Peace Beneath The Pines (Ebook)

She thought chronic pain meant a life alone. He thought one mistake meant he didn't deserve forgiveness. God had other plans.

Helena Young has spent three years managing severe chronic pain in isolation, building a careful life in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho where expectations are low and disappointment is survivable. When a compassionate nurse at her pain management clinic notices the worn research notebooks and the exhaustion she's trying to hide, something shifts—but Helena has learned the hard way that hope costs more than it's worth.

Forrest Sims carries guilt from a medical crisis three years ago that he can't seem to put down. Working at a low-acuity pain clinic, keeping everyone at arm's length, over-preparing for everything—that's safe. That's manageable. Until a patient with silver-blonde hair and radical honesty walks into his treatment room and he realizes some boundaries were made to be crossed.

When they both end up at the same chronic illness support group, their parallel struggles with faith, suffering, and grace begin to interweave. A shared scripture. Small kindnesses. Coffee shop conversations. The terrifying vulnerability of being seen at your worst—and being chosen anyway.

But learning to trust doesn't erase the wounds. When Helena's body betrays another good week with a devastating flare, and Forrest's old crisis replays itself at work, both must decide: do they protect themselves by pulling away, or do they risk everything by showing up imperfect?

Peace Beneath the Pines is an inspirational Christian romance that handles chronic illness, depression, and medical trauma with unflinching honesty and profound grace. For readers who want:

✓ Authentic disability and chronic pain representation
✓ Faith woven naturally into a contemporary love story
✓ Small-town Idaho setting with gorgeous lake and mountain scenery
✓ Slow-burn romance built on emotional intimacy
✓ Clean, closed-door content appropriate for all ages
✓ Characters who wrestle honestly with God and come out stronger
✓ A happily-ever-after that acknowledges suffering doesn't end but shows love persisting through it

Perfect for fans of Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury, and readers seeking Christian romance novels that honor both faith and lived experience with chronic illness.

Some love stories aren't about healing. They're about learning that being held is enough.