A sweeping tale of love, forgiveness & redemption!

Francine Rivers' new larger-than-life novel, Bridge to Haven, is a powerful and intense story of a seventeen-year-old girl who is unable to get a grip on her life. Rebellious, she has been struggling all through her young life, physically and emotionally. Her life in the small town is filled with boring study, mundane chores and practicing the piano, and she is stiff tired. She believes Haven, California, is the dullest place on earth. She is dreaming to escape the drudgery of her life by moving far away to a big city, even dreaming of Hollywood and becoming a movie star.

Bridge to Haven by Francine Rivers is an incredibly poignant and soul-searching story - a sweeping tale of love, forgiveness and redemption. It is the story of a newborn baby who was found one night in 1936 under a bridge by Haven's minister Ezekiel Freeman. Zeke and his wife Marianne named her Abra. Five years later, Marianne dies forcing Zeke to give up on Abra to be adopted by Peter and Priscilla Matthews. So, Abra Matthews grows up under their watchful eyes but the searing imprint of her childhood left an agonizing scar on her. "I've been hurting my whole life," she said.

Years later, when a wily character Dylan Stark tempts her with the idea of trying their luck in Hollywood, she is seduced. She runs away with him, rejecting the advice of family and friends. She receives a make-over and becomes a starlet with a new name Lena Scott. But what initially promises to be an exciting journey brought her much heartache and disappointment. Everyone wants to exploit her, including her boss Franklin Moss who later committed suicide. Her life falls apart, leaving her painfully aching for the love and comfort of Haven and the dear people back home.

But when all seems lost, things can fall together miraculously beyond the hope of one's imagination. Joshua, the young son of Zeke who is deeply scarred by his experiences in the Korean War, is growing restless and wants to bring back Abra. His search brings him to Agua Dulce, and there in the most unlikeliest of all places they meet again. Abra was in her motel room, resting and reading the Gideon Bible. Every reading seems to point to her guilt. When Joshua brings Abra home to Haven, Zeke is praying on the bridge, almost as if he is waiting for her.

Bridge to Haven by Francine Rivers is inspired by the biblical story found in Ezekiel 16. It is a compelling story that will resonate deeply with readers. It is based on the life of 1950s Hollywood starlet Lena Scott, whose real name was Abra. Francine has meticulously researched about the lifestyles in the forties and fifties, Hollywood studios and stars, Second World War, the Korean War and many other details necessary to craft a realistic and believable story. It is an incredibly delightful story with memorable character that will leave a lasting impression on you.

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Francine Rivers:  New York Times best-selling author Francine Rivers began her literary career at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in English and journalism. From 1976 to 1985, she had a successful writing career in the general market, and her books were highly acclaimed by readers and reviewers. Although raised in a religious home, Francine did not truly encounter Christ until later in life, when she was already a wife, a mother of three, and an established romance novelist.

Shortly after becoming a born-again Christian in 1986, Francine wrote Redeeming Love as her statement of faith. First published by Bantam Books and then rereleased by Multnomah Publishers in the mid-1990s, this retelling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea, set during the time of the California Gold Rush, is now considered a classic work of Christian fiction. Redeeming Love continues to be one of the CBA's top-selling titles, and it has held a spot on the Christian best-seller list for nearly a decade.

Since Redeeming Love, Francine has published more than 20 novels with Christian themes—all best sellers—and she has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her Christian novels have been awarded or nominated for numerous awards, including the RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Gold Medallion, and the Holt Medallion in Honor of Outstanding Literary Talent. In 1997, after winning her third RITA Award for inspirational fiction, Francine was inducted into the Romance Writers of America's Hall of Fame. In March 2010, Francine officially became a New York Times bestselling author, when Her Mother’s Hope debuted at #12 on the hardcover fiction bestsellers lists. The sequel, Her Daughter’s Dream, debuted at #12 on the same list just six months later, in September, 2010. Francine's novels have been translated into over 20 different languages, and she enjoys best-seller status in many foreign countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, and South Africa.

Francine and her husband, Rick, live in northern California and enjoy time spent with their three grown children and every opportunity to spoil their grandchildren. She uses her writing to draw closer to the Lord, and that through her work she might worship and praise Jesus for all He has done and is doing in her life. (Goodreads)