After one of her patients is murdered, Dr. Megan Bradley has to get away. Away from the crime she saw but couldn't prevent, and away from missionary Gerard Vance, who almost made her trust in love again. Shaken and scared, Megan fl ees to the one place she can heal—her small Missouri hometown.

She never expected Gerard to follow her…or for danger to find her again. When they discover a murderer lurks in town, Megan will need strength from Gerard—and the Lord—to save lives. Including their own.

Review

Dr. Megan Bradley flees Corpus Christi and the rescue mission clinic at which she works to a small cabin in Missouri after her homeless patient is murdered right before her eyes. Even though it’s a tragedy that brings her home, the timing of her return is excellent. Megan’s old friend Kirstie may be in danger and needs her help. Megan is shocked when Gerard Vance, an ex-cop who runs the clinic, shows up in Jolly Mill, Missouri and also agrees to assist Kirstie. Megan agrees to work with him to see if someone is trying to harm Kirstie, but fights to resist her attraction to Gerard. It seems the tragedy that claimed a young mother’s life in Texas has Megan rethinking her own life and her faith, which could end up costing her a chance at happiness with the man she loves.

Megan and Gerard are a good match, but Megan is experiencing a crisis in her faith and feels she would not be a good partner for the devout Gerard feeling the way she does. Kirstie, Gerard, and Megan discuss their faith throughout the book, but their faith is an important part of who the characters are and how they live their lives. This is to be expected in a Christian inspirational novel, but the book never comes across as “preachy.”

While the book doesn’t seem to be part of a series, when the book began, I felt like I was coming in to the middle of the story. The patient’s murder was related to issues the clinic was having, but that was all talked about in the past and wasn’t compelling. There are several storylines and subplots to follow in this book and there many old skeletons, such as old boyfriends and family scandals, that come up and are still playing a part in the characters’ lives today. Again, much of this is given as background and isn’t experienced in the book.

I like the three main characters of Megan, Gerard, and Kirstie. They are all three kind, compassionate, and want the best for those they care about. I don’t understand Megan’s friend and Kirstie’s daughter Lynley. She is also supposed to be a good person, but seems spoiled and immature to me, dwelling over past jealousies from childhood instead of supporting her friend and mother. We don’t get to know any of the characters in depth, so that may be why I wasn’t able to connect with Lynley. Early in the book, we learn Megan and her mother don’t get along. However, one quick phone conversation seems to solve what were apparently years of problems between the mother and daughter. This seemed forced and unrealistic.

The book is suspenseful, and while there is a lot of build-up regarding the danger Kirstie is in, the resolution at the end seems rushed. The romance between Megan and Gerard and the strong friendship between Megan and Kirstie make this an enjoyable book if you are looking for some light reading. Details about the potential danger Kirstie is in could spoil the suspense, but it is an interesting plot that is suspenseful. While I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I have other books by Hannah Alexander, which is the pen name of a husband and wife writing team, it’s still an enjoyable book. Readers who like the inspirational suspense novels by Marta Perry may enjoy this story. There are discussion questions at the end that would be good for book clubs.

Reviewed by Christine K

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