Thank you in advance to The Mosaic Collection and JustRead Publicity Tours for providing a complimentary advance review copy. A positive review was not required. All words and thoughts are my own.

While this is part of the Christian and Faith-based “The Mosaic Collection”, the previous novels are not connected to this one, and not required to be read.

This is the third Mosaic Collection book I’ve read (previously “A Beautiful Mess”; “More Than Enough”). Each one is different, but each one contains an element of faith.

A widower running from his past; two lovely older ladies; and a charming town. A town that one can trust. This book has a mystery and a bit of intrigue to it as well. You wouldn't know it by the first few pages though. That is what makes this story interesting.

“The Road to Happenstance” takes a different turn than the other two I read – this one also has a mystical element to it.

The cover depicts an old fashioned, wooden bridge which can depict a calm and peaceful place. Maybe for relaxing, maybe for settling into a new life. It can be frightening or it can be renewing. It can stand for separating the past or merging past and present.

As stated, Matthew Sadler ends up in Happenstance, without an intention to stay. For some reason; and this is where the mystical happening comes in; he is unable to leave. He becomes attached to the Barlow Sisters, friends with Bear, and close to Veronica (Roni).

There are other characters as well, each central to the story.

As the story progressed it went from a mystical type story, to one of mystery. After one of the sisters fell ill, suspicions arise. Perhaps it was done on purpose.

The Barlow sisters are also having financial issues, and Matt is determined to help them – then he plans to leave town. It’s always “I’ll leave after …” with no efforts to leave.

The writer then starts taking the reader on a mystery, loaded with secrets, that ends with a suspenseful surprise. The writer also tackles the subject of a spousal death, false allegations, and mental illness.

It was difficult getting into this book at first, and I actually had to re-read it again to give a more thorough review. Once I was finally able to get well into the novel, it picked up and definitely held my interest. There were times it was hard to put down.

Matt's plan to not stay as long as he did was interesting. I liked how the reader kept the plans changing without it being a cliché, while remaining relevant to the story.

The Barlow sisters were old-fashioned, if not prudish. The faith element was strong, but not overwhelming. The characters went to church, and even Matt started going back to church as well. It was known that there were faith elements, but they were not a central theme of the novel.

Bear was well-named, and definitely a good friend despite getting some idioms wrong. Sandy was a bit of a character as well.

The one character I couldn’t stand from the beginning was Roni. I don’t know if that was the writer’s intention. But, I honestly disliked this character right off. She came off as too nosey, too moody, and definitely too pushy with helping the sisters. In chapter 24, my suspicions were confirmed. So, that didn’t come as a surprise when she showed her true colors.

This was a unique read and one that I will say was not as I expected, but more or less in a good way. I thought it had a darker element to it, despite the faith theme. However, it didn’t stay dark for too long.

While not a series with a connection to “The Mosaic Collection”, this is part of the writer’s “Happenstance Series”. As the ending was “open” (not really resolved) – the reader, if interested will definitely want to read the next book.

I would’ve preferred a more closed ending, however I am eager to see where the writer plans to take Matt, Paula, the Barlow sisters, and Bear in the next segment.

Janice L. Dick's "Road to Happenstance" is a perfect reminder of God's plan for our lives. ( )

The Road to Happenstance wasn't what I expected.

Almost immediately I felt shroud of mystery, constantly wondering if the town, or even the people, are real or just the figment of someone's imagination. Alfred Hitchcock and the Twilight Zone popped into my head a few times. It definitely has that old world feel. Happenstance, and its inhabitants, felt too good to be true, almost otherworldly, which amped up the mysterious feel.

Matt, the hero, has his own personal struggles throughout and my heart really went out to him. This is a broken man that is in need of a true revival and Happenstance looks to be the perfect place for a new beginning. I admired him, but who really captured my heart were the Barlow sisters, Emmaline and Grayce, owners of the Happenstance Hotel. They brought a certain temperament and sass that I truly enjoyed, and that was desperately needed, since there were multiple parts of the story that really dragged for me.

I also wished there would've been a little more character depth in certain story lines, with certain characters, but other than that I really enjoyed this book. The flow of the narrative is nice, the writing is decent, and it had a satisfying ending with a slight, unexpected twist.

All in all, though different than my expectations, it was an entertaining read. ( )

Happenstance is a quaint with an abundance of quirky characters who both welcome newcomers and immediately invite them in. Despite his best intentions to leave, the residents pull Matt Sadler into their little world.

While readers are given inklings that all is not right throughout the book, the actual mystery doesn’t reveal itself until three-quarters of the way through the story (but things really start moving once it does). It annoyed me a little how gullible Matt was when it came to Roni, and I wondered if he’d never heard the “fool me once, same on you; fool me twice, shame on me"adage because he was fooled way more than twice.

Most of the townspeople are what make The Road to Happenstance enjoyable and, even though there were a couple of things in this plot I didn’t love, I would return to this little fictional town to find out what’s happening with everyone.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. ( )

"Something happened to me as I crossed the bridge into Happenstance. I can't explain it, except to say that for some reason, I think I was meant to be here."

These are the words found in a journal written in September, 1922, and they prove to be words that may mirror Matt Sadler's feelings in 2020. He had a strong reason for leaving his teaching job and it is kept from us for much of the story. What we do see is a man, still grieving for his deceased wife, who experiences a revival of romantic feelings when he meets a young woman who looks very much like his Ginny. He soon encounters a mystery that involves this look-alike, the two elderly sisters that he has grown fond of, and a centuries-old residence with a secret of its own. Through it all, readers are reminded of the joys of living in a community of decent people who are willing to offer forgiveness and second chances.

This is the first time I've read any of Janice Dick's writing and I thoroughly enjoyed The Road to Happenstance. If you enjoy Christian fiction with a touch of suspense and a possibility of romance, you will want to read The Road to Happenstance.

I received an e-copy of this book but there was no obligation to post a positive review. These are my own thoughts. ( )