Gift of Grace: Tennessee Dreams

by Sharlene MacLaren

Publisher:

Whitaker House

, 2015

Overview

It was a leap of faith for Grace Fontaine to bid farewell to her beloved fianacé, Jess Quinn, and send him on a four-month stint on the transatlantic luxury liner the Lone Star. But the trip from Boston to London and back again would increase his salary five-fold and would bring the couple that much closer to realizing their dream of marrying and starting a family. When Grace learns that the ship was captured by pirates, her hope deflates—and it eviscerates entirely at the news that the pirate ship was destroyed, with no survivors reported.
Two years later, Grace receives word from a doctor in Paris, Tennessee, that her wealthy great-aunt, Iris Brockwell, is on her deathbed and requires round-the-clock care. Grace volunteers, figuring there is nothing left for her in Boston. It isn’t long after her arrival in Paris that she meets a charming, driven lawyer named Conrad Hall, who wastes no time sweeping her off her feet and soon proposes marriage. Given his promises to love, protect, and care for her and her great-aunt, how can Grace refuse?
Weeks before the wedding, an unexpected guest shows up and threatens to throw a wrench in the plans. Will Grace go through with her marriage to Conrad? Or will an unforeseen turn of events change her mind?
 

Praise for Gift of Grace

Gift of Grace leaves you breathless. A gifted storyteller, Sharlene MacLaren skillfully weaves together history, romance, and God’s divine plan. You can’t help but care about her characters, and the romantic tension will have you turning pages until the end. Well done!
—Sherry Kyle, Author, Watercolor Dreams

Although some of the backstory involves adventure and intrigue, it is pure love that drives the plot, with emphasis on a biblical-style union. In Sharlene MacLaren’s Gift of Grace, there’s some anguish in the romantic journey.
—Alan Daugherty, Columnist, Angelkeep Journals, Bluffton (IN) News-Banner, Author, THE flood: A Bluffton History Novel

Sharlene MacLaren brings the late nineteenth century to life as she creates a dilemma for her characters that will keep the reader turning the pages. This is a book you don’t want to miss.
—Merrillee Whren, Author, A Place to Call Home

Sharlene MacLaren has created a story with great characters, plenty of action, and a whole lot of heart. This emotionally rich read will have you alternately reaching for a tissue, laughing, and getting so angry that you want to jump into the pages of the book and give a certain character a piece of your mind. Treat yourself to a gift and open the pages of A Gift of Grace. You’ll be glad you did.
—Keli Gwyn, Author, A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California

Yet again, the amazing and talented Sharlene MacLaren has created a story that will touch every emotion in your heart and soul. A word to the wise: Set aside plenty of time when you pick up Gift of Grace, because you won’t want to put it down until you’ve reached the last, sigh-inducing, satisfying page.
—Loree Lough, Award-winning author of 100-plus books, including Currency of the Heart (book one, Secrets on Sterling Street)

Product Details

• Title : Gift of Grace
• Author: MacLaren, Sharlene
• Publisher: Whitaker House
• Publication Date: 2015
• ISBN: 9781629112893

About Sharlene MacLaren

Born and raised in west Michigan, Sharlene MacLaren attended Spring Arbor University. Upon graduating with an education degree in 1971, she taught second grade for two years, then accepted an invitation to travel internationally for a year with a singing ensemble. After traveling for a year, she returned to her teaching job, then in 1975, she reunited with her childhood sweetheart, and they married that very December. They have raised two lovely daughters, both of whom are now happily married and enjoying their own families. Retired in 2003 after thirty-one years of teaching, Shar loves to read, sing, travel, and spend time with her family—in particular, her adorable grandchildren!
Shar has always enjoyed writing, and her high school classmates eagerly read and passed around her short stories. In the early 2000s, Shar felt God’s call upon her heart to take her writing pleasures a step further, so in 2006, she signed a contract with Whitaker House for her first faith-based novel, Through Every Storm, thereby launching her professional writing career. With more than twenty published novels now gracing store shelves and being sold online, Shar gives God all the glory.
Shar’s novels have won numerous awards. Most recently, Their Daring Hearts was named a 2018 Top Pick by Romantic Times and her last book, A Love to Behold, was voted “Book of the Year” in 2019 by Interviews & Reviews.
Shar has done numerous countrywide book signings and has participated in several interviews on television and radio. She loves to speak for community organizations, libraries, church groups, and women’s conferences. In her church, she is active in women’s ministries, regularly facilitating Bible studies and other events. Shar and her husband, Cecil, live in Spring Lake, Michigan, with their beautiful white collie, Peyton.
Shar loves hearing from her readers. If you wish to contact her as a potential speaker or would simply like to chat with her, please send her an e-mail at [e-mail]. She will do her best to answer in a timely manner.
Additional resources:
http://www.SharleneMacLaren.com
https://www.instagram.com/sharlenemaclaren
https://twitter.com/sharzy_lu?lang=en
https://www.facebook.com/groups/43124814557 (Sharlene MacLaren & Friends)
https://www.whitakerhouse.com/book-authors/sharlene-maclaren/