New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr takes readers back to her beloved Virgin River country in this heartwarming tribute to Rhonda Clemons, founder of Zoë Institute and a winner of a Harlequin More Than Words award.
By discovering a seed of compassion and nurturing it to effect real change, the dedicated women selected as Harlequin More Than Words award recipients make our world a better place. To celebrate their accomplishments, bestselling authors have honored the winners by writing short stories inspired by their lives and work.
This special eBook is yours at no charge because Harlequin is committed to celebrating women¿s efforts and supporting the causes that are meaningful to them. By sharing Rhonda Clemons¿ story, we hope to turn awareness into action and mobilize others to make a difference.
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Summary
Sheltering Hearts is a sweet romance novella that contains no objectionable content. The story was inspired by one of the winners of the Harlequin More Than Words contest in which Harlequin awards a cash prize to women who are working tirelessly to make a difference in their community. This novella is also considered to be a side story in Robyn Carr's Virgin River series. It takes place in the nearby town of Fortuna, where Virgin River residents frequently visit. Mel and Jack (Virgin River) and Preacher and Paige (Shelter Mountain) put in brief appearances, but this novella easily stands on its own. The reader wouldn't have to have read previous books in the series to understand what's going on. The heroine, Dory is a strong woman. She is a single mom with two kids who left an abusive marriage four years earlier. Inspired by the Zoe Institute, the real life organization to which this novella is dedicated, she moved to Fortuna and has been working with Mel, Paige, and another woman to create a community center to support single mothers. She's wary of dating, still not trusting her judgment where men are concerned, so when her hunky new neighbor starts being a little too neighborly for comfort, she has to decide whether he's a good bet for finally getting back into dating or if he poses too much of a risk to her already battered heart and psyche. Her choice is made more difficult by other unexpected changes in her life. This novella is primarily about Dory's journey, so there are only two or three short scenes from the hero, Clay's POV. He's a sweet guy who's a firefighter, loves kids, and is very protective of women. When he moves in next¬door to Dory, he notices that she's a a busy single mom, so he steps in by doing things like mowing her lawn, taking out the trash, or playing catch with her kids. Of course, Clay thinks he's just being nice and helping out, but she initially sees his actions as a threat. Needless to say, he's rather baffled by her less than pleased reaction to his kindness, but eventually his patience and gentleness win the day. Overall, Sheltering Hearts was a very pleasant way to spend a few hours of my reading time. It didn't necessarily grab me in any sort of intense way, and I occasionally found my mind wandering. However, it was still a very heart-warming story with a light, cozy feel. Anyone who likes these types of stories should enjoy this novella. Sheltering Hearts is available as a free eBook download from most major book retailers and can also be found in the print anthology, More Than Words, Volume 6. Review provided by The Hope Chest Reviews (http://www.thcreviews.com)