Hallowed Halls

Hallowed Halls
Hannah Alexander
(Christian Writers Guild)
ISBN: 978-0578137070
May 2014/269 pages/$14.99
When Dr. Joy Gilbert is fired by a grieving boss who wants more from her than she's willing to give, she returns to her tiny hometown of Juliet, MO to find her ex-fiance still single, her once-strong and independent mother struggling in every way. Before she can make a move, however, the back door of her car bursts open and Tressa, her former employer's fifteen-year-old daughter, clambers out, refusing to return home to either of her divorced, embittered parents.

Zack Tyler, director of Juliet Hospital's ER, is stunned to see the woman he still loves has returned to town, apparently unbroken by the rejection of her former employer. That same employer, Weston Cline, told Zack last year that Joy wanted to spread her wings and take the job Weston offered her in a suburb of Kansas City. Zack would have expected to see her heartbroken, in tears, but all she's worried about is her mother's health and Tressa's rebellion. To help her financially, Zack hires her to work in the ER, but the minute he does that, he knows he's in for another wild ride of the heart.

When Tressa first begins having blackouts, she's relieved that they take place when she's alone. If she's not careful, she's afraid Joy will feel the need to tell her parents, who will insist she return home. But more and more often, the blackouts hit, and she's in grave danger before Joy and Zack can discover what is causing them, and what caused the deaths of her brother, her father's baby brother, a great grandfather...how many unexplained deaths will her family have to endure?

Read an excerpt.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hannah Alexander is the pen name used by Cheryl and Mel Hodde. They chose “Hannah Alexander” to incorporate their two names. To them, Hannah means hope in the Lord and Alexander means servant of mankind. They have published 22 books with Steeple Hill, Harlequin Suspense, Love Inspired, Summerside Press, and Bethany House. Their romance has been written up in Charisma Magazine in years past, and can be found at www.hannahalexander.com



MY THOUGHTS

I've been a fan of Hannah Alexander's books for years so I pre-ordered a copy of Hallowed Halls and eagerly awaited its arrival. I was not disappointed as once again this duo has penned an engrossing tale of family dynamics, medical intrigue, and romance. Character development is one of the strengths of this novel, and while Joy and Zack were easy to connect with, Tressa immediately stole my heart due to her dysfunctional family background as well as her frequently-spoken wisdom beyond her years. Alexander capably portrays a variety of relational difficulties as the story progresses - employer/employee, parent/child, estranged spouses, and more - and demonstrates how God uses trials to prompt us to reorder priorities and begin the process of mending the broken connections in our lives. Add this book to your summer reading list!


I'm delighted to have the opportunity to meet and interview Hannah Alexander at ICRS in Atlanta later this month. Watch for my interview coming here!