I was interested in reading this book as soon as I read the premise. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, as many times as I need to—The Rebel Christian is always looking for amazing Christian fiction, so I couldn’t wait to crack this open!

As a Believer, I was definitely interested in this Christian book, but as someone who wholeheartedly supports increased gun control, I was a little torn. I’m used to people challenging my beliefs—being a Christian, you just get used to it at some point, haha—but I was actually interested in what Ross’s story had to offer. How could a gun rights activist get himself caught up in so much controversy and drama? How could you tie Christianity into such a topic?

First of all, it helps that Ross’s writing is very good. I found the story to be very easy to follow, even when he was explaining certain points about guns and gun laws that could be a little confusing. While reading the story, I found myself feeling sympathetic to gun owners. I think its absolutely insane how people foam at the mouth, vehemently defending their right to own a gun. What any sane human being gets out of collecting weapons, I’ll never know, but Ross certainly opened my eyes to the other side of the road. Don’t get me wrong, this book was not a big sob story to guilt-trip you into changing your mind on gun control—my feelings on this matter have not changed, but this story did help me understand the other point of view.

I will never criticize an author for sharing their faith through their writing; there were plenty of references to God, Jesus, salvation, and forgiveness. If you aren’t someone who can be openminded and accepting of other people’s beliefs then I would suggest finding a different book—I mean, this is Christian fiction anyway. It was really encouraging to see strong Christian messages throughout the story; I loved that faith and trusting in God was emphasized and I loved that this story did not back down from tough topics. The characters were strong, and their stories stuck with me through the pages. It was refreshing to see that God is always with us, no matter what we are facing—even in the darkest corners of the earth, He is there, and He is always ready and willing to forgive us of our sins.

Even though I have not (and probably will never) changed my mind on how I feel about gun control in the USA, I did learn a lesson through this book. A Christian can be a gun enthusiast, a Christian can collect and carry and legally purchase weapons. In fact, it is rather un-Christian of me to judge someone for what they enjoy—especially if their hobby is totally legal and protected by the Constitution! Now, I still think there is an absurd obsession with guns in this country but I’m glad I was able to be openminded and set aside my own biases to enjoy a truly wonderful and beautiful Christian novel.

I would recommend this book to mature readers—that doesn’t simply mean adults, it means anyone who can be open to reading a book that may challenge their beliefs, their opinions, and even their faith. If you are not Christian or you are not mature enough to handle Christian content, I would strongly suggest finding another book to read.

*The Rebel Christian received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*