JOHSUA'S HOPE by Carol Ann Erhardt - 2009 CAPA Nominee

I am so thrilled to have JOSHUA'S HOPE nominated in the inspirational division. What a great day to have the award winners announced. I love Valentine's Day. I've been surprised by my hubby several times with some "off the wall" gifts, my favorite being a cute black "ape" with a red bowtie holding a red rose. But enough about me.

Here's a snippet from the 5 heart review by Dee Dailey of TRS:

This book with its superb storyline has all of the good things that a book can have to keep us reading. Characters, dialogue, suspense all are penned in a way that I think are excellent. The book just naturally flows to a fantastic conclusion. If you need a book to lift you up, this is the one to read. But make sure you have a lot of tissues handy for the tears of frustration and joy that are sure to flow as the story unfolds.

Blurb: Hope Courtland escaped her marriage to save her life. Her only regret is leaving her four-year-old stepson, Joshua, behind. Though she wants custody, no attorney is willing to tackle her ex-husband in a custody battle. Hope’s faith begins to falter. She learns that Joshua is paying the consequences for her freedom, and in an act of desperation, she kidnaps him. Suddenly, she becomes a suspect in her ex-husband’s murder.

Zack Stone is content to be sheriff of Pine Cove, Tennessee, where the worst conflict he deals with is handing out speeding tickets. Though his faith is strong, he struggles with issues of forgiveness surrounding his wife’s death. When he rescues Hope in a rainstorm, the last thing he expects is to find a woman who stirs his heart. Being a small town sheriff shouldn’t involve kidnapping and murder, but Zack can’t turn his back on Hope and the little boy she loves.

Excerpt:

Loud voices drifted up the stairwell. She opened Joshua's door and slipped inside. His eyes were open. He stared at her, silent tears carving paths down his cheeks. She put a finger on her lips, urging him not to say anything. She lifted him and he wrapped himself around her like a small monkey.

"Mommy," he whispered.

"It's all right. Mommy is going to take you home with her now. But you have to be very quiet. Can you do that?"

He nodded against her neck. "I need white doggie."

Hope reached for the stuffed animal she'd given him on his first birthday. The neck fur had been rubbed off in two places from Joshua's fingers. "Mommy will carry white doggie for you. Don't be scared and don't look up. Just hold on tight."

He nodded again, his arms squeezing tighter. She kept one arm firmly around him and eased the door open. So far, so good. She only needed to get downstairs without being seen. She closed Joshua's door and began a slow descent. The hairs prickled on the back of her neck, alerting Hope someone was watching. Swiveling her head, her gaze locked with Anna's. For endless moments, Hope's heart stopped.

Then Peter's study door crashed open and she feared she'd been caught.

Joshua's small body jerked and he began to tremble. His fingers dug deeply into her skin.

The nanny rushed down the stairs, and as she passed, she whispered, "Run."

I would love to be here all day, but unfortunately I have to attend my writer's group meeting. Since I'm President, they won't let me play hooky today. **big grin** But I'll stop in when I get home.

Congratulations to all the nominees and good luck!

Carol Ann Erhardt
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