The Cost of Sin: Borne by the Innocent - Paperback

$32.90

Availability: 21 left in stock

by Toni Bellon (Author)

A piercing historical coming-of-age novel that exposes how silence, faith, and family shape a young girl's understanding of truth. The Cost of Sin delivers the emotional force of a classic American saga with a sharp, modern eye.

A family torn apart by faith. A child's fierce love that refuses to break.

In 1905 Utah, five-year-old Myrtle's world shatters when her grandfather, a stern Mormon bishop, declares her parents' marriage sinful--because it wasn't sealed in the temple. When violence erupts and tragedy strikes, Myrtle and her siblings are scattered across a unforgiving landscape of rigid doctrine and desperate survival.

Decades later, Luke arrives in Salt Lake City to meet his fiancée Sally's grandmother, Myrt, whose stories reveal a childhood marked by loss, resilience, and quiet rebellion. Through Myrt's unflinching memories--of a father's fatal shame, a mother's mysterious death, and the siblings torn from her arms--Luke discovers a family legacy built on sacrifice and the devastating price of living outside the lines of faith.

The Cost of Sin is a biographical historical saga of love tested by doctrine, innocence confronting cruelty, and the enduring power of storytelling to heal the deepest wounds.

Author Biography

Toni Bellon retired as Assistant Dean of Education from the University of North Georgia. She left her position to care for her alcoholic mother, who suffered from dementia and Parkinson's. During that time, writing became cathartic. Toni's career in elementary and middle-level education was influenced by her desire to help children navigate uneven power dynamics.

Toni can't imagine facing this world without the ability to experience joy. She attempts to provide a laugh or two whenever possible. Humor releases endorphins, and Toni is all for a natural high. She hopes her skewed view of life brings a smile to anyone who reads her work.

"I write while channeling my grandmother and her advice--the truth is like taffy...the more you pull it, the more interesting it becomes."

After living in nine states, Toni now resides in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a member of the Atlanta Writers Club and multiple critique groups. Grandma is her favorite title.

Number of Pages: 250

Dimensions: 0.64 x 8.99 x 5.99 IN

Publication Date: September 01, 2026