Jimmy Westbrook, 19, falls in love with a photograph of Collette Greer, when he is in high school at Heart's Bend, Tennessee. His best friend, Clem, shows him the photo of his cousins, Peg and Collette, who are coming from England to live with his family. Peg and Collette's parents died during the war and his parents are their only living relatives. When Jimmy meets Collette, he knows she is special. He falls hard and slowly he melts Collette's heart.

But her sister, Peg, who has always been jealous of Collette, presents a problem. She is in love with Jimmy. Collette knows Peg has never healed from loosing her parents and does not want to hurt her. She always ends up giving in to her sister, but Jimmy has no affection for Peg. It is always and forever Collette for him.

Upon graduating high school, Jimmy begins to build a lovely wedding chapel to honor his love for Collette. One snowy night, he takes her there to show her his progress and proposes to her. She accepts but wants to keep it secret. They recite vows to each other making their "marriage" official to them.

Later, Jimmy confesses he is leaving to serve in the Army. On the day he leaves for boot camp, Collette finds a letter from him telling her she should move on. She moves on to the Big Apple where she becomes a Soap Opera star. Collette never returns to Heart's Bend but keeps track of Jimmy who had returned and became a Hall of Fame football coach. Now sixty years later, Jimmy is going to sell the Wedding Chapel, but there is no way Collette is letting him sell her Chapel. She returns and meets Jimmy in the Chapel. Time has not changed his love for her, but is it finally their time?

Taylor Brandon and Jack Forester bump into each other on the streets of New York City. Both share being from Heart's Bend, and both moved to New York to pursue careers. Taylor in Photography and Jack as a successful ad executive. They had a whirlwind love affair and eloped. Six months after their hasty marriage, they begin to question. Will the marriage last? Or will it be doomed as so many of their family's?

Taylor returns to Heart's Bend to photograph the Wedding Chapel, and because her grandmother, Peg, has died leaving the contents of her home to Taylor. Going through Grandmother Peg's things, Taylor finds a letter filled with dark secrets with answers to questions which concern Jimmy and Collette.

THE WEDDING CHAPEL captured my heart from the first page and never let go. Rachel Hauck is a sterling story teller with real characters I rooted for. I felt like I was in that beautiful Chapel built lovingly stone-by-stone as a tribute to his lifetime love. The theme of faith is an added plus to me. This sweeping tale of four people, four loves, is inspirational. Jimmy is my hero. THE WEDDING CHAPEL sits on my keeper shelf, and is my best read of this year. I will recommend it to everyone. Five stars to you, Rachel Hauck. I am a forever fan!

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