Somewhere Between Luck and Trust

Somewhere Between Luck and Trust
Emilie Richards

Christy Haviland served eight months in prison, giving birth behind bars to the child of the man who put her there and might yet destroy her. Now she's free again, but what does that mean?As smart as she is, a learning disability has kept her from learning to read. And that's the least of her hurdles.Georgia Ferguson, talented educator, receives a mysterious charm bracelet that may help her find the mother who abandoned her at birth. Does she want to follow the clues, and if she does, can reticent Georgia reach out for help along the way?Both women are standing at a crossroads, a place where unlikely unions can be formed. A place where two very different women might bridge the gap between generations and education, and together make tough choices.Somewhere between the townships called Luck and Trust, at a mountain cabin known as the Goddess House, two very different women may even, if they dare, find common ground and friendship.

Where Luck Meets Trust, Miracles Can Happen

Christy Haviland served eight months in prison, giving birth behind bars to the child of the man who put her there and might yet destroy her. Now she’s free again, but what does that mean? As smart as she is, a learning disability has kept her from learning to read. And that’s the least of her hurdles.

Georgia Ferguson, talented educator, receives a mysterious charm bracelet that may help her find the mother who abandoned her at birth. Does she want to follow the clues, and if she does, can reticent Georgia reach out for help along the way?

Both women are standing at a crossroads, a place where unlikely unions can be formed. A place where two very different women might bridge the gap between generations and education, and together make tough choices.

Somewhere between the townships called Luck and Trust, at a mountain cabin known as the Goddess House, two very different women may even, if they dare, find common ground and friendship.

Praise for the Novels of

“Complex characters, compelling emotions and the healing power of forgiveness—what could be better? I loved One Mountain Away!”

—New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods

on One Mountain Away

“Richards creates a heart-wrenching atmosphere that slowly builds to the final pages, and continues to echo after the book is finished.”

—Publishers Weekly on One Mountain Away

“Haunts me as few other books have.”

—New York Times bestselling author Sandra Dallas

on One Mountain Away

“This is truly a marvelous piece of work.”

—New York Times bestselling author Catherine Anderson

on One Mountain Away

“Richards stitches together the mystery of a family’s past

with the difficulties and moral dilemmas of the present

for a story as intriguing as the quilt itself.”

—Publishers Weekly on Lover’s Knot

“Richards’s ability to portray compelling characters who grapple with challenging family issues is laudable, and this well-crafted tale

should score well with fans of Luanne Rice.”

—Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Fox River

Somewhere Between Luck and Trust

Emilie Richards

www.mirabooks.co.uk (http://www.mirabooks.co.uk)

Dear Reader,

Setting a series in places that really exist is interesting for a novelist. How accurate must I be? If I create a restaurant that doesn’t exist or, in this case, a town, will my readers go in search only to find they’ve been misled?

Obviously no author wants to brand an entire town as a scene of long-standing corruption, as I did here. So don’t grab your map to find Berle, North Carolina, for a visit, because it won’t be there, nor will any of its landmarks. However, I can recommend the lovely town of Burnsville in the very real Yancey County.

Blue Mountain Pizza in Weaverville really exists, and I had a wonderful dinner there myself. Limones, which is only mentioned, is also real, and I can guarantee that Georgia and Lucas, along with Samantha and Edna, had a fabulous meal the night they went.

Most important, the townships of Luck and Trust really exist, right where the book sets them. And The Trust General Store and Café is not only a fun place to stop, but filled with good folks who were more than happy to answer all my questions. I think Cristy would be in good hands there.

Literacy is an ongoing, staggering problem in our society. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 30 million Americans over the age of sixteen can’t perform simple, everyday literacy activities. The United Way estimates that the cost of illiteracy to businesses and taxpayers is $20 billion a year. Imagine the joy of helping one person like Cristy overcome her reading problem so that new doors open to her! Almost every community is looking for volunteers. What a wonderful way to spend our free time.

Have questions or comments? Please visit me at www.emilierichards.com (http://www.emilierichards.com) or at my Facebook author page at www.facebook.com/authoremilierichards (http://www.facebook.com/authoremilierichards). And watch for another Goddesses Anonymous novel next summer.

Good reading,

Emilie

Contents

Chapter One (#u82e5acff-ad71-5e5a-b835-3dd356896067)

Chapter Two (#ub6a46142-fa7e-586d-901f-8fd22162a75c)

Chapter Three (#u771aa9ae-9105-5e5e-8137-2fe32858ec8e)

Chapter Four (#u3f87f2f7-c1c1-5d73-a4eb-623740632dfa)

Chapter Five (#ud6a64c1e-147d-59f7-8e0e-8b7598e0e6cd)

Chapter Six (#u36af5e09-8945-597a-a606-3d2f58b8de83)

Chapter Seven (#u69b973b9-5fc8-5883-b4df-6e834d1673b5)

Chapter Eight (#u5e6c6098-b9b8-5920-a1ff-e409253a7582)

Chapter Nine (#u2cfa21e4-172e-5094-8b84-47ce2911b33f)

Chapter Ten (#u70515334-d69f-5feb-84ca-b74a4424a399)

Chapter Eleven (#u81d97682-1d88-5d78-9ffd-01d7a73e7811)