Bridge to Haven

By: Francine Rivers

Narrated by: Kate Forbes

Length: 17 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's Summary

To those who matter in 1950s Hollywood, Lena Scott is the hottest rising star to hit the silver screen since Marilyn Monroe. Few know her real name is Abra. Even fewer know the price she' s paid to finally feel like she' s somebody. To Pastor Ezekiel Freeman, Abra will always be the little girl who stole his heart the night he found her, a wailing newborn abandoned under a bridge on the outskirts of Haven.

Zeke and his son, Joshua - Abra' s closest friend - watch her grow into an exotic beauty. But Zeke knows the circumstances surrounding her birth etched scars deep in her heart, scars that leave her vulnerable to a fast-talking bad boy who proclaims his love and lures her to Tinseltown. Hollywood feels like a million miles from Haven, and naive Abra quickly learns what' s expected of an ambitious girl with stars in her eyes.

But fame comes at an awful price. She has burned every bridge to get exactly what she thought she wanted. Now, all she wants is a way back home. In this riveting and highly anticipated tale of temptation, grace, and unconditional love, New York Times best-selling author Francine Rivers delivers big-canvas storytelling at its very best.

©2014 Francine Rivers (P)2014 Recorded Books

Francine Rivers is the best for a reason.

As a HUGE Francine Rivers fan, I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed in her two latest books (The Marta's Legacy Series). While good books, I felt they lacked the connection to the characters that I'd come to love about her other books. Whether it was the narration or the writing, I felt disconnected and disappointed.

Bridge to Haven is back to the Francine Rivers I adore. Redeeming Love and the Mark of the Lion series are my favorites by her, and Bridge to Haven is in their caliber. I laughed out loud, I cried, and I sang along with the Hymns that I recognized. The setting is fantastic, 40s-50s California, with references to all the old stars. Aubra will connect to so many girls/women of today, who feel they need to change themselves in order to be loved, that they have to be perfect or be discarded. It's a wonderful, touching, at times tragic, and at times lusty (did I just say lusty in reference to a Christian romance!?).

Francine finds a way to describe what Aubra goes through in regards to her search for love (ie: what normally are referred to as sex scenes but really aren't in this book). You experiences what she does, and are in the situation, without the graphic-ness that a secular book would have. If that's an issue, please don't let it deter you from the book. It's integral to the story, and is very tastefully written.

It's the best book I've read in a very long time. Francine Rivers books are always a cut above the rest and have a realness to them, and a way of the workings of God that a lot of other Christian fiction books tend to ignore in place of their own agendas. Francine's books are there to show us God's love for us, and Bridge to Haven does just that in a well written, hauntingly beautiful tale of a young girl searching for love and her place in the world.

HIGHLY recommended. Well worth your time.

54 of 56 people found this review helpful

My favorite Francine Rivers book so far.

I started this book on the day it came out and I couldn't put it down. Each time I read one of Francine's novels, I'm reminded why she is my favorite Christian Fiction author. My first read from Francine was Redeeming Love, and I thought that one was really good, but this one has to be my favorite. The characters really move you. Like I say, I couldn't put it down. In fact, I went over my lunch break by 15 minutes one day this week because I got caught up in the story. Five stars all the way.

25 of 27 people found this review helpful

I really Really REALLY wanted to love this

Where does Bridge to Haven rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I'm very picky when it comes to narrators- I can't count how many audiobooks I've returned because I couldn't stand the narrator. Kate Forbes does a good job-sometimes I was very aware of how slowly she speaks. Maybe it was because the story lagged at times in the middle It is near the bottom of my list of Francine Rivers books but better than most of the books in my library.

What was most disappointing about Francine Rivers’s story?

It just wasn't as good as some of her other books-it is probably compared to Redeeming Love more than the other books. It just feels to me to be too much like that book's plot-damaged, lost soul of a fallen women saved by a godly Christ-like man. The thing that appeals to me about Francine Rivers is the diversity of her books: Mark of the Lion, Redeeming Love, The Last Sin Eater, The Scarlet Thread and Loeta's Garden and the Lineage of Grace books are some of my favorite books and are all wonderful but so different. This book just didn't have the same impact on me as some of her others have. I also got weary hearing how many ways Abra was abused and taken advantage of-this book had more "sex scenes" than other books of hers I have read. They didn't offend me as being inappropriate, there were just so many of them! I inwardly cringed every time I started listening in the middle of the book ( as in " what terrible things are going to happen to her now?") The "Big Reveal" at the end wasn't a surprise and was kind of obvious.

Did Kate Forbes do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

A pet peeve of mine is when female narrators try to lower their voices and sound like men narrating men's characters. Kate Forbes lowers her voice a bit when reading male characters but she also changes HOW the talk-slower and with different accents. It is one of her strengths as a narrator.

If you could rename Bridge to Haven, what would you call it?

I hate this question-I'm not a publisher or author. I have no idea.

Any additional comments?

This isn't an awful book and I don't hate it and I don't regret spending 17 hours listening to it. I just doesn't have the impact some of her other books have had on me.

17 of 20 people found this review helpful

Broken People, Aching Souls, God of Grace and Love

Born in 1936, left under a bridge, abandoned and found by Pastor Zeke, Abra began life alone. Then loved and treasured by Zeke, his wife Marianne, and their son Joshua, Abra feels safe . . . for five years. Widowed, grief stricken and weighed down by the demands of his church ministry, Pastor Zeke allows the Matthews family from his parish to adopt Abra. Brokenhearted, Abra doesn't trust anyone . . . let alone a God who would take Marianne, the only mother she had ever known away. At seventeen, Abra runs off with a good looking rich boy, mistaking his attentions for love, leading her on a five year search to "find herself". But as far and as hard as she could run, she couldn't outrun God. Bridge to Haven is a well written, honest look at broken people in need of a loving God. All of us Christians would do well to listen and learn . . . to love as Christ loves, to extend grace as Christ does, and to be His hands and feet in a world in much need of acceptance and care.

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Inspirational as usual

Francine Rivers has always been one of my favourite authors. This much anticipated book did not disappoint. Inspiring story, showing God's love and commitment to us, even when we feel like all hope is lost. Thank you Ms Rivers!

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

I LOVE Francine Rivers

I absolutely love Francine Rivers. She is my favorite author. Redeeming Love was such an amazing story of redemption, forgiveness, and love. Because I love Francine Rivers as much as I do, I was so excited to see that her new book was out. I rushed to add it to my queue and I started listening right away. I have to say, this is the first book that I was really disappointed with. The writing seemed sloppy, not her usual style or ability displayed. I was amazed at all the general catch phrases she used. I was actually waiting for this one to end so that I could pick something else. I was very disappointed in the quality of this book and the narrator. It felt like a quota book instead of a book written out of passion. This was certainly a miss for me.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

True love

I enjoyed this book. I laughed and cried. One woman journal of life, hoping Jesus is with her but thinking he's not.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great Story—Narrator Lessened the Impact

Francine Rivers gave us a fantastic story of how our choices impact our lives and the lives of those who care about us; and how God is with us even when we do not see him weaving a trail out of the darkness back into the light. Anyone can relate a character to his or her own life experience(s).

That being said, while the story itself is great, the narrator greatly decreases the fullness of Rivers’ words because she reads the book, she does not perform the story. I gave rated the way I did largely due to the performance.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

God is good

loved this story, made me think of goodness and hope, it inspired me to be thoughtful.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

loved it!

This story will change hearts. I love how God's patience & forgiveness always wins ♡

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Another great book

Great story but could have been slightly shorter . Inspirational but not too cheesy. Definitely one to read.

Ok book

The beginning of the book was good and interesting. The last few chapters were predictable. The book closely echoed Redeeming Love which felt unorginal. Some of the scenes were also cheesy.

God is always there but we give in to the enemy.

A very good teaching of God's time in the guise of a story which comes to the forefront. Well written and well performed.

Gripping and a blessing

An engaging story written in such a compelling way and the journey of faith and to faith of the main characters ministered to me. Thank you.

Amazing story

You will not read this book without getting moved by its amazing story and writings. You will be attached to the book instantaneous. If you want to read a well written book and want to sink in to a phenomenal story, Abra, Josua and pastor Zeak will have you set the coming days. It's an amazing book. Especially I would recommend every girl to read this book with a humble and open heart. Stay watchful, you might get changed eternally.

Utterly wonderful

If you liked Redeeming Love I think you will love this too. It's a story with even more twists and turns. It beautifully describes what happens when we don't feel worthy of unconditional love. How we then look for love in all the wrong places. Constantly running. Shame becomes the Devils tool, keeping us from returning home.
The good news is that we can never escape God's love and, when we finally realise that there is nothing we can do to render us unworthy of it, why would we want to? All that is required is to surrender to that love and let the healing take place. What a relief when this finally happens.

Returning brings peace

A great story of consequences of choices but with the homecoming of faith to bring peace.

wonderful gritty story

loved the way this book twisted and turned showing the way God is always calling us back with infinite love compassion and forgiveness

Thoroughly riveting. I was on the edge of my seat

I felt that I was Abra being tossed from one situation to another. I cried with her, was sad and frightened when she was and I really wanted her to find a way to get out of the mess she found herself in. Very glad when she made the decision to return to Haven. A brilliant story - Josh was such a strong character I fell in love with him myself. Thank you Francine. More please.

a little to long.. good story

I loved the narration.. and the story line.. at part slow though.. but I finished