Tangled Violets: A Novel of Redemption

“... an uplifting story of realistic struggle, a desperate drive for connection, and ultimately Christian redemption. ... Martin’s strength in this story comes from a refusal to shy away from life’s difficulties as Lizzie faces tough choices and desires. ... Readers eager for stories about connection and faith will find this engaging. Great for fans of Josie Riviera, Francine Rivers" — BookLife Reviews

“... a moving novel, crackling with sexual volatility and emotional intelligence. An engrossing emotional drama, both shocking and thoughtful ... a provocative subplot handled without a hint of prurient sensationalism." — Kirkus Reviews

What happens when the deepest longing of the human heart—to belong and to be loved—leads someone tragically astray?

Lizzie Schmidt appears to have everything: intelligence, professional success, and hard-won independence. Yet beneath the surface lies a lifelong ache no achievement has been able to quiet—the unanswered questions surrounding her identity and biological family.

Long before internet searches and consumer DNA testing made biological reunions commonplace, Lizzie embarks on a search for her roots, armed with incomplete information and a heart hungry for connection.

What she discovers alters the course of her life in ways she never could have imagined.

As unresolved wounds, emotional vulnerability, and profoundly disordered longing converge, Lizzie makes devastating choices that lead to heartbreak, spiritual darkness, and consequences that reverberate for years. Yet even in the aftermath of profound failure, grace continues to pursue her.

Tangled Violets is a courageous Christian novel that confronts difficult realities rarely explored in faith-based fiction: identity trauma, destructive choices, the complexity of human brokenness, and the radical mercy of God.

Reader Advisory: This novel deals candidly with psychologically complex and morally disturbing relationship dynamics arising from family identity trauma, including themes related to Genetic Sexual Attraction (GSA). It is deeply Christian in its message that no one is beyond God's mercy and redemption.