Pride and Practicality

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a reader in possession of a good humor, must be in want of a Pepper Basham book--and Pride and Practicality is one of her best." --Karen Witemeyer, Christy Award winning author In a world ruled by reputation, compassion may be the most scandalous act of all. Arianna Reeves knows how quickly admiration can turn into exile. One poorly placed trust, one disastrously charming rake, and she is no longer society's darling--but its favorite cautionary tale. Now returned home--uninvited and unmistakably whispered about--Arianna is determined to make amends with her estranged family and do something useful with her thoroughly ruined life. Even if polite society would prefer she did it at a very great distance from anyone respectable. Thomas Bridges, a principled clergyman with an inconvenient habit of thinking for himself, is already walking a narrow line. His congregation expects propriety, his mother expects matrimony, and both have very firm opinions about his future. Thomas, however, would prefer a life guided by conviction . . . even when it proves impractical. When Arianna repeatedly--and quite disruptively--crosses his path, Thomas faces a dilemma no sermon prepared him for. She is not at all what she ought to be: not dull, not foolish, and--most dangerously--not someone he can overlook, but a kindred spirit who shares his passion for service and his troubling habit of defying society's expectations . . . all with good intentions, of course. As their forbidden acquaintance deepens into something far more perilous than friendship, Arianna and Thomas must decide: preserve their reputations, or risk them entirely for the good of others—--and their own hearts. Because in a society that measures worth by perfection, choosing grace, mercy, and love may cost them everything--and give them more than they ever hoped to find.