From Jude Berman, author of The Vow, a Kirkus Best Indie Book
Told on a carefully crafted dual timeline, Forgiveness delves into the kinds of complexities and dynamics that can derail a long-term marriage. As Fiona unearths forgotten secrets and traumas, she feels the past shift beneath her feet and is forced to confront its shadows in the present. A captivating read for anyone who has struggled to make a partnership work and who enjoys an engrossing literary read.
From Vivian Fransen, author of The Straight Spouse: A Memoir
This intriguing story takes the reader on a journey through the peaks and valleys of a woman’s personal wilderness of drama, sorrow, and discontent. She struggles
to find a way to move forward, yearning for the healing power of forgiving others and herself while embracing her passion for artistic pursuits.
Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
Susen Edwards’s Forgiveness is a lovely contemporary women’s
novel, and the author is very good at letting readers into the most
intimate parts of a marriage and its fifty years of history. The best
part for me is that Fiona is a true creative. She's an artist, and I love
that her forgiveness paintings give her a way to answer grief in the
language she knows best. Fiona’s gallery partnership with Julie is
beautifully done because Bleecker Street Impressions shows her as
a painter with an independent life before the forgiveness series
begins. Charlie Kraus, the young reporter who helps Reuben after
the Capitol riot, is wonderful because his bond with Reuben in the
hospital pulls in an unexpected familial tenderness. Fiona and
Reuben’s most honest conversation is really special, and all the way
through we are rooting for Fiona's art and marriage to finally belong
together. Well written and compassionate, readers who enjoy
women’s fiction about marriage will adore this.
Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite
I was first drawn to Forgiveness by Susen Edwards because of its
cover. I wondered about whose belongings I saw there, and what
they had to do with forgiveness. I’m so glad I had the chance to
read Fiona’s journey. She felt like a real person. There were so
many moments when I hurt for Fiona, especially as she faced
heartbreaking decisions while her relationship was going through a
difficult time. In some ways, I could relate to the dynamic she had
with her mother. I appreciated how the novel spanned decades and
reached a period I had lived through as well. Edwards wrote in a
natural, thoughtful way that let the emotions build without rushing
them. It was easy to understand the shifting timeline, too. I closed
the book feeling as if I'd spent time with someone whose life
mattered. Anyone looking for women's fiction, family drama, and
character-driven stories about healing, forgiveness, and second
chances will want to give this book a try. It's a thoughtful,
emotional novel that stays with you long after you finish the last
page.
