In one short month, cheerful army nurse Madeline Bright has become the darling of Prairie Springs, Texas. And if ex-pilot Jake Hopkins isn't careful, she might just conquer his heart. She's young, pretty and blithe-spirited...he's older and jaded. But being around Maddie brings back too many painful memories. Jake still feels guilty about failing to save Maddie's brother in an army helicopter crash years ago. So no matter how much Maddie wants to be in his life, for her own good, Jake can't allow that. He'll never have a normal, stable life.

And sweet Madeline deserves nothing less.

Married at 19 to a ridiculously patient man, Brenda Coulter did international telecommunications work for two banks and an oil company before impulsively ditching the office routine to become a full-time student of astronomy at a major university.

Just over a year later she had an even better idea, so she became a mother and turned full-time homemaker. (Then bought a 10-inch reflecting telescope and joined the local astronomy club.)

She volunteered in the schools her two sons attended and became involved in the women's ministries at her church. By that time her boys were teenagers. Her telescope was collecting cobwebs.

As the year 2000 drew to a close, Brenda stumbled across her first inspirational romance novel. Instantly captivated by the idea of a love-conquers-all story with a golden thread of faith woven through the plot, she decided to try her hand at writing one, although she'd never previously written a word of fiction.

What began as a rainy day experiment quickly became a passion. Just over a year later, she sold her first completed manuscript.

With one son in college and the other in high school, Brenda's career as a full-time mom is winding down. She now spends most of her days writing romance and tinkering with her web site, www.BrendaCoulter.com. She encourages you to visit her site and will personally answer email addressed to mail@BrendaCoulter.com.