He thinks she’s an elderly widow. She’s convinced he’s a grumpy old man. Neither could be further from the truth.
After a short and difficult marriage, recently widowed Edith Sherman has learned her lesson. Forget love. Forget marriage. She plans to fill her thirties with adventure. As she awaits the final paperwork for a humanitarian trip to South Africa, she accepts a short-term nursing position in a small Midwestern town. The last thing she needs is a handsome local catching her eye. How inconvenient is that?
Henry Hobbes isn’t exactly thrilled to have Edith, who he assumes is an elderly widow, dumped on him as a houseguest for the summer. But he’d do almost anything for his niece, who is practically like a sister to him given how close they are in age. Especially since Edith will be working nights and Henry works most days. When he and Edith keep missing each other in person, they begin exchanging notes—short messages at first, then longer letters, sharing increasingly personal parts of their lives.
By the time Henry realizes his mistake—that Edith is actually the brown-eyed beauty he keeps bumping into around town—their hearts are so intertwined he hopes they never unravel. But with her departure date rapidly approaching, and Henry’s roots firmly planted at home, Edith must ultimately decide if the adventure of her dreams is the one right in front of her.
Reminiscent of the beloved classic You’ve Got Mail comes a delightful new romantic comedy about mistaken identities, second chances, and finding love in unexpected places.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I loved reading Dear Henry, Love Edith, a small town romantic comedy novel from debut author Becca Kinzer. When I first saw the title, I thought the book was a historical romance. Once I started reading, I found the mistaken identity trope LOL hilarious, especially because I’d made the same initial wrong assumptions as the main characters.
Henry has taken over the family painting and construction business and is struggling to live up to family expectations. He lives in a small town in Illinois, and his niece has promised a friend that she’ll provide accommodation in her home over the summer for a lady named Edith.
Edith is a nurse, and she’s filling in time in Illinois doing overnight volunteering at a women’s shelter while waiting for her passport to arrive. Edith’s grand plan is to follow God’s calling and embark on an overseas adventure by doing volunteer work in South Africa.
Henry’s niece’s kitchen unexpectedly floods, and she talks Henry into letting Edith stay in his home until the kitchen problem is fixed. When Henry learns Edith is a widow who’s temporarily in town doing volunteer work, he assumes Edith is a senior. Edith assumes that Uncle Henry must be a generation older than his niece, and Edith appreciates the opportunity to stay in his home.
Henry and Edith’s first meeting, as strangers in the town diner, is LOL hilarious. They’re drawn to each other, but they have no idea that they’re living in the same house because they’re like ships passing in the night. They start leaving notes in the kitchen that evolve into lengthy letters where they share deeper thoughts and feelings with each other.
I loved how the mistaken identity romance trope played out in the story. The cast of supporting characters in town were quirky and funny and created more misunderstandings for Henry and Edith as the story progressed. Edith’s late husband’s brother, Steve, is the villain who I liked seeing getting what he deserved in LOL situations. I appreciated the faith elements in the story that challenged the characters to move outside their comfort zones and touched on deeper issues.
I recommend Dear Henry, Love Edith to contemporary romance readers who like mistaken identity romcoms with a relevant faith element in the story. Many thanks to Tyndale and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.
Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network–field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough.
Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy who just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the intelligent Margot, but how can he convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life’s answers lie in the heart?
Amid biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save themselves from the very secrets that brought them together.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White, set in London in 1917 during WW1, and the first book in The Codebreakers series. Margot is a fascinating character with a mathematically brilliant mind. She thinks in numbers, sees patterns in the numbers, and is a valuable resource for the British Navy in the war effort because of her ability to crack codes.
When the story opens, Drake is a British Navy Officer who’s working undercover in neutral Spain where his grandfather lives. He’s intrigued by his first meeting at Admiral Hall with the aloof Margo, and he later discovers Margo is his sister, Dot’s, new best friend.
I appreciated how Margo and Drake’s unconventional romantic relationship develops, from acquaintances to friends to something more. Margo is young, and her education in her native Belgium was disrupted by the war. She wants to go to university, and is not at all interested in marrying and having children. The back story for Margo’s family leaving Belgium for England is explored in her brother’s romance story, A Song Unheard.
I love reading historical romances that include real life historical settings in the story. Margo works in London at Admiral Hall in Room 40, which is a secret location where intelligence officers and codebreakers examine intercepted telegrams and other communications to discover the real messages behind the encrypted words.
Danger is lurking around the characters, and the suspense element in the story kept me turning the page, wanting to know what happens next. I found the codebreaking elements in the story intriguing and insightful. I recommend The Number of Love to historical romance readers who like WW1 English settings with a suspense subplot and a relevant faith element in the story.
Small-town romance with faith, humor, and more than a dash of danger!
An elusive woman with secrets, a quiet cowboy, a precocious child and a rebellious teenager, and a marriage of convenience that hides real feelings…
Arianna Montemayor is so far from her comfort zone that it’s not even on the same planet when this eternal nomad and former runaway considers becoming an instant mom. To win custody of her niece and nephew, she needs a stable job, a house, and a husband, not necessarily in that order. For help, she turns to a local cowboy and the most responsible man she’s ever met, Kieran O’Neill. But once scarred in many senses by men she trusted, dare she trust again?
Kieran would never refuse someone in need, especially orphaned children or the woman whose affection he’s been trying unsuccessfully to win. He’s drawn to her even if she keeps everything about herself a secret. But if he marries her, it wouldn’t be a marriage of convenience for him, but a real one. Then he discovers the children have scary secrets, as well, ones they don’t realize themselves.
When danger strikes, will Arianna have to sacrifice her new life to keep Kieran and the children safe?
Can an actress in hiding trust that the good and loving heart of a homely man is worth far more than fame, looks, or money?
On the surface, Micki Mason was half of Hollywood’s most glamorous couple. The reality couldn’t have been more different. When her former co-star’s London wedding gives the actress a perfect opportunity to disappear, she grabs the chance to escape her abusive fiancé, not to mention her pushy and controlling manager/mom. Hiding disguised as Shelly, a live-in volunteer in a homeless shelter, she’s found the one place no one would ever look for her.
To her surprise, she loves the opportunity to live like an ordinary person and to help others. Okay, so she’s never done dishes or swept a floor before? She’s a quick learner, and Simon, the shelter manager, is kind and patient. Then she discovers her ex’s last attack left her with long term consequences to deal with.
Army veteran Simon Lewis has dedicated himself to serving God as the manager of an inner-city homeless shelter. His life has no room for romance. There’s something that doesn’t quite add up about the lovely American volunteer who doesn’t have a clue about the simplest tasks. But when she’s in desperate need of help, he doesn’t hesitate to offer a marriage of convenience to protect her and her unborn baby.
The last man Micki expected to fall in love with, in the last place she expected to find the happy home she’s never known, might just be the one who can cherish her hurting heart and show her how much God still loves her. But can she leave her former life behind forever ? And how will Simon react when he discovers the truth she hasn’t been brave enough to reveal to him?
Book 9 in the Love in Store series of stand-alone romances set in London.
She’s searching everywhere for the perfect date, is it possible he’s been right in front of her all along?
Kindergarten teacher Serafina Bianchi loves her students and wants children of her own, so when her boyfriend dumps her, she dives into the world of online dating. But after a few disastrous encounters, she realizes she needs a dating coach if she plans to land a husband! And who could better train her in what men want in a woman than her lifelong friend, the suave billionaire Logan Stone?
CEO Logan Stone is decisive in the boardroom, but noncommittal in relationships. With his negligent upbringing before his adoption, he’ll never have the perfect marriage his parents have, and the upcoming Stone family reunion he’s planning in their small town constantly reminds him of what he lacks.
When Serafina asks him to coach her to be the perfect date, Logan agrees, but only if she’ll help plan the reunion. Neither expects their fake dates to stir up real feelings. But maybe he’s taught her too well—now that he’s the one falling for her.
She’s seen him dump one too many women, and he’s afraid he can’t be the guy she needs. Can their friendship survive a romance?
He thinks she’s an elderly widow. She’s convinced he’s a grumpy old man. Neither could be further from the truth.
After a short and difficult marriage, recently widowed Edith Sherman has learned her lesson. Forget love. Forget marriage. She plans to fill her thirties with adventure. As she awaits the final paperwork for a humanitarian trip to South Africa, she accepts a short-term nursing position in a small Midwestern town. The last thing she needs is a handsome local catching her eye. How inconvenient is that?
Henry Hobbes isn’t exactly thrilled to have Edith, who he assumes is an elderly widow, dumped on him as a houseguest for the summer. But he’d do almost anything for his niece, who is practically like a sister to him given how close they are in age. Especially since Edith will be working nights and Henry works most days. When he and Edith keep missing each other in person, they begin exchanging notes—short messages at first, then longer letters, sharing increasingly personal parts of their lives.
By the time Henry realizes his mistake—that Edith is actually the brown-eyed beauty he keeps bumping into around town—their hearts are so intertwined he hopes they never unravel. But with her departure date rapidly approaching, and Henry’s roots firmly planted at home, Edith must ultimately decide if the adventure of her dreams is the one right in front of her.
Reminiscent of the beloved classic You’ve Got Mail comes a delightful new romantic comedy about mistaken identities, second chances, and finding love in unexpected places.
When Smith Long strides into his new hometown, he doesn’t expect to get bowled over by a woman chasing her cow whom she claims has fallen in love with a pig. Doesn’t every small town have that one crazy person?
He’s not laughing later, though, when his aunt informs him that in order for him to receive the old, rundown property she’d promised him, he has to marry the crazy woman he’d hoped to never see again.
Abrielle Adams is squatting on Sweet Briar Ranch and hoping that she’ll get back on her feet before the heir shows up. Wishful thinking since she finds out that the man who’d kept her from catching her cow is the very person she was trying to avoid.
But now Abrielle has been offered the one thing she could really use – half ownership of the Sweet Briar Ranch – and all she has to do is marry a (grumpy, sour, and okay, handsome) stranger.
To both Abrielle and Smith, marriage is more than convenience and a vow is a lifetime commitment. Will they see how much they have in common and decide they need each other?
What Zander León doesn’t know about love could fill a library, but here he is, doling out advice on stuff he knows nothing about. He’d prefer to stick to a predetermined playlist or answer general questions about fishing and boating, but he signed a contract and being a man of his word, he’ll follow through and hope for the best. Gulp.
Known for being the kid who never took life seriously, he still lives to put a smile on people’s faces, but when Gabbi Shepherd, the ghost from his past, shows up on the beach one morning, why is smiling so hard for him? And why does the advice he dishes out every night apply to everyone but him? If he can’t take himself seriously, how can anyone else?
Dial L for Lovely: Will she teach the ex-class clown that sometimes, laughter is the best medicine, even in relationships?
With one “yes” everything Hope Fuller has sought could be hers.
Hope Fuller has life all planned out. Following a short trip to Briar Creek, North Carolina to help her sister, Hope will return home to Florida and begin her teaching career. Alas, keeping her trip short proves challenging after she sees someone from her past—a handsome lawyer who makes her heart want to plant itself within the community.
Dylan Gaines is just starting out his small-town legal practice and has his own plans for life. However, his reunion with Hope just might change some of them. Then again, their last attempt at romance ended up straining their friendship.
What will it take for Dylan and Hope to strike out on a different journey this time, one where love takes the wheel and leaves solitary plans in the dust?
Self-made man Ryder Montgomery is the guy with all the answers…until he inherits custody of his out-of-control twin nephews. Nanny Elise Cooper is a lifesaver and even agrees to give him parenting lessons. Soon they’re starting to feel like a real family. But with an end-of-summer expiration date, is it even possible to build a future together?
Returning home after losing her job, Macey Stone agrees to care for the daughter of old friend Cole Crawford. Then she discovers that Cole’s uncle’s company wants to bulldoze her family’s land. Seeing the devoted dad with his child soon has her falling for the enemy. But can she choose between saving Stone River Ranch…and helping the man who’s stolen her heart?
Blaine Mayer’s life gets complicated when his high school crush, Sienna Powell—pregnant and recently divorced—comes to stay on his family’s ranch. He needs to focus on the cattle but can’t stop spending time with her. As Sienna’s visit nears its end, Blaine hates the thought of her walking out of his life for good. Can he prove to Sienna that he’s the man she needs?
Under witness protection, widower Greyson McKinsey is determined to build a safe future for his twin girls while keeping their identities hidden. But when the struggling dad mistakes Savannah Espinoza for the new nanny, he can’t help but encourage his daughters’ instant connection with the pretty carpenter. Savannah might be just what his family needs…yet exposing the truth could be dangerous to their lives and their hearts.
Fleeing after witnessing a shooting in her office, Bailey Scott must rely on cowboy Jackson Walker for protection when the gunman turns his sights on her. With a drug ring determined to silence her, Jackson promises to protect her at his ranch. But he’s an undercover DEA agent with secrets he can’t reveal. Can he take down the criminals before their pursuers lead them straight into an inescapable trap?
Taken by men who think she’s her identical twin, Charlotte Halstead finds herself staring down the barrel of a gun. Thanks to bounty hunter Wade Fast Horse, she escapes their clutches, but she’s not safe for long. Her twin sister suddenly goes missing, and someone wants Charlotte dead. Wade is her only hope for survival, but can they find Charlotte’s sister before the killer finds them?
After witnessing an abduction, FBI agent Luke Harmon vows to return the teenage victim safely to her aunt, his ex, Abby Mitchell. But Abby has a secret—the girl is their daughter. To rescue his child from a human trafficking ring, he’ll partner with the woman who deceived him. But can he forgive the past before Abby becomes the next target…and his family is lost forever?
When multiple bombs tear through a courtroom, deputy US marshal Brian Forrester must assume guard duty of Judge Adele Weston. Someone wants her dead. Is it the cartel leader whose case she’s presiding over or an unknown killer from her past? With danger trailing them through the Texas countryside, they’ll have to find a safe haven before the next explosion finishes them off.
In the Alaskan wilderness, there’s only one way to track a serial killer: a K-9. For police captain Bre Dayton, that means working with her ex, search and rescue worker Griffin Knight. With her niece missing and possibly kidnapped, Bre has to find the murderer known as the Echo Pass Hunter—fast. Even if it means trusting the man who broke her heart…and putting herself in the killer’s crosshairs.
When Lady Ingrid Beauchamp’s parents give her a list of potential husbands, her musical ambitions are plunged into jeopardy. Busy dreaming of studying piano at the Paris Conservatoire, she has no time for marriage. Desperate, Ingrid hires London detective Gideon West to find fault in each suitor. With orphaned children to care for, Gideon is grateful for the fee. But as each name is crossed off the list, could this charming detective be the one man Ingrid might fall for?
Stepping off the train in Wyoming Territory, mail-order bride Vivian Eastman’s ready for a new life with her young ward—one that doesn’t involve marriage. Left destitute after her grandfather’s death, she’s determined never to rely on a man again. And after her groom-to-be, rugged rancher Craig Martin, discovers the bridal agency sent him a society lady, the widower’s all too happy to call off the wedding—even if his two children need a mother. But as Vivian’s feelings for the single father grow, maybe there’s a future for her at his homestead after all…
The law is about justice—not grace. But perhaps ranger Annie Pederson can find a way to have both.
As if the last few months haven’t been hard enough—complete with threats on her life and the return of her first love, Jon—Annie has to figure out whether or not to believe a woman who claims to be her sister, Sarah, who was abducted twenty-four years ago at age five. Annie’s eight-year-old daughter, Kylie, has plenty of questions about what’s going on in her mother’s life—but there are some stories Annie doesn’t want uncovered.
As Annie grapples with how to heal the gulf between her and her would-be sister and make room in her daughter’s life for Jon, she’s professionally distracted by the case of yet another missing hiker in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A woman named Michelle Fraser has now been abducted, and though the woman’s estranged husband is at the top of their suspect list, Annie and her colleagues will need to dig deeper to determine whether these recent mysteries are truly as unrelated as they seem.
In this second novel of bestselling author Colleen Coble’s latest romantic-suspense series, Annie and Jon must fight for the future—and the family—that could once more be theirs.
FBI Special Agent Grace Billingsley tracks serial killers, using her skills as a psychiatrist and behavioral analyst to get dangerous people off the street and safely behind bars. But prison psychiatrist Sam Monroe knows that just because a killer is incarcerated doesn’t mean they’re not a threat. His own father, Peter, is a serial killer–in prison but certainly not out of Sam’s life, as much as he wishes he was.
When bodies start showing up with Peter’s MO, Sam and Grace are both called in to consult. They’ve met before–and though Grace thought they’d made a real connection, Sam ghosted her. They’ll have to get past the awkwardness and mistrust to solve this case–especially because it’s about to get personal.
USA Today bestselling author Lynette Eason doesn’t give you time to catch your breath in this breakneck race to stop a serial killer.
In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley’s father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Lady Blythe awaits who will ultimately be crowned king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.
No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with the clothes on her back and her mistress in tow. He has his own problems–a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction in the wake of losing his father. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.
Drawn into a whirlwind of intrigue, shifting alliances, and ambitions, Lady Blythe must be careful whom she trusts. Her fortune, her future, and her very life are at stake. Those who appear to be adversaries may turn out to be allies–and those who pretend friendship may be enemies.
His army destroyed her livelihood. She represents the people he scorns. How can they reconcile their differences when the whole country is at war?
When the Union Army marches into Roswell, Georgia, and burns down the cotton mill where Rose Carrigan worked, not only is her livelihood destroyed but she’s also taken prisoner and shipped northward with the other workers. Only the unlikely kindness of one of her guards makes the trip bearable.
Union Captain Noah Griffin hates the part of his job that requires him to destroy the lives of innocent civilians, but at least he’s able to protect these women he’s been ordered to transport to Louisville, Kentucky. Especially the one whose quick wit and kindness draw him.
While they’re forced to wait in Marietta, two fugitives arrive to complicate matters between Rose and Noah. As Rose heads north and Noah returns to the battlefront, they each face fears and prejudices. With survival so tenuous, only faith can help them find love in the midst of so much tragedy.
In the world of the wealthy, things are never quite as they appear.
Ellie Hastings is tired of playing social gatekeeper—and poor-relation companion—to her Gibson Girl of a cousin. But her aunt insists Ellie lift her nose out of her detective novel long enough to help gauge the eligibility of bachelors during the winter social season at Florida’s Hotel Belleview. She finds plenty that’s mysterious about the suave, aloof Philadelphia inventor, Lewis Thornton. Why does he keep sneaking around the hotel? Does he have a secret sweetheart? And what is his connection to the evasive Mr. Gaspachi, slated to perform at Washington’s Birthday Ball?
Ellie’s comical sleuthing ought to put Lewis out, but the diffident way her family treats her smashes a hole in his normal reserve. When Florence Hastings’s diamond necklace goes missing, Ellie’s keen mind threatens to uncover not only Lewis’s secrets, but give him back hope for love.
In two world wars, intelligence and counterintelligence, prejudice, and self-sacrifice collide across two generations In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same–until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie’s inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling’s injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the SS officer he’s tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.
Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, never expecting to fall in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper’s daughter. But when war breaks out in Europe, their relationship is put in jeopardy and may not survive what lies ahead for them.
As the ripples from the Great War rock Evie and Sterling’s lives in World War II, it seems yesterday’s tides may sweep them all into danger again today.
Determined to resist the invading Nazis, a Greek Jewish woman’s greatest dream has become her worst nightmare, and now she faces an impossible choice whose consequences echo across the generations.
1941—The pounding of Nazi boots on the streets of Salonika, Greece, reverberates in Mathilda Nissim’s ears, shaking her large community of Sephardic Jews to its core and altering her life forever. If only her people would rise up and resist their captors. At great risk to herself and those around her, she uses the small newspaper she publishes to call them to action, all to no avail. Her husband encourages her to trust God to watch over them, but God has once again deserted His people. Amid the chaos, Mathilda discovers she’s expecting a longed-for child. Still, nothing stops the occupiers’ noose from tightening around their necks, and she may have to resort to desperate measures to ensure her daughter’s survival.
2019—College student Tessa Payton and her cousin take a popular DNA heritage test only to discover they don’t share any common ancestors. In fact, the test reveals Tessa is a Greek Sephardic Jew. This revelation threatens her tenuous faith. Always the overlooked child in her family, she empties her savings account and jets off on a journey to Greece to discover where she belongs and which God demands her allegiance. The enchanting curator at the Jewish museum guides her as she navigates life in Thessaloniki, helps with her genealogical research, and loans her a fascinating journal written by a Jewish woman during WWII. Tessa’s search, however, may open old wounds and uncover long-hidden secrets that could fracture her family forever and leave her with more questions than when she started.
Newly widowed with her second child due in a few months, Lily Johnson has nowhere to go until Toby Grimes, her late husband’s boss, asks her to stay on as housekeeper at his ranch. Remaining in the house Mr. Grimes built for her and her husband is an answered prayer. But malicious gossips see her godsend job as a ruse for a sinful dalliance since her employer is a nice-looking, single man.
God and a lot of others turned their backs on Toby during the war, so he returns the favor by keeping to himself. Yet the need to care for and protect Lily overwhelms him. The way she tugs at his heart scares him more than going into a losing battle.
Unwilling to allow anyone to destroy a fine woman’s reputation, he proposes a marriage of convenience. After much prayer, Lily accepts. Her first marriage was a love match made in heaven. The second leads down a trail only God knows. The peace she has concerning a marriage to a troubled man she doesn’t love begins a walk of faith to a destination neither she, nor Toby, can guess.
Is truth worth the price if it costs you everything?
For Tribune Glabrio, descended from three consuls of Rome and determined to be the fourth, commanding the troops policing Carthago appears ideal for hastening his political rise. Arriving from Rome with the secretly Christian Sartorus as his aide, Glabrio discovers the man he was to replace has vanished without a trace. Was the missing tribune too close to finding the counterfeiters Glabrio is now hunting? But no matter the cost, duty and honor require him to enforce Roman law.
Orphaned as a child and taken to live with her pagan grandfather, Martina met Jesus through her step-grandmother. Their faith was a well-kept secret, even from most of their family. With both grandparents now dead, her uncle helps Martina hide the faith he doesn’t share. But after a single dinner at her uncle’s, the new tribune is determined to get to know her. No matter what she does to discourage Glabrio, he won’t leave her alone. But if he discovers her faith, will it mean her death?
When Martina rescues Glabrio from the counterfeiter’s schemes, he learns the people who risked everything to save him share the faith that got his grandfather executed. Embracing that faith could cost him the future he planned on. As an officer of the empire, it’s his duty to reject it…but what if it’s true?
Dangerous times, difficult friendships, lives transformed by forgiveness and love
The Light in the Empire series of novels should delight lovers of Biblical fiction set in Roman times and lovers of ancient world historical fiction where world views collide.
Truth and Honor is the twelfth volume in the Light in the Empire series, which follows the interconnected lives of several Roman families during the reigns of Trajan and Hadrian. Each can be read stand-alone. The novels of the series will take you around the Empire, from Germania and Britannia to Thracia, Dacia, Judaea, North Africa, and, of course, to Rome itself.
Popular podcaster and ex-reporter Faith Byrne has made a name for herself telling stories of greatness after tragedy–but her real life does not mirror the stories she tells. While her daughters spend the summer in Hawaii with her ex-husband and his new wife, she must manage life on her own. But all that changes when she’s asked to spotlight her childhood best friend’s missing person case on her podcast.
Dora Crane has never accepted that her younger daughter could be dead, keeping her home looking the same as when her daughter disappeared. But when her husband leaves her, and her older daughter intervenes, she agrees to counseling and to pack up her missing daughter’s belongings under one condition: Faith Byrne comes to Deep Valley and sheds light on the cold case.
As the investigation moves forward, the two women uncover desperate secrets, and Faith and Dora must face the long-hidden truth before they can begin to move forward.
Award-winning author Christina Suzann Nelson masterfully leads readers on a journey of discovery, healing, and friendship in this suspenseful and poignant tale.
Amie Martin feels passionate about many issues. Choosing to forgive her old boyfriend is not one of them . . .
Amie Martin has never been more ready to trade in her quaint seaside Maine hometown for a life of studying art in New York. But when old flame August Colton returns to Camden and proclaims his undying love, Amie is torn between her future plans and forgiving August’s secret past.
Fresh out of college, August is intent on helping the family business as an architect. He’s finally earned the respect of his brother and grandfather and he’s finally glimpsing a way out from beneath his past. But when August’s grandfather suffers a health crisis and the woman he loves shows interest in a wandering artist staying at the bed and breakfast, August wonders if he won’t be paying for his past mistakes for the rest of his life.
Can Amie and August find faith in each other again? More importantly, can they find a faith that heals the broken parts of their past?
Book 6 in The Orchard House Bed and Breakfast Series is a contemporary twist on the well-loved classic, Little Women. Readers will fall in love with the Martin family—Maggie, Josie, Lizzie, Bronson, Amie, and their mother Hannah—each trying to find their own way in the world and each discovering that love, home, and hope are closer than they appear.
Emme is tasked with getting rid of the king, but kings are not an easy target, and this one is bent on purging his lands of pirates. As Emme’s job becomes increasingly dangerous, she learns to survive the pirate way—cunning and merciless—while consoling herself with one fact: she’s just doing what it takes to get home.
But when Emme mistakenly takes out the wrong man, not even the protective pirate captain can save her from the consequences. In a string of betrayals, one thing is certain. You can never trust a pirate.
According to Dr. Maggie Maguire, happiness is serious science, as serious as Maggie takes herself. But science can’t always account for life’s anomalies–for instance, why her fiancé dumped her for a silk-scarf acrobat and how the breakup sent Maggie spiraling into an extended ice cream-fueled chick flick binge.
Concerned that she might never pull herself out of this nosedive, Maggie’s friends book her as a speaker on a “New Year, New You” cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Maggie wonders if she’s qualified to teach others about happiness when she can’t muster up any for herself. But when a handsome stranger on board insists that smart women can’t ever be happy, Maggie sets out to prove him wrong. Along the way she may discover that happiness has far less to do with the head than with the heart.
Filled with memorable characters, snappy dialogue, and touching romance, Kristin Billerbeck’s The Theory of Happily Ever After shows that the search for happiness may be futile–because sometimes happiness is already out there searching for you.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I loved reading The Theory of Happily Ever After, a romantic comedy set on a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Maggie Maguire looks like she has it all together. She’s a professor at UCLA, a scientific expert on happiness, and she is the author of a NYT bestselling book, The Science of Bliss. In reality, Maggie is a hot mess after being dumped by her fiancé who is now marrying a young and pretty acrobat. Maggie has taken an unauthorised two month sabbatical where she’s hiding out in her L.A. apartment watching Hallmark romance movies, eating ice cream, and borrowing a cat from somewhere.
Maggie’s next contracted book is due soon, and she hasn’t started writing it. Maggie’s friends, Haley (her publicist), and Kathleen stage an intervention. They drag Maggie to Galveston, Texas, for a New Year, New You singles cruise where Maggie has speaking engagements booked, her face plastered all over the ship, and her new publisher onboard.
The cruise is LOL hilarious with crazy romantic situations, combined with Maggie’s impulsiveness and interesting social skills, creating chaos. She boards the ship and meets Sam, the attractive brother of her publisher who tells her upfront that he thinks her happiness theories are junk science. And then she meets the bartender, Brent, a restaurateur from Texas who’s happy-go-lucky and intent on having fun all the time.
The story is in first person point of view from Maggie’s perspective, and I appreciated the faith thread that underpinned the story. I recommend The Theory of Happily Ever After to contemporary romance readers who like romcoms with depth and a relevant faith element in the story.
When a young boy’s life is threatened, his dad will do anything to keep him safe, including eliciting the help of his single and beautiful school teacher.
One of Hope Creek, Montana’s most desired single men has his hands full this Christmas with a new puppy litter, work, and a rambunctious young son. Now, someone has threatened to harm his son if he doesn’t reveal the location of a mystery woman.
Second grade teacher, Bethany Evans, loves her job, but she wants more. Could Toby and his dad hold the key to making this Christmas extra special, or will the trouble they are facing not only ruin Christmas but destroy their lives in the process?
From Selah award winning author, a Christian romance novella with a touch of mystery and suspense.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading Found, a Christian romantic suspense Christmas novella set in Montana. Bethany is a school teacher who was previously burned from dating the father of a student, and she’s drawn to Ty, despite him being the father of her adorable eight year old student, Toby.
Ty is stunned to discover that a man claiming to be a school security guard is an imposter, and Toby might be in danger. A fun and sweet romance develops as Bethany is inadvertently caught up in the unfolding events with Ty and Toby, and she spends a lot of time with them in the lead up to Christmas.
I liked the suspense element in the story, and how the dangerous situations challenged Bethany and Ty to consider what’s important, and if their relationship could have a future. I recommend Found to romantic suspense readers who like page turning and inspiring Christmas novellas with a satisfying ending and a relevant faith element in the story.
What’ll it take for the prodigal daughter to share her deepest secrets… and her heart?
Josephine Green returns to the islands in an attempt to reconcile with her family, but with a cloud over the family business, and little in the way of gardening skills, Josie’s painful past and flaky ways prove less than endearing for Greener Gardens’ hardworking crew.
Stuck without any other options, Josie is forced to accept her sister’s offer of a job that takes her to Breakers Head where she encounters Aussie teacher, Lachlan Jones.
A long-lost relative might’ve brought Lachie to a tiny music recording studio on the Independence Islands, but it’s also brought questions about how to care for someone he barely knows, especially considering he’s the last family she has. Questions regarding his future soon pale when he encounters the vibrant-haired Josie, whose sass and attitude takes some getting used to.
Neither imagined more until they began to bond over music and environmental causes. Both discover that first impressions need not be lasting ones.
But with the future of Gardens Gardens looking shaky, and Josie’s faith and self-worth just as tenuous, can deepening a friendship into something more ever work? And what happens when Lachlan’s work means he has to return to Australia after Christmas? What’ll it take for two hearts to heal and make a future possible?
This Breakers Head novel is Carolyn Miller’s final book in the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.
The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.
Can an actress in hiding learn that the good and loving heart of a homely man is worth far more than fame, looks, or money?
On the surface, Micki Mason was half of Hollywood’s most glamorous couple. The reality couldn’t have been more different. When her former co-star’s London wedding gives the actress a perfect opportunity to disappear, she grabs it. The chance to escape her abusive fiancé, not to mention her mom and her pushy manager. Hiding disguised as a live-in volunteer in a homeless shelter, she’s found the one place no one would ever look for her. To her surprise, she loves the opportunity to live like an ordinary person and to help others. Okay, so she’s never done dishes or swept a floor before? She’s a quick learner, and Simon, the manager she works with most often, is kind and patient. Then she discovers her ex’s last violent attack left her with long term consequences to deal with.
Army veteran Simon Lewis gave up on romance years before and has dedicated himself to his faith and his work as manager of an inner-city homeless shelter. There’s something that doesn’t quite fit about the lovely American volunteer who doesn’t have a clue about the simplest tasks. But when she’s in desperate need of help, he doesn’t hesitate to offer a marriage of convenience to protect her and her unborn baby from her abusive ex. The last man Micki expected to fall in love with, in the last place she expected to find the happy home she’s never known, might just be the one who can cherish her hurting heart and show her how much God still loves her. But can she keep up her pretence and live like this for the rest of her life? And how will Simon react when he discovers the truth about her, and the lies she’s told him?
Book 9 in the Love in Store series of stand-alone romances set in London.
She’s on a series of blind dates, but all she can think about is her Secret Santa…
Alexis would rather skinny dip in a snowbank than make good on the bet she lost. Ten blind dates? As though the holidays weren’t hard enough, now she has to sit at awkward Christmas parties with men who were more likely to be intimidated by her military experience than infatuated. At least her Secret Santa was keeping things interesting.
K9 Specialist Jared Keen couldn’t believe his luck when he got his best friend’s name in the Secret Santa pool. After years of wishing he could tell Alexis how he felt, this is his chance to show her instead. At the same time, he just needs to convince her that their friendship can handle the pressure outside the friendzone, and pray that one of her ridiculous blind dates doesn’t derail his plan.
Return to Freedom, Colorado and enjoy the faith, friendships, and forever-afters of the Heroes of Freedom Ridge in this Christian Christmas romance.
Dallas wasn’t in the plans when Bree Henley set out to use the nonrefundable honeymoon tickets from her canceled wedding. Nor was running into ex-fiancé Nathan Hart. But their mutual friends and the weather have other ideas. A hurricane cancels their cruise and Bree decides to turn the disaster into a roadtrip for one, never imagining Nathan would object.
Nathan is furious when he uncovers the plot to get him back with Bree. But he can’t just let her go roaming around the big city of Dallas alone. Though he knows calling off their wedding was the right thing to do, he still cares for Bree. And before he knows what hits him, he’s volunteered to tag along. Suddenly, it’s a trip for two.
Spending the week together might remind them of why they fell in love. But is it enough to overcome the obstacles standing in the way of “til death do us part”?
Trace Murphy, longtime concierge at the Sea Glass Inn, is in a funk this Christmas.
The inn is full for the holidays, but no one seems to care that crimes are being committed right under all their noses. Well, no one except for the Ryan Gosling-lookalike in the Florence Suite …
She’d never let it bother her that the inn staff seemed to, well, take her for granted. But with a looming milestone birthday, and a general sense of unease, Trace is in need of a miracle.
Will secrets and mystery ruin Trace’s holiday? Or will she find joy—and new love this Christmas—at the Sea Glass Inn?
She’s having a ball for her birthday. He’s a soldier on leave. Can she find him in time to claim her rightful inheritance?
Tiaras & True Love Book 7 Royals of Eyjania
Princess Angelina Quatremaine is about to reach the age of majority which means she’ll finally have access to the property her great-grandfather left her in Sargasso.
The day after her birthday ball, she finds out the other condition of the will – she has to be married by the end of the year she turns twenty-one.
As the sheltered, almost-youngest princess, she doesn’t know nearly enough eligible bachelors – much less had the chance to fall in love with one in time to meet the deadline.
But there was the one guy from the birthday ball…
The one she’d never technically laid eyes on.
Angie thought they’d had a connection, but when he disappeared before they could have their first real dance, she wondered if she’d only imagined him.
When she finds his combat boots on palace grounds, can Angie use them to track down the Beau of the Ball?
Ambitious influencer Georgina Havoc and her designer beau Lance Broussard have been dubbed the next Chip and Joanna Gaines, but their happily-ever-after falls apart when Lance blindsides her with a “pause.” The show must go on, so Georgina takes on the task of renovating a forgotten cottage in the tiny, tight-knit town of Tarragon, Tennessee on her own.
Georgina has a plan to save her relationship–and her show–but a surprise drop-in from her troubled twin sister makes things extra messy. That, and the presence of rugged ex-sniper Cassidy Stokes, who throws a wrench in all her plans.
As she salvages her shattered life, will Georgina retreat to the familiar or embrace a new design?
The woman he hoped might mother his children destroyed a family today.
Ben Sawyer gives the vulnerable a voice and strives to protect them, but he can’t stop the avalanche of trouble descending on his nephew. His strongest opponent isn’t the grumpy Grinch stirring up the community, but the one person he believed would always side with him: Nurse Practitioner Emma Powles.
Emma Powles is busy in her newly established medical clinic. When she treats the suspicious injuries of a local child, she’s forced to intervene for the girl’s safety. Her actions rouse traumatic memories in Ben, and their relationship might not survive.
The battle lines are drawn as the fallout from sledding and skating accidents fills Emma’s clinic. Families are changed forever, and the fight to control Sycamore Hill heats up.
Small-town charm, a faith-filled community, and a high-stakes love story make The Sycamore Slopes perfect for Karen Kingsbury and Deborah Raney fans.
Click the buy now button for a compelling romance with a dash of family drama, small-town politics, and powerful themes of overcoming.
When a young boy’s life is threatened, his dad will do anything to keep him safe, including eliciting the help of his single and beautiful school teacher.
One of Hope Creek, Montana’s most desired single men has his hands full this Christmas with a new puppy litter, work, and a rambunctious young son. Now, someone has threatened to harm his son if he doesn’t reveal the location of a mystery woman.
Second grade teacher, Bethany Evans, loves her job, but she wants more. Could Toby and his dad hold the key to making this Christmas extra special, or will the trouble they are facing not only ruin Christmas but destroy their lives in the process?
From Selah award winning author, a Christian romance novella with a touch of mystery and suspense.
He built himself a whole new life But she might be the missing piece…
Reclusive carpenter Luke McBride knows Sara Holden is trouble. The determined single mom is too curious and asks too many questions. But helping Sara fix up an antique shop makes it almost impossible to keep her at arm’s length. Worse, Luke might just be falling for her. Can he leave behind his solitary life…even though loving Sara means exposing his darkest secret?
Drew Keelan is the last person Whitney Emmerson imagined would propose to her. But when their infant nephew is orphaned and the will stipulates that to adopt him they must be married, Whitney and Drew have no choice. It’s one thing to wed for custody, but do they have what it takes to make a marriage of convenience last till death do them part?
Kate Hoyle came to Camp True North Springs to help her grieving children heal. She definitely didn’t come here to fall in love. But camp chef Seb Costa, working through a recovery of his own, soon cooks his way into the affections of Kate’s family—especially that of her troubled son. Would risking her heart when it’s barely mended be foolish? Or will they find the happiness they all deserve?
It’s been three years since the loss of their daughter tore Jack and Kate Dolan’s world—and marriage—apart. But now Kate’s back on the ranch with shocking news: their divorce never went through. As Jack and Kate struggle to decide how to move forward, they realize they can’t rewrite the past. But that doesn’t mean the book on their love is closed. Perhaps it’s time for a new chapter…
When a plane carrying a federal witness crashes in the Montana backwoods, Officer Kelly Wayne and her K-9, Nico, track it down—and discover Ethan Harrigan injured with amnesia. Now with the mafia on their trail, Kelly must protect the man she thinks ruined her career. But nothing’s as it seems, and trusting the wrong person could get them all killed.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And where there’s fire, there’s a killer…
FBI profiler Vera Gilmore has the scars—both outside and in—to remind her how deadly fire is. Now homicide detective Brooks Brawley—her once sweetheart—needs her help with a serial arsonist and murderer in his small Texas town. But almost immediately, Vera becomes a target. Will staying at Brooks’s ranch with him and his daughter keep them all safe…or put them right in the killer’s path?
After artist Luci Butler discovers someone has been hiding drugs in her paintings, she also finds ruthless killers are aiming to silence her. Only her brother’s coworker Bard Holland is on her side. Now they must race to clear her name and track a murderer into unforgiving New Mexico mountains. But Bard’s determined protection is drawing Luci dangerously close…and into a killer’s merciless endgame.
Private investigator Marco Landon accomplishes his assignment and finds reclusive heiress Amelia Garcia in a Texas cabin—only to be shot at outside her door. Now as they run for their lives, Marco is determined to do everything in his power to protect Amelia. But can they figure out why someone is dead set on stopping her from inheriting the Rio Rojo Ranch?
After a brutal attack, US marshal Riker Kastell regains consciousness only to find a murdered gang member in his mudroom. Even worse, Eliana Daines—his ex-sweetheart—has a DNA program that pinpoints him as the murderer. And Eliana’s technology has them both targeted by criminals. Now he and his K-9 must protect Eliana…and find the killer who looks just like Riker before they become the next victims.
A rare book. An old crime. And someone who’s willing to kill again…
Fifteen years ago, Gustavo Rodriguez’s small town was rocked by a scandal involving theft and forgery. Now back with his young daughter, he discovers a rare book at his new ranch—a clue to solving the community’s strangest case. His ex, Jeanette Lawson, agrees to help…but their investigation takes them to places darker than theft. Secrets point to murder…and a killer who wants to stay hidden.
When a body is found on his family ranch, single dad Cody Shepard will do anything to help find the murderer, even work with FBI agent Bethany Snow, the woman who broke his heart. But the shocking identity of the victim reveals painful secrets about Cody’s past and sets off a deadly chain of discoveries…and a new threat.
From the author of The Widows of Champagne, and inspired by true events, comes a gripping and heartwrenching story of two very different women united to bring light to the darkest days of World War II.
London, 1933
At first glance, Austrian opera singer Elsa Mayer-Braun has little in common with the young English typist she encounters on tour. Yet she and Hattie Featherstone forge an instant connection—and strike a dangerous alliance. Using their friendship as a cover, they form a secret society with a daring goal: to rescue as many Jews as possible from Nazi persecution.
Though the war’s outbreak threatens Elsa and Hattie’s network, their efforts attract the covert attention of the British government, offering more opportunities to thwart the Germans. But Elsa’s growing fame as Hitler’s favorite opera singer, coupled with her secret Jewish ancestry, make her both a weapon and a target—until her future, too, hangs in the balance.
From the glamorous stages of Covent Garden and Salzburg to the horrors of Bergen-Belsen, two ordinary women swept up by the tide of war discover an extraordinary friendship—and the courage to save countless lives.
Trapped in a deadly game, Addison Barlow has no choice but to play by her tormentor’s rules.
Following a terrifying home invasion, Addison’s life is controlled by fear. As the threats rise, she flees to a friend’s secluded cabin by Lake Tahoe. But when the woman next door disappears, Addie worries she just escaped one bad situation for another.
Vanishing Ranch operative and former Homeland Security agent Hayes Barlow hasn’t given up hope that he and his estranged wife will reconcile. When he receives a frantic phone call from her, he jumps at the opportunity to help. He prays he can not only keep her safe but also win her back.
Addie and Hayes quickly realize that something sinister is lurking beneath the surface of the idyllic setting surrounding the cabin. Disturbing text messages, vandalism, and haunting secrets keep them on edge.
Hayes must not only discover the truth about what’s going on with Addie but also about the deadly incidents happening around them. If he doesn’t . . . he could risk losing Addie forever.
In the summer of 1918, Captain Marcus Weatherford arrives in Russia on a secret mission, with a beautiful ballerina posing as his fiancée. Marcus searches for the Romanov tsarina and her son–who both allegedly survived the murdering Bolsheviks–and the information behind an allied plot to assassinate Lenin. But Marcus’s sense of duty battles his desire to return home to Clare–his actual love.
Hospital orderly Clare Danner still suffers from Marcus’s betrayal and now fears losing her daughter to the heartless family who took Daisy away from Clare once before, but only Marcus can provide the critical proof needed to save her daughter.
Faced with danger and unexpected circumstances, can Clare trust Marcus, or will he shatter her world yet again?
Can she find the strength to heal the wounds of her past–and open her heart again?
A widow at just thirty years of age, Rose Finlay is determined to put all ideas of marriage and family behind her and pursue an independent life. But when she notices a young woman about to be led astray by a roguish aristocrat, bitter memories from her past arise, and she feels compelled to intervene. The unintended consequences of her efforts will ultimately force Rose to reexamine her life in a new light.
As the guardian of his two widowed sisters’ financial and domestic affairs, John Milburn carries heavy responsibilities for a single man. But he’s faced with his biggest challenge when his headstrong niece falls prey to the attentions of a powerful man who could ruin both her and her family.
When Rose and John join forces to protect his niece, they put everything they hold dear–including their growing attraction–in jeopardy.
When a baby is discovered floating in a basket along the canals of 1807 Venice, a guild of artisans takes him in and raises him as a son, skilled in each of their trades. Although the boy, Sebastian Trovato, has wrestled with questions of his origins, it isn’t until a woman washes ashore his lagoon island that answers begin to emerge. In hunting down his story, Sebastian must make choices that could alter not just his own future, but that of the beloved floating city.
Decades later,Daniel Goodman is given a fresh start in life as the century turns. Hoping to redeem a past laden in regrets, he is sent on an assignment from California to Venice to procure and translate a rare book. There, he discovers a mystery wrapped in the pages of that filigree-covered volume. With the help of Vittoria, a bookshop keeper, Daniel finds himself in a web of shadows, secrets, and discoveries carefully kept within the stones and canals of the ancient city . . . and the mystery of the man whose story the book does not finish: Sebastian Trovato.
Sacrificing and dying to oneself is costly. But doing so brings new purpose and joy.
As a private investigator, Sybil Huxham has seen her fair share of strange occurrences. But nothing in her career has been more perplexing than the miracles she’s witnessed as a result of people drinking ancient holy water. When she discovers more of the rare holy water, she experiences strange overlaps with a nobleman in the Middle Ages who is languishing in a dungeon, accused of treason and condemned to die. To save his life, she finally crosses to the past completely.
Nicholas Worth has never met a woman quite like Sybil, and as the two run for their lives into the Weald, they find refuge among a community of outlaws. With both their reputations on the line, they have little choice but to marry. As they get to know each other, an undeniable attraction develops. But danger and disease chase after them, drawing ever closer. Will they be able to escape the threats? And will Sybil choose to stay with Nicholas in the past, or will she be ripped apart from him forever?
A lively competition draws her into her rival’s blueprints–and maybe even his heart.
Olive Kentworth has spent her life hiding her interest in architecture, even though she pores over architectural books and sketches buildings. When she accepts a job on a home expansion, it’s only because her cousin Amos agrees to pose as the builder. To further hide her involvement, Olive takes a position as a nanny–not knowing that she’ll be working for her idol, Joplin’s leading architect, widower Maxfield Scott.
Maxfield is intrigued by his new nanny–she makes his home and his life bearable again. His work, on the other hand, is a disaster. An untrained builder is remodeling a completed project of his. What’s worse, Maxfield’s current client wants changes to his plans because of that builder’s work.
As the architectural one-upmanship heats up, Olive’s involvement becomes harder to hide. Will the relationship between her and Maxfield survive, or will they both miss out on building something for their future?
A Girl Scout Troop Joins the Battle of the Atlantic
Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.
Ginny Mathis was finished with nursing school and had no intention of staying rooted in the Outer Banks—then war broke out. With her father away, she feels duty-bound to stay and help her mother and younger sister. While working as a clerk for the Oregon Inlet ferry, naval officers ask Ginny and others to be watchful for German U-boats reportedly spotted in the area. So to help occupy her teenage sister, Ginny enlists the Girl Scout troop she leads to help watch for suspicious activity along the coast.
Timothy Elliott is no stranger to death. As a British reporter working with the M-6, he’s numb to the losses of war after two years of fighting the Germans. Maybe that’s why he volunteered for this mission—to connect with an ex-German naval officer who stole the Furor’s battle plan for the Atlantic war. When the boat giving him passage to New York is bombed near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Tim is thrown from the boat and wakes up in the care of a group of young girls.
Ginny follows her sneaky sister on a clandestine mission and discovers the shipwreck victim. Ginny knows she must take charge, but is this man the enemy, or does he hold secrets that could turn the tide of the Battle of the Atlantic in the allies’ favor?
Lydie Beauchamp recently moved with her aunts—sisters Myrtle and Fern—to the untamed Wyoming Territory. When a teaching position in nearby Willow Falls captures her attention, can she leave her aunts, one of whom just suffered a broken heart, and embark on this new adventure? Will she find the courage to persevere in the midst of challenges, one being a handsome challenge named Solomon Eliason?
Reverend Solomon Eliason has the goal of making a difference. Hired as the pastor of Willow Falls, he must convince the congregation that he is able to undertake the role of a reverend. When he’s nominated to be the adult in charge of the annual prank tradition at the school, he embraces the idea, thinking the new teacher will be an elderly crotchety woman like his former teacher. What he doesn’t realize until it’s too late is that the teacher is far from crotchety and elderly.
When Lydie’s and Solomon’s paths cross in an unexpected way during the prank tradition at the Willow Falls school, can Solomon redeem himself in the eyes of the lovely new teacher?
Take a glimpse into where it all began with Lydie and Solomon’s story in this tender tale that reminds us that God can and does use willing hearts for His purposes.
Some guests have come for a holiday, others for hidden reasons of their own . . .
When their father’s death leaves them impoverished, Sarah Summers and her genteel sisters fear they will be forced to sell the house and separate to earn livelihoods as governesses or companions. Determined to stay together, Sarah convinces them to open their seaside home to guests to make ends meet and provide for their ailing mother. Instead of the elderly invalids they expect to receive, however, they find themselves hosting eligible gentlemen. Sarah is soon torn between a growing attraction to a mysterious Scottish widower and duty to her family.
Viola Summers wears a veil to cover her scar. When forced to choose between helping in her family’s new guest house and earning money to hire a maid to do her share, she chooses the latter. She reluctantly agrees to read to some of Sidmouth’s many invalids, preferring the company of a few elders with failing eyesight to the fashionable guests staying in their home. But when her first client turns out to be a wounded officer in his thirties, Viola soon wishes she had chosen differently. Her new situation exposes her scars–both visible and those hidden deep within–and her cloistered heart will never be the same.
Join the Summers sisters on the Devonshire coast, where they discover the power of friendship, loyalty, love, and new beginnings.
Betrothed in a sensible match, even if the man isn’t the love she’s always imagined, Sarah McNeal relies on the advice her late grandmother gave as well as her own common sense. Dreams of a mysterious European count who rides in and sweeps her off her feet arethe stuff of girlhood. And she’s a woman now. But when her fiancé’s older brother, Jeremiah, returns to Boulder Creek, he unknowingly awakens that discarded dream.
Nine years ago, Jeremiah West lost his wife and newborn son in an epidemic, and he’s been wandering ever since. A survivor of the Spanish-American War, he finally returns to Boulder Creek to settle on the farm he inherited from his father, an inheritance his younger brother still begrudges.
When a blizzard threatens Sarah’s life—and her reputation—Jeremiah is there to rescue her. But the pain of his past remains a stumbling block. Then fate brings Jeremiah and Sarah to a crossroads, and love demands a decision that will change the course of their lives.
In the aftermath of the Battle of Kings Mountain, can God’s grace and love overcome fear and prejudice?
Left to care for her siblings at their mountain farm while her father is away fighting the British, Truth Bledsoe stumbles across a starving Tory hiding in a cave. When simple charity leads to friendship and the possibility of more, can she believe him when he says his political leanings have changed? Can she trust him? Can she trust her family to keep him secret?
(This title was formerly published as part of A Pioneer Christmas Collection by Barbour Publishing. It has been revised and updated.)
Spurned by potential suitors, Miriam travels to Jezreel to care for her cousin’s son. There, the precocious seven-year-old works his way into her heart. When Arameans swarm the land like locusts, Miriam focuses on the safety of her young ward but promises adventures beyond the city walls when the war ends.
Gershon, a quiet and kind vintner, is happily building a life for his wife, son, and aging parents. But when his wife dies during childbirth and war looms on the horizon, he must make a decision—will he take a new wife before his heart can mend?
Meanwhile, Dov, a young officer crosses paths with the “bird girl” he remembers from the past. That she is a beautiful woman matters not, as he is a career soldier. Unexpectedly charged with leading Ahab’s army against the Arameans, Dov anticipates death and defeat in Samaria, but when a prophet pledges victory, Dov vows to fight to the end.
When an unlikely victory brings freedom, a bright future seems imminent. Then one afternoon Miriam witnesses a tragedy and must flee with the boy to keep them both safe. With henchmen on their trail, will they find refuge—and her heart the home she’s longed for?
Mazy dreams of independence. Sir Berenger longs to play the hero. But in each other, they may find the secret to happily ever after.
Mazelina of Wexcombe has always dreamed of traveling with her father to lands beyond the confining walls of their castle. But his sudden death deprives her of the future she imagined. Abandoned by her eldest brother, Mazy is soon forced to seek help from her beloved brother Sir John at the great estate of Strachleigh.
Her visit leads to a friendship with the dashing and noble Sir Berenger of Dericott. He has notions of rescuing a damsel in distress. But Mazy is brave enough to defend herself—and has proven that her skills in archery and knife throwing rival that of a knight’s. So when he is called away to Prussian lands, Sir Berenger looks to distinguish himself in battle.
When Sir Berenger returns, he and Mazy meet again on the streets of London, where she is making a living selling goods in the market. Meanwhile, he has been summoned by the king to receive a reward for his service. But the recognition comes with a price: He must marry a wealthy, titled widow to please the king. But when Mazy begins to suspect treachery, she embarks on a journey to the fortress of snow to warn the brave knight—and secure her own fairy-tale ending.
In this fourth novel set in the Dericott universe, Melanie Dickerson weaves an exciting reimagining of the Snow Queen tale.
What if you could edit memories with a single touch?
The world-that-was is gone, lost to everything except living memory . . . but remembering comes at a terrible price. Sixty-two years after the apocalypse, a new society has emerged from the ashes of the old world where highly valued memories are traded and nostalgia is worth dying—and even killing—for.
Enslaved by a cruel master, Sephone Winter is forced to use her rare ability to manipulate memories to numb the darkest secrets of the ruling aristocracy.
Then Lord Adamo appears, speaking of a powerful relic capable of permanently erasing memories and recovering Sephone’s own lost childhood. But not everything about the young lord is as it seems, and soon Sephone must choose between helping Lord Adamo forget his past or journeying deep into the land of Lethe, where the truth about who she really is might finally be revealed . . . and a long desired future restored.
The Nightingale Trilogy is a fantasy transformation of Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved 1843 tale The Nightingale, with echoes of the myths of Hades and Persephone.
♥ This Christmas, pack your bags for a holiday away from home. ♥
Join the Christmas Lights Collection authors as we travel to Colorado, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and New Cheltenham for warm and wonderful stories of love and Christmas cheer.
Kiss Me on Christmas by Sarah Monzon
Single mom Kaitlyn Stafford has never considered Christmas a balancing act, but when her sister calls with the news that she’s getting married in less than two weeks—on Christmas Day—that’s exactly what the holiday looks like becoming. Helping with the out-of-state wedding will be fun. The challenge will be doing so while accommodating her neurodivergent son’s need to keep every single one of their Christmas traditions while they’re away from home. It’ll be tricky, but she can do it.
At least, that’s what she thinks before her son’s favorite YouTuber, Beckett Walsh, shows up on the scene, knocking her world off-kilter with his speaking glances and knowing smiles. How on earth is she supposed to pull off her balancing act when her world’s just tilted on its axis?
Christmas Camp by Cathe Swanson
Julia is eager to prove herself in her first job as project manager for the family’s charitable foundation, but she expected it to be something more meaningful than creating a winter wonderland Christmas vacation for snow-deprived southerners. Why is this project so important to her grandmother?
Tom doesn’t understand why anyone would want to renovate his uncle’s broken-down Wisconsin deer camp, either, but if it will save the old man’s home and business, he’ll help the ambitious city girl put together the most cliché-filled Christmas ever.
Not Another Christmas by Jaycee Weaver
The palm trees and beaches of Florida are far from her chaotic family as Cindy Sinclair can get. Her anticipated promotion is the perfect excuse not to come home for the holidays… until she’s passed over and the job is given to none other than her childhood nemesis.
This far from New Mexico, Nick Hoover never imagined he’d beat Cindy out for a job. Again. He’s 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.
The Hearts of New Cheltenham by Chautona Havig
The only way not to break her best friend’s heart is to get someone else to steal it.
Jarod doesn’t need a month off and certainly not halfway across the country. His best friend doesn’t agree. She’s been researching places for him to go and has found him a perfect match on a dating website who just happens to live in New Cheltenham. It’s a match made online until she begins to wonder if she’s made a mistake trying to offload him on someone else.
A novella of love and friendship that defies a love triangle to interfere.
Destination Christmas offers a stress-free travel experience without traffic, delayed flights, or forgotten toothpaste. Instead, you’ll enjoy wonderful destinations, delightful new friends, and a heartwarming experience!
Narelle’s Thoughts:
In Kiss Me on Christmas by Sarah Monzon, Kaitlyn is single parenting her beautiful ten year old son, Liam, who has special needs. They live in Southern California, and Kaitlyn’s life revolves around caring for her son. Liam’s routines are important to him, and Christmas has some very specific traditions that Liam insists must happen. When Kaitlyn’s sister announces she’s getting married on Christmas Day in Talbot Lake, Colorado, a white Christmas that includes a wedding is a massive change in routine for Liam.
I absolutely adored the story. Being a parent to a special needs young adult, I totally identified with Kaitlyn’s parenting situation and challenges in parenting Liam. If only I’d known the secret sauce to preventing anxiety meltdowns on planes was for my child’s favorite YouTube star to be spotted ahead in the line and boarding the same flight, lol. I loved how Beckett interacted with Liam, and I enjoyed seeing Beckett and Kaitlyn’s romance develop during the story. A fun and heartwarming contemporary Christian romance Christmas novella.
In Not Another Christmas by Jaycee Weaver, Cindy has escaped her crazy Christmas obsessed family in New Mexico. She’s now known as Dee, and she’s working as a Concierge in a family run hotel near the beach in Florida. Cindy grew up with her parents going overboard decorating their home and yard for Christmas in December and July. She prefers low key celebrations to over-the-top extravaganza created by her parents. Cindy is shocked to discover her boss’ nephew, who picked up the hotel manager role that she wanted for herself, is Nick, the boy next door who she grew up hating.
When Nick was almost thirteen, his work-a-holic dad left behind Florida, and his late mother’s large family, to move Nick to New Mexico. Nick met Cindy at the park, thought she was cute, walked toward home with her, and made the massive mistake of criticising the weirdos who decorated their house and yard for Christmas in July. He was stunned to discover they were Cindy’s parents, and forever after Cindy hated him. During high school they played pranks on each other, and Nick’s crush on Cindy never disappeared.
The present day story unfolds by switching back into the past at the start of each chapter and revealing the set up for the present day enemies-to-love romance. Cindy and Nick create a fake relationship to stop Nick’s aunt matchmaking Cindy with one of his cousins, and the sparks are real as they work together and discover they have feelings for each other. A fun and cute enemies-to-love and fake relationship Christian contemporary Christmas romance.
I’m looking forward to reading Cathe and Chautona’s novellas.
Four hundred miles of snow-covered terrain stand between the men of Awestruck and a Christmas with loved ones.
A blizzard grounds flights and obscures highways across the Midwest, stranding the band at their latest tour stop in Chicago. But lead singer Gannon made a promise he’s determined to keep—to join Adeline, the woman he loves, in northern Wisconsin for Christmas.
Bassist Philip isn’t quite as eager for the holiday. The tour will end shortly after, and then his kids will have to leave their grandparents to stay with him full-time. He loves his children, but he’s not sure he can pull off a memorable Christmas. Does he have what it takes to be a single dad year-round?
When John caught his girlfriend in a lie earlier in the year, he gave her the benefit of the doubt. The drummer plans to introduce her to his family over Christmas, but before they manage to leave Chicago, he discovers more troubling truths. Was he wrong to trust her?
A Christmas filled with peace, joy, and loved ones? That’ll take a Christmas miracle.
An Awestruck Christmas Medley is a novella that falls between books 1 and 2 in the Rhythms of Redemption Romance series. Cozy up with a cup of hot cocoa and escape with the band into a northern Christmas with this hope-filled story about family, redemption, and love.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading An Awestruck Christmas Melody, the Christmas novella that sits between books 1 and 2 in the Rhythms of Redemption Romances series. I’d heard great things about this series by Emily Conrad from my author friends and co-hosts at StoryChats @ InspyRomance podcast/YouTube, and I decided to jump into the series by reading the Christmas novella first. The Awestruck band members are on a Christmas road trip from Chicago to Northern Wisconsin, and they have to navigate blizzard conditions to reach their Christmas vacation destination.
I liked how there were three different plot threads running through the novella that all came together to provide a satisfying ending. I’m now hooked into the series, and I’m looking forward to read book 1, To Bring You Back. I recommend An Awestruck Christmas Melody to contemporary romance readers who like heartwarming Christmas novellas with a relevant faith element in the story.
But that’s about to change. This year, I’m traveling to my small hometown to convince my producer to make me the permanent host of Good Day Denver.
The plan: Charm viewers by sharing my favorite family Christmas traditions, and in turn, get the likes, clicks and shares to land the job.
Not the plan: Running into my ex-boyfriend.
In my house.
For Christmas.
But here he is, a guest of my mother, who apparently had more trouble letting go of Max Weber than I did.
Unfortunately, he is as handsome and charming and talented and annoying and frustrating and flirty as ever.
Even more unfortunately, he seems to have a plan of his own—to convince me to give him a second chance.
Which is not happening.
There’s just one problem—my viewers love him. More than that, they love us. Me and Max. My ex.
The boy who broke my heart.
The boy I now have to fake flirt with to win over the hearts of my viewers.
But it’s not their hearts I’m worried about. . . it’s mine.
Merry Ex-Mas is a sweet, small town, second chance romance with a dash of not-so-fake flirting, a tiny bit of enemies to lovers and just enough forced proximity to make things sizzle.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading Merry Ex-Mas, a sweet and clean romcom set in a small town in Illinois. I do want to clarify that the main characters are not Christian, and this means they’re not necessarily following the Christian morality code that many readers would expect to see in contemporary Christian romances (CCR). The target audience for this book is general market romance readers who like sweet, clean, and flirty romantic comedies.
Marin is a tv journalist based in Denver who wants to land the news anchor job. Her producer, Steph, after hearing about Marin’s mother being the queen of Christmas, decides that Marin should go home to Pleasant Valley, Illinois, with her and Danny (their cameraman) to film Marin’s homecoming for Christmas.
Two weeks before Christmas, Marin surprises her parents by arriving on their doorstep unannounced. Marin is shocked when Max, her childhood sweetheart who dumped her eight years ago, opens the door to her parent’s home. Max and Marin’s mother’s were best friends who lived next door to each other until Max’s parents were killed in a car accident eight years ago. Everyone thought Marin and Max would get married, and Marin was heartbroken when Max broke up with her not long after his parents passed. Marin still carries a grudge, and struggles to get over what happened between her and Max.
A hilarious enemies-to-love romance, with a fake relationship in the mix for their social media fans to assist Marin in getting her promotion, unfolds in the story. Steph schedules Marin to be filmed at town events in the lead up to Christmas.
Both Max and Marin have to deal with emotional baggage from their shared past, and old feelings that resurface while they’re living in close proximity in her parent’s home in the lead up to Christmas. I recommend Merry Ex-Mas to contemporary romance readers who like second chances and enemies-to-love sweet and clean Christmas romcoms set in a small town.
