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?

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.