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The Chandler County Series
Missing Destiny
She spends Friday nights with charts and graphs. His best friend is a dog named Sebastian.
All she’s ever wanted was peace and to feel she belonged. All he ever wanted was to disappear.
She’s a city girl hiding in a small town. He’s back home hiding from his past.
If life were perfect, they could be each other’s missing destiny.
Shauna has worked hard in life to please those closest to her especially her father. Due to familial restrictions, she stayed close to home for college. She majored in Chemical Engineering and now has a well-established position in one of Chicago’s top energy enhancement companies. Unfortunately, it leaves very little time for the one thing that she is truly passionate about, horseback riding.
Though she has fought to conquer her fears after surviving a traumatic experience in college, the remnants of those hours still weigh on her and seep through her well-polished exterior on occasion. The control she has gained over her life slowly slips through her fingers when she realizes she has a stalker and her family steps in to protect her even if it means disrupting her otherwise predictable and orderly existence.
Bribed with the chance to see her old college roommate and surround herself with horses for three weeks Shauna concedes to her family’s wishes and takes an extended vacation in Chandlerville, hoping it is the last place the man who’s been following her, will look. She’s looking forward to some peace, time with her friend and equine therapy while her father’s security firm sets her life in Chicago to rights.
Zach Mobley grew up in Bourbonville with one goal; to leave the town and the stigma of his childhood behind. He was tired of the sympathetic looks some of the town people gave him after his mother left, and the knowing looks the rest gave him when his dad took to drinking.
He moved to New York, had a successful career in finance, a beautiful wife, and daughter one day and the next it was all gone. He came back to Chandlerville to come to terms with his loss and find a modicum of peace as a ranch hand- turned therapist at Murphy’s Equestrian Therapy Center. He’s made contentment his daily goal until Shauna walks in his life tempting him with a happiness he’s not sure has the courage to embrace.
The more time they spend together the harder it is to deny the chemistry and feelings developing between them, but when Shauna’s stalker is revealed it begins a sequence of events that threaten to shatter the image of her family she has held dear. It gives her cause to wonder if she can trust her judgment in people and if what she and Zach have is worth changing her life for.
Will they take a risk and grab a hold of their missing destiny?
All she’s ever wanted was peace and to feel she belonged. All he ever wanted was to disappear.
She’s a city girl hiding in a small town. He’s back home hiding from his past.
If life were perfect, they could be each other’s missing destiny.
Shauna has worked hard in life to please those closest to her especially her father. Due to familial restrictions, she stayed close to home for college. She majored in Chemical Engineering and now has a well-established position in one of Chicago’s top energy enhancement companies. Unfortunately, it leaves very little time for the one thing that she is truly passionate about, horseback riding.
Though she has fought to conquer her fears after surviving a traumatic experience in college, the remnants of those hours still weigh on her and seep through her well-polished exterior on occasion. The control she has gained over her life slowly slips through her fingers when she realizes she has a stalker and her family steps in to protect her even if it means disrupting her otherwise predictable and orderly existence.
Bribed with the chance to see her old college roommate and surround herself with horses for three weeks Shauna concedes to her family’s wishes and takes an extended vacation in Chandlerville, hoping it is the last place the man who’s been following her, will look. She’s looking forward to some peace, time with her friend and equine therapy while her father’s security firm sets her life in Chicago to rights.
Zach Mobley grew up in Bourbonville with one goal; to leave the town and the stigma of his childhood behind. He was tired of the sympathetic looks some of the town people gave him after his mother left, and the knowing looks the rest gave him when his dad took to drinking.
He moved to New York, had a successful career in finance, a beautiful wife, and daughter one day and the next it was all gone. He came back to Chandlerville to come to terms with his loss and find a modicum of peace as a ranch hand- turned therapist at Murphy’s Equestrian Therapy Center. He’s made contentment his daily goal until Shauna walks in his life tempting him with a happiness he’s not sure has the courage to embrace.
The more time they spend together the harder it is to deny the chemistry and feelings developing between them, but when Shauna’s stalker is revealed it begins a sequence of events that threaten to shatter the image of her family she has held dear. It gives her cause to wonder if she can trust her judgment in people and if what she and Zach have is worth changing her life for.
Will they take a risk and grab a hold of their missing destiny?
- GenresRomanceContemporary
Kindle Edition
Published May 2, 2017
About the author
Traci Wooden-Carlisle
18 books602 followersTraci Wooden-Carlisle began writing poetry and short stories as soon as she was able to form words on paper. She used that as a way of creating worlds, as well as, to communicate with God. A native of Los Angeles, California, she grew up attending United Methodist Church under the leadership of a pastor whose heart was for youth. Once she finished college she found herself at a loss. She felt caught in the transition between childhood and adulthood. She surrounded herself with saints and volunteered her services as a graphic artist. Through the early-morning prayer, all night Friday prayer and 3-day shut-ins she started on her journey toward her most desired gift, an intimate relationship with God.
Today, Mrs. Wooden-Carlisle lives in San Diego with her husband, Mr. Carlisle. She teaches fitness classes, runs a jewelry and craft business, and is currently writing the next installment in her Christian-fiction series.
Today, Mrs. Wooden-Carlisle lives in San Diego with her husband, Mr. Carlisle. She teaches fitness classes, runs a jewelry and craft business, and is currently writing the next installment in her Christian-fiction series.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 7, 2018
Wow! This book has it all!! Love,betrayal,mystery,excitement and christian inspiration,it really doesn't get any better than this. This is my first time reading a book by this author and I am not disappointed. You will meet characters that take on a life of their own in your imagination.The author gives you a lot of information while still allowing you anticipation as you turn each page. This book is a great read. Don't miss your Destiny by not adding this book to your collection.
May 1, 2018
This is an enjoyable story that easily drew me in. The story is well done, with complex, believable characters. The author did a nice job of building the suspense in the story. I look forward to reading more from this author.
July 4, 2020
A very spiritual romance that is sweet and clean with a mystery you want to unravel. I completely enjoyed this romance between two people trying to heal themselves while Shauna tries to escape her stalker. Filled with family and friends who just want the most for the hero and heroine, an adorable dog, horses, and a scenery you want to visit.
January 23, 2019
Good suspense. Interesting complex characters who must overcome hurt.
May 5, 2018
A very enjoyable read, a very sweet romantic tale with a stalker twist.... As someone who has had horses help me through difficult times, I can relate to how the MC feels around them. While not a huge fan of Christian novels,I found this book quite engaging.
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February 15, 2019An enjoyable read
December 14, 2018
Technically on my scale this should be a 1 because I didn't finish it, but I can't stand to do that when I know someone put hard work into a story. However, this was all telling. I was told how everyone felt but never connected to those emotions myself because I couldn't see it.
Shauna has anxiety over her stalker but it loses power because we are told over and over that she had it before her stalker--starting in college but we're never told why (at least not before I gave up. I suspect its because she didn't follow her heart and did what her controlling father wanted her to do). Like I said, focusing on that diminishes the power of the fact she has a stalker. Plus, daddy steps in to take care of everything and Shauna is sent to a horse retreat like a wayward teen.
Zach is still mourning the loss of his wife and child but instantly comes back to life when he first sees Shauna. However, in the name of being professional since he will be her therapist, he acts like a jerk to her. Then her bodyguard steps in after several days and tells Zach to stop being the therapist and basically date Shauna because it would be better for her. I guess I couldn't get past why a grown woman let everyone else step in and run her life.
Then there was the Christian aspect. I don't mind this, BUT Shauna and Zach have a conversation about developing a relationship with God, and then Shauna turns around not five minutes later and has the SAME conversation, almost word for word with her bodyguard. Shauna even comments that she just had the conversation with Zach. It just made me feel like the author didn't trust me to get it on my own.
I'm sorry, but I gave it a 2 out of respect for the author finishing a book. That in itself is a huge accomplishment and I hope she continues to write and grow. Next time, show me how people are feeling not tell me.
1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
Movie Ratings in relation to my review:
Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no sex on or off "screen"
PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, sex is all closed door
PG-13--some language (swear words not related to sex), more talk about sex, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but sex is closed door.
PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen sex
R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” sex, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the sex and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always
Shauna has anxiety over her stalker but it loses power because we are told over and over that she had it before her stalker--starting in college but we're never told why (at least not before I gave up. I suspect its because she didn't follow her heart and did what her controlling father wanted her to do). Like I said, focusing on that diminishes the power of the fact she has a stalker. Plus, daddy steps in to take care of everything and Shauna is sent to a horse retreat like a wayward teen.
Zach is still mourning the loss of his wife and child but instantly comes back to life when he first sees Shauna. However, in the name of being professional since he will be her therapist, he acts like a jerk to her. Then her bodyguard steps in after several days and tells Zach to stop being the therapist and basically date Shauna because it would be better for her. I guess I couldn't get past why a grown woman let everyone else step in and run her life.
Then there was the Christian aspect. I don't mind this, BUT Shauna and Zach have a conversation about developing a relationship with God, and then Shauna turns around not five minutes later and has the SAME conversation, almost word for word with her bodyguard. Shauna even comments that she just had the conversation with Zach. It just made me feel like the author didn't trust me to get it on my own.
I'm sorry, but I gave it a 2 out of respect for the author finishing a book. That in itself is a huge accomplishment and I hope she continues to write and grow. Next time, show me how people are feeling not tell me.
1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
Movie Ratings in relation to my review:
Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no sex on or off "screen"
PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, sex is all closed door
PG-13--some language (swear words not related to sex), more talk about sex, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but sex is closed door.
PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen sex
R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” sex, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the sex and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always
June 14, 2017
After reading My Beauty for Your Ashes and My Oil of Joy for Your Mourning in the Promises to Zion series, I must be honest when I say I was not surprised that Traci Wooden- Carlisle dis it again. Her books always draw me in and the characters are so well-developed that I struggle when the book ended because I want more! Given that it is part of the Chandler County series by various authors, I suppose it had to remain in the same vein as the other books. However, again, this book did not disappoint. The story line is thorough; every loose end is tied. Now, on to the book!
The main character just seemed to be overwhelmed by work in the beginning, and the stalker situation seemed to be poorly handled by her nerves. We see the venue of her day to day life switch and then the real her emerges when the opportunity to do what she loves is presented to her. Each character has a history they are coming from, and we come to find that the past that had nothing to do with her actions is what almost got her killed.
Now that I think I may have said too much (lol), I will say I plan to keep an eye out for this author. Good things coming ahead.
The main character just seemed to be overwhelmed by work in the beginning, and the stalker situation seemed to be poorly handled by her nerves. We see the venue of her day to day life switch and then the real her emerges when the opportunity to do what she loves is presented to her. Each character has a history they are coming from, and we come to find that the past that had nothing to do with her actions is what almost got her killed.
Now that I think I may have said too much (lol), I will say I plan to keep an eye out for this author. Good things coming ahead.
May 4, 2018
This book was okay for me.
It's a spiritual romance, which means it's clean and there is no physical romance written in the book.
Now, I have absolutely no problem with clean romances. I have actually read a few that have turned out to be some of my favorite re-reads. However, with some authors I feel that they forget that because there is no physical relationship, then there needs to be more information and more details about the relationships being built between the main characters.
With Shauna and Zach, I'm not sure that I'm buying the fact that they fell in love over a few conversation within 3 max 4 days time.
The actual story took some time for me to get interested in. The couple don't meet until about a quarter into the book. Then we don't find out what causes Shauna's anxiety attacks until about three-quarters of the way into the book. It was lot of fluff added to a book that just seemed to drag.
It's a spiritual romance, which means it's clean and there is no physical romance written in the book.
Now, I have absolutely no problem with clean romances. I have actually read a few that have turned out to be some of my favorite re-reads. However, with some authors I feel that they forget that because there is no physical relationship, then there needs to be more information and more details about the relationships being built between the main characters.
With Shauna and Zach, I'm not sure that I'm buying the fact that they fell in love over a few conversation within 3 max 4 days time.
The actual story took some time for me to get interested in. The couple don't meet until about a quarter into the book. Then we don't find out what causes Shauna's anxiety attacks until about three-quarters of the way into the book. It was lot of fluff added to a book that just seemed to drag.
May 5, 2018
A very spiritual romance that is sweet and clean that really touches your heart. It is emotional read about discovery of one's self that is complex with a stalker. One just wants to disappear from the world and his problems, the other just wants peace and a place to belong. She needs a place to hide and finds that place on a ranch. Zach had it all and then lost it, he needs a place to hide and work out his loses. The two meet and love begins.
The story is filled with drama, danger as these two works out their issues danger comes close leaving it a touch and go if they will live to see another day and find love. I thought it was a nice sweet read but needed a little more information and chemistry. The author gives a great plot with a believable story line that does hold your attention. It was a very enjoyable read with really characters and real emotions.
The story is filled with drama, danger as these two works out their issues danger comes close leaving it a touch and go if they will live to see another day and find love. I thought it was a nice sweet read but needed a little more information and chemistry. The author gives a great plot with a believable story line that does hold your attention. It was a very enjoyable read with really characters and real emotions.
April 22, 2018
Stirring, suspenseful Christian romance. Zach stands apart since his heartbreak while Shauna remains anxious since her college fright. More terror leads Shauna to Equestrian therapy and Zach!
Good read! Difficult to emotionally bond with Shauna and Zach, at first; though they later become more personable. 3 1/2 stars.
Voluntarily read ARC for honest review.
Good read! Difficult to emotionally bond with Shauna and Zach, at first; though they later become more personable. 3 1/2 stars.
Voluntarily read ARC for honest review.
October 29, 2018
This book is almost 4* but not quite – it is well written (apart from the few typos) with a good plot. The characters are likeable and believable. I don’t know anything about horses so that was quite interesting for me.
It is emotional and suspenseful in places although I found it slightly jumpy in places.
It is emotional and suspenseful in places although I found it slightly jumpy in places.
December 7, 2018
Your past can catchup to you!
Shauna was in need of her person! Zach was in his own dilemma. They were the perfect couple and their connection was beautiful! The story moved along well and the back stories were very touching. I really enjoyed reading this series and look forward to the other stories in this series!
Shauna was in need of her person! Zach was in his own dilemma. They were the perfect couple and their connection was beautiful! The story moved along well and the back stories were very touching. I really enjoyed reading this series and look forward to the other stories in this series!
November 10, 2018
When a mysterious man becomes a threat to her health Dr. Shauna Nathan, a workaholic scientist, is about to lose control over her emotions and her life.
November 16, 2018
A sweet read. An inspirational, but not in an overwhelming way.
December 5, 2018
Very nice read!
I enjoyed getting to know Shauna and Zach. I thought this book was well-written with characters that were realistic. I definitely recommend this book.
I enjoyed getting to know Shauna and Zach. I thought this book was well-written with characters that were realistic. I definitely recommend this book.
March 15, 2019
A great Christian love story.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews