by Jan Karon
Part of Mitford Years, book 1
First published 1996
Father Tim serves as rector in the mountain village of Mitford, where pure air and friendly neighbors create an idyllic setting. The bachelor priest feels restless, sensing something missing from his comfortable routine. His ordered world shifts when a massive dog appears and refuses to leave his home. An appealing woman next door starts visiting regularly, creating a worn trail through the hedge between their properties. A young boy who desperately needs affection enters Father Tim's orbit. Meanwhile, someone has stolen valuable jewelry, and a mystery from six decades past surfaces to complicate matters further. These unexpected developments transform Father Tim's predictable existence into something far more complex than he anticipated. The quiet rector discovers that getting what you wish for brings complications he never imagined.
Genres: fiction, christian-fiction, family-life, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, cozy, emotional, intimate
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Mitford
Hardcover · Thomas T. Beeler