Necessary Heartbreak: A Novel of Faith and Forgiveness

When his wife died giving birth to their daughter Elizabeth fourteen years ago, Michael lost his faith and most of his heart was interred with his spouse. The only person he cherishes is his offspring as he keeps everyone else at a distance. One day when the father and daughter are carrying crates into their church, they find a trap door in the sub-basement. Unable to resist, they enter and begin walking a long tunnel. When they finally exit, the duo find themselves in Jerusalem one week before the execution of Christ. Initially the time travels assume they stumbled into an incredible movie set, but soon realize otherwise when they observe a Roman soldier harming a man. They intercede only to have Mike incarcerated in the same prison as the person he tried to liberate. Another Roman soldier helps Mike escape, but later learns he wants something from him: Elizabeth. The man blocks the entrance to the tunnel forcing the Sullivan duet to remain in first century Jerusalem. Leah, who believes Mike should know her, provides food and shelter. As attraction between her and Mike grows but they know he and his child do not belong there. Leah is willing to sacrifice herself if needed to enable the love of her life and his daughter to go home. Michael J. Sullivan has written an exciting refreshing biblical thriller in which his namesake hero meets Jesus who prophesied his coming and a who's who of the final days. The story line adheres to the Bible yet provides a secular spin with no preaching. Readers will enjoy this fine tale of two people displaced in time and place; people who have a role as frustrated watchers of the last days of Christ; unable to change what they knows as history. Harriet Klausner

I really enjoyed this book. Michael Sullivan is a single father of Elizabeth, a 13 year old girl on the cusp of maturity. They discover a trap door in the basement of a church where they are stacking boxes. They go through the door down a dark corridor, where they mysteriously wind up in first century Jerusalem during Holy Week. The Roman soldiers don't take too kindly to them, and one of them wants to make Elizabeth his own. They must stay in this strange world until it looks safe to try and head back the way they came. In the meantime, they befriend a sweet Jewish widow named Leah, and who guides them and gently and sacrificially cares for them while they are there. She is a godsend to Michael and Elizabeth, and there is a definite attraction between her and Michael. It is another tension point in the novel. In addition, Michael is asked several times at different points in the book by people whether or not he is a follower of Christ, and he denies it each time. He realizes he has more in common with Peter and Judas than he wishes were the case. Michael frequently says "Where the hell am I?" and "Damn it." It underscores the fact that significant portions of Michael's life have been rather hellish: The frightful account of his final conflict with his dad, the way things end for his wife, the loneliness and anger deep inside. He's trapped in the past both literally AND figuratively. At a key moment in the novel, Michael in his outrage wants to stop the unfair treatment and abuse of Christ He volunteers to carry the cross. Jesus asks him, "Are you here to lift your burden or help me with mine?" and Michael has no answer. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and eagerly await the volumes that are slated to follow. I should also say that there are a few issues with the book that will raise questions for some. First, we know from the extant New Testament writings that a man named Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus carry the cross, and yet he is seemingly replaced in this novel by Michael. This is fine, since this is a novel, but since the rest of the novel stays faithful to the historical setting, some may find this problematic. Second, it is most unfortunate that Michael does not become more spiritually transformed. His daughter evens suggests "Let's stay for the resurrection so we can see it for ourselves," and Michael says basically "I've seen enough already." This is odd and troubling. Michael is clearly more interested in returning to his familiar 21st century life with his daughter than he is in seeing and experiencing the transformative outcome of the Christ event. Perhaps this is understandable after all he has been through, yet it is still a disappointment. Thirdly, there are some loose ends that will hopefully be taken care of in the future volumes. There are mysteries that are left unexplained, and the reader could potentially be left longing for more resolution. The book is only 144 pages long, and the disappearance of the trap d

Michael Stewart struggles daily in his role as a single parent to his teenage daughter, Elizabeth. However, he's about to face his biggest struggle yet when a tunnel leads Michael and Elizabeth from the modern day world right into the heart of Jerusalem in the last days of Jesus of Nazareth. Leah steps in to offer them a safe haven but can Michael and Elizabeth find their way home? And what lessons will they learn in their travels? M.J. Sullivan writes a beautiful portrait of a single parent father struggling, both in his role as a father and in his own faith in God. Michael's story is so heartbreaking, so poignant, that one wants to reach out and help him as he sorts through his feelings, both past and present. M.J. Sullivan alternates the story between Michael and Elizabeth's troubles in Jerusalem and Michael's own past memories. I initially worried this approach would prove to be distracting as it's hard to do this smoothly. However, M.J. Sullivan makes it work, and work quite well actually! In fact, the past memories added an unexpected depth to the story. Michael's pain practically sears the pages as the reader hopes desperately that he'll obtain some sort of peace. NECESSARY HEARTBREAK is an intensely moving tale. Seeing Christ through Michael's eyes brings a new appreciation for the suffering He endured while also offering a very tender portrait of a father and daughter. The only caution I would have for inspirational readers is that there is some language. However, the language is not gratuitous but is appropriate in the context of Michael's viewpoint. NECESSARY HEARTBREAK is highly recommended! COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

This is book # 1 of the "When Time Forgets Trilogy"--a 145 page story, published in 2008. I begin by saying that I normally don't read fictional novels, but this storyline intrigued me. Michael is a 40-year old single parent, caring for his 13 year-old daughter, Elizabeth (Lizzy). As a conservative, he cannot get past the current-day fashions of belly rings and tank tops, baggy pants and bare bellies. He is trying to raise his daughter right and she is at the age where she is starting to grow up fast. Vicki was her mother and Michael's wife, but Vicki is no longer in the picture, so Lizzy is all Michael has left, and he is completely devoted to her. I like the use of the single father theme because there are many single parents today, with difficulties evident not only for the parent but also for the child. What an awesome book to bring these concepts into a spiritual-based story. The author quickly makes you feel you are "in the story" by referencing 2008 things you can relate to, such as iPods, earbuds, and Hannah Montana, among others. I also liked the way the author interwove Christ-time events with flashbacks of Michael's life with Vicki, Lizzy and others, such as Lizzy's birth, incidents of her growing up to the ripe old age of 13, even events from Michael's childhood and the love that he and Vicki shared. You get to know of the peace and tenderness the family members shared, as well as some of the less favorable experiences, all of which made them who they are today. You don't have to wait long for the excitement to start. After some brief stage-setting remarks, Michael and Lizzy are helping out with a food drive at Lizzy's school/church when she and Michael stumble upon a door to a root cellar in the church basement. It turns out to be the door to a time tunnel, and a place they do not initially recognize. Thinking they have reached some other part of Long Island NY, where an Easter Passion Play is taking place, they are horrified to find out this is the real deal. They find themselves in 1st century Jerusalem during the last week of Christ's life. Lizzy's anxiousness to help a stranger who is being beaten, kicked, and spat upon leads father and daughter right into harms way and also into an incredible and unique adventure in a time and place of long ago. A new friend Leah helps them stay alive through this incredible ordeal while they try to find their way back home. Being trapped in ancient times forces Michael to take a good hard look at himself and some of his baggage. Like I said, the adventure begins quickly and I found the book very difficult to put down. That is a rare experience for me. I am not normally a fast reader, but almost finished the entire book in one sitting. With Christianity and spiritual principles interwoven into the fast-paced storyline, it was a wonderful story. God bless the author for remembering Jesus in his book and for putting this wonderful work out there. Now, I am sitting on the edge of my c

This book was a fast read and provides a beautiful romantic tale between Michael and Leah. The exciting twists in the story and how he handles historical confrontations makes the first book a great start to this series. I can't wait to read the second book.