Charleston, SC, April 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Palmetto Publishing has released Hidden but FREE, a new Christian fiction novel by author J. Laura Chandler. The book tells the story of a young CEO who secretly abandons her career, her public identity, and her controlling family to start over as a stranger in a remote mountain village.
At thirty-three, protagonist Lana Cantrell runs a major publishing firm, holds a decorated past as a world-class athlete, and spends her weekends volunteering at a local mission house. To the outside world, she is a portrait of professional success. But behind closed doors, Lana’s narcissistic family has turned every achievement into a weapon of manipulation. When her mother’s latest phone call humiliates her in front of her own staff, Lana sets in motion a plan she has been quietly building for over a year. She is going to vanish.
Armed with a prepaid phone, a disguise, a large sum of cash, and an Alaskan cruise booked as a cover story, Lana disappears to Whistler, British Columbia, where she takes a house-sitting arrangement under a false identity. Only her loyal assistant, Scottie, knows the truth. But isolation proves to be its own challenge as a well-known author named Will Stewart and his Border Collie, Skip, begin to break through the emotional walls Lana has spent a lifetime constructing. Hidden but FREE traces her struggle to trust again, to confront fear, and to discover a faith she never knew she needed.
Hidden but FREE is available for purchase online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. For more information about the author, please visit her website at moonflowersdance.com.
About the Author: J. Laura Chandler is a Christian fiction author whose novels blend inspirational storytelling with suspense and romance. Hidden but FREE tells the story of a woman who leaves behind a glamorous career and a toxic family to rebuild her life on another continent, discovering deep faith and unexpected love along the way. Rooted in a real young woman’s experiences, the novel speaks to educated, professional women who are searching for spiritual balance, substance, and the courage to embrace transformation.
Writing became J. Laura Chandler’s ministry after she discovered the power of story to illuminate themes of grace, healing, and renewal. Drawn to Christian fiction for its ability to gently invite readers into deeper trust in God’s guidance, she crafts narratives that honor the complexity of starting over while celebrating the quiet strength it takes to let go of everything familiar in pursuit of something truer.
Now retired, J. Laura Chandler lives in Cornelius, North Carolina, with her husband. She draws daily inspiration from her walk with God, her family, and the quiet moments where creativity and prayer meet.