Nate turned toward the window and scrunched his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers.
He deserved every one of those hateful words. He’d told himself the same thing every day for the past seven years. But hearing them from his dad’s mouth―the same man who had read him bedtime stories and played airplane with him and told him he loved him―sliced through every vital organ in his body.
Dad pulled up to the curb outside the bus station. Nate mashed his teeth together and grabbed the door handle. “Please, Dad. Just let me say goodbye to Mom and Kayla.”
Dad stared straight out the windshield. “Show me you’re not the worst mistake of my life, and maybe someday you can see them again. Until then, I’m not letting you near my family.”
Nate wanted to say they were his family, too. That he would do anything for them. But his words would never convince his father. He’d have to make a success of this new job Dad had assigned him. No matter how much he hated it.
If it meant he could see his mother and sister again, it would be worth it.
Keep reading Not Until You ― Get it from Amazon (or read free in Kindle Unlimited)!
More Hope Springs Books
While the books in the Hope Springs series are linked, each is a complete romance featuring a different couple and can be read in any order. Want to catch up on any books you may have missed? Visit the Hope Springs series page on Amazon to grab any of the books you don’t yet have with one click. Or learn more about each book below:
Not Until Christmas
A fudge shop owner dumped a week before her Christmas wedding. The best friend who has sworn never to risk his heart. A Christmas tragedy that could tie them together or pull them apart.
Christmas isn’t looking so merry and bright for fudge shop owner Ariana when her fiancé walks out of her life only a week before their Christmas wedding. As she turns to her lifelong best friend Ethan to help her pick up the pieces, she’s careful not to let the feelings she once harbored for him surface. He’s made it more than clear that he doesn’t think about her that way.
Volunteer firefighter Ethan has kept his heart in a steel cage for the past ten years—ever since his entire family was killed in a car accident. But when Ariana needs him, he knows he has to be there for her. Even if the thought of risking his heart to her leaves him quaking in his fire boots. He knows what happens when you love someone: they can be snatched from you.
Just as he finally works up the courage to take the leap, the unthinkable happens. Now Ethan has to decide: Can he trust that all things—including his relationship with Ariana—are in God's hands? Or will he be spending another Christmas alone?
Not Until Christmas is a short story in the Hope Springs series. If you love fast-paced, emotional stories filled with faith and love, you’ll love Ariana and Ethan’s story.
Get it FREE at
www.valeriembodden.com/get-book
Not Until Forever
She chose her career over him. He put his family before her. When they get a second chance, will they choose to put each other first?
As she climbs the corporate ladder, Sophie doesn’t let herself think about what she gave up when she declined Spencer’s proposal five years ago. So when she’s called home to say goodbye to her dying grandmother, she goes out of her way to avoid seeing him. Of course, that means he’s the first person she runs into. Much as she fights against it, being near him stirs up old feelings and makes her question old decisions.
Leaving college to help on the family farm cost Spencer the woman he loved. But he couldn’t turn his back on his family. Now that Sophie’s back in town, Spencer’s determined to protect his heart. Only he senses something new in Sophie—something that makes him think maybe they could have a second chance. But when his family needs him again, he feels like he’s repeating the past.
Only this time, he’s not sure what choice he should make.
Is God giving them a second chance? Or are the heartaches of the past too much to overcome?
If you love emotional stories filled with faith, forgiveness, love, and the promise of forever, then you'll love this touching reminder that it's never too late for a second chance.
Buy Not Until Forever on Amazon (or read free with Kindle Unlimited)
Not Until You
She clings to the past like a treasured antique. He’d rather toss it in the trash. But if they can learn to trust in the God of second chances, they might just discover a future together.
The past is all she has… Since her husband’s death three years ago, Violet has struggled to keep their antique store afloat and her grief at bay. She knows it’s time to move on, but she’s not sure she wants to. So when Nate moves in next door, she tries to ignore the feelings he stirs in her—feelings that were supposed to have died with her husband.
The past haunts him… Nate’s star was rising in the world of Christian music. But all that was erased with a single, life-shattering mistake. One he doesn’t deserve to be forgiven for. One that means he doesn’t deserve a future—and definitely not with his beautiful new neighbor.
Can they have a future? As the two work together to save her store, neither can deny the feelings that are starting to develop. But when Nate’s secret is exposed, they have to decide if they should walk away—or trust that the God of second chances has a plan for their future.
Filled with faith, hope, and second chances, NOT UNTIL YOU will touch your heart and leave you breathless with the power of true love.
Buy Not Until You on Amazon (or read free with Kindle Unlimited)
Not Until Us
Town bad girl + local pastor = a match made in heaven?
When Jade agrees to return to Hope Springs for the summer, it’s with the hope that she might finally be able to escape her past. But small towns have long memories—and Jade knows she deserves every one of the judgmental looks the townspeople direct her way. What she doesn’t understand is the handful of people who see past her reputation, including her ex-almost-boyfriend Dan, whom she left without so much as a word of explanation eight years ago.
Newly appointed as head pastor of Hope Church to replace his deceased father, Dan is under pressure to prove he’s up to the task. He doesn’t need any distractions. Not newcomer Grace, who on paper would make a perfect pastor’s wife, and especially not Jade—who, well, wouldn’t.
But as Dan and Jade get to know one another again, they can’t deny that their relationship has grown from childhood crush to once-in-a-lifetime connection. When Jade learns a secret that could destroy both of their reputations, they have to decide: Trust God to see them through this, or walk away again?
A fast-paced, emotional story of love, forgiveness, and second chances, Not Until Us is a clean Christian romance that will touch your heart and leave you feeling uplifted and filled with hope.
Buy Not Until Us on Amazon (or read free in Kindle Unlimited)
And you can follow me on Amazon to be the first to know when the next book releases!
Acknowledgements
What a blessing that I never run out of people to thank in the acknowledgements section of my books. First, of course, thank you to my perfect heavenly Father, the source of all love. As his word tell us, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
And speaking of love, I thank the love of my life, my husband Josh, for his continued support and love. If it weren’t for him, I might still be dreaming about writing and publishing novels instead of taking the leap into doing it.
Thank you also to my children, who still love our annual Valentine’s Day tea parties and who let me hug them in public (sometimes, at least).
And to my parents, my sister, my in-laws, and my extended family: your love, support, and encouragement have lifted me up as I’ve embarked on this adventure, and I am grateful for each one of you.
A special thank you goes out to my advance readers, who didn’t blink at the tight timeline I told them I was hoping to follow f
or this book—and who read it even faster than I asked and then told me it was their favorite yet! So thank you to Jen Ellenson, Rachel Kozinski, Josie Bartelt, and Connie Gronholz. You are amazing ladies, and I’m so thankful to have each of you in my life.
My acknowledgements wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t say thank you to you as well, my wonderful reader friends! Thanks for coming along with me on this journey. I pray that you may be blessed through this book and encouraged in your walk of faith.
God’s richest blessings to you!
About the Author
Valerie M. Bodden has three great loves: Jesus, her family, and books. And chocolate (okay, four great loves). She is living out her happily ever after with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-husband and their four children. Her life wouldn’t make a terribly exciting book, as it has a happy beginning and middle, and someday when she goes to her heavenly home, it will have a happy end.
She was born and raised in Wisconsin, and aside from a short stint in Minnesota while her husband trained for the pastoral ministry, has lived there her entire life, in spite of an aversion to all things cold and snowy (except Christmas—a snowy Christmas is good). She periodically tries to coax her snow-loving husband and children to pack up and move to a warmer climate with her but so far has had no luck. So she tolerates the snow for them. That’s some kind of love, if you ask her.
Valerie writes emotion-filled Christian fiction that weaves real-life problems, real-life people, and real-life faith. Her characters may (okay, will) experience some heartache along the way, but true to her tendencies as a hopeless romantic, she will always give them a happy ending.
Feel free to stop by www.valeriembodden.com to say hi. She loves visitors! And while you’re there, you can sign up for your free short story.
Not Until This Moment: Novella (Hope Springs Book 2) Page 9
