gifted author and you can see God throughout her novellas.

I loved this one so much I have ordered more of her books. She writes in different genres and I hope you give her works a chance. You’ll be glad you did.

I highly recommend The Encounter to fans of romantic Christian fiction.

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

[Edwina Cowgill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgiveness, Redemption, Healing, and Unconditional Love

In “The Encounter”, we meet Renee, who carries deep and horrific wounds from her childhood. She meets Lance, a pastor and Christian counselor, and God continues to cause their paths to cross. Through her encounters with Lance, and his persistent but gentle love and care for her, and the care and advice of her Christian counselor, Renee begins to realize that she must forgive those who wounded her so deeply in her childhood and she learns who she is in Christ and just how much He loves her. This is a beautiful story of forgiveness, redemption, healing, and the unconditional love God has for each of us. I highly recommend this life-changing book.

[Trixi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heartwarming story of loss, healing, forgiveness and finding love again. Very inspirational with meaningful scriptural references and God's truths that stand the test of time. Lance was kind, gentle, patient and a warm-hearted hero and the perfect one to lead Renee through grief, he was my favorite character!

The best part for me, these were characters my age...older and full of life experiences and I could relate perfectly to them. Widowed second chance romance is something I'd really love to see more writers tackle!

[Kathy Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning to trust is a tough lesson, and this is a beautiful story of trust and restoration. The thing I love most about this book is that it not only has a special romance aspect, but it brings Renee on a journey to discover who she really is in Christ.

[June Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, Renee Harris called the frequent encounters with widower, Chaplain Lance Freeman as coincidence. But time proved her wrong.
Robin Fusion has written a fast pace novel of healing, forgiveness, and second chances. If you love mid-life romantic tales, you'll love this one.