After enduring a year of physical torture from his captors, in a cold, damp cave, Marine Gunnery Sergeant Lucas Sullivan, along with Doctor Renee Chapman, a brilliant pediatrician who was captured while working with a humanitarian aid group, accept the time for their demise is at hand. In a defiant desperate attempt to go down fighting, "Gunny" gained the upper hand, if only for a few seconds. Those precious few seconds proved to be enough, though they came at a painful cost. After surviving terrible beatings for so long, he found himself losing this fight to keep breathing. A quick-thinking step enabled their rescue, but it was almost too late for Lucas. Scarred in body and spirit, survival is only the beginning. Haunted by what he endured, Luke returns to a world he must learn to tolerate, while keeping it at arm's length. Recovery seems impossible, something he seems destined to do alone this time-until he crosses paths with Rachel Kelly, the younger sister of a close Marine buddy. Rachel, who has quietly adored Luke for years, introduces the idea that Luke doesn't need to go it alone. With her, he slowly learns to let his guard down. Together, the lives of Luke, Rachel, and Doc intersect in a story of survival, redemption, and the patience it takes to find your way home-physically, emotionally, and perhaps... to each other."Jesus Smiled" is a gripping, emotional novel about resilience, unexpected connection, and the power of second chances.