Reverend Sam Kincade is at a crossroads in his life. His
mission is to help people find direction in their lives,
fight injustice and prejudice while searching for the right
path to follow in his own life -- not questioning his
calling but in determining who will be his congregation. His
ministry began in a large, affluent congregation with his
sights set on reaching large masses through mass media. He
had all the right connections, knew all the right people who
could and would help mold his career. He paid the price for
his idealism and now finds himself ministering to a smaller
and more diverse community. Sam is comfortable in his new
congregation and church-run community center although not
fully accepted by those in power.
Elisa Martinez comes to Toms Brook, Virginia with a well
guarded past but open heart. Although her own life is in
shambles, Elisa immerses herself in tending those around her
and, as does Sam, becomes a champion for those in need. Sam
comes to realize that Eliza fills a void in his life, one of
intimacy and kinship. Their relationship mirrors the oft
times complicated and intricate complexities confronting the
centuries old community of Toms Brook and the newer Latino
residents. Language, customs and trust play a large part in
building bridges between all these players.
The cast of players are an amazing group of characters many
of whom form a lasting relationship around their church
quilting bee. The fabric of the community, symbolized by the
quilting, is well represented in the components by varied
colors, textures, shapes and stitches, some well thought out
and other included by virtue of their availability. Each
section of the quilt/community is constructed with care,
kindness and a shared responsibility which is very well
developed throughout the ENDLESS CHAIN.
ENDLESS CHAIN, intelligently written by Emilie Richards,
keeps you connected with all the characters of the story and
the cast is rather large. Not to worry. Richards never lets
you lose sight of who they are, their relationship to each
other and their relevance to the story of Sam and Elisa.
Richards never lets the reader forget that this is the story
of Sam and Elisa. Everyone else is the supporting, albeit
crucial, cast. The Sam/Elisa quilt couldn't be constructed
without the inclusion of the entire community, the people
and their lives both past and current. What will impress the
reader most is that Richards avoids simple, contrived
solutions to problems, the characters remain true to type,
and not all problems are resolved. She looks for logical and
practical solutions but at the same time doesn't skip over
legal or moral barriers on her way to the culmination of the
story. ENDLESS CHAIN will make you a Richards fan.
It's not easy to hope for the future when you're still
running from the past.
Sam Kinkade is finally feeling at home as a minister in
rural Toms Brook, Virginia, reasonably content with his life
and Shenandoah Valley congregation. But his plans to welcome
the area's growing Hispanic community to the church are
suddenly met with resistance. Fortunately, when La Casa
Amarilla, the church-run community center, is threatened, a
stranger named Elisa Martinez walks through his door and Sam
realizes he has found a woman capable of building bridges.
Elisa is an enigma. Although she slowly becomes involved in
the community center, Sam is certain from her guarded manner
that she is hiding something. Yet despite their growing
friendship Elisa won't discuss her past. Sam is intrigued
with that Latina stranger, a woman who, despite the
differences in their backgrounds, makes him only too aware
of the intimacy missing in his life.
Elisa isn't looking to make friends, let alone put down
roots. She has come to hide. But despite her fears of
discovery she is enchanted by the beautiful work of and the
friendship offered by the church women who invite her to
join their quilting circle. And even though she fears the
consequences for both of them, she finds herself powerfully
drawn to Sam.
As she waits and prays for a reunion that may set her free,
Elisa is captivated by a generations-old love story. Will
she and Sam repeat the past, or can they find the love and
the freedom they seek at last?
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