Excerpt from the Book
April kept her hands moving, though the silence in the bakery felt louder than the ovens. She could feel him there, just behind her, as surely as the warmth from the fire.
Hawkins set his coffee cup down with care. “Mrs. Anderson means well,” he said.
“She always has,” April answered softly, her eyes fixed on the dough. “She is one of the few in town who still remembers what it was like before.”
A pause settled between them. The rolling pin slowed beneath her hands.
“Do you remember it?” Hawkins asked, his voice lower now.
April swallowed. “I remember fishing at the riverbank and thinking the world would always stay kind.”
His gaze lingered on her a moment longer than it should have. “I prayed last night for peace in this town.”
Her hands stilled, just once. “So did I.”
For a heartbeat, neither of them spoke. Something quiet and unspoken settled in the space between them, fragile as glass and just as easily broken.
April drew in a slow breath and picked up the rolling pin again. “We should not be talking like this.”
Hawkins gave a single nod, though it looked like it cost him something. “No, ma’am. We should not.”
The steady rhythm of dough against wood filled the room once more, but it did little to quiet the awareness between them. April kept her gaze lowered, though every part of her knew exactly where he stood.
Duty. That was what mattered. It always had.
But when she dared the smallest glance upward, she found his eyes on her again, as if he could not quite bring himself to look away.
Outside, the town carried on as it always had. Inside the bakery, something far more dangerous had taken root.
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One look was all it took.
Hawkins knew he had to have her. April felt the same—yet their attraction was forbidden.
In a town divided by old wounds and unspoken rules, their feelings are not only unwelcome… they’re dangerous. Drawn together by a bond neither can deny, Hawkins and April must navigate loyalty, family expectations, and a growing threat that puts everything they love at risk.
When faith is tested and fear presses in, choosing the heart may come at a cost neither is prepared to pay.
A tender Christian romance about forbidden love, hidden truths, and trusting God when the path forward is anything but clear.
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About the Author
Paulette D. Marshall writes heartfelt Christian romances filled with faith, love, and a touch of mystery. Living in Northern California, she draws inspiration from her garden, the changing seasons, and her deep appreciation for God’s creation.
When she isn’t writing, Paulette enjoys crafting, cooking, and spending time with her Shih Tzu pups. She is blessed with four children, two sons-in-law, and five cherished grandchildren.
Her stories celebrate faith, hope, and enduring love.
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