Posts with the custom taxonomy term Stevens-Connie

Dawn of Grace by Connie Stevens

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1891 – North Carolina

Elise Holbrook is a pawn in a hopeless game of chess.

Elise’s father formed an alliance with influential, but unscrupulous, George Penwell, the terms of which include Elise’s hand to fortify Penwell’s connections in New York society. But Elise can’t abide being in the same room with George Penwell and will do anything to keep from being forced into the marriage. In a desperate ploy, she blurts out a lie that she is in love with a longtime friend, and they plan to be married the following week. A few days later, her friend is found murdered, and Elise discovers Penwell is his killer.

Fearing she might never be safe from Penwell, Elise seeks refuge by escaping to the remote mountain town of Hot Springs, North Carolina. Suffering from debilitating headaches brought on by strangulating guilt and remorse over her lie, she hopes the change in scenery and restful environment will help relieve her headaches. Instead, the pain escalates, and requires more and more laudanum.

Jonathan Aldridge, fresh out of seminary and stepping into his first pastorate in Hot Springs, is plagued by doubts over his calling to the ministry. Despite his own misgivings regarding the legitimacy of his calling, Jonathan must set aside his fears when he meets Elise Holbrook. Her headaches are gut-wrenching to see, and he wishes he could help her. Complications twist Jonathan’s hope with the arrival of Cyrus Drummond, a self-proclaimed faith healer and evangelist. Elise attends Drummond’s revival meetings and is conned into believing Drummond can heal her.

How can Jonathan expose Drummond for the fraud that he is before the man swindles Elise out of thousands of dollars? And how can Elise accept God’s forgiveness when she can’t forgive herself?

Journey of Peace by Connie Stevens

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1880s – North Carolina

Pointed fingers of condemnation accuse Margaret Rose Fellrath of aiding and abetting her outlaw brothers despite the lack of convicting evidence. When her brothers escape jail, all options are stolen from her except one: she must leave Raleigh and go where nobody has ever heard of the Fellrath brothers. The tiny mountain town of Hot Springs, North Carolina, seems the perfect spot for a new start. Introducing herself as Rose Miller, she finds employment as a chambermaid at the posh Mountain Park Hotel and Resort. She prays she can keep to herself and remain “invisible,” and somehow satisfy the head housekeeper’s impossible demands.

Cullen Delaney’s groundskeeper job at the Mountain Park Hotel and Resort is safe and predictable, but his second job—working part-time with the town sheriff—instills instincts that his father would have taught him if an outlaw’s bullet hadn’t cut Pa down. When he meets Rose Miller, his suspicious nature is piqued by her reticent behavior. What is she hiding?

Despite efforts to remain aloof and distant from everyone at the Mountain Park, Rose’s memories of her mother and the faith they shared nudge her to step beyond safe shadows. Mama always said doing something kind for someone else would make her forget her own troubles, and Rose can’t keep herself from doing what she knows Mama would tell her to do. But demonstrations of kindness bring unwanted attention, and Rose realizes she has broken her own rule. If her identity is revealed, she’ll have no choice but to run again. How she wishes she could trust someone—Cullen most of all.

Breath of Water by Connie Stevens

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1886 – North Carolina

In 1886, near the hot mineral springs in the Appalachian highlands of North Carolina, the fifth generation of the Chappell family honors the traditions and heritage handed down over the years by their ancestors. Orphaned at the age of seven, Dulcie Chappell was raised by her grandparents to believe the only thing more important than family and the land was the Lord. Being caretakers of the land, raising their sheep, and producing fine woolen goods are part of Dulcie’s birthright. Above all else, she is dedicated to taking care of her grandparents.

James and Virginia Chappell grieve over their granddaughter’s resentment toward God, but they persist in praying she will soften her heart. They’ve been as faithful as the mountains that never move to teach her about her heritage, but James wonders if inheriting a piece of land is merely inheriting a lot of hard work. Dulcie can’t do it alone after they are gone, and she doesn’t show any interest in courting.

Gavin DeWitt was taught making money is what equates to success, so achieving the goals set for him by his ruthless uncle is his focus. The slow pace in the sleepy, backwoods community of Hot Springs, North Carolina is vastly different from the life he has led in Philadelphia. Uncle Arnold claims these mountain people are ignorant and backward, but when Gavin encounters the Chappells, he is taken aback by the things they value. Distracted by the quiet, simple lives they lead, Gavin explores the possibility of pursuing choices beyond his uncle’s demands.

When the Chappell’s land and legacy are threatened by the predatory tactics of a land speculator, Dulcie vows to maintain possession of their property. Confronted by adversity, they tenaciously cling to their ageless faith in the God who has promised to never leave them alone. Will their passion for the Lord, family, and land be enough? Or will an outsider beguile his way into the community under the guise of benevolence and defraud them of their heritage?