Gabriel's Redemption

(Please note: there are spoilers in this review, so if you haven’t read the book yet, you may want to skip it!) There are books you read, and then there are books that capture your mind and heart so thoroughly that you want to live in them forever. When a beloved series ends, it can be a painful thing. We thought we’d seen the end of the story of Gabriel Emerson and Julia Mitchell with the close of “Gabriel’s Rapture.” Fortunately, author Sylvain Reynard came to our rescue when he announced he was writing “Gabriel’s Redemption,” the third and now likely final (sob!) installment in the Gabriel series. So though parting is very sweet sorrow, the book provides answers to questions that remained open at the end of the second book while giving us a wonderful look at how the couple embarks on their life together. At the end of “Gabriel’s Rapture,” The Professor and Julia had just wed and are celebrating their honeymoon. When we reconnect with them in “Gabriel’s Redemption,” they’ve been married almost a year. Gabriel has settled into his new position as a professor at Boston University, but Julia is having a hard time adjusting to the workload and the expectations put upon a PhD student at Harvard. Julia has just completed a paper which analyzes a particular canto of Dante’s “Inferno.” The high quality of her work has earned her an invitation, through the inimitable Professor Katherine Picton, to present the paper at a conference at Oxford University. Gabriel is very proud and excited for her, until she tells him that the paper’s conclusions conflict with some of his own research. Slipping into “Gabriel is an ass” mode, her husband is infuriated – and, very likely, threatened. We’d read several times throughout the series that Julia was often worried about being consumed by Gabriel, and the reader here sees one of the ways in which that can happen. But instead of being intimidated by Gabriel’s expertise and knowledge, Julia sticks to her own theory about the canto, which discusses Guido de Montefeltro and the possible role of St. Francis in saving his soul. Once Gabriel lets his anger blow past – a lesson in patience that’s encouraged by his father, Richard – he rereads Julia’s paper and acknowledges that her theory is plausible and backed up by solid research. It’s quite a departure for Gabriel, who’s know to be stubborn and arrogant in many ways, especially when it comes to his professional expertise. As I read his admission that Julia was probably right and had done fine work on her paper, I realized she had truly effected a sea change in her husband. He’d reconsidered not just for the sake of his marriage, but for the sake of research and scholarly advancement. Smart move, Gabriel. Supporting your wife helps your marriage and the annals of Dante research. As the Snarky Narrator might say, “Now, was that so difficult, Professor?” They depart for the conference in Oxford, where Julia will present her paper to an audience of Dante specialists from around the world. She’s naturally nervous but shored up by the encouragement of Professors Emerson and Picton. The scene where she discusses her findings, and then fields questions from experts with years of experience ahead of her own, is one of my favorite in the book. It’s a joy to see Julia’s strength and confidence as she more than holds her own in a roomful of intimidating tweed jackets...and an obnoxious enemy from the past. While at Oxford, Julia and Gabriel run into their old nemeses, Christa Peterson and Professor Giuseppe Pacciani. The two are still involved with each other, a relationship fueled by the need for sex and revenge. Deluded as ever, Christa is determined to seduce Gabriel in spite of his marriage to Julia. The reader will note gratefully that she is no more successful this time than she was in the prior 24,389 times she attempted to lure him since she’d shown up in his classes at the University of Toronto. All joking aside, Christa is relentless in her determination to have The Professor for herself. She could be the most disliked person in the Gabriel series. And while readers may get satisfaction from the scene where she is publicly embarrassed at the conference in England, she is later the victim of an assault. It’s an upsetting event; for all Christa’s hard-heartedness, we know she must be deeply wounded and traumatized when she is raped by her lover. I have a lot of sympathy for Christa because of what happened to her. Sad to say, women are victims of vicious and cruel crimes, and Sylvain Reynard shows that anyone – male or female, wealthy or poor, educated or not – can fall prey to a predator. It’s a cautionary tale which emphasizes that victims come from all backgrounds and circumstances. (Julia was nearly raped and probably would have died at the hands of Simon in “Gabriel’s Inferno” if Gabriel hadn’t arrived when he did.) The blame for this incident should be rightfully put on the perpetrators of such acts – here, the twisted, duplicitous Pacciani. There are also many joys in the series, and one of the greatest is witnessing the personal growth of both The Professor and Julia. That’s something that continues in “Gabriel’s Redemption.” Through his love for his wife, Gabriel learns to become more vulnerable, more forgiving and patient, and less in control – all lessons that Julia teaches him, gently and by example. And he, in turn supports her work and her devotion to her scholarly pursuits while reaffirming that her character - her compassion and charity - are among the qualities that make her highly desirable. She learns to have more confidence in herself and her choices. I think this is made most evident in the intimacy between Gabriel and Julia. There are a number of love scenes in the book, but as always, Reynard writes them lyrically and sensuously; they are never gratuitous. To me, they underscored how Julia grew in confidence and in her ability to accept that she was physically desirable, and that she deserved the ardor of the man she’d loved for so many years. She has grown past much of her shyness and feelings of inadequacy. I was struck by this most in a scene where Gabriel and Julia are in bed, enjoying a sexual position that recalls one of the famous black and white photographs that Gabriel had in his bedroom in the Manulife Building a lifetime ago. When Julia had first seen the picture, she was repulsed by it, believing that it represented a sexually dominant side of The Professor. Now, however, she welcomes the chance to explore different facets of intimacy with her husband, including activities that might have frightened her before. She trusts Gabriel; she knows he only wants her pleasure and fulfillment, and it’s brought her light years ahead of where she was when they met. It’s wonderful to see how comfortable she is and how their love is expressed so thoroughly (and frequently) together. In spite of the progress and their ability to work through the professional disagreement, Julia and Gabriel face another obstacle: his strong desire to become a father. While Julia wants a family too, she and Gabriel are not in sync over the timing. She’s worried that a child would derail her schooling and her research for her PhD. It’s a difficult situation which inspires the reader’s sympathy: this is one difference for which there is no compromise. Mother Nature takes the situation in her own hands, as it turns out, and while it may have been a shock to Gabriel and Julia, it’s immensely satisfying to the reader. The question of children in the Emersons’ future is also tied to what I think is a major theme of “Gabriel’s Redemption:” the importance of family. From the start of their marriage, Gabriel finds his home with Julia; they are already family together. Some of the most significant events in the book involve Gabriel’s discoveries about his biological family: his mother, his father and his half-siblings; and a grandfather whose academic, religious and charitable achievements were well known to The Professor, even as he never knew they were directly related. Julia’s father remarries, and he and his wife give her a baby brother. Paul, who has returned to Vermont to be with his parents and recover from his broken heart, reconnects with an old love; that flame, it seems, didn’t completely go out. Simon finds true love and redemption only to see it snatched away by a past girlfriend and family ties that place political advancement above matters of the heart. And the wonderful Richard, Gabriel’s true father, finds peace through a magnificent dream about his late wife that helps him keep going and again be a loving participant in his own family. I will never tire of these characters, but if “Gabriel’s Redemption” is really the last book in this series, it’s the perfect way to end it. Thank you, Sylvain Reynard.

OH MY!!! Signing up for this tour was a dream and all I can say is that I was beyond excited to be able to participate. First off, it pushed me to finally....FINALLY read the books... (yes, I know....CrAzY....) So, I picked up Gabriel's Inferno and suffice it to say I kicked myself in the rear for not reading this book earlier. OH MY FREAKIN GOODNESS that book was so awesome...I could not put it down...it was fantastic....*sighs* Well, I wrapped it up and dove right in to Gabriel's Rapture and again...BAM...caught up and knew I would forever love these books... So, here I am riding on this book hangover high and knew that I would be starting book 3, Gabriel's Redemption, and ultimately have to say goodbye to my beloved Gabriel and Julianne. *takes a deep breath* Ok...I am going to try my hardest to write a review letting you know how FAN-FREAKIN-TABULOUS this series and book is without giving any spoilers. It will be hard because I am reviewing the third book.. So, here goes... I open Gabriel's Redemption and it picks up right where Gabriel's Rapture leaves us. We are following the happy couple and things seem to be moving along quite well for them. I am trying my hardest to figure out exactly where this book is going to go, but truthfully, there isn't any use. Sylvain Reynard never once took me on the path that I thought he would. Yes, there were close calls on my guesses, but he does such a wonderful job creating a storyline that keeps you so engrossed that your guesses just don't hit the mark. That....That is a REMARKABLY AMAZING THING!! Love it!! Anyway, just like the books before, we are immersed in the academia world and the eloquent verse in these books are like smooth butter on bread...It is refreshing and stimulating and through every scene I was enchanted. Of course I was also spellbound to the one and only Professor Gabriel. OH MY STARS!!! That man...HOT DAYUM!!!! I may have to take a timeout because my heart is just a fluttering and it is getting HOTTTTT in here...*takes a deep breath to regain composure* Ok...OK...I am back to normal... From book 1 until now the transformation that we see Gabriel go through as well as Julianne is awe-inspiring. There were so many moments in which I felt my heart and chest swell with such adoration and respect for these two characters. Their love truly did conquer their fears and brought out better individuals because of it. And to say that they had a healthy sexual relationship would be putting in mildly. These two could heat up the Arctic and cause Global warming with how SCORCHIN their passionate encounters were. *fans self thinking of those juicy flaming moments* WHEW!!!! Ok...so we definitely see that they have journeyed through some tough weather, but Gabriel's Redemption doesn't let up on these two and we find that even though they tried to leave the past in the past, it kept popping up in their present. What will this couple do to cope?? What major things are going to interfere to disrupt their lives this time?? To say the least, I was surprised and elated at how things progressed in Gabriel's Redemption. It is a beautiful tale of spiritual growth that warmed my heart exponentially. My stomach was in knots worrying as well as it was filled with butterflies at awesome discoveries. If this is a series you haven't started....DON"T WAIT any longer...Believe me...It is a brilliant piece of literature. It is mind blowing and I am truly going to miss this alluring and enticing series.... A DEFINITE MUST READ!!!

Sylvain is the master of writing woo and so I was excited about the release of this third book in the series but I found I wasn’t enjoying it quite as much as I did for the first two volumes. I feel the difference here is that the story is not about wooing a character and is not about a budding romance and the exciting thrill of something new. This is a story about an established relationship; about making new lifestyle adjustments as a newlywed couple and addressing the continuing existence of their network and social conflicts. This story is categorized on Amazon as erotica – but it’s not. Yes, there are a plentitude of sex scenes between Julia and Gabriel – almost too many -- but I seem to recall the scenes were written more explicitly in the first two books; not so much here. They’re nice, but they’re Harlequin style and that’s not bad; it’s just not erotica. Julia has become a stronger character and demonstrates her developing backbone in social situations and in her personal life. I enjoyed reading her presentation at the Uffizi and how she graciously dressed down Christa among their peers. I can foresee her character continuing to strengthen as she carries on her path to earning her doctorate and evolving as a new mother. Gabriel will always be a work-in-progress type of character. His strong personality is constantly tested resulting in extreme high and low emotions. Julia is a very good ying to his yang. It was a little tiring reading how each of them got caught up in their heads overthinking the stressful situations at hand or over fearing future outcomes, but life is like that. We all get caught up in our heads debating the right, least hurtful way to approach a stressful situation, and everyone around us gets tired of us. So, here fiction certainly mirrored life. *********************SPOILERS************************* I appreciate Sylvain’s good writing and how he didn’t always take the expected path in scenes. For example, Christa sneaks her business card into Gabriel’s suit pocket. The reader anticipates that Julia will find the card and a clichéd misunderstanding will flare up. Even when Gabriel tosses the crumpled card into the hotel room wastebasket, the reader still expects Julia’s discovery. Sylvain didn’t take a clichéd route in writing the card’s revelation and that’s certainly refreshing. However, the style of many of the chapters was template-like and so the delivery was feeling a bit rote by the end of the book. The snarky narrator is humorous but he appears in nearly every chapter and becomes a nuisance. Most of his narrations contained a phrase along the lines of “it should be noted ...” My snarky narration: (Yes, yes, yes, but now you’re becoming a pest.) I enjoyed revisiting Paul’s character and I easily empathized with his feelings. I liked how he was impassioned to defend Julia and to hold his own against Gabriel. Paul and Julianne certainly would have made a good couple together and Paul knows that but he’s willing to pick himself by the bootstraps and move forward with his life. Some of the side characters were distracting: Tom and Diane and their surprise pregnancy; Rachel and Aaron and their struggles to become pregnant. Honestly, I don’t feel this story needed these additional tangents. In addition, it was a little bit distracting to be passively introduced to a slithering yet unnamed character at the Uffizi Gallery. Now that I’ve had the benefit of reading a teaser to Sylvain’s next novel, I suspect the slithering character will make a more pronounced appearance in our future readings of Sylvain’s next novel.

This series is so dear to my heart because it was one of the very first ones I read when I started loving romance books. I totally fell in love with Gabriel and his story, I've never read anything so beautifully written before. Now, a year after Gabriel's Rapture, Sylvain Reynard did it again and completely captivated me with a perfect and epic conclusion to one of my favorite series of all times. In Gabriel's Redemption Julianne and Gabriel are newly weeds and enjoying married life. Gabriel is trying to let go of his past and imagining a more beautiful future where he becomes a father. However, Julianne is focused on her graduate program and can't see herself achieving her career goals while becoming a mother. And that's when their challenges begin. Julianne doesn't want to jeopardize her career goals but fears that she's being selfish and depriving Gabriel of complete happiness by putting her dreams first. As she struggles with those feelings, Julianne discovers that Gabriel is actually fighting worst demons. After some sad occurrences, Gabriel has a revelation that forces him to rethink everything. His past comes back to haunt him and he starts to believe that he's not deserving of more in life. That wishing for more may mean losing his beloved Julianne and that's a risk he's absolutely not willing to take. To make matters worst, other characters from their past come back to challenge them and to try to break them apart. To overcome all their troubles, Julianne and Gabriel go through the journey of learning how to communicate well in their marriage, how to confront their fears from their past and future, and to always have hope. Now lets talk about the characters! It was heartwarming to reconnect again with these characters, especially with Gabriel. He took my breath away with his sophisticated, intellectual, passionate, and extremely romantic personality. There's really no other character like Professor Emerson. But something amazing happens to Gabriel in this book, he finally finds peace in himself. He finally finds his own redemption. I know that's kind of expected from the title but after everything that happened in the previous books and how involved I got in this story, I never thought I would see the day that my dear Gabriel would be completely healed. That right there tells you how symbolic this final book is for the fans of this series! ♥ I loved Julianne in this book; she was an extraordinary character. There was so much goodness in her heart and she showed it every time by always having faith and hope and by teaching Gabriel how to forgive. I totally agree with him when he said that she's his brown-eyed angel. Without her there wouldn't be a Gabriel and there wouldn't be a redemption. She was a true heroine in this story because she saved him. Throughout the book I really enjoyed getting closure for every other character that appeared in the story. Yes, you'll see exactly what happens to every bad and good guy/girl in the story. I praise Sylvain Reynard for giving readers that because it brought every aspect in the story together making the conclusion that much meaningful. Now, the ending like I said before it was perfection. It was beautiful, touching, heartfelt, and profound. I was left feeling overjoyed and in peace because I knew that my dear Gabriel and Julianne were going to be forever happy. And there's no better feeling than that one for a romantic reader like me! ♥ I love Sylvain Reynard's style of writing; it's elegant, sophisticated, and scholarly. The incorporation of literature and poetry makes it extremely unique and fascinating to me. Aside from getting a beautiful romance story, I also got to learn very interesting things in the world of literature (thank you dear Professor Emerson!). This is an unforgettable story and I would recommend it in a heartbeat! I LOVE IT! ♥

I was thrilled when Sylvain Reynard announced that there would be a final book in the Gabriel’s Inferno Series. I could not get enough of Gabriel and Julianne and re-read both Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture several times when they were first released. Gabriel’s Redemption, the third book in the series, is immensely satisfying and stunningly written. Even descriptions of simple acts such as eating or studying take on rich and layered meanings when written by Sylvain Reynard. And the love scenes between Gabriel and his beloved Julia took my breath away. “In the months since their marriage, their desire had not abated, nor had the sweetness of their coupling. All speech melted into motion and touch and the bliss of physical love.” This story takes place shortly after their marriage and shows the struggles that Gabriel and Julia — like most couples — must go through while building a life together. Will Gabriel overcome the guilt he feels about his past? Will Julia be able to reconcile Gabriel’s burning desire to start a family with her own educational ambitions? She, too, feels guilt and conflicting emotions over Gabriel’s plans for their future together. “Gabriel was a consuming fire. His passion, his desires, all seemed to overtake the desires of those around him. He’d told her once that she was the only woman who’d ever said no to him. He was probably correct.” Sylvain Reynard weaves in many Old Testament references which enrich the love story between Gabriel and Julia. Nicely balanced with the heavy themes of love, forgiveness and redemption are the funny comments by the Snarky Narrator, which lend an air of levity to the book. The secondary characters that I love also make appearances in this book. Professor Picton is a strong influence on Julia and helps to guide her in making certain life-altering decisions including dealing with the evil Christa, who is still out to make trouble for the Emersons. We also see a glimpse into Paul Norris’ life and the dangerous Simon and Natalie also make appearances. Gabriel’s devotion to Julia remains unwavering and I loved reading their scenes together. He still battles with feelings of inadequacy but Julia’s goodness helps him overcome his deep-seated feelings of guilt and self-loathing. “Almost six months into their marriage he loved her more than before, he envied the very air she breathed.” I also loved the way in which Julia grew as a person in this book, and became much stronger in her educational studies and in dealing with her professors and others who conspire against her. She also stands up to Gabriel, who is certainly a force to be reckoned with. Gabriel, too, grows as a person as he uncovers facts about his past that help him find closure to certain events in his life and bring him some measure of peace. “I suppose we’re all on our own spiritual journeys.” “Some of us are further along than others.” Sylvain Reynard did a spectacular job of concluding Julia and Gabriel’s story in this book. Once again, Sylvain delivers a richly detailed and deeply-felt story that will stay with you long after you finish the last word. I was sobbing at the sheer beauty of this book and can’t wait to read more from Sylvain Reynard.

Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse Nuttall Foreword and quotes chosen by Rachel McEwan. Rachel: Whooo hooo! Sharon has finally read my all-time favourite series! As Sharon says in her review, I have been insisting she reads these books for quite some time! Did I worry that she wouldn’t love them as much as I do? No way! I knew she’d love Gabriel and Julianne as much as I do. I don’t think I’ve ever received as many messages from her swooning over Gabriel and then the next minute, panicking about what she’d read! Don’t you just love it when your book buddy loves your treasured books as much as you? This is the reason Sharon and I read and review together as we love the same kind of books. So without further ado, take it away Sharon and tell us all what you thought of Gabriel and Julianne’s story *applause*. Sharon: They do say better late than never and this can most certainly be applied to my discovery of whom has become one of my best-loved authors. If it wasn’t for my sister-in-arms’ insistence who runs Kindle Friends Forever book blog with me, I would still be oblivious to the fact that SR writes exceptionally well. I could feign ignorance and even blame time; however, with so many good books to review, I just never got around to reading the series. I read the books consecutively, l was sleep deprived and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. You may ask why I decided to review the last book and not the others. The answer is quite simple. I was overwhelmed with the metamorphosis in Gabriel’s character and please don’t misinterpret me, I adored him in book one and two, besotted in this one. Gabriel ~ “I want to see your naked skin glow in the moonlight while I’m inside of you.” The author has described the upheavals in the terms of two academics’ relationship, perfectly. In most cases, being in love is just not enough and even though Gabriel wanted a marriage made in heaven, the author went to great lengths to show his readers that it’s not a bed of roses. I’ll talk about the bed of roses later as there are more stolen kisses in this read than in the two previous books. Gabriel knew if he didn’t face his past, it could come back with a vengeance. He had to learn to share his fears, learn to respect his partner’s decisions, learn to be more generous with his own spirit and overcome his jealousy. He had a marvellous teacher, Julia. His Beatrice. Harvard professor elite in his field and highly respected among other Dante specialists, he now has to adapt to married life. Not an easy feat for one that has pleased himself at a whim over the years. He agonizes about his past immensely, his sufferance affecting what appeared to me to be a solid bond with Julia, puts a strain on both of them in more ways than one. When there’s a will…, I was delighted that he decided to stop a bad habit, but he’s unduly protective of his wife which only adds to more frustration. He is sure his reasons are valid though. Those very reasons are entwined into the plot making this read par-excellence. Gabriel ~ “Every night when I fall asleep her in my arms, I thank God she’s mine. Every morning when I wake up, my first thought is that I’m grateful she married me. I will never be worthy of her. But I spend every day trying my damnedest…” The subject of having children is without a doubt, the backbone of this story. And although this causes friction between Gabriel and Julia, after much discussion, he is prepared to wait until she finishes her studies. Fortunate in being adopted my two people that loved him unconditionally, he revisits an orphanage in the birthplace of Dante, Florence, hoping to find peace of mind. By doing good deeds might give him what he craves for, God’s forgiveness. While observing him interacting with the children, she understands how he feels about his need to start a family. She questions herself. Is she being selfish because she wants to finish her studies? Is he prepared to support her wishes regardless? This is when I saw the new Gabriel. Gabriel ~ “Don’t cry my sweet girl. You’re my Beatrice and my sticky little leaf and my beautiful wife. I’m sorry I’ve been such a bastard. I wanted to show you how important you are to me. You are my precious masterpiece.” Julia; Julianne, Beatrice—Dante’s inspiration, the woman who Gabriel can’t envisage living a life without. She is much younger than her husband and so gifted. Not only is her intelligence admired by her husband, try having a coherent conversation with a man who is a polyglot and constantly quotes Dante in Italian among other poets was much to my delight, splendid! Shakespeare’s Othello was not beyond her knowledge. She gave back what she was given with style and humour and this never ceased to surprise him. I must say how much I enjoyed reading these quotes without being ‘modernised’ for want of a better word. This woman is quintessential. She calms troubled waters; her honesty and her beliefs outshine throughout the story and without her, he well knows that he won’t be the new Gabriel he’s yearning for. Julianne ~ “You can’t eliminate your past but you don’t have to be controlled by it.” The secondary characters are as well developed as are the leading ones. Rachel, Gabriel’s sister and Julia’s best friend has her own cross to bear. She married her childhood sweetheart, Aaron, their problems with fertility making my heart break in two for a couple who deserved to be parents. I really felt that the author could have given them a little more attention towards the end, but on reflection, it wasn’t their story. I had already connected to Gabriel’s father in the first book and his wisdom never faltered. It abounds in this book as he’ll be the one to encourage his son to find his roots. I couldn’t possibly not forget to mention Christa. Messages between my book buddy who is an expert in this series, flew across the globe at lightning speed. Christa wasn’t a case of a woman scorned either. Spurred on by her desire for revenge against the only man who had refused her, actually has its comeuppance. And I shouted hooray out loud! Julia’s ex is still in the loop and never in a million years could I believe what I was reading. I thanked small blessings for Julianne’s uncle, Jack, here. Since the aforementioned person and one of his former lovers had really been a thorn in her side, I asked myself if her uncle would be able to address this problem with his adroit skills more than once. Katherine Picton. What an outstanding character, what an incredibly important part she played in this story. English, professor in the art of language interpretation and of course, Dante. Her stance I welcomed with open arms when events reached its crescendo. Katherine ~ “Now, I hope I’ll be invited to your house when I give my lecture series at Harvard in January. Greg Matthews always takes me to these appalling molecular gastronomy restaurants that serve deconstructed entrees cooked in liquid nitrogen. I can never decide whether I’m having dinner or sitting an exam in organic chemistry.” I have to comment on the author’s wordmanship which I found so incandescent. Up until about two thirds into the book, it had been very old fashioned. Proper, correct and with academic finesse and flair. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Gabriel was using phrasal verbs. Brilliant. Quite brilliant! Now then, before summing up, the subject of religion and matrimonial scenes has to be raised. This is by far a much sexier read than the other two. Gabriel gives Julia confidence in the bedroom. He makes her feel beautiful and wants to please her by sharing his sexual expertise; Julia literally flowers. She wants to learn, make him happy, too. And by god, does she. They can’t keep their hands of each other and this detail, for me, was really important to the structure of the story. This showed me that this doesn’t have to be an issue when religion, faith and the love of any deity is bound by the most natural act in the world. In this aspect, utmost care was taken not to offend and I honestly salute the author. Furthermore, faith is for them, a basic necessity. Julia had it, Gabriel found it. I thought I would be lost for words, and even though I had no my intentions of reviewing; here you have my honest opinion. Sylvain Reynard, your book is a masterpiece I will endeavour to reread if the god’s above me give me a break! Bravisimo! Rachel here again! Wasn’t that an amazing review! If Sharon hasn’t convinced you to one-click this book, I don’t know what will! As you can tell from the review, Sharon adored this book and rightly so. Just before we go, I’d just like to leave you with another quote. It’s a dirty one but then this is Professor Emerson… Gabriel ~ “You smell like sex.” Julianne ~ “That’s why I’m not taking a shower. We had incredible make up sex, which I’d like to remember.”

I give the book 3.5 stars, although honestly, i really WANT to give it 5 stars. Lets start with the pros: - loved this series - LOVED the characters - loved the level of writing and the intelligence behind it. - the series knows how to hold on to you and not let you go. Its by far one of the best book series that i've EVER read, and i've ready quite a bit. SO.... with all that said, how can there be cons? This third book was.... different...... from the first two. It wasn't neccessarily bad, but it was definately one thing, and one thing only. Fan Service. While i don't mind that, i do feel as though the real story ended after the second book. Also, the intensity of the first two books seemed to not quite be there. The story was interesting and held my attention, but SR definately had some literary devices he used (say the last few chapters of the book) that i think could have been done without. For the Gabriel books, it almost came across as tacky. If I wasn't completely enamored by the rest of this series, i would have been more frustrated with it. The conclusions for some of the characters seemed quite abrupt as well, and some seemed to be a bit too harsh. I understand when you play with fire you get burnt, but it seemed to me as though SR wrote some characters as having NO redeeming qualities. To me, this seems somewhat unrealistic. My last con, and i must say the most frustrating one.... was Paul. While he was an enjoyable character in the first two books, I LOATHED his part in this book. I don't believe his character was realistically portrayed here at all. I think SR had him in there to try and add some angst, but honestly, his little conclusion could have been wrapped up quicker and the book would have been better. In conclusion, if you loved the first 3 books, you probably will absorb this and gush at parts just like you did in the first two. I know i did. However, this book is totally Fan Service, so be aware going into that and don't hold your breath. Enjoyable read, but not quite the same caliber as Inferno and Rapture.

Gabriel’s Redemption is undeniably the MOST anticipated book for me of 2013. Although it was the author’s original intent to end the series after book two, this is a story that needed to be told. Gabriel fans could have (perhaps) been content with the Emerson’s HEA at the conclusion of Gabriel’s Rapture. However, in real life, everyone knows that happily ever after may be a dream, but it is seldom reality. Oh yes, I know (so please, please don’t tar and feather me) that this is a story of fiction, but for me, Gabriel and Julianne are just about as authentic and real-life as any modern-day fictional couple in this genre. Furthermore, even though Rapture ends with a contented sigh, there were so many questions – loose ends if you will – that begged to be tied up. So first, a gratified and heartfelt “thank you” to SR for giving Professor and Mrs. Emerson fans the closure we so desperately yearned for. Sylvain Reynard is thorough and meticulous in addressing everything (and then some) that I could possibly have thought to ask for in this final installment. Yes, Christa Peterson is still angry at being rebuffed by Professor Emerson, and while revenge may appear to be sweet, it can also be a bitter pill to take. Shouldn’t there be some comeuppance for Simon Talbot? What’s next for Julianne? Can she successfully balance being Gabriel’s wife while pursuing a Harvard Ph.D., or will her husband’s expertise and reputation cast doubt amongst the academic community as to her own validity as an emerging Dante expert? And let’s not forget Gabriel, (after all, this is his redemptive story). Will he continue to be tormented by his past, or can he experience, with the grace and love of Julianne, his Damascene conversion. Gabriel continues to struggle with the ghosts of his formative years – his in absentia father, the death of his mother, the rejection of his mother’s family, his drug and alcohol addiction, Paulina and Maia, the heartbreaking loss of his adoptive mother, Grace, and the pain both he and Julianne endured as a result of the deal Gabriel brokered with the University of Toronto in an attempt to protect Julianne and her budding academic career. At the center of it all, however, even in pursuing (and receiving) all of the answers readers like me were so craving, is a continuing, steadfast and abiding story of love, forgiveness, acceptance, and grace. Nowhere in my reading have I encountered characters more compelling, captivating and fundamentally authentic than Gabriel and Julianne. When we meet Professor Gabriel O. Emerson in Gabriel’s Rapture, he’s introduced to us as a pretentious, pompous ass. Well, the good Professor has come a long way since then, and if asked, he’d likely give Julianne all the credit for his transformation. Oh, he’s still pompous and somewhat pretentious, but the “ass” part of his personality has been significantly tempered by the grace and unconditional love of Julianne. The entire Gabriel series is so far beyond anything else in this genre. Oh, it’s a romance, to be sure, but it transcends the genre on oh, so many levels. Professor and Mrs. Emerson have a firm and ardent devotion to their faith. They understand and embrace God as an integral and necessary part of their lives – both as individuals and in their marriage – and they frequently debate and deliberate their distinct existential dogmas and philosophies in loving and intelligent ways. Readers also experience the delight of partaking in yet another Dante debate between the good Professor and Mrs. Emerson, as well one more academic lecture which is (for me) one of the most interesting aspects of the series. At the end of it all, however, is a beautiful and moving story of sacrifice, commitment, forgiveness, acceptance and, yes, love. (It should also be noted that now that Gabriel and Julianne have said their nuptials, there is also a healthy dose of, shall we say, consummating.) Yes, Gabriel readers, the narrator’s facetious parentheticals are also back! For myriad reasons, many of which I’ve listed, Gabriel’s Redemption is worthy of the highest accolades! 5+ stars.

This novel was brilliant and enlightened. It was a perfect addition to the previous two installments. I highly recommend this series for several reasons. The plot is excellent and builds up in such a way that you can't help but admire it. The narration is flawless and captivating, and the characters are well-rounded, profound and passionate. They either make mistakes and learn from them, mature, or (not-so-)simply thread through the hardships paving their lives trying to remain faithful to their ideals and compassion. This has been a utterly enlightening and at the same time entertaining read, and this is worth mentioning since it is not often the case when you read a lot.

Sylvain Reynard your a genious!.... I loved this book. The first two were amazing as well, but I just felt like this book gave so much closure to the story line. I loved that Gabriel's character seemed to grow thoughout the trilogy and wasnt an overnight change (more realistic) However I did feel that some of it was a bit repetative, but overall it was a beautiful ending to an amazing trilogy! I have read this series a couple of times now and I love Gabriel more and more each time. I love a man of intellect and I love how that is portrayed in this book. He is for sure top 3 on my Book boyfriend list. Thank you Sylvain. Also I love that this is a canadian author and a lot of the first two books had a lot of Toronto (my home town) references in it. its rare that you see Canadian references in books, so that was nice to see as well. If you are looking for a great triology that is smart, passionate and HOT!... then look no further.

She does it again! Sylvia Reynard has smashed out another fantastic story! Filled with love, heartache, triumph, and happiness! Just perfect

The book was in excellent condition and it was very good value for money

Letto in inglese e non vedo l'ora che esca in italiano nel 2014. Gabriel's Redemption, terzo e ultimo libro della serie Gabriel's Inferno, è semplicemente fantastico! Sylvain Reynard non delude mai. Tutti coloro che si sono appassionati alla storia d'amore di Gabriel e Julia ameranno quest'ultimo volume. Un finale che rimane nel cuore.