Faith leads to a surprising romance in Kathy Parish's touching debut,
Freely Given
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Katie Moore, an unassuming teacher at a small Christian college, has her life turned upside down when a lottery ticket, given to her by her prison-bound father, turns her into an instant millionaire.
Quitting her job, she moves to her grandparents' old Southern home and makes plans to settle into a quiet and comfortable life as a writer.
But her plans suddenly change after she donates one million dollars to the local church.
When the origin behind Katie's money is brought to light, pastor Chad Carter is reluctant to accept "gambling" money as a legitimate form of tithe.
Chad's distaste over the origins of Katie's money drives a wedge between them, even as their mutual attraction becomes harder to deny.
Katie finds herself bearing another burden when her father, released from prison due to a terminal illness, comes to spend his last days with her. Soon the community rallies around the father and daughter pair, paving the way for a spiritual reconciliation.
Everything changes, however, when an act of violence forces Katie and Chad to reconsider their lives-and their chance at romance.