What do you do when your world is turned upside down?
Ella Glade has chosen never to compete with her beautiful, talented half-sister Verity. Unfortunately, Verity spends their childhood and teenage years turning sibling rivalry into a sport that Verity must win at all costs.
When loss and disappointment leave Ella broken-hearted, she chooses to move forward, using her creative gifts to help others, and finding her own way in life, far away from her sister.
A decade later, Ella’s world is turned upside down when a grieving child is placed into her care. Ella is forced to question her values, deal with her childhood trauma, and place her life and safety in the hands of others.
In the face of danger, will Ella need to sacrifice herself and her dreams again? Or can she trust that a loving God has the world in His hands and her best interests at heart?
AN AUSTRALIAN COMING OF AGE STORY OF LOVE, FRIENDSHIP, FAMILY, FAITH AND FORGIVENESS.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading How the World Turns, and read it quickly because I had to keep turning the page to find out what happens next. The story opens when Ella is in high school and trying to survive living in her dysfunctional family. Her father is switched off and Ella feels responsible for the well-being of her younger half-sister, Verity. Ella’s mother passed away when Ella was very young. Verity’s mother abandoned their family to chase dreams of fame and stardom.
The sibling rivalry between Verity and Ella is extreme, and Verity seems to delight in being selfish and taking away everything that Ella holds dear. Ella is emotionally scarred by her childhood but she’s resilient and leaves the family drama behind to follow her own path.
Fast forward ten years and Ella can no longer avoid her past. A tragedy has rocked her world, a child is in danger, and Ella is caught up in a desperate situation that forces her to deal with old wounds. Ella must question everything she believes, including if it’s possible for a loving God to care and want a personal relationship with someone like her. She’s challenged to choose forgiveness over holding grudges and to consider the possibility of second chances and restored relationships.
I recommend How the World Turns to contemporary fiction readers who like gritty coming of age novels with second chances, suspense, romantic elements and a strong faith thread woven through the story.
When Lauren Wentworth wakes up in the hospital after falling from a ladder, she has more questions than answers. Way more. She knows where she is—the wilds of New Hampshire. But she’s apparently lost the last four months of her life. Is she really contemplating forfeiting her big-city dream job for a position at a rustic resort? And how did her number one nemesis become her adoring boyfriend?
Jonah Landry is crushed to learn Lauren has forgotten their entire summer together. Terrified of losing her for good, he determines to help her remember their deep connection as she finishes her obligation to the resort. But soon it becomes apparent Lauren doesn’t want to remember falling in love with him or rethinking the entire course of her career. She wants to pretend the summer never happened and move on with her life. Without him.
As Lauren falls back into the steady routines of resort work with Jonah, she’s relieved her memories haven’t returned and remains resolute about her big-city future. But as autumn leads into winter, she begins to see glimpses of the Jonah she’s forgotten. Will she be able to resist the steady love of this patient man? Or is her heart destined for its own freefall?
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading Before We Were Us, set in a small town in New Hampshire. Lauren’s mother abandoned her when she was young, which led to Lauren growing up in different families in the foster care system and not feeling like she belonged anywhere. Her childhood experiences made her fiercely independent and slow to trust.
Jonah’s family own the lakeside cabins and resort where Lauren is working while she waits for her dream job to start at a corporate events management company in Boston.
The story opens with Jonah and Lauren madly in love and planning their future life together. Lauren’s accident steals her memories of her relationship with Jonah and she’s confused when he behaves like he’s her doting boyfriend.
I love how the amnesia trope plays out in the story. We experience the depth of emotions and angst as Lauren deals with the consequences of her head injury and Jonah struggles with being rejected by the woman he loves. The story isn’t predictable and I kept turning the page all the way through to the satisfying and romantic story ending.
I recommend Before We Were Us to contemporary romance readers who like second chances amnesia stories with a twist on the enemies to love trope and a light faith element in the story.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.
Happy Friday! I’m sharing a selection of books that are on preorder in a weekly post.
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They’ve come to escape their wartime secrets. But are some shadows too dark to shake off? If you love romantic historical fiction with a dash of intrigue, you’ll love The Light Keeper’s Wife.
Summer, 1946: Newlyweds Stuart and Amy Lewis have given up the MI5 desk jobs they took once the Special Operations Executive was disbanded after the war. In need of change, they head to sleepy Eden Cove to build a life together. Stuart is helping his uncle repaint the lighthouse, trying to shake the guilt inspired by his wartime work, while Amy is doing her best to be a good housekeeper. But shadows from both their pasts quickly follow them to the sleepy coastal hamlet.
When Amy is offered a job at nearby Greton Hall, she thinks she’s assisting MI5 stop Britain’s post-war secrets escaping into Soviet hands. But even in this quiet village, things aren’t always as they seem. As Amy is drawn deeper into the intrigue, cracks begin to form in her marriage to Stuart. Can they escape their pasts and find a future together? Or will the darkness overcome?
One chance . . . one glance . . . and their lives will never be the same.
With a heart for lifting men out of homelessness, Carl Anderson is a dedicated counselor-in-residence in a transitional home. When recent setbacks threaten the program’s continuation, he proposes an innovative plan to increase success by pairing at-risk residents with shelter dogs.
One glance from Carl’s stunning new supervisor, and he’s convinced his proposal doesn’t stand a chance. Rae Caldwell admires Carl’s passion, but for her, every canine encounter is a heart-rending reminder of her late daughter’s final months and the loyal service dog who never left her side . . . and the tragic end of a marriage too shattered by grief to heal.
As they collaborate on the pilot program, Carl catches glimpses of the vulnerable woman beneath Rae’s chilly façade. Reluctant smiles turn to stolen glances and unspoken hopes for something more—until their carefully guarded pasts intrude and everything goes awry.
Can two wounded souls find the courage to open their hearts? With God’s help, along with a very persistent canine, Carl and Rae may discover that it’s never too late for a second chance at love.
Escape to scenic Montana in this faith-filled later-in-life romance novel, and be inspired!
Hunted by one man, can she open her heart to another?
If you love historical romance with intrigue, you’ll love The Italian Musician’s Sanctuary.
Eden Cove, England, 1931—Margherita Vicienzo flees Italy pursued by her former fiancé, a member of Mussolini’s Blackshirt. Smuggled illegally into England, Margherita is a foreigner at the mercy of strangers. Her limp from an improperly healed broken leg means she has nothing to offer the Ferryman family, who offer her sanctuary, and nothing to appease their son who resents her presence.
Luke Ferryman needs a wife. He wants to marry for love, but carries the weight of his family’s generations-old expectations on his shoulders. Though he inherited the role of both baker and ferryman, he knows he can’t fulfill both needs once his aging grandparents retire. A wife would help, but not an illegal one like the refugee his matchmaking grandmother is harboring.
It’s all fun and games until the fake relationship puts their lives on the line.
Gage Howard’s last name is a legacy, and not a good one. The Howards and the Pattons have been rivals for half a century, but his sister’s actions have branded her a traitor. Now, his own loyalty is divided.
Hadley Morgan has no clue how bloody the family feud between the Howards and the Pattons is when she volunteers to help her new roommate get information to Gage. A fake relationship with her roommate’s brother is a simple solution to stay below the radar.
Gage is guarded and stoic, while Hadley is full of hope. As they carefully navigate their arrangement, they find unexpected connection in the tragedies of their past.
Hadley is determined to show Gage a God of forgiveness as he is constantly reminded of his dark past. Alliances are drawn, and betrayals can put a target on anyone’s back. Together, they’ll have to strive to keep the Howards and Pattons from destroying each other while fighting for the new love that could be the way to healing for both of them.
If you loved the Blackwater Ranch series and the Wolf Creek Ranch series, get ready to fall in love all over again in Blackwater, Wyoming.
Grace Fuller has dreamed of being a writer for as long as she can remember. As the deadline for submitting her first novel looms, she has six months to finish and won’t let anything stand in her way. Renting a cabin nestled in the mountains of Briar Creek, North Carolina, Grace plans to buckle down and get to work with no interruptions. Except the young man she once flirted with at her sister’s wedding lives just below her. And he’s distractingly handsome.
Logan Whitlock was captivated by Grace two years ago but let his pride and fear of rejection get in the way of their budding romance. Beneath his imperious façade, the former quarterback and homecoming king is riddled with doubt. How could this beautiful, confident woman love him for who he is, apart from the trappings of the Whitlock wealth and privilege?
Love can conquer many things, but a cold heart unmended and unmelted is harder to break open than even a diamond.
How will Grace chip away Logan’s icy exterior and melt his heart instead of just being another glossy page in the book of his life?
Fawn loses her father, her home, and her memory during the Niobrara River flood. When friends invite her to Ivy’ s Inn, she has no choice but accept their help… and to believe what others tell her about who she is.
As a young man, Jarett loved Fawn, but she betrayed him. Now she’ s back, doesn’ t remember him, and seems like a different person. He has to fight a growing attraction to this new and improved version of his lost love. Tangled in those emotions is the yearning to embrace his former heritage of owning ranch land for his cattle, now in a leased pasture that’s up for sale.
As circumstances bring them together Fawn falls for Jarett, but Jarett is wary, standoffish, and obviously has a secret.
Love. Trust. Second chances. Will the return of her memory destroy them?
Not all weddings end in marriage. Not all hurting hearts remain broken.
In the year since Something Suamalie started, the dynamic trio Kiana, Lulu, and Meilani have accumulated a glowing reputation at home and abroad for brides and their wedding day dreams. But when a triple-booked weekend forces Lulu to manage the wedding of the Onirique events coordinator by herself, panic sets in. Her lack of confidence and ADHD, not to mention the return of a devilishly handsome man, could easily spell disaster.
When André left the Suamalie Islands to pursue a career in Paris, he never dreamed of returning. The islands hold a treasure chest of memories he wishes to keep locked away, but recent changes in his life force him to face those very things. And a choice for his future that will break more than one heart.
With neither of them able to talk about their feelings, how will Lulu and André be able to set aside their pasts and move on?
Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.
A heartwarming story about letting go, risking your heart, and the magic of falling in love in summer.
Kindergarten teacher Megan Conway didn’t expect to receive a wedding invitation for this Saturday…from her ex-boyfriend, after only four months since their broken engagement! After all, you can’t hurry love! Suddenly a fun-filled summer vacation is what Megan needs to avoid the wedding, and so she books a reservation at her dream honeymoon destination, the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa. Upon arriving at the upscale hotel, Megan meets a handsome stranger with a crazy plan that would help her forget about her ex-boyfriend’s wedding and keep her savings intact.
Veterinarian Lucas Hunter is preparing himself for the ribbing Grandma Ruby will give him when he shows up for her eightieth birthday celebration in Monterey without a woman by his side. When he overhears a conversation and discovers a beautiful woman is available, he goes on a limb and asks Megan to pretend to be his girlfriend for the week in exchange for paying her hotel bill. After all, it would make his grandmother happy.
Can this fake relationship work? What if it suddenly feels real? Can you hurry love?
After a vagrant upbringing, free-spirited Wren Atwood has fought to beat the odds. She has a career as a massage therapist, a solid church community, and now her lifelong dream is coming true, with a little blue house to call her own. But the first person to congratulate her is the last person she wants to see: pompous businessman Daniel Hollis.
Adored by most of Ridley Bay, Hollis has found success as an entrepreneur. Yet no amount of money can buy love from his family or health for his sister.
When a hurricane rips through the Texas coast and forces Wren and Hollis together, the walls they have built are exposed, along with the family secrets they hide.
As Wren turns to her toxic family for help, and Hollis fights to save his sister’s life, they discover their efforts alone will never be enough. If grace can’t repair the past, how can it rescue the future?
When witness Tabitha Wilson’s new identity is uncovered and she’s almost kidnapped, she finds herself on the run from a murderous drug lord. But her DEA contact has gone missing, forcing Tabitha to rely on Detective Doug Olsen—a man with his own secrets. It’s a race against time for Doug and Tabitha to uncover buried evidence before the cartel makes them disappear forever.
When Skye Drummond finds an abandoned baby outside her family’s general store, she’s determined to foster the girl. But the only way she can is by agreeing to regular check-ins from Trooper Ryan Campbell—her ex-fiancé’s best friend. Skye’s convinced that Ryan somehow had a role in her breakup, but for the sweet baby, she’ll play nice. Their tenuous friendship turns into something more as he helps her with the baby. But Ryan’s ongoing investigation into the baby’s parents threatens Skye’s custody. Could it threaten any hope of a shared future?
After a broken engagement, Callie Morgan decides to move to Aspen Ridge, Colorado, to fix up her late grandmother’s gift shop. But the shop is in bad shape and Callie runs out of money faster than expected. Old childhood friend and single dad Wyatt Stone comes to the rescue, offering her a job at his family’s ranch, Stone River Ranch. While their friendship is rekindled, will Callie ever risk loving again…even as Wyatt’s little girl is already stealing her heart?
Training service dogs is Autumn McCaw’s passion. She won’t let anything jeopardize her business’s chance of success, including her former love Wyatt Nelson. But with a looming deadline to prove herself capable, she has no choice but to hire the one man who hurt her years ago. Relying on the single dad is tough—especially since he has trust issues of his own. But can Autumn and Wyatt overcome their past to save her business…and open their hearts to love?
In Hope Crossing, Texas, nurse practitioner Kirsten Reynolds has found her dream job. The only problem is that the tiny town also has Deputy Brady James…the father of her four-year-old sons. And he doesn’t know the boys are his. But as he steps into this new role he never planned for, Brady gets a hopeful glimpse into a life with children. Will he let the fear of the unknown keep him from a future he never imagined…or will an adorable pair of twins—and their mother—change his mind?
An inheritance filled with riddles…could love be the answer?
When her Amish grandmother passes away, Englisch police officer Jenna Shetler returns to her family’s farm on Maryland’s eastern shore to carry out her grandmother’s unusual last request. A series of letters with specific instructions forces her to seek help from Amish bachelor Abe Bontranger — and confront her teenage heartbreak. Working together brings them closer than they’ve been in years, but with Jenna’s commitment to the police force and Abe’s plans for his Amish life, is a second chance possible for the two of them?
They have nothing in common…until an unexpected matchmaker proves them wrong.
Amish business owner Amity Schroder can’t stand her neighbour, Ethan Zehr. Sharing a building for their individual shops has never been easy since the stern widower bristles at every one of Amity’s too-progressive business ideas. So when Amity starts to fall for her new anonymous pen pal, she knows there’s no way it could be Ethan. Their constant arguments are nothing like the heartfelt letters she’s been receiving. But as she gets closer to discovering her secret admirer’s identity, will she let the truth stand in the way of her happiness?
When the man who killed her father is finally arrested, Catherine Hart thinks it’s safe to come out of hiding…until he escapes and abducts her. But private investigator Garrett Wolfe and his tracking dog rescue her just in time. Now they must work together to escape the criminal on their heels, find Catherine’s kidnapped uncle and stop her sister from walking straight into the fugitive’s path. But when their search yields more questions, can Catherine and Garrett survive the terrifying truth?
Single mom Sadie Owens’s fear of being watched is confirmed when her home is set ablaze—while she and her son are trapped inside. Officer Rocco Manelli and his arson dog arrive in the nick of time to make a rescue. But as attacks persist, it’s up to Rocco to keep Sadie and her three-year-old safe from a criminal with a lethal agenda. Can he keep a vengeful arsonist from scorching a deadly path through Elk Valley—before Sadie and her son become the next victims?
Detective Charlie Tesarkee has never forgotten the case she couldn’t solve. It’s been eleven years since a college student was murdered, and she’s desperate for a second chance to catch the killer. The Cold Case Unit will let her lead the investigation…if she works with Detective Grayson Leigh. A partner is the last thing Grayson and Charlie want. But they’ll have to work together to get justice for this victim…and put a murderer behind bars.
After discovering the scene of her friend’s murder, forensic photographer Sasha Kane barely escapes alive. But snapping a photo puts her and her son directly in the killer’s sights…and under the protection of her ex-boyfriend Detective Judah Walker. Stunned that Sasha kept their boy a secret, Judah must put his distrust aside to protect his new family. But with the killer closing in, their future hinges on whether they can survive long enough for justice to prevail.
When Francesca Brown discovers a dead body, bullets start flying her way. Soon FBI agent Tanner Hall arrives—only to find an autistic Amish boy hiding nearby. As a witness to a crime, it’s clear someone will stop at nothing to silence the little boy—permanently. With assailants on their trail, can Fran and Tanner unravel a lethal conspiracy before the murderer strikes again?
In the sleepy town of Shadow Cove, Maine, a woman’s desperate flight becomes a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse.
After escaping Iraq with her twin sister, Jasmine seeks refuge from Qasim, the terrorist she was forced to marry. She’s determined to carve out a safe haven in this peaceful coastal town for herself and her unborn child. But her polygamous husband’s relentless pursuit threatens to shatter her fragile world, leaving her with nowhere to hide.
Enter Derrick, a guardian angel in the guise of a friend.
Drawn to Jasmine’s quiet strength, Derrick vows to shield her from harm, even as the boundaries of friendship blur into something deeper. Unaware of Jasmine’s secret, he agrees to help her rescue and hide another Iraqi refugee woman and her younger brother in the US. Derrick will do anything for Jasmine, his heart yearning for a connection she refuses to embrace.
All the while, Qasim is closing in.
He took Jasmine as his second wife for one reason, and she carries that reason her womb. Once his heir is born, nothing will stop Qasim from bringing him home to his beloved first wife and disposing of Jasmine—and he will take out anybody else who stands in his way.
Join the Wright Heroes of Maine for an edge-of-your-seat international romantic suspense that takes you on the run with a heroine in hiding, a secret baby, and unrequited love.
**Each book in this low heat, second chance romantic suspense series is a standalone.
A deadly rig. A ruthless killer. Will they uncover the truth before it’s too late?
Gretchen Overton, a determined medicolegal death investigator, finds her world shattered when her brother is brutally murdered on a remote offshore platform. Vowing to bring the killer to justice, she reluctantly joins forces with Everett Forrester, the rig’s rugged Drilling Foreman and the man who broke her heart years ago.
As Gretchen and Everett dig deeper into the investigation, the body count rises, and the killer’s twisted game becomes increasingly deadly. With danger lurking at every turn, they must race against time to unravel the complex web of deception surrounding the platform. But their troubles don’t end when they make it back to land. The killer’s reach extends far beyond the Gulf of Mexico, and Gretchen and Everett find themselves in a fight for their lives.
If they fail to expose the killer, not only will justice be denied, but they risk becoming the next victims in a sinister plot that threatens to destroy everything they hold dear. Can they survive long enough to uncover the shocking truth and rekindle the love they once shared, or will the killer’s final move tear them apart forever?
**Each book in this low heat, second chance romantic suspense series is a standalone.
Her past is catching up with her. His future is uncertain. A killer’s obsession could destroy them both.
Psychologist Naomi Summers dreams of creating a healing retreat while protecting her murdered best friend’s daughter. But a ruthless adversary is determined to shatter her plans.
Thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse, Naomi’s only hope is her ex, Detective Max Lexington. As they race to unravel a tangled mystery and unmask a killer fixated on having it all, Naomi and Max must learn to trust each other again to survive.
With the stakes rising and the body count climbing, will they prevail or become the killer’s next victims?
SECRETS. BETRAYAL. SACRIFICE. THIS TIME, THEY’RE NOT JUST FIGHTING FIRE.
An original series created by bestselling authors Susan May Warren and Lisa Phillips.
She was born to be a smokejumper…
As the niece of a legendary smokejumper, Nova Burns is tough as nails. When their crew chief Tucker Newman breaks his leg, Nova longs for the opportunity to helm the team, ready to take risks and prove herself. But there’s one risk she refuses to take—falling in love.
He’s living a lie…
Undercover Homeland agent Booth Wilder is seeking redemption. Scarred by a past explosion that took the life of his partner, Booth is hunting a rogue CIA faction known as the Brotherhood. Now, he’s determined to uncover their secrets and find a hidden nuclear weapon that could turn the world to ash.
Only problem…summer sparks have ignited between Booth and Nova. Nova is torn between her future as the smokejumping chief, her growing attraction to Booth, and the belief that he’s hiding something from her. Of course he is…Booth is hiding his true goal—unrooting the Brotherhood and returning to his life as a Homeland Security agent, a life that he’s not sure he really wants.
Then the wildfire threatens the home of the Jude County Firefighting team, and Nova doesn’t care what secrets he might be hiding—she needs everyone to save the town. But when the Brotherhood discovers Booth and his goals, the fight becomes personal. Now, Booth must choose between accomplishing his mission and saving the woman he’s come to love.
It’s a dangerous game of loyalty, betrayal, and pulse-pounding action in the fifth installment of the Chasing Fire: Montana series.
Violet Bristow is desperate for answers about her brother’s suspicious death. When her search leads her to Kai Kaleo, a mysterious former military operative, she’s pulled into a dangerous world of secret government programs and deadly conspiracies.
Kai wants to dismiss Violet’s wild theories, but he can’t ignore the evidence mounting against his former leader. As Kai and Violet dig deeper, they uncover a sinister plot reaching to the highest levels of power.
With shadowy forces closing in and nowhere left to turn, Kai and Violet must rely on each other to stay alive and expose the truth. But the closer they get to answers, the more they realize the stakes are even higher than they imagined.
Tough-as-nails Kenzie King has finally earned her place as a tactical medic on a SWAT team. But not everyone on the all-male team accepts her. Rumor is, she didn’t get the position because of what she could do but because of who she knew. Which means she has to work harder and longer than anyone else to prove herself.
Cole Garrison is a man with deep faith who is finally ready to settle down and build a family of his own–if he can find the right person, that is. Kenzie sure has set off his interest meter, but trouble seems to follow in her wake. Since she joined the team, someone has begun to ambush and pick off team members, one by one.
It’s all hands on deck to discover the culprit and end the killing. Can Kenzie and Cole put aside their differences and work together as a team? Or will their budding attraction be snuffed out by a sniper’s bullet?
As you’ve come to expect from bestselling author Lynette Eason’s stories, this tightly wound plot unfurls at breakneck speed and will leave you breathless.
The last thing she’d expected was to see her husband back in town.
He’d wanted to start a family. Jill wanted to wait. Just for a while, while she established her medical practice in this small town. But in the midst of that uncertainty, he’d simply walked out. Or was it really that simple?
Forgiveness is hard. But perhaps, still harboring unspoken hope for a second chance, neither filed for divorce. Yet.
Now he’s back in town, with an unknown enemy whose threats are escalating against them both.
In an idyllic village nestled in the English countryside, photographer Georgia Brooks is desperate to begin a new chapter in her life. Bramble Cottage was supposed to give her space to heal and hope again after suffering betrayal and rejection by the only man she ever loved. This was Georgia’s chance to rekindle her faith and reconnect with her sisters in a place that held sweet childhood memories—not expose herself to the ugly underbelly of the art world and put her family in danger.
Local pediatric surgeon, Doctor William Hughes, is captivated by the Canadian beauty with a camera over one shoulder and the weight of the world on the other. After suffering his own tragic loss and balancing a demanding career with raising a toddler, he recognizes the heaviness of grief . . . and the burden of guilt.
When Georgia discovers she could be in possession of incriminating evidence to frame a criminal ring, she needs to trust someone. She chooses Will. Postcards, photographs, paintings—something about Bramble Cottage is worth killing for. Can Georgia uncover the truth in time?
Moose (Arlo) Mulligan’s biggest grief propelled him into the world of Search and Rescue. After years as a former Navy Rescue Chopper pilot, he returned home to start Air One Rescue—and made a name for himself. He loves his job, his life, and his routines…which include breakfast at the Skyport, at the table of Tillie Young. She’s sweet, and pretty, but Moose has no room in his life for anything more.
And then, Tillie shows up, beaten and desperate…and needs his help.
Tillie Young never thought her ex would track her to Alaska—but somehow he’s found her, and when he kidnaps her daughter, she’ll do anything to get her back. Even enlist help from her favorite grumpy rescuer at table three, Moose Mulligan.
But Moose is no match for a former MMA boxer, and possible child trafficker, right?
When anesthesiologist Maggie Dall and her ex-husband, cardiac surgeon Aaron Monroe respond to the scene of a bus crash, she doesn’t expect her old feelings for him to surface. But when a little boy clings to her after his mother dies at the scene, Maggie knows she’s not going anywhere. And if that means accepting Aaron’s help, then she’d willingly join forces with him.
As the eldest of the Monroe siblings, Aaron had been devastated after his divorce, feeling like a failure. Now Maggie needed his help, and he was determined to offer his support. Together they bond over the care a newly orphaned little boy. Will repairing their fractured relationship provide the family they’d always wanted?
Kenna is searching for evidence to prove what she knows to be true about a high-profile FBI Special Agent. She wants to clear Ramon’s name and restore his reputation, but Ramon seems determined to go his own way. When a trip to the bank turns dangerous, she loses an ally and gains another piece of the puzzle. But what does it mean?
A dark history.
Working the case takes Kenna and Jax on an undercover assignment, posing as husband and wife at a fancy Arizona resort. The sparks between them intensify, but romance doesn’t solve cases. Kenna has to figure out how to not ruin his career at the same time they’re fighting their growing feelings for each other. All while bullets fly, dead men keep showing up, everyone seems to have their own agenda…and the truth goes deeper than anyone imagined.
Her brand of justice will unearth a conspiracy that must be stopped.
When crime fiction novelist Kelly Landon agrees to write a memoir for an eccentric, elderly gentleman, her quiet life turns upside-down.
Unbeknownst to her, the memoir is peppered with clues leading to a rare collection of stolen jewels from World War II. After the memoir makes the best-seller list, Kelly finds herself in the crosshairs of a decades-old vendetta.
Now, instead of enjoying her rise to literary fame, she’s thrust into the dangerous world of treasure hunting.
While Kelly struggles to win the game of cat-and-mouse, a secret family legacy is unearthed, forcing her to choose between trusting her charming literary agent or her vigilant bodyguard to keep her safe.
As the three of them become entangled in a web of deceit, it’s a race to see who’s the villain, who’s the hero, and who holds all the pieces to solve the mystery of the best seller.
Breathe in the nostalgia of everything old red truck in book one of a new cozy mystery series.
The Hadley family ranch is struggling, so RaeLyn, her parents, and brothers decide to turn the old barn into an antique store. The only thing missing to go with the marketing of the store is Grandpa’s old red truck, Tilly, that was sold several years ago. Now coming back up on the auction block, Tilly would need a lot of work, but RaeLyn is sure it will be worth it—if only she can beat out other bidders and find out who stole Tilly after the auction ends. Hadley finds herself in the role of amateur sleuth, and the outcome could make or break the new family venture.
How hard can it be to round up one delinquent groom?
Ellie Lou Williams will do just about anything to save her ranch, even going undercover as a man to round up a fella who is late to his own wedding. The reward will more than cover the money she owes the bank and solve all her problems.
Caleb Martin agrees to one final job as a deputy U.S. Marshal before he starts his new life away from the trail and tracking criminals. What he isn’ t counting on is a mysterious bounty hunter who’ s determined to undermine his every step.
Will one reach their goal first? Or will they learn to lean on God and work together?
He’s bent on destroying everything she values, stealing her heart in the process.
As a vicar’s daughter, Emily Thompson has always put her family’s reputation first, even when it meant setting aside her aspirations of joining the Royal Art Academy. But when a notorious London rake is accosted in her sleepy Costwold village and her quick thinking saves the libertine’s blackened soul, that reputation she’s so carefully guarded is left vulnerable to vicious gossip.
Agent Lord Jacob Edward Warren’s silver tongue can’t save him when he’s staring down the barrel of a vengeful husband’s gun. but an enchanting damsel’s skill with a bow and arrow offers him the hope of tomorrow. Intrigued by Miss Thompson’s quiet charm, he commissions the budding artist to paint his portrait, but his intentions change when he discovers this beguiling beauty holds not only his chance at redemption but also the intelligence he’s been assigned to gather.
The time spent in Lord Warren’s company has Emily wondering if he’s hiding more than charm and wit behind his reputation as a rake. But when she’s drawn into Jacob’s noble cause, the web of danger proves more perilous than either of them are prepared to face.
When Willow’s papa says they are bound for Oregon on the next wagon train, she can hardly fathom the ache of leaving everything familiar behind. Sure, there will be good things, too—like not saying goodbye to Gideon Riley, even though he’s still oblivious to her. She keeps her emotions in tight check until a fit of melancholy sends her fleeing. If only Papa had given her a choice!
When Gideon sees Willow run past with tears streaking her cheeks, he can’t leave her heartbroken and alone. Her father should have mentioned the trip sooner so she could adjust. When he finds her at the creek, and she collapses into his arms, he pushes away thoughts of how easy it would be to get used to this. Willow deserves a man who can love her without the burden of past loss. That’s why he’s chosen to keep his distance.
But when the cry of “fire!” goes up from town, they discover that it’s the Chancellor’s mercantile engulfed in flames!
And as Gideon scrambles to keep Willow from dashing into the inferno, he realizes that neither one of them may ever have a choice about their future again.
Some secrets have shadows as long as the redwoods are tall.
In the early 1920s, the accelerating destruction of the California redwoods is more than nature-loving Marion Baker can bear. Throwing herself headlong into the work of the Save the Redwoods League, she is shocked to learn that Frank Duncan, a man she’s grown to love, is the son of one of the area’s worst timber barons. Though devastated by the betrayal, she realizes this could also be an opportunity–if only she can convince him to help preserve her favorite grove from his father’s greedy grasp. Is her love strong enough to persuade him to save these precious trees? Or will Marion choose to sacrifice her beliefs to keep Frank by her side?
Nearly fifty years later, in 1972, polio survivor June Turner is deeply proud of the legacy her great aunt Marion has left as a redwood warrior. And despite her disability, June is determined to prove herself capable as a ranger at the recently established Redwood National Park, even if it means taking to the trails with her crutch in hand. What better way to carry on the family tradition of preserving God’s magnificent creation?
When aspiring film student Adam Garner approaches June to help make a documentary about Marion’s life, she swiftly grabs the opportunity to spread her aunt’s worthy reputation. That is, until they unearth a secret that might shatter the family legacy. In the scramble for answers, June may lose not only her family pride but also her own dreams.
Karen Barnett’s beautifully crafted split-time novel, set against the majestic backdrop of a beloved national park, immerses the reader in history that feels as fresh as if it happened yesterday.
After her annulment is finalized, Enya Shanahan finds herself caught in a web of scandal and obligation while carrying a secret that threatens to shatter her family’s reputation. Determined to find a suitable marriage for Enya, her father turns to a wily matchmaker to save them from their circumstances.
Sullivan O’Brien, a steamboat captain committed to aiding enslaved people on their path to freedom, is faced with an ultimatum from his father. Forced to marry or lose his livelihood, a marriage of convenience seems to be the only solution. As he and Enya face the trials of their pasts and a city consumed by fire, they must confront their deepest fears and learn to trust in love, even when darkness threatens to engulf them.
In this brand-new novella collection, three renowned Christian historical fiction authors trace generations of wartime romances through a special wedding dress with love sewn into its seams.
“A Heart in Disguise” by Rachel Scott McDaniel
Clara Westlake loves her job as a seamstress in the US “Camouflage Corps,” sewing suits for snipers and contributing to the war effort. But when she overhears a threat against her beloved New York City, the Great War comes too close to home–except no one believes her forewarning. She must recruit Marcus Reeves, a childhood friend searching for his purpose after suffering a devastating war injury. As they search for answers together, they may also uncover a love that lasts.
Kate Becker and Ike Finch have worked together at his family’s bookstore since Kate’s husband died in the early days of the Vietnam War. She has her daughter, Eloise, to take care of and bills to pay, and this job was a godsend. A second love is not in the cards, especially not with the world still teetering on the edge of insanity. But when Ike brings little Eloise special flowers one spring day, Kate begins to look at him as more than an employer. Is falling in love again worth the risk?
Captured by the Philistines as a young boy, Zevi has grown into a formidable warrior. As a captain in King Saul’s army, he is assigned a crucial mission: Recruit soldiers, gather tribute for the royal coffers, and find talented artisans for the king’s court. But when he is sent to Maresha, the town he was forced to leave as a child, he faces a startling truth–the elder council rejects King Saul and his campaign against their enemies.
Yochana, a widow and skilled woman of business, is captivated by a stranger who enters her perfume shop. Upon discovering he is not only a soldier but a captain responsible for enlisting young men to die in battle, fury and pain from her past loss resurfaces, threatening to consume her. But when Zevi’s actions in Maresha entangle Yochana in his radical scheme, they’re forced to confront present dangers and past scars.
Embark on a journey through ancient Israel with bestselling and award-winning author Connilyn Cossette in this exhilarating tale of vengeance, justice, and healing.
Mara is a young Samaritan beginning to discover her love for Samuel—and his for her. Soon she will be deemed mature enough to marry. Her hopes are dashed when her greedy father brokers a match with the cruel son of the wealthy High Priest of Shechem. When her loathsome betrothed is killed, her beloved Samuel must run for his life. Mara and Samuel struggle to survive and reunite during the treacherous and scandalous times of the Bible under the merciless rule of Rome.
Along the way, they are entangled within the snares of such notable figures as King Herod, Herodias, Pontius Pilate, Caiaphas, and Salome.
The heartrending tales of Mara and Samuel are interwoven with their desperate love story. Before either meets Yeshua the Nazarene face to face. Before He sets the political, religious, and spiritual landscape on fire. And before either Mara or Samuel are immortalized in the gospels.
A 19th-century, middle-aged mother of four bears a child with Down syndrome.
When Ornella Lombardi discovers that she is unexpected pregnant and delivers a child with Down syndrome, her world is turned upside down as she faces the destruction of her marriage, her family, and her dream.
When the United States military adopts a newfangled test from France called the “intelligence quotient test” during the first world war, no one expects the turmoil that follows. Thousands of immigrants fail it and are forced to return to homelands devastated by war, disease, and famine. For Josephine Pembrooke, the shy schoolmarm at Camp Travis in Texas, the problem quickly becomes apparent. How can soldiers pass a test they can’t even read? So, Jo labors in secret to create a better test. Knowing all along it can’t save the one soldier she’d hoped to help.
Every family has its secrets. Josephina Harris wouldn’t mind if her family still had a few of their own after a lawsuit tarnishes their name. When an opportunity opens to become a temporary keeper of a decommissioned lighthouse on a North Carolina island, she jumps at the chance to escape her small town to oversee its restoration.
As the work begins, “Joey” discovers strange notes tucked deep in the crevices of the old stone walls–pages torn from a lighthouse keeper’s log signed by someone named Mae who recounts harrowing rescues at sea. Fascinated by a woman lighthouse keeper, Joey digs into the past only to discover there’s never been a record of a lighthouse keeper by that name.
When things start to go amiss on the island, locals are convinced that it is the ghost of the lighthouse keeper and his daughter who were lost at sea during World War II. As Joey sifts through decades of rumors and legends and puts together the pieces of the past, what emerges is a love story–one that’s not over yet.
Multiple Christy Award winner Amanda Cox is your guide upon the raging seas of young love, heartbreaking loss, and learning to risk it all for a chance at happiness in this timeless novel.
Floyd Douglas is a blundering barber who faces retirement wondering if the past sixty years of his life have been a waste. When he’s presented with the opportunity to go on a mission trip, it seems like the answer to his prayers and a way to finally make his life count for something. Now with a series of obstacles standing in the way of his newfound dream, he must decide whether to push through or find contentment in being the faithful family man he’s always been.
Emira has always looked up to her grandpa, especially since her parents’ marriage fractured and left her foundations shaken. Now, she scrambles to assure the man who taught her how to love what a deeply meaningful life he’s lived.
As Cynthia Wright’s marriage implodes, she is forced to raise her teenage son, Isaiah, alone. The pressure of providing for them through her salon is a full-time job in itself. When Cynthia sees Isaiah pulling away and escaping into video games, tensions rise and prayers feel unanswered. Angry and hurt, Isaiah starts acting like the father who abandoned him, and Cynthia gives him an ultimatum while turning to her twin sister, Elizabeth Jordan, for support. Elizabeth enlists a seasoned prayer warrior who challenges Cynthia to pray boldly and believe God for the impossible.
Caught in the middle, Isaiah longs for respect, but sees no clear path to becoming a good man. Desperate for a job, he wanders into Moore Fitness, Inc. and encounters the owner, Joshua Moore, who introduces him to the concept of working for a coach rather than a boss. Needing the work, Isaiah reluctantly begins his mentoring process with Joshua. While Cynthia clings to hope, no one sees the coming storms brewing at the company and in Isaiah’s heart.
The Forge is about the power of prayer, the transformation only God can achieve, and the lasting influence one person can have on others.
Treva Zimmerman finds herself at a crossroads in life after a heartbreaking failed relationship. Returning to Lancaster County to visit her Amish grandparents and elderly aunt, Treva plans to leave her Plain heritage behind for a fresh start in Alaska. Torn between the expectations of her community and her own desires, she seeks to follow her own path–but all that changes when her aunt Rosene suffers a heart attack.
As her aunt recounts her own past–a poignant journey through Cold War Germany and a fervent desire to escape her Plain life to search for a lost love–Treva is determined to discover the whereabouts of Rosene’s former sweetheart. Amid the turmoil, their former farmhand Gabe Johnson returns unexpectedly, throwing Treva’s plans into further disarray.
While working hard to save the farm and explore her own destiny, Treva confronts her deep-rooted ties to her heritage and must decide if she will embrace her family’s legacy or break free from the pressures of her past to forge a life of her own.
When Light and Dark collide something explosive is destined to happen.
Born into a world of heartache, Elizabeth cannot fathom a life beyond the rejection that she has always known. Then, one day it happens. A chance encounter in the ER begins the unraveling of threads. A humble man ignites a fire long held dormant. Little do they know that this is only the beginning. The supernatural world is coming for her.
Everything Elizabeth has ever known suddenly shifts, and she finds herself immersed in a fated supernatural prophecy. Something evil is determined to destroy her. It all comes down to sacrifice – life & death. In the end someone will lose.
Mystery, Betrayal, Angels, Demons, and a dash of humor with a hint of romance.
From the moment she is born, Brighid fights to survive in the wastelands of Nordica as a clanless one. But when a new power arrives offering a trial to join the Nordic warriors, Brighid enters, hoping to rise above her station. Soon she becomes one of their fiercest fighters and joins the war against the south.
Kaeden carries the blood of the ancient Eldaran race in his veins but turns away from his heritage after the death of his parents. Years later, he is called back to his homeland and invited to be a healer for the southern forces. With the help of an old mentor, the power inside of him starts to awaken. However, his life is turned upside down when a mighty warrior of the Nordic forces is captured.
As Kaeden interacts with the enemy, he discovers there is a darkness behind the Nordic Wars, one that is manipulating the people of the north. But who will believe him? And is there a power strong enough to break the hold of this hidden adversary? Or will the world burn in the flames of war?
Can Mara survive in a world where the fire in her veins is worth killing for?
In a frozen wasteland suffocating beneath a dying sun, Mara is a young phoenix raised by her father to explode at his command. He’s the only one who can help her control her fire, and Mara desperately follows his orders to protect their phoenix family from relentless human hunters.
Her sheltered existence is shattered when her family mysteriously vanishes, thrusting Mara into a perilous quest to find them. Along the way, she unravels a devastating truth: her people may not be the innocent victims she’s been taught to believe.
When she comes face-to-face with the kindhearted Eli, she begins to wonder if the humans aren’t the monsters she’s always feared. What if the greatest danger doesn’t lie in the icy world outside—but in the truth of who Mara really is?
Fire and ice collide in this thrilling tale of a phoenix girl born with the power of a dying sun.
Happy Friday! I’m sharing a selection of books that are on preorder in a weekly post.
Please check the price before preordering. Amazon will always give you the lowest preorder price and bill your payment method on release day.
Click on the book cover to preorder the ebook at Amazon USA. Direct Sales Links (if listed under the book category) will take you to the author or publisher’s website or a universal link to multiple book retailers.
Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment if there’s a book in my post that’s on your TBR (to be read) list. Or, if you’ve already had the pleasure of reading an advanced reader copy. I’m always looking for book recommendations. Happy Reading!
If you want another inspirational fiction and nonfiction book to add to your TBR pile, you can enter to win my book, Never Find Another You, on BookSweeps today — plus 25+ exciting Inspirational Fiction & NonFiction books from a great collection of authors… AND a brand new eReader!
Disclaimer: Book information is provided by third parties. Book prices are subject to change. The inclusion of a book in this post is not necessarily an endorsement.
Authors and Publishers: If you’d like to submit a book for consideration for a future post, please fill out the Google form here.
‘What harmony,’ Paul asked, ‘is there between Christ and Belial?’
Where, you might wonder, did he pluck that name from? In most English Bibles, it appears for the first time in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. So it comes as a surprise to realise this army commander of the spirit world is mentioned 27 times in Hebrew, almost always in connection with abuse and violence. Modern translations generally substitute worthless. Yet from the stories where Belial appears, we can draw important principles for dealing with its tactics, agenda and ploys.
This eighth book in the series, Strategies for the Threshold, examines the spiritual dynamics involved in approaching your life’s calling.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
Where do I start? Usually the answer is the beginning, but I’m going to work backwards from a time perspective and start with why I read this book. Interestingly, ‘time’ is a topic that’s touched on in the book.
Yesterday I was chatting on the phone with a dear author friend of mine and talking about how I’ve been researching spiritual abuse, among other things, for my current writing projects. My friend said “You should read Anne Hamilton’s recent book on this topic.”
I was awake early this morning. At 7am I decided to find the book and check out the Amazon sample on my phone. I was engrossed in the sample chapters and immediately hit ‘buy now’ in the Kindle store to add the ebook to my Kindle App. I’ve no idea how much the ebook cost because I didn’t care. I was invested in reading more, irrespective of the price. Suddenly it was after nine and I was at 42% and I needed to go to the shops and do a few things around the house before lunch. But…I didn’t want to stop reading. From then on I’m reading in every spare minute and pondering what I’ve read in between times. At three this afternoon I reached the end – which means I read a full length nonfiction book within nine hours.
To put this in context, this is not normal for me. I can’t remember the last time I read a complete book on my phone because I usually read on my Kindle. I don’t read a lot of nonfiction. I read fiction for entertainment and nonfiction when I have a problem to solve and questions to answer. My problems to solve related to my own life and my understanding of why my characters were doing what they were doing in my stories.
Three years ago I had writers block on the next book I needed to write—which is the book I delayed writing and now need to write next. Grief played a role—an author in the series passed away, followed by my father a few months later—but that was only part of the reason. In hindsight, I can see that my writers block related to wrong timing. God said no. I didn’t know what I didn’t know, which was that I didn’t have the knowledge and lived experience back in 2021 to authentically write this story for His glory.
I write with God and each book I write is a shared journey that typically challenges me to deal with stuff in my own life including denial, the need for repentance, and unforgiveness. I write contemporary Christian romance short novels and a criticism of books in my genre is they’re shallow, formulaic and written via pumping out similar storylines in the popular romance tropes.
I’ve always believed that every book I publish should be the best book I can write at that point in time. My goal is to grow as a writer, produce quality books, and hopefully please my readers with stories they’d like to read. Back in 2021 I was praying about this book and I started my journey on researching spiritual abuse. I was particularly interested in the psychological aspects of my characters that would logically explain why my characters wanted to behave in certain ways.
During the last three years my journey has, in many ways, unpacked the subject matter in Anne’s book. Lightbulbs flashed as I recognised familiar patterns and gained a greater understanding of the emotional pain I’d experienced—and the pain my characters had also experienced—in different ways. The underlying factors and red flags, things that I’d previously been blinded from seeing, were spelled out in a way that I could now process and understand.
Here are a few quotes that stood out among the many passages I highlighted in multiple colours in my Kindle App.
“The key element in identifying the presence of the spirit of abuse is inversion or perversion. It has to be there. Yet other factors are also present. The other signature smell when it comes to this spirit is group mind control.”
“A few individuals remain unaffected but the group as a whole is asleep. They fail to notice anything wrong, no matter how blatant it is.”
“A third element—although this is not unique to the spirit of abuse, as inversion and group mind control are—is blame-shifting.”
My mum passed away a few months ago and I’ve been dealing with childhood trauma associated with my mum’s decades-long debilitating mental health issues. Anne’s book was like a big hug from Jesus. Her words reminded me that Jesus is carrying me through this difficult season of grief and loss.
I usually end my book recommendations with a sentence about who I recommend the book to according to their likes and interests. This book was the right book for me to read at the right time. Two years ago I likely would have passed on reading it because I was blinded to the truth about a whole lot of things. I’ve trusted the wrong people—instead of trusting God and being open to hearing His truth. I’ve been burned during the painful discovery of the true character of people who didn’t have my best interests at heart. Multiple times I’ve worked through the hard process of acceptance, repentance and forgiveness. All that to say, I recommend reading the opening chapters and making an informed decision on whether or not it’s the book for you.
Happy Friday! I’m sharing a selection of books that are on preorder in a weekly post.
Please check the price before preordering. Amazon will always give you the lowest preorder price and bill your payment method on release day.
Click on the book cover to preorder the ebook at Amazon USA. Direct Sales Links (if listed under the book category) will take you to the author or publisher’s website or a universal link to multiple book retailers.
Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment if there’s a book in my post that’s on your TBR (to be read) list. Or, if you’ve already had the pleasure of reading an advanced reader copy. I’m always looking for book recommendations. Happy Reading!
3.99
August 16
Dual Timeline
Christian
4.99
August 6
Romantic Suspense (lite)
Christian
2.99
August 6
Romantic Suspense
Christian
5.99
August 6
Romantic Adventure
Christian
14.99
August 6
Contemporary Fiction
Christian
12.99
August 6
Historical Romance
Christian
13.49
August 6
Women’s Fiction
Christian
5.99
August 5
Contemporary Romance
Clean & Wholesome
Shannon’s Book Bargains Roundup – Visit my friend Shannon Taylor Vannatter’s blog, check out her weekly posts and discover books on sale.
Disclaimer: Book information is provided by third parties. Book prices are subject to change. The inclusion of a book in this post is not necessarily an endorsement.
Authors and Publishers: If you’d like to submit a book for consideration for a future post, please fill out the Google form here.
A deliciously twisty Aussie cozy mystery with a side of rom-com!
Ruth is desperate for a fresh start, but a body in her shed, an inconvenient romantic attraction, and a secret childhood reputation as a ‘harbinger of death’ get in the way.
As they do…
Murder and mayhem mingle with matters of the heart as Ruth soon discovers the town holds buried secrets and scandals—some of which may even involve her own late father.
But when a close friend goes missing, and the police fear the worst, all Ruth can think about is unravelling the mystery and finding her friend.
Can Ruth solve the crime in time to save her friend? Will she succeed or will bad luck be the death of her?
Dead Ahead has slow-burn romance, heaps of heart, murder and mayhem, small town vibes, friends who care, a grumpy cat and a mysterious meta plot. The final HEA of the romantic subplot will be at the end of the series—but there will be lots of fun in-between.
Warning: Dead Ahead contains banter that could make you snort your coffee.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading Dead Ahead, the first book in Susan J Bruce’s Ruthless-the-Killer Mysteries series set in South Australia. Ruth has inherited her father’s home in Pelican Bay, a sleepy coastal town that’s hiding many secrets.
Ruth has recently discovered that her sister is a consummate liar who created an unnecessary decade long estrangement between Ruth and their late father. As a result, Ruth has many unanswered questions about her family that she hopes to sort out when she visits Pelican Bay.
Ruth has also acquired an undeserved reputation as a harbinger of death, mainly as a consequence of her dysfunctional family and being bullied during her childhood. She logically knows it isn’t true, but the discovery of a dead body in her dad’s shed brings all her childhood emotional baggage to the surface.
The story opening has cute romcom elements and I loved how there’s a sweet romance that will run through the books in the series. Ruth is a sassy and modern girl who’s very Aussie in how she talks and thinks. The town is full of quirky Aussie characters who add humour in the story.
The story is a general market cozy mystery, and like most cozy’s, it’s a clean read with no explicit content. That said, it’s not a squeaky clean read. More conservative readers may find a few things in the story are a little bit too edgy for their tastes.
I loved the animals in the story and how they were often like side characters. I did pick the killer’s identity before the end, but it was more of a hunch from one obscure clue. I didn’t pick the hows and whys for the murder mystery and I kept turning the page to find out what happens next. I read the second half of the book very quickly.
An intriguing overarching series mystery is set up in Dead Ahead and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I recommend Dead Ahead to cozy mystery readers who like small town mystery series with a loveable amateur sleuth, memorable side characters, romcom story elements, and adorable animals who steal the limelight.
Many thanks to the author for the advanced reader copy.
Happy Friday! I’m sharing a selection of books that are on preorder in a weekly post.
Please check the price before preordering. Amazon will always give you the lowest preorder price and bill your payment method on release day.
Click on the book cover to preorder the ebook at Amazon USA. Direct Sales Links (if listed under the book category) will take you to the author or publisher’s website or a universal link to multiple book retailers.
Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment if there’s a book in my post that’s on your TBR (to be read) list. Or, if you’ve already had the pleasure of reading an advanced reader copy. I’m always looking for book recommendations. Happy Reading!
Disclaimer: Book information is provided by third parties. Book prices are subject to change. The inclusion of a book in this post is not necessarily an endorsement.
Authors and Publishers: If you’d like to submit a book for consideration for a future post, please fill out the Google form here.
Sometimes freedom and family are found in unexpected places.
Inanna, an Amorite chieftain’s daughter, craves to be free as the eagles that fly above her hometown.
Utu, her loyal twin, just wants to keep his wayward sister out of trouble.
Neither succeeds, and their dreams are uprooted as they’re sold into slavery. During their forced travels, they encounter nations they’d only known from stories, palaces beyond description, and fickle kings claiming to be all-powerful deities.
Yet when serving the wandering household of Avram and Sarai from Ur, they encounter a mystery god intent on upturning national boundaries, calling new loyalties, and directing the eyes of his followers to dreams vaster than the star-filled sky.
But what has this god of unexpected paths and promises to offer two Amorite slaves?
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading Wells and Wanderers, a historical fiction novel set during ancient times when events recorded in the book of Genesis took place. The twins, Inanna and Utu, are Amorites who were enslaved as young children and ended up working in Avram and Sarai’s household. Avram and his family didn’t own land and they wandered around the desert, setting up camps in different places for various lengths of time while awaiting God’s promises to come to fruition.
It was fascinating to walk in Inanna and Utu’s shoes and see their perspective on the choices made by Avram, Sarai, Lot and their family. The Amorite twins were raised in a dysfunctional household where they feared the demanding and fickle gods of their ancestors. Avram’s God was unlike any god they’d previously known or experienced.
Inanna had issues with the limitations imposed on women and she craved freedom. Her friendship with Hagar was beautiful and provided an insight into Hagar’s world and the unique challenges she faced in Avram’s household.
Utu walked a different path to Inanna. He was willing to consider faith matters and observed firsthand how Avram’s God was different to the other gods.
Being familiar with the stories in Genesis, I knew how certain events would play out in the story. The beauty was in how the story events impacted the characters and influenced their life choices. The story ending was satisfying and heartfelt. I recommend Wells and Wanderers to historical fiction readers who like Biblical era fiction set in ancient times with characters seeking truth and freedom.
