Welcome to part two of Exploring Sexual Brokenness in Christian Fiction. Last time, I had a chat with Ufuomaee about her contemporary Hosea and Gomer retelling, Broken. You can catch the interview here if you missed it, and you can read Broken for free here.
In this post, I’ll be sitting down with Tope Omotosho to discuss her Hosea and Gomer retelling, Always One More Time. Always One More Time is a retelling that is super close to the original story, but also incorporates an ensemble cast of other people struggling with their sexual brokenness. It’s an exhilarating read. I remember reading this in 2021 after virtual classes and not being able to focus on anything else till I finished reading.
Without further ado, let’s get right into the conversation.
Interview With Tope Omotosho About Always One More Time
Iyanu: Hi! Please, introduce yourself and your writing.
Tope Omotosho: My name is Tope Omotosho. I’m a child of God, a wife and mum. I write Christian fiction novels. I recently dabbled in Christian romantic suspense, and I’m hoping I do a good job with it.
Iyanu: Aww. That’s so cool to hear. As a newsletter subscriber, I’ve read a snippet of your Christian romantic suspense, and I can’t wait for release. But before we veer off-topic, can you tell us about your book, Always One More Time and your unique take on the Hosea and Gomer story?
Tope Omotosho: Well, Always One More Time is about multiple characters going through different issues. Basically, it is about them going through sexual sins and either believing they can’t overcome it on their own or feeling like it’s who they are and are helpless to it. In the book, I wanted to portray characters who fall into sexual sins due to their own desires and because of a past trauma. I also wanted to show how much our unfaithfulness to God hurts Him. When we promise God our hearts but later turn our backs on Him and chase after other things.
Iyanu: Interesting, but what inspired you to write a retelling of the Hosea and Gomer story?
Tope Omotosho: I read a story of a pastor who was trying not to fall for a woman he knew wasn’t for him. Although it wasn’t a Christian novel, I felt inclined to write a story using the book of Hosea and God’s love for us. To show the love of God and how Christians can flee temptations when they come.
Iyanu: That was quite audacious and inspiring, especially because the story of Hosea and Gomer deals with deep themes of love, betrayal, and redemption. How did you balance these heavy themes while still creating a compelling romance?
Tope Omotosho: Hmmm. Nice question! 😂 Well, it was hard. I didn’t want to delve into romance so much, but I felt God leading me to show how important it is for a couple to wait till their wedding night and the beauty of coming together as a wife and husband should. Honestly, I think about the character Funlola, and I can’t help but smile because she was beautiful and smart and tried to seduce a pastor (John), but it didn’t happen. And then he happens to be her husband, and it’s a whole lot of learning for him on how to please his wife. God literally had to tell John that his love for his wife would be tested, just as our love for God would be tested. I remember John preparing himself by reading books about it and in the end speaking in tongues in his bride’s ear when (unknown to him) the devil was trying to remind her of how unclean she was because of her past. In all, it was to show the depth of intimacy we can have with God.
Iyanu: I remember that scene 😂😂. It was so funny. How did you develop the relationship between your main characters? Did you keep it close to the biblical account, or did you make significant changes?
Tope Omotosho: I tried to keep it close. But it’s a modern retelling, so there had to be modern things happening, and obviously, the dynamics will change, but I really wanted to portray the heart of God about love and relationships. No matter what century we’re in, that never changes. So it’s a contemporary fiction work.
Iyanu: What were the biggest challenges in writing a love story where one character is repeatedly hurt or rejected?
Tope Omotosho: Wow. Big questions. It was annoying. Hard. I mean, why would a character keep doing that and hurting someone? But it’s what we do in our everyday lives. And it’s something we struggle with when we do things that hurt others (knowingly or unknowingly) and even when we hurt God. I guess it was an eye-opener for me on how easy it is to judge others, not realising we do the same thing.
Iyanu: Did you have any concerns about making a romance out of a story that, in some ways, is painful and difficult? How did you address them?
Tope Omotosho: Erm. Not really sure I fully understand the question. I wanted to understand the story, and really, it’s all about understanding and knowing God’s heart. He loves us all. So He choosing to send His Son to die for us is the greatest love story of all. So, trying to write about such things, the pains the characters go through, and feeling their pain one way or another is a task.
Iyanu: How did you navigate writing about brokenness and restoration in a way that reflects God’s love but still feels authentic?
Tope Omotosho: In writing a story of brokenness, I need to remember we aren’t all perfect. We have one way or the other fallen short, so I needed to portray characters like that but also write about them in the way God wants them to be. We are all broken characters in this life script, but God sees us for who we will become when we yield to Him.
Iyanu: What role does faith play in your characters’ journeys? How do they wrestle with grace, forgiveness, or unconditional love?
Tope Omotosho: Faith plays a huge role—whether the characters lack it or they are filled with faith. You see different characters who are either trusting God for help or are not even interested in God. Some of them forget God’s grace that’s available to them and feel they can work everything out on their own. Others are completely reliant on God that they can’t make decisions without Him. Really, faith plays a big role.
Iyanu: Did writing this book deepen your understanding of God’s love? If so, how?
Tope Omotosho: Yes. It made me see how much God loves us and the length He will go to make us see His love. How He loves us irrespective of our flaws and shortcomings. We might not fully understand the depth of His love for us. But it’s truly beautiful.
Iyanu: Were there any specific Bible verses or passages that guided you as you wrote?
Tope Omotosho: Aside from the Book of Hosea? Lol. Well, I think other scriptures that talk about God’s love, and probably the Book of Psalms. Furthermore, I had loads of conversations with my bible study friend on seeing things from the lens of scripture, so the idea was to be true to the heart of God and not necessarily stay limited to the direct happenings of Prophet Hosea.
Iyanu: What do you hope readers take away from your book, especially in terms of love, grace, and redemption?
Tope Omotosho: That God loves you. God loves me. His grace is available and much more abounds to get us out of sin. Redemption—there’s no one that can’t be redeemed. No matter what number the devil has done on them, they can bounce out of that into an intimate relationship with God. My motto is writing God’s heart, and the heart of the Father is pure redeeming Love.
Iyanu: Some readers might struggle with the idea of a “Hosea-like” love in modern relationships. How would you encourage them to interpret this kind of love through a biblical lens?
Tope Omotosho: We have to understand that God made Hosea go through that to teach the nation of Israel something, and not to set the standard for selecting a spouse. Hosea followed God’s lead. As Christians, we should do the same. The heart of the story was though we may have missed it, God is always ever just around the corner, willing to accept us, wash us, and set us right. It’s like the prodigal son returning. Let’s not be the elder brother who resented his younger brother. Let’s all welcome all who return home.
Iyanu: What advice would you give to someone who wants to write a biblical retelling, especially one that explores romance and faith-based themes?
Tope Omotosho: I would say pray about it and be sure God wants you to tell the story. Ask what He wants you to write such that the specific message is being efficiently communicated, and do lots of research.
Iyanu: Are there any other biblical love stories you’d like to retell in the future?
Tope Omotosho: Hmm. I thought about writing one some years back, but I stopped midway and shifted to something else. Maybe sometime in the future, if God leads me in that direction. The joy of writing Christian fiction for me is that I never really know what I’d write and when… It’s a trust journey for me to follow as the Father leads.
Iyanu: Where can readers find your book, and how can they connect with you?
Tope Omotosho: My books are available on Selar, paperback on Amazon and Rovingheights. You can connect with me on IG: @topeomotoshowrites and TikTok @TopeOmotosho
Iyanu: Thank you so much for your time. This conversation was really insightful. I hope readers take away from this discussion that God loves them and that they are never too far gone. Please, drop a comment if you enjoyed this or have a question for me or Tope Omotosho.
Also, I’m looking to explore the theme of childhood abandonment next month in another series of interviews with authors who have addressed this topic. Let me know if there are any authors you have in mind that I can reach out to. If you’re an author who’s written Christian fiction on this topic, please drop a comment if you’re willing to be interviewed about this topic and the book you’ve written on it.
Until next time, remember I love you, but God loves you more!