The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers

The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers ISBN-13: 9781496407900 Hardback: 512 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Publisher Released: Feb. 6, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Goodreads:
New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers returns to her romance roots with this unexpected and redemptive love story, a probing tale that reminds us that mercy can shape even the most broken among us into an imperfect yet stunning masterpiece.

A successful LA artist, Roman Velasco appears to have everything he could possibly want―money, women, fame. Only Grace Moore, his reluctant, newly hired personal assistant, knows how little he truly has. The demons of Roman’s past seem to echo through the halls of his empty mansion and out across his breathtaking Topanga Canyon view. But Grace doesn’t know how her boss secretly wrestles with those demons: by tagging buildings as the Bird, a notorious but unidentified graffiti artist―an alter ego that could destroy his career and land him in prison.

Like Roman, Grace is wrestling with ghosts and secrets of her own. After a disastrous marriage threw her life completely off course, she vowed never to let love steal her dreams again. But as she gets to know the enigmatic man behind the reputation, it’s as if the jagged pieces of both of their pasts slowly begin to fit together . . . until something so unexpected happens that it changes the course of their relationship―and both their lives―forever.


My Review:
The Masterpiece is Christian general fiction, though there is a romance in it as well. The two main characters had childhoods full of violence and fear, and we get a series of flashbacks about critical points in their past. Both lost their parents by the time they were seven. Both have put up walls to prevent caring about someone who may abandon them.

Grace has found healing and forgiveness in Christ but still hasn't forgiven herself for her bad decisions. And she still has to deal with the consequences of those bad decisions. Roman scoffs at her belief in God until he has a near death experience of hell. But recognizing that the supernatural exists is not the same as surrendering your life to Jesus.

The main characters acted realistically, and I cared about what happened to them. They didn't have an easy road to travel. The author learned about graffiti art in order to vividly describe Roman's passion for it. The bad language was conveyed using a "he cussed" style rather than the actual bad words. There were no graphic sex scenes. Overall, I would recommend this excellent novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.