Bøger af Chautona Havig

It's always a good time to read.Just ask Cezanne (just "Anne" if you please. Anne with an E) Montgomery. After her disastrous business breakup with her best friend, Anne left her beloved Berned Books in the dust and moved across the street to the building she'd always wanted for their bookstore. Clock Tower Bound might be small and floundering, but it has great potential.If Berne, Indiana can support two bookstores that is.Enter Milton Coleridge and his trusty parrotlet, Atticus (not finch). Anne is certain that Milton can ensure the success of a bookstore that emphasizes reader-author connections and keeping the younger generation in good literature.Milton... isn't so certain. A town with a population of just over four thousand isn't exactly a gold mine for one store, much less two! And then there's that problem with the ex-best friend. The one Anne won't talk about.It'll take a lot more than fancy book release parties to make the store profitable--much more. Though he's not sure she wants to hear that. This project could take a degree in diplomacy. Too bad he missed that class in business school.Three fractured friendships, two stores, and one totally unwanted solution.

Lights, candles, attraction!She lost her job, she's been installed as an ad-hoc wedding planner, and then there's that guy who doesn't like her. Christmas is gonna be great this year.Crystal Steele comes to New Cheltenham to help her friend when his fiancée is hospitalized. It was supposed to be simple stuff. Address a few invitations, find some décor pieces. Easy peasy. But one disaster after another strikes and leaves her redoing everything and at the last minute.Which totally ticks off Lewis Chambers. Owner of 221-B and purveyor of all things Sherlock, Lewis has his own stresses with a niece he didn't know existed needing a home and now. You'd think a guy who traded in detective stuff could figure out what Crystal is up to, but he can't. And he can't figure out why he's drawn to someone who may be trying to bust up a friend's wedding!Also, why can no one figure out who is stealing from New Cheltenham shops?But when the lights go out... the light dawns in more than one mind!

In the hubbub of wedding preparations, Christmas celebrations, and a house full of lively children, Aggie is feeling overwhelmed and unappreciated. Add to that two puppies who are growing faster than she can replace chewed shoes and fix dug fences, it seems like things just can't get any worse. Then, as she should be enjoying the most exciting time of her life, she's faced with her worst nightmare.

Flirtation can be an artIf so, Ruth and Richard are "the old masters" of the flirting game. Despite their strictly platonic relationship, there's "something there," as so many of their friends and families say. Neighbors and friends for ten years, neither seems willing to change the course of their relationship.Three doors down, at the end of the cul-de-sac, Mason Dickenson has watched his favorite neighbors with an interested eye, but he's finally had it with the dance. So, with a pack of cards and a few tricks up his sleeve, he's determined to get them out of the "friend rut" and into romance.Thanks to Mason's unique matchmaking scheme, Ruth and Richard concoct one of their own-a deeper, stronger, eternal love and relationship that nothing on earth can match.

A daring move forges the love of a lifetime.A rushed lunch and a bold move introduce Carlie to a stranger-one who hardly acknowledges her existence as he sits across from her, sharing his booth to save her a wait in a long line.What began as a random encounter becomes a weekly date in which Carlie chatters about her life to a silent lunchmate. Much about him interests her-his slightly Euro fashion sense, his commitment to the work he does as he eats his lunch week after week, and his evident attention to the running monologue she shares between bites of meals that he inevitably pays for.Dean gets to know the woman across from him-looks forward to their lunches each week, learns valuable lessons about himself-but when the cafe is threatened, and then when she doesn't show up one day, he suspects their unusual friendship means more to him than he imagined.Settle into the booth with Carlie and Dean and learn just how eloquent silence really is.

An annual Christmas project sends a professional blogger in search of a little boy's one and only Christmas wish--his father--and unearths a story with the potential to rip apart a family forever.It's a truth universally unacknowledged that sin will hunt you down and advertise its presence the moment you try to hide it.Davia Cordell came to Rockland for one purpose-find her son's father before she dies. An ex-prostitute, she's well aware that the news will cause waves, but what's a mother to do?As these women join forces to search for Joey's father-a Rockland area pastor, no less- Emily learns compassion for a woman who just wants the best for her son and can't quite imagine that Jesus wants anything to do with her.Each day, Davia weakens until Emily isn't confident that she'll find the boy's father in time-if at all. Doubts form. Should she even look? Is it right to risk destroying a family like this? What about what this will do to the father's church?A mother's love. A boy's confidence. A family's faith. A preacher's failure. Is redemption even possible anymore?Shattering Secrets: a story of love, failure, and redemption.Note: Shattering Secrets was originally released as Christmas Embers.

"He should be dead." Despite the words of first responders and doctors' examinations, Nathan Cox didn't die when he tripped and fell onto a live power line.The doctors work through torturous therapies to heal him--therapies little Nathan doesn't understand. His words rip through the hearts of his parents--his family. "Don't hurt me, Daddy."But through the pain, the fear, the loss of the carefree innocence of a life before trauma, bright moments appear and grow. Strangers from all over the world band together, united in prayer for the healing of one pain-riddled little boy. Strangers all across the country offer help in the way of fundraisers. And through it all, one community shows the power of uniting together in one purpose. Help that boy and his family. One theme runs through the course of each event and surmounts every obstacle. "God's got this." And little Nathan? He's the inspiration that ties it all together. His heart-wrenching cries and screams as he tries to walk again unite a community. His goofy smile and loopy comments add hope amid the pain of suffering. Ask him--just ask him what happened. He'll tell you. "A bird died."/ A Bird Died is the fictionalized account of one little boy's journey, one family's tragedy, and one community's love and support amidst it all.

Life is tough, and then Christmas kills you. The Hartfield women are at it again. When a local woman is a primary suspect in a murder investigation, Alexa and Faye are off to prove her innocence and find the true killer before he or she strikes again. Traci and James Knight have enjoyed an almost idyllic marriage in their nearly twenty-five years of marriage. But when Traci decides to opt out of Christmas celebrations, things turn ugly between them and fast. James expects her help with their annual outdoor Christmas display and refuses to take her new convictions seriously. So when James is found dead beside his newest yard decor acquisition, Traci is the first but not the only suspect. While the police do their job, local mystery thriller author, Alexa Hartfield, and her irascible aunt join forces to prove Traci innocent, seemingly against all odds! Silenced Knight: Who knew Christmas could be so sinister?A Hartfield Mysteries "noella."

HearthLand is a serial novel released in episodes. Volume Four is a compilation of Episodes 19-24 Taking a step back in time-deliberately. After a trip to Walden Farm and an afternoon talking to Chad and Willow Tesdall, Ralph Myner caught a vision for what life could be like. Against the advice of his nephew, Ralph sinks his entire retirement account into an incredibly risky venture. Harlan Walker thinks his uncle has gone crazy. With the project in motion, all he can do is try to find people to invest their time, money, and even their lives into Ralph's project before the man ends up broke and without means to survive. People come from all walks of life as they embrace a new world-the world of HearthLand. In Volume 4, wedding plans take over HearthLand, and it seems almost everyone is getting into the spirit of things--to the delight of some and disapproval of others. But just as everything seems right with the world, everything goes wrong. Ramiro and Susannah talk to Kirk and things get dicey. Fireworks explode in several directions, and leave everyone wondering what sparks were ignited by them! When a life change tears at the fabric of a family, another change comes to HearthLand. Ralph has an idea to solve Annie's problems, but she isn't convinced. The residents "mother" Ralph a bit as he endures forced "recuperation" again and instead, drive him crazy. Add to that a new investor who makes Ralph uncomfortable along with bad news from Keith, and life at HearthLand just got a whole, new level of interesting. Ralph is concerned that Annie's getting too close to someone he doesn't trust. Though Annie and Ralph enjoy a peaceful day together, but with the return of their newest investor, things heat up. Ralph struggles with the result of some of his choices and Annie's life seems in danger once more. As if all wasn't enough, a TV crew arrives and after a damaging feature on the Paisley Duncan show, it seems as if their attempt at an idyllic life is over.

Alone without friends or family to comfort her after the death of her mother, Willow Finley's idyllic life is over-and just beginning. Willow, battling grief and anger, drives Chad from the farm, but he finds himself drawn back, despite her determination to keep a wall between them. An accident and the chance of a lifetime threaten everything she thought she held dear. As the walls crumble, Chad and Willow's friendship deepens into something truly special, but to what end? Everyone around him pushes Chad into a relationship he both wants and fights. And is Willow ready for something like that even if he decides he is? Even worse, someone is wreaking havoc around her farm. Afraid for Willow's safety, the police take turns guarding her place when off duty and she finds it hard to endure the disruption of her tranquility. Then, Chad asks her to dance. Can she trust him? Find out in this second volume. Follow as Willow's story unfolds past forward. Past Forward is a serial novel that was once released weekly on Kindle, available now in six volumes.

Some people long for the simple life. She lives it.In a world where "cottagecore" draws young women into a new, romanticized life of floral dresses, walks in meadows, and infusing beauty into random moments of their days, this has been Willow Finley's life since birth. Isolated on a farm since birth with only her mother as a companion, Willow has never gone to school, to church, or even a mall. No, she's not Amish, but you wouldn't know it from her life without electricity. Life couldn't be more idyllic.Then her mother died.Thrust into the so-called "real world," Willow finds herself stuck in an endless cycle of "firsts." First contact with the police, first time making friends, and even the first time needing to prove her existence!Now that she's "out in the world," Willow has to decide who she is going to let into that life.Her mother's financial advisor? The cop who insists on inserting himself into her life? The preacher's wife who won't let her push them all away?Welcome to Willow's world, and welcome, Willow... to ours.Volume one is the first of six volumes in the Past Forward serial novel.

Her passion for fashion might just get her killed.With her eclectic fashion sense, no one is surprised when Alexa Hartfield invests in a retro-inspired clothing line. In fact, her entire life just got a makeover-new house, new and changing friendships, and now a new business venture. She's just supposed to be a silent partner and spokesperson all rolled into one author celebrity.She's not supposed to become entangled in another murder... or two.But when things start going wrong with the new business, how is Alexa supposed to ignore it? One person dies and others are threatened. As Alexa and Officer Joe race to discover who might have it in for the new fashion line and her business partners, Alexa begins to fear for the safety of her life (and heart) as well.The tension mounts as every clue leads to the last person she would have expected to have it in for her.Hold onto your hats as the next book in the Hartfield Mysteries makes its mark on the runway!

Who knew that Christmas carols were love songs?Justine Driscoll sure didn't. Peace on earth? She's heard of that. Holy and joyful? Something about that, too. But love songs sung by a bride about the birth of her bridegroom? That's just weird stuff right there.Weird or not, though, once Justine decides to enter a short story contest using a Christmas carol as the inspiration, she discovers love in the carols she investigates, in the story an ex-Army guy tells, and in the little tourist town of New Cheltenham."But what do the words mean?"Ken Torsney is used to fighting for causes he believes in. He just never imagined he'd go from Army "warrior" to spiritual warrior in the span of a simple question from a stranger to his little village. Justine is like no girl he's ever known. She's hungry for the gospel even as she rejects it.He's falling for her, and that's bound to break his heart.Love is in the air in New Cheltenham this Christmas. Again.

Espionage, bioterrorism, the mafia. Is there anything the Agency isn't fighting right now?One man's on the run, and he doesn't even know who's after him or why.After years of running, one woman is finally safe and comfortable--or she was until a new guy moved to her tiny village.Relocated to a small, all-American New England town, one traitor tries to keep his family safe while his successor launches an attack on the American people. Mark's best agent is in danger--of losing his life and his heart.Not that Mark has any heart issues of his own. And if all that wasn't enough to keep Mark Cho of The Agency on his toes, there's a leak--either in his agency or in the government. A Forgotten Truth Grab your copy today and hold on tight. Things just got crazy with The Agency.

"I should have made that left turn at Tucumcari."It's Doctor Who meets mail-order brides when "rescuers" from the future arrive to save Andi Flanders from a happy life with her loving family and fiancé.Okay, so they meant to get her suicidal roommate, but hey. Mistakes happen, right?And as far as Andi's concerned, they can fix them-by sending her home.However, when she learns what happens when she disappears from home, Andi has an impossible choice. Stay in the government-controlled futuristic world she despises and never see her family again or return to the twenty-first century and doom an innocent person to death.Volition- Life and death decisions are so overrated.

Madeline, with a little assistance, discovers her old adversary is gaining a following in Rockland! Can she expose him for the fraud she's sure he is? Rockland:1901- In book two of the Meddlin' Madeline series, Madeline Brown has a new endeavor to occupy her time. But is it to keep her out of the way or a reward for her work in Sweet on You? With the help of her young friends, Madeline discovers her old adversary is gaining a following in Rockland! What's a girl to do? However, her new position also gives her opportunities to observe, and what she sees sets more than one new investigation in motion. What does her old suitor, Delbert Jackson, know? Why is Mr. Merton giving important papers to that scoundrel, Vernon Smythe, and whatever happened to poor Abigail Cooper? Add to these intriguing questions Henry Hardwick's continued attentions, Edith's newfound devotion to the temperance movement and Madeline's determination to find her a more reliable suitor, and strange behavior from her Aunt Louisa and things heat up as summer fades from Rockland. Unfortunately, her dear friend, Russell, busy with an important project at work, finds himself unable to help keep her out of trouble and away from danger. Is Madeline going too far? Will her meddling get her in serious trouble this time, will it destroy her reputation irreparably, or will she rid Rockland of a scoundrel once and for all?

Her reputation precedes her, whether the bad guys realize it or not.Nancy Harrison has finally stepped out of her prissy box and tried to do something helpful--but did she go overboard in her first self-less act?She can't ride, she hates horses, and she's terrified of being alone. What's a girl to do?Join the Pony Express, of course.When Nancy Harrison's family receives a tax bill they can't pay, there's only one option open to them. Her brother, Lewis, will have to join the Pony Express and earn the money that way. It would have worked, too, if ruffians hadn't attacked him and broken his leg. She doesn't want to do it, of course, but what choice is there? Lose everything or ride a stupid, smelly horse for a few weeks?Nancy decides that she'll chop off her hair, take to the dusty overland trail, and prove that she isn't a "flighty little thing." But things go from bad to worse as she discovers that riding astride is worse than sidesaddle-especially when you're not used to it.Can't she just go back home to balls, teas, and the hope of a suitor before her twentieth birthday? Sans her hair, of course, because that'll entice the fellows. Sigh.

When life throws a few missteps at you, tango!Wayne Farrell finally fell in love.And after six glorious months, the relationship lay sprinkled across the concrete floor of his flower shop. Unwilling to wait around for Ms. Right again, he jumps into the dating scene with both feet and a heart ready to commit.After just three weeks!But when his grand proposal gesture goes awry, what'll happen to his happily-ever-after?

When Vikki Jeffries wakes up in a Rockland hotel with no idea of who she is and why she can't remember... well, anything, the Rockland medical community begins to take a closer look at what may have happened to cause a second case of inexplicable amnesia. But for Vikki, this is more than a medical anomaly-it's her life. What is she doing in Rockland, thousands of miles away from her home in Apache Junction, Arizona? Who is she? Why is no one looking for her? Or are they? The secrets of a past she's discovering she doesn't want to know lay locked away in a memory that refuses to acknowledge their existence. When Brandon Marana finds his neighbor struggling to open her front door, his quiet life becomes a race to protect Vikki and himself from people who are determined to find her. He's falling in love with her-but he shouldn't. He's a Christian. She's not. But the more she depends on him to know who she is and learn why these things keep happening to her, the stronger those ties become. Will Not See: Sometimes, the past needs to stay there.

HearthLand is a serial novel released in episodes. Volume Three is a compilation of Episodes 13-18 Taking a step back in time-deliberately. After a trip to Walden Farm and an afternoon talking to Chad and Willow Tesdall, Ralph Myner caught a vision for what life could be like. Against the advice of his nephew, Ralph sinks his entire retirement account into an incredibly risky venture. Harlan Walker thinks his uncle has gone crazy. With the project in motion, all he can do is try to find people to invest their time, money, and even their lives into Ralph's project before the man ends up broke and without means to survive. People come from all walks of life as they embrace a new world-the world of HearthLand. In Volume 3, Ralph learns to deal with the frustrations of construction life, Annie is at a crossroads, and Harlan is left floundering when Kate distances herself. Romance is in the air and more than wheat and vegetables are growing! But danger looms on the horizon.

HearthLand is a serial novel released in episodes. Volume Six is a compilation of Episodes 31-36 and ends the series. Taking a step back in time-deliberately. After a trip to Walden Farm and an afternoon talking to Chad and Willow Tesdall, Ralph Myner caught a vision for what life could be like. Against the advice of his nephew, Ralph sinks his entire retirement account into an incredibly risky venture. Harlan Walker thinks his uncle has gone crazy. With the project in motion, all he can do is try to find people to invest their time, money, and even their lives into Ralph's project before the man ends up broke and without means to survive. People come from all walks of life as they embrace a new world-the world of HearthLand. In Volume 6, lives in HearthLand have become fully intertwined. Annie is home and faith grows within her, but unexpected desires send her reeling and leave her ready to make even more changes in her life. Ralph is torn between reveling in the community he's brought together and realizing that there's more to life than work and success. Audrey and Zain have a thriving business, a growing family, and with newcomer, Stefan, more things to consider as everything changes. The Patrick family reels from new revelations and from more than one corner, pain surfaces and rocks their relationships. Kim finally confronts her fears and talks to someone about the troubles she has at work, but will the solution drive her and Justin apart? Births, deaths, and newly forged relationships knit HearthLand residents together in unexpected and expected ways. The question remains: Will their story continue through the eyes of a new resident, or is this the ultimate final chapter? Time will tell.

With a past more like a tragic ballad than a sweet love song, Lane's life is about to change forever.Montana-rugged, wild, and full of sheep that Matt Rushby had never imagined in his childhood dreams. Much to his relief, the local rancher's daughter arrives just in time to save him from certain death by sheep smothering.If only her family's faith could have survived that fate.They've left the local church, rejected God, lost their first Love. What had once been a close-knit fellowship of believers became a restrictive cult, and Lane wants nothing more to do with them or their God. He didn't mean to fall in love with her. She can't let herself love someone who belongs to Jesus. The inner-city man meets rancher's daughter and shakes up their lives.Lose yourself in the pages of Argosy Junction and fall in love with Matt, Lane, and the entire Argosy family.They say that love conquers all, but Matt knows better. Without faith, love hasn't got a chance.Note: this is a revised version of the original Argosy Junction. The story has not changed.

HearthLand is a serial novel released in episodes. Volume One is a compilation of Episodes 1-6 Taking a step back in time-deliberately. After a trip to Walden Farm and an afternoon talking to Chad and Willow Tesdall, Ralph Myner caught a vision for what life could be like. Against the advice of his nephew, Ralph sinks his entire retirement account into an incredibly risky venture. Harlan Walker thinks his uncle has gone crazy. With the project in motion, all he can do is try to find people to invest their time, money, and even their lives into Ralph's project before the man ends up broke and without means to survive. People come from all walks of life as they embrace a new world-the world of HearthLand.

"...waitin' for the matchmakin' man with the (mail) bag..."When Izzie Williams receives a package for someone else in the Elmhurst neighborhood, she scrawls an apologetic note on it and pops it back in the mail.Gabe Carbone never imagined a misdirected package would then lead to a postcard correspondence with a sweet old lady a few streets over.A snowstorm creates a little postal mayhem that turns into friendly correspondence and then something more when Gabe and Izzie discover that their "geriatric" neighbors are more than just "young at heart."An illusionist and a parodist meet on the snow-crusted sidewalk and exchange snow-crossed letters. Who falls in love first? Find out in Snow-Crossed Letters today!

It's time for Alexa's bi-annual trip to her hometown. In the wake of her dear friend's arrest and her recent engagement, the trip should have been a welcome diversion. However, her trips to California's Mojave Desert only bring pain and reminders of why she moved halfway across the country in the first place. Any hope for a quiet rest away from the drama of recent months disappears as an alarm clock in the hotel room next to hers awakens her at two o'clock in the morning. To her astonishment, Alexa finds herself under suspicion for the murder. When the evidence piles up against her, Joe decides it's time for her to leave. While Alexa stays "off the grid" and out of the hands of her hometown police, Joe works quickly to find who is really responsible.

♥ She's got one chance to find herself and start a new life-with a little help from her radio psychologist. ♥Quinn Kelly. Intelligent, responsible, hard-working, reliable. She's also spontaneous and whimsical-when she lets herself be. Certain those two sides of herself cannot peaceably coexist, she takes a serendipitous windfall and a bit of risky advice from some old movies and decides to spend a couple of months at a chalet resort in Lake Vienna-as a pair of twins. (Hint: she doesn't have a twin). Surely she can sort her issues in a couple of months... right?Seth Clifton has his own issues-trust issues to be precise. But the girl he keeps running into offers a refreshing perspective on life. Right up to the moment he discovers she's not who and what she seems.They both have problems to overcome. They both have the same therapist, sort of. They could each be great for the other with a little work and a lot of help from Dr. Daphne Moore. What'll it take for the radio doc to resolve their differences and heal hearts?If you love rom-coms and sweet romance, get your copy of Dial I for Identity today, a sweet Christian contemporary romance novella. Enjoy all the books in this exciting series filled with romantic comedy, heartwarming drama, and inspirational romance. Readers are sure to want to collect them all!

They left him for dead once, but the Kasimirs won't make that mistake again.Organized crime. Illegal drugs. Violence. With them comes acceptance, order, purpose-danger.They filled a hole in Leo Haesert's heart-one left by a father he never knew and an indifferent mother. Things change, however, and after years in the notorious Alliance of Kasimir, Leo met Jesus and turned himself around-right into the hands of the police and a bad plea-bargain to boot."One of Adric's girls, (From Thirty Days Hath...)" Allison Wahl has yet to meet "the one." She never imagined he might be a man with tattoos on his neck, arms, chest, and back. She certainly never imagined a man with piercings all over him and scars on his body and soul.As he begins his community service sentence, he rattles more than just Allison's emotions and when The Agency steps in to help, things go from bad to worse as far as he's concerned. What will it take for him to survive the Kasimir manhunt and begin a new life with the woman he's terrified to love?Grab this second Agency Files book and hold on for a dangerous ride through romantic suspense.

What's a guy to do when the ghosts of his past converge on his Christmas present?Mitchell Bogaert hasn't done much with his life in the four years since college, to which his negative-digits bank account and credit score will attest. So when news of an inheritance from a man he hasn't seen in years arrives on the same day as his eviction notice, Mitchell considers the odd terms of the will to be a no-brainer.Sure, he'll move into a building in the tourist village of New Cheltenham. Of course, he'd be happy to live there for a year as a condition of inheritance. And yes, he'll suffer the humiliation of creating, entering, and presenting at the annual Dickens Ghost Story Competition. Free room and board for a year plus a rather substantial inheritance to boot? Who wouldn't?But someone either doesn't want him in New Cheltenham or doesn't want him to receive that inheritance, because the more he works on his story, the more convinced he is that a ghost resides in the narrow building he now calls home.Don't miss the short story he writes in this book in "The Ghastly Therapist" also available.

Alone without friends or family to comfort her after the death of her mother, Willow Finley's idyllic life is over-and just beginning. Chad and Willow's engagement doesn't stay a secret for as long as they expected. Willow is initiated into the sport of Olympic shopping and attends her first ball. It sounds exciting, but after week with Marianne and Chad at her house is followed soon after by a week of Aggie's children, Willow needs a break from the whole "real world" thing.This volume introduces Willow to weddings and ends with a surprise twist. Follow as Willow's story unfolds past forward. Past Forward is a serial novel once released weekly on Kindle and now available in collected volumes--no more waiting for weekly installments!

Journey of Dreams- Dreams have a way of infusing themselves into our souls-becoming an indivisible part of who we are. Five lives irrevocably change when their greatest longings become their new reality-and for one, vice versa. The Journey of Dreams series is Contemporary Christian Fantasy, exploring the desires of our hearts and how the Lord meets them. _______________ Introspection-this place invites it. I've never allowed myself the time to pause and get to know myself. My father taught me it was weak. Focus on the prize-eyes off yourself. The goal matters. You are just the instrument to get you there. Here... Is this what that goal was and I never knew it? The peaks above, the trees that stand tall beside me as if my own personal bodyguards. I am alive-maybe for the first time in my life-and I think it's because I'm dead. When Tony arrives in Highlands, he must come to grips with a world that embraces birth defects as beautiful and to be celebrated-even those easily corrected. Balancing the beauty of utter acceptance and the wisdom of when to alter the "workmanship of God" creates tension between Tony and the Highlanders. The Journey of Dreams series explores themes in the Christian life from a different perspective-from a world that can't exist anywhere but in the dreams of the people who live there. Editorial Review Ms. Havig drops a modern young athlete (nearly naked!) into a remote, bizarre community. He is confused. He is horrified. He wonders if he has died and is in some sort of afterlife. And then, with perfect, almost elegant pacing, the story unfolds, revealing a fascinating world in which people have unquestioningly accepted every circumstance as the will of - gifts from - God. Our hero struggles with understanding their beliefs - and so does the reader. The themes of extreme submission and gratitude are thought-provoking in this context. Cathe Swanson