Heartfelt Reads Bundle - paperback

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Finding Heaven

“So, what do you do?” Sarah said.

She took a bite of ice cream and held the cold lump against the roof of her mouth.

Steve’s tone was somber. “I help run a shelter for women who want to get out, teaching them viable skills so they have options. Them and their kids, who otherwise run a high risk of being trafficked, also. It’s not easy—the whole system is set up to keep these women there, forever. Most of them are too scared to leave, or they have nowhere else to go.”

He paused, and when he continued, his eyes saw something far beyond the ocean.

“I have seen such unspeakable things in the slums of Mumbai. I had to do something.” His eyes focused on Sarah. “That’s why I’m here—I’m giving a presentation about my work tonight, raising funds to purchase a building for our child care centre.”

Sarah studied Steve, brow furrowed. She had never met anyone like him. He obviously had a lot going for him. And he wasn’t even from India. Why on earth would he be working with prostitutes in Mumbai? Was this guy really all that he seemed?

“Why do you care about them so much?”

Steve’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “Tell you what, neighbour. Why don’t you come to my presentation tonight, and you’ll find out?”

Sarah gulped, then shrugged. “I’ll think about it.”

“I guess that will have to do.” Steve gave her a broad smile and then licked off his spoon with relish.

Sarah cleaned out the last of her ice cream from the cup. She thought about the haunting faces in Steve’s photos, the women—girls!—he fought to free from sexual bondage. Then she thought about the housewives who read the sordid tales that flowed from her word processor, whose favourite escape was a fictional affair. Finally, she thought about the long hours she spent cranking those stories out, inserting names and faces and events around steamy scenes that left her cold as a stone.

“I wish I had even a fraction of your passion for my own work.”

She was slightly embarrassed that she had blurted that out loud, but she knew it was the truth. She had a successful career, a handsome husband, and a comfortable lifestyle, yet she felt dead inside. And this man—who never had Starbucks and worked with prostitutes in a developing country—seemed to find joy in even the smallest things and spread it to everyone he met.

She felt a desperate craving to experience that kind of joy. She had hoped that having a baby would let her do that, but now, the chances seemed slim. The diagnosis she had yet to share with Craig loomed in her mind, overshadowing any hope she’d held onto. She thought sadly of the baby that she would likely never hold—the one chance she would have had to break out of her icy existence.

That’s not what I deserve. Why bother wanting it? The yearning shrivelled before it had even taken root. My life is what it is.

Steve gave her a hard stare.

“It’s never too late to make a change. You know that, right?”

Locked in the grip of those blue eyes, Sarah felt like he could see everything she was thinking at that moment. She wasn’t sure if the thought was terrifying or comforting.

She also knew he was wrong. Sometimes it was too late.

The Friday Night Date Dress

Melinda entered the bedroom to change, running her hand down the dress hanging from the door before putting it on.

Sleeveless, with a sweetheart neckline and pleated waist, the retro design did not seem at all at odds with the modern fabric. The gauzy silk chiffon overlay added just enough mystery without taking away any of the modesty.

She wondered what Robert would think of the skulls-and-roses look. The world lurched into greyscale, and now all those skulls made her think of was death. The feeling of accomplishment faded. She zipped the dress up her own back and headed to the bathroom.

Half an hour later, she emerged, her hair curled and up, her makeup perfect, and strappy black sandals on her feet. She silently packed up a worn picnic basket with two champagne glasses, a sandwich, and some fruit. The bottle that went in was real champagne for once—Peter’s tip had been much more generous than she was used to, and she had felt like splurging a little.

Why had Peter invited her out tonight?

Not just me. Robert and me.

Still, most of her customers didn’t look at her twice. Well, there were always those guys that were especially rude—the kind who thought that being a diner waitress meant taking catcalls, pinches, and solicitations were part of her job description, regardless of the ring on her left hand. She had developed a pretty thick skin, and a repertoire of biting comments that shut unwanted attention down fast. If that failed, Fred would roar out and send those customers packing—he had a zero-tolerance policy when it came to harassing his girls.

But Melinda wasn’t used to someone expressing an interest in her. Like Peter. She wondered idly what movie he and his girlfriend were planning to see—then realized what she was doing and broke off that line of thought with an irritated, “I’m such an idiot.”

She grabbed her black shrug and the picnic basket and hurried out the front door without so much as a glance at the transformed woman who passed by the hall mirror. She had dressed up for Robert, and no one else, just like she did every Friday night.

Finding Heaven: Equivalent movie rating of 18A for sexual & physical assault, verbal & emotional abuse, and moderate profanity, and intense themes such as domestic violence, childhood sexual abuse, and human trafficking.

The Friday Night Date Dress: Equivalent movie rating of PG for non-graphic kissing and intense themes of grief, trauma, and witnessing death.

“One of the most beautifully written books I have read.”
- Kristin Dyck, editor of Mile Zero News

“A riveting, true-to-life tale of love's power to heal and redeem.”
-  Melissa Keaster, author of Eleora

“This book is a page-turner!”
- Laurie Hodges, Goodreads reviewer

“A moving and beautiful story of accepting who you are, overcoming the past, and embracing the future.”
- Kamber Ferriss, reader

“The tears are how you know it’s good!”
- Katrin, Goodreads reviewer

“One of the best novels I've read in a long time.”
- M. Quinn, Amazon reviewer

Finding Heaven is great for book clubs. Click below to access a list of questions to spark discussion.

Finding Heaven

Format: Trade paperback
Genre: Psychological Fiction, Contemporary Romantic Women’s Fiction, Christian Women’s Fiction, Inspirational Fiction
Length: 163k words; 652 pages (490 print pages)
Reading time: 13 to 14 hours
Original release date: November 14, 2017
Current edition release date: April 7, 2026
Publisher: My Secret Wish Publishing
ISBN (ebook): 978-0-9947364-3-7
ISBN (digital audiobook): 978-1-9898001-9-5
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-998164-20-2
ISBN (hardcover): 978-1-998164-21-9

PRINT DIMENSIONS:

Paperback: 15.2 x 22.9 x 2.773 cm / 6 x 9 x 1.0918 inches
Hardcover: 15.2 x 22.9 x 3.175 cm / 6 x 9 x 1.25 inches

The Friday Night Date Dress

Format: Pocket paperback
Genre: Inspirational Romance, Romantic Women’s Fiction, Clean & Wholesome Romance
Length: 164 pages; 30k words
Reading time: 2 to 3 hours

Original release date: June 26, 2015
Current edition release date: March 31, 2026
Publisher: My Secret Wish Publishing
ISBN (eBook): 978-0-9947364-1-3
ISBN (digital audiobook): 978-1-998164-15-8
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-998164-23-3 

PRINT DIMENSIONS:

Paperback: 11.1 x 17.8 x 1.149 cm / 4.37 x 7 x 0.45226 inches; 128.82 grams / 0.284 lbs

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