The Weight of Shadows

By Alison Strobel

Description:

"After a difficult childhood, Kim has built a successful life for herself, but she'd leave it all if it meant being rid of the guilt she harbors over a tragic mistake she made years ago. When she meets Rick, she finds everything she needs—including a way to pay for her sins every time he hits her. Kim and Rick’s new neighbor, Joshua, knows more than Kim realizes about Rick’s abusive behavior, but Joshua has battles of his own to fight. Soon to intersect Kim’s and Rick’s lives is Debbie, who has saved countless women from abuse through the shelter she runs but might be as desperate for love as the women she serves. Meanwhile, as Rick’s wrath extends to their baby, Kim must decide if her penance is more important than protecting that innocent life—and if she should dare leave Rick when he has the power to bring her hidden crime to light. A gripping, gritty novel, The Weight of Shadows explores how the risks we take for those we love can touch the lives of others forever. "

Book Takeaway:

Guilt can eat you alive, but God can grant healing forgiveness.

Why the author wrote this book:

A local high school senior struck and killed a police officer in an auto accident a few years back. I couldn't help wondering how that event would affect her--would she be able to move beyond it, knowing it had been a total accident and not something she could have prevented, or would she be wracked with guilt for the rest of her life? I began to explore how guilt could drive someone to an extreme as they sought a way to deal with it, and how guilt could eventually take over your life if you let it. In the end I wanted to show that divine forgiveness can heal the sins of your past.