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| A Twist of Faith |
by Pepper Basham
Firefly Southern Fiction (April 6, 2016)
Reviewed by Bonnie Roof
5 Stars *****
"Education is important. But I reckon a person can't
get by without some food for the heart."
Handpicked for an experimental satellite program at Blue
Ridge University in the rural Appalachian town of Ransom, Va., accent reduction
specialist Adelina "Dee" Roseland, PhD is appointed the Assistant
Chair of the Department of Communicative Disorders. Feeling her inexperienced, Dr. Alexander
"Alex" Murdock - her immediate supervisor and research assistant of 4
years - plans to present Dee's research at the National Conference of ASHA, an
annual speech-language pathologists' and audiologists' convention.
Driven and obsessed to achieve her dream job of full professor
at UVA Charlottesville, Dee accepts a wager with Alex: take any hillbilly in
town and pass her off as a sophisticated individual within the span of 10
weeks. The prize: the opportunity to present the research herself, with hopes
of the coveted job offer. When unshaved, burly, rugged-looking Reese Mitchell
arrives at Dee's job, clad in overalls and cap, to escort her to her new home
at his family's rental house - his vowel mutilation convinces Alex that Reese
is the perfect subject for the wager.
With the death of his stepfather from cancer and brother
Trigg being unable to work due to cancer, both within 2 years - Reese feels the
need to secure a more lucrative job to help pay bills and alleviate any danger
of losing the family farm. Even though protesting, "I ain't up for feeling
like an idiot to learn lessons on how to talk right" - Reese is convinced
by Dee to participate in her "research" with a promise it will help
him secure a position for which he has an interview scheduled in Chicago.
Having had a deceased father who worked long, hard hours,
an alcoholic mother who spent too much time away from home, and only having
felt the tenderness of love from her Granny Roseland - Dee has a different view
of home and parenthood than Reese. Fearful of recreating her past, she instead
focuses on her work.
Since the betrayal of deceased wife Jana, Reese has been
both mother and father to 7-year old daughter Lou and toddler son Brandon. He
fears becoming involved with another woman he can't trust. As Dee becomes
attracted to Reese's gentleness and the safe feeling he provides, she feels
guilt over the deception of the wager she has made.
Pepper Basham's first contemporary, 'A Twist of Faith',
is a beautiful literary adaptation of My Fair Lady. Filled with realistic
characters (including some 4-footed ones, such as Gypsy the cow and Haus the
smiling hound), humor, forgiveness, reconciliation, love, faith, tenderness,
amazing quotes, and realization of new dreams only God could provide - I found
'A Twist of Faith' heart-warming and a joy to read!
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Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of 'A Twist of Faith' for my honest opinion, which I have given.
A TWIST OF FAITH by Pepper Basham may be purchased through AMAZON .
GIVEAWAY: Bonnie Roof is generously providing an e-book copy of 'A Twist of Faith' for one blessed commenter. To be eligible, please leave your email address written (at) and (dot) to protect yourself against spammers.
