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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “Necessary Heartbreak by M.J. Sullivan is the first book in the When Time Forgets Trilogy. The genre of Christian fiction has been expanding by leaps and bounds. Necessary Heartbreak is a moving novel about a father's love with a twist involving time travel. Michael Stewart is still suffering from...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“What would you do if you found yourself transported completely by accident into the Biblical past, back to the time of Jesus' ministry just before the crucifixion? Well that is exactly what happens to Michael Stewart and his daughter, Elizabeth.
Kat wrote this review Thursday, May 31, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Having many struggles early on in his life, Michael now finds himself raising his daughter, Elizabeth on his own, having lost his wife, Vicki. Now Michael has turned his back on his faith in God and in a surprising turn of events, while helping out a food drive at the local church, Elizabeth disappears into the basement behind an ancient door in the floor. When Michael attempts to go after her, they find themselves transported into first-century Jerusalem during the last week of Jesus Christ's life.
Not exactly being dressed in local attire and coming to the aid of a man being severely beaten by Roman soldiers, Michael is arrested for interfering. He soon finds out the man he attempted to rescue was Barabbas, accused of murdering a Roman soldier. Now trapped within an ancient prison, all Michael wants to do is find Elizabeth and get back to their real home. Elizabeth finds herself the center of unwanted attention when one of the Roman soldiers, Marcus, sees a possible wife in finding her. Now she must remain hidden while the Passover feast begins and the city is swarming with soldiers and citizens. She finds shelter and security being taken in by a local woman named Leah, who knows Michael already. How is that possible if they just entered Jerusalem today?
When Michael is released from prison, he thinks it's because he's befriended by Marcus, only he is using Michael as bait to find Elizabeth. When Michael attempts to find Elizabeth in the busy city, he comes face to face with Jesus Christ as he is entering the city on Palm Sunday. Will Michael and Elizabeth ever find their way back home, or does God have bigger plans by transporting Michael back in the past to find his love for Christ again?
In the novel, Necessary Heartbreak by Michael J. Sullivan, the reader is given a great look into the historical world of ancient Jerusalem and how we might view this time in history through the eyes of Michael and Elizabeth. This is Michael Sullivan's debut novel and I was fortunate enough to read the sequel to this one first, Everybody's Daughter and immediately found the connection between the two stories. This is a fantastic series for anyone who loves Bible history and who would love to go back in time without the fear of being really trapped there like our characters from the story. I love how both characters view this opportunity to meet Jesus in this once in a lifetime moment.
I received this book compliments of Michael J. Sullivan for my honest review and once again have to applaud his talents as a writer. Even though this is his debut novel, it was well thought out and the story line is amazing. It truly holds the readers attention throughout and wonder just what the interactions will be during their trip into the past. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and if you love science fiction blended with a bit of history with a Christian twist, then this is the perfect book for you. ”
“Imagine going back in time and meeting Jesus when he was flesh here on earth. What would you do to change the course of events? Would you even try? Imagine that in your journey, Jesus helps you to reconcile your relationship with your child? That's what Michael Sullivan does with the main character of this book.
Deacon Don wrote this review Friday, January 14, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The story was engaging and a real page turner. ”
“I liked the premise of the book, but I thought it was written for adolescents, not adults.”
louise g wrote this review Monday, September 13, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Necessary Heartbreak by Micheal J. Sullivan is exactly one of te types of stories that I love to read. I love stories that evoke emotions and is full of triumph. This engagingly fast paced page turner, takes you on a very moving and emotional ride from the very beginning. It start off with a husband losing his wife after giving birth to their daughter. The results of this makes one notice their blessings as they read his story of pain, loss, hurt, renewal, growth and triumph. I truly enjoyed this book and all that it brought to me as it makes you feel, think and rejoice. I wanted to share it so I have referred it to four people and am buying it to give to two to four others. Well worth reading. ”
Rhea Alexis wrote this review Wednesday, April 21, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is a poorly crafted piece and I can't recommend it to anyone. The sad thing about the book is that there is a great story in there, but the writing obscures it.”
C. Lee McKenzie wrote this review Sunday, April 5, 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No1 of 1 members found this review helpful“Necessary Heartbreak by M.J. Sullivan is the first book in the When Time Forgets Trilogy. The genre of Christian fiction has been expanding by leaps and bounds. Necessary Heartbreak is a moving novel about a father's love with a twist involving time travel. Michael Stewart is still suffering from a gaping wound in his heart after the death of his wife. He's been raising their daughter, Elizabeth, alone for thirteen years, and the pain of trying to do it all by himself has left him bitter toward God and overprotective of Lizzie. While the two of them are volunteering at a church event, they discover a door in the floor of the church's basement. Lizzie's unrestrainable curiosity brings them down a ladder into a dark tunnel that seems to go on forever. At the end, they stumble blindly into what they think is a Passion play, but they quickly discover is 1st century Jerusalem where a man can be arrested just for questioning a prisoner's beating, and a young girl can be forced to marry a Roman soldier who wants to own her. Michael and Lizzie are taken in by a young widow named Leah who helps them navigate this strange world. Michael's disbelief in God is put to the test by encounters with Jesus himself. The father and daughter have to learn both to let go of and lean on each other in new ways. Sullivan's writing is clunky in a few spots, but Michael is a powerfully sympathetic character. The reason for Michael and Lizzie's travel into the past isn't made clear by the end of the book, but I'm sure that Sullivan will clear that up in the second book. Michael does use some strong language in the book, but it's always in character. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series and learning more about the Stewart family and their mysterious tie to the past.”
clockstein wrote this review Monday, January 26, 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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