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Forgiven: A Novel
Forgiven tells the story of the Covo family as they face overlapping crises that test faith, morality, and love. Nicky Covo, a Holocaust survivor and aging psychiatrist, is sued for malpractice after a former patient’s suicide. His wife, Helen, grieves her dying daughter. His daughter, Kayla, wrestles with schizophrenia, creative paralysis, and religious doubt. His son, Max, struggles under career pressure. And hovering above them all is Sister Theodora, Nicky’s sister and a nun in Greece, who tries to heal her fractured family through faith. Across continents and faiths, the book explores guilt, forgiveness, and the ways suffering reshapes belief.
Reading this book felt like stepping into a storm of emotion. I admired the quiet power in the writing. The prose is unhurried but charged with feeling. I liked how the story moved between the ordinary and the sacred, between New York apartments and Greek monasteries. The characters felt raw, sometimes painfully so, and I often found myself wincing at their honesty. Nicky’s battle with disbelief hit hard. His bitterness toward God made sense, and his eventual return to faith felt earned. Kayla, though fragile, had a haunting beauty in the way she sought meaning through music. The dialogue felt real, especially in its awkwardness, and I appreciated that the author didn’t clean up the messiness of family life.
There were moments when the narrative lingers on introspection or theological debate. Yet, I can’t say I minded much. There’s a rhythm to the book. The writing is filled with quiet compassion, and by the end, I felt changed. Forgiveness here isn’t cheap. It’s painful, slow, and human. That truth stayed with me.
Forgiven reminded me of the emotional depth and moral searching found in Marilynne Robinson’s novels, especially Gilead, with its quiet struggle between faith and doubt wrapped in the tenderness of family love. I’d recommend Forgiven to readers who like stories that sit heavy in the heart. It’s for those who’ve doubted, who’ve loved someone they couldn’t save, or who’ve wondered where God goes when life falls apart. It’s not a light read, but it’s a good one.
Pages: 337 | ASIN : B0FHXML7BD
The Eternal Hope Of An Author
To See God follows a Jewish family who, despite being separated by distance and religious beliefs, find a way to bond. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The novel is a sequel to The Flight of the Veil, the book in which the Greek Orthodox nun, Sister Theodora, is reunited with her older brother, Dr. Nicky Covo, after they were separated for 47 years by the Holocaust. The shock of their unexpected reunion – of Nicky, who believed his entire family died at Auschwitz after he’d left their family home to hide, and of his baby sister, then named Kal, who has no recollection for that long period of having been born into a Jewish family – puts all the characters in motion, and that’s where the prior novel ends. In particular, Sister Theodora has begun to recall her Jewish roots, including Talmudic stories taught to her by their father. So my principal motivation in writing To See God was to learn what happened next to these characters, whom I have grown to love over the 13 years I’ve been writing about them.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?
A desire to read the book again and to share it with their friends. Beyond that – the eternal hope of an author that he has created a compelling reading experience – I would be pleased if readers took from the story a renewed sense of the importance of family. That’s why I have intertwined so many other family sub-plots into the story of Nicky and Theodora. These include the relationship of Nicky’s adult son and daughter, Max and Kayla, who live together; that of Kayla and August, her son’s father, who struggle through a Family Court custody fight; that of Nicky and Helen, who must decide in their senior years whether to marry; and most importantly that of Theodora and Jackie, her grandnephew, whose religious beliefs seem inextricably in conflict – but maybe not.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I’ve already mentioned family, but equally important is the importance of faith to many of the characters in this book. And that presents its own set of conflicts, one of the most interesting of which, in my opinion, is the divergence between orthodox beliefs and new religious experiences not endorsed by orthodoxy. A central character is Abbess Fevronia, the leader of Sister Theodora’s monastery and someone who must try to bridge the growing gap between Greek Orthodox Christianity and what Sister Theodora – who has undoubtedly experienced miracles and might one day be deemed a saint – claims is a message from God. But religious conflicts surround others in the novel as well, e.g., Nicky, an atheist, and Helen, a deeply religious Jew.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’ve started a fourth book of this series, tentatively named Forgiveness, which would be a sequel to To See God. But I teach writing at American University during the fall and spring semesters, and I find it difficult to make much progress in my own writing when I’m more involved with my students’ lives and their writing. This coming summer I hope to complete a first draft of the novel, and then we’ll see where it goes from there. With luck, Forgiveness would be available in about two years.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon | Website
Sister Theodora, a devout Greek Orthodox nun who was born Jewish and saved from the Holocaust by the Virgin Mary, has a vision from God telling her that her Black seven-year-old grandnephew in America is the Second Coming of Jesus.
Theodora must travel to America, convinced she has a Divine mission to help young Jackie Covo-being raised in an Orthodox Jewish family-recognize who he really is.
To See God
In To See God, Bruce J. Berger enlightens the reader on the journey of spirituality, understanding God, and following religion. The author uses tales that believers can relate to sharing the message of a loving God, living righteously, and following the same steps as Christ did when he was on earth.
The tales in the book, the characters that the author uses as a reference, and the lessons at the end of every discussion are some of the notable elements in this book. Bruce J. Berger writes in an easy to comprehend manner. Reading this book gives one a sense of belonging. As a reader, you feel good about being a child of God and even feel better knowing that higher powers are looking over you.
The author tells the story of Jewish siblings and family who, despite being disconnected by distance, time, and religious beliefs, have a way of bonding at some point. The story reads like a surreal novel, with mystery and complex elements. The mixed mystery and suspense in the pages make for an exciting read. Bruce J. Berger’s manner of combining the different storylines into a larger overall plot was expertly done.
In the main story, a lady by the name of Theodora gets a vision that her grand-nephew, who is in the United States of America, is likely the second coming of Jesus. Now, Theodora is a staunch Greek Orthodox nun who has gone through interesting experiences herself. However, one of the most notable moments in her life was when she was saved from the holocaust by the Virgin Mary. Theodora is in a country miles away from her grand-nephew, and following her journey was enchanting.
Bruce J. Berger writes to help readers build their faith. Amazingly, such a sacred and educational book was written not just for believers but also for readers that are questioning their spirituality. The author has a talent for conveying love, sanctity, and religion. As a reader, you are able to engage with the author through his words.
I like that as you read the book, you are able to ask multiple theological questions and get answers from the book. This is a thought-provoking book that will leave readers reflecting on family, and religious paths, balancing life’s experiences, dealing with personal challenges, and learning about God and spiritual life. To See God is a captivating addition to the Forgiveness and Faith Novel series.
Pages: 302 | ASIN : B0BNVQ7XQW
LITERARY TITAN 