The Library by Edwina Kiernan

No Comments on The Library by Edwina Kiernan

The LibraryGoodreads ~ Amazon

1850 – England

How can she ‘keep the peace’ when there’s never been any to keep?

Bookworm Irene Denton lives with a painful secret. To the citizens of Lindenfell, her mother is a kind, generous lady—but behind closed doors, she’s a cruel and controlling tyrant. Stories have always been Irene’s refuge, so when the possibility arises for Lindenfell to have a library of its own, Irene is hopeful she’ll soon have a safe place to escape her mother’s merciless grasp.

Solomon Shaw enjoys helping his widowed father run Lindenfell’s chemist shop. He wants nothing more than to make his father proud, and to find the courage to win Irene’s affections. But the burdensome guilt of a shameful secret has convinced Solomon she can never be his. When the only other person who knows his secret arrives back in town, Solomon fears his hopes will be shattered—and his secret exposed.

Amidst untold pressures, Irene and Solomon kindle mutual hope for a future together. Yet, meddling interlopers and long-buried truths soon signal the end of their story.

But is the book entirely closed on the hope they once had? Or is a new chapter of peace and love still to be written?

The Girl from the Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder

2 Comments on The Girl from the Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder

GoodreadsThe Girl from the Hidden Forest ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1812 – England

The nightmares may free her…but destroy the man she loves.
 
Eliza Ellis has stayed hidden in Balfour Forest for as long as she can remember. Perhaps her only friends are the trees, or her little dog, or her story-telling father called Captain. But at least she is safe from the cruel world outside, a world Captain has warned her against and protected her from.
 
That is, until a handsome stranger named Felton Northwood invades her quiet forest and steals her away. Why does he tell such lies? Why does he insist that her name is Miss Eliza Gillingham, daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago after the murder of her own mother? A murder Eliza is said to have witnessed.
 
When Felton returns Eliza to Monbury Manor and reunites her with a man who is told to be her father, all she remembers are the strange nightmares that have plagued her since childhood. Why have they suddenly grown worse? Are the answers hidden inside her own mind?
 
As danger mounts and lethal attempts are made on her life, Eliza and Felton must work together to uncover the identity of a killer who has stayed silent for fourteen years. When she finally uncovers the horrendous memories trapped in her mind, will divulging the truth cost her the man she loves—and both of their lives?

A Dare and a Prayer by Julie Lessman

No Comments on A Dare and a Prayer by Julie Lessman

GoodreadsA Dare and a Prayer ~ Amazon

1944 – Saipan

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

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

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

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

April’s Promise by Terrie Todd

No Comments on April’s Promise by Terrie Todd

GoodreadsApril's Promise ~ Amazon

1928 – Canada

Emmaleen Kimball is fourteen when she becomes convinced she was born to traveling acrobats and left on her parents’ doorstep. Why else would there be a thirteen-year age gap between her and her closest sibling? When her family won’t tell her the truth about her origins, she’s determined to solve the mystery herself.
 
Bernadette Kimball is twenty-seven and living back at home to help with a family crisis, but she can’t wait to get back to her career in the city. She doesn’t fit in with her family. Not that she cares. Who needs a family? Families are just one big mess of secrets and lies.
 
April Kimball-Madden carries the burden of a secret she promised never to reveal. She wishes she could tell Emmaleen the truth. But she’s convinced that if her husband Joey ever finds out who Emmaleen’s biological parents are, her marriage won’t survive.
 
As a world war wages across the globe, the Kimball family faces a different kind of conflict at home. Will their personal battles drag them down and tear their family apart? Or can the faith they’ve been taught, and the mercy they’re shown, lead them to victory?

Rescue in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd

No Comments on Rescue in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd

Rescue in the WildernessGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1779 – Virginia

William Cole cannot forget the cruel burden he carries, not with the pock marks that serve as an outward reminder. Riddled with guilt, he assumed the solitary life of a long hunter, traveling into the wilds of Kentucky each year. But his quiet existence is changed in an instant when, sitting in a tavern, he overhears a man offering his daughter—and her virtue—to the winner of the next round of cards. William’s integrity and desire for redemption will not allow him to sit idly by while such an injustice occurs.

Lucinda Gillespie has suffered from an inexplicable illness her entire life. Her father, embarrassed by her condition, has subjected her to a lonely existence of abuse and confinement. But faced with the ultimate betrayal on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Lucinda quickly realizes her trust is better placed in his hands of the mysterious man who appears at her door. Especially when he offers her the one thing she never thought would be within her grasp—freedom.

In the blink of an eye, both lives change as they begin the difficult, danger-fraught journey westward on the Wilderness Trail. But can they overcome their own perceptions of themselves to find love and the life God created them for?

Dreams of the Heart by Penny Zeller

No Comments on Dreams of the Heart by Penny Zeller

GoodreadsDreams of the Heart ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1894 – Wyoming

Sometimes the hardest battles take place in the heart.

Poverty and abuse at the hands of her drunkard father leaves Hannah Bane trapped and alone. Without hope, she prays for a miracle just on the off-chance God will hear her. Will the handsome new deputy, who seems to be watching her every move, be Hannah’s one chance to escape the only life she’s ever known?

For as long as he can remember, John Mark Eliason has wanted to be a deputy sheriff. When a job opens in the nearby town of Poplar Springs, he eagerly accepts, but finds his greatest mission won’t be tracking down criminals and bringing justice to the ruthless Wyoming town, but saving a beautiful young woman he barely knows.

Will an unexpected answer to a difficult situation show how love can endure—and even thrive—in an unconventional situation? Or will fear and uncertainty keep two hesitant hearts apart?

Callie Mae and the Cowboy of the Eastern Woods

No Comments on Callie Mae and the Cowboy of the Eastern Woods

Callie Mae and the Cowboy of the Eastern WoodsGoodreads ~ Amazon

Late 1800s? – Texas

Faced with danger she’d never imagined, Callie Mae must make an impossible choice.

Callie and her baby, Sarah, are living in the home of her dead husband as servants. Her brother-in-law, Floyd, has stolen what is rightfully hers, and now she’s found a terrible secret.
After a daring flight by night with her child, Callie finds herself lost and homeless. Can a handsome cowboy help her?

A Promise Engraved by Liz Tolsma

1 Comment on A Promise Engraved by Liz Tolsma

A Promise EngravedGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1835/Present Day – Texas

Can Promises Made in Times of Struggle Endure 200 Years?

Young, spirited Josie Wilkins life is about to take a turn when faced with political turmoil and secret love in San Antonio of 1836. John Gilbert has won her heart, despite being a Protestant preacher who is forbidden to practice his faith in Texas. If he discovers the secrets of her painful past, he will never have anything to do with her. But then comes the Battle of the Alamo. Will either of them survive an epic battle for liberty to create a legacy of love?

Nearly 200 years later, Kayleigh Hewland takes breaks from her demanding job as a refugee coordinator working with Mexican migrants to attend flea markets where she has found a uniquely engraved ring that helps her discover who killed her parents. Enlisting the help of appraiser Brandon Mullins, they piece together a love story long forgotten. But will dangers linked to the ring end her own hopes for leaving a legacy built on hope, faith, and love?

A Deadly Secret by Melanie Dickerson

No Comments on A Deadly Secret by Melanie Dickerson

A Deadly SecretGoodreads ~ Amazon

1811 – England

Lillian Courtney’s husband’s criticizing and bullying ways culminate with him physically striking her, and she runs away to the Isle of Wight, taking her young daughter with her. Her husband follows her there—and is found dead the next day. Her mother-in-law accuses her of killing her husband, then tries to take her child away from her. Lillian is devastated at the prospect of losing her daughter.

Nash Golding, Earl of Barrentine, was not looking for trouble. He was only trying to keep his secret safe—the secret that he is a novelist publishing amusing satires under the pen name Perceval Hastings. His family would be aghast if his secret were made public. As an earl and a member of the House of Lords, working as an author of satirical novels is beneath him. Early one morning, after sending his latest manuscript to his publisher, he emerges from a tiny village post office to witness a man, obviously up to no good, stalking a young lady. Nash follows them and is forced to be of service to the lady—in saving her life.

Nash strives to keep the pretty widow safe from her late husband’s devious family members, who wish to gain control of her daughter. But while he is protecting them, will his own secret be revealed? His position in society and in Parliament will be irreparably damaged when it is discovered that, not only is he the notorious satirist, Perceval Hastings, but he is also harboring a poor widow suspected of murdering her husband.

Lillian is falling in love with the handsome earl, despite her fear and lack of trust. Nash, in turn, finds that neither his reputation nor his heart is safe when the lovely Lillian is near.

Growing A Family in Persimmon Hollow by Gerri Bauer

No Comments on Growing A Family in Persimmon Hollow by Gerri Bauer

growingafamilyGoodreads ~ Amazon

1891 – Florida

Lucinda’s Defender by Blossom Turner

No Comments on Lucinda’s Defender by Blossom Turner

Lucinda's DefenderGoodreads ~ Amazon

1874 – Virginia

Life hasn’t turned out at all like Lucinda expected, but neither is the depth of love one man has for her.

The young and impetuous Lucinda Williams, through a series of bad decisions, is now in a situation she never dreamed conceivable—an unplanned baby and marriage to a man who proves to be far darker than she ever imagined. Pain is a cruel teacher but brings instant maturity.

Joseph Manning, a childhood friend who watched the love of his life leave, is heartbroken to find the bruised waif of a girl he rescues less than a year later. What atrocities did she experience to change the vivacious, bubbly soul into this shell of hopelessness? Broken. Bruised. Beaten. Does love really have the power to heal all wounds?

Lucinda marvels at how Joseph effortlessly whittles his way back into her heart and that of her child with kindness and respect. But she has a secret far too dark to allow the kind Joseph into her life. He deserves so much better than the likes of her. Is love strong enough to break down the barriers of bad choices? Can a second chance at happiness really be possible?

Rescuing Her Heart by Cindy Ervin Huff

No Comments on Rescuing Her Heart by Cindy Ervin Huff

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1870 – Kansas

As her husband’s evil deeds haunt a mail-order bride from the grave, can she learn to trust again and open her heart to true love? 

On visitation rounds as a lay preacher, the last thing rancher Jed Holt expects is to be shot at from the barn next to a burned-down homestead. But the soot-covered woman hiding inside needs protecting, and Jed is the man to do it whether she likes it or not. Delilah James’s nightmares began when she came to Kansas as a mail-order bride. Her husband was nothing like his letters. Now that he is dead, she can’t shake his abuse from her heart. Trusting men tops her never-again list and taking a job on the Holt ranch as a housekeeper is a means to save money and bring her parents west. But her attraction to the compassionate former chaplain both angers and confuses her. 

Jed has his own nightmares from a POW camp and understands Delilah better than she knows. Can two broken people form a forever bond?

If It Rains by Jennifer L. Wright

1 Comment on If It Rains by Jennifer L. Wright

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1935 – Oklahoma/Idaho/Traveling

A story of resilience and redemption set against one of America’s defining moments—the Dust Bowl.
It’s 1935 in Oklahoma, and lives are determined by the dust. Fourteen-year-old Kathryn Baile, a spitfire born with a severe clubfoot, is coming of age in desperate times. Once her beloved older sister marries, Kathryn’s only comfort comes in the well-worn pages of her favorite book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Then Kathryn’s father decides to relocate to Indianapolis, and only the promise of a surgery to finally make her “normal” convinces Kathryn to leave Oklahoma behind. But disaster strikes along the way, and Kathryn must rely on her grit and the ragged companions she meets on the road if she is to complete her journey.

Back in Boise City, Melissa Baile Mayfield is the newest member of the wealthiest family in all of Cimarron County. In spite of her poor, rural upbringing, Melissa has just married the town’s most eligible bachelor and is determined to be everything her husband—and her new social class—expects her to be. But as the drought tightens its grip, Henry’s true colors are revealed. Melissa covers her bruises with expensive new makeup and struggles to reconcile her affluent life with that of her starving neighbors. Haunted by the injustice and broken by Henry’s refusal to help, Melissa secretly defies her husband, risking her life to follow God’s leading.

Two sisters, struggling against unspeakable hardship, discover that even in their darkest times, they are still united in spirit, and God is still with them, drawing them home.

The Thrall’s Sword by Grace Caylor

No Comments on The Thrall’s Sword by Grace Caylor

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

700s – Ireland

On the night Sigrid, a seventeen-year-old Norse slave, is to accompany her dead master on a fiery longship to Valhalla, the cruel Jarl Ragnar murders her mother.

When two fishermen rescue her from her fate in the seas, grief-stricken Sigrid joins them on their mission to warn the Irish of the oncoming Viking raiders. As she continues her journey, her hatred for Jarl Ragnar grows and she secretly vows to destroy him.

However, as her new friend Erik teaches her about his God, a surprising power begins to work inside her heart. Yet when Sigrid has the chance to seize vengeance, will sweet revenge or a foreign god free her from despair?

Even Forever by Robin Lee Hatcher

No Comments on Even Forever by Robin Lee Hatcher

evenforeverGoodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1890 – Idaho

The last thing Rosalie Tomkin wants is another man trying to control her life. Her abusive jailbird father and her ne’er-do-well brother have cured her of that. Not even the wealthy visitor staying in her beleaguered mother’s boarding house can tempt her. She plans to leave Boulder Creek as soon as she can scrape together the funds to do so, and when she does, she won’t ever look back.

Michael Randolph is in a high-stakes competition for the family business and intends to beat his half-brother, no matter what. So when an innocent encounter with Rosalie threatens to cost him everything he hopes to achieve, he’s willing to pay the price demanded by her no-good father. Even if it means marrying a damsel in distress.

Strangers placed in an impossible position, Michael and Rosalie can agree on one thing. Neither of them wants to stay together any longer than they must. What they don’t know is that fate might have a better future in store for them than either could imagine.

Banished by Linda Byler

No Comments on Banished by Linda Byler

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1900s – Arkansas

It was the early 1900s when Obadiah (Oba) and Merriweather’s (May’s) parents died tragically, leaving them orphans at ten and eleven years old. When none of their nearby relations volunteer to take them in, they are set on a train to Arkansas to go live on their Amish aunt and uncle’s cotton farm. Once there, it didn’t take long to discover they would be treated cruelly, no matter what they did. May, always anxious to be a godly young lady, took on more and more responsibility, trying desperately to keep the peace and convince her older brother not to run away. But when they became teenagers and Oba received one especially cruel beating, he disappeared, leaving May to shoulder even more responsibility while navigating the dangerous and lonely world she’d been placed in.

When she encounters Clinton, a young black man, on the road one day, she sees a kindness in his eyes that she’s been thirsting for. He is immediately drawn to her, too, but quickly reminds her that he is black and she is white. In that time and place, there is no chance of starting a friendship. But still, they find themselves meeting discretely, spending more time together than is proper, finding joy and solace in each other’s company.

When things go from bad to unbearable at the farm, May realizes she must escape from her aunt and uncle. If only she knew where Oba had gone! Can she turn to Clinton for help? Where is God when she needs Him most?

Rekindling Trust by Sandra Ardoin

No Comments on Rekindling Trust by Sandra Ardoin

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1897 – Indiana

Abandonment. Betrayal. Injustice.
Two broken hearts given a second chance to mend.

Widow Edythe Westin yearns for a peaceful home and independence from her controlling father. The goal seems within reach until her rebellious young son is suspected of arson and assault. With nowhere else to turn, she defies her father and appeals for help from the only man she ever loved—the man who once deserted her when she needed him most.

Attorney Barrett Seaton returned to his hometown to make his brother’s final days comfortable. Seeing Edy again raises Barrett’s guard, especially when she remains under her father’s thumb…just like the day she rejected Barrett to marry another man. A second betrayal by Edy would destroy him as surely as her devious father destroyed his brother by railroading him into prison.

After over a decade of hurt, how will trust be renewed in time to save Edythe’s son from an injustice that will haunt him the rest of his life?

The Orchard House by Heidi Chiavaroli

No Comments on The Orchard House by Heidi Chiavaroli

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1865 – Massachusetts

Two women, one living in present day Massachusetts and another in Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House soon after the Civil War, overcome their own personal demons and search for a place to belong.

2001
Abandoned by her own family, Taylor is determined not to mess up her chance at joining the home of her best friend, Victoria Bennett. But despite attending summer camp at Louisa May Alcott’s historic Orchard House with Victoria and sharing dreams of becoming famous authors, Taylor struggles to fit in. As she enters college and begins dating, it feels like Taylor is finally finding her place and some stability . . . until Victoria’s betrayal changes everything.

1865
While Louisa May Alcott is off traveling the world, Johanna Suhre accepts a job tending Louisa’s aging parents and their home in Concord. Soon after arriving at Orchard House, Johanna meets Nathan Bancroft and, ignoring Louisa’s words of caution, falls in love and accepts Nathan’s proposal. But before long, Johanna experiences her husband’s dark side, and she can’t hide the bruises that appear.

2019
After receiving news of Lorraine Bennett’s cancer diagnosis, Taylor knows she must return home to see her adoptive mother again. Now a successful author, Taylor is determined to spend little time in Concord. Yet she becomes drawn into the story of a woman who lived there centuries before. And through her story, Taylor may just find forgiveness and a place to belong.

Night Bird Calling by Cathy Gohlke

1 Comment on Night Bird Calling by Cathy Gohlke

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1941 – North Carolina

When Lilliana Swope’s beloved mother dies, Lilliana gathers her last ounce of courage and flees her abusive husband for the home of her only living relative in the foothills of No Creek, North Carolina. Though Hyacinth Belvidere hasn’t seen Lilliana since she was five, she offers her cherished great-niece a safe harbor. Their joyful reunion inspires plans to revive Aunt Hyacinth’s estate and open a public library where everyone is welcome, no matter the color of their skin.

Slowly Lilliana finds revival and friendship in No Creek—with precocious eleven-year-old Celia Percy, with kindhearted Reverend Jesse Willard, and with Ruby Lynne Wishon, a young woman whose secrets could destroy both them and the town. When the plans for the library also incite the wrath of the Klan, the dangers of Lilliana’s past and present threaten to topple her before she’s learned to stand.

With war brewing for the nation and for her newfound community, Lilliana must overcome a hard truth voiced by her young friend Celia: Wishing comes easy. Change don’t.

A Groom for Ruby by Laura Ashwood

No Comments on A Groom for Ruby by Laura Ashwood

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1878 – Nebraska

What happens when an abused woman, a broken little boy and an ex-convict come together?

Ruby Fulton has had a tough life, and it isn’t getting any easier after her husband dies. Suffering under his abuse for years, all Ruby wants is independence, peace and a new chance at life. She is barely scraping by herself, and now she’s responsible for one of Last Chance’s orphaned children. The last thing she wants to do is sign herself up for another husband who will make her life miserable. But when the preacher insists that she marry again, what is a woman to do?

Cullen Parker is determined to leave his past behind him and live an honest life. When he hears about Last Chance, Nebraska, he’s sure it is the perfect place to find work. He agrees to work on Ruby’s farm in exchange for room and board, but he definitely isn’t looking for a wife. 

It seems like the perfect arrangement, but the town pastor sees a scandal. He insists they get married if Cullen is going to stay. What happens when Cullen offers a marriage of convenience? When Cullen’s criminal past comes calling, the precarious balance of trust and convenience is threatened. Will they—or their marriage—survive?

Could Last Chance hold the answers for both of them?

Hope’s Reward by Carol Ashby

No Comments on Hope’s Reward by Carol Ashby

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

 120s – Roman Empire/Traveling

Must the secrets we hide destroy our hope for a future?

For a gladiator slave, each time you step on the sand, it’s kill or die. When Ursus decides to follow Jesus, he must choose to die the next time he’s ordered to fight…or run away. He runs, taking again his childhood name, Matti. But he isn’t just trying to escape. He’s running to Thessalonica, where he hopes to find other Christians like the woman who led him to faith.

When Felicia’s new husband, Falco, almost kills her in a fit of rage, her uncle won’t help her end the marriage with his business partner. He will send her to her sister in Thessalonica, but only if she tells no one she plans to divorce Falco and demand her dowry back before she gets there. When Matti interrupts a robbery too late to save Felicia’s money for traveling by sea, he offers to bodyguard and escort her overland to their mutual destination.

After Matti risks everything to save her from Falco’s assassins, Felicia fears taking the danger to her sister’s family. When his Christian friends take them in, she discovers the deepest desires of her heart. But will the secrets of Matti’s past make a future together impossible?

Embattled Hearts by Pegg Thomas

No Comments on Embattled Hearts by Pegg Thomas

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1861 – Wyoming

After her mother’s death, Alannah Fagan is left in the care of a brutal stepfather. When he demands that she marry his youngest son, her only hope is to escape. Together with Conn Fagan, her younger brother, she flees their westbound wagon train with no plan other than to survive.

Stewart McCann left northern Virginia behind to take the stationmaster job at the Pony Express’s Horseshoe Station in Wyoming territory at the start of the Civil War. He has struggled with that decision ever since. When he discovers a battered young woman and her brother, he is once more thrust into the midst of a fight.

Can two wounded hearts—with the help of a one-eyed Pony Express mount—support each other when faced with decisions that could cost them both dearly?

Pursued by a King by Elizabeth Adams & Diana Wallis Taylor

No Comments on Pursued by a King by Elizabeth Adams & Diana Wallis Taylor

Goodreads ~ Purchase

1005 BC – Israel

A SENSE OF UNEASE settles over Abigail as she learns of her father’s choice for her husband. Something about the way Nabal of Maon looks at her makes her uncomfortable, but no amount of pleading can convince her father that there is more to Nabal than what they see. Abigail is sentenced to a life with a volatile, unpredictable man. When David, the rumored next king of Israel, approaches Nabal seeking the customary kindness of strangers, Nabal turns him away, incurring the future king’s wrath. Abigail must be swift to act in order to save her household. Nabal collapses, never to rise again, upon hearing the news of David’s wrath and Abigail’s actions to appease the future king. And when David’s men appear at her doorstep with an offer of a new life, Abigail must choose between returning to her father’s home, or embarking on the adventure of a lifetime.

A Cord of Three Strands by Christy Distler

No Comments on A Cord of Three Strands by Christy Distler

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1756 – Pennsylvania

Born to a French trader and a Lenape woman. Reared by Quakers. As the French & Indian War rages, one man strives for peace–between Pennsylvania and its Indian tribes, and between his own heart and mind.

As 1756 dawns, Isaac Lukens leaves the Pennsylvania wilderness after two years with the Lenape people. He’s failed to find the families of his birth parents, a French trader and a Lenape woman. Worse, the tribe he’s lived with, having rejected his peacemaking efforts, now ravages frontier settlements in retaliation. When he arrives in the Quaker community where he was reared, questions taunt him: Who is he–white man or Lenape? And where does he belong?

Elisabeth Alden, Isaac’s dearest childhood friend, is left to tend her young siblings alone upon her father’s death. Despite Isaac’s promise to care for her and the children, she battles resentment toward him for having left, while an unspeakable tragedy and her discordant courtship with a prominent Philadelphian weigh on her as well.

Elisabeth must marry or lose guardianship of her siblings, and her options threaten the life with her and the children that Isaac has come to love. Faced with Elisabeth’s hesitancy to marry, the prospect of finding his family at last, and the opportunity to assist in the peace process between Pennsylvania and its Indian tribes, Isaac must determine where–and to whom–the Almighty has called him.

A Cord of Three Strands weaves fact and fiction into a captivating portrayal of Colonial-era Quaker life, including Friends’ roles in Pennsylvania Indian relations and in refuting slavery.

A Distant Heart by Heather Blanton

No Comments on A Distant Heart by Heather Blanton

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1800s – Wyoming

Two wounded souls. One loving, relentless God.

Welcome to Burning Dress Ranch.

Miss Sally, the mysterious and secretive owner of Burning Dress, established the operation with a very particular mission—to make sure her charges leave with a real skill, and to share the love of Christ with their hurting, wounded souls.

Cecelia Huggins, broken by a bitter, shameful divorce, has come to Burning Dress to take control of her own destiny. She wants to work and learn. She doesn’t want friends, and she certainly doesn’t ever want to fall in love again.

Jax Taylor is foreman of the Burning Dress and he’s the perfect man for the job. Most of the ranch hands are women who are healing from some pretty tough blows. Just like them, he’s pushing past his own hurts and would prefer to drink poison rather than fall in love again.

Miss Sally has had some tough cases before but Cecelia and Jax maybe the toughest. How do you convince two stubborn hearts that the only way to find rest for their souls is to give in to love?

Let the Ghosts Speak by Bryan Davis

No Comments on Let the Ghosts Speak by Bryan Davis

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1860 – Paris

Let the ghosts speak—but will the sane heed their counsel?

In 19th century Paris, Justin Trotter, an immigrant from England, is making his way as a book translator while paying for his blind twin sister’s care. One evening, Marc Noël, Justin’s well-to-do friend and fellow thespian, invites him to a masquerade party at an abandoned schoolhouse. Justin hopes this will be an opportunity to get to know Marc’s lovely though sharp-tongued sister, Francine.

At the event, Justin meets four ghostly strangers—two adults and two children—who warn him that the party guests are in danger, and they must leave at once. True to their prediction, a murder takes place, and Justin is the prime suspect. He escapes and becomes a fugitive, hiding in the Paris catacombs.

Mystery and intrigue swirl as the ghost of Joan of Arc and other martyrs guide Justin on a lonely journey to prove his innocence and protect his sister from an abusive caretaker. Who really committed the crime? Marc? Francine? A ghost? And does seeing these ghosts mean he is going insane? Maybe he really is the murderer after all.

There is only one way to find out, to let the ghosts speak as they reveal the mysteries within Justin’s mind.

A Wing and a Prayer by Julie Lessman

No Comments on A Wing and a Prayer by Julie Lessman

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1943 – Texas

She’s dead-set on giving everything to the war overseas …
Even if it means losing everything in a war of the heart.

A street orphan abused and abandoned by an alcoholic father at age five, Gabriella (Gabe) O’Connor has never let a man stand in her way yet. So when a handsome flight officer thwarts her plans to become a WASP — Women Air Force Service Pilot — she’s determined to join the war effort anyway she can. Her chance comes when she “borrows” foreign correspondent credentials from the Boston Herald—where her father is the editor—to stow away on a medical ship to the front.

Lieutenant Alex Kincaid pegs Gabe O’Connor as trouble the moment she steps foot on Avenger Field as a WASP cadet. As the eldest brother of a boy whose jaw Gabe broke in grade school, Alex is familiar with her reputation as both a charismatic ringleader and a headstrong hooligan who’s challenged every male and nun from grade school to college. As her WASP flight instructor, Alex eventually expels Gabe when she pulls a dangerous stunt. But when he is an evacuation pilot in France eight months later, their lives intertwine once again, exposing them to a danger as perilous as the German tanks roaming the Reichswald Forest: a love that neither expects.

Cash’s Promise by Linda Ford

No Comments on Cash’s Promise by Linda Ford

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1886 – Canada

Mail-order bride? Try mail-order disaster. Theresa’s late husband was a liar and abuser. Now that he’s dead, she’s alone and very pregnant. The last thing she wants is another man in her life.

Cash Hooper has known his share of loss. After being rejected by a former sweetheart, he has no interest in risking his heart again. When searching for his missing horse, he discovers Theresa on her own and dangerously injured. He can’t leave, not when she needs so much help. He determines to stay long enough for her to recover, then he’ll take her to Willow Creek so she can start a new, independent life.

Theresa’s baby arrives early and Cash’s tenderness and kindness stir emotions she thought long dead. After what she’s been through, she knows how men can pretend to be one thing while hiding their true nature. She isn’t about to trust her fate to anyone but herself and God.

Cash starts to fall for Theresa and her little one. But past rejection haunts him. How can he be worthy of Theresa’s love and trust when his past tells him otherwise?

Can Cash and Theresa let go of the past to embrace the future?

The Runaway Bride by Jody Hedlund

No Comments on The Runaway Bride by Jody Hedlund

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1862 – Canada

Wealthy Arabella Lawrence flees to British Columbia on a bride ship still wearing the scars of past mistakes. One of the few single women in the boomtown, she immediately has suitors, but she is determined not to find herself trapped again by a poor choice.

Vying for her hand are two very different men. Lieutenant Richard Drummond is a gentleman in the Navy and is held in high esteem. Peter Kelly is the town’s baker and has worked hard to build a thriving business. He and Drummond not only compete for Arabella’s affections, but clash over their views of how the natives should be treated in the midst of a smallpox outbreak.

As Arabella begins to overcome her fears, she discovers someone in dire need–a starving girl abandoned by her tribe. Intent on helping the girl, Arabella leans on Peter’s advice and guidance. Will she have the wisdom to make the right decision or will seeking what’s right cost both her and Peter everything?

The Tea Chest by Heidi Chiavaroli

No Comments on The Tea Chest by Heidi Chiavaroli

theteachestGoodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1773/Present Day – Massachusetts

Boston, 1773
Emma Malcolm’s father is staunchly loyal to the crown, but Emma’s heart belongs to Noah Winslow, a printer’s assistant and a Patriot. Her father has promised her hand to Samuel Clarke, forcing her to give up Noah and the friends who are like family to her—as well as the beliefs she has come to embrace.

After Emma is drawn into the treasonous Boston Tea Party, Samuel blackmails her with evidence condemning each participant, including Noah. Emma realizes she must do whatever it takes to protect those she loves, even if it means giving up the life she desires and marrying Samuel.

Present Day
Lieutenant Hayley Ashworth is determined to be the first woman inducted into the elite Navy SEALs. But before her dream can be realized, she must return to Boston in order to put the abuse and neglect of her childhood behind her. When an unexpected encounter with the man she once loved leads to the discovery of a tea chest and the document hidden within, she wonders if perhaps true strength and freedom are buried deeper than she first realized.

Two women, separated by centuries, must find the strength to fight for love and freedom. . . and discover a heritage of courage and faith.

A Glimmer of Hope by Julia Ridgmont

No Comments on A Glimmer of Hope by Julia Ridgmont

Goodreads aglimmerofhope~ Purchase ~ Sample

1881 – Oregon

She’s traveling west to help her mother begin a new life as a mail-order bride. What she doesn’t know is that she is about to become a mail-order bride, too.

Melissa Eversoll Burgess’s hope of a wonderful life with her first husband went up in smoke the day she married him. Not only was his abuse difficult to take, but she also learned that he was deeply involved in crime—on the very day he died. Now that they’re both widowed, Melissa and her mother are ready to start over in a place called Hope Hollow. When she is introduced to a handsome farmer and informed that she is to be his mail-order bride, she doesn’t know whether to hug him…or slap him.

Garret Pearce came to Oregon three years ago to claim land and nurse a broken heart. Though he’s smitten with Melissa from their very first meeting, he’s not about to fall into that trap again. That is, until it becomes obvious she needs his protection. Entering a marriage of convenience may not have been in his plans, but now that he’s got a wife—and a pretty one at that—he realizes that keeping his heart from being torn in two is going to be the challenge of his life. One that he just might lose.

Will Melissa and Garret get a second chance at love?

Welcome to Hope Hollow, Oregon, a place where hope abounds for the downtrodden and weary, and where peace and love abide amidst life’s trials.

Dance With Me by A. M. Heath

No Comments on Dance With Me by A. M. Heath

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1959 – Tennessee

Will a new partnership tear their worlds apart … or will it be the piece they never knew was missing?

In 1959, Arleen Thatcher and Neil Fox are fierce competitors on the dance floor, so they’re the least likely pair to enter a televised competition together. But when rivaling studio owners decide to team up, the two will find a partnership they never thought possible.

Arleen’s reputation around town is reason enough for Neil to keep his distance from his new partner. But as Neil gets to know Arleen, he discovers a side of her few others have seen, one of dark family secrets and carefully-constructed facades.

God’s plan for their partnership may involve more than a single dance; it may be the key to the healing Arleen so desperately needs.

The Art of Love series is compiled of stand-alone novels where the characters tell their own stories and love means so much more than fleeting passion.

 

Lane Steen by Candace West

No Comments on Lane Steen by Candace West

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1908 – Arkansas

To let go of the past she must confront it.
When Lane Steen discovers her father kidnapped her years ago, her fractured world shatters. A different world and a new family await to welcome her if she’ll only take the chance.
Will they love her? Or will she trade one hostile home for another?

Perhaps the journey will only raise more questions.

Who is her father, really? And what happened to him? Will she ever be able to forgive him so that love can heal her heart?
Valley Creek may be her prison, but perhaps it holds the unexpected. True love, purpose, grace, and redemption.
Join Lane on her search for the truth today!

From a Distance by Diana Brandmeyer

No Comments on From a Distance by Diana Brandmeyer

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1880s – Illinois

He wants independence. She longs for safety. Will an orphan girl bring them together?

Beginning a new life, Shanna Becket, secures employment at the Children’s Society Agency. Her first assignment brings her dangerously close to her abusive stepfather. What she didn’t count on is the distraction of a handsome stranger who sends her heart fluttering.

A second son who is second-best, Aidan hopes that his latest venture is his ticket to independence from his overbearing father. His travels bring him in contact with the lovely working-class, red-headed Shanna she steals his heart. His father won’t approve.

When a sick orphan brings them together, Shanna is forced to place her well-being in Aidan’s hands. Finally, a possibility of love for this spinster. But can she trust he is the man he says he is?

The Mending of Lillian Cathleen by Linda Brooks Davis

No Comments on The Mending of Lillian Cathleen by Linda Brooks Davis

themendingoflilliancathleenGoodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1914 – Oklahoma

It’s 1914. While American women are demanding the vote and the first flames of the Great War are igniting Europe, a battle of a different sort rages in Oklahoma. The thermometer registers one hundred six degrees, an out-of-the-ordinary occurrence, even for the twenty-eighth day of July.
 
     But this is no ordinary day. A murder trial has concluded, and the jury has reached a verdict.
 
The star witness for the prosecution fidgets in the old church pew. She’s lost enough, given more than her share. Hasn’t she? The answer rests in the hands of twelve men. Not a single woman sits among the jurors.
 
     Lily eyes the judge. And the courtroom holds its breath.