Product Description

From the Essence bestselling author of The Prodigal Husband comes an inspiring novel about one woman's spiritual journey to overcome the mistakes of her past-and face the truths of an inescapable future. A year ago, successful career woman Sheila Moore left her home on the South Carolina coast to escape the pain of loving a man who would never love her back-her married business partner, Jake. Now Sheila has returned to Charleston and the past, into the guarded lives of Jake and his suspicious wife, Tori, and into an unexpected journey to find peace, joy, and love.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #277039 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-04
• Format: Bargain Price
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In this sequel to The Prodigal Husband, Thomas reintroduces readers to protagonist Sheila Moore. Several years have elapsed since her affair with her business partner, Jake Madison. Now 42, Sheila, a wealthy African-American beauty, is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She tells Jake she needs to take a leave of absence from their firm, but doesn't divulge anything about her health. Shortly after her diagnosis, she strikes up an unexpected friendship with Nicholas, an author who happens to be a close friend of Jake's wife, Tori. Unsurprisingly, there is little love lost between the two women, and Tori tries to dissuade Nicholas from spending time with her erstwhile rival. But Nicholas genuinely cares about his new friend, and eventually their relationship turns romantic. Will Sheila and the Madisons be able to forgive past wrongs? Will Sheila discover the rich Christian faith shared by all the other characters? Devotees of contemporary Christian fiction will not have much trouble guessing the answers. Thomas draws persuasive characters, but fails to offer the necessary backstory for this sequel to stand alone; readers not familiar with The Prodigal Husband will have to struggle through 100 pages before fully understanding everything that went on before.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author
Jacquelin Thomas is the Essence bestselling author of The Prodigal Husband among other novels.

Customer Reviews

Charming Tale of Christian Fellowship & Devotion
I wasn't sure if I would like this book - I don't read the Bible as much as I should and I have friends & family members that are very religious which is a good thing, but some of them are a little scary; but I enjoyed this book very much! The Bible references were comforting and made me feel a stronger connection to God and I didn't expect that I would feel that way - I didn't feel "preached at" and this is a talent that Jacquelin Thomas has, communicating her obvious love of Christianity, but in a way that is encouraging and not overbearing.

I didn't read The Prodigal Husband first and I can see where having known that story would have added depth to these characters, but even as a stand-alone novel, I felt drawn to the story of Sheila, who after being diagnosed with MS, finds the strength to turn to God for support instead of blaming Him for her past problems.

This pivotal change happens through her friendship with Nicholas, a handsome Christian writer that she's known for awhile and once had a crush on, but never a relationship. Although there is a connection between them, Nicholas concentrates on being there for Sheila as she goes through her trials with MS and eventually leads her to the Bible and God's word - he encourages her to realize her worth in God's eyes and seek the comfort that can be found in His love.

Along the way, Sheila encounters her business partner Jake, and his wife Tori - with whom she has a bad history. Apparently Sheila once had a torrid affair with Jake and almost cost him is marriage - at first she sees her friendship with Nicholas as a way antagonize Tori, since she's good friends with Nicholas, but again, though the Bible, she finds out that forgiveness is the only way that she will be happy. As his friendship with Sheila increases, Nicholas begins to have romantic feelings for her as well, and the reader gets to watch the battle between his very human needs vs. his spiritual standards.

This was my first Black Christian novel and I plan to read others for the interesting storylines and for the inspiration that they provide. I just hope my friends don't think I'm scary - this was a good story and a fast read - highly recommended.

give me more!!!
This book is what got me hooked on Jacquelin Thomas. After I read Redemption, I was looking for something else of hers and found this one. The sequel, The Prodigal Husband have been a few of the best reads that I have found in the African American literature. I am not a big romance fan, but the love in this book would make anyone a believer in true love and faith.

EXCELLENT
It was GREAT! I mean I was all up in the bed crying. Didn't know if I wanted Sheila to find happiness or if I was still upset with what she did in the previous book! LOL!! Either way it was EXCELLENT!!!

Donnica Copeland
Sista Talk Book Club