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    The Masterpiece
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    The Masterpiece
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    The Masterpiece
    Ebook588 pages8 hours

    The Masterpiece

    By Francine Rivers

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    A New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller

    “This character-driven romance will enthrall [Rivers’s] many fans.” —Library Journal

    The New York Times     bestselling author of Redeeming Love returns to her romance roots with this unexpected and redemptive love story, a probing tale that reminds us that mercy can shape even the most broken among us into an imperfect yet stunning masterpiece.

    A successful LA artist, Roman Velasco appears to have everything he could possibly want—money, women, fame. Only Grace Moore, his reluctant, newly hired personal assistant, knows how little he truly has. The demons of Roman’s past seem to echo through the halls of his empty mansion and out across his breathtaking Topanga Canyon view. But Grace doesn’t know how her boss secretly wrestles with those demons: by tagging buildings as the Bird, a notorious but unidentified graffiti artist—an alter ego that could destroy his career and land him in prison.

    Like Roman, Grace is wrestling with ghosts and secrets of her own. After a disastrous marriage threw her life completely off course, she vowed never to let love steal her dreams again. But as she gets to know the enigmatic man behind the reputation, it’s as if the jagged pieces of both of their pasts slowly begin to fit together . . . until something so unexpected happens that it changes the course of their relationship—and both their lives—forever.

    “Rivers deftly threads Roman’s and Grace’s lives together as they tiptoe around their emotional scars, eventually shifting into a dance of tentative steps toward a love neither can resist. Fans of Christian romance will delight in this tale of salvation through love.”
    —Kirkus Reviews

    “Richly detailed characters with traumatic pasts are woven together with biblical truths and redemptive themes. . . . This is an amazing, beautifully written tale to be savored and pondered and shared with others.”
    —Romantic Times

    “Readers will marvel at Rivers’s storytelling arc encompassing the reconciliation of gritty past misdeeds and the work in progress of a life of forgiveness.”
    —Booklist

    “Fans of Francine Rivers will eagerly devour The Masterpiece and find exactly what they are looking for: a beautifully written story of faith, romance, and the power that true freedom can bring.”
    —Bookreporter
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTyndale House Publishers
    Release dateFeb 6, 2018
    ISBN9781496418951
    Author

    Francine Rivers

    New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers is one of the leading authors of women's Christian fiction. With nearly thirty published novels with Christian themes to her credit, she continues to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her numerous bestsellers, including Redeeming Love, have been translated into more than thirty different languages.  Shortly after becoming a born-again Christian in 1986, Francine wrote Redeeming Love as her statement of faith. This retelling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea set during the time of the California Gold Rush is now considered by many to be a classic work of Christian fiction. Redeeming Love continues to be one of the Christian Booksellers Association’s top-selling titles, and it has held a spot on the Christian bestsellers list for nearly a decade. In 2015, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a member of Romance Writers of America's coveted Hall of Fame as well as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Visit Francine online at www.francinerivers.com and connect with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers) and Twitter (@FrancineRivers).

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    Reviews for The Masterpiece

    4/5

    77 ratings11 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I have struggled with some of this author's recent offerings (Bridge to Haven and the Marta's Legacy series) but, thankfully "The Masterpiece" showcased Francine Rivers at her brilliant best and reminded me why I love her novels."The Masterpiece" was a compelling read about Grace and Roman, both flawed and broken characters struggling to find who they are. Their back stories were fascinating, showing their traumatic childhoods, their loss of parents at a young age and growing up in loveless homes. I loved Grace's gentleness. Despite being a recently divorced mother with a young son, struggling to make ends meet, she always saw the good in people and treated them with kindness. Roman, on the other hand, was a former gang member and graffiti tagger who had become a successful artist but was disenchanted with his life. His story was so sad and I had a real soft spot for him in my heart. The secondary characters - Brian, Sharnice, Jasper, Aunt Elizabeth and the others were also complex and interesting and I loved how they supported and stood by Grace and Roman.Although seemingly opposite, I loved how Grace and Roman's stories intertwined. I was captured from the beginning and totally engrossed following their journey. My only disappointment was with the epilogue. I don't think it finished the book satisfactorily. I wanted more. However, I loved the front cover and the author’s explanation for it, at the end of the book, was fascinating.A beautiful story of love and forgiveness, "The Masterpiece" had me from the first page. It was gritty and gripping, heart-breaking and touching, and a wonderful read.
    • 5/5
      In her latest novel, Francine Rivers brings us Roman Velasco a well to do artist who could have anything money can buy, except peace and contentment. Using graffiti to deal with his hurt and emotions, running from foster home to foster home as a child, Roman aka Bobby Ray Dean (the bird) is haunted by his past as a graffiti tagger.

      Roman hires Grace as his personal assistant to help free up his time so he can concentrate on painting, but little does she know about Romans alter ego Bobby Ray Dean. Grace s dealing with her own secrets. Recovering from a bad marriage, Grace vows never to let a man hurt her again, but as they get to know one another the pieces begin to come together that alter the course of their lives.

      Francine Rivers has done a superb job writing this novel. She has created intriguing characters that every reader can relate to. The author has run with an idea of how a childhood trauma can impact adult life; how two broken individuals can find completeness together. The author also brings out the issues of how we as persons can fall into traps and be thrown into the worldly ways, only to suffer the consequences of our actions.

      She also points out that we are saved by Grace and that God loves us, and sometimes some of us have to realize there is a hell in order to hear and understand the truth.

      A wonderful novel that the reader will not be able to put down. Well written and keeps the reader wanting more.
      I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and 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.”
    • 5/5
      Grace Moore is a single mother, desperate to be independent again. When she takes a temp job as Roman Velasco's personal assistant, she almost quits on the first day. But the desire to support herself financially and care for her young son keeps her coming back daily to work for the temperamental artist. Grace quickly learns how alone Roman is, despite his career successes. As their working relationship improves, Grace and Roman are drawn to each other, but their beliefs and traumas of the past keep them far apart. Will they ever be more to each other than boss and assistant? Can God create a beautful masterpiece from two broken lives? Read more in The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers.I read The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers twice before writing this review and I thoroughly enjoyed it both times. Francine Rivers is a master storyteller and has been my favorite author since I first read her Mark of the Lion series about ten years ago. Rivers uses romantic tension, mysterious histories, and authentic characters with questions and issues to weave a story that captivates the reader's attention. Throughout The Masterpiece, Grace and Roman's pasts are slowly revealed and circumstances force them to deal with the separate traumas they experienced in childhood. Rivers' characters are throroughly developed, with the reader seeing exactly what makes these characters the way they are. Even as temperamental and rude as Roman was, I had no problem liking him as well as every other primary character in the book. I recommend The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers to everyone – man, woman, adult, or teenager. It's gripping, gritty, and full of God's grace. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. 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."
    • 4/5
      A fabulous new read from popular christian fiction author, Francine Rivers. This novel drew me in from the start and won't let me go, long after I've finished reading it. A powerfully redemptive story that reminds me how God pursues each one of us and masterfully orchestrates life so we search for Him. Touching on difficult topics such as childhood trauma, foster care, adultery, one-night stands, anger, and depression, I recommend this title for adults.
    • 4/5
      I don't read a lot of Christian Fiction. It tends to be sappy or preachy. A Francine Rivers novel is anything but. It manages to distill a Christian message into one that can be applied to anyone's life. Redeeming Love remains one of the best books I have ever read, Christian or not. I also loved her Mark of the Lion series. I tend to enjoy her historical novels more than some of the other books she's written but when I saw this new book coming out I really wanted to read it.Roman is a broken person, a product of the foster care system. Grace is equally broken, she is fresh off a divorce with a son not fathered by her husband. Her upbringing was a loveless mess too as she was raised by a cold aunt after her father murdered her mother. Roman hires Grace to be a personal assistant. At first they are like oil and water but gradually they realize they have more in common than they first thought. Roman is agnostic and Grace has faith that God has a plan for her life. Will faith be the thing that brings them together or will it drive them apart forever?I loved the message of this book. Roman has everything material that a person could want but he is empty inside. Grace knows that there is more to a relationship that a physical spark. It is easy to want the physical but it takes more than that to weather the ugly and the broken parts of a marriage. As grace and Roman learn more about each other they also learn what it will take to make a successful partnership, one where God is right in the middle of it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, both the romance aspects as well as it's message. It was the perfect book for Valentine's Day.
    • 2/5
      I would like to know why this book is unavailable at the moment, I really would love to have both the audiobook and ebook available.
    • 2/5
      I have read some of Francine Rivers' stories of Biblical characters, and have found them convincing and well-written, opening up a window in the lives of those characters, and their environment. I was far less convinced by this novel. It seemed to me that the whole story could have been told in 250 pages instead of 480! Although the difficult backgrounds of the main characters were well-told, the end result (conversion and the finding of true love) seemed to be totally predictable from the word go. So a little disappointing - I'll stick with the Biblical characters in future.
    • 4/5
      This is a unique story and includes topics that aren't typical in Christian fiction stories, but I like the real life, believable aspects and the growth and healing characters experience with mercy and forgiveness. A sure way to my heart is through a redemption story.I like Roman and Grace. It's easy to connect with their struggles. They are unique and flawed, but aren't we all?As with all Francine Rivers's stories, I was entertained, inspired, and touched deeply. Heartbreaking, redemptive, and satisfying.
    • 5/5
      Grace Moore is a single mother, desperate to be independent again. When she takes a temp job as Roman Velasco's personal assistant, she almost quits on the first day. But the desire to support herself financially and care for her young son keeps her coming back daily to work for the temperamental artist. Grace quickly learns how alone Roman is, despite his career successes. As their working relationship improves, Grace and Roman are drawn to each other, but their beliefs and traumas of the past keep them far apart. Will they ever be more to each other than boss and assistant? Can God create a beautful masterpiece from two broken lives? Read more in The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers.I read The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers twice before writing this review and I thoroughly enjoyed it both times. Francine Rivers is a master storyteller and has been my favorite author since I first read her Mark of the Lion series about ten years ago. Rivers uses romantic tension, mysterious histories, and authentic characters with questions and issues to weave a story that captivates the reader's attention. Throughout The Masterpiece, Grace and Roman's pasts are slowly revealed and circumstances force them to deal with the separate traumas they experienced in childhood. Rivers' characters are throroughly developed, with the reader seeing exactly what makes these characters the way they are. Even as temperamental and rude as Roman was, I had no problem liking him as well as every other primary character in the book. I recommend The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers to everyone – man, woman, adult, or teenager. It's gripping, gritty, and full of God's grace. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. 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."
    • 4/5
      I am completely unfamiliar with Francine Rivers and the books she has written, so I was not prepared for the heavy emphasis on religion. I am not a religious person; I practice spirituality (Buddhism and Hinduism.) I was drawn to this book for the subject of art. The artist, Roman Velasco, a main character, reminded me of Bansky in the beginning. During his developmental years, Roman started out painting graffiti with a few friends and learned parkour to escape capture by the police. He later becomes a famous painter while still painting graffiti, alone, in the dark of night. Roman is quite an interesting character. Grace Moore, a single mother, is hired as Roman’s personal assistant. Grace is committed to her religious faith and Roman’s is non-existent. The pair weave an interesting working relationship that naturally grows into them wanting to learn more about each other. Roman experiences a life changing event that has him evaluating the quality of his lifestyle. Both have pasts they are trying to escape and yet make sense of too. The latter part of the book is contains a lot of religious application (i.e., the Bible, church attendance, and prayer.) While I’m not able to relate to the religious aspects of this story, I definitely applaud Roman and Grace for the efforts they put forth to evaluate their personal decisions, responses to trauma, and willingness to forgive themselves and others.
    • 2/5
      Is it a thing that nice Christian girls only like pastels and twee stuff? And that an (supposedly good) artist will change style to sweet pics of Jesus when he finds God?