Give Me Books: Blog Tour - Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard

Title: Gabriel's Redemption

Author: Sylvain Reynard

Release Date: December 3, 2013

Professor Gabriel Emerson has left his position at the University of Toronto to embark on a new life with his beloved Julianne. Together, he’s confident that they can face any challenge. And he’s eager to become a father.

But Julianne’s graduate program threatens Gabriel’s plans, as the pressures of being a student become all consuming. When she is given the honor of presenting an academic lecture at Oxford, Gabriel is forced to confront her about the subject of her presentation – research that conflicts with his own. And in Oxford, several individuals from their past appear, including an old nemesis intent on humiliating Julia and exposing one of Gabriel’s darkest secrets.

In an effort to confront his remaining demons, Gabriel begins a quest to discover more about his biological parents, beginning a chain of events that has startling repercussions for himself, Julianne, and his hope of having a family.

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Rating: 4.5~5 Man of Steel Stars

What can I say but I LOVED this series and I fell in love Gabriel Emerson all over again. To say I’m sad to see this series conclude is an understatement, I just didn’t want to say goodbye to Professor Gabriel Emerson and Julianne just yet. Gabriel’s Redemption was a beautiful conclusion to a heartfelt journey of two individuals who had overcome their past, demons, and addictions and found redemption in forgiveness, love, faith and hope in each other. The road to redemption is never easy, but it is attainable.

“I’ve loved him since I was seventeen. I love all of him – the light and the dark, the good and the bad. That’s why he’s with me. He left the others behind and he will never go back.” ~Julianne

“Charity is a great virtue, and so is faith. But hope means the most to me. This is hope.”

Gabriel’s Redemption picks up six months later after the Emerson’s wedding. Julianne is finishing up her first year of her PhD program at Harvard and Gabriel is now a professor at Boston University. They are living the newlywed life, romance and lots of unbelievably hot great sex. (I mean lots of passionate sex!) Not is all peaches and cream for the Emersons, Julianne is trying to balancing her academic career and her duties as a wife. As for Gabriel, his past demons and addiction still haunts him.

As they settled into their married life, Gabriel feels its time to expand their family and are ready for kids. Julianne, on the other hand, wants kids but not at the moment. She wants to finish her Phd program before they expand their family. Gabriel does not pressure Julianne but she is left feeling torn.

After a series of events, Gabriel’s starts to wonder if he is even worthy of that second chance to be a father again. His past and demons that he tried to put behind him slowly creeps and plagues his mind and torments his soul. He has a lot of demons to fight so he finally decides that he needs to put them to a rest so he can give his all to his new life and marriage. With this, Gabriel starts to make amends with the people that he has hurt and with himself and begins his search on his biological parents’ history. As much as Julianne wants to help Gabriel, he feels that there are times he must do it alone.

As for Julianne, she is no longer the shy meek mouse we saw in Gabriel’s Inferno. She has blossomed into a beautiful independent woman. She has made a name for herself in the academia world. In this book, we see a stronger Julianne, who will fight for her dreams, family and her love for Gabriel. Her heart can be only described as pure. She didn’t care what anyone thought of her husband because in her heart and mind, Gabriel is indeed worthy of love and redemption. The connection that they hold is so deep, intense and strong that nothing can tear them apart even with old enemies still lurking around.

There is no question that these two are perfectly suited for each other. She is the ying to his yang. They are two peas in a pod. She is his Beatrice and he is her Dante. The love that have for each other radiates from the pages. It is as if the stars have aligned, and they are fated one another and nothing can tear them apart. I absolutely love that no matter what arguments, misunderstanding, and whatever problems that stands in their way, they stand side by side and show a united front. They support each other, defend each other and love each other unconditionally.

"For you, my love, I would endeavor to pluck the stars from the sky, only to shower them at your feet."

Gabriel’s Redemption was simply beautifully well written and left me crying happy tears. This book is about making amends with the past, accepting what can’t be changed, moving forward, and of course, LOVE. Love can heal old wounds and scars. It doesn't always come easy. Love is overcoming obstacles, facing challenges, fighting to be together, holding on & never letting go. It is a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without. In Gabriel’s Redemption, the LOVE between Gabriel and Julianne was the kind of love that can move mountains. Gabriel clearly worships the ground Julianne walks on. She is his life and vice versa. After what Gabriel and Julianne had experienced, their love story had come to a full circle. At the end of the last page, I was at peace knowing that their love triumphed and overcame all the odds that were thrown at them. Their love was so passionate, tender, fierce, unconditional, and all-consuming. They never, ever stopped fighting for each other and they were truly destined and made for each other. The love between Gabriel and Julianne is the kind of true love that everyone wants and hopefully can experience in their life.

"You think of everything." "I simply think of you. you are my everything."

“Now my Blessedness appears.”~Gabriel Emerson

Thank you, Mr. Reynard for introducing us to the Professor and Julianne and allowing us to accompany them on their beautiful journey of forgiveness, strength, hope, courage, perseverance, redemption, and love. All I can ask of Mr. Reynard is for a novella...I need more Gabriel and Julianne. I just don’t want to say goodbye to them just yet. It was an emotional sweet journey that it’s bittersweet to see Gabriel’s and Julianne's story come to an end.

So I highly recommend everyone to read this book and series. You will not be disappointed with the Professor.

~ Review by Michelle

I'm interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition - particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself.

I'm also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.

I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex's Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House. For more information, see my Twitter account.