Small-Town Hearts (20 page)
Authors: Ruth Logan Herne
- Danny expects to while away his summer in a sleepy small town, champing at the bit to get back to his big-city East Coast venue. When he falls in love with the sweet ambiance of Allegany County and realizes that making a living in a small town is no simple matter, he gets a first-hand education he hadn't expected. How often do we make assumptions about people, places or things only to discover the truth is quite different?
- God has blessed Meg with patience, focus and talent in the business world, but she can't seem to bring those gifts into her love life because she's guilty of rushing the process. Are we so anxious to find the dream that we sometimes forget to enjoy the journey?
- Danny has a great relationship with his parents and grandmother, but his one major regret is not spending time with his developmentally disabled uncle before Uncle Jerry's death. Instead of seeing the selfishness of youth as a temporary aberration, Danny sees himself as selfish and self-absorbed. Meeting Ben becomes his chance to set things right personally and emotionally. Has God ever provided you with those second chances, those “coincidences” that help move you forward?
- Meg's parents are facing a big decision with Ben. The thought of pushing a developmentally challenged child out the nest weighs heavily on them. How difficult is it to push people into new challenges when you really, truly long to protect them from all harm?
- Meg's a born romantic with an eye on her biological clock. As years tick on and the dream eludes us, what role does faith play in our personal quests?
- Danny uses quiet strength and humor as a defuser throughout this story. How does humor help you to keep things in their proper perspective?
- Meg is happy to be a hometown girl despite the downside of being talked about chronically in the public eye. She stayed close for college and built her business right in her hometown. What does that tell us about her? Is it good or bad to cling fiercely to one's roots?
- Danny hides who he is initially, but as his feelings grow, he confesses about his job. Should he have come clean sooner?
- Danny's sympathy for his sister's loss prods him to rethink his mother's corporate decisions. His nurturing side wants to help Mary Clare, but he recognizes her need to spread her wings. How hard is it to sit back and watch loved ones mature through sometime painful experiences?
- Danny's growing relationship with Ben is the second chance he's been looking for. What does his respect for Ben as a person tell us about Danny?
- The Holy Spirit offers blessings and wisdom in numerous ways, some subtle, some not. Why do we tend to resist until the last possible chance?
- Grandma Mary bustles into town like a tiny hurricane, her zest and zeal the benchmark for what built the family
candy company. She keeps her identity from Meg because she knows Meg needs help and support. Could this lie of omission have backfired? - Danny comes to town on a simple mission but ends up with a crash course in faith, romance, small business administration and small-town dynamics. He definitely got more than he bargained for. Think about times when little tasks or jobs in your life have led to much more momentous occasions. Isn't it amazing how our path unwinds before us?
ISBN: 978-1-4592-0625-0
SMALL-TOWN HEARTS
Copyright © 2011 by Ruth M. Blodgett
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Love Inspired Books,
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Men of Allegany County