She’s always looked for love in the wrong places. He wants nothing to do with love.Rita Dunlap has a history of looking for love in the wrong places, but this time, she’s got it right. Her heart surgeon boyfriend has hinted at proposing, along with letting her sickly mother live with them once they’re married.But then she learns her boyfriend isn’t a doctor at all, but a drug trafficker who’s … trafficker who’s involved her in his scheme. Not only did she get love wrong, but she’s unwittingly placed both her and her mother’s lives in danger.
Love is the last thing on Officer Daniel Winter’s mind. Twice-burned, he’s locked up his heart for good. But when he goes undercover as a handyman to protect the cute and quirky Rita Dunlap, he discovers he’s not only guarding her and her mother, but his heart as well.
Rita wants to trust Daniel, wants to believe his work around her house doesn’t come with a price, but she’ll need to let go of her past mistakes to open her heart to the future.
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HANDS OF GRACE by Brenda S. Anderson is the fourth of nine books in the Potter’s House Books 2 series. It can, however, definitely be read as a standalone book. It is the amazing, well-written story of Rita Dunlap and Daniel Winter. Both have past baggage and trust issues. Thrown together during extreme circumstances and the telling of partial truths, will their attraction bloom or be blow away?
Rita is sure her boyfriend is going to ask her to marry him on what he says is their very special date. Little did she realize that running a simple errand for him would lead to her dreams being crushed and to months of living in fear. Not only had her boyfriend been lying to her, she is now in danger from his drug trafficking mob father and her dreams for an easier life have vanished. Being the full-time caregiver to her Mom with Alzheimer, where every day is a struggle, will continue on in their little run down house with all the demands falling completely on her shoulders. No money, no job and a sick mother to tend to – how will she do it?
Daniel, now back on the force after a troubled past, is assigned to observe and protect Rita – without her knowledge. Since his other occupation is as a handyman, they devise a plan for Rita’s Mom to have won a complete home makeover in which Daniel is the hired contractor. It’s soon apparent to Daniel that Rita had no knowledge of her boyfriend’s life or activities. He also knows he has to fight this growing attraction to her and stay professional. Most of all, he must protect Rita and her Mom, who thinks he is her boyfriend, and keep them safe at all cost.
Having made such bad decisions in the past, can Rita and Daniel put their trust in God – that his will be done? Daniel’s Dad said it best when he said “Trusting God means trusting Him with the results even if they’re not what you want.” (Page 146) Can their budding relationship endure the truth from Daniel? Can Daniel keep Rita safe or will the past repeat itself?
The author, through the wonderful story between Rita and Gladys, tells the heart wrenching experience that a family goes through when a family member has Alzheimer – the denial, the heartache, the isolation and being cut off from the “outside” world, the sadness of losing a family member way before death takes them from us, having to grab on to the few seconds of recognition and alertness when they rarely happen, and the unconditional love that it takes to be a caregiver. I can attest to them from personal experience from being my Mom’s full time caregiver when she had Alzheimer. However, it’s the love we have for them, the way they were, and knowing their love for us, that keeps one going – just as it did for Rita. You make it one day at a time and sometimes five minutes at a time. It was fun to see the humor of Rita’s Mom. A prime example of how laughter can at times turn that frown into a smile. At times it’s the smile or laughter that can give one the ability to make it through just about anything.
The wonderful story and budding romance between Rita and Daniel is heartwarming giving one hope for second chances. Though not smooth sailing, it proves the value of truth and honesty in a relationship. Love the Christian thread of faith and how each of them relied on God and prayer to carry them through.
Highly recommend HANDS OF GRACE to anyone that wants a good, clean Christian book that will give you hope, have you feeling the power of prayer, have you sitting on the edge of your seat a time or two as well as give you a few chuckles. I know I will be checking out the other books in this series as well as other books by this author. If there was a rating above 5 stars, this would be on top of the list! 5+++++
A story of hope, redemption and second chances
Hands of Grace is a lovely story, full of hope and redemption.
Rita shows such a beautiful example of grace to her mother and didn’t even seem to realize it. The care she gave her and her patience were very admirable. Caring for a loved one full time, especially when they have dementia can’t be an easy thing!
Rita had been redeemed and yet she still carried guilt and shame for the choices she had made. I loved Daniel’s response when she finally confessed her secrets – the way he turned it from “how terrible you were” to “how wonderful you have been redeemed from that”! I often need to remind myself to have this attitude about my own life. It isn’t about the things I did – it is about how Jesus has forgiven me and how I’ve moved forward. Sigh. I appreciate that reminder!
The way the police got Daniel into Rita’s life undercover was intriguing. And even more so, the way he went so far above and beyond his duties (and ruse) to help Rita and her mother. His kindness and compassion were so much a part of who he was.
While not heavy suspense, Hands of Grace had enough to add an element of danger. If you enjoy romantic suspense with a strong Christian message of hope, I encourage you to grab a copy for yourself.
Read my review of Hands of Grace by Brenda S. Anderson at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
This book is absolutely amazing. It hooks you on the first page and doesn’t let go. It has action, suspense, romance and the heartache and love of being a caregiver. I highly recommend this beautifully written book.
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This was another great book by Brenda S. Anderson. It was so fun to see how the story played out and so full of encouragement of the many ways that God provides just what we need. I received a complimentary copy of this book, but have freely offered my own thoughts and opinions.
Rita was surprised when she found out she had to return home to take care of her mother.
Gladys is keeping Rita on her toes trying to take care of her. When her boyfriend starts promising her the world she believes everything will be better for all of them. Rita is surprised when she goes to pick up the gift for his sisters birthday. Daniel has been through a lot and he isn’t in a hurry for another woman in his life. The author will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. You will feel God working throughout this wonderful inspirational book. I had the honor to review this book for the author for a honest review. I would give this book a higher rating than a five star review if I could.
Hands of Grace is a beautiful story by Brenda S. Anderson. She knows how to write stories with people that readers can relate to and this one is no different. I loved the main characters Rita and Daniel. Rita gets herself in a terrible situation and Daniel does all he can to keep her safe.
Hands of Grace is getting a very well deserved five plus stars from me. I highly recommend it for those who love books that is full of grace and inspiration. I loved it!
I received this book from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
Being a caregiver is hard. Families find themselves doing things that they might not otherwise do. Rita is vulnerable and ends up in a bad situation. Daniel has been hurt before in love. Rita opens her heart to Daniel as he works undercover to protect her. When she learns he is an undercover cop, she feels taken advantage of again. They have to work through this to find love together.
A beautiful story with the main character being the only caretaker for a parent with advanced dementia. Suspenseful story interwoven with the hands of grace this caretaker uses to assure her parent’s safety and well being no matter the situation the dementia causes. A true to life story of love and caring for someone who no longer knows or remembers the caregiver. Beautifully written with many of the poignant moments I experienced with my own dear mother in law as she slowly faded away from us. All through the story God’s “hands of grace” are visible in the characters met along the way. I really enjoyed this book!
An extraordinary story of two people who weren’t looking for love.
Rita thought she had a boyfriend who was ready to “pop the question,” and Officer Daniel Winter ends up going undercover to protect Rita and her mother, as a handyman. You will be laughing sometimes, may cry a bit, and even be nervous possibly, how this will end; but — you’ll never be bored with this book! I highly recommend it.
Hands of Grace starts out with a lovely romance and then everything changes. I was just as shocked as Rita. I was quickly pulled into this story and couldn’t put it down. Daniel and Rita are both extremely likable, but fallible characters that have hands of grace. Daniel goes far above and beyond his duties as an undercover officer. Rita is the sole caregiver of her mother who is suffering from dementia. The author does an excellent job of showing just how difficult a role that is. Rita and Daniel both manage to find humor in some of the actions of Rita’s mom. The plot has twists and turns that I definitely didn’t see coming. There is an great HEA. I highly recommend this book to Christian fiction readers and to readers of clean romantic suspense. I obtained my copy through KU.
Hands of Grace
Hands of Grace is a very inspiring book. Rita is caring for her mother who has Dementia. Rita has met someone that she thought was the one. She finds out the man is not the person she thought he was. She ends up needing protection and that is when Daniel shows up.
Hands of Grace was a fast reading book. Had my attention from the very first word. Rita was such a special character, how she cared for her mother. I loved her positive attitude.
I also loved the dog in the story. A quote from the book “The dog bounded to her side. This was unconditional love. Mankind had a whole lot to learn from dogs.”
Even though this book is a short book it has a lot of meaning, suspense to it. This book really touch my heart.
I received an advanced copy of the book from the author. This book review is my own opinion.
I loved this story. The mystery, the suspense, the insight into the care given for dementia. As with every.book I’ve read from Brenda Anderson, I was definitely left with a lot to think about. Rita has been broken from past experiences inheritance life and honestly thought she had found the one only to realise he was also no it. In comes Daniel to provide protection and love sneaks in but there are also secrets. From friendship attractions blossoms but when she finds out the truth about his job, she’s shattered and sure she’s done with love even though the secrets were to protect her. I love how this was dealt with as I love that Daniel understood her and cared about her mum too. He had gone through the same experience so he was able to provide a means of support for her.
This book definitely took me through an array of emotions and must say I’m grateful the author shared part of her life through this story with us. It definitely was worth it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. All opinions expressed are solely mine
Brenda Anderson captivated me with this story from the beginning of the book till the end.
Getting blindsided again had gotten Rita in problem with the law and she had to be under protection coupled up with the fact that she was a permanent caregiver to her mum. I admired the fact that she dropped everything and came home to take care of her mum. I was sad when everything collapsed around her but also giddy that it made her paths cross with Daniel. He had been burnt by love several times and wanted nothing to do with love. Rita seem to be always gullible to the wrong men. I admired how Daniel went over and beyond for Rita and her mother and how he seemed to understand the both of them.
I loved how both of them learnt to lean on God, trust him and pray when things got out of hands.
This book will warm your hearts and it is a wonderful story about caregivers.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.
I love the premise of this novel. This was an enjoyable story with the aspects of crime and law enforcement and Alzheimer’s. The adventure and intrigue that goes along with the criminal activity mixed with unexpected love and protectiveness. It was a sobering blend but very well handled. A wonderful installment in the Potter House series.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Wonderful story. I cried for all Rita was going through and fussed at the pages where Rita was acting stupid. Yes it was realistic, people do stupid things under stress. I read this in one sitting, I had to see the outcome. Finally at 5am I was able to close the book. If you like suspense with wonderful characters, I highly recommend ‘Hands of Grace’.
I received the book from the publisher. The thoughts and comments are my own.
There is so much to love about Brenda Anderson’s Hands of Grace. A wayward daughter who gives up everything to come home and care for her mother with dementia. A cop who goes above and beyond the call of duty to provide for his “assignment.” And through it all is God’s grace and forgiveness.
Even though this is a short book, Anderson’s characters are well-fleshed out. She did the research she needed into the police aspect of the story. As a family member or caregiver of several with dementia, she is well-qualified to write that aspect of the story.
There would be no problem adding Hands of Grace to my k-12 Christian school library. It is a clean romance but I think it would appeal more to adults.
I am a member of Brenda’s Book Boosters and received a complimentary e-copy of Hands of Grace. This is my honest review.
Author Brenda S. Anderson focuses this story on a daughter who is the sole caregiver of her mother. Gladys is in an advanced stage of dementia and very demanding and unappreciative most of the time. My heart was torn as I read Rita’s feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, but Anderson also shares moments of humor and laughter and a few times when Gladys actually remembers just who Rita is. These moments are very rare and Rita’s dilemna will touch your heart and make you sad but most importantly, it will make you thankful!
I think that it is Rita’s loss of hope and her bad romantic choices of the past that cause her to be so susceptible to the attention shown to her by “Dr. Robert”. Rita believes that she has found the perfect man and she even believes that a marriage proposal is forthcoming. Instead, she becomes an innocent victim caught up in a drug-trafficing ring and facing extreme danger. Enter a handyman who is also a cop and his construction business offers him the perfect cover for watching over Rita and her mom. Can Daniel keep Rita and her mother safe until the criminals are caught ? Will Rita learn to trust again when she discovers Daniel’s true identity? Is there any hope for a relationship when they both have suffered so many past hurts and once again, Rita is being deceived?
Anderson has written a beautiful story of hurt, betrayal, fear, and anxiety, but she also shows forgiveness, redemption, and the comfort that we can have in knowing that God is always with us. It is His hands that have offered us the ultimate grace!
If you enjoy contemporary Christian fiction and romantic suspense, you will certainly enjoy Hands of Grace.
I received a complimentary e-book from the author but there was no obligation to write a favorable review. These are my own thoughts.
Hands Of Grace by Brenda Anderson is a delightful contemporary Christian novel surrounding grace, forgiveness and second chances. It is part of the Potter’s House series of books but can be read as a stand-alone.
A focus of the novel is dementia. Brenda Anderson has sensitively portrayed this whilst showing the difficulties faced daily by those caring for their loved ones. “Nothing was tougher than watching your loved ones lose themselves.” Patience and love radiates throughout.
Forgiveness and grace are major themes. “I’ve done too much to be forgiven.” No one is ever so far from God that He casts them out. No matter where we’ve been, no matter what we’ve done, God longs for each and every one of us to return to Him. He longs to welcome us home. In Him we can have a new beginning because of His free gift of grace.
There is the theme of trust. We develop trust issues when people let us down. “One more person lying to her, building up her bank of mistrust.” We do need to open ourselves up to trusting others again. Not everyone we meet is out to deceive us. Some huge characters give out of the goodness of their hearts.
Faith in God is important. “God is good even when bad things happen.” We need to remember this when we face the valleys of life. We were never promised an easy life. We were promised that God would never leave us nor forsake us. “I wasn’t too happy with God, but He never gave up on me.” No matter where we wander, God will never give up on us.
Within the story there is a house in need of some restoration. This is a motif for lives in need of restoration from God. In Him we can have a shiny new beginning.
Brenda Anderson has drawn some wonderful characters who are easy to empathise with. I loved Rita, the lead character, with strength, vulnerability and lashings of love and patience. In her insecurity she tried to work her way to love. This is in complete contrast to God’s love… we do not earn it. At times, we do not deserve it but God loves each one of us unconditionally. There is nothing we can do to make Him love us any more or any less. He just loves us with an everlasting love.
I adore all Brenda Anderson’s novels. She creates wonderful stories with godly themes and flawed characters who are so easy to identify with.
Hands Of Grace is a bright spot and perfect read at any time of year.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
I really enjoyed Ms Anderson’s romance story she graced us with. Rita and Daniel are two very special people. Rita being a care giver to her Mom and Daniel being in law enforcement, both shared a connection that was simply beautiful. A story touching on hard situations as dementia and ones of how con artists can create havoc in ones life, laying fears, worries and everyday life at the foot of Jesus and trusting in Him, battles can be conquered and won. All with grace, the grace of God! A remarkable reminder!
Rita knows her life is going to change when Robert proposes! What a wonderful night until everything goes wrong and she is arrested.
She needs to get home to take care of her mother, who does not know Rita.
How is she going to handle these things along with a house that needs a lot of work done?
Brenda has done it again. Characters and story line is great.