Book Review: Love's Perfect Surrender

Love’s Perfect Surrender. Chiara Talluto. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, April 25, 2014. Trade Paperback and e-book, 292 pages.

Reviewed by Jessica Cage. 

Be prepared for a tearjerker.

Love's Perfect Surrender is the debut novel from Chiara Talluto. An outdoorsy, stay-at-home mother and philanthropist, Talluto brings forth a tale of a woman who is facing the crossroads of her life. Antoinette’s story is one that many women can relate to. Having struggled with her inability to bear a child, she is now faced with a husband who is ready to throw in the towel. However, Antoinette isn’t the type to give up easily, no matter how others may view their relationship.

At a moment when she is sure they will fall apart, she turns to her faith in God to help her through. With the guidance of their pastor, Antoinette and her husband, Vito, attempt to patch the holes in their marriage.

Just as Vito is finally ready to tell Antoinette he would like a divorce, she finds out she is pregnant! He of course thinks this is just a tactic she is using to keep him around, but when he finds out that it is true, he is still very conflicted about how they should proceed.

This book was very well written and completely captivating. It has been a while since I read a book that had me playing a game of emotional tug-of-war. These characters are so flawed and yet so real. The way that they move through the story and feed off each other’s energy, I felt as if I was a fly on the wall in their home.

This book depicts the struggle of a relationship that is obviously failing, nearing the brink of destruction. They choose to stay together for the sake of their unborn child (something that had me screaming internally about how big of a mistake this was). However, it’s a very real choice that real people make.

The reader is given both perspectives so it’s hard to choose a side. Whatever side you land on, you are in for a great story that will have you laughing, crying, and loving harder than thought possible. The best books have the reader walking away with a message, a perspective about life, even if they weren’t aware they were learning one. Chiara Talluto has done just that. I am eagerly awaiting the next book from this wonderful author.