The Spirit of Want by William H. Coles is a mix of romance and general thriller with the primary theme of family and betrayal. Lucy MacMeil is hired as the defense lawyer for TV evangelist Reverend Bain, a charismatic man, little knowing that she is headed towards doom. She falls in love with the evangelist while defending him. After losing the case, the evangelist flees to Africa while awaiting an appeal. Unable to live without him, Lucy abandons her husband, surgeon Luke Osbourne, her child, and entire family and follows Bain to Africa. It is not long before she discovers she has been fooled. Evangelist Bain isn’t the man she believes him to be. She has to run back home, but what awaits her isn’t a welcome. Follow her as she is shunned by friends and family and seeks to rebuild her life.
William H. Coles is an expert in building drama and scenes that are focused and emotionally charged. The courtroom drama is intense with exchanges that are intelligently composed and cross-examinations that are witty and lively. The author’s gift for character and thematic development is exemplified in this narrative. The story has a powerful premise — a married and respectable woman falling in love with her client is a complex issue. When the illicit romance begins, the reader watches its evolution, expecting that the protagonist will eventually discover her error and make a turnaround, but things escalate quickly into a serious conflict. The Spirit of Want is an engaging story with rock-solid characters. The writing is bold, balanced, and focused, and the characters are real.