"In search of Eden" follows the wanderings of Miranda DeSpain, a young woman who has been unable to recover from a painful adolescent experience. An upstanding drifter (she always finds gainful employment where ever she goes), Miranda finds herself in Abingdon, Virginia, where she meets an array of lovely Christian townsfolk, among them a spunky 11-year-old girl named Eden who helps Miranda find a job and a place to live. Nichols blends the romance genre with a more problem-oriented womenś novel here. Spiritual themes such as forgiveness and redemption are well integrated into the novel, and the Christian characters are genuine, openhearted and giving.