A Light in the Window

By Julie Lessman

Description:

One Woman. Two Men. One stirs her pulse and the other her faith. But who will win her heart? Marceline Murphy is a gentle beauty with a well-founded aversion to rogues. But when two of Boston's most notorious pursue her, she encounters a tug-of-war of the heart she isn’t expecting. Sam O’Rourke is the childhood hero she’s pined for, the brother of her best friend and a member of the large, boisterous family to which she longs to be a part. So when his best friend Patrick O’Connor joins in pursuit of her affections, the choice seems all too clear. Sam is from a family of faith and Patrick is not, two rogues whose wild ways clash head-on with Marcy’s—both in her faith and in her heart. While overseeing the Christmas play fundraiser for the St. Mary’s parish soup kitchen—A Light in the Window—Marcy not only wrestles with her attraction to both men, but with her concern for their spiritual welfare. The play is based on the Irish custom of placing a candle in the window on Christmas Eve to welcome the Holy Family, and for Marcy, its message becomes deeply personal. Her grandmother Mima cautions her to guard her heart for the type of man who will respond to the "light in the window," meaning the message of Christ in her heart. But when disaster strikes during the play, Marcy is destined to discover the truth of the play’s message first-hand when it becomes clear that although two men have professed their undying love, only one has truly responded to “the light in the window.” What people are saying about the works of Julie Lessman ... "At last, the prequel I've been longing for ..." -- Mary Connealy, bestselling author of the Kincaid Bride Series "A Passion Most Pure is a frolicking read brimming with humor, desire, and addled affections, and guarantees to satisfy the most romantic of hearts." -- Tamera Alexander, bestselling author of Rekindled, Revealed, and Remembered "A thought-provoking yet very enjoyable read, one I hated to put down and returned to over and over with great eagerness and anticipation. I can't wait for the next one in this series." -- Kathleen Morgan, author of A Fire Within and As High as the Heavens. "In a powerful and skillfully written novel, Lessman exposes raw human emotions, proving once again that it's through our greatest pain that God can lead us to our true heart, revealed and restored. Thoroughly enthralling!" -- Maggie Brendan, author of the Heart of the West series "Julie Lessman brings all her passion for romance rooted in her passion for God to A Heart Revealed. Emma Malloy is her finest heroine yet. These characters, with their own personal struggles and the ignited flame of an impossible love, fill the pages of this powerful, passionate, fast-paced romance." -- Mary Connealy, author of the Lassoed in Texas and the Montana Marriages series "Readers who long for passion in their love stories will find it in abundance here!"--Liz Curtis Higgs, bestselling author of Thorn in My Heart. "Lessman writes my favorite kind of book: the kind I can't put down--a book that has a heroine with unforgettable spunk, a romance with undeniable sparks, and a family that will remain in your heart long after you turn the last page."-- Siri Mitchell, author of She Walks in Beauty. "Captivating characters, richly drawn, along with riveting and thought-provoking scenes--A Hope Undaunted will leave you breathless with anticipation. Julie Lessman has written a novel that resonates throughout with constant reminders of God's unconditional love."-- Maggie Brendan, author of Heart of the West series.

Book Takeaway:

Like the age-old adage "you can't judge a book by its cover," ALITW teaches the same lesson, especially when God is involved.

Awards:

Why the author wrote this book:

After writing about the O'Connor family in the Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change series, I was reluctant to say goodbye to them, even though I was contracted for a new series with a new family in San Francisco. So I brought the entire saga full circle by writing this prequel. :)