When I saw the subtitle to Red Like Blood, by Joe Coffey and Bob Bevington, I really wanted to read the book. Confrontations With Grace… Intriguing. It captured my attention.
Unfortunately, it’s the only thing about the book that help my attention.
I found the book to be unengaging and uninspiring. In fact, it was crass, even to the point of offensive a few times. I wasn’t impressed.
I’m not knocking their story. Bob’s story is centered around a failed marriage, largely his own fault, an affair, and a new marriage. And how God worked in his life to restore him to grace, and to rebuild relationships with his first wife and kids is nothing short of amazing. Joe’s willingness to work with him to explore the depth of God’s grace is incredible.
It’s a great story. But the book isn’t written in a way that captures the reader and draws him into the story.
In my opinion, these authors tried too hard to make the book sound like something by Donald Miller. I enjoy a lot of Miller’s stuff, but Red Like Blood felt like a copy of that style. And a few choices of wording and language were inappropriate. I understand that this is a book on grace. But the apostle Paul made it clear that grace isn’t to be taken advantage of.
All in all, stories of grace are encouraging to read. But I didn’t find this one to be encouraging at all. If you have the opportunity to read it, you may gain something from it. But I wouldn’t recommend that you spend the money to purchase a copy. Look for something better. You’ll be glad you did.
How has God expressed his grace visibly in your life? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Cross Focused Media as part of their Cross Focused Reviews blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“