Sean Donovan by Lori Wick

At 17 Sean Donovan has finally worked up the courage to leave Santa Rosa. Bitter and angry at his father's continued absence, Sean is determined to set out on his own, leaving his family and his God behind.

For 2 years Sean finds odd jobs to earn money. He keeps moving in order to keep himself from thinking of his sisters Kaitlin and Marcail. When Sean meets up with Hartley he starts living a life of luxury that he decides he could get used to. But that doesn't last for long before Hartley springs his real job on Sean. Hartley is a bank robber and it is time to get back to "work".

When Hartley and Sean are robbing the bank in Visalia Sean is caught and sentenced to hang. Finally repenting of his rebellion Sean is prepared to enter into his Heavenly Fathers arms. Feeling the noose around his neck he is unprepared when the judge reads an old law stating that if a woman of good standing in the community offers to marry the outlaw he can go free. Charlotte(Charlie to the community) steps forward and offers to marry Sean.

Charlie is the owner of the local livery and is in need of a blacksmith for the business. With Sean's size he is the perfect candidate for the job. What Charlie can't figure out is how someone as gentle as Sean could have turned into a bank robber. As they become better acquainted Sean is determined to show his wife the love of Jesus Christ.

I love Sean's story. It shows how the Holy Spirit always leads His children back to God. Sean's situation is so heart-breaking, yet when he is broken the Lord lifts him up and gives him a renewed purpose in life. How tender Sean is with Charlie is so sweet. Charlie is so spunky and yet also vulnerable, and very loveable. The confrontation between Sean and his father is a great lesson in forgiveness and being responsible for our own actions. Once again a great story!

I'm adding this to my list of books read for the Contentment Reading Challenge: