Shep and the King of Hearts

A compelling novella that captures your imagination with characters you can believe in, hearts that long for answers in seemingly impossible situations, and a love that changes everything. Chris Warren's structured life as a behavioral hospital administrator is interrupted when her long-estranged father, Jim, suddenly returns to her life after a twenty-five-year absence. Her father, a down-on-his-luck old cowboy, tries and fails to hide his gambling addiction. Desperate to help him, Chris enlists her friend, Shep, the hospital's unconventional chaplain, to watch over him. Jim resists all attempts of help and disappears. The search for her father is on, and the trail Chris and Shep follow takes them to a wilderness cabin in the wilds of Idaho. When their journey leads to unexpected discoveries, Chris must decide if she can open her compartmentalized heart to healing love and trust her feelings for Shep. This absorbing read with refreshingly real characters deals head-on with gambling harm, divided hearts, father wounds, and the grace to forgive.