Sands Of Time

“Susie writes a delightful story… A few hours of reading doesn’t get better.”

—Dee Henderson, #1 CBA bestselling author of the O’Malley series

“Susan Warren is definitely a writer to watch!”

—Deborah Raney, award-winning author of A Vow to Cherish and Over the Waters

“Warren’s characters are well-developed, and she knows how to create a first rate contemporary romance.”

—Library Journal on Tying the Knot

“Susan May Warren is an exciting…writer whose delightful stories weave the joy of romantic devotion together with the truth of God’s love.”

—Catherine Palmer, bestselling author of Leaves of Hope

“Susan’s characters deliver love and laughter and a solid story with every book…a great read!”

—Lori Copeland, bestselling author of the Brides of the West series on The Perfect Match

“…authentic detail…plunked me into Russian life. The result was a dynamic read!”

—Colleen Coble, bestselling author of Dangerous Depths on Nadia

“…a nail-biting, fast-paced chase through the wilds of Russia. A deft combination of action and romance provides superb balance. Spectacular descriptions place the reader in the center of the intriguing setting.”

—Romantic Times BOOKclub on In Sheep’s Clothing

“In Sheep’s Clothing is an excellent novel that will keep you guessing until the very end.”

—FaithfulReader.com

www.millsandboon.co.uk

For Your glory, Lord

“Don’t go out for the next few days.” The e-mail from the U.S. Consulate sent a chill through me. At the time, America had dropped bombs on Yugoslavia, and tensions in Russia toward Americans were high. Demonstrations in capital cities threatened consulates and embassies, and Americans lay low. Not only that, we were advised to pack bags in the event we had to hightail it out of the country.

I remember thinking…what if I lived not in a big city, but out in one of the tiny villages in remote Siberia? What if I didn’t get e-mail and didn’t know what was happening in the world? Worse, what if we were ordered out of the country…and didn’t know it? Would we be arrested? There and then the idea for Sands of Time was born. Fast-forward five years. My husband and I were wrestling with the hard decision to return to the States. Andrew loved what we did as missionaries. But our children needed some time in America, and I was exhausted and burned out. More than that, God was closing the door to ministry in Russia. Andrew felt as if God was asking him to make the ultimate surrender—his life goals for the good of others. But he’d trained and worked with excellent Russian brothers who could fill in the gap created by his leaving. And, after he left, he realized that God would continue the work He’d started with Andrew.

I respect my husband for the sacrifice he made. And in many ways, Sarai and Roman embody Andrew’s struggle. We both learned that we are not indispensable. More than that, we learned that surrender opens new doors to God’s provision and God’s blessings.

My deepest gratitude goes to Krista and Joan and Steeple Hill for believing in Sands of Time, and allowing me to write about Russia and my mixed bag of heroes and heroines. And thank you to Andrew, who every day teaches me about sacrificial love, and keeping an eternal perspective. I do need a hero.

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Questions for Discussion

“You always have to be a hero, don’t you?” It seemed unfair that, at the most inopportune of moments, Sarai Curtiss’s accusations could split Roman’s mind like lightning, cutting right to the fears that lurked in the darkest corners of his heart. And his raw and bleeding bare feet churning up the pavement drilled that question into his soul.

No, he didn’t have to be a hero—just the guy who got it right, who went the distance, especially when it had to do with issues like world peace and international freedom. And nabbing a six-foot-two, sweaty Russian smuggler named Gregori Smirnov.

At least, Roman hoped the guy he was chasing was Gregori. The man, dressed in typical Russian-on-holiday attire—a striped dress shirt, cutoff Bermudas, dark socks and tennis shoes and carrying a backpack—had taken one look at Roman, innocently slurping the ear off a Mickey Mouse ice cream stick, and bolted through the crowd.

Now, wasn’t that interesting?

Roman had no choice but to ditch the ice cream and his flip-flops, take off in hot pursuit and pray he wasn’t going to take down a day trader from Jersey.

Still, it wasn’t every day he, a Russian FSB captain who hunted mafia smugglers for a living spotted what looked like one of Russia’s most wanted strolling out of the Reflections of China exhibit at Disney’s Epcot Center. He wasn’t about to lose the little rat in the beer halls of Germany, the pagodas of Japan or even the pines of Canada.