Love that is Blind

The story...
Rye Tyler struggles with the guilt of his past crimes. Rescued from a life in the ghettos by Caleb Abrams, Rye adheres to the Jew's high moral standards yet knows he can never warrant the peace of God's forgiveness.


When billionaire Patrick Sunnel hires Caleb and Rye to search for a missing heiress, they begin working undercover at an ocean-side resort. When Caleb's blind niece Cora arrives, God sets the two men on a collision course with the past. Circumstances spiral out of control and passions interlock, culminating in an intense battle for hope and forgiveness.


The reason...
Love that is Blind paints a vivid contrast between judgment and grace, utilizing romance and suspense to capture the reader's interest and generate ongoing tension between the characters. In this story, Caleb represents the Law and God's holiness. Like Caleb, the Lord's heart is moved by the desperate need of our souls. Yet absolute holiness can never be in the presence of sin, so the dilemma of Romans 5 and 6 is posed: how can righteousness love a sinner?


The answer, of course, is the whole Gospel story: redemption. I wanted to portray not only the way of mercy but the absolute necessity of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection. Jesus had to atone not only for our sins but He had to provide the power we need to walk in newness of life. Out of all the belief systems and gods presented in our world, only Jesus is able to redeem the terrible things that happen through our choices and the choices of others.


Like the characters in the story, many lives are bound with lies and torment. Yet Jesus is calling and when we reach out to Him, He meets us intimately and individually just as He does the characters in this story. Jesus longs for you. His eyes are filled with holy, unashamed passion just for you, and He's holding out nail-pierced hands.


Will you run to Him?


The readers...
"Love That Is Wonderful... Seldom do novels hook me on the first page and leave me gasping at the end, but Ayrian Stone's Love that is Blind did exactly that. With skillful prose, flesh-and-blood characters and vivid imagery, Ms. Stone enthralls readers with not just one pulse-pounding love story in this beautifully written tale about a gentle blind girl, but two that will have romantic lovers turning pages far, far into the night. Passion simmers beneath pages filled with intrigue, mystery and surprise as the author artfully weaves romantic passion with passion for God in a manner that is rare and powerful in today's Christian market. I applaud Ms. Stone for this bold and beautiful book that transports readers from 'Love that is Blind' to love that is not only wonderful but truly visionary in its spiritual scope." --Julie Lessman, Award-winning inspirational author of A Passion Most Pure


"Love that is Blind is a fast reading, intriguing book. I love the fact that you always knew you were reading a Christian novel. Ayrian Stone did not compromise her Christian values to tell the story. The theme of God was cleverly woven throughout the story like a fine gold thread. I love books that have a message, and this one certainly did. I would highly recommend this as a must-read." -Sandy Johnson, Oregon


"Couldn't put it down. My wife and I truly enjoyed this book. Good Christian novels are hard to find and this one hit the spot." -Jason Wilham, Montana


"The book is riveting. Couldn't put it down! (Rating: PG13)" -Fred Miller, Montana


"First novel I've read where God is center. Didn't have just a couple twists at the end but four or five throughout. I really liked the active involvement of God in the characters' lives in the speaking aspect, not just the circumstances." -Aric Berger, Washington


"Love that is Blind was a fun read; it's a great story that is full of complex characters. It also has an incredible message that is personally impacting and full of depth. Sometimes I think that in this genre, it can feel like a book was written and then a somewhat shall inspirational message was added in as an afterthought without any connection to the story. However, in Love that is Blind, I didn't feel that way at all. The message was powerful, real, and not only woven throughout the story but vital to it. Definitely worth reading, and you'll get through all 377 pages quickly because it is hard to put down!" -Anna Cyboron, Washington


"I really enjoyed reading your novel. It was refreshing to get some raw humanity in a book, without cutting out God in the process. One generalized complaint I have toward so many Christian books is that they tend to paint a rosy, fluffy, 0-content story in which the biggest issue is which man the heroine chooses. They portray a world in which saying 'the prayer' suddenly solves all of life's problems and removes any impact of the consequences of former decisions, and paints everyone outside the little, churchy circle as horrible monsters and the 'good' people as soft, naïve pansies. Your book seemed to cut deeper; God was still very present, but he characters' struggles were real as well. I often found myself frustrated with Caleb for not behaving as a godly man should, and then I realized that he wasn't at that point in the story walking with God...so why should he act like His child? That was good. I studied English literature for 6 years, and so I can predict plots and characters and such fairly well by this point, but your characters had me talking to them, so they are well done." -Kristel Salusso, Montana


"I finished your book and have to say I enjoyed it very much. It kept me reading (sometimes too far into the night for my own good) not only wanting to know the outcome of the 'mystery' but to see how each person found God in their lives and were transformed. You have a such a wonderful way of character development and keeping your story moving from one chapter to the next. That is what keeps us readers going." -Doris Boyle, Montana


The blog reviews...
"I thoroughly enjoyed reading Love that is Blind a novel by Ayrian Stone (VMI Publishing). It's a romance story of intrigue and mystery in which two private investigators are given an assignment by a billionaire to find his unknown granddaughter. The love interest for one of the detectives is a blind young woman; for the other detective, it's an immoral nineteen-year-old. With several possible 'granddaughters' who fit the profile, we are kept in the dark (of course) until the end. For a first-time author, Mrs. Stone offers a complex plot with believable characters which has a spiritually strong message. Her plot compelled me to want to return to reading as quickly as possible. I really wanted to know what was going to happen and she came through with some interesting plot complications and twists and turns. I love twists and turns. Mrs. Stone kept me guessing about what would happen next. And the 'next' was often true to life experiences that involved sexual innuendo, rape and violence. But it was handled sensitively, which is difficult especially for a first time author. And look for the Gomer/Hosea subplot...." -Kathy Miller's Blog: Heart Change, April 8, 2010


"Gritty, edgy, and confront, Love that is Blind ventures where few Christian novels are willing to go. Addressing racism, infidelity, greed, suffering and treachery, debut author Ayrian Stone paints a heartbreaking picture of Cora, a young girl whose life is almost destroyed by evil men yet lives with peace due to her unfailing faith in Jesus. Bad boy Rye Tyler is captivated by Cora's beauty and inner joy and struggles with his past immorality which lies in stark contrast to this woman he can't easily forget. Keeping a close eye on his partner Rye is Caleb, a Jew determined to live by Yahweh's precepts yet tempted to the core by the provocative Arianna and harbouring dark unforgiveness in his heart. While the writing was at times heavy handed, Ayrian's heart for God's message of redemption from the ashes is transparent and moving. While a little too edgy for traditional readers, Love That is Blind will satisfy those looking for more reality and edge to their faith fiction." -Relz Reviewz by Rel, February 23, 2010