Meet Mary from Two Ways Home!

So excited to spotlight a character from Sondra Kraak’s book Two Ways Home! Mary is a great character. Strong, stubborn, funny, talented, and more. I hope you like reading about her as much as I did!

Purchase your copy here!

About the Book

She’s about to lose her home. He never wanted to see his again. And a stalker is staking a claim . . .

Washington, 1892

Mary Smith was never one to back down from a challenge. Her father’s health may be failing, but their dairy farm was her mother’s dream, and Mary will do whatever it takes to keep her father from selling it—even if it means sneaking off to the next town to earn money by playing the piano in a questionable establishment. No one seems to understand why home is so important to her, least of all her childhood nemesis who’s just wandered back into town.

When injured Texas Ranger Luke Thomas is forced to return to Pine Creek, Washington, he’s hailed as a hero and thrust into the town’s first race for sheriff. But no one knows the secret he carried to Texas, nor the secret he’s brought home. Setting his perfect aim on returning south, he refuses to get tied down by the town’s admiration, his brother’s disapproval, or the spirited, hardworking dairy girl who’s less annoying than he remembers.

But strange things are happening at the Smith dairy and in Pine Creek, and Luke’s instincts tell him Mary is in far more trouble than she realizes. One thing is certain: “home” is about to get more complicated for them both.

Full of wit and romantic tension, this Christian historical love story sets forth the true meaning of coming home.

Character Spotlight – Meet Mary 

You can’t help but have fun around Mary. She’s bold, dynamic, opinionated, and a little on the wild side. On the other hand, she’s down to earth, ready to work hard, and refuses to give up. Here’s a peek into her unconventionality (they’re sitting on the ground by the gravestones of Luke’s father and Mary’s mother; this is from Luke’s point of view):

“Take off your shirt,” she said.

“What?” His gaze jerked to hers.

“I want to see your scars again.”

“I don’t think so.”

“But—”

“It’s not appropriate.”

He stretched his legs out, and she leaned her elbow across the top of his boots.

“You’re right,” she said. “But I’m curious.”

And honest. Eccentric. Beautiful. She made him laugh, wheedled him into talking about things he’d not talked about with anyone. And the absence of condemnation in her expression made him feel safe. Understood.

Dangerous thoughts, Thomas. Thoughts like that didn’t free a man to return to his job.

And a bit later in the same scene . . .

She’d locked her jaw, presumably to hold back tears. “No one’s prayed for me like that.”

“I pray for you every day.”

“You do?” Pink tinged her cheeks.

“Whenever I think of you, which . . .” was by the hour, by the minute. Was she ever out of his mind? “Which is every day.” He’d pictured the day he’d bring a flush to her cheeks, and prayer hadn’t been part of the equation.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Please don’t say anything.”

She’d come up with something sassy. Or worse, profound. Something that might contribute to their mounting intimacy.

One of the interesting things about Mary is that she’s fearful of thunderstorms. Can anyone relate? That’s a fear that most children outgrow, but for Mary, storms turn her insides to jello, send her sweating and ducking under the covers. To realize where this fear came from and why she can’t get over it, she needs to learn a few things from her father about her past, and then let Jesus heal those hidden memories.

Thanks for taking a peek at Mary! Visit Sydney at the Singing Librarian tomorrow to take a look at Mary’s counterpart, Luke Thomas. If you want to read more, don’t miss out on the e-book sale which ends Friday.

My Review