The Book of Hosea is the first of the Minor Prophets and the twenty-eighth book in the Bible. The Minor Prophetic Books are no less important than the others, but get their names because of their length - they are all shorter than the other prophetic books.
Hosea lived in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a prosperous time, but the Israelites had fallen into idolatry and wickedness. In only a short time the kingdom would fall to the Assyrians. Hosea tells the people that they will be punished by God, but because of God's faithfulness, He would in time restore them.
Hosea 1:2-3
"The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son"