First published 2000
Eddie Olczak has built what feels like a perfect life in Browerville, Minnesota. He maintains the local Catholic church, adores his wife Krystyna, and treasures their two daughters. Then a tragic accident kills Krystyna, leaving Eddie certain his heart will never heal. Sister Regina teaches the Olczak girls at St. Joseph's school and feels deep affection for their family, but her Benedictine vows keep her at a distance even during their grief. As months pass, Eddie and Sister Regina find themselves drawn together by something stronger than their shared memories of Krystyna. The strict rules that once gave Sister Regina's life meaning now feel constraining. Eddie begins to hope again despite his loss. Both face an impossible choice between duty and desire, between the lives they've known and the love growing between them. Spencer explores how two people bound by faith and community expectations must decide whether to follow their hearts.
Genres: romance, christian-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Browerville, Minnesota, St. Joseph's School
Period: 20th-century
376 pages · Hardcover · Ulverscroft Large Print
Content warnings: death