Dinah Traynell has never known a world outside the Elect. She has never been to a “worldly” church nor associated with “worldly” people outside minimal contact, therefore she does not realize that what she has been brought up to believe is not the truth. Dinah has been taught that she is a vessel of love for God and should submit herself emotionally, physically and mentally to one of God’s shepherds so as to be of service to God. She longs to get away from what she does not want to do, but cannot see how that is possible. With her father recently deceased and her mother ill, she has no choice but stay where she’s always been and play her role. She only slightly breaks the rules when she feeds a homeless man who comes to their backdoor and offers him shelter in the barn, as long as he stays hidden.

Dr. Matthew Nicholas is down on his luck and running from his recent troubles. When he appears on Dinah’s doorstep one night he’s sure she will just send him away as others have done, but instead she offers him a place to sleep if only for a bit and some food. Matthew is trying to find his way since a recent scandal has left him in doubt of himself and his place, but while traveling he was robbed and found himself depending on the goodness of others to survive. Matthew soon finds himself giving Dinah a hand on her ranch and believes this is where he is meant to be, it’s certainly better than going home to California and life as a former professor of literature.

Matthew soon finds himself drawn to Dinah and her life. He doesn’t want to get too involved but can’t turn away from this woman who seems to be suffering so much. As the truth comes to light and Dinah’s whole life is shown for what it is, can Matthew help Dinah find her way to God, the true Father? As Dinah struggles with her faith, lies, and her new sense of freedom an unexpected burden is suddenly dropped in her lap and she must decide what to do. Amid all the pain and doubt can Dinah find a new faith and trust it to carry her through the tough times ahead? When the truth about Matthew’s recent past and the reason for his journey from home come to light will it destroy any hope they have for a future?

POCKETFUL OF PEARLS is a novel I found hard to read at first. There are some scenes that where extremely hard for me to get beyond, however once I did get past these scenes I found an excellent novel that I’m glad to have read. Ms. Bates does a wonderful job of allowing us to watch as Dinah struggles with what she thought was the truth and what the truth really is. I did find the ending a little to open for my liking, and her transformation seemed to happen just a little too quickly, however it all did work together to make for a novel I’ll likely never forget.

POCKETFUL OF PEARLS is a story of a woman coming to terms with what her life was before and moving beyond that. This is the sequel to GROUNDS TO BELIEVE but can be read alone. There is a third and final book planned for this series that is sure to be just as heart wrenching and powerful as this one is. Fans of women’s fiction will likely enjoy Ms. Bates inspirational tale, however be warned that this story tackles some tough issues, namely sexual abuse and it’s effects on not only the one abused but those around her. Ms. Bates is sure to be a true asset to the growing popularity of Inspirational Women’s Fiction.