Christian Fiction New Releases: October 2023

Mama Dated Santa by Amy R. Anguish

Trudy McNamara doesn’t do Christmas anymore. But she will do anything for her nephew Mark, even take him to visit Santa. After Dad died and the holiday bucket lists stopped, December hasn’t been the same. But Trudy finds herself tangled up with the toy store Santa and Christmas when she discovers her mom … dated Santa.

Nick Russo, manager of Russos’ Toy Emporium, is at a loss as to how to save his family’s store. When Uncle Paul, the Santa and part-owner, hires Trudy to revamp their store, Nick’s life turns upside down. He’s been so focused on the numbers, the Christmas season has become nothing more than one last drive for sales. But Trudy makes him re-evaluate his attitude as well as want to help hers.

Can two holiday-haters renew their love for the season … and more?

More Than Enough: an Everyday Love companion novella by Jaycee Weaver

A control freak must discover her true worth in Christ if she hopes to be a blessing to her three kids—and find love —this holiday season.

Three years post-divorce, school librarian and mother of three Adaline Danvers still struggles with feelings of inadequacy and perfectionism. The words never enough badger her—never enough money, time, patience, joy—especially during the holidays. With lingering bitterness toward her unfaithful ex and keeping her world perfectly ordered, there’s just not enough left to give more than a passing thought to the handsome new school counselor who’s been stopping by her office.

From his first day in August, Kenton Clark has admired the frazzled but endearing librarian. Forging a new friendship that soon leads to more, he discovers behind Ada’s Type A tendencies is a loving, caring woman who tugs at him and helps him live at peace with his own pain and loss.

When an unexpected snowstorm-of-the-century traps Kent, Ada, and her three kids inside a movie theater for Christmas, conditions are prime for Ada to shine or crumble beneath the pressure. She’ll need to get out of her own way, though, to realize the gifts God has given her and truly understand that if Christ is enough, in Him, she is too.

This novella first appeared in the Crossroads Collection When Snowflakes Never Cease. While it can be read completely standalone, it takes place shortly after What Makes a Home with a cameo from the hero and heroine of Whatever Comes Our Way (Everyday Love Book 1)

Amid the Ashes: A Christian Romance (Seasons of Faith Book 4) by Milla Holt

He’s taking over her cat. She won’t let him invade her heart.

When her boss crosses a line, Johanna Strand quits her job to pursue her dream career as a social media chef.

But if she’s going to turn her hobby into a full-time income, she needs a business coach to steer her toward success. Too bad the only available candidate in her small town is the self-righteous neighbor who’s low key trying to steal her cat.

Gunnar Rikardson has grown fond of the cat from next door who often invites itself over to his house. Its owner, on the other hand, treats him as though he’s a kidnapper. Gunnar would rather steer clear, but a mutual friend begs him to take his neighbor on as a client.

Sparks fly as Gunnar reluctantly agrees to help Johanna, leading to a twist neither of them saw coming.

Gunnar’s last relationship blew up his life like a nuclear bomb, and he’s still dealing with the radioactive fallout. He fights Johanna’s influence on his heart as she gets past his defensive bunker.

And the last thing Johanna needs is to fall for yet another guy who’s not into her.

Both have been wounded in the past. Will fear keep them from a chance at true happiness?

Amid the Ashes is Book 4 in Milla Holt’s Seasons of Faith Christian romance series. Five friends were in the same wedding in a small Norwegian town over twenty years ago. Four bridesmaids, one bride. Now, two decades on, each woman learns that God’s timing is perfect as they find forever love later in life.

Once Upon a Starry Night: A Very Merry Christmas Romance Collection

Enjoy these 12 brand-new sweet and inspirational Christian love stories of second chances, friends to more, unrequited love, new beginnings, and much more from 12 beloved romance novelists. Merry Christmas, everyone!

A Country Christmas in the Show Me State
by USA Today Bestselling Author Jessie Gussman

Will the hope of Christmas bring these two a second chance?

Holly’s Hope
by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Hickey

Can Holly step out of her shell at Christmas or will she retreat and miss out on the joy of romance?

One Sweet Christmas
by USA Today bestselling author Laura Ashwood

Will a snowy Christmas at the hospital rekindle Sam’s holiday spirit and lead him to love?

The Cowboy’s Forever Crush
by USA Today bestselling author Valerie Comer

How can a teenage crush on his best friend’s sister, now a single mom, turn into a mature forever love?

A Fake Cowboy Husband for Christmas
by critically acclaimed author Tina Dee

How will they turn a fake relationship into a real marriage?

Christmas Moonlight Melodies
by critically acclaimed author Christine L. Henderson

Can two musicians rekindle their love or become a love song gone wrong?

Finding You Under the Mistletoe
by USA Today bestselling author Juliette Duncan

Will the small town’s beloved doctor confess his love for the charming diner owner this Christmas?

All the Way Home
by USA Today bestselling author Lesley Ann McDaniel

Trapped in a remote cabin in a snowstorm days before Christmas, Ainsley is determined to make more friends than enemies.

Christmas at Castle Carrick
by USA Today bestselling author Lisa M. Prysock

Confronting the past and a leap of faith could rekindle their marriage.

The Lone Rice Ball
by USA Today bestselling author Camy Tang

Mimi’s apology to an old crush embroils her in a drug investigation and might lead to a second chance at love in Hawaii.

Let Me Hold You
by USA Today bestselling author Jan Thompson

She wants to get out of his friend zone and into his heart.

Greetings from Next Door
by USA Today bestselling author Chautona Havig

Some people communicate better on paper… at least, that’s what Glynn tells herself.

Read this clean and wholesome collection of novellas today!

Sinclair Sisters Trilogy (Complete Series including This and Every Christmas, Now and Forever Christmas, and Not Another Christmas) by Jaycee Weaver

Past and present collide for three sisters whose Christmas-obsessed parents named them after characters in beloved Christmas movies. Follow each sister as she encounters romance, family chaos, holiday hi jinks, traditions old and new, and—eventually—love during the Christmas season. Get all three books in this omnibus edition from USA Today bestselling author Jaycee Weaver today!

This and Every Christmas

As teens, their paths crossed every Christmas. This year, their paths intertwine.

Single father Noah Appel has suffered more loss than a man of twenty-five should. Between his grief and the mounting pressure of the approaching busy season, he’s overwhelmed. Until an incident at his daughter’s school reintroduces him to a girl whose wild hair and quirky family always stood out from other visitors to his family’s tree farm. Only now, she’s a beautiful woman with a kind and helpful heart who throws him and his young daughter a welcome lifeline.

Offering to alleviate some of Noah’s stress seemed like the natural thing for music teacher Clari Sinclair to do, considering his family’s tree farm was the site of so many wonderful memories with her Christmas-obsessed family. Especially since the charming boy she once knew has grown into a handsome man whose burdens call to the deepest parts of her romantic heart.

CAN THESE TWO TURN MEMORIES OF CHRISTMASES PAST INTO A FUTURE WORTHY OF THE APPEL LEGACY?

Now and Forever Christmas

Romance ruined their friendship. This could be the Christmas they repair it…only better.

CJ Sinclair never imagined trading her chef’s toque for the domestic life but her pregnant sister needs help over the holidays, and the timing couldn’t be better. A breakup and a bad case of burnout are just the top two on a list of things out of her control these days. Then there’s Tobin, her once best friend who she hasn’t spoken to in years. Now he’s everywhere all the time and sparking feelings she thought she got over ages ago.

The past eight years as a professional musician for the US Army prepared Tobin McGhee for his new job as high school band teacher. They didn’t prepare him for how he’d feel seeing CJ again. This time, though, he won’t make the same mistakes. He’s determined to rebuild the friendship they lost. Maybe even rediscover those feelings they had back in high school before everything went wrong.

CAN THEY MAKE HOLIDAY MUSIC TOGETHER AND REKINDLE THE FRIENDSHIP THEY ONCE HAD, OR WILL ROMANCE RUIN EVERYTHING AGAIN?

Not Another Christmas

Childhood neighbors, rivals, enemies. This Christmas, will love have a fighting chance?

The palm trees and beaches of Florida are as far from her chaotic family as Cindy Sinclair can get. Bonus: her anticipated promotion is the perfect excuse not to come home for the holidays. Or it was, until she’s passed over and the job is given to none other than her childhood nemesis, the boy next door.

This far from New Mexico, Nick Hoover never imagined he’d beat Cindy out for a job. Again. He’s offended her, adored her, and messed up her plans since the day they met, but this time, Nick is determined to prove he never wanted to be her enemy. If only she’ll let him.

When their reignited adolescent rivalry gets out of hand, their boss insists they both go home, face the hurts of their pasts, and bury the hatchet once and for all. With help from her meddling family, this could be the Christmas they quit clashing and give love a fighting chance.

WILL CINDY SET ASIDE HER PRECONCEPTIONS AND SEE PAST THE PRANKSTER INTO NICK’S HEART?

Julia Monroe Begins Again by Rebekah Millet

Samuel was back. It seemed unfair to be blindsided. And in church no less. Shouldn’t there be a commandment about that? Thou shalt not step foot inside thy ex’s place of worship.

Julia Monroe has just turned forty and has high hopes for a fresh start after the last decade of her life abruptly left her a young widow and a single mom. With both her boys off to college, she can finally focus on expanding her New Orleans-based cleaning business. Julia is ready for new beginnings–but God has other plans. Samuel Reed, the ruggedly handsome Green Beret who shattered her heart over twenty years ago, has returned to town and is the kind of distraction she never saw coming.

After their first interaction in years leaves her mind spinning and her emotions out of control, Julia knows she needs to avoid him if she wants any chance of preventing history from repeating itself, but her meddling best friend keeps throwing them together. And now it seems inevitable that the man who was hard to forget might just be impossible to resist.

Marrying the Rancher’s Daughter by Tara Grace Ericson

He’s completely wrong for her. But their marriage may be exactly what she needs.

Professional bullrider Jason Keen is chasing a national title–and running from his mistakes. When his last sponsor threatens to pull their support unless he becomes the poster boy of a charming, family friendly cowboy, there is no way he can pull it off. Unless he can find another way to soften his rough-edged image while he works at Redemption Ranch between events…

Despite her family’s status as Colorado ranching royalty, Cassie Reynolds’ heart has been tied to the rodeo since her first event at the tender age of five. If her possessive ex-boyfriend would get the hint and leave her alone, she’d never leave her rodeo marketing job. Unfortunately, with each passing day, he’s growing more desperate to claim her.

When a week at home on Redemption Ranch is interrupted by the appearance of Cassie’s ex, Jason can’t stand by and let him terrorize the owner’s daughter. Could her unorthodox proposal be the solution to get them both through the holidays and the rodeo national finals?

Remembering the Rancher by Liwen Y. Ho

Will her forgotten memories of the past be the key to healing their future?

Annabella Knight would be the first to admit that her marriage has been on the rocks for a while, but she never expected to be served divorce papers at work. Already feeling like a disappointment to God and to her family, there’s plenty that she would like to change about her past. But for now, she needs to find a way to salvage her relationship with her high school sweetheart for the sake of their son.

Since giving up his football dream to support his young family, Maverick Knight has tried his best to be the husband and father they deserve. Poor money decisions, however, have gotten him mixed up with dangerous men. When Annabella’s life is threatened, the only way he sees to protect his wife and son is to distance himself, even if it means breaking up their home.

When a car crash leaves Annabella in the hospital with amnesia, Maverick realizes his family needs him now more than ever. As they learn how to live together as husband and wife, will this loss of the past be an unexpected chance to start over? Or is it just the calm before the storm before old memories surface to tear them apart again?

Visit Redemption Ridge, Colorado and enjoy the faith, friendships, and forever-afters of the Christmas in Redemption Ridge series of Christian romance.

This series is a spin-off continuation of the best-selling Heroes of Freedom Ridge Series with all new characters and traditions, but the same magic of community and romance readers love.

A Deeper Love by Heidi Gray McGill

What was that movie line about relationships built on intense experiences? Oh, yeah. They never work.

I get paid to do my dream job, usually by wealthy men who thrive on adventure. But when their adrenaline rush is gone and vacation is over, I’m still here, on a tropical island, with people who mostly leave me alone. And I like it that way.

Except for this guy. Seriously, Dan is the last man I want to get involved with. If he got Decompression Illness, the doctors would likely call it Mercedes Bends. He’s privileged and entitled and would never leave his city life behind for the challenges of living on a remote island. Which is a total relief, I’m telling you.

Don’t get me wrong—he’s prime shark bait, but I’m not ready to fall deeply in love with someone who won’t stay. There’s no such thing as going “too deep” where spiritual things are concerned. But when it comes to relationships, I’ll stay at the surface and snorkel rather than dive into the depths.

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 Horseman’s Mission by Sandra Ardoin

She seeks healing for her son.
Macie Newman believes time and tranquility—not a psychologist—will heal her traumatized son, Alex. After she moves them to the small town of Hidden Veil, she discovers the noble but disturbing plans that her new boss, Lane Becker, has for his ranch. Fearing for her son’s safety as he becomes attached to the horseman, Macie chooses to leave before Lane’s interference endangers Alex’s physical and emotional health. But she hadn’t counted on how hard that would be on her son . . . or her heart.

He’s looking for atonement for his brother’s death.
As an equine therapy center, Lane’s property will aid veterans suffering from PTSD and honor his brother’s death in Afghanistan, hopefully, lessening Lane’s guilt. When he finds a feisty but troubled widow occupying the space he needs for the center, Lane wants to move her out. But after witnessing her son’s frightening anxiety attack, he’s convinced the Newmans are where they need to be, as long as he can control his pull toward Macie. He can’t allow himself to be distracted by a love he doesn’t deserve.

How can Lane help the boy and his mother conquer their fears without jeopardizing a second person’s life?

Get to know the couples who navigate the joys and pitfalls of life and love in their quaint and tight-knit southern hometown of Hidden Veil, North Carolina.

Fields of Glass by Alyssa Schwarz

Find Faith and Love in the Rocky Mountains

Micah Prescott will do whatever it takes to save his family’s sheep ranch, even if it kills him. With a city-based firm pressuring him to sell and the bank threatening to call in his loan, he has less than a month to figure out a solution to keep the property his father strove so hard to protect. But when a storm rolls in, washing out the only bridge to town and bringing with it an unwanted visitor, he finds his options quickly dwindling.

Sales associate Francis Grace Riley will do anything to prove that she belongs. Convinced she can secure a deal where others had only failed, she takes to the mountains in search of one stubborn rancher, only to realize there is much more riding on the outcome of this trip than her job.

From the moment Micah rescues Grace on the side of the road, sparks fly—that is until he learns who she really is. Stuck together until the bridge is repaired, the two of them must learn to work as a team if they have any hopes of achieving their goals. But when things start to go wrong on the ranch, and sheep begin to disappear, they’re left questioning who they can trust …

…and what they’re willing to sacrifice for those they care for.

Dial K for Kiss by Tanya Eavenson

When a simple kiss becomes a media frenzy.

Millionaire Julia Morgan isn’t a fan of the limelight, but when a neighboring city blocks her community garden expansion request, she’s left with few options for moving the project forward, all of them uncomfortable. Especially the one involving the man from her past who just walked back into her life with a proposition.

Radio personality Drew Larsen has spent years waiting for an opening in the top-spot morning show of the hottest radio station in town. When it happens, he throws his hat in the ring with a crazy idea. He didn’t expect it to catch like wildfire, or for the station manager to up the ante. If Drew can find his first kiss and convince her to date him for all the world to see, the job is his.

She wants to help others. He wants his dream job. Can they make their hearts’ desires come true before their untold story is revealed?

Dial K for Kiss is a heartwarming Christian contemporary romance, and part of the You Are on the Air series.

The Cowboy’s Christmas Compromise by Jill Kemerer

Getting back in the saddle…

Means opening his heart.

Recently divorced Dalton Cambridge can’t afford to turn down a ranch manager position—even if the boss is his ex-wife’s new husband’s ex-wife. After all, providing for his son is what’s important. And working for Erica Black is strictly business. But when the cowboy finds himself caring for the cattle and the single mother, will he risk everything for a holiday family he could never imagine?

Their Holiday Secret by Betsy St. Amant

Can their pretend relationship

Turn into a true Christmas gift?

Preston Green will do anything for a fake girlfriend—even bid on one at a charity auction. Sweet and quirky baker Lulu Boyd is the perfect choice to stop his mother’s constant matchmaking. And it’s just for one holiday family dinner—until his father’s failing health makes ending their ruse impossible. Soon it feels all too real…but another secret might make this their last Christmas together.

The Doctor’s Christmas Dilemma by Danielle Thorpe

Home for the holidays…

Or home for good?

Once upon a time, Ben Cooper left his hometown to follow his dreams of becoming a big-city doctor. Now he’s back to run his father’s clinic and spend Christmas with his daughter, not to fall for McKenzie Price, the woman who broke his heart. But when McKenzie steps in to help Ben reconnect with his little girl, and old sparks begin to ignite, will Ben give up city life for a second chance at love?

A Country Christmas by Lisa Carter

The rancher and the city girl have nothing in common…

except the wedding that brings them together

Eager to prove herself to her family, Kelsey Summerfield is on board to plan her grandfather’s upcoming wedding. But the bride’s grandson, rancher Clay McKendry, is equally determined to keep the city girl’s big ideas in check. When a series of disasters threaten to derail their grandparents’ big day, will these two opposites put aside their differences…and find their own happily-ever-after?

Abducted to Christmas by Rhonda Starnes

Surviving the holidays…

with a kidnapper closing in.

Hadley Logan’s Christmas break turns into a holiday nightmare when an intruder breaks into her home and then bullets start flying. Only the quick actions of security specialist Ryan Vincent save her. Now she must rely on him to guard her and her five-year-old daughter as they go on the run. And when attempted murder turns to kidnapping, can Ryan keep this family together for Christmas?

Deadly Yellowstone Secrets by Kari Trumbo

Yellowstone National Park hides a secret

and uncovering it could be fatal.

Someone’s hunting bears in Yellowstone National Park—and now Tamala Roth’s the next mark. With a killer at her heels, Tamala must trust Ranger Clint Jackson to safeguard her while searching for the poacher. But when a blizzard traps them in with a criminal who will stop at nothing to silence them, survival becomes a dangerous game.

Crime Scene Conspiracy by Jessica R. Patch

Too many mysterious deaths.

Not enough clues.

A string of staged deaths forces Texas Ranger Emily O’Connell on a covert mission to investigate a governor’s connection to the deceased women. She doesn’t trust anyone—including crime scene cleaner Stone Spencer. But when Emily’s questioning makes her the serial killer’s next target, she must turn to ex-ranger Stone for help. With threats at every turn, outrunning a merciless villain could be the last thing they do.

Marked to Die by Kathleen Tailer

Can the truth be discovered…

before an assassin strikes?

When Eleni Townsend’s daughter is poisoned, the investigative reporter turns to FBI special homicide agent Chris Springfield for answers. But after another attack, it becomes clear that someone wants Eleni dead. The key to solving the case lies in Eleni’s past…and unraveling the mystery from her childhood is the only way to survive the diabolical plan against her.

Killer Christmas Evidence by Sami A. Abrams

The search for a criminal

becomes a fight for survival.

The moment detective Cassidy Bowman links a chain of suspicious deaths to a serial killer, she becomes the deadly assassin’s number one target. But a blow to the head robs her of her memory and she can’t put the pieces of the case back together alone. Can she convince detective Kyle Howard to help her catch the culprit by proving her theory…before the killer succeeds in taking Cassidy’s life?

Snowbound Escape by Dana Mentink

To rescue a witness…

this K-9 team must face a killer and a storm.

After months tracking a colleague falsely accused of a double homicide, officer Tanner Ford and his K-9 partner finally locate crime tech Mara Gilmore—but the real murderer is closing in. Now they must run into a frozen wilderness to survive. Evading the killer is the only way for Mara to clear her name. But will the harsh winter conditions cover their tracks…or bury them forever?

The Bungalow on Shadow Road by Christy Barritt

When Melinda Stark is invited back to the inn where she spent her childhood summers, she can’t say no. Freshly divorced after finding out her husband cheated on her, she craves a new start and a new sense of self. The mysterious invitation is the most exciting thing to happen to her since her life fell apart a year ago.

But five others have also been invited, and when the reason for the invitation is revealed, the stakes rise. They’ve been handpicked and only one of them will inherit the profitable inn. As mysterious incidents arise, she realizes that one of the contenders might be willing to kill for the chance to win.

Micah Jones is a sheriff in the town–and Melinda’s first love. The two never expected to see each other again, especially after the way things ended. Micah senses something sinister is happening at the old inn. When mysterious dolls begin washing ashore and with a nor’easter headed their way, he knows he needs to find answers–and he has no time to waste!

Small Town Secrets by Lillian Duncan

On the surface, Shady Valley looks like the ideal all-American place to live with beautiful flowering trees lining both sides of the street as you enter the picturesque town. Neighbors help neighbors. Doors are often left unlocked.

Serious crimes are practically nonexistent— almost but not quite!

But like all small towns, everyone knows everyone, which means everyone knows everyone’ s business, and not everyone in Shady Valley is what they appear to be. Some have secrets— deadly secrets— that they hide behind the masks they wear.

When Angie McVey disappears on her wedding day, rookie officer Cami Martine is determined to find her best friend, but there are no leads to follow. Angie seems to have disappeared into thin air.

If Cami is to bring her best friend home, she will need to discover the deadly secrets of her friends and neighbors to find the one who wears the biggest mask.

Christmas in the Crosshairs: An Elite Guardians Christmas Anthology by Lynette Eason, Kate Angelo, Kelly Underwood, Sami A. Abrams

It’s Christmastime and love is in the air. But when these three Elite Guardians walk into the crosshairs of trouble, they find themselves fighting not just for justice, but for the lives of the men they love in this riveting thriller collection!

Deadly Holiday Hijack by Kate Angelo

“Come out to Savannah, she says. It’ll be fun, she says. Boss can be in the nativity pageant, she says,” Yeah. Great idea.

Bodyguard Christina Sherman and her fiancé, former spec ops air commando Grey Parker just want to sneak away to beautiful Savannah, attend a Nativity Pageant, maybe set a wedding date. But when a group of terrorists take over the church and the whole thing is live streamed, they find themselves in a hometown version of a Die Hard Christmas movie. But will they make it to the happy ending?

Silent Night Siege by Kelly Underwood

Billionaire Preston Whittaker and bodyguard Laila Rabbinowitz just can’t get a break. Not only are their schedules so crazy they’ve put their relationship on simmer, but on their way to the mountains for much-needed togetherness…yep, their plane crashes. Suddenly they’re stranded on a remote mountainside in freezing temperatures, minimal food, wildlife, and no hope of rescue.

And then, the real danger starts. Someone deliberately caused the wreck, and that person is hunting them through the wilderness.

Now, it’ll take more than togetherness to survive…

Christmas Snowstorm Standoff by Sami A. Abrams

It’s finally time for bodyguard Lizzie Tremaine to tie the knot with the man she’s loved for years—fellow bodyguard Charlie Lee.

But maybe fate is still against them, because on the eve of their big day, a snowstorm hits. And, while it’s kept the guests away, it’s brought trouble in the form of a woman from Charlie’s past. More, she’s on the run from a killer…

A man who will stop at nothing to make sure Charlie and Lizzie never make it to the altar.

Now Lizzie and Charlie must battle the storm, stop the killer, and defeat the doubts that suddenly have them wondering if they are truly meant to be.

Three epic love stories. Three edge-of-your-seat thrillers. Three Christmases caught in the Crosshairs inspired by best-selling author Lynette Eason’s Elite Guardian series.

Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard

Montana Detective Trevor West is desperate to learn what happened to his sister, who went missing in Alaska over a year ago, leaving nothing but a few photographs as clues to her whereabouts. At the advice of Police Chief Autumn Long, Trevor enlists the help of an experienced bush pilot. If Carrie James can’t help him find the places in the photographs, no one can.

But Carrie has her own agenda. Grieving the death of her closest friend and the only person she could trust, Carrie will help Trevor find his sister on one condition–that he help her track down her friend’s killer.

As the two close in on the answers they crave, they’ll face dangers and connections they could not have imagined. They’ll have to learn to trust one another–and face the dark secrets of the past–if they are ever to discover the truth and bring a killer to justice.

Into the Fire by Irene Hannon

As a former smokejumper, arson investigator Bri Tucker knows her way around fires. But after a mysterious blaze takes the life of a former colleague, Bri inherits a curious puzzle from him that raises questions about several fiery deaths. Someone, however, doesn’t want her picking up where he left off in search of answers.

When she teams up with ATF Special Agent Marc Davis to solve the puzzle, the danger escalates. But will they manage to track down the person behind the mysterious deaths before their budding romance–and maybe even their lives–go up in flames?

The bestselling and award-winning queen of romantic suspense is back with a brand-new series that is sure to get your adrenaline pumping as you burn through the pages to discover the truth.

Havoc by Ronie Kendig

A soldier, a Malinois, and a stuntwoman walk onto a TV set . . .

Former Special Forces operator Sergeant Crew Gatlin takes everything in stride, even the career-ending incident that separated him from the Army, half a leg, and his beloved working dog, Havoc K027. Putting his life back together and lying low, he takes a job with A Breed Apart and is unexpectedly reunited with Havoc. It’s too good to be true—and the proof is in their first assignment: to work as a K-9 team for a television drama in Los Angeles. Miffed at being relegated to TV fodder, he’s willing to pay the price when he sees the stuntwoman.

Being a stunt double allows Vienna Foxcroft to fulfill her acting dream—with a side of MMA—and stay out of the limelight. The same one that plagued her childhood and put her through a nightmare scenario. Now, her tight-knit stunt team are the only ones she trusts. Then in walks Mr. Mountain-of-Muscle and his tough-as-nails dog, and Vienna has a bad feeling her life is about to turn upside down.

Ticked as they head overseas for a location shoot in Turkey, Crew guts it up—after all, he has Havoc again. Okay, and yeah—Vienna is going, too. When an attack sends the cast fleeing into the streets of Turkey, Vienna must face the demons of her past or be devoured by them. And Crew and Havoc are tested like never before.

Experience the high-octane thrill ride that is the first book in the A Breed Apart: Legacy series.

Running to You by Robin Patchen

Sam never understood why Eliza left him five years ago, ghosting him without explanation. He’s avoided romance ever since, focusing on building his business. Money might not keep him warm at night, but it can sure buy a lot of blankets.

Then Eliza shows up on his doorstep and throws herself into his arms. She can’t explain her bruises or the head injury that’s left her with no memories of the past five years, including their breakup. No matter how good it feels to hold her, though, there’s no way he’s getting sucked into romance again.

He’ll deliver Eliza to her mother, and that will be that. But instead of finding her mom, they’re met by two attackers and barely escape alive. Despite the danger to his life and his heart, he can’t leave Eliza to fend for herself.

Together, they embark on a journey to reconstruct her past while evading the men chasing her. As Sam and Eliza close in on the truth, their romance reignites, but her secret threatens to destroy them both.

Prepare to be enthralled by this gripping story of amnesia, a second chance at love, and a secret baby. Running to You is an edge-of-your-seat Christian romantic suspense set in Maine that will keep you reading all night long.

Knockout by Lisa Phillips

BIG CITY CRIME. SMALL TOWN HEROES
A woman on the run.
Roxie Helton crawled away bleeding from the wreck of her life. Now she’s finally found a new start, the ghost of that tragedy won’t leave her alone. She tried Search and Rescue, now she’s trying the Cold Case Department and Vanguard. When she’s assigned the case that killed a cop years ago, she gets more than she bargained for and it almost seems like her ex isn’t quite as dead as everyone thinks. Can she trust the man she thought she had to give up?

A cop fighting for family.
SWAT Sergeant Liam O’Connell came home from the Marines and followed his father’s footsteps into the Benson PD. As much as he might want to ignore it, the case that killed his father has never been left to rest. But if what he was told is true, solving it will ruin his father’s legacy. Then again it could also save lives, take down a dangerous Russian family, and give him back the woman he lost.

When their worlds collide, loved ones are caught up in the calamity. Everyone they care about is a target and Roxie and Liam must fight together to survive.

Deadly Noel by Roxanne Rustand

RETURNING HOME CAN BE DEADLY…

Texas DEA Special Agent Sara Hanrahan has returned to her small, northern Minnesota hometown on a dangerous assignment. She doesn’t expect to encounter a deputy who represents every reason she left home years ago.

IT’S A PLACE WHERE DARK SECRETS MUST BE KEPT
Given her family’s dark past and the secrets she must keep, her assignment is fraught with danger…and also means she must deal with the deputy whose family tried to destroy her own. There couldn’t be a more unlikely relationship.

But perhaps some very special mistletoe and a little boy’s heart full of hope can help even the most impossible dreams come true.

Start reading now…and stay up all night!

Shadow of Night by Susan Sleeman

To protect her loved ones…
Rookie officer Sydney Tucker can handle threats to her life. After all, she’s a law enforcement officer. Even when a killer demands she turn over evidence from a drug bust or he will kill her, she refuses to comply. But things change when he threatens the life of her teenage sister, and Sydney might consider turning over the evidence. If she had what he was looking for.

Will she pay the ultimate price—her life?
But even when Sydney tells the killer that she doesn’t possess the evidence, he doesn’t believe her, and his threats continue. Emerson County Sheriff Russ Maddox steps in, putting Sydney and her sibling under his watchful eye. But will his protection be enough? The killer is closing in, picking off the people and places that mean the most to Sydney. A list that now not only includes her but Russ as well.

Creed by Susan May Warren

❤️ “I’m fine.”
“You’re breathtaking.”
Oh.
Then he met her eyes. Silence dropped between them, his chest rising and falling. A swallow. Then, “I don’t care.”
She blinked at him. “You don’t care?”
He took a step toward her. “You’re worth every day in the tower.”
Then he closed the gap, slid his hand behind her neck and kissed her.
Not so desperate this time, but something sweet, but deliberate and sure and yes, Creed was back, and she’d follow him anywhere.❤️

. . . When a killer targets the woman he loves, a fugitive races across Europe to protect the princess who stole his heart . . .

🔥 Star-crossed lovers
🔥 Forbidden love
🔥 Road trip romance
🔥 Damsel in distress
🔥 Undercover protector
🔥 Falsely accused
🔥 Danger and Intrigue

Wrongfully accused of kidnapping Princess Imani, champion runner Creed Marshall returns home to Minnesota after being banished from Lauchtenland. Despite their undeniable chemistry and whirlwind romance while on the run across Europe, duty requires Imani to keep her relationship with the commoner under wraps. But when Creed learns that Imani’s bodyguard has been shot and the princess is missing, he risks everything to find the headstrong woman he’s fallen for, even if it means infiltrating the country that wants him arrested.

Read the thrilling finale of the Minnesota Marshalls series, where the fate of a family and destiny of a kingdom hang in the balance.

The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theatre by Jaime Jo Wright

It promises beauty but steals life instead. Will the ghosts of Barlowe Theater entomb them all?

Barlowe Theater stole the life of Greta Mercy’s eldest brother during its construction. Now in 1915, the completed theater appears every bit as deadly. When Greta’s younger brother goes missing after breaking into the building, Greta engages the assistance of a local police officer to help her unveil the already ghostly secrets of the theater. But when help comes from an unlikely source, Greta decides that to save her family she must uncover the evil that haunts the theater and put its threat to rest.

Decades later, Kit Boyd’s best friend vanishes during a ghost walk at the Barlowe Theater, and old stories of mysterious disappearances and ghoulish happenings are revived. Then television ghost-hunting host and skeptic Evan Fisher joins Kit in the quest to identify the truth behind the theater’s history. Kit reluctantly agrees to work with him in hopes of finding her missing friend. As the theater’s curse unravels Kit’s life, she is determined to put an end to the evil that has marked the theater and their hometown for the last century.

New Leash on Life by Kathleen Y’Barbo

How Is a Missing Military Working Dog Related to Two Local Fires?
 
Snuggle with your trusty hound and settle into a small-town mystery in book 6 of the Gone to the Dogs series.
 
Air Force veteran Dr. Lane Bishop and Nora Hernandez’s romance has cooled. He is busy working as a researcher at the vet school, and she’s busy with her restaurant and opening an antique shop. What Lane hasn’t told her is his PTSD, which manifests mostly with nightmares, makes him believe he’s damaged goods. But that is about to change when he meets a stray pup that acts a lot like a military working dog.
 
When a tornado hits Brenham, there is damage in the downtown area and a fire is ignited in Nora’s new store. A Belgian Malinois dog is seen at the fire and later Lane sees him at a wedding venue where an explosion occurs. Not long after, a second explosion rocks Brenham and sends Nora and Lane on a hunt for the person responsible. Will the pair find the guilty party before more damage is done to the city’s landmarks? And will Lane find the words to tell Nora how much he loves her before it’s too late? 

Appalachian Song by Michelle Shocklee

Forever within the memories of my heart.
Always remember, you are perfectly loved.

Bertie Jenkins has spent forty years serving as a midwife for her community in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Out of all the mothers she’s tended, none affects her more than the young teenager who shows up on her doorstep, injured, afraid, and expecting, one warm June day in 1943. As Bertie and her four sisters tenderly nurture Songbird back to health, the bond between the childless midwife and the motherless teen grows strong. But soon Songbird is forced to make a heartbreaking decision that will tear this little family apart.

Thirty years later, the day after his father’s funeral, Walker Wylie is stunned to learn he was adopted as an infant. The famous country singer enlists the help of adoption advocate Reese Chandler in the hopes of learning why he was abandoned by his birth parents. With the only clue he has in hand, Walker and Reese head deep into the Appalachian Mountains to track down Bertie Jenkins, the midwife who holds the secrets to Walker’s past.

For fans of historical and Southern fiction comes a poignant story of love and sacrifice set in the heart of Appalachia, from award-winning author Michelle Shocklee.

Against the Wind by Amanda Cabot

Doctor-in-training Louisa Vaughn has no intention of remaining in Sweetwater Crossing. She’s just there for a few days to help a friend. But she can’t abandon the injured man she finds at the side of the road. Until his broken leg heals, she’ll serve as the town’s doctor and midwife. She may not be fully qualified yet, but surely she’s better than nothing.

Josh Porter’s plans to win his grandfather’s challenge and fulfill his father’s final wish to gain full control of the family business hit a roadblock when he breaks his leg. But his enforced stay in Sweetwater Crossing gives him new ideas about the expansion of the company into new territory–ideas Louisa could help turn into reality.

If only the town were more accepting of Louisa’s talents! Someone is determined to convince her to abandon her dream of healing others. Can Josh help her uncover the person behind the threats before it’s too late? And is there any future for them together when neither of them plans to stay?

Marshaling Her Heart by Mary Connealy

Will their lives and romance survive the trouble coming their way?

Becky Pruitt has always prided herself on knowing everything that’s happening on her successful ranch, so an unexpected admission from her foreman, Nate Paxton, comes as quite a surprise. With the notorious Deadeye Gang on the loose, Nate–a former U.S. Marshal–believes Becky’s ranch is the best spot for a group of Marshals to use as a base to hunt them down.

The timing couldn’t be more crucial for the town of Pine Valley, and Becky feels obligated to help. But after escaping the grasp of her harsh father, she’s never liked giving up control, of her life or her ranch. If there’s anyone she can trust with her ranch, and her heart, it might be Nate. But the outlaws won’t go away quietly, and as danger draws ever nearer, Becky and Nate are faced with impossible choices that will test their growing bond.

A River Between Us by Jocelyn Green

Cora Mae Stewart’s world collapses when Sherman destroys the Georgia cotton mill where she works and has her arrested for treason and sent North. Faced with impossible choices, she does what she must to keep a little girl safe in an unhospitable land.

Convinced he won’t survive the war, Union Sergeant Ethan Howard determines to make his death count for something. But Cora Mae gives him a reason to live. Trouble is, he’s just arrested her on Sherman’s orders, and torn her from home and family.

Sergeant Howard is the last person Cora Mae wants to forgive, and the only man who can bring her all the way home.

Royal and Ancient by Amanda Lauer

Bronwyn Campbell’s end-of-summer plans were simple: wrap up her job at Saint Andrews Country Club, meet her friends one last time at the virtual reality arcade, and move across the country—again—with her father. But when lightning strikes while she’s working the club’s Saint Andrews Heritage Day, she’s transported from an American fairway to the home of golf, The Links at St. Andrews, in Scotland—and in the year 1691, no less.

When Iain MacDonald discovers Bronwyn knocked out cold on the seventeenth green, little does he know their meeting would change not only the course of their lives but the course of history. The son of the chieftain of Clan MacDonald, Iain bears the weight of responsibility for his family and his clan’s survival on his shoulders. Family drama and the growing discord over religion in Scotland add to the heavy load he carries daily while stepping further into his role as future chieftain.

As political events between England and Scotland heighten the conflict surrounding the MacDonald lands, Bronwyn and Iain rely upon their shared faith and growing feelings toward each other for survival. Amid the questions that plague both of them, though, one stands out: How can you be with the one you love if your choice ultimately influences history?

Notorious: A Medieval Romance by Tamara Leigh

THE WULFRITHS. FIRST. IN BETWEEN. IN THE END.

The late middle ages. England’s king seeks to recover the French lands of his ancestor William the Conqueror and claim the continental throne. France’s king aspires to seize the remainder of his royal vassal’s lands and retain his throne. So begins the Hundred Years’ War, the backdrop against which the formidable Wulfriths of the AGE OF CONQUEST and AGE OF FAITH series continue their tale.

THE KING’S SPY
For years, Lady Vianne Wardieu has navigated the intrigues of the French court, supplying the English king with intelligence and preserving her cover at the ruin of her reputation. Entangled with the King of France’s advisor, danger and sacrifice shadow her every step. When her bid to return to England is thwarted and ensnares an innocent in her schemes, she vows to escape again. But her plans falter when a man from her past appears seeking revenge. Or so she believes. Discovering he was sent by their king to extract vital information, she forces an alliance, offering secrets for aid in securing her freedom. As their paths merge and they become bound by more than necessity, Vianne strives to shield her heart from her reluctant savior, certain just as her notorious past cannot be rewritten, neither can it be forgiven.

THE KING’S MAN
Commanded by King Edward to retrieve intelligence from his spy at the French court, Sir Warin Wulfrith’s disdain for the lady’s notoriety and anger over her endangerment of his sister tests his honor—and further when she sets terms for her cooperation. As they navigate treacherous terrain to outmaneuver her pursuers, his perception of her alters when he discovers great depth and vulnerability beneath her wild beauty. With the line between duty and the need to safeguard her blurring, he questions whether his fiercely-guarded emotions are at risk of falling under her spell. And if true salvation lies not only in escaping external threats but finding solace and redemption in each other.

A Dare and a Prayer by Julie Lessman

(NOTE! THIS BOOK IS A SWEET INSPIRATIONAL WITH A HIGHER LEVEL OF ROMANTIC PASSION)

He’s a hotshot who takes up a dare.
She’s an aspiring missionary who wants to beware.
But will love become a gamble with a dare and a prayer?

Lieutenant Henry Dennehy is a cocky and carefree fighter pilot in the Pacific Theatre of WW2, known for scoring big, both in the sky and on land. But when his buddies offer a bet he can’t refuse to turn the head of the “untouchable” nurse at 369th Station Hospital—a woman who’s shot down more flyboys than the enemy—he’s bound and determined to win. Problem is, if he wins the dare, will he lose at love?

Lieutenant Amy Leigh MacArthur was on her way to the mission field when she detoured to fight for her country instead, an Army nurse whose interest lies only in healing the wounded and teaching orphans to read. Certainly not in men, and definitely not in Henry Dennehy, the boy who ridiculed her years ago as a shy and homely teen. But when Henry pursues her and won’t take no for an answer, Amy finds a way that gives him no choice.

Until, that is, love does the same for them both …

Garden of the Midnights by Hannah Linder

She begged him once more to meet in the garden at midnight.
“If you love me,” said the letter.
But if he loved her, he would not come at all. 
 
Enjoy another Gothic Style Regency from Hannah Linder.

The accidents are not a matter of chance. They are deliberate. As English gentleman William Kensley becomes aware of the danger at Rosenleigh Manor, he pleads for the truth of his past from the only man he can trust—until that man is murdered. 
 
As the secrets unfold into scandal, William’s world is tipped into destitution, leaving him penniless and alone. His only comfort is in the constant friendship and love of Isabella Gresham. If he does not have their nonsense at the seashore, their laughter, their reckless adventures, has he anything at all?
 
He should have known that would be ripped from him too. When a hidden foe arises from their acquaintances and imperils Isabella’s life, William may be the only one willing to risk his life to rescue her. But even if he frees Isabella from her captors, will he still have to forsake her heart? 

Some sacrifice everything for love. Others sacrifice love for everything else. In this haunting tale of rigid social prejudices and heart-aching regrets, the greatest decision of their life will be determined in the garden of the midnights. 

The River Queen by Stephenia H. McGee

River pirates, a stolen steamboat, and a deadly chase down the Mississippi—but falling in love might be the real adventure.

When river pirates attack and steal his steamboat, Emmett Carter barely escapes. Rescued and transported to a magnificent world of glitz and showbiz aboard a flashy showboat, Emmett is immediately captivated by something more than recovering his lost inheritance—The River Queen’s beautiful, but quirky, songbird.

Anola Flynn, the star singer on The River Queen, is struggling to keep the business running as attendance dwindles during the 1923 season. With her dreams of saving the family legacy—and the only life she’s ever known—slipping away, she forges an alliance with Emmett to keep her family afloat.

Now, to outsmart the gangsters chasing them, Anola and Emmett must wade through a dark current of deception and betrayal to save not only their dreams, but everyone they care about, from sinking deeper into the Mississippi River.

For historical fiction fans who enjoy immersive narrative, loveable characters, gripping plots, and a dash of mystery in a clean read romance. Dive into the world of the 1920s showboat era with a bestselling Christian romance author and get swept away on a River Romances adventure!

The Song of Hearts Set Free by Darlene Panzera

In 1850, Jersey City residents could be jailed for helping runaway slaves escape north…

Yet when a southern fugitive saves the life of Annie Morrison’s brother, Will, they feel they should return the favor and hide the man on their family’s rural homestead. Annie’s abolitionist friend, Louisa, encourages her to continue to help those traveling the ‘Underground Railroad,’ but Annie is fearful of the danger…until she meets Isaiah Hawkins.

Isaiah is a ‘watcher’ who works on the ferry boats looking for those who might steal the captain’s cargo. Little does the captain know, Isaiah is secretly transporting ‘cargo’ of his own. Except Annie derails his plans when she takes in the fugitive he was meant to escort, and Isaiah must convince her to work with him to get the Underground Railroad back on track.

As Annie helps Isaiah ship fugitives across the Hudson River to New York, her attraction toward the handsome young man grows. But when she sees him aid notorious slave catcher, Simon Cole, the horrid man threatening her family, past fears of betrayal rise to haunt her and she must question—is Isaiah really friend or foe?

Written on the Mist by Naomi Rawlings

He gave up his badge and his gun after his last case went horribly wrong. But there’s one thing that can make him pick them both up again…

Jonas Redding never wants to be a lawman again. He’s spent a decade as a US Marshal, wearing a tin star on his chest and chasing dangerous criminals across the great state of Texas. But when a case goes wrong, Jonas finds himself standing over two tombstones—his mother’s and his fiancée’s.

Resolved to protect his sister from meeting the same fate, Jonas cuts off all communication with her, changes his name, and heads north to the vast, untamed Alaskan wilderness.

Jonas isn’t even in Alaska for a day before meeting Ilya Amos, a boy with wide eyes, an endless smile, and a heart of pure gold. Before he realizes what’s happening, Jonas finds himself sucked into the everyday life of the Amoses—a sprawling family of eight siblings who are more Alaskan than American and unapologetic about their heritage.

Yet Jonas is resolved not to get too close to the Amoses, especially Ilya’s older sister Evelina, a woman with long chestnut hair and kind eyes and a desire to help everyone she meets. The last thing he wants to do is put another woman in jeopardy.

But when the unthinkable happens and dangerous men seek revenge against the Amos family, Jonas must decide between hiding from his past or putting his badge back on and risking everything to save the family he doesn’t want to admit he loves.

Set against the sprawling backdrop of Alaska, this sweeping book brings to life the rich history of taming a land that was never meant to be tamed and one family’s fight for justice amid the adversity of changing times.

Children of the Shadows by Erica Vetsch

Detective Daniel Swann and debutante Juliette Thorndike once again team up to solve a dangerous mystery–while trying to keep their growing romance secret.

Someone is preying upon the street children of Regency London. They seem to think no one will notice when urchins go missing–and even if they are noticed, who will care?

Daniel needs to do something about the missing children. But with recent revelations about his past and an unexpected, somewhat unwelcome inheritance to deal with, this is a terrible time to dive back into the seedy underbelly of the crime world. Nevertheless, he’s still a Bow Street runner, and his partner Lady Juliette is sensitive to the plight of these wayward youngsters. They’re on the case, searching shadowed alleys and coal-drenched streets to find the missing.

But the tangle of expectation and the dynamics of power cannot be easily ignored, even if there are children in danger. When Daniel’s past threatens to overwhelm his future, he will need a miracle and the help of his friends to both apprehend the villain and unravel his tangled family web. And it may be that his new responsibilities demand that he leave the children of the shadows to their terrible fate–or lose everything.

Erica Vetsch’s popular Regency mystery series concludes with a bang, sure to satisfy readers who have hung on every page since book one.

Crossroads by C.C. Warrens

RUN AND DON’T LOOK BACK.

I’LL FIND YOU WHEN IT’S SAFE.

Those were the last words Holly whispered to her six year old foster sister before the little girl fled into the trees and disappeared from existence.

Fifteen years later, Cassandra Ward is still missing.

Holly is haunted by the possibility that she sent her foster sister running from one monster and into the clutches of another. How else could a child vanish without a trace?

Determined to find her, Holly sifts through her own dark memories for clues, revisits her past, and chases a lead across the country with Jordan by her side. But the search for Cassie takes a dangerous turn when an altercation in the mountains leaves them stranded, cut off from the outside world, and running for their lives.

The Last Exchange by Charles Martin

“Here’s the catch—even if I make it out of here alive, I need a reason to breathe again.”

When MacThomas Pockets finished his last tour as part of the Scottish Special Forces, he was hired to consult for a film director to finesse some scenes that weren’t working. In a twist he never saw coming, he ended up moving to L.A. to work as the bodyguard for movie star Maybe Joe Sue.

It didn’t take long for Pockets to realize there were two Joe Sues: The Joe Sue the public saw with her perfect life and her Hollywood husband. And the private Joe Sue: the one with the traumatic youth that no amount of pills could cover up, who desperately wanted a child of her own.

Even after their paths diverged, he continued to track Joe Sue’s life. Only a few would notice when the bottom fell out. But he did. And that’s when he stepped in.

One man seeks to answer the question: How far would you go—really— to save someone you love? And in the masterful hands of New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin, finding the answer will take readers on an intense and heart-wrenching journey to the very end.

The Mermaid’s Tale by L. E. Richmond

A Tail Could Tell a Tale

Locklyn Adair has never fit in. The legs she inherited as a result of her great-great-grandmother’s curse make it impossible for her to belong under the sea. When her niece is also born without a tail, Locklyn is determined to save her from similar rejection by sending her to the only place in the Undersea Realm where legs are acceptable—the Lost Island of Atlantis.

Darin Aalto would do anything to protect his family, even spearheading an impossible quest to find treasure that has been lost for over a hundred years. But when his best friend, Locklyn, joins his crew, his ability to keep her safe—and his shot at winning her heart—comes perilously close to being swept away.

A family curse, lost treasure, unrequited love, and a race against time intertwine as Locklyn and Darin seek to save their family, their kingdom, and eventually the entire Undersea Realm without losing each other.

Book Recommendation – All’s Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon

Book Description:

Two workplace rivals. One festive competition. And a romance that upends it all.

Every December two things are guaranteed for graphic designer Mackenzie Graham–Christmas celebrations and the annual promotion at her workplace. Those two things are by no means mutually exclusive. In fact, the better an employee is at harnessing the Christmas spirit, the more likely they’ll win the new job. With her social anxiety, Mackenzie never thought she’d be a contender in her company’s holiday competition, so how exactly has she found herself dueling her workplace crush with wrapping paper tubes and using tinsel as her weapon of choice for a much-needed raise?

Jeremy Fletcher’s life is meticulously planned out, including how to win this year’s promotion at work. Not only will the new position fulfill some of his career goals, but as a single guardian to his twin niece and nephew, he needs the salary increase to support his family. Jeremy has barely noticed Mackenzie Graham around the office, but now that she’s his rival, he can’t stop thinking about her. Her quirkiness intrigues him, and he’s afraid that if he can’t get his head on straight, the promotion isn’t the only thing he’ll end up losing to Mackenzie.

Narelle’s Thoughts:

I enjoyed reading All’s Fair in Love and Christmas. Mackenzie has severe social anxiety and struggles to talk to people. She’s had a secret crush on her colleague, Jeremy, for years. Her boss at the graphic design firm has set up Mackenzie to compete with Jeremy for a job promotion after Christmas. Mackenzie’s mother has Alzheimer’s and is living in an expensive care facility. A pay rise next year would take financial pressure off Mackenzie.

Jeremy is raising his twin niece and nephew on his own, and he doesn’t have time for a relationship around work and caring responsibilities. A job promotion would assist in topping up the twins’ college fund. His colleague, Mackenzie, is shy, and she wasn’t on his radar until the promotion opportunity arose.

A fun romance develops as they embrace the joy of the Christmas season. Jeremy starts to see Mackenzie and get to know her. I appreciated learning more about the struggles that people may face when dealing with debilitating social anxiety. I recommend All’s Fair in Love and Christmas to contemporary romance readers who like Christmas romcoms with multilayered and quirky characters who are dealing with relatable issues, and a relevant faith element in the story.

Many thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Book Recommendation – Guarding His Secret by Jill Kemerer

Book Description:

Telling the truth could set him free

He’s hiding something…

Can a special K-9 encourage him to reveal all?

When a family crisis leaves rancher Randy Watkins caring for a surprise baby nephew, he turns to longtime friend Hannah Carr for help. But Randy has a heart condition—a secret he’s determined to hide…until Hannah’s clever retired service dog threatens to expose it. As friendship turns to something more, can Randy trust Hannah with the truth?

Narelle’s Thoughts:

I enjoyed reading Guarding His Secret, set in a small town in Wyoming. The story is part of Love Inspired’s K-9 Companion multi-author series that include service dogs in the stories.

Hannah is a school teacher who is on summer vacation. She’s preparing to train a puppy for the service dog program, and she’s on the waiting list for a retired service dog. Her long time friend, Randy, owns the bait and tackle shop in town. Randy’s older brother, Austin, who runs the family ranch, has to unexpectedly leave town. Randy can’t be in two places at once, and he asks Hannah to take care of his shop while Randy works on the ranch.

Hannah has her hands full with a puppy and a retired service dog, Ned, who adores Randy. Hannah and Randy spend more time together when Randy’s brother returns to the ranch with a baby. Randy and Hannah have feelings for each other, but Randy is hiding a health issue that’s stopping him from pursuing Hannah.

I recommend Guarding his Secret to contemporary romance readers who like friends-to-more small town romances with puppies and babies that includes a relevant faith element in the story. The characters and story world are part of Jill Kemerer’s Wyoming Ranches series and the story would fit in between books 2 and 3.

Book Recommendation – You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh

Book Description:

It’s the most wonderful time of the year–for everyone except Starr Lewis.

As if going home for the holidays jobless and single wasn’t bad enough, she’s dragged into a holiday season full of activities leading up to her sister’s uber-romantic Christmas Eve wedding–to Starr’s ex-boyfriend. But when her brother’s best friend, Waylon Emmerson, attends their family Thanksgiving, she starts to wonder if maybe coming home for Christmas isn’t so bad after all.

As Starr finds the perfect distraction in helping Waylon make over his late mother’s Christmas shop, the most wonderful time of the year works its magic and the spark between them grows. But with the holidays fast approaching, Starr must decide what she wants out of life after the gifts are unwrapped and the ornaments are put away–to go back to New York City or to open her heart to a love that will last beyond Christmas Day?

Narelle’s Thoughts:

I enjoyed reading You Make It Feel Like Christmas, set in Washington DC. Starr is the youngest of five siblings and she feels like a failure. Her NYC job was made redundant, and she returns home to DC for Thanksgiving. She plans to stay with her parents until Christmas, and find a NYC job in the New Year. Starr’s bridezilla older sister is getting married at Christmas to Starr’s ex-boyfriend, which is beyond awkward and an emotionally painful situation.

Starr is dreading all the wedding preparation drama, and she is happy to reconnect with Waylon, her brother’s best friend. He’s alone for the holiday season and appreciates being invited to spend time with Starr’s family. Waylon is drawn to Starr and he empathizes with her messy family wedding situation.

A lovely Christmas romance unfolds amid the family drama that kept me turning the page. I appreciated the satisfying story ending. I recommend You Make It Feel Like Christmas to contemporary romance readers who like heartwarming Christmas romances with the brother’s best friend trope and a relevant faith element in the story.

Many thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Book Recommendation – Persian Blue Puzzle by Susan Page Davis

Book Description:

An antisocial cat, an elusive investment broker, and a hope-selling psychic raise suspicions in a western Kentucky community.

Someone’s broken into Miss Louanne’s house. Campbell McBride and her father Bill have moved their home and detective business into an old Victorian house. Their new neighbors bring in unexpected cases for True Blue Investigations to unravel. While helping Miss Louanne look for her missing cat, Campbell learns of other suspicious activities in Murray. Another neighbor tells the detectives about a stranger in town who’s peddling an investment plan. They aren’t sure any crimes have been committed, but they’re intrigued enough for Campbell to visit a psychic along with police detective Keith Fuller’s mom and to start checking up on the financier. Things heat up when a customer threatens the psychic and then she vanishes.

Narelle’s Thoughts:

I enjoyed reading Persian Blue Puzzle, a delightful cozy mystery that’s the third book in the True Blue Mysteries series and can be read as a standalone. Campbell is an amateur sleuth and private investigator who works for her father’s firm. A missing Persian cat, a fake psychic, and a shady financial advisor set off a chain of events that inspires Campbell, and a quirky cast of side characters, to do important PI work for their clients and solve the mysteries that unfold in the story. Keith, the police detective, is Campbell’s love interest, and they have history from earlier books in the series. I recommend Persian Blue Puzzle to cozy mystery readers who like fun and light-hearted small town mysteries with romantic elements and a subtle faith element in the story.

Christian Fiction New Releases: September 2023

The Billionaire’s Teacher by Elizabeth Maddrey

One of the things I’ve been looking forward to since opening my scuba shop is leading groups to dive in all the amazing spots around the globe. The Galapagos and Great Barrier Reef are calling.

First things first, though. I figure we’ll start off with the Caribbean.

Which is why I’m headed down to spend some time scouting resorts and dive spots on the various islands. I’ve chartered a yacht, complete with a captain who, I’m told, knows everything there is to know about diving down here.

Of course, when I booked the trip, I pictured a grizzled old pirate at the wheel. What else was I supposed to imagine when I was told their name was “Sonny”? Imagine my surprise when I get to the dock and the captain is definitely not a man.

Sunny—short for Sunshine—is the best there is. And she’s got at least ten years on me, so it’s not like there can be anything romantic. Older women have never been my vibe.

So I’ll spend the time with her, alone on the boat, and soak up all the things she has to teach me. And do everything in my power to ignore just how good she looks while she does it.

It’s only three weeks.

What can go wrong?

The Billionaire’s Teacher is an age-gap, older woman, stranded together contemporary Christian romance.

Heart in the Clouds by Jennifer Mistmorgan

He’s a charismatic Australian bomber pilot used to beating the odds.
She’s the radio operator he speaks to each night before he flies.
He makes a bet that he can steal a kiss….and ends up getting much more than he bargained for.


If you enjoyed gripping wartime romances by Sarah Sundin and Roseanna M White, you’ll love this heart-stopping story of love, chance and consequence.

RAF Bottesford, November 1942: Maggie Morrison joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force for a free ticket into the romance she craved, away from her sleepy life as a vicar’s daughter. But the men of Bomber Command are careless with the hearts of women. She hides the pain of her broken heart and mother’s sudden death behind calm confidence on the airfield radio, as the last voice men hear before they fly into danger.

Australian pilot Alec Thomas is a gambling man on a winning streak. Every night when he flies with RAF Bomber Command, the odds of surviving are fifty-fifty. And every night so far, he’s made it back to English soil. But as the battles over Europe intensify, Alec’s luck feels less certain.

When Alec bets with his crew he can get Maggie to kiss him before the year is out, he has no idea it’s the most important wager he’ll ever make. But pursuing her leads Alec to reexamine everything he believes about his so-called luck, prompting him to question what—or who—is behind it all. Even if Alec can win his bet, can his risk-taking ways win her heart? Or will his luck in the brutal air war over Europe run out before their first kiss?

You Make It Feel like Christmas by Toni Shiloh

It’s the most wonderful time of the year–for everyone except Starr Lewis.

As if going home for the holidays jobless and single wasn’t bad enough, she’s dragged into a holiday season full of activities leading up to her sister’s uber-romantic Christmas Eve wedding–to Starr’s ex-boyfriend. But when her brother’s best friend, Waylon Emmerson, attends their family Thanksgiving, she starts to wonder if maybe coming home for Christmas isn’t so bad after all.

As Starr finds the perfect distraction in helping Waylon make over his late mother’s Christmas shop, the most wonderful time of the year works its magic and the spark between them grows. But with the holidays fast approaching, Starr must decide what she wants out of life after the gifts are unwrapped and the ornaments are put away–to go back to New York City or to open her heart to a love that will last beyond Christmas Day?

Their Surprise Second Chance by Lindi Peterson

Could the past she kept hidden…

Renew an unexpected love?

After her adult son survives a plane crash, Nicole St. John believes the one person who can help him heal is his pilot father—who doesn’t know the twenty-four-year-old exists. Now Adam Hawk will do anything to support his son, even spend time with the woman who kept him a secret. But as old feelings resurface, can Adam convince Nicole she’s the final piece in their new family?

The Realtor’s Attendant by Rose Fresquez

She’s escaping an arranged marriage. He’s recovering from a disastrous wedding. When sparks fly between them, will they brave a second chance at love?

Touted as the ideal daughter, Hope Njeri chafes under her dad’s strict rule and dreams of discovering who she is beyond his influence and traveling the world beyond his threshold. So, when he tries to pressure her into an arranged marriage, she flees Kenya for Uganda, determined to become the woman she’s always kept hidden. Even if that means working around the clock as a hotel maid and putting up with her overly critical boss.

After being left at the altar, small-town Realtor Gavin Kress jumps at the opportunity to spend a year in Uganda doing charity work. Maybe some distance from his ex will help him heal. Dating is the last thing on his mind—until the beautiful Hope stumbles into his life and restarts his heart.

When he witnesses her boss verbally harass her, Gavin steps in to help—and gets her fired. With no other options, she accepts his offer to work with his charity organization. But as their feelings blossom, Hope and Gavin must decide how hard they’re willing to fight for true love—especially when they travel back to his small town and his ex wants a second chance.

Gavin’s let a woman walk away before, and Hope’s always let everything get taken away from her. But this time, can Gavin trust the woman he loves isn’t going to walk out? And if Hope fights for the love of her life, can she stand up to his parents who aren’t fond of her?

This is the seventh and last standalone book that concludes The caregiver series. Each book can be read in any order.

We Three Kings by Crystal Caudill, Cara Putman, and Angela Ruth Strong

In this Christmas collection, Weise men still seek Jesus–and love

Best-selling romance authors Caudill, Putman, and Strong follow three generations of the Weise family in this third collection of Christmas novellas from Kregel that will prove just as popular as the previous award-winning volumes.

“Star of Wonder” by Crystal Caudill

The Christmas-themed maiden voyage of his family’s grand steamer ship was supposed to be Aldrich Weise’s chance both to instill investor confidence and to romance Celestia Isaacs. Instead, he must foil a criminal and leave his lady love behind forever.

“Beauty Bright” by Cara Putman

Lieutenant Charles Weise served as a Monuments Man after World War II and now works to restore stolen art to rightful owners. Captain Lillian Thorsen pairs up with him not only to return treasures but also to fix the war-torn lives around them.

“Perfect Light” by Angela Ruth Strong

Essential oils mogul Brendon Wise is drawn to Lacey Foster, the event planner for his huge Christmas lights festival. But when he inadvertently makes a spectacle of her on television, Lacey wants nothing to do with him. Will a chance to give gifts to those in need at Christmas be the key to discovering common ground–and maybe love?

Wildflower Falls by Denise Hunter

He’s here to train her horses, and then he’s moving on. She’s keeping her true identity a secret. But their spark complicates both of their plans.

When her mother’s death leaves Charlotte Simpson bereft, she hopes the Robinson clan will accept her as one of their own and help fill the void. But a startling discovery dashes her hopes and leaves her wondering if she will ever know the father she’s always longed for.

Horse trainer Gunner Dawson has experienced profound loss and intends to avoid it. So he lives on the move without forming close bonds or putting down roots. When Charlotte hires him to work with her horses and help expand her ranch, he commits to staying for a few months. But he doesn’t count on getting caught up in Charlotte’s search for her biological father. Or on falling in love—with Riverbend Gap or with Charlotte. This time, he’s not sure if he’ll be able to move on—or if he even wants to.

The queen of heartwarming, small-town love stories returns to Riverbend Gap with a deeply satisfying tale of love’s healing power.

A Louisiana Christmas to Remember by Morgan Tarpley Smith, Betsy St. Amant, Lenora Worth

A Rare Snowfall Leads to a Christmas to Remember

Three heartwarming, interconnected stories of faith, love, and restoration, brought to you by three Louisiana-native authors. Will a rare snowy Louisiana Christmas bring restoration and hope to the hometown and hearts of three women from the town’s founding family?
 
In A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith, meet Mattie: A passionate visionary who learns to forgive and finds love in unexpected places…
 
In Restoring Christmas by Betsy St. Amant, meet Jolene: An artist and prodigal daughter who discovers love exists in the very place she once called home…
 
In A Christmas Reunion by Lenora Worth, meet Adale: A beautiful widow who finally dares to love again…
 
And don’t forget Granny, whose feisty spirit, blunt dialogue, and quirky ways play an important and endearing role.

All’s Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon

Two workplace rivals. One festive competition. And a romance that upends it all.

Every December two things are guaranteed for graphic designer Mackenzie Graham–Christmas celebrations and the annual promotion at her workplace. Those two things are by no means mutually exclusive. In fact, the better an employee is at harnessing the Christmas spirit, the more likely they’ll win the new job. With her social anxiety, Mackenzie never thought she’d be a contender in her company’s holiday competition, so how exactly has she found herself dueling her workplace crush with wrapping paper tubes and using tinsel as her weapon of choice for a much-needed raise?

Jeremy Fletcher’s life is meticulously planned out, including how to win this year’s promotion at work. Not only will the new position fulfill some of his career goals, but as a single guardian to his twin niece and nephew, he needs the salary increase to support his family. Jeremy has barely noticed Mackenzie Graham around the office, but now that she’s his rival, he can’t stop thinking about her. Her quirkiness intrigues him, and he’s afraid that if he can’t get his head on straight, the promotion isn’t the only thing he’ll end up losing to Mackenzie.

Love Like a Cowboy’s Smile by Carolyne Aarsen

Years ago, she gave him her heart. Now, she doesn’t dare give him a smile…

Broken hearted, Miriam left town for a successful modeling career — and to patch up her confidence. Now she’s back home to sell her mother’s farm — not rekindle doomed romances. But despite all the years between, despite how Jake shattered her heart, as soon as Miriam sees him again, the old emotions flood back. Not ideal.

Jake thought Miriam was in his past. After he broke up with her, their lives took an entirely different trajectory. She went off to the big city and he stayed in the country, married, had a daughter — then became a widower. Seeing Miriam on home soil again stirs something Jake thought was long dormant. But his daughter comes first. And Miriam? Miriam can only be a memory.

When a family illness means Jake needs Miriam’s help, they find themselves forced to work together — forced to see each other every day. Proximity creates unwelcome intimacy, which grows into emotions neither trusts.
As secrets from the past threaten to dictate their future, Miriam and Jake need to decide whether the present is worth fighting for.

Buy Love Like a Cowboy’s Smile to discover the joys of first loves reunited.

Lake Shore Wandering by Jennifer Rodewald

Is love worth the gamble? And if so, will memory-restored Bennett still feel the same?

Hazel is working on a plan to keep her peaceful, remote life. When Bennet shows up pretending to be something he’s not, she knows she’s running out of time. Luckily for her, he hit his head and can’t remember a thing. With sudden inspiration thanks to an eighties rom-com, she’s got a whole new plan.

Convince Bennett they’re married? Check. Convince Bennett he belongs in Elk Canyon with her? That’s another task altogether . . . one that just might end up gambling her heart.

Center Point by Nancy J. Farrier

Her husband is married to someone else—or is he?

Glenna Mitchell is done. With her horrible life. With the mistakes she made. And with her lying husband. How could he say they’d been married all these years when that other woman has a marriage certificate listing him as her husband—dated before Glenna even met him. He might say it wasn’t true, but who should she believe? Jeffrey Mitchell is ready to fight. To get his life back. To find out the truth. And to have Glenna, the love of his life, back by his side. But the evidence is against him. What that woman says can’t be true. Can it?

When Jeffrey has a bicycle accident and is unable to care for himself, Glenna reluctantly agrees to bring him back to their house and care for him. As Glenna and Jeffrey spend time together, she realizes maybe she jumped to conclusions. She might need to give him a second chance. Might even still love him. Jeffrey has to take things slow when all he wants to do is grab Glenna and hold her tight—except his arms, with the cast and sling, are like T-rex appendages.

When Glenna’s job takes a stalkerish turn after she finds discrepancies in the company’s books, she and Jeffrey are pulled into a conflict between the company owner, the FBI, and a hired killer. Will they find a solution before the worst happens? Will their love be rekindled, perhaps stronger than before? Are the other woman’s claims false?

Where Love is Planted by Dawn Kinzer

She’s bound to past promises.
He’s captive to future goals.
Will their loyalty to others cost them their own happiness?
Or will something beautiful grow where love is planted?

Two years have passed since a tragedy changed Beth Miller’s life forever. Since her father’s and brother’s unexpected deaths, Beth has put her future as a licensed horticultural therapist on hold. The garden center and floral shop that her mom and sister love is struggling. And her young brother’s widow is still trying to find her way. Beth’s devotion puts her family’s needs first.

To further his career and atone for his own tainted past, Tyler Sharp accepts a position as a social worker at a women’s prison. The facility is located near his great-aunt in the small port town of Meriside, Washington. While he’s intrigued with the woman living in the studio apartment behind his aunt’s home, as soon as he can return to Colorado, he and his best friend will initiate a program there for at-risk-kids.

As secrets are exposed and hearts soften, their growing feelings for each other bring new challenges. Will Beth complete a necessary internship if it means helping the person who caused her loved ones so much pain? And if she’s unwilling to leave her family, and Tyler will never intentionally disappoint his loyal buddy in Colorado, how could they ever hope to create a life together?

Join Beth and Tyler in the Pacific Northwest as they explore what it means to sacrifice, hope for the future, and experience miracles where love is planted.

Tropical Target by Jennifer Pierce

Being accused of murdering a client isn’t good for business.

Tropical islands are popular for destination weddings. But Le Cadeau Île won’t be a popular destination for long if Detective Noa Tanielu can’t find out who is responsible for a ring of thefts occurring during weddings. When the thefts escalate to the murder of a bridezilla, the most likely suspect is the new wedding photographer.

Wedding photographer Haley Marsh moved to the island to nurse her broken heart and start over after being dumped two days before her wedding. When she’s moved from the suspect list to the target list, a little white lie leads to a fake engagement. With Haley’s connections to the wedding business, it’s clear the key to solving this case lies in keeping up the charade.

Noa and Haley must navigate the investigation and Noa’s mother’s attempts to make the engagement all too real…if they survive that is.

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.

The Prodigal Prince by Carol Moncado

She’s an actress and model contemplating obscurity.
He’s a prince avoiding his responsibilities.
Will shared trauma bring them together?

Castles & Courtships
Book 4
Royals of Islas del Sargasso


Fiona Westgate has been called many things.

Model
Actress
Single Mom

But no one ever calls her helpless.

Until the day she gets a message:

We’ve got your kid.

Desperation drives her to Islas del Sargasso where she hopes the royal family will come through for her.

Even if their errant prince never told them he had a child.

News of the kidnapping sends members of at least four royal families into crisis mode. How can they ensure the safe return while bringing those accountable to justice?

Tentacles of a villain long-thought dead spring to life as the journey takes them deep into family lore – and uncovers secrets best kept buried.

The revelations could tear the Sargassian family – and their people – apart or the truth can prove once and for all that family, even royal family, is far more than genetics.

When it does, will he stay and take responsibility or will he once again become the prodigal prince?

The Cost of a Crown by Joy Crain

Missy Hanson never dreamed of falling in love and living happily ever after. In fact, she doesn’t know what she wants to do after she graduates from college; nevertheless, she’s content working as a journalist for her local newspaper and assisting at her aunt’s California bakery. When a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity emerges for her to visit the southeast Asian country of Andelar, Missy is thrown into the world of royalty as the special guest of the king and queen—and it’s clear she doesn’t belong, despite her family ties to the area. But the royal family isn’t without its mysteries. Rumors abound that a secret prince is hiding amid Andelar’s society, and Missy is determined to find out who he is.

Aiden Waverly never wanted a crown or a title. He craves a normal life, but being a secret prince of biracial background is difficult enough and would create chaos amid the tabloids if the press learned about his parentage. After years of traveling the world to help those in the greatest of need, he’s faced with a life-altering decision: take his place as crown prince or walk away as a commoner. With no clear path that will satisfy him and the royal family, the tug between following his heart and doing his duty to Andelar becomes harder every day.

When a chance encounter throws Missy and Aiden together, neither of them are prepared to challenge what they thought they knew about themselves. And when an ancient royal law threatens to tear them apart, they must decide how much they are willing to risk for love.

Heart Restoration by Regina Rudd Merrick

For interior designer Lisa Reno things go from bad to worse when her contractor-brother falls off a ladder and breaks his leg. Now she has to deal with the past coming back to haunt her, an old house with a corpse in the creepy cellar, and her best friend trying her best to fix her up with any man that moves.

Nick Woodward is willing to do his old college roommate a favor−especially since it involves renovating his own inheritance. The last thing he wants is to get involved with anyone. When he lost his wife and unborn child so suddenly, he had made the decision to keep God and everyone else at arm’s length. So far, so good.

Ah, the difference a trip to a dingy basement makes.

Countin’ on Jesse by Mary Pat Johns

Peeps’ gym owner Jesse seeks accreditation. Accountant Brenna wants to help Jesse and Peeps more than anything. They’re a great team, but can she count on him when trouble strikes?

Accountant Brenna McKinley only wants what’s best for Peeps, the wildly popular gym in Valiant, Texas. But when money goes missing, and she’s the obvious suspect, will she be able to clear her name or face criminal charges? Keeping her dream job matters but falling in love with her boss isn’t part of the plan. Neither is the creepy guy stalking her.

Young veteran Jesse Jacobs manages and co-owns Peeps, an exercise facility in Valiant, Texas. He needs help to gain accreditation for the gym, and his new accountant is all in. But is she who she seems? Too bad he’s falling for her like a man with no parachute. When the pressure builds, PTSD renders him moody and volatile, risking everything he loves.

Broken Dreams by Laura Scott

Medical drama from the Monroe Family!

Can she rebuild her broken dreams?

After losing Shane Reinhart, the man she’d hoped to marry, registered nurse Amber Monroe is desperate to put the pieces of her life back together. To do that, she must break free of her family obligations. Moving on shouldn’t be so difficult, but things become complicated when Dr. Nick Tanner enters the picture.

Former trauma surgeon turned patient; Nick has come to Milwaukee to return Shane’s personal items to Amber Monroe. Nick’s body and spirit are broken, but meeting the Monroe family begins to heal him in a way he hadn’t thought possible. Yet it’s clear Amber has a plan, one that doesn’t include him. Letting her go isn’t easy. Unless he can find a way to convince her that love is an adventure, too…

Until Then by Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall

Until then may I use my time as you desire . . .

In 1985, Old Order Amish couple Celeste and Vin Lantz have been married for six years. Vin is a carpenter by trade but an artist in his heart. He is especially captivated by drawing portraits, which the Amish consider idolatry. Knowing they could be shunned, Celeste is shocked to discover that Vin has secretly been sketching her and their sons. When she confronts Vin, they argue and Vin storms off . . . and seems to disappear, leaving Celeste to wonder if he chose his art over his family.

When he leaves the house that night, Vin seeks peace on his favorite mountain overlook. But he takes a fall and wakes to find himself injured and lost. Vin soon realizes just how far he has traveled―not only in distance but back in time, to 1822 Ohio, a place that provides the freedom he craved but where he is separated from his beloved wife and children. Vin is saved by the kindness of strangers and gradually learns to survive and even to use his skills to help his new friends in this unfamiliar time and place. But all the while he prays desperately for God to return him to his family, before Celeste makes a new life without him.

For fans of Amish romance and time-slip novels comes a gripping story of faith, freedom, redemption, and the truest desires of the heart by New York Times bestselling author Cindy Woodsmall.

On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni

Cora Matthews’s life is a mess. A broken engagement and the unexpected death of her mother have left her wondering if things will ever return to normal. Whatever “normal” is.

It certainly isn’t what she finds at Moonberry Lake. After she receives her family’s dilapidated lakefront lodge as an inheritance–with a surprising condition attached–Cora finds her life overrun by a parade of eccentric neighbors who all have something to say and something to teach her.

As Cora works to put her life back together, she must decide if she is willing to let go of the past, open her heart to love, and embrace the craziest version of family and home she could ever have imagined.

Finding Their Christmas Home by Donna Gartshore

A holiday homecoming

Could lead to a second chance…

After years away, Jenny Powell returns to her grandmother’s home, known as “Christmas House,” only to find her ex already there. A household emergency left David Hart and his twin daughters with nowhere else to go, and he enlists Jenny to help him give his daughters a Christmas they’ll never forget. But with the past standing between them, could this holiday season bring the gift of a happily-ever-after for them all?

Redeeming the Cowboy by Lisa Jordan

How does a cowboy know when to hang on

…and when to let go?

Five years ago, bull rider Bear Stone lost everything. His best friend. His fiancée. His career. And Piper Healy, his best friend’s wife, never forgave him for the rodeo accident that killed her husband. Now they’re working together to save his family’s ranch. But can this cowboy choose between his last chance at the rodeo…and the woman he’s falling for?

A Companion for Christmas by Lee Tobin McClain

A family secret…

Could be an unexpected Christmas gift.

To escape the small-town gossip around her broken engagement, Kelly Walsh plans to house-sit alone with her therapy dog, Pokey—not spend the holidays with her late sister’s ex-boyfriend. But when Alec Wilkins and his daughter arrive on her doorstep, Kelly can’t turn them away. Soon the temporary arrangement has Kelly wishing for more. Only, Alec has a secret that could change everything…

Rescuing the Stolen Child by Connie Queen

Time is running out…

and a child’s life is on the line

When Lieutenant Texas Ranger Zane Adcock is attacked, he learns two shocking things: his estranged daughter has a son…and his grandson has been taken. The desperate kidnapper needs Zane to investigate an old murder case, and little Wyatt is his leverage. Zane, with help from his ex-fiancée, Bliss Walker, has days to clear a wrongly convicted inmate—or his grandson will pay the price.

Undercover Operation by Maggie K. Black

Rescuing valuable stolen puppies requires

a K-9 officer to go deep undercover

K-9 officer Asher Gilmore and trainer Peyton Burns have two tasks: rescue three stolen bloodhound puppies and expose a drug ring. To outwit the criminal masterminds, they must go undercover as married smugglers with the help of an underwater-detection dog. But infiltrating the crime ring proves more dangerous than expected, putting the operation, the puppies and their own lives at risk.

Christmas Murder Cover-Up by Shannon Redmon

From investigating a murder

to becoming a killer’s target

Narcotics detective Liz Burke is too late to save her confidential informant from a professional assassin and narrowly survives the encounter. Now she has no memory of the killer—and she’s got a target on her back this Christmas. With homicide detective Oz Kelly’s help, Liz will have to survive long enough to unravel a deadly cover-up…or fall victim to a lethal crash.

Tracked Through the Woods by Laura Scott

Targeted by the mob…

and there’s no place to hide

Abby Miller is determined to find her missing FBI informant father before the mafia does, but time is ticking away. Someone tried to kill her father before he disappeared—and now gunmen are on her trail. Teaming with Agent Wyatt Kane is her only chance to uncover an FBI mole—and survive the mob. But finding the truth could uncover deadly secrets…and lead them into a dangerous trap.

Seeking Justice by Sharee Stover

An agent and her K-9 partner risk their lives

in the ultimate mission

With her partner gravely injured in the line of duty, FBI agent Tiandra Daugherty has one shot to complete her mission. She’ll have to convince her partner’s twin brother, Officer Elijah Kenyon, to take his place undercover in a deadly drug ring. Together they must find justice for his brother and dismantle the gang. But the target is now on them, and the mission could prove fatal.

A Family for the Twins by Christina Rich

Can they work together…

to keep twin babies safe?

When twin babies are left in her store, spinster Fanny Ellis is determined to care for them until their mother is found. But when gunslinger Graham Staddler appears with a wanted poster of a woman Fanny suspects is the babies’ mother—and who Graham claims is his sister—she discovers the infants are in danger. Both want to find the children’s mother while keeping the twins safe. But can they protect their charges without losing their hearts to each other?

Their Inconvenient Marriage by Elizabeth Rowan

Can an unsuitable pair…

make the perfect match?

Heading west to California is schoolteacher Lorna Alderly’s best chance to find a job—and the independence she craves. But the rough mining camp of Woods River isn’t as welcoming as she expects, especially surly widower Jesse Kittredge. Struggling to raise two children, the illiterate miner gives Lorna six months before she quits. Yet he’s soon swayed by her dedication and charm. When a scandal threatens Lorna’s reputation, Jesse offers marriage—in name only. But could this arrangement lead to a love neither expects?

He Walks Among Us by Christy Barritt

With a killer walking among them, no one is safe . . .

When the newly formed Arctic Circle Murder Club meets in Fairbanks, Alaska, to investigate the mystery of the Missing Women of Dalton Highway, their plans take a gruesome turn.

Upon the group’s arrival at the hotel, three women’s frozen bodies are pulled from the nearby river. When a friend of one of the victims pleads for help finding out who’s behind the murders, how can they say no?

The club must detour from their original plan and dive into the recesses of a killer’s mind before another victim is claimed. As they seek the truth behind the murders, opposition hits them at every turn. Shocking revelations from the past along with brimming conflict threaten to end the group just as they’ve started.

Can this group of true crime podcasters uncover someone’s dark secrets before one of their own plunges into an icy grave?

Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills

For the past five years, FBI Special Agent Risa Jacobs has worked in the violent crimes against children division of the Houston FBI. She’s never had reason to believe there’s a target on her back . . . until now.

When the long-awaited reunion between Risa and her brother, Trenton, ends in tragedy, Risa is riddled with guilt, unable to cope with the responsibility she feels over his death. On leave from the FBI, Risa returns to her former career as an English teacher at a local college, only to see her past and present collide when one of her students, Carson Mercury, turns in an assignment that reads like an eyewitness account of her brother’s murder, with details never revealed publicly.

Alarmed by Carson’s inside knowledge of Trenton’s death, Risa reaches out to her former partner at the FBI. Special Agent Gage Patterson has been working a string of baby kidnappings, but he agrees to help look into Carson’s background. Risa and Gage soon discover their cases might be connected as a string of high-value thefts have occurred at properties where security systems were installed by Carson’s stepfather and children have gone missing. There’s a far more sinister plot at play than they ever imagined, and innocent lives are in danger.

For fans of romantic suspense comes a heart-pounding thriller about loss, betrayal, and finding the strength to trust again.

Expired Vows by Lisa Phillips and Laura Conaway

Fire. Family. Faith.
Last Chance Fire and Rescue


She sees the promise of freedom. He vowed to always be the hero.

EMT Trace Bently came back to Last Chance County to escape his past. After the loss of his wife, he gave up a promising career as a police officer for the chance to save lives every day as part of the Fire Department. When a hostage situation demands the help of a local counselor, Trace realizes the past he left behind has found him. He’s being given a second chance to save the life of someone he cares about.

If he can face the grief he buried.

Family Counselor Kelsey Scott has to secure this grant or admit failure. She can’t afford to lose any more pieces of the life she wants because of her own choices. When Kelsey becomes the target of a series of dangerous attacks, Trace steps in determined to protect his wife’s best friend. This hero breaks down all her resistance, but Kelsey can’t risk her own heart.

Even if it’s what will set them both free.

Another thrilling installment in the Last Chance Fire and Rescue series.

Cavern’s Curse by Lauralee Bliss

A cave of death…or love?

Jared Edwards has been played the fool. Mammoth Cave’s doctor promised miracles for consumption victims and he believed it. But instead of celebrating the recovery of his aunt Mattie, he’s burying her and being sent away amid his uncle Dwight’s accusations. Driven by guilt, Jared is determined to close the death cave and restore his family.

Rose Barnett longed for finer things after a life of poverty. Mammoth Cave seems to bring this as she and her family work to keep the cave open for visitors and curiosity seekers. But under the threat of Jared and others, she may see her dreams vanish.

Will this cave of a curse become a cave of restoration and bring Jared and Rose together when the odds are the greatest?

This novel is based on the fascinating history of Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky.

Redemption in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd

Two sisters alone on the Kentucky frontier…love is the last thing they expect to find.

After the death of their parents during the Hard Winter, Margaret and her sister have struggled to survive. Between her mother’s dying wish that Margaret protect her sister, and the nagging sensation that they are not alone, guilt and worry are her constant companions. And if someone is following them, is their watcher friend or foe?

Henry Donegal can’t afford roots, not with the pain and guilt of the life he’s left behind, or the memory of the drink that once threatened to consume him. But his solitary life as a long hunter in the wilds of Kentucky finds a new path when he happens upon a young woman digging a grave for her own mother. Unable to pull himself away when he realizes that she and her sister are on their own, he begins to provide anonymous aid. But when the women truly need him, can he risk leaving his solitary life behind to step in and fill the void?

Captivated by the Cowgirl by Jody Hedlund

Now that her sisters are both married, Felicity Courtney manages the Courtney Boardinghouse alone. After nearly collapsing from exhaustion while caring for an invalid man and his wife who are staying at the boardinghouse, Felicity posts an advertisement for a hired hand.

Philip Berg, a prince in disguise, is hiding in Fairplay while attempting to stay one step ahead of an assassin. When the spirited Felicity Courtney tacks up a notice that she is hiring help, he offers to do the job as he is unable to leave her in such distress. Although he knows his presence could pose danger and that he needs to move on from Fairplay, he can’t tear himself away.

Felicity has no intention of employing the handsome but exasperating Philip Berg, but when an early winter storm hits, she finds herself battling the elements and is grateful for his assistance. Love begins to blossom, but secret revelations and encroaching peril threaten to tear them apart forever.

The Rose by Cara Grandle

Under the thumb of her overbearing half-brother, Rose Briggs fights for survival on the treacherous Oregon Trail. Her sole desire is to claim independence and establish a mercantile close to her beloved Porcelain Doll sisters. Unbeknownst to her, she becomes entangled in the perilous schemes of a cunning sibling duo, Boone and Sandy, masterminds of a ruthless ring of thieves.

Amos Pate, a former outlaw, has shed his past and the weight of destitution, determined never to steal again. Yet, when his loved ones’ lives hang in the balance, he is torn between honoring his pledge and taking action.

United by circumstance, Rose and Amos forge ahead as allies, forever evading the clutches of a relentless criminal gang. Their hopes, dreams, and existence hinge on outsmarting their adversaries, for failure would mean surrendering all they hold dear.

A Counterfeit Betrothal by Denise Weimer

A frontier scout, a healing widow, and a desperate fight for peace.

At the farthest Georgia outpost this side of hostile Creek Territory in 1813, Jared Lockridge serves his country as a scout to redeem his father’s botched heritage. If he can help secure peace against Indians allied to the British, he can bring his betrothed to the home he’s building and open his cabinetry shop. Then he comes across a burning cabin and a traumatized woman just widowed by a fatal shot.

Freed from a cruel marriage, Esther Andrews agrees to winter at the Lockridge homestead to help Jared’s pregnant sister-in-law. Lame in one foot, Esther has always known she is secondhand goods, but the gentle carpenter-turned-scout draws her heart with as much skill as he creates furniture from wood. His family’s love offers hope even as violence erupts along the frontier—and Jared’s investigation into local incidents brings danger to their doorstep. Yet how could Esther ever hope a loyal man like Jared would choose her over a fine lady?

The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass by Katie Powner

For the first time in his life, Pete has everything to lose.

After years of drifting, fifty-year-old Pete Ryman has settled down with his potbellied pig, Pearl, in the small Montana town of Sleeping Grass–a place he never expected to see again. It’s not the life he dreamed of, but there aren’t many prospects for a high-school dropout like him.

Elderly widow Wilma Jacobsen carries a burden of guilt over her part in events that led to Pete leaving Sleeping Grass decades ago. Now that he’s back, she’s been praying for the chance to make things right, but she never expected God’s answer to leave her flat on her face–literally–and up to her ears in meddling.

When the younger sister Pete was separated from as a child shows up in Sleeping Grass with her eleven-year-old son, Pete is forced to face a past he buried long ago, and Wilma discovers her long-awaited chance at redemption may come at a higher cost than she’s willing to pay.

The Secrets Beneath by Kimberly Woodhouse

Some secrets can only stay buried for so long. . . .

Anna Lakeman has spent her life working alongside her paleontologist father, drawing intricate sketches at every dig. When they find dinosaur bones near their home in Wyoming Territory, they’re given the opportunity of a lifetime and are swiftly caught up in the competitive era of the Bone Wars. But after her father becomes sick and Joshua Ziegler, an old beau, returns for the summer, Anna’s world is upended, and the practical, orderly life she has made for herself shatters.

Medical student Joshua Ziegler left his hometown to forget Anna, the one woman he truly loved and deeply hurt. But when he returns, time hasn’t erased the feelings they’ve always had for each other. After Joshua’s nephew goes missing–just like his sister did years ago–and Anna’s job is threatened, tensions mount and dangerous secrets are unearthed.

When the Curlews Call by Joanne Markey

Some say all Sophia Randall thinks of are romance novels and dance frocks…

That may have been true once, but when war broke out, reaching even to our isolated corner of the bush, my priorities changed. I now read news from afar and dance but rarely.

Only my love for the Almighty God, for family and friends, for the man who captured my heart, for the bush, and for the call of the curlew haven’t changed. Especially the call of the curlew.

Some say it’s mournful—even sinister—but I’ve always delighted in that lonely cry heralding the end of another day. And when Kenny went off to war, it became a promise—a reminder of his love and determination to return.

When the unthinkable happens, my prayers become listless. New challenges surface. Ghostly footsteps join the coal trucks rumbling through town. Dingoes lurk in the shadows. Valuables vanish. A… presence chases me through the bush. Burdens weigh me down, and I forget to remember.

But is all lost? Would the pain in my heart be easier to bear if I stopped to listen for the curlews’ call?

Loosely based on “The Boy Who Disappeared”, When the Curlews Call is a story of ghostly doings, missing airmen, and a young girl desperate to keep the home fires burning when all hope seems lost. Told through a series of letters, readers will follow Sophia’s journey, sharing her triumphs and trials all through the long, dark days of World War II.

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton by Melanie Dobson

In this compelling new time-slip mystery, a little girl goes missing from her family’s castle in the Thousand Islands of New York. Eighty-five years later, a journalist teams up with a woman living on Koster Isle to find out what happened to Poppy, once and for all.

1907. On the eve of her fifth birthday, Poppy Pendleton is tucked safely in her bed, listening to her parents entertain New York’s gilded society in their Thousand Islands castle; the next morning, she is gone, and her father is found dead in his smoking room.

1992. Though Chloe Ridell lives in the shadows of Poppy’s castle, now in ruins, she has little interest in the mystery that still captivates tourists and locals alike. She is focused on preserving the island she inherited from her grandparents and reviving their vintage candy shop. Until the day a girl named Emma shows up on Chloe’s doorstep, with few possessions, save a tattered scrapbook that connects her to the Pendleton family. When a reporter arrives at Chloe’s store, asking questions about her grandfather, Chloe decides to help him dig into a past she’d thought best left buried. The haunting truth about Poppy, they soon discover, could save Emma’s life, so Chloe and Logan must work together to investigate exactly what happened long ago on Koster Isle.

The Legacy of Longdale Manor by Carrie Turansky

Two women–a century apart–embark on a journey to healing, faith, forgiveness, and romance.

In 2012, art historian Gwen Morris travels to England’s Lake District to appraise the paintings and antiques of an old family friend, hoping to prove herself to her prestigious grandfather. While at Longdale Manor, she meets David Bradford–the owner’s handsome grandson–who is desperate to save the crumbling estate by turning it into a luxury hotel. When Gwen stumbles upon a one-hundred-year-old journal and an intricately carved shepherd’s staff similar to one in a photo of her parents, she’s left searching for answers.

In 1912, after her father’s death, Charlotte Harper uncovers a painful family secret she can only confess to her journal. She and her family travel to the Lake District to stay on a sheep farm, hoping eventually to find a home with Charlotte’s grandfather at Longdale Manor, but old wounds and bitter regrets make it a difficult challenge. As Charlotte grows closer to shepherd Ian Storey and rebuilds her shattered faith, she must decide whether she will ever trust in love again.

The Eternity Gate by Katherine Briggs

Destroy the key. Save her people and herself.

The Eternity Gate is found, and kings and monsters battle over its legends of treasure. But rumors whisper that someone stole the gate’s ancient key.

Seyo, handmaiden to the princess, keeps three secrets. First, she’s gifted in fire, not light, and may as well be cursed. Second, she translates a prophecy warning that the gate does not offer treasure but judgment. Third, Jorai, the scorned prince and Seyo’s confidant, entrusts her with the key and disappears.

Surrounded by war, Seyo and her companions embark on a journey to seek help from a faraway empire and find Jorai, unaware of the trap awaiting them. But what should Seyo do with the key? Who can survive judgment, especially someone as flawed as her? Will hiding the key—or destroying it—save her people or ensure their defeat?

Book Recommendation – The Lost Manuscript by Mollie Rushmeyer

Book Description:

In the vein of The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick, a priceless manuscript could be one woman’s key to finding her missing grandmother—and to her own second chance.

It’s not just Ellora Lockwood’s home that’s being emptied as she prepares to sell—her heart seems to be empty too. Since the mysterious disappearance of her beloved Grandma June and separating from her husband, Alex, Ellora has felt adrift. Then comes an invitation from Alex to teach history at a summer program at Alnwick Castle in England. He’s even found information about the location of a medieval manuscript that was her grandmother’s obsession before she vanished.

Warily, Ellora accepts Alex’s offer. Surrounded by lush English countryside and captivating history, she pieces together clues about the manuscript’s whereabouts—and uncovers new questions. Could someone have been sabotaging her grandmother’s work? Anonymous threats lead Ellora to suspect she too may be in danger, but as she and Alex work together, she’s finding strength, new purpose and the courage to see this quest through, wherever it may lead…

Narelle’s Thoughts:

I enjoyed reading The Lost Manuscript, set in a small town in north-western England. Ellie’s grandmother is missing, and she disappeared in England while searching for a mysterious lost manuscript. Ellie takes on a history teaching role at the historic English college where her estranged husband is living and working because she wants to solve the mystery of her grandmother’s disappearance.

Traumatic circumstances led to the breakdown of Ellie and Alex’s marriage, and the emotional fallout is explored in the story. Alex assists Ellie in her search for her grandmother and the elusive lost manuscript, and they’re forced to deal with the consequences of their past choices.

I appreciated the strong faith element and the forgiveness themes in the story. Historical fiction readers will love the fascinating historical threads woven into a contemporary fiction story. I recommend The Lost Manuscript to contemporary romance readers who like married couple romances with a compelling mystery that draws on the rich historic setting of an English castle and village.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Love Inspired for the advanced reader copy.

Book Recommendation – Positively Penelope by Pepper Basham

Book Description:

The world could do with a little more kindness and positivity and random acts of singing, don’t you think?

Dear Reader, My name is Penelope, and while I may not be a real-life princess, I’ve been told I possess a certain fairy-tale heroine quality. I wield optimism as my weapon of choice, don amazing shoes and vintage hats whenever possible, and speak in musical references. All of which perfectly qualifies me to succeed in my new role as a marketing intern at the historic Darling House theater on the island of Skymar.

Only . . . it seems this internship position is going to be a LOT bigger than I thought. The Gray family, who owns the theater, has been stuck in a rut of darkness ever since the loss of their matriarchs. Now all that’s left is a dying theater, a reclusive grandfather, three siblings, and an adorable seven-year-old girl who desperately needs some pixie-dust magic.

So that’s what this story is about. My plans to save the theater! (Plans that, somehow, keep being stolen by a local competitor.) And an anonymous online theater troupe. And two single brothers who may be vying for this American girl’s heart . . . until they’re not (or maybe they just want me for my ideas too). And a dream job offer that will require me to make a truly heart-wrenching decision. I may not excel at finishing stories, but I promise to see this one through to its happily ever after.

Positively,

Penelope

Narelle’s Thoughts:

I enjoyed reading Positively Penelope, a charming romance story set on a fictional island in northern Europe. The story opens in an epistolary style with messages and email communications that tell the story. There is a shift toward the middle of the book to less epistolary content in the latter part of the story.

The story has strong grumpy sunshine themes. Penelope is radiating brilliant sunshine and exudes optimism and positivity, irrespective of the circumstances. Her glass isn’t just half fill. Her glass is abundantly overflowing with positivity all the time accompanied by a refreshing dose of honesty.

The Gray brothers, who own the community theatre that Penelope is trying to save, have very different personalities. As the story progresses, it becomes clear which brother Penelope is falling for, and why. That said, I wouldn’t describe the story as a love triangle. A delightful romance unfolds that leads to a satisfying happily-ever-after.

Penelope is obsessed with Julie Andrews and Mary Poppins, and it wasn’t until I was well into the story and saw a reference to Blue Ridge Mountains that I realized I’d mistakenly believed Penelope was British. I still enjoyed the story, despite my minor confusion in hearing Penelope’s voice in Julie Andrews’ British accent in my head for part of the story. I recommend Positively Penelope to contemporary romance readers who like epistolary style stories with grumpy sunshine themes and a relevant faith element in the story.

Many thanks to the author for providing an advanced reader copy.

Happy Release Day – Her Cowboy Blind Date

I’m excited to share my new book, Her Cowboy Blind Date, is releasing today. The ebook is available from Amazon Kindle and the paperback is coming soon.

Here’s the Book Description:

He’s a small-town guy, a cowboy at heart. She’s a city girl from the other side of the world. Will a blind date lead to a love that lasts a lifetime?

Farm mechanic Sam Williams is on the cusp of realizing his dream of being a rancher after inheriting a share in his family’s Colorado ranch. He’s keen to make plans and leave Gilead in the dust after his friend’s Easter Saturday wedding. First he needs a plus-one for the wedding, to avoid a super awkward encounter with his high-school girlfriend who has just married the best man.

After a devastating public betrayal by her high-profile ex, Bek Montford is hiding out in Kansas. She’s calling herself Becky, licking her wounds and focusing on the things that make her happy. Drawn to the annual passion play at Gilead Bible College where she’s living, she volunteers to work behind the scenes.

Since Becky is only in Gilead until June, a blind date with a suitable plus-one before the wedding seems like the perfect solution for Sam. No strings and no commitment.

But the blind date turns into a not-so-fake relationship when Sam and Becky must work together on the passion play. Can they overcome past emotional wounds and geographical distance to create a future together?

An opposites attract, different worlds, blind date and fake relationship contemporary Christian romance.

Easter in Gilead series:

Book 1 – Her Unlikely Hero by Valerie Comer

Book 2 – Her Billionaire Benefactor by Elizabeth Maddrey

Book 3 – His Runaway Crush by Heather Gray

Book Recommendation – Hero Debut by Angela Ruth Strong

Book Description:

Gemma Bennett is the leading lady of her own life, and her true love is writing screenplays. With her trusty pink notebook in hand, she signs up for the Citizen’s Safety Academy to research her newest blockbuster hope, a rom-com with a police officer as the hero. And the fact that the handsome and heroic Lieutenant Karson Zellner is the one leading the training? Well, who can blame her for wanting to spend evenings with the man she swooned over months ago when he responded to a call at her apartment?

Karson already has his fair share of problems before Gemma shows up, and he’s not exactly a fan of the ditzy blonde who can’t seem to stay out of trouble. The last thing he needs is a damsel in distress to rescue; there are plenty of people in real need of his help. The fact that she seems to think his job makes him a superhero is just one more strike against her. This isn’t a movie, and he feels like the furthest thing from a leading man.

Gemma can’t seem to stop doing the worst, most embarrassing things at just the wrong time. And as time goes on, Gemma begins to realize that the scripts for a perfect screenplay and a real-life happily-ever-after are two very different things. Can she step out of her own way to find the hero her story needs?

Narelle’s Thoughts:

I enjoyed reading Hero Debut, and I read it quickly, within 24 hours, because I couldn’t stop turning the pages. I loved Husband Auditions, the first book in the series, and Hero Debut is another fabulous romcom from Angela Ruth Strong that’s set in Portland, Oregon.

Gemma is a high school English teacher who writes screenplays and is looking for her big break. She’s also Barbie-beautiful, has worked as an actor, and literally stops traffic because everyone notices her appearance. Her beauty is a blessing and a curse, and she has a complicated relationship with her identical twin sister.

Gemma wants to get to know the handsome policeman, Karson, who we first met in Husband Auditions when neighbors saw an unusual situation in Gemma’s apartment and called the police. Karson showed no interest in dating Gemma and seemed perplexed by the vexatious call out.

Karson’s lack of interest piqued Gemma’s curiosity. Kai and Charlie are Gemma’s roommates, and the trio enrol in the Citizen’s Safety Academy that Karson runs at the police station. Gemma signs up at the last minute so Karson can’t avoid her. Gemma’s looking to learn more about police procedures and spend time with Karson.

Karson is now a lieutenant and in charge of the policing section of the Citizen’s Safety Academy. The firefighters run the second part of the course. Karson recognizes that Gemma is trouble. She has a habit of getting caught up in hilarious situations.

Karson’s struggling with emotional baggage from his past. He’s the cynical grump with a heart of gold. She’s the optimistic sunshine who’s hiding her own emotional pain.

A poignant and heartwarming romance unfolds as Karson and Gemma challenge each other to deal with their emotional wounds. I loved the faith threads in the story and how Karson and Gemma identified with specific Old Testament Biblical people who had walked a similar spiritual journey. I recommend Hero Debut to contemporary romance readers who like LOL romantic comedies with depth and a relevant faith element in the story.

Many thanks to Kregel and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.