Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Review: Newton & Polly

Newton & Polly: A Novel of Amazing Grace by Jody Hedlund

"AMAZING GRACE! HOW SWEET THE SOUND
THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME!
I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW AM FOUND . . . "

Now remembered as the author of the world's most famous hymn, in the mid-eighteenth century as England and France stand on the brink of war, John Newton is a young sailor wandering aimlessly through life. His only duty is to report to his ship and avoid disgracing his father---until the night he hears Polly Catlett's enchanting voice, caroling. He's immediately smitten and determined to win her affection.

An intense connection quickly forms between the two, but John's reckless spirit and disregard for the Christian life are concerns for the responsible, devout Polly. When an ill-fated stop at a tavern leaves John imprisoned and bound, Polly must choose to either stand by his side or walk out of his life forever. Will she forfeit her future for the man she loves?

Step back through the pages of history, to uncover the true love story behind a song that continues to stir the hearts and ignite the faith of millions around the globe.

I really enjoyed Jody Hedlund's story of Luther and Katharina, so I was excited to get my hands on this book! I'm not sure I liked it as well as the other, but it was still a very interesting story. It was neat to learn about John Newton and all that he went through in his life. I do feel that the story was just a tad bit repetitive with John seeing Polly, then going out to sea, then seeing Polly, and so on, and I also felt that there could have been a bit more with Polly, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless. Perhaps a bit slow at parts, but then there were the more fast-paced parts that grabbed my attention. A 4 out of 5 from me, and I look forward to reading more by this author!


I was provided a free copy of this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest review.