NILA’S HOPE, by Kathleen Friesen
Blurb
Just
when her career as a carpenter and a relationship with handsome co-worker Will
Jamison are within reach, Nila Black's abusive ex-boyfriend is released from
prison. He's out of jail, out for revenge, and making promises she knows he'll
keep. Nila will do whatever it takes to save her friends from the evil that
will come their way if she doesn't put distance between them-even if it means
abandoning her new-found faith. It will take a miracle and an angelic messenger
to show Nila that God is her greatest protector. He has never left her side,
and He wants only the best for her and for the man she loves.
Excerpt
Nila pushed up the
long sleeve of her burgundy silk dress and tugged a small paper from under her
watchband. As Faith’s husband, Jason, began his master of ceremonies monologue,
Nila unfolded the note and tried to smooth out the wrinkles. Her hands were shaking
so much she ripped it in half from top to the middle.
The servers began
bringing their dinner, so Nila tucked the torn paper under her plate and
clasped her hands in her lap. She wished Faith hadn’t gotten sick. She wished she
could be sitting out there instead of in front of everyone. She didn’t want to
disappoint Melody, especially today.
Too soon dinner
was finished and Jason introduced her toast to the bride. Nila pushed herself
upright onto shaking legs and tried not to wobble or spill the juice in her
fluted glass.
She clung to the
podium for support and smoothed out the torn paper. She tried to read her
notes, but her handwriting seemed to have morphed into another language. Her
hands shook the podium, so she folded them together on top of the useless
paper. The silence in the room felt heavy. Nila glanced up. So many people.
She opened her
mouth, but no words came. Then she spotted Faith sitting at a table near the
back. Faith smiled, patted her heart, and put one thumb up.
Speak from your heart. Easier said than
done. Nila breathed a silent prayer. “Jesus, help me do this, for Melody’s sake.”
She glanced over
at the head table, hearing only the pounding of her heart. Will nodded and
mouthed, “You can do it.”
Nila took a deep
breath and cleared her throat.
“As most of you
know, Melody’s daughter Faith was supposed to be her matron of honor, but she
caught a bad cold last week. When Melody and Faith asked me to take her place,
I was honored–and terrified. I’ve never done anything like this before.”
She glanced at the
nearest tables. No one snickered. Everyone seemed to be listening, most with
smiles on their faces. She looked down at her paper.
“Melody is a very
special lady. The first time we met was when she came to visit me in the
hospital. Even though Melody didn’t know me and had to fight through her own
fear, she came to tell me that God loves me. She didn’t just visit me once and
then leave me alone, either. She kept telling me over and over how much I was
worth to God and to her. No one had ever talked to me like that. She showed me
what real love is.”
She glanced up.
Every gaze was locked on her. Her hands shook again. She quickly looked at
Melody, and her warm smile gave her the courage to continue.
“God used Melody
to save me–not only my soul, but my life. If it weren’t for Melody…” Her vision
blurred. Nila blinked several times and dabbed at the tears that spilled onto
her cheeks. She took a deep breath and released it slowly.
“When Melody and
Daniel realized they were meant to be together, I was thrilled for her. I’ve
enjoyed watching their love grow and bloom as beautifully as the flowers Melody
nurtures in her garden. She deserves a life full of love and happiness, and I
trust that today is the beginning of many years of joy with Daniel.”
She paused, looked
out at the crowd, and with a steady hand raised her glass.
“Would you please
stand and join me in toasting the bride? To Melody!”
A movement caught
her eye. A door at the back of the hall opened without a sound. A head
appeared. Glittering eyes stared at her. Hatred sliced across the room and
raked her with an icy touch. The figure raised a finger to his lips and shook
his head. The message was all too familiar.
Nila froze. Black
spots filled her vision, and the room disappeared.
When she came to,
she was back in her seat at the table, and Melody’s hand patted
her face.
“Nila, honey, are
you okay?”
She shuddered and
looked toward the door. No one was there.
My Review:
Nila’s life is finally on the up, when a blast from the past arrives
intent to ruin everything in the new life she’s started for herself. Nila’s
Hope is one of those books that I found hard to put down. Fast paced, Ms. Friesen has a perfect balance between suspence and romance to keep readers of each genre happy. Not one to be missed.
Character Interview:
1. Tell us your name and a little bit about
yourself?
Hi, my name is Nila
Black. I grew up in foster care, nobody’s child—until I met Jesus. He saved me,
claimed me, and is giving me hope. Even though sometimes I wonder how he could
possibly love someone like me.
Tell us about where you
live and why you choose to live there?
I live in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan. That’s in Canada. I’ve always lived here and haven’t even thought
about going anywhere else.
What is a quirk of your
personality that most people wouldn't know?
I love power tools!
That’s how I got hooked on carpentry.
Name two things would
you hate people to know about you?
I’d never want people
to know what happened in my past or how close I came to ending my own life.
Tell us about your
special bloke. What makes him special?
Will Jamison is my
co-worker and best friend. His mother introduced me to Jesus, so we had that
link even before we met. He looks a lot like the hero in Princess Bride. (Sigh)
The first time you saw him,
what did you think? Did you like him immediately, or did he have to grow on
you?
The first time I saw
him, he was shirtless. Usually that would be “enough said,” but in this case it
meant more. His back was covered in raw scars, so I knew he’d suffered, too. We
seemed to understand each other right away.
What would he hate
people to know about her?
He probably won’t
like it that I’m telling you he’s afraid of clowns.
What is your favourite
thing to eat and drink?
I love coffee any
time of day, and fresh cinnamon rolls make my mouth water. Together?
Incredible!
If you had to fight,
what would be your weapon of choice and why?
I don’t like to
fight, but if I had to, I’d choose my hammer. It would maim to protect but
probably wouldn’t kill anyone. I wouldn’t aim for the head.
Pepsi or coke
Doesn’t matter. Actually,
I’d rather have root beer.
tea or coffee
Coffee, of course.
elephant or tiger
To be, or to have as
a pet? If I had to choose to be one, I’d like to be an elephant. I’ve always
been small, and it might be fun to be jumbo-sized. For a pet? I guess a tiger.
I wouldn’t want to clean up after an elephant!
roast dinner or burger
and chips (fries for our US readers)
Burger and fries,
please.
classical music or pop
Can I choose both?
sunrise or sunset
Sunrise. I love the
promise of a new day.
walk or run
Depends on the
situation.
chocolate or crisps
(chips for our US readers)
Ooh, chocolate.
Definitely chocolate. Like in freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Yum!
What would you like on
your epitaph?
Thanks to Jesus, she overcame.
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