Where Mercy Flows

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY NOV 28, 2005

Harter's redemption-filled debut charts the journey of prodigal daughter Samantha Dodd, a 24-year-old single mother who returns home to Stillaguamish Valley in rural Washington State after a seven-year estrangement from her family. Along with her beloved five-year-old son, TJ (the result of an affair and the reason her husband left her), Samantha arrives burdened with shame for her past sins and afflicted by a debilitating illness. Unemployed, broke and without medical insurance, she must face her morally implacable father, a justice of the State Superior Court, whose approval has always seemed out of reach. Despite Samantha's fears, her homecoming leads to reconciliation with her nurturing mother, her "perfect" sister Lindsey (who gives voice to faith-filled messages) and her childhood friend Donnie Duncan, whose feelings for Samantha run deep. Samantha's relationship with her father, who makes the ultimate sacrifice for her, serves as the cornerstone of the novel. When Samantha's illness, a viral heart disease, becomes deadly and an anonymous stalker threatens her father, she triumphs over adversity to realize her potential for love and faith. Secular readers may find the story preachy, but the novel's traditional values will resonate with a Christian audience.