Angels of the Heart by Regina Andrews

Inspirational Romance

T.V. personality Maryanne Lynch believes in progress, but when developer Travis Collimore insists on knocking down a local landmark, how far will her faith in the town take her? 

The life of a television journalist has been good to Maryanne Lynch and life in Sterling Lakes suits her well. That is, until she learns of developer Travis Collimore’s plans to destroy a local landmark, the Townsend Barn along with its rare angel weather vane, as part of the renovations of St. Luke’s Church. The reappearance of her former high school friend who moved away years earlier turns Maryanne’s life into a series of events which put her values, her character and her beliefs to the test. Will she be able to maintain her professional and ethical standards in the face of a ghost from the past…who looks to be clouding her future?

Excerpt:

Chapter One

"That's a wrap, everyone, thank you. Another great show."

Reviewing the studio audience, WMAS television host Maryanne Lynch started to remove her earpiece as usual and roll the wire into a neat coil. This time though, the stone on her diamond engagement ring snagged the strands of her sleek black bob, tangling up the wire and interrupting her thoughts. She freed herself only to have the ring hitch again, this time catching the jacket pocket of her cappuccino business suit as she tried to slip her earpiece safely inside it.

Kirk Blackstone, her producer, approached her. "Maryanne, there's a bunch of girl scouts here. Doing some badge about media careers. Can you meet with them?"

"Sure, in the conference room. Just give me one minute, okay?"

She moved through the studio, scanning the crowd while remaining intent on her purpose. "I had to wear a pencil skirt today," she mumbled. One of the guests today had looked familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She hurried to catch up with him, while considering an even more pressing matter about the show’s topic.

When she turned the final corner before the studio exit doors, she spotted him. With his tall frame and blond hair, he stood out in the crowded lobby area.

"Excuse me!"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for visiting the show today."

His brown eyes traveled up and down her frame. "No problem."

"Everyone is all worked up about the renovations to St. Luke's Church and the new face of Sterling Lakes. It's a hot topic."

"It's good the town folks are interested."

"They are more than interested, they are reborn. This is the new lease on life that Sterling Lakes has been praying for so very long. You can't imagine what it means to us."

"Heartwarming. Now, if you'll excuse me?"

Maryanne had done enough interviews to know his tone of voice probably meant he was not really interested. She took one step closer to him. "There's just another thing to clear up. If you develop St. Luke's the way you explained on my show, it means you'll have to raze the Townsend Barn."

"There is a structure--"

"Townsend Barn."

He nodded. "There is a structure, Townsend Barn, thank you, which currently stands right in the middle of the land that will house the rectory and youth center. To build the extension, the barn has to go."

"That can't happen."

"The architect has designed for it to happen that way."

"The people of Sterling Lakes love the barn. It has an angel weather vane. That's very rare, you know."

"I don't know what to tell you. The plans have been drawn up and approved."

Maryanne arched one eyebrow. "Really? We all know plans are made to be broken."

"Some of us do. Especially you."

Reviews/Notices/Awards:

In Angels of the Heart, the second in her Sterling Lakes series, Regina Andrews again delivers a moving story in which true-to-life characters confront real life challenges, and in facing these challenges reveal their own depth of character and faith. MaryAnne's efforts to reconcile her past with her present adult worldview, her emotions with her principles, will resonate with readers. The power of her faith gives her the courage to follow those principles and provides direction and meaning beyond what she could have imagined. The outstanding quality of Andrews' writing, and the believable characters and situations she has created, allow the reader to both escape from their own reality AND learn valuable lessons about dealing with such conflicts. A must-read! ~~ Amazon Reader Review 

Angels of the Heart is a great book.Please read as it is a wonderful read.The entire series is excellent,and well worth the time.In fact I have read the entire Sterling Lakes series and it is excellent,so please all readers please be aware of the author Regina Andrews who is really making a name for herself in the literary world. ~~ Amazon Reader Review


Why did Regina write Angles of the Heart?

So much of myself and where I come from is in Sterling Lakes. This particular story deals in part with the traditions of the past clashing with the progress of the future. A conflict of this nature can be represented in physical, tangible structures such as the Townsend Barn, or in a personal mentality or outlook, as the we see in the heroine and hero questioning their values.

I think moving forward is a wonderful thing, and that real progress does not mean just hastily denouncing all past values, or quickly destroying physical parts of the past. Reaching this level of insight can be very isolating, though.

That's why we have "Angels" today --  I want readers to connect with this process, saying 'aha!' when the characters look deeply, honestly, within and muster up the courage to fight for something that might not be too popular. Understanding this, and feeling connected to others who have gone through the same type of thing, lends a healthy perspective to our lives as individuals and to our communities, too. Which can only lead to happy endings!

Author Bio: 

Award-winning author Regina Andrews, a resident of Providence, RI, grew up in the nearby seaside village of Barrington. After graduating from Providence College she attended the University of Delaware, eventually earning her Master’s Degree in American Civilization from Brown University. The author of six inspirational romances, Regina is currently working on the nine-book Sterling Lakes Series for Desert Breeze Publishing. In November 2010, he book “Destiny’s Designs” won the AKW Books 2010 eBook of the Year award for Fiction. Her hobbies include travel, museums, theater, reading, music, singing and gardening. Regina is involved in numerous community organizations and is also a radio host for InSight, an association for the visually impaired. She and her husband share their home with a semi-feral cat named Queen Tiana, whom they rescued from a shelter. 

Purchase Links:

Amazion (including Kindle).   http://tinyurl.com/c7g2h8z

Barnes & Noble (including Nook). http://tinyurl.com/d9u6bvc 

Desert Breeze: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-189/Regina-Andrews-Angels-of/Detail.bok

Regina's website. www.reginaandrews.com