"River of Hope" Series: #2 Ellie's Haven

By Sharlene MacLaren

Description:

A courageous young woman seeking refuge...

Ellie Booth was never the type to run away. But she'd witnessed her stepfather commit a heartless crime, and, knowing he'll stop at nothing to keep her quiet, she has no choice but to flee. Soon, she finds herself in Wabash, Indiana, scrambling for a cover identity to evade her stepfather. For lack of a better option, she answers an ad for a wife/housekeeper/nanny, praying that her lack of experience won't be obvious.

A widowed father with no domestic skills to speak of...

Gage Cooper is reaching the end of his rope. With four children between the ages of three and ten, he needs a reliable nanny, yet each one he's hired has thrown up her hands and deserted her post. When an attractive, spirited young woman applies for the "job," he knows he should pray about the matter, but his desperation for help propels him headlong into a marriage of convenience.

A trial by fire of their wedding vows...

Ellie immediately falls in love with the Cooper children, and, not long after, with their father. Soon, the "marriage of convenience" becomes less of a business arrangement as husband and wife yield to an attraction neither one had expected. When secrets of the past and dangers of the present arise in their lives, their marriage is put to the test, and God alone knows what will become of their union.

Book Takeaway:

With every book I write my primary goal is to write a story that will draw my readers to Christ. When they finish one of my books, and this one is no exception, I always pray that they will not so much go in search of another "Sharlene MacLaren" book as go in search of their Bibles. I long for my stories to make people hungry for more of Christ. That said, my stories aren't preachy, but I do entwine a clear gospel message in my plots.

Why the author wrote this book:

This is book two in my River of Hope Series set in Wabash, Indiana in the roaring 20s. It was love at first sight when my husband and I traveled through this quaint little historic town a few years ago. I knew almost immediately that I just had to write a series around it, so I started my research. From there I came up with several plot scenarios and wa-lah, my series took wings.