Michelle Levigne, Author

Search
Go to content

Main menu

Tabor Heights

Inspy Contemporary

From Mt. Zion Ridge Press, as well as at the usual online retailers, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks, and others..

Welcome to Tabor Heights:
A friendly little town on Ohio's North Coast, where sweet romance is always in the air.
 
Here you'll be able to explore the lives of the members of the congregation of Tabor Christian Church in the space of two years. The stories overlap, and there's no one right place to start.
 
Just like any small town, you come in, you meet someone, you hear their story and get to know them, and they introduce you to their friends, tell you something about them, and you learn those stories. As you get to know these new friends, they introduce you to other people, and tell you about other interesting stories in town.
 
It's the same way with Tabor Heights. Start with the story that interests you the most, and then branch out.
 
Settle back and enjoy your visit. Welcome!


Year One:
THE SECOND TIME AROUND

Daniel Morgan's past returned to haunt him when a freshman girl showed up wearing his college sweetheart's face.

Lynette Tyler was determined not to face her past, when she learned her daughter's favorite new teacher was the man she had forced out of her life when she got pregnant.

When Daniel learns that Kat is his daughter, he dares to ask God for the dream he had let go years before... to finally be a family. He pursues Lynnete's love through tragedy and shame, learning to forgive each other and themselves. The biggest hurdle isn't whether Kat would forgive them when she finally finds out the truth, but whether Lynette can let go of the past long enough to let them have a future together.

COMMON GROUNDS
Hannah Blake had given up on being anything more to Xander Finley than his Gal Friday and partner in running Common Grounds legal clinic. Other than attending the same church, what else did they have in common?

Then the process of opening up a branch office in Tabor Heights became ... complicated. First they faced resistance from a local judge and another lawyer who was a member of their church, and should have been supporting them. Then they found the body of the 3rd victim of the White Rose Killer in their new office.

When the White Rose Killer seemed to have chosen Hannah as his next 'true love', Xander's attentions became warmer and more personal. Hannah knew better than to hope it would last beyond the crisis. Foxhole love wasn't any more real than foxhole religion, was it? Xander, on the other hand, was glad his eyes had finally been opened. The problem was convincing Hannah that he was for real. It was time to pray for more than her safety. After all, in the final analysis, what good was his life without Hannah in every part of it?

SEASONS
Cops and Bobbers: Officer Mike will do whatever it takes to get closer to Rec Director Trina, even put on swim trunks and help beginning swimmers at the city pool.
Troubleshooting: Jake follows Bailey to church, his first Sunday in Tabor. Hired to find an embezzler, he is dismayed to realize she is the prime suspect, and fights to prove her innocence.
In the Air, On the Air: Riley knows how Clark Kent felt about Superman, when Gina seems to like his radio alter-ego, Whit, more than him. What's a mild-manner DJ to do to win the girl of his dreams?
From Turkey to Mistletoe: A nasty office trick sends Mitch to Jenna's door while she still aches over Thanksgiving dinner no-shows. Their instant friendship grows despite office politics until Christmas, the season of miracles.

THE FAMILY WAY
Everything is going right for Lisa. Her comic strip is becoming a book, and she is pregnant -- finally, her critical father-in-law will admit she is a good wife.

Todd comes home in a foul mood and destroys her happy announcement with: "Is it mine?"

He tries to make things right, but everything he does only worsens Lisa's pain because he has never learned to apologize. Their marriage disintegrates, until his own sisters urge Lisa to leave him. Todd slowly, painfully learns to face family secrets, and break free of his father's poisonous influence.

Lisa knows she must forgive and learn to love Todd again, even as she wonders why. Todd never loved her, so why try to make their marriage work?

A QUIET PLACE
Jeannette Marshall married Brody Evans despite the in-laws. Their love was deeper, stronger than what she felt for Nathan Lewis, her orphanage "big brother". They planned on seminary and a big family -- but a year later, Jeanette returned to Tabor Heights widowed and pregnant, and driven away by her hateful in-laws.

But Tabor Heights was home, her quiet shelter. With the love and support of her friends, she prepared for the birth of her son. With Nathan to be uncle to BJ, she had all she needed. Even if she sometimes wondered if she should have let Nathan persuade her to marry him instead of Brody.

Nathan realized too late he loved Jeannette as more than a little sister. When she returned, he put aside his hopes for a second chance, positive she would never heal enough to love him that way.

All that mattered was that she and BJ were safe and happy.

Then the Evans clan comes to town, scheming and telling lies to get custody of BJ. Nathan would do anything to protect Jeannette -- but everything he tries seems to drive them further apart. Can he convince Jeannette what she means to him before it's too late?

FORGIVEN
The hardest thing Nikki has ever done is go home to Tabor Heights, to the people who know how far she fell, and the hearts she broke. Working for the Arc Foundation, she is to assess the Mission for funding. She refuses to fail the God who has forgiven her, and let down her home church.

Released from prison, Brock follows Nikki home. Now that he is right with God, he wants more than anything to win her back, and make sure their love is the right kind. Nikki knows she won't find full healing until she forgives Brock, but she discovers she has to forgive herself, first.

BEHIND THE SCENES
Tony and Max were best friends, writing partners. People swore he didn't know she was a girl and she didn't know he was a boy. When Tony went away for a few months, he realized that empty place inside was Max-shaped. Every idea to tell her how he felt sounded like the plot for a book they would never write.

Then Max's parents were seriously injured. Tony dropped everything to come home and be there for her and her brothers. He would just have to wait until things calmed down before he confessed his love, and pray Max felt the same way. Before the new guy in the tech crew made his move.

Max tried not to dream that she and Tony could be more to each other. As she held together her parents' theater and dealt with the invasion of paparazzi when Hollywood discovered where her mother had hidden years ago, she couldn't help wishing...

DETOURS
A year in the life…

Roommates Bekka, Kat, and Amy had a lot in common: Theater students, pursuing writing careers, supporting each other in crises and heartaches. Amy kept breaking up with her boyfriend. Kat never dated a boy more than twice. Bekka was too busy with part-time jobs and writing to even want a relationship. Especially seeing how miserable her roommates were

So she thought, until Shane showed up, but Kat saw him first, and once she dumped a boyfriend, he never came back. Bekka couldn't help hoping, though.

FIRESONG
Dani has known all her life that God called her to ministry and music. Her life revolves around her brother and their band, Firesong.

Kurt returns to Tabor to prepare for a crusade and reunite with old friends. He never expects Dani to capture his imagination, and then his heart. How can he convince the girl who once disdained him as an arrogant jerk to open her heart to him -- especially when she believes ministry leaves no room for romance?

Between the crusade, concerts, a new CD, and her brother's wedding, Dani doesn’t have time for Kurt's nonsense … but sometimes he gives her those looks that make her doubt everything she knows and believes.

ACCIDENTAL HEARTS
What do Abby Morgan, pilot, and Tyler Sloane, theater director, have in common? Siblings raising children on their own, a tendency for embarrassing accidents, and a voice deep inside asking, When will it be MY turn?

In a summer insane with activities and crises and demanding jobs, Abby and Tyler see an oasis of hope and love in each other … but crossing that desert of responsibilities and commitments might be more than they can manage. Is it a dream, or just a mirage?

Their every attempt to get to know each other fails, until in frustration Tyler decides he must stage the perfect romantic encounter if he and Abby are to ever fly off into the sunset together.

THE MISSION
Claire came to Tabor five years ago to make a new start. Her life is wrapped up in the Mission, which now has funds for renovations and expansion.

Paul comes to be head custodian, threatening her equilibrium. First, his daughter, Sammy, asks if Claire will be her new mommy, then Claire begins to fear Paul will take over, changing the vision and goals of the Mission.

Paul only wants a fresh start and a safe home for Sammy. The Mission’s vision has caught his imagination, and Claire has caught his heart. Teamwork for the sake of the Mission promises to become so much more, and personal, if they only have the courage to take a chance

WHITE ROSES
Toni returns to Tabor Heights to help identify the White Rose Killer. He stalks young women who look like her sister, murdered twenty years ago. Is he the same boy, grown up, who left white roses on Angel's grave?

Curt found Angel's body, and he doesn't want Toni to be the White Rose's next victim. He reluctantly partners with her at the newspaper, to find the killer before he strikes again. To protect her, they pretend to have a relationship that slowly becomes real.

Their hunt becomes a race against time: find love and the White Rose before the killer targets them.


YEAR TWO
INVITATION TO A WEDDING

Stacy buys a wedding present for Dinah, despite the lack of invitation to her wedding reception. Despite the childhood promises to be each other's maid of honor, now seemingly broken.

Drake comes home for his sister's reception and finds Stacy's present on the doorstep, triggering a cascade of memories. As he investigates why she isn't in the wedding party, he unravels a web of lies and nasty tricks, and decides to intervene.

A night that should be full of heartbreak turns into a Cinderella tale, with Drake whisking Stacy off to the party. Their childhood friendship changes that night, and the teasing, caring, long-distance relationship that follows gives them both reason to hope for something more.

COOKING UP TROUBLE
Audrey lives for cooking and Homespun Theater. It's a dream come true when she is asked to help develop a dinner theater at Homespun.

Steve likes Tabor, so different from Hollywood. He enjoys partnering with Audrey, first on stage as Romeo and Juliet, then developing the dinner theater, then frustrating the paparazzi who gather like sharks around Max's wedding.

People from Audrey's painful past return to complicate her life, and threaten her growing friendship with Steve. When things don't add up and stories conflict, Steve fears Audrey is a user and schemer, just like in Hollywood. He doesn't want to believe it.

The problem lies in trusting someone who won't trust him enough to share her secret pain.

THE WRATH OF BUBBLES
Rose is happy with her new life in Tabor with her brother's family, and her slowly warming relationship with Andrew, publisher of the Tabor Picayune. The only blight is the next door neighbor of Homespun Theater, Mrs. Pluch.

Andrew has his own troubles with the increasingly annoying Myrna, part-time receptionist, gossip, and town know-it-all. When newspaper customers who irritate Myrna suffer vandalism, Andrew is unwilling to suspect her -- but who else can it be?

Rose and Andrew joins forces to investigate, and are delighted with how well they work together. Love is in the air as the wedding of Andrew's daughter approaches -- and frustration, as conflicting clues and red herrings lead them to a preposterous conclusion.

WHEELS
Natalie was the little girl across the street who adored Tommy and planned to marry him when they grew up. In the wake of Tommy's broken back and the disintegration of his family, Natalie's family left town.

She never thought she would see him again, until she was assigned to cover the Mission's handicap awareness campaign -- led by Tommy. He didn't seem to recognize her, and she didn't want to embarrass him by bringing up the past, but she had to warn him before the past found Tommy in the shape of his estranged father.

Just when was the right time, in the middle of the campaign and threats from petty criminals who were blackmailing one of Tommy's friends?

A BOX OF PROMISES
Meg, Andrea, Ray, Bergen and Casey -- dorm sisters with summer plans. Meg: help Mexican orphans. Andrea: publish newspaper articles. Ray: get Michael's attention. Bergen: work with wolves at the zoo. Casey: survive as head camp lifeguard. Those who don't reach their goals pay for a pizza party at the end of the summer.

Sunburn, bubblegum in hair, "mean girls," lunatic customers, temporary blindness, political games and other assorted problems detour the girls from their goals. Life sneaks up and surprises them with opportunities they never expected -- along with five men who find them more than interesting. Will they survive their summer and reach their goals? By the time they return to their dorm, the girls realize that life is what happens when you make other plans.

BWU STORIES
PROJECT ANGEL:
Kristen transfers to BWU when her semester abroad is canceled. Settling into a new school is rough enough, but to avoid her interfering sister and brother-in-law, she gets involved with a church service project on campus. Well-intentioned, it quickly disintegrates when someone uses it to play nasty tricks. When Kristen tries to make things right, she discovers her own personal angel has been in front of her all along.

MOUSE KAT TRAP:
Kat is still adjusting to her parents’ reunion and marriage. She can’t be Morgan’s assistant any longer, so she must train her replacement and her boyfriend is being a jerk. As she navigates an experimental summer theater program, a nasty blog seems determined to destroy the theater program with gossip. Discovering the identity of the enemy is the first step in stopping him, but finding the truth could put Kat in danger.

THE TEDDY BEAR DANCER
Vic owed Agent McCoy his soul, so when 10-year-old Joey McCoy arrived in Tabor, needing protection, he gladly paid that debt. Children weren't his forte, so he turned to Rene, his business partner, for help.

Two weeks of instant family life had them chafing at the secrets they both imagined blocked their passage from friendship to love. Minor irritations, like someone sabotaging their gym and husband-hunting twits trying to trap Vic added to the discontent that threatened their safe, comfortable lives.

Then Joey's talent for calculating the odds gained the attention of the wrong people. Protecting her and paying his debt exposed Vic's secrets to the wrong people -- and to Rene. If they could learn to face the past together, they might just be able to build a future together.

TRUCK STOP ANGEL
Hope and Seth's high school argument sent her into Ricky's arms. Nine years later, she is free of her forced marriage, but not the stigma. When Ricky flees the law, Seth returns to her life.

Surrounded by criticism and threats, Hope finds shelter with her foster-family and their new diner. With their help, she puts her life back together, and her children begin to heal.

Seth wants to be there for Hope, but their past mistakes make them both hesitant to love again. What can he do to defeat his rival when Hope doesn't seem to realize how feels, after all he has done to be her knight in shining armor?

Back to content | Back to main menu