One man running from his past, two women he’s attracted to, and a peculiar town that won’t let him go.Matthew Sadler rides his ’77 Harley into Happenstance, intent on passing through, but people and events conspire to prevent his leaving.The elderly Barlow sisters consider Matt their knight on a motorcycle. Matt is entranced by Roni, the other lodger at the Happenstance Hotel who bears an uncanny … an uncanny resemblance to Matt’s beloved, deceased wife. The young doctor in town, Paula Percy, adores Matt’s motorcycle. However, she is suspicious of the woman from the hotel.
As the days pass, the quaint little town, with its unique residents, begins to show its sinister side. When evidence of multiple thefts leads to Matt’s door, he must deal with a mystery and yet more false accusations.
Do the old diaries of Amanda Rutherford Barlow hold the answers Matt so desperately seeks? Will Happenstance finally let him go, or does he have a reason to stay?
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What a delightful read! I laughed out loud at the acerbic wit of Grayce, one of a pair of elderly sisters, and the outrageous malapropisms of service station owner, Bear.
“I’ve had an idea,” Matt Smith, the naive protagonist says. “Are you seeking congratulations, Mr. Smith?” Grayce asks.
There’s a romance that goes sideways and another that blossoms in all the right ways. There are characters with enough backstory to entice readers into wanting more and the unique town of Happenstance itself carries just enough intrigue and mystery to act as a character in its own right.
And oh, the irony of Happenstance (“a thing that happens by chance”) in the title, when the book carries such a strong sense of destiny and purpose in all of the lives and events taking place there.
“I do not believe in coincidence, Mr. Smith. Not for a moment,” says Grayce.
Beautifully written, immensely entertaining, a pleasure to read!
A little slow at first, but then things started to move. The way God puts people in Matt’s way was of course, well done. He knows what we need when we need it. Friendships were made that would come into play later in the story and prove to him that they didn’t care about his past, they found out the truth and stayed with him when others wouldn’t. A smidge of romance and mystery thrown in for good measure rounded out this
This is a well written book that hooked me on the first page. It has mystery, suspense, drama and romance. It’s one of those books that you don’t want it to end, but you just have to know what happens next. This book would be perfect for a book club, it has wonderful discussion questions at the end.
My Thoughts on The Road to Happenstance
I don’t think I’ve ever met a cast of characters quite like this one! They are so unique and so interesting. Such a weird mix that somehow makes sense and also steals your heart.
Matt is running from his past. Is it his fault? Did he do what he was accused of? Can he ever find happiness? He’s a widow who doesn’t believe in second loves or really second chances but maybe he will soon. Matt is definitely going to stick around this town as it’s captured his attention and maybe his heart.
There are so many characters that you might consider secondary who are really going to steal the show. You’re going to start reading and not be able to put this book down.
I think the Ballard sisters are my absolute favorites from this novel.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author though I have enjoyed numerous books within The Mosaic Collection that this belongs to. I highly recommend you give this book and the whole collection a read. You’ll find wonderful books by real women who are sharing their hearts with you through the pen.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from JustRead Publicity Tours. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
The Road to Happenstance
The Little town of Happenstance that lures you in with her simple beauty and serenity. That’s how I would describe the town and its effect on Matt.
The twists, the intrigue was good.
Matt was running but happenstance stops him and gave him the chance too deal with the past while choosing to face his current charge in his present. All this showed us how God is always working behind the scene in every life
Who would have thought that having almost been run of the road by 2 sisters would change the cause of Matt’s life.
It all happened starting on the road to Happenstance and lead us knowing that God works in mysterious ways behind the scene in each of our lives.
This book was such a delight. Thank you The Mosaic collection and JustReads for my complimentary copy. I was NOT required to write a positive review; all thoughts and opinions are my own
Thank you Just Read for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Road To Happenstance
By: Janice L. Dick
*REVIEW*
The Road To Happenstance is a charming story of, well, happenstance, or what you might call serendipity, when the hero, Matt, happens upon this quirky town. He’s running from something, but what? Did chance or fate bring him to this place? Either way, Happenstance is coincidentally a place of help and healing for the lost and wounded souls, like Matt, who don’t know where they are going. Through interactions with the sometimes mysterious and somewhat locaquios townspeople, Matt feels hope for a brighter future, and the process of healing begins. Bit by bit, we learn more about these characters and how their experiences shaped their personalities. I enjoyed getting to know Happenstance and its residents. This story is a bit of mystery, drama, fate, hope and trust, and the combination equals a delightful read. I will read more from author Janice L. Dick.
Holy cow! THE ROAD TO HAPPENSTANCE is filled with mystery at its finest! Once I started reading, it was very hard to put down. The twists and turns kept me reading late into the night and I had to know what was going to happen. THE ROAD TO HAPPENSTANCE by Janice L Dick is one heck of a crazy ride. It takes place in a small town who has a motto, Happenstance, A Town You Can Trust.
The characters are very interesting, quite the oddball mix, and held my attention throughout the story. THE ROAD TO HAPPENSTANCE is a total page turner and once I started I couldn’t stop. Janice L Dick captures your heart from the very first page and never lets it go. How can you not get caught up in all their lives? Everything you can possibly think of happening to these people, does and at times your heart will be shattered. Can a charming little town and their residents be the answer to Matthew’s troubled soul? After losing his wife five years ago and his job as a teacher after being accused of something he didn’t do, Matt can’t seem to find his place in life anymore. When he meets Roni, he begins to have hope once again.
Janice L Dick takes her time introducing you to each of the characters and their problems and how they are feeling. I immediately felt as if I knew them all and was right there at the dining room table hashing things out. In no time, I was totally sucked in to their lives and the issues they were dealing with. The plot is very interesting and had me turning the pages late into the night. I have never heard of or read this author before but after reading THE ROAD TO HAPPENSTANCE. I’m looking forward to reading Janice L Dick’s future stories. Be prepared not to do anything else once you start reading this heartbreaking and hopeful tale. I found myself thinking about all of these wonderful characters long after I finished reading. I’m going to keep my review short as I’m afraid I’m going to give something away.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Ever wonder why you are in a particular place or why something happened the way it did?
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines happenstance as “a circumstance especially that is due to chance.” When I was in high school, many moons ago, one of my teachers wrote this on the blackboard one afternoon,
“A coincidence is a small miracle in which God chooses to remain anonymous.”
(author unknown)
Decades later, I’ve never forgotten the saying or the teacher who had the strength of character to write it on the blackboard. From that day forward, I began a journey of awareness of seeing God’s hand in the little things, in the surprise moments most call a coincidence, I call a “God thing”.
Author Janice Dick understands; in her novel The Road to Happenstance Matthew Sadler finds himself on a road trip, driving his ‘77 Harley. Everything about Matt’s trip seems to occur by happenstance from his reason for the road trip to his ending up in the small town of Happenstance. There he meets two elderly sisters who are running the only hotel, where Matt finds a place to stay, and new friends.
Matt also meets two younger women, one who reminds him of his deceased wife, and the other altogether different than any women he ever met. Though Matt intends to leave the next day, a series of events from his bike breaking down to the need to order parts from another city to herbal teas, he finds himself staying longer than he planned. He even began to call the old hotel “home”.
Matt is completely befuddled as to why he delays leaving. It is only toward the end of this story that the reader learns, with Matt, his true purpose for his unexpected visit in Happenstance.
The Road to Happenstance is a delightful read that entertains as well as bringing understanding anew. With a bit of interpersonal relationships to romance and even a bit of mystery, I highly recommend this novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Just Read Tours and am not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions therein are solely my own, and freely given.
The Road to Happenstance, a small town filled with quirky characters. Matthew Sadler rides his Harley in Happenstance whose goal is passing through, but people conspire to prevent him from leaving.
Matt is attracted to Roni a guest staying at the hotel reminds him of his late wife. The Barlow sisters think Matt is their knight in shining amour. Ms. Percy love’s the motorcycle, but she is wary of the woman from the hotel.
However, this quiet town has its faults and its sinister side starts to show. There are thefts and accusations that point towards Matthew. The longer he stays, the more he suspects a mystery.
With all that is going on in the world today, The Road to Happenstance longs to find a real place, a place of stepping back in time, a place that one might struggle with their faith and see God work through their lives. A quick read that will bring smiles.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion.
The Road to Happenstance wasn’t what I expected.
Almost immediately I felt shroud of mystery, constantly wondering if the town, or even the people, are real or just the figment of someone’s imagination. Alfred Hitchcock and the Twilight Zone popped into my head a few times. It definitely has that old world feel. Happenstance, and its inhabitants, felt too good to be true, almost otherworldly, which amped up the mysterious feel.
Matt, the hero, has his own personal struggles throughout and my heart really went out to him. This is a broken man that is in need of a true revival and Happenstance looks to be the perfect place for a new beginning. I admired him, but who really captured my heart were the Barlow sisters, Emmaline and Grayce, owners of the Happenstance Hotel. They brought a certain temperament and sass that I truly enjoyed, and that was desperately needed, since there were multiple parts of the story that really dragged for me.
I also wished there would’ve been a little more character depth in certain story lines, with certain characters, but other than that I really enjoyed this book. The flow of the narrative is nice, the writing is decent, and it had a satisfying ending with a slight, unexpected twist.
All in all, though different than my expectations, it was an entertaining read.
*I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author and/or publisher through JustRead Tours. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
Happenstance is a quaint with an abundance of quirky characters who both welcome newcomers and immediately invite them in. Despite his best intentions to leave, the residents pull Matt Sadler into their little world.
While readers are given inklings that all is not right throughout the book, the actual mystery doesn’t reveal itself until three-quarters of the way through the story (but things really start moving once it does). It annoyed me a little how gullible Matt was when it came to Roni, and I wondered if he’d never heard the “fool me once, same on you; fool me twice, shame on me”adage because he was fooled way more than twice.
Most of the townspeople are what make The Road to Happenstance enjoyable and, even though there were a couple of things in this plot I didn’t love, I would return to this little fictional town to find out what’s happening with everyone.
Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
What a fun read; I think I want to live in Happenstance! This book made me smile from the beginning and I was drawn in completely. I loved the unique and perhaps sometimes eccentric characters, especially the two sisters running the Happenstance Hotel. All of the townspeople were interesting characters, from the store owners to Bear, the auto mechanic. However, I found myself rooting for Matt though all the way through as he “accidentally” discovers the welcoming town on his journey to escape from his past.
Not only is this novel just an enjoyable read, there are also some plot twists, and as the two sisters call them, puzzle pieces to be discovered. I would highly recommend this enjoyable read, and am looking forward to the next installment in the Happenstance Chronicles.
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher and was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Road to Happenstance, the story of a town by the same name that somehow feels like it is in an alternate universe. It is a town with delightfully quirky inhabitants who manage to bring much needed healing to the soul of widower Matthew Sadler who feels beat up by his own world.
I loved how easily Matthew became involved in the lives of the elderly Barlow sisters who quickly pull him into various projects around town. He soon learns that when he helps others his own troubles seem to disappear. Life in Happenstance is not without its problems though. Matthew finds himself drawn to a woman who reminds him strongly of his late wife but the more he is around her the more something just seems to be off about her. The plot is filled with wonderful characters, some of whom are a tad shady, a bit of mystery and deception, but most of all an enchanting and whimsical tale with a strong message of hope.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Just Read Tours. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
Happenstance review
When Matt Sadler turned his motorcycle onto an unknown road, he never expected his like to change like it did. Life has not been so nice to Matt, startung with being a widower, being betrayed by his friends. He really needed to just start over. But what he finds from the people of the small community of Happenstance. A small town he knew nothing about. What would happen to Matt if he stays here with these strangers in their small?
This is a really neat and meaningful story to read. As I read this book, following Matt, doing whatever he can to help people, it was nice and heartwarming. And especially they way Matt is with the oP loved these sisters and their valuable part in this story. The longer Matt stays on Happenstance, the closer he gets to its people. And for the most part, they are a loveable group. The cast of characters were fun and enjoyable. Except one that kept getting under my skin, but it seems most books have one of those people. And it made for a little extra enjoyment. Overall this is a really nice read. I encourage everyon who loves reading clean books to check this one out. You can’t go worng on this one.
I would like to thank the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions here in this review are totally mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
A cast of endearing characters you would love as neighbors! The Road to Happenstance draws you into the story from the first page. I enjoyed the author’s ability to create a world where things are almost as they seem, and I’m looking forward to more tales from Happenstance.
Matthew is a 40 yo man, teacher on summer holiday.
he likes to ride, with his harley.
during the ride, he stops in Happenstance, a small strange village after the bridge…
A nice saying from the book: “mother always told us, necessity was the mother of invention “.
Well written , easy to read, lovely and mistery, Bice characters.
Thank you in advance to The Mosaic Collection and JustRead Publicity Tours for providing a complimentary advance review copy. A positive review was not required. All words and thoughts are my own.
While this is part of the Christian and Faith-based “The Mosaic Collection”, the previous novels are not connected to this one, and not required to be read.
This is the third Mosaic Collection book I’ve read (previously “A Beautiful Mess”; “More Than Enough”). Each one is different, but each one contains an element of faith.
A widower running from his past; two lovely older ladies; and a charming town. A town that one can trust. This book has a mystery and a bit of intrigue to it as well. You wouldn’t know it by the first few pages though. That is what makes this story interesting.
“The Road to Happenstance” takes a different turn than the other two I read – this one also has a mystical element to it.
The cover depicts an old fashioned, wooden bridge which can depict a calm and peaceful place. Maybe for relaxing, maybe for settling into a new life. It can be frightening or it can be renewing. It can stand for separating the past or merging past and present.
As stated, Matthew Sadler ends up in Happenstance, without an intention to stay. For some reason; and this is where the mystical happening comes in; he is unable to leave. He becomes attached to the Barlow Sisters, friends with Bear, and close to Veronica (Roni).
There are other characters as well, each central to the story.
As the story progressed it went from a mystical type story, to one of mystery. After one of the sisters fell ill, suspicions arise. Perhaps it was done on purpose.
The Barlow sisters are also having financial issues, and Matt is determined to help them – then he plans to leave town. It’s always “I’ll leave after …” with no efforts to leave.
The writer then starts taking the reader on a mystery, loaded with secrets, that ends with a suspenseful surprise. The writer also tackles the subject of a spousal death, false allegations, and mental illness.
It was difficult getting into this book at first, and I actually had to re-read it again to give a more thorough review. Once I was finally able to get well into the novel, it picked up and definitely held my interest. There were times it was hard to put down.
Matt’s plan to not stay as long as he did was interesting. I liked how the reader kept the plans changing without it being a cliché, while remaining relevant to the story.
The Barlow sisters were old-fashioned, if not prudish. The faith element was strong, but not overwhelming. The characters went to church, and even Matt started going back to church as well. It was known that there were faith elements, but they were not a central theme of the novel.
Bear was well-named, and definitely a good friend despite getting some idioms wrong. Sandy was a bit of a character as well.
The one character I couldn’t stand from the beginning was Roni. I don’t know if that was the writer’s intention. But, I honestly disliked this character right off. She came off as too nosey, too moody, and definitely too pushy with helping the sisters. In chapter 24, my suspicions were confirmed. So, that didn’t come as a surprise when she showed her true colors.
This was a unique read and one that I will say was not as I expected, but more or less in a good way. I thought it had a darker element to it, despite the faith theme. However, it didn’t stay dark for too long.
While not a series with a connection to “The Mosaic Collection”, this is part of the writer’s “Happenstance Series”. As the ending was “open” (not really resolved) – the reader, if interested will definitely want to read the next book.
I would’ve preferred a more closed ending, however I am eager to see where the writer plans to take Matt, Paula, the Barlow sisters, and Bear in the next segment.
Janice L. Dick’s “Road to Happenstance” is a perfect reminder of God’s plan for our lives.
I thought this was a great book. Matt is someone trying to escape from his past, until his past catches up with him and he realizes he needs to deal with his past so it does not interfere with his present.
This book made me ponder and think. Are there really coincidences or does God really order our steps. I enjoyed reading about how God worked through the lives of the people in this story to bring healing to them in ways that they needed. I received a complimentary copy of this book, but have chosen to freely share my own thoughts and opinions.
The Road To Happenstance by Janice L Dick is a charming contemporary Christian mystery that will delight your heart and soul. It is part of the Mosaic Collection.
We all have a past that we sometimes want to escape from and need to heal. Happenstance is a town that attracts the lost and the hurting, wraps them in love and helps them heal. “In this town everybody cares about everybody, even the newcomers.” Needs are met by huge hearts.
There are times when we feel abandoned by God or we run from Him. “It seemed God had deserted him in his hour of need… Not that he didn’t believe, he was disillusioned.” Life has a way of dragging us down but God is faithful and we can trust His leading. When life is hard, we need to run to God, not away from Him.
Even when we abandon God, He never abandons us. He lovingly pursues us. “I figured I’d keep my distance from Him… He keeps pursuing me and I can’t get away.” God loves us with an everlasting love and He will never let us go. “God had pursued him in a quiet but insistent manner.”
Sometimes life is confusing. We need to pray and listen to God. “Search your heart and listen to God.” Sometimes we are the answer to the prayers of others.
Not everyone is quite as they seem. Some hide their true identity. Within the novel there is a mystery to solve. Some characters see with clarity the motives of others.
The characters are wonderfully drawn. I adored the octogenarians who still had a zest for life. Janice L Dick has produced an eclectic mix of characters who will warm the reader’s heart.
I adored The Road To Happenstance – I want to move there! I hope there will be many more visits to Happenstance as Janice L Dick has awakened my heart and soul to this wonderful town. More, more, more please.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.