Lynne Gentry’s Return to Exile

About

How far would you go to save the ones you love?

Six years ago, impossible circumstances forced Dr. Lisbeth Hastings to leave behind the love of her life, not just in another country, but in another time. Her work as a top-notch epidemiologist and parenting her little girl helps alleviate the pain, but at night when her exhausted head hits the pillow, images of her beloved Cyprian haunt her sleep.

Cyprian Thascius returns from political exile a broken man. He’s lost his faith, the love of his life, and his purpose. He attempts to move on, to face the danger that is looming over Carthage, but when Cyprian’s true love suddenly reappears, his heart becomes as imperiled as the fledgling church he seeks to save.

Have the years that kept Lisbeth and Cyprian apart created too wide a chasm to bridge? In the midst of a new epidemic and rising oppression, will their love be the most costly fatality? Filled with gripping action and raw emotion, this spellbinding adventure of star-crossed lovers captivates with every turn of the page in this electric continuation of The Carthage Chronicles.

Review

I was super excited about the first novel in this series, and it had one of those cliffhanger endings that made me want to read the second novel. Oh, this book. I found it in equal parts intriguing and frustrating. My thoughts:

What I liked:

Time-travel. It’s not often you get very many Christian fiction time travel novels, and so I always appreciate them. If you like time-travel, you will like this book, though, because it’s a second novel it doesn’t focus a lot on the differences between now and then.

Shock and awe. I’m not sure what I expected when I started this book, but I think I might have gasped a couple of times. I mean there was a wrench thrown in Lisbeth’s path every few chapters.

The time period. It’s Roman, but it’s not Rome. It’s this small city that explores the difficulties that that era faced in regards to religion, health care, finances, everything.

Barek. I could almost barely remember him in the first book. But he was hilarious in this book (and I’m not sure if he was meant to be, but he was). I think I know who is going to play a big role in book three and with whom….

Spiritually, this novel really shows what a life of faith looks when lived. You get with the example of Ruth, Magdalena, and even Lisbeth at times. It’s not always fun and roses, but God is still there.

What I didn’t like (or rather what frustrated me):

Cyprian. He’s not the same from the first book. Admittedly he has gone through some difficult times, but he felt a bit beaten down and worn, and not quite as dashing as I had pictured him.

Lisbeth. She kept some information to herself that was VERY IMPORTANT for most of the book under the guise that she was so busy. Not that busy Lisbeth, not that busy.

Maggie. She was kind of cute, but she was kind of annoying. I couldn’t tell if this is just how children are in general or just Maggie.

I also had to suspend my disbelief a bit. I was not concerned about the time-travel aspect of the novel, but why aren’t the other people in the book not concerned? They had no problem with Lisbeth coming and going from the 21st century.

Romantic scale: 7

Overall, I found this book to be very entertaining. If you read the first book, read this one to. I know I found some things to pick at, but it’s still worth reading. I thought the ending was kind of sad…except there’s a book three which I’m looking forward to.

**I received a copy of this book from the author. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**