For eighteen years, she tried to believe she had made the right decision—for him.

But if she never saw him again, how could she ever be sure?

Melissa had clung to the thin thread of hope given by the adoption agency that someday her newborn son might want to connect with her. When his eighteenth birthday arrived, she called the agency to simply update her contact information, not expecting a response.

Susan and Jimmy Colton had raised their boy with openness about his adoption. After the heartbreaking loss of two infant sons that marked their early years of marriage, they promised themselves they would try not to hold too tightly to David or hold back any information he wanted about his birth. And so they waited on him.

David was hesitant to talk about the questions and curiosities about his birth story that often haunted him. But as he neared adulthood, his need to know the full story of his life became something he couldn't shake. Until the call came to the Coltons from the adoption agency, and the first tentative bits of communication and connection set in motion a story that would change all their lives forever.

From the team that brought you the movies Courageous and War Room comes Lifemark, the novelization of the new film inspired by a true story of adoption, redemption, and hope.

What Readers Are Saying . . .

  • "Great Christian novels are more than a story, they leave the reader pondering the state of his or her own heart. Not in the Heart demonstrates God's power to transform the seemingly untransformable."

    TITLETRAKK.COM

  • "A conflicted, memorable main character. . . . While the mystery at its core is compelling, it's Wiley's inner conflict that's truly engrossing. Down to its final pages, [Not in the Heart] is a gripping read."

    CROSSWALK.COM

  • "[Fabry's] poignant story is driven by deeply drawn characters who evoke empathy and frustration, compassion and anger. But in the end, the painful labor of rebirth will bring tears of joy!"

    Christine, CBD Fiction Editor, on Looking into You

  • ""Writing in his trademark lyrical style, Fabry spins a poignant tale about our society's invisible seniors and the woman and man who see their potential."

    BOOKLIST on Every Waking Moment

  • "[In this] soul-searching novel of faith, friendship, and promises, Chris Fabry invigorates the small-town lives of three teens in 1970s West Virginia with his exquisite, lyrical writing. . . . A literary delight . . . this novel is worthy of a standing ovation."

    SHELF AWARENESS on The Promise of Jesse Woods

  • "A character-driven tale of dignity and compassion for those who seem to have lost importance to society . . . this thought-provoking read challenges the prevailing cultural calculations of the value of a person's life."

    PUBLISHERS WEEKLY on Every Waking Moment

  • "A book about deep secrets, the effort it takes to heal catastrophic hurts, and a thriller with an excellent plot climax."

    1340MAGBOOKS.COM on Dogwood

  • "Fabry is a talented writer with a lilting flow to his words."

    CROSSWALK.COM on Almost Heaven

  • "Under a Cloudless Sky captivated me from page one. I cared immediately what happened to Ruby and Bean, and the stakes kept rising as tidbits of history were revealed, unraveling the mystery that held Ruby captive. A terrific reading experience!"

    Francine Rivers, New York Times bestselling author

  • "Fabry has built a rewarding story; it's hard to imagine inspirational fiction done better than this."

    WORLD MAGAZINE on Not in the Heart