Do you believe in divine appointments? It seems the moment Nick Sheridan roars to the top of a California mountain in the middle of a rain storm and rescues Kate Darby that he made one. He scrambles to Kate's rescue, risking his life as the car is ready to tumble further down the steep mountain side. Kate having found herself in this predicament from swerving to avoid a Condor on the road, must put her faith in a complete stranger. She has no time to decide. She must jump and trust.
Nick Sheridan fresh from a life altering experience of his own has made a vow to himself and to God that he won't date for a year. Now he meets Kate Darby and his promise is sorely strained.
Kate has come to care take for her beloved grandmother who has suffered a stroke. And, coincidentally Nick works for "The Clarion" the paper her grandparents founded. Kate has taken a leave of absence from her job to keep "The Clarion" going for her grandmother.
Over time, Nick and Kate acknowledge their mutual attraction and a relationship begins to grow. Nick is honest with Kate from the beginning telling her of his Vow. He explains that he is a new believer and why. She struggles against wanting to have faith. She believes that only she can determine her own way and destiny. Meanwhile, her grandmother, journals about her marriage with her deceased husband and her faith. She uses her experience with the Condors to share with Kate very important life lessons.
Ms. Bylin does a beautiful job describing the natural temptations for Nick, his thought processes, and choices to deal with them honorably. Kate can't help but be drawn to a strong but sweet hero as Nick. But without spiritual eyes, she cannot comprehend his life choices. She chooses to believe in what she can see and feel and in her own strength to make her way. She desires to be the one in control of her life.
To complicate matters, Kate's job obligations call her back to a relationship with a client who sees Kate to be someone she can mold into her likeness and dependence on power, money, beauty and selfishness.
Nick puts up with a lot from Kate once they determine to go to the next level of their relationship. I can't believe how much she asks of him and he keeps giving and giving. Kate has Nick on a pedestal; and of course, he, being human falls off.
Finally, Kate must make a choice between her life and future as she sees it or the man she loves but doesn't understand. Will she let him walk out of her life or will she push through her greatest fears to obtain the prize?
Ms. Bylin tells her story with feeling and descriptive nuances that seem like the real life situations and feelings we've all had--making one want to say I know how the characters feel, I've been there.
Well done, Ms. Bylin!
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