The first day of Great Reading: A Silent Prayer

Your chance to win 12 e-books is coming soon. To whet your appetite, BestSelling Reads presents the first of the books we’ll be giving away during the 12 Days of Great Reading, December 26 to January 6. This one is the first in the Prayer Series

By Samreen Ahsan

When the crowd starts to disperse, I shove the phone back in my pocket and turn to Adam.

“You looked like an innocent child when you were looking at Santa.” He steps closer, lowering his head as he smiles. “You looked at him as if you had a secret wish to tell him.”

How does he know? Is he a psychiatrist or a mind reader?

His question makes me nervous as I start to twist my ring on my index finger.

“Santa Claus doesn’t exist, Mr. Gibson. It is just our imagination.” I look toward the parade to avoid any visual contact with him.

“No, he doesn’t exist, but a wish does.” He is totally oblivious that people passing by are noticing us. I’m feeling way too awkward. I’m not going to share any wish with him, though the wish does exist. Not waiting for my answer, Adam continues, “You seem to like all this?” He looks around the area.

“I enjoy everything about the holiday season. The colors, the décor, the glitter, how the trees and houses light up in the dark.” I take a deep breath, inhaling the aroma of fresh cinnamon and hot chocolate from the nearby cart. “The lights at night tell us that no matter how much darkness there is, only the light can dispel it.” Adam listens with undivided attention. “Everyone likes it, Mr. Gibson. Can’t you see all the people here, already in a festive mood?” Adam’s gaze turns a darker shade of green.

Taking a few steps back from me, he closes his eyes for a moment, shaking his head. I wait for him to say something. “No, Rania, I can’t see…I can’t see people…” He shakes his head again.

What is he saying?

Regarding me again, he continues, “When you are around…I can’t see anything…other than you.”

Stepping back further, he turns around and disappears into the crowd.

Shit! What was that?

A Silent Prayer

Adam Gibson is a young and powerful Toronto millionaire. Despite his many blessings, he is an atheist, though he has an altruistic soul. He denies there is a God–until he meets a beautiful stranger in a place that does not exist for anyone but him.

Rania Ahmed strongly believes in God, but has lost hope she will ever find her soul mate. Endowed with hypnotic beauty and cursed by a brutal past, Rania has no idea she has cast a spell on Adam, who has never received more from a woman than physical pleasure. As Adam slowly discovers the true meaning of love from Rania, he begins to face his demons and reconsider his beliefs. He learns to love, forgive and repent. But as Adam grows closer to Rania, a series of strange, unexplained events threatens to drive them apart. To keep her from being destroyed by her past, he must persuade her to trust him with her deepest secrets.

In this spiritual romance, an atheist embarks on a path of enlightenment with a tormented soul who may just have the power to change everything he has ever believed to be true.