Unbound

Author: Eleanor Bertin
Genre: Inspirational Fiction

Three deaths, three widows, and the ties that bind.

Ruthie Adrian loves ranch life with her handsome husband Mac and his family. But her fading hope for a child dissolves when Mac is killed in a crash along with his brother and father.

Added to their heartbreak, Ruthie and her mother-in-law Naomi now face rejection by her sister-in-law, and impossible barriers as they try to protect their land.

Jake, a self-styled prophet steps up with a bizarre offer. A Godsend or a trap?

With raw grief, unexpected humour, and life-giving grace, Unbound is a modern twist on a timeless tale of the unique bond between two widows, who harbour a few secrets of their own.

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Reviewer: Nicole Wegscheider

Eleanor Bertin’s book, Unbound begins with three women discovering the death of three men - a father and two sons. This contemporary story unfolds in rural Alberta, Canada. One widow is Naomi Adrian, wife of Eli Adrian and the mother of Mac Adrian and Chet Adrian. The other two widows are the daughters-in-law — Ruthie, wife of Mac and O’Dell, wife of Chet. O’Dell also has young children. These widows quickly discover that someone else owns their farmland and that they do not have any savings in the bank for their future. What a stressful and messy situation! Uncle Jake, Eli Adrian’s half-brother, presents a shocking solution to this dilemma.

I admire the author, Eleanor Bertin’s gifted ability to make words come alive. She paints amazing word pictures. I enjoyed the way that she depicts Uncle Jake as an annoying, nasty man. There is also a wonderful car chase scene with Uncle Jake, that had me on the edge of my seat. What will happen next?

Although the story starts on a tragic note, the author creates an action-packed adventure. In an effort to find the solution, the reader is transported to different places to shed light on the situation. One of those places is Uncle Jake’s farm.

With a title such as Unbound, there are opportunities for the discovery of secrets. Naomi has a secret that she has carried a long time. What is it? Naomi isn’t the only person with secrets. Who is this other person?

All things come together for good, and the solutions come from surprising sources. One source is a legal loophole. 

I enjoyed certain messages in this unique story. Forgiveness is very important, and a spirit of community is equally important.

I would highly recommend reading the book Unbound.

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Reviewer: Kandace Perry

'Unbound' by Eleanor Bertin is a must read. It speaks to your heart and shows you how to confront your fears and your greatest regrets with grace and dignity, and by opening your heart to the boundless love and forgiveness of our Lord.

The characters are beautifully and courageously portrayed with real-life heartache, and the toughest of choices. Eleanor reminds us how, we, as family and friends are to be a secure and safe sounding board for one another; how we should be learning from each other and encouraging each other in the Lord rather than judging each other.

Life can be so difficult and we can be so difficult on ourselves that we each need someone we can trust to laugh and cry with. The loss of a spouse, a parent, a child, an unborn baby; the loss of a home, of financial security, of your belief in God; the loss of courage or the belief in yourself... loss is all around us.

The beautiful revelation is God can restore us, heal us, create something new in us, and revive what we thought was gone. Through Him, joy comes in the morning. 

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