Fear the Shadows, the prequel to my new Danger in Destiny series, is now available FREE exclusively to all newsletter subscribers. I had so much fun writing this book, and I hope you all enjoy it. Let me know what you think!

I'm working on my new series, Danger in Destiny, which means I'm actively writing three different stories. 

Fear the Shadows - A prequel novella for newsletter subscribers only coming soon
Out of the Ashes - The first official book releases March 28th
Frozen in Jeopardy - The second book releases July 25th

While one of my characters, Officer Gabe Harrison, is featured in Frozen in Jeopardy, he actually makes an appearance in the other two books as well. He works for the Destiny Police Department as a member of the K-9 unit. He and his German shepherd partner, Loki, specialize in tracking. 

When I first started this series, I knew very little about how a K-9 unit operates within the police department. I did a lot of online research, but information wasn't easy to find. That's when I decided to reach out to our local police department. 

I spoke with Lt. Moran who not only answered some of my questions, but he suggested I go on a ride-along with one of the K-9 units and put me in touch with Officer Timothy Cox and his dog, Barco. 
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I was fortunate to be able to go on a four hour ride-along with Officer Cox and Barco a couple of weeks ago.

Not only was Officer Cox super helpful when it came to understanding how he and Barco are involved in the every day workings of the police department, but I got to see how their vehicle is set up, including the kennel that Barco rides in.

I also learned a lot about how police dogs are trained and even got to watch Barco perform a drug search. It gave me a great deal of respect not only for what the dog can do, but for all of the hard work that goes into what the handler does to train the dog and read his reactions in order to track effectively. 

Later in the evening, I had the chance to ask some questions directly related to a few scenes I had planned. In several cases, not only did I come away with more details, but I even had to alter the basic situation simply because that's not how it would really work. It's important to me to make the scenes as realistic as possible, so having that clarity was huge.

For example, there's a scene in Out of the Ashes where someone breaks into a house. I originally had Gabe and Loki going in and clearing the home. Instead, I learned that they would wait for backup and then go in with at least one other officer. 

I'm excited to apply everything I've learned to this series, and I look forward to being able to share the books with all of you!

I'm working on a novella now that is a prequel to my new romantic suspense series, Danger in Destiny. This particular novella has been inspired by a mansion that stands not far from where I live and is called the White Mansion. This particular building has been empty for many years now.

While there are a few articles online about the mansion, as well as a YouTube video with a short tour of some of the rooms, the rest is definitely left to the imagination. 

In my novella, Fear the Shadows, Chloe Newcomb lives in the town of Destiny, Texas where she's admired one of the town's landmarks for years - the Mahogany Mansion. In fact, her childhood curiosity about the place is what sparked her interest in eventually becoming an estate liquidator. 

When the owner of the mansion reaches out to her and hires her to take inventory of the mansion's contents, it's a dream come true. 

But once she gets inside, she realizes that the mansion has been keeping a lot of secrets, and some of them are deadly. 

I'm looking forward to being able to share this novella for FREE with all newsletter subscribers!  Meanwhile, it's been a blast letting my imagination run as I write about the fictional Mahogany Mansion. 

​ It's the opportunity of a lifetime.

Estate liquidator Chloe Newcomb has admired the Mahogany Mansion, one of the town's trademarks, for years. When she is contacted to inventory the contents, she can't believe her luck. But from her first step inside, danger surrounds her, forcing her to solve a mystery before things escalate.

Someone's lurking in the mansion.

Closed off to the community, Mahogany Mansion isn't a place anyone visits. When Police Chief Arnold Dolman discovers the driveway gate wide open and his friend, Chloe, injured by someone hiding in the house, he steps in to offer her protection. As Chloe continues her work, it's clear whoever hurt her won't be stopping anytime soon.

Scare tactics turn to danger.

What starts out as menacing pranks turns to something more sinister. Chloe is determined to finish the job she's been hired to do, and Arnold refuses to leave her there alone. Together, they'll have to watch each other's backs while unraveling the secrets hidden within the mansion's dark shadows. 

Interested in reading more about the White House mansion? Check out the links below: 

Nearly every year, I take Christmas portraits of our pets. Sometimes they are pretty or cute, other times they are just funny. 

Jessie - We strongly suspect that she is a kelpie, although we've never done genetic testing for her. We adopted her when she was six months old in 2015. She's definitely our smallest dog, but my goodness does she have a lot of attitude. She sleeps in our daughter's room, and they do nearly everything together. She loves to play with tennis balls and lives for tug-of-war.

Loki - He was a rescue in 2020, and about six months old when we saw an ad about him and decided to bring him home. He walked into our house and right into my heart. He's definitely my buddy. He weighs about 90 lbs. and is a mutt through and through. We did do genetic testing on him and he's primarily Australian cattle dog and German shepherd. He's super sweet, and I'm hoping to do obedience training and possibly some agility with him next year. 

Natty - This is the baby of the family. She turned a year old in November. We got her at six weeks - probably the youngest puppy I've ever had. It's hard to believe how fast they grow! She's a German shepherd and around 75 pounds. She's super sweet but can be a little timid. That said, she's an amazing guard dog. She and Loki love to play together!

Jasper - He's our angel. We just said goodbye to him on December 10th, and our home isn't the same without him. We found him as a puppy in 2009 running on the side of the road and brought him home. He was such a sweet, mellow guy that loved food, gave true hugs, and was always happy. We were blessed to have him in our lives for 13 1/2 years. 

I love baking cookies in December. I'm the odd one in my family in that I prefer non-chocolate baked goods. Weird, I know. LOL Of all the cookies I bake, honey spice cookies are one of my favorites. I love the combination of honey, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. They are so good!

I thought I'd share the recipe for those of you who might like to try baking them. If you do, I'd love to hear what you think. 

Honey Spice Cookies

1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup shortening (I use coconut oil)
1/4 cup honey or dark corn syrup 
1 egg
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cloves

~ Cream brown sugar and shortening in a mixing bowl
~ Add egg and honey or corn syrup and mix well
~ Combine all the dry ingredients in a second bowl
~ Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture until well blended 
~ Shape into balls
~ Fill a small bowl with water and another with sugar (I like using raw Turbinado sugar because it's courser)
~ Dip half the ball in water, then in the sugar
~ Place on an ungreased cookie sheet sugar side up
~ Bake at 350'F for 12-15 minutes

Makes about 2 dozen
Enjoy!

Marrying Mandy is the first book in a complete five-book series. Visit Clearwater, Texas: The perfect place to discover friends, renew your faith, and fall in love. Read the first book FREE today!

You can find my book, Calming the Storm, included in this list. You can pick it up for FREE through February 16th. 

A marriage of convenience isn't exactly what she had in mind.

After a rocky start, Rachel Peters finally has her life on track. Then a tragic accident takes away her sister and leaves her to raise her niece, Kendra, alone. About to lose custody of her last blood relative, Rachel is desperate to prove she can adequately care for her niece. On the verge of running away to keep Kendra, a new friend offers Rachel an opportunity she can't refuse.

Brandon Barlow has long admired Rachel. When her world begins to fall apart, he feels led to help. A marriage of convenience would enable him to provide Rachel and Kendra with a stable place to live, proper health insurance, and a viable shot at staying together. Once Rachel gained full custody of her niece, the marriage could be annulled. His plan provides the perfect solution, until Brandon realizes he's fallen in love with Rachel.
Through love and patience, can he help Rachel realize that, even when she experiences storms in her life, she's never alone?

My book, Marrying Mandy, is included in this promotion. Read it for FREE - and available in your favorite online store.

A marriage of convenience might be crazy...or an answer to both of their prayers.Mandy Hudson swore she'd never marry. Abandoned by her parents and raised by her grandparents, she has a hard time trusting that real love will last. When her grandmother dies, Mandy is shocked to discover a stipulation in the will. Considering marriage to her best friend may be the only way to keep her family's beloved bed-and-breakfast.

The loss of his job threatens Preston Yarrow's shaky financial stability. Besides, he can't watch his best friend give up the only real home she's ever known. Frustrated by Mandy's stubborn refusal to let him help, he's certain they are stronger together than they are apart.
A marriage of convenience sounds like the perfect solution until love enters the equation and complicates everything.

We ended up with some crazy winter weather here in the Texas Big Country. Thankfully, it was nothing like Snowmageddon we experienced last year. Still, we started off with freezing rain yesterday afternoon followed by hours of sleet. That finally turned to snow around 3 this morning and has continued for most of the day. All in all, I think we got around two inches of snow. 

​Our daughter and the dogs enjoyed going outside and playing, but with the windchill bringing temps down to feel like 2'F, they didn't stay outside long. 

The dogs in the pictures above are Natty, our 9-week-old puppy, Loki, who just turned a year old. Then on the bottom we have Jessie, who is seven. And then on the bottom right is Jasper, our senior gentleman. He wasn't overly interested in the snow, and I can't really blame him. Ha!

Below are some of the plants in our yard that are covered in snow and ice. It's all very peaceful and beautiful, but I'm thankful I live in an area of the country that doesn't get a lot of snow often. 

All of this snow makes me think of one of my books, I Still Do. In this book, a family gathers to honor a loved one who passed and ends up snowbound together, including Grey and Cora who divorced years ago. It's pretty hard to keep running away from each other when there's nowhere else to go! 

If you haven't read I Still Do yet, you can grab a copy from any of your favorite book retailers. If you do, I hope you enjoy it!

What's worse than running into your ex-husband? Becoming snowbound with him and an avalanche of memories you can't escape.

When Cora Wells married her high school sweetheart at nineteen, she thought it was the beginning of a perfect life together. Their divorce two years later shattered her heart. She thought she'd never see him again, until she agrees to go on a crazy trip to honor a loved one and comes face to face with none other than her ex-husband, Grey.

Grey Jackson never could decide which was his biggest mistake--marrying Cora or divorcing her. He thought he'd moved past it all, but unexpectedly seeing Cora brings every emotion back to the surface. He can tell she's keeping something from him, yet how can he expect her to open up to him after he shut himself off from her years ago?

When a crazy winter storm leaves them all snowbound, everything seems to go wrong, and Cora and Grey have no choice but to work together. As tempers flare and old wounds are re-opened, they must face the truth of what happened between them. Will it give them a second chance to rediscover their first love?

Hello, friends!
​
I realize I haven't posted on my blog in a really long time. Honestly, I took it off my site because I found the process of keeping it up-to-date very overwhelming over the last year or so. In that time, I've also found that I've truly missed it. So I'm back, and I hope at least some of you are still out there. To start a new blog post off, I'm going to share the message in my latest newsletter. Then I'll be posting new content from then on. 

We've had quite the beginning to our new year.  

We got a new puppy for my husband's birthday. Shortly after that, we all came down with COVID one-by-one. Dealing with being sick and a young puppy who is getting up multiple times at night to go out or because she was hungry hasn't been easy! On top of that, both our daughter and my husband were sick for their birthdays. Our son is having some health issues in addition to COVID. 

We're all mostly feeling better, finally, but are still dealing with congestion and fatigue.
I'm so ready to get back to normal. Oh, and spring. I'm really ready for spring. Ha! 

Okay, enough about being sick. On to the new puppy! My husband named her Natty Gann, and we call her Natty. She's about 9.5 weeks old now, and fits perfectly with our family. We bought her to be my husband's dog. My dog, Loki, turned a year old in December. The two absolutely LOVE to play together. I really don't know how we would've made it through not feeling well if it weren't for Loki entertaining Natty so much. 
Natty is supposed to be a full German shepherd, but that didn't matter too much to us. I guess time will tell as she grows. We may do one of those DNA tests with her that we did with Loki because it was fun. But will wait a while for that. 

Happy New Year! Whether you make new year resolutions or not, I hope reading more books is one of your goals. You can start now by checking out these great new releases! All should be Christian and/or clean, but please make sure you verify them! Meanwhile, I hope this is a great start to a new year. 

The Ranger's Destiny
​by Bree Livingston

​A dog rescuer, the man assigned to protect her, and the ominous threats that force them together.

When veterinarian and dog lover, Holly Blake, realizes a dogfighting ring is stealing dogs in her town, there’s no way she’s sitting idly by. Once she starts asking questions, she finds herself—and her little boy—in danger from the ruthless thugs that run it.

Ex-Army Ranger, Mason Andrews’s new assignment has him undercover as a small-town physician on the hunt for a dogfighting ring and protecting the local vet, Holly Blake. She’s beautiful, kind and a mom. Just the type of woman he shouldn’t be interested in. Not with his past.

Holly thinks her life is too complicated for love, and Mason believes he’ll never be good enough to fill the role of husband or father. Will their past keep them from moving forward or will love find a way to soothe their aches and bring them together?

The Christmas Ring 
​by Shanna Hatfield

​She’s desperate to forget her past
He’s determined to give her a future

Victoria Carter flees from the gossip that dogs her every step. She hopes to embark on a new chapter of her life at her brother’s home in eastern Oregon. What she didn’t plan on was the stagecoach being robbed on the way there, or the immediate attraction she feels to one of the outlaws. Then she meets a telephone lineman she finds charming, witty, and kind. Despite her intentions to avoid all members of the male species, her affections are torn between the two men.

A man of many secrets and talents, Trace Travers knows he has to stay focused on his work. Yet, the lovely sister of one of his friends threatens to capture not just his attention but also his heart. Resolved to ignoring Victoria and the emotions she stirs in him, he discovers she is a difficult woman to overlook, especially when she keeps popping up in the most unexpected places.

Trace and Victoria are swept into the town’s festivities as they ring in the holiday season. But will Christmas bring the forgiveness they both need if they hope to have a future together? Enjoy this sweet holiday romance, rich with history, laughter, and heartwarming Christmas cheer.

Cinders & Blades
​by Amanda Kaye

A great betrayal requires a great revenge.

Sasha’s childhood was shattered when the Tsar murdered her father. She’s spent her life searching from the shadows for a way to make the Tsar pay for his crimes. But people who question the Tsar have a habit of disappearing, and Sasha can’t trust anyone.
​
When the Tsar announces an extravagant ball for the prince, Sasha sees the perfect opportunity for revenge. But the interference of a mysterious stranger could be her undoing—or her salvation. Forced to keep this unlikely dance partner close while guarding against his betrayal, Sasha uncovers new revelations around every turn. As the chance to strike draws near Sasha must question everything she thought she knew.

What price is she willing to pay to avenge her family?

How to Kiss a Guy in Ten Days
​By Liwen Y. Ho

Spoiler alert: It was supposed to be a pretend relationship, so why are they getting all the feels?

Hannah

When my dad went to jail, my world flipped upside down. Even my boyfriend wanted to take a break. But I've got a brilliant plan to show him what he’s been missing since he broke my heart.

Enter the cute new guy—Seth Spark.

Seth

When Hannah Mitchell, a girl completely out of my league, asks me to be her fake boyfriend on my first day at Edenvale, I almost lose it. A shy and awkward guy like me would never get any girl’s attention— especially a pretty one.

Never say never.

Now, I only have ten days to convince her to forget about her ex… and to give us a real chance.
​
The Edenvale Arts High School series brings you the sweetness and innocence of young love amidst a backdrop of the performing arts. Combining creativity and romance, this clean and wholesome YA series is perfect for fans of High School Musical and Zombies.

Dumplings and Dynamite
​by Shanna Hatfield

​That infuriating woman is about to blow his cover!
Or does the danger rest in the fact she’s stolen his heart?

Widow Hollin Hughes doesn’t care how long it takes or the depths of deception required to discover how her husband really died. She’s determined to unearth the truth and unravel the mystery surrounding his death. Then a new dynamite man arrives at the mine and throws all her plans off kilter.

With a smile that makes females of any age swoon, Deputy Seth Harter can charm his way into or out of almost anything. When he’s sent undercover to Crescent Creek Mine, even the cranky cook seems entirely immune to his rugged appeal, making him wonder if he’s losing his touch. Eager to get to the bottom of a series of unexplained deaths, Seth counts on catching the criminals. He just didn’t anticipate a tempestuous woman claiming his heart in the process.

Brimming with humor, tidbits from history, and a sweet, unexpected love, don’t miss out on a heartwarming romance packed with adventure.

Contemporary Romance:
A Rancher to Trust by Laurel Blount — After learning his ex-wife isn’t so ex after all, rebel turned rancher Dan Whitlock is determined to prove he’s a changed man…but Bailey Quinn is just as set on finally ending their marriage. When tragedy makes Dan the guardian of little orphaned twins, he and Bailey are drawn back together. But can she forgive the past and open her heart to the family she’s always wanted? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired (Harlequin))

Star Rising by Janet W. Ferguson — Star Youngblood tries to protect her employer, Mrs. Priscilla Kelly, from the woman’s neglectful son, an aspiring flight instructor who has issues with religion, but finds her own heart is at the greatest risk. (Contemporary Romanc, Independently Published)

A Promise to Keep by Melony Teague — Savannah, a widowed research librarian, goes to her twenty year class reunion and gets reacquainted with Michael, a former troublemaker who is now a professional technical rescuer. Before the night is over, a pact between these two old friends will lead them on an adventure into uncharted emotional territory where Michael must confront his past regrets and find the courage to reveal the truth. But can Savannah fly from her sheltered nest and risk her heart on a real-life hero? (Contemporary Romance from Anaiah Press)

General Contemporary:
A Long Time Comin by Robin W. Pearson — To hear Beatrice Agnew tell it, she entered the world with her mouth tightly shut. Just because she finds out she’s dying doesn’t mean she can’t keep it that way. If any of her children have questions about their daddy and the choices she made after he abandoned them, they’d best take it up with Jesus. There’s no room in Granny B’s house for regrets or hand-holding. Or so she thinks. Her granddaughter, Evelyn Lester, shows up on Beatrice’s doorstep anyway, burdened with her own secret baggage. Determined to help her Granny B mend fences with her far-flung brood, Evelyn turns her grandmother’s heart and home inside out. Evelyn’s meddling uncovers a tucked-away box of old letters, forcing the two women to wrestle with their past and present pain as they confront the truth Beatrice has worked a lifetime to hide. (General Contemporary from Tyndale House)

Historical Romance:
Freedom in the Mountain Wind by Misty M. Beller — A young woman faces overwhelming odds to make her father’s dream come true before he dies of lung cancer, but paddling upriver through fierce rapids and fighting hungry grizzlies to follow the Lewis and Clark trail isn’t what terrifies her the most. Beaver Tail endured more than he can stand from the women in his Blackfoot camp, but the last disaster gave him the final shove he needed to join this band of brothers searching for one of their group who’s gone missing. The last thing he expected was to find a white woman and her sick father stranded at the base of a massive waterfall. His plan is to help them carry their oversize canoe and supplies, then leave them to their strange mission. Yet, the more he learns about the pair, the more he realizes his life is about to be derailed—again. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Uncharted Promises by Keely Brooke Keith — Sybil Roberts uses the warmth of delicious meals to lift the spirits of road-weary travelers at The Inn at Falls Creek. Her life at the inn would be perfect if she could just get her brothers and mother to move back home. And if she could see Isaac Owens again. He visited the inn once when he interviewed for the farm manager job, and she’s dreamed of his return to Falls Creek ever since. Isaac Owens knows how to run a farm. His family might not have faith in him, but if he succeeds at Falls Creek, he’ll prove them wrong. He arrives at the inn thinking the job is his, but the inn’s senile owner offered the position to another man too. Isaac must spend the winter competing if he wants to win the job… and Sybil’s heart. It will take more than warm meals on cold nights for Sybil and Isaac to find love while working at the isolated inn. (Historical Romance from Edenbrooke Press)

Forever Hidden by Kimberley Woodhouse, Tracie Peterson — Sybil Roberts uses the warmth of delicious meals to lift the spirits of road-weary travelers at The Inn at Falls Creek. Her life at the inn would be perfect if she could just get her brothers and mother to move back home. And if she could see Isaac Owens again. He visited the inn once when he interviewed for the farm manager job, and she’s dreamed of his return to Falls Creek ever since. Isaac Owens knows how to run a farm. His family might not have faith in him, but if he succeeds at Falls Creek, he’ll prove them wrong. He arrives at the inn thinking the job is his, but the inn’s senile owner offered the position to another man too. Isaac must spend the winter competing if he wants to win the job… and Sybil’s heart. It will take more than warm meals on cold nights for Sybil and Isaac to find love while working at the isolated inn. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])


The Gray Chamber by Grace Hitchcock — On Blackwell Island, New York, a hospital was built to keep its patients from ever leaving. With her late father’s fortune under her uncle’s care until her twenty-fifth birthday in the year 1887, Edyth Foster does not feel pressured to marry or to bow to society’s demands. She freely indulges in eccentric hobbies like fencing and riding her velocipede in her cycling costume about the city for all to see. Finding a loophole in the will, though, her uncle whisks Edyth off to the women’s lunatic asylum just weeks before her birthday. Do any of Edyth’s friends care that she disappeared? At the asylum she meets another inmate, who upon discovering Edyth’s plight, confesses that she is Nellie Bly, an undercover journalist for The World. Will either woman find a way to leave the terrifying island and reclaim her true self? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Romantic Suspense:
Secret Mountain Hideout by Terri Reed — Staying hidden has kept her alive… But now she’s been found. A remote Colorado mountain town and a fake identity have been Ashley Willis’s safe haven since fleeing after she witnessed a murder—but now the killer has found her trail. Desperate and terrified, she’s prepared to run again…but Deputy Sheriff Chase Fredrick won’t let her. With the lawman by her side, can she face danger head-on…and live long enough to bring a murderer to justice? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

It's the holiday season. Treat yourself - or a loved one - to some fabulous books to read! Check out the new releases below and have a blessed Christmas! 

The Fake Girlfriend's Billionaire Match
​by Bree Livingston

​A cowboy afraid of risking his heart, a broke chef with a dream, and a business arrangement that changes everything.

After the last four years, Bear West is tired of being the fifth wheel during his family’s yearly holiday get togethers—but he’s not ready to put his heart on the line. It’s safer to hire someone to be his girlfriend. Except when he meets Winnie Fordham, his heart’s beating a different tune.

Winnie Fordham is on borrowed time. She made a deal with her dad that if her dream of opening a restaurant didn’t happen within two years, she’d hang up her apron to join his law firm. When her best friend and partner cleans out the bank account, she’s gotta think outside the box to make her dream come true—like pretending to be Bear West’s girlfriend.

It’s a short-term business arrangement until they realize they might just have all the ingredients to make it forever.

Rules are made to be Broken
​by Mylissa Demeyere

​I've loved Will Henderson from the first day I laid eyes on him. But I made a solemn promise that same day. I would never, ever date Will Henderson. 
 
For almost a decade,Charlotte Dubois has loved Will Henderson from afar, squelching her heart's silent yearnings. But no way could she date her best friend Kelsey's brother.Their whole friendship is based on one rule: No friend of Kelsey can ever date Will.Instead, Charlotte has watched him date and break more hearts than should be legal. 
 
Will Henderson never got over that stolen kiss he shared with Charlotte years ago--though he's tried valiantly to rid his system of his sister's best friend. 
 
When circumstances bring the two into each other's arms again, Will wants to convince Charlotte to break the rules and take a chance on him. But to do so, they will have to hide their relationship from the ones they love most. Can true love triumph, or will they both end up losing?

The Truth that Lies Between
​by W.D. McComb

​Three adventurous teenagers, yearning for manhood.
Two mysterious disappearances.
One Mississippi farm at the center of it all.

When he’s not busy trying to win over the girl of his dreams, Case Reynolds fishes, camps, and races three-wheelers on a local farm with his best friends, the carefree Jack Masterson and brilliant Jet Townsend. But Case’s life changes forever when he finds the murdered remains of a local drifter in a barn, the beloved farm comes up for sale, and Jack’s abusive stepfather Stone disappears without a trace.

The evidence points to all three events being connected. And when the boys discover that not only are they prime suspects in the drifter’s death, but the future of the farm depends on exposing the truth, they set out to find Stone and catch the killer on their own.

Their secret quest takes them on a journey of danger and self-discovery that they never could have imagined. Because Stone had dark secrets, killers will kill again, and the truth isn’t always what it seems, even between best friends.

Can Case and his friends execute their plan to bring justice to those who deserve it and find a bit of redemption for Stone—and themselves—in the process? 

Loyalties will be tested.
Unyielding courage will be required
And a little ingenuity never hurts...

The Holiday Hunting Lodge
​by Jennifer Griffith

​Snow, a hunting lodge, and a flight—both to and from—love.

Music composer Jesse Parrish has a dream contract! He’s been signed to write the soundtrack for a film with award potential. This one job could make his whole career. Twelve themes, all due to the producer at Christmas—but he’s completely blocked. He doesn’t have a single theme, let alone twelve.

He needs to get out of Vancouver and somewhere he can think.

Aspiring private pilot Mattie Daines has been crushing on Jesse since before he started dating Mattie’s older sister. His music makes her heart sing—but what kind of creep-o falls in love with her sister’s boyfriend? That’s half the reason she’s been working as an outdoors guide anywhere but Vancouver for the past couple of years.

When Mattie hears that Jesse is desperate for a private plane to take him to a friend’s mountain lodge, she leaps at the chance, if only to prove that she can be around him without her knees going weak.

Mattie whisks Jesse off to the mountains in her plane, but when bad weather threatens the flight, will this dangerous plane ride also threaten Mattie’s firm resolve not to let feelings for Jesse back into her life?

Christmas Coins
​by Kristy Tate

​It was the future...and she lost it.
For more than a hundred years, Zoe Hart's family has been buying keepsake gold coins and banking them in a small wooden box for inheritance and posterity. When Zoe loses the box, she is heart-sick.
It was hope...and she found it.
When Ethan and his daughter Hannah face a crisis, Hannah prays for help. When she finds the coin box, she truly believes she has received an answer.
But prayers aren't always fulfilled in expected ways. And sometimes, the miracles hoped for are so much less than what God has in store.
Book four in the popular Canterbury Romance series. All books can easily be enjoyed in any order.

Gift of Grace
​by Shanna Hatfield

​Sometimes the best gifts
Are those freely given from the heart . . .

Ready to begin a new life far away from the sad memories of the Civil War, J.B. and Nora Nash head west on the Oregon Trail. They settle into the small community of Pendleton, Oregon, on a piece of land where they’re excited to build a future and their dreams together.

A devastating tragedy leaves them both reeling as they draw further and further apart. Nora blames J.B. for her unhappiness while he struggles through his own challenges. Only a miracle can bring them through their trials and reunite them for Christmas.

Together, will they discover the gift of grace in this sweet holiday romance brimming with hope, history, and abiding love?

Gift of Hope
by Shanna Hatfield

​A tender gift given
Can warm even the coldest heart . . .

When his affections are spurned by the girl he plans to wed, Graydon Gaffney rides off in the swirling snow, determined to stay far away from fickle females. Then a voice in the storm draws him to a woman and her two sweet children. Despite his intentions to guard his emotions, all three members of the DeVille family threaten to capture his heart.

Giavanna DeVille holds the last frayed edges of her composure in a tenuous grasp. In a moment of desperation, she leaves her sleeping children in her cabin and ventures out into a storm to release her pent-up frustrations where no one can hear her cries. Much to her surprise, a man appears through the blinding snow. He gives her a shoulder to cry on and something even more precious. . . hope.

Can the two of them move beyond past heartaches to accept the gift of hope for their future?

The Sentimental Journey 
​by Tammy Sinclair

Kara Michaels could have gone on living her simple, solitary life if it wasn't for her insatiable curiosity. And of course, the old trunk in the attic. When an antique watch catches her eye, she is suddenly thrust back in time - and onto the homefront of WWII.

Kara is terrified until the family residing in her home takes her under their wing. Soon, their enlisted son returns for a visit and she finds herself instantly drawn toward him. But their time together can't last.

While she and Jerry face being parted by war, she has to decide where she belongs. Although she's learning to feel at home in this new world, she knows it's not truly hers. Is she willing to stay, even if Jerry can never return?

As Kara wrestles with uncertainty, she longs for the same faith she sees in Jerry and his family, but with so many questions, it's hard to completely trust.
​
Especially when she has to hold tight to her strange secret alone.

Gift of Faith
by Shanna Hatfield

When their faith is tested
Will Christmas bring a miracle?

Handsome and engaging, Marc Rawlings could have his choice of girls, but he only has eyes for gentle Amy Madsen. Ready to begin a future with her, he instead asks her to wait for him while he heads off to war. Bound by his duty to his country, Marc leaves his heart with her, counting on the day they’ll be reunited.

Amy Madsen spends her days working in her family’s bakery and her nights gazing up at the sky, hoping her fiancé knows she’s thinking of him. When tragic news arrives, Amy refuses to believe it, clinging to her promises to Marc and her faith that he’ll return to her.

It will take a miracle and a unique gift of faith to bring a happy holiday during a wartime Christmas in 1942.

These colder days are great for staying indoors and reading. Check out the new releases below and fill up your Kindle today! 

Smolder
by Tara Ellis and Mike Kraus

​World governments fall apart as their populations die off en masse, and the few survivors left work to find a way to survive in Flashpoint Book 2....

Half of the earth's population has been wiped out. Impossible to predict or stop, the Gamma Ray Burst tore through the Earth like a bullet, its radiation wave killing hundreds of millions and the aftereffects ensuring the deaths of billions more.

Now, as the world crumbles around them, a ragtag group of survivors make for the only home they know - the small town of Mercy. Spared the worst of the GRB's effects, the town is isolated, safe and self-sufficient - for now. The flash hasn't just decimated the Earth's population, though. It's brought out the worst in many of those who are still alive.

Survival in this new world doesn't just depend on preparedness - it depends on strength.

The Hearts We Break
by Kylie Key

​He’s rich
He’s arrogant
He’s broody
He’s my new next door neighbor

Cole Parsons has an attitude problem
He has no respect for our quiet neighborhood
Holds noisy pool parties
Drives recklessly.
But all is not what it seems,
He’s hiding behind that bad boy image.
When he sees the pain he’s caused
He tries to make amends
I want to help him,
I don’t count on falling for him...
Nothing good can ever come of it
And the hearts we break might just be our own

Keeping Christmas
by Shanna Hatfield

​A promise made is a promise he’ll keep.
Even if it costs him the woman he loves. . .

Professional bareback rider Gage Taggart can almost taste the world championship title he’s spent all year pursuing. When an unexpected injury sidelines him, he heads to his best friend Trevor’s home to recuperate. Little by little, he finds himself completely smitten with Trevor’s beautiful sister. But he’s up against a formidable opponent: brotherly concern. Reluctantly, Gage vows to leave Tally alone to keep from breaking her heart when he heads back out on the road.

Tally King thrives on her work as a nurse, until she ends up caring for her injured brother and his best friend on the family ranch. Between the two stubborn men determined to prove how tough they and the unpredictable antics of her loony aunt Marvella, Tally feels like her life is spiraling out of control. Or maybe it’s due to falling head over heels in love with Gage despite concerns he’ll leave her heart in broken pieces.

An uplifting, sweet romance full of humor and hope, Keeping Christmas follows an unlikely couple as they discover the magic of Christmas and the wonder of true love.

Her Stand-in Cowboy
​by Crystal Walton

​When a wary farm girl takes on a big city chiropractor as her stand-in boyfriend, convincing her family they’re in love might be easier than convincing themselves they’re not.

There are certain things a single country mom learns to accept. Like the fact that she now shares a sacred bond of empathy with her dairy cow, that spit-up can reach places it never should be able to, and that a pretend relationship is far less complicated than one her southern mama insists on setting her up in. At least, it is when you have anyone’s luck besides Ainsley Jamison’s.

Only in Ainsley’s life would her imaginary decoy turn out to be a real-life city boy who is as hilariously wrong for her as he is persistent. With less than four weeks before her entire family shows up for Thanksgiving, they don’t have a cotton-picking prayer of turning Connor into a believable cowboy in time, let alone fix up her place while they’re at it.

Heaven knows Ainsley’s already maxed out her faith hoping she made the right choice raising her son there. But while praying she didn’t make a mistake taking on her daddy’s farm is one thing, praying she didn’t make one taking on Connor Allen is another entirely. One that’s about to turn everything in her life upside down.

A Bride for Wyatt
​by Barbara Goss

​A family Christmas that unites a couple, and gives an orphan an experience of his life.

Jilted by the beautiful Lucy moves Wyatt to find a woman based on her heart rather than her appearance. After a lengthy correspondence, he decides Vera’s the one. Yet, he didn’t want her looks to influence his decision, so he arranged a proxy marriage.

Vera, an upright, no-nonsense, lady, is the perfect wife, but could they fall in love?

Christmas with Vera’s family in Missouri is a turning point in Vera and Wyatt’s relationship. No one suspected they’d return home to face a life and death situation.​

Finding Hope
by Shannon Symonds

​She's hiding in her present.

With nothing but her guitar and a few belongings, Hope Flanagan escapes the abuse and negligence from her mother's boyfriend. Hope's lucky enough to find a warm exhaust vent in an alley of her coastal town and blessed with help from a coffee-shop employee who sees her desperate situation. But Hope is determined to stay under the radar from social services and the other homeless kids, who seem to go missing once they fall under the notice of the local homeless tough girl.

She's hiding from her past.

Grace James works with the police to help survivors of abuse while desperately fighting to keep her own family safe from her vindictive ex-husband. News of her husband's release from prison pushes her to accept help from the handsome and secretive Officer Joe Hart. But then her mother brings home a stray from her coffee shop, and Grace finds herself catapulting through her fears to do for Hope what she just might not be able to do for herself--find out who she really is to save her before it's too late.

The Housekeeper's Billionaire Boss
by Bree Livingston

One holiday. Two hearts.
And a love language only they understand.

Molly Hines made a promise not to date after she adopted her brother’s baby. It’s been an easy rule to follow until her boss—Josiah West—invites her to spend the holidays with his family so she won’t be alone. She thought he was cute from the moment she met him six months ago. Now, she’s finding out that he’s not just cute, he speaks her language of movie lines and song lyrics.

Six months ago, Josiah West hired Molly after witnessing the cute barista getting fired. When her babysitter shows up at his apartment with Molly’s new infant, he finds out she’ll be spending the holidays alone. On a whim, he invites her home—a baby needs to be surrounded by family, right?
​
That old holiday magic is in the air, and these two square pegs find that it’s hard to fight it when they fit together so well.

Designed for the Billionaire
by Remi Carrington

​When the job is finished, will the relationship end too?

Drake Davenport needs his large ranch house, furnished and decorated. What could go wrong by taking a chance on an unknown designer?

Because she’s beautiful, he decides to shop with her… for everything.

He wasn’t expecting his attraction to grow so rapidly, an expected danger when they’re spending every day together.

Kaci Daniels has her best friend to thank for the most amazing job ever. Designing for a big-name client might be just what her business needs to launch to the next level.

But what she feels for the charming, blue-eyed billionaire is more than just profession courtesy. She’s in danger of falling in love.

When he asks her to pose as his girlfriend for a weekend—as a favor, she agrees, putting her heart and two friendships at risk.

Everything seems perfect … until Kaci leaves in tears.

A Groom for Christmas
by Cheryl Wright

​When Ella Bryson quits her job after being relentlessly pursued by her sleazy boss, she is left homeless and penniless. With no other options available to her, she becomes a mail order bride.

The last thing on Thomas Winston’s mind is finding a wife. He’s not getting any younger, and according to his sister, needs an heir. Imagine his surprise when a bride he didn’t order arrives in town.

Will the marriage go ahead, or will Ella be rejected? And how will Tom react when he discovers Ella has been hiding something from him?

We may have a while left when it comes to summer weather, but unfortunately, school is starting up again way too soon. I'm not ready to let go of my summer schedule yet! Thankfully, there are a bunch of new books coming out, so I can grab one and let myself forget about school supplies for a while! 

Mending the Billionaire Brother
​by Bree Livingston

​A woman terrified of being hurt, a man torn between love and duty to family, and the marriage clause that forces them to examine what they really want.

After Sarah Freeman’s mom passes away unexpectedly, she leaves Scotland—and love—to take up the mantle of running her mom’s beloved horse sanctuary. Except what is supposed to be a seamless transfer of ownership becomes complicated when she learns that her mother’s will contains a marriage clause—she’s forced to either get married or loose the sanctuary.

When Taran MacLachlan flies to Florida, he’s expecting a brief visit to check on Sarah. But when he learns that the only way to keep her sanctuary is marriage, he finds himself volunteering to be her husband. It’s only six months, that’ll be easy.

Only, it’s not that simple. Sarah’s used the sanctuary as shield against being hurt. Will she lay down her armor long enough to find love?

The Billionaire's
​Temporary Marriage
​by Tamie Dearen

​When a stranger with a lime-green mechanical hand drenches her in coffee, the last thing Brooke expects is a marriage proposal from a famous hot billionaire.
​
A marriage of convenience… so tempting. Brooke Ponzio can’t argue against Cole’s flawless logic. The divorce settlement will solve all the money-troubles for Brooke and her unborn child. If only Cole wasn’t so mouth-wateringly delicious. Should she risk having her heart broken again?

Cole Miller refuses to fall in love. Not ever! That’s why he chose Brooke to get him out of his ill-advised contract. All she wants is sole custody of her baby, so when the time comes, she'll give him a stress-free divorce. Sure, they'll have to make the marriage look real to their parents and the rest of the world. And they'll need to forget all about that sizzling kiss they shared. Should be simple. What could possibly go wrong?

Soon, their magnetic draw has them both battling to maintain their willpower. But Brooke slowly falls in love with the man who treats her better than any man ever has, while Cole’s attraction is purely physical. Or at least that’s what he tells himself.

How will Brooke handle her sleazy ex-husband when he tries to cash in on her fame? What happens when Cole can’t protect Brooke from his crazed fans? Will he admit his feelings before it’s too late?

Love in Honor Given
​by Jeanette Lewis

​Treasure hunting is loaded with danger and charged with love.

Lincoln's Lost Gold Series
Six unlikely friends come together to search for Lincoln’s lost gold mine. Follow their adventures as they face off with other treasure hunters, secret brotherhoods, and unfamiliar dangers while navigated the trouble waters of falling in love.

Love in Honor Given
His brother may love the thrill of discovery, but Radley Obrien cares about Abraham Lincoln’s lost gold mine for one reason: the money. But as he searches for the treasure map in the sprawling Lincoln Museum in Springfield, Illinois, Radley realizes he’ll need an insider’s help.

Skye Benson spends her days guiding tours in period costumes and has learned that hoop skirts are overrated. When Radley joins her tour, she’d drawn to the rugged stranger and agrees to help him look for the map. As their feelings for one another grow, Skye and Radley must decide if love is a fair trade for a secret gold mine.

But they’re not the only ones looking for the gold. As the team edges closer to the treasure, they discover everyone has a secret and friends can become enemies in a blink. The clues to the map are there, but can they put the pieces together in time?

Midnight: A Cinderella Retelling
​by Melanie Gilbert

If you were thrown into a war between a Fae clan and a witch coven, would you be able to uncover the truth before the stroke of Midnight?

Nova Kramer blames herself for the death of her mother and sister—so does her father. When he moves them to Danville City to escape the reminders of what they lost, Nova is thrown right back into a world full of anxiety when their new neighbor, Stella, and her twin brothers make it their mission to bring Nova to her knees—after all, they know her secret—and blackmail is just the start.

Kent Danville and his brothers have a secret, too—their clan is working to take down a coven of witches and find the other five clans of Fae, but when Nova walks into his life, the Fae can’t seem to stop thinking about her. He can’t risk falling for the new girl—he has a soulmate out there somewhere, and a mission to complete…if the coven doesn’t kill him first.

A war is brewing between the coven and the clan—each side a little less human than the other—and Nova may get caught in the crossfire if she can’t discover the truth before the clock strikes Midnight.

All the Love You Write
​by D. G. Driver

​A story about young love, first love, true love, timeless love, and the power of love letters.

Mark and Bethany are two mismatched high school seniors in a new relationship. 

It’s doomed to fail. 

Mark has adored Bethany since middle school, and she’s finally giving him a chance. Only, he’s clumsy at romance and knows he’ll lose her because of it. Bethany thinks Mark is sweet. Only, she’s afraid to commit her whole heart to him because he’s going into the army and she’s headed off to college. 

Fifty years earlier, a boy and a girl from the same high school shared an amazing love story. They have now returned as ghosts and are interfering in Mark and Bethany’s relationship. 

Who are they? Why do they care what happens to Mark and Bethany?

Contemporary Romance:
The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp — Lila finds solace in her sheltered world by raising butterflies and surrounding herself with their gentle beauty. They’re all she needs—until a motorcycle-riding stranger roars up her driveway, invading her safe haven, throwing her life off-kilter, and forcing her to question everything. What exactly is he after, and what is he not telling her? In one intense night of desperation and revelation, Lila must confront her darkest fears—and hopefully discover that with faith and courage, shattered dreams can be restored, damaged hearts can love again, and broken wings can heal . . . maybe even fly. (Contemporary Romance from Ivory Tower Press)

A Glitter of Gold by Liz Johnson — Anne Norris moved to Savannah, Georgia, for a fresh start. Now her pirate-tour business is flagging and paying the rent requires more than wishful thinking. When she discovers evidence of a shipwreck off the coast of Tybee Island, she knows it could be just the boon she needs to stay afloat. She takes her findings to local museum director Carter Hale for confirmation, but things do not go as planned. Carter is fascinated with the wreck, the discovery of which could open the door to his dream job at a prestigious museum. But convincing Anne to help him fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle is no easy task. And working with Carter means that Anne will have to do the one thing she swore she’d never do again: trust a man. (Contemporary Romance from Revell-A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Hometown Healing by Jennifer Slattery — She’s home again, but not for long… Unless this cowboy recaptures her heart Returning home with a baby in tow, Paige Cordell’s determined her stay is only temporary. But to earn enough money to leave, she needs a job—and her only option is working at her first love’s dinner theater. With attraction once again unfurling between her and Jed Gilbertson, can the man who once broke her heart convince her to stay for good? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

General Contemporary/Women’s Fiction:
Grace in Deep Waters by Christine Dillon — William Macdonald is at the pinnacle of his career. Pastor of a growing megachurch and host of a successful national radio programme. Clever and respected, he’s a man with everything, including a secret. His wife has left him and he can’t risk anyone finding out. Blanche Macdonald is struggling. Her once rock-solid marriage is showing cracks. She promised to love her husband for better or for worse, but does loving always mean staying? Blanche desires to put God first. Not William. Not her daughter. Not herself. When is a marriage over? When do you stand and fight? (Women’s Fiction, Independently Published)

When Mountains Sing by Stacy Monson — Mikayla Gordon loves nothing more than sleeping under the stars, reeling in the “big one,” and long hikes in the wilderness. A medical crisis reveals a 30-year-old secret that turns everything she’s known and believed upside down, unraveling her dreams and her identity. In search of answers, she follows a trail from Minnesota to Colorado and discovers more unwelcome secrets even as she falls in love with the majestic beauty of the Rocky Mountains, and a wilderness camp leader who shares the greatest secret of all. Knowing her life can never go back to what it was, she must make decisions that will impact far more than just her future. (Contemporary from His Image Publications)

All In by L. K. Simonds — Cami Taylor: a blackjack dealer, a bestselling author, and a fraud. Cami’s boyfriend, Joel, loves her in spite of her flaws. He wants to marry her, buy a house on Long Island, and raise a family–a life that’s a million miles from Cami’s idea of happiness. Her therapist suggests compromise and trust, but Cami bolts like a deer. She breaks off the relationship and launches on a new quest for happiness, not knowing that a nasty surprise waits around the corner. What follows is a fight to the death. Who will be the one left standing? (Contemporary from Morgan James Fiction)

Historical:
Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Davidson Politano — A rag girl accepts an invitation to become the lady she’s always dreamed of being, but some dreams turn out to be nightmares. (Historical from Revel – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Historical Romance:
Lady and the Lawman by Crystal L. Barnes, Vickie McDonough, Annette OHare, and Kathleen Y’Barbo — Four historic stories of lawmen and the ladies who love them. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

The Farmer’s Daughter by Mary Davis, Kelly Eileen Hake, Tracie J. Peterson, Jill Stengl, and Susan May Warren — Enjoy five historical novels by some of Christian fiction’s bestselling authors. Meet daughters of prairie farms from Montana south to Kansas who find love in the midst of turbulent life changes. Marty’s nieces are kidnapped. Rosalind’s town is overrun by a railroad company. Amy’s jealousy comes between her and her twin. Beulah’s answer is needed to a marriage proposal. Lilly’s choice puts her at odd with her neighbors. Into each of their lives rides a man who may only make their situations worse. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

The Cowboys by Sandra Merville Hart, Cindy Ervin Huff, Jennifer Uhlarik, and Linda W. Yezak — Taming the West–one heart at a time. Healing Heart: A physically scarred cowboy finds solace with a ranch girl who is hiding from her past. Becoming Brave: A cattle drover wants to get his boss’s heard safely through Indian Territory…as soon he figures out why a bloodstained woman is holding a gun on him. Trails End: Waiting for his boss’s cattle to sell, a cowboy takes a kitchen job at a restaurant where the beautiful and prickly owner adds spice to his workday. Loving a Harvey Girl: To improve the local preacher’s opinion of career women, a Harvey Girl makes it her mission to redeem a wayward cowboy, but finds herself longing for a husband, hearth, and home. (Historical Romance from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)

Lost in the Storm by Tamera Lynn Kraft — Lavena, a journalist during the Civil War, wants to become a war correspondent. She finally gets her chance, but there’s a catch. She has to get an interview from a war hero who has refused to tell his story to every other journalist, and she has to accomplish this impossible task in a month or she’ll lose her job. Captain Cage, the war hero, has a secret that will destroy his military career and reputation. Now, a new journalist wants him to reveal what he’s been hiding. He’d prefer to ignore her, but from the moment she came into camp, he can’t get her out of his mind. Leading up to the turbulent Battles for the city of Chattanooga, will Lavena and Cage find the courage to love and forgive, or will they be swept away by their past mistakes that don’t want to stay buried? (Historical Romance from Mt Zion Ridge Press)

Love’s Allegiance by Linda Shenton Matchett — Inspired by the biblical love story of Rebekkah and Isaac, Love’s Allegiance explores the struggles and sacrifices of those whose beliefs were at odds with a world at war. (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

The Brightest Hope by Naomi Musch — Five years after the Great War, Holly Allen is a well-adjusted war widow with a knack for running the family press. She’s over the days of waiting for a white knight to ride in and sweep her away from her cares. Besides, if Hugh Phelps is a knight, he’s certainly a black one—with his prison record, personal demons, and the ghosts of war that haunt him. When Holly hires Hugh, despite her reservations, it isn’t long before she sees the man he could really be, and as Hugh finds his niche at Allen’s Printing, he finds his lady boss equally appealing. Despite the attraction, however, Holly won’t let herself fall for a faithless man, and Hugh isn’t on gracious terms with God. Then, just when new beginnings seem possible, old heartaches from the war come calling. Now it might only be in letting go of everything dear that they both discover what real love is. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Annabelle’s Joy by Betty Thomason Owens — She’s waited too long. When Tom proposed last year, Annabelle wasn’t ready to open her heart to another man. Pain still held a thin crust around it. Time has healed her heart, but with a new woman in town, one who clearly has her sights set on Tom, does it matter if Annabelle’s heart is ready to love again? Folks in town are keeping a close eye on their pharmacist, hoping to be the first to hear the good news. He’s been courting the widow Cross for nigh on two years now. Annabelle Cross better wake up and put her dancing shoes on. Mr. Tom is prime real estate. (Historical Romance from Write Integrity Press)

Mystery/Cozy Mystery:
Hidden Secrets by Janet Sketchley — When an online vendetta against the Green Dory Inn escalates to physical threats, a cryptic message about a tunnel points to the property’s original owner, a notorious Prohibition-era sea captain rumoured to have left hidden wealth. (Mystery, Independently Published)

Murder at Rendsburg Resort by C. L. Wells — Trapped in a remote resort with a killer on the loose, the body count piling up, and no one else to save them, mystery writer Jill Pemberton must help find the killer before they claim their next victim. (Cozy Mystery, Independently Published)

Romantic Suspense:
Two Steps Forward by Luana Ehrlich — When CIA operative Titus Ray has an unexpected encounter with a Jihadi terrorist while he and Nikki are on their honeymoon in Morocco, he assumes it’s a coincidence, but when they travel to Israel for the second half of their honeymoon and encounter him again, he takes action, which takes him to Baghdad to prevent the assassination of a high-profile government official. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Edge of Truth by Kimberly Rose Johnson — The DEA sends two of its best agents, Kara Nelson and Jeff Clark, to Central Oregon, to shut down a major drug ring. Kara and Jeff usually work alone, but Operation Trail Ride throws them undercover together in a way neither of them expected. A notorious Miami drug lord wants Kara dead. Can these agents pull off the greatest acting job of their lives—and manage the sparks flying between them? Or will they die trying? (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Speculative:
Redemption by Jacques R. Pye — Sterling Newman and Armena Sandal face death as they struggle to help the Alesandrans and the Kirilleans combat a force seeking the destruction of both worlds. (Speculative, Independently Published)

Young Adult:
Shards of Light by Susan Miura — Sometimes the pieces of a shattered dream can transform into something extraordinary. (Young Adult from Vinspire Publishing)

Are you ready for that summer heat? When it's too hot to head outside, why not curl up on the couch in the air conditioning and read a good book? Check out the large selection of new releases below!

If you missed June's releases, you can find them here!

Mending the Billionaire Scotsman
​by Bree Livingston

​Paige Cooper’s twin sister, Penelope, is getting married.

In Scotland.

To a celebrity she’s known all of twelve weeks. Who she met on a dating show. It was supposed to be something fun. Paige never expected Penelope to come home engaged to Angus MacLachlan.

What’s a girl to do when she knows it’s the biggest mistake of her sister’s life? Fly to Scotland and talk some sense in her. Only, her sister isn’t budging…and Rory, Angus’s brother, is hitting every hot button Paige possesses. But her last boyfriend stole her heart and then drained her bank account, leaving her at the altar, broken and done with love. Rory, though, has a great smile and an accent that gives her goosebumps. Only, she’s in Scotland to stop a wedding, not get friendly with the enemy’s brother.

Pick up Angus’s future sister-in-law. No big deal, Rory can do that. But when he see the honey-blonde, green-eyed lass at the airport, it’s instant trouble. He lost the love of his life—the woman he’d planned his future with—and love isn’t in the cards for him. Or is it? She’s cute, feisty, funny, and every moment spent with her makes him realize how lonely life’s been these last few years.

Paige isn’t staying in Scotland. Rory’s not moving to the states.

Twelve weeks.
Two broken people.
One wedding.
Is there enough time for them to find what they’ve been missing?

Mermaid's Song
by Stacy Claflin

I live a double life—and it’s about to tangle me in its net.

I'm Marra Ayers, a mermaid pretending to be human. Or at least, I was. It's over now that my uncle died, making my dad the new king of Valora. My parents are dragging me away from the life I love to our undersea kingdom. And to make matters worse, everybody hates us.

My parents send me straight to the Dark Sea Academy, where the building is creepy and the students are worse. The dean pairs me with a student to show me the ropes.

I get stuck with Bash, who’s one wrong move from being expelled, and showing me around is his latest punishment. He’s as gorgeous as he is arrogant. And an incredible guitarist, as it turns out. Not that it matters. We can’t stand each other, and when my orientation is over, we'll go our separate ways. Good riddance.

Whispers and glares greet me at every turn, and the most popular girl has it out for me. My first night, she tries to kill me. Then, bloodied and bruised, I run into Bash. And this time, he actually seems to care...

He keeps looking at me with concern in his eyes while giving me this crooked smirk. Kind of makes me forget how irritating he is. Almost makes me forget all my problems.

But I can’t let myself get side-tracked by him. I won’t.
​
If I’m to survive the academy, I need to focus on staying alive. Unfortunately, that means relying on Bash—and he’s a distraction that could very well cost me everything.

The Clown on the High Wire
by Charles Veley and Anna Elliott

Sherlock Holmes is brought in to investigate on a cold London morning, when the body of a clown is discovered within the vast emptiness of the Olympia Amphitheater, hanging from the center of the high wire tightrope, There are no footprints, and no indication as to how the clown met his fate.  Lucy James and Dr. Watson hope this baffling mystery will bring Holmes out of his obsession with the killer who eluded capture in their previous case. But the cases are linked, and the danger to the Baker Street team is very real.

The Sherlock and Lucy series has been recommended by the Library of Clean Reads.

Shard & Shield
​by Laura VanArendonk Baugh

​He can save her life—if he sacrifices himself and those he swore to protect.

King’s bastard Shianan Becknam buries himself in his military career to avoid the family that never wanted him and the dangers of drawing political attention. When the artifact intended to end an interdimensional war is damaged, the mage Ariana is trapped on the other side of the rift with her servant—only the cheery young boy is really one of the monstrous enemy, disguised as a human. Shianan is desperate to rescue Ariana, one of his few friends, but to do so requires committing treason and betraying his duty, leaving his people open to attack.

State mage Ariana struggles to survive as a prisoner of war in a world of deadly magic and unfamiliar customs. Her only ally is her former servant, now a renowned warrior caught up in political machinations. To survive, he’ll have to once again take up the fight against Ariana’s world.

As their people’s wasted armies prepare for fresh battle that will devastate both sides, bastard, mage, and monster must set aside prejudices and rivalries to find an end to centuries of conflict, before they die as traitors.

At First Spark
​by Liwen Y. Ho

He’s a tender-hearted firefighter who’s been burned by love. She’s an optimistic bookstore owner determined to heal his heart. Little do they know how much sacrifice it will take for them to be together.

Firefighter Darren Spark doesn’t think twice about risking it all when it comes to his job, but he’s not about to put his heart on the line for love. He's accepted the fact that no woman will want him when he can't promise them a future ...until he meets the one who challenges that belief.

Abandoned as a baby, Danica Reed longs to fill in the missing pieces of her past with a family of her own. She’s more than ready to get married and have kids, but she wonders why the perfect man—who's just as into her and wants the same things—keeps taking one step forward in their relationship, then two steps back.

Darren won’t let himself hope for more; Danica won’t settle for less. But there’s one obstacle they can’t seem to overcome. Will the spark that drew them to each other be enough to keep their love burning or will their short-lived romance go down in flames?

Desperate Forest
by Cece Louise

​A daring escape. An ominous forest. An unexpected alliance.
For nineteen years, Princess Roselynn’s life has been three things: Safe, comfortable, and predictable. But when her father is murdered and she uncovers a plot to end her life, she must leave her home and take her chances in a treacherous forest—all to stay alive and be reunited with the man she loves.

Along the way, she encounters a group of outlaws, each with their own secrets and purpose. But who can she trust? Jay, the enigma whose tough exterior and conflicting actions both deter and intrigue her? Gavin, the former knight, trying to right the wrongs of her own broken kingdom, all while risking his safety? Laurel, the cold young woman with the shadowy past who sees her arrival as a threat?

Roselynn soon finds the lines between ally and enemy blurred, as dangerous incidents and sinister warnings cause her to question what she knows and where her heart lies. Can she find the courage she needs to save her kingdom and herself, or will she lose everything to the dark forest?

A Call to Charms
​by Leanne Leeds

​A human conspiracy.
A paranormal secret.
Can the most powerful witch on the planet find her missing friend without exposing her powers to the world?

With Gunther back at the Makepeace Circus and her romantic relationship’s future in question, what Charlotte really needs is some peace, quiet and time to think. A cauldron call from her mother about the mysterious disappearance of Tabitha Stevens in Mickwac, however, brings the Magical Midway back to the human world and face to face with the secrets of her small Texas hometown.

As Charlotte pieces together the confidential conspiracies and concealed ambitions of the Mickwac criminal elite, she comes face to face with hints that her own secrets may be far more known than they should be—and those secrets could be at the center of a conspiracy that threatens the Magical Midway and all those she cares about.

Can Charlotte find Tabitha, protect the circus’s secrets, and stop the conspiracy—before it’s too late?

Sandover Beach Melodies
​by Emma St. Clair

She broke her own rules…
...you can’t fall in love when you’re on the run. 

After rebuilding her life on Sandover Island, Mercer got comfortable. Too comfortable. She started to believe in fresh starts and second chances. And she made the biggest mistake of all: she fell in love.

Beau wants more. The harder he pushes at Mercer's walls, the stronger they seem to be. She gives him an inch, then steps back a mile. He knows she's worth the fight, if only she will give him her trust.

Mercer knows it's only a matter of time until her past catches her. She isn't safe, not even in Beau’s strong arms. She can’t escape what she left behind and he won't want her if he knows her secret shame.

Can Beau and Mercer build a future or will the past tear it all down?

Beauty and the Beach
​by Kayla Tirrell

A tale as old as time...with a twist!

Rose had it all until melanoma left her scarred at the ripe age of eighteen. Now, she’s Sterling's most infamous recluse, and no one knows why except for her family.

Adam spends his summers working at the local tourist trap to help his mom make ends meet. So when his neighbor offers to pay him enough to cover rent for a month if he breaks into Rose Beaumont's house, he jumps at the opportunity.

This chance encounter between two teens from opposite sides of the beach soon transforms into something more. But just when things start heating up, secrets that can destroy everything threaten to surface.

A Bride for Christmas
by Cheryl Wright

Homeless and destitute after the sudden death of her father, and against her better judgement, Melody Harken agrees to become a mail order bride. 

Desperately lonely, widower Peter Williams applies for a mail order bride after losing his dear wife two years earlier. Guilt-ridden, he is having second thoughts. Before he can retract his request, his distressed new bride turns up in Dayton Falls without notice. 

Can the beautiful stranger change his mind? And will Melody even marry him after his initial rejection?

Mission Hollywood
​by Michelle Keener

A Hollywood bad boy. A pastor’s daughter.
What could possibly go wrong?​

Movie star Ben Prescott arrives back in Hollywood after causing a scandal with his ex-girlfriend in Rome.

Chased through the airport by paparazzi, he jumps into a limo hoping for a quick getaway. Instead he finds Lily Shaw, a pastor’s daughter and preschool teacher. When the paparazzi capture a photo of the two of them together, Ben’s agent demands that he do whatever it takes to keep the story from hitting the gossip pages . . . even volunteer to work at Lily’s church.

Sparks fly as the movie star and the pastor’s daughter work side by side. When Lily accompanies Ben to the premiere of his latest movie, Hollywood takes notice. Under intense media scrutiny and pressure from the movie industry, Ben must risk his career to follow his heart, but Lily wants the one thing he doesn’t have, faith.

A New Leash on Love
​by Eliza Boyd

He doesn’t want to lose his business.
She doesn’t want to lose her sense of home.
Can they keep those things if they fall in love?

Hannah Lockhart is only in True Love to help her cousin out at her new animal sanctuary. It's thousands of miles from home, and she's ready to get back to her job. Then she and the owner of the juice bar start off on the wrong foot, which reinforces her desire to leave. Except a wrong number text turns into fun banter and shines a better light on this new town her cousin now calls home.

Luke Steiner is so worried about his dog’s health that he’s short-tempered with a customer. When he apologizes in person, she fires back and he ends up agreeing to spending more time with her to get her back home as soon as possible. But then a number he doesn’t recognize texts him for help around town and he replies, hoping it’ll brighten his awful day.

Luckily for him, it does.
Unluckily for him, he has no idea it’s Hannah on the other end.
And she doesn’t know it’s Luke.

As their anonymous text messages become more frequent, their in-person relationship begins to soften. But Hannah’s still determined to get back home, and Luke’s track record with women tells him he needs to back off before he loses his business—again.

When the truth comes out, will Hannah and Luke go their separate ways? Or will the pair have a new “leash” on love?

A Family for Christmas
​by Cheryl Wright

Twenty-eight year old Magdalena Roth had already agreed to become a mail order bride before tragedy struck and she found herself the mother of a small baby.
 
Jacob Carruthers had arranged for a mail order bride, and Miss Roth sounded perfect. Never in his wildest dreams did he believe he would have not only a wife, but a family for Christmas. 
​
Can these two strangers make their marriage work, especially with an unexpected baby?

Summer Snoops Unleashed
by Various Authors

​Summertime Murders are RUFF

ALL BRAND NEW STORIES!

Looking for cool cozies for hot summer days? Then you'll love this purr-fectly paw-some cozy mystery boxed set from fourteen USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon best-selling authors.
​
We've pulled out all the stops with Summer Snoops Unleashed! Enjoy hours of fun sniffing out clues on sandy beaches, shimmering waterways, and at small-town celebrations in these brand-new stories full of wily sleuths, cagey plots, and un-fur-gettable tails!

Fetch your copy now to get these furr-ocious new cozy mysteries and woof it up with us!

They're howlingly good reads!
All preorders support best lives for pets!

Katharina Fortitude
by Margaret Skea

‘We are none of us perfect, and a streak of stubbornness is what is needed in dealing with a household such as yours, Kat… and with Martin.’ 

Wittenberg 1525. The unexpected marriage of Martin Luther to Katharina von Bora has no fairytale ending.

A sign of apostasy to their enemies, and a source of consternation to their friends, it sends shock waves throughout Europe. 

Yet, as they face persecution, poverty, war, plague and family tragedy, Katharina’s resilience and strength of character shines through. ​

Contemporary Romance:
Hometown Hope by Laurel Blount — In the three years since her mother’s death, widower Hoyt Bradley’s daughter, Jess, hasn’t spoken—until she suddenly begs him to save her favorite bookstore from closing. Hoyt is desperate to hear his daughter’s voice again, but he and the bookstore’s pretty owner, Anna Delaney, share a less-than-friendly past. Working together is complicated enough…but can they avoid falling in love? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

A Heart Surrendered by Joy K. Massenburge — Since her teens, pastor’s daughter Sharonda Peterson devoted her life to church service and solitude after the one night she gave Carl Ray Everhart everything. Sobered by a near-death experience, prodigal Carl returns home from an acting and singing career to serve as the worship leader at Sheronda’s church, and she finds that it takes every ounce of her resolve to resist his pursuits … not to mention memories that threaten to overturn the delicate balance she’s created. Can she finally surrender the one thing she’s tried all these years to protect: her heart? (Contemporary Romance from Harambee Press [Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas])

Starting Anew by Melanie D. Snitker — He’s afraid to trust. She has a secret that could change everything between them. Will they let go of their fear, or allow it to rob them of their chance at happiness? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Historical:
Underestimating Miss Cecilia by Carolyn Miller — Can shy, sweet Cecilia overcome her family’s prejudice to see a future with the recently returned prodigal son from next door? (Historical from Kregel Publications)

Benaiah: Might Man of God by PH Thompson — A novel of Biblical, historical fiction about Benaiah, one of King David’s mighty men, examining the premise: What happens when the king’s most obedient soldier is issued a wicked command? (Historical/Biblical from Word Alive Press)

Historical Romance:
Waltz with Destiny by Catherine Ulrich Brakefield — When the men and women of World War II marched off to war, they didn’t know what lay ahead. All they knew was that upon their young and inexperienced shoulders rested the plight of the free world. (Historical Romance from CrossRiver Media Group)

Thimbles and Threads by Mary Davis, Grace Hitchcock, Suzanne Norquist, and Liz Tolsma — Enjoy four historical romances that celebrate the arts of sewing and quilting. When Tilly, a schoolteacher; Alice, a bridal shop owner; Sarah, a seamstress; and Melissa, a rag doll designer, put needle and thread to fabric, will their talents lead to the surprising gift of love? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Refiner’s Fire by J.M. Hochstetler --
Will the promise their hearts cling to finally find joyful fulfillment, or will war’s refining fire separate them forever? (Historical Romance from Sheaf House Publishers)

Where Dandelions Bloom by Tara Johnson — To escape an arranged marriage, Cassie Kendrick enlists in the Union army as a man, taking the name Thomas Turner. On the battlefields of the Civil War, keeping her identity a secret is only the beginning of her problems, especially after she meets Gabriel Avery, a handsome young photographer. Anxious to make his mark on the world and to erase past guilt, Gabriel works with renowned photographer Matthew Brady to capture images from the front lines of the war. As Gabriel forges friendships along the way, he wonders what the courageous, unpredictable Thomas Turner is hiding. Battling betrayal, their own personal demons, and a country torn apart by war, can Cassie and Gabriel forgive themselves and trust their futures to the God who births hope and healing in the darkest places? (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])

The Express Bride by Kimberly Woodhouse — Jacqueline Rivers manages a Pony Express station in 1860 Utah territory after her father’s death. There are daily stresses placed on her in this unconventional role—and now a government official is asking her to sniff out counterfeiters. When Elijah Johnson passes through on the stage while on an exhausting quest to find his boss’s heir, he doesn’t want to leave the beguiling station manager. In fact, he may never leave when caught in the crossfire of the territory’s criminal activities. Can she remain strong when secrets of the past and present are finally unearthed? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Romantic Suspense:
Legacy Rejected by Robin Patchen — She’s not giving up her home, no matter what threats come against her. Realtor Ginny Lamont’s family has abandoned her, leaving her with nothing but a warning that she’s in danger. But Ginny’s built a home in New Hampshire. After a childhood of nomadic living, she’s not running again, certainly not because of some nameless, baseless threat. Real estate developer Kade Powers is thrilled to go out with Nutfield’s beautiful new real estate agent. But the prowler they surprise after their first date offers a glimpse into Ginny’s past and the legacy of lies her parents left her with. She brings a mystery, one he’s determined to help her solve. With Kade’s help, Ginny searches for the truth of her parents’ criminal activity while her enemies close in. When mobsters show up in her quaint New England town, will she find a way to bring them down, or will she lose the home—and the man—she’s come to love? (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Suspense:
Storm Rising by Ronie Kendig — Mentioned in the pages of the Old Testament but lost to history, the Book of the Wars has resurfaced, and its pages hold secrets–and dangers–never before seen on earth. Tasked with capturing the ancient text, former Navy SEAL Leif Metcalfe is once more given command of his own team. But their best efforts are ruined when a notorious Bulgarian operative known as Viorica snatches the volume right out from under them. Iskra “Viorica” Todorova is determined to use the book to secure the thing that matters most–freedom. But a series of strange storms erupts around the globe, and the coming dangers foretold in the text threaten crops, lives, and entire nations. Though both are haunted by secrets of their past and neither trusts the other, Leif and Iskra must form an uneasy alliance to thwart impending disaster. However, the truth hidden in centuries-old words could unleash a storm of their own destruction. (Suspense from Bethany House [Baker])

Speculative:
The Story Raider by Lindsay A. Franklin — Deceiving an empire is a treacherous game. Tanwen and the Corsyth weavers race to collect the strands of an ancient cure that might save Gryfelle. But Tanwen has a secret–Gryfelle isn’t the only one afflicted by the weaver’s curse. As Queen Braith struggles to assert her rule, a new arrival throws her tenuous claim to the Tirian throne into question. Braith’s heart is turned upside down, and she’s not sure she can trust anyone–least of all herself. The puppet master behind Gareth’s rise to power has designs on Tanwen and the story weavers, and will stop at nothing to reclaim the throne. A plot to incite the angry peasants of Tir takes shape, and those dearest to Tanwen will be caught in the crossfire. As the fight for Tir consumes the realm, no one can remain innocent. (Speculative from Enclave Publishing)

School has ended, and summer weather is just around the corner. Be prepared and stock your Kindle with some brand new books today!

If you missed May's releases, you can find them here!

Mending the Billionaire Movie Star
​by Bree Livingston

A woman hiding from her past, a celebrity desperate to fix his image, and the reality show that forces them together.

Penelope Cooper loves her single life. It’s safe and predictable. When her meddling twin sister, Paige, assumes her identity and auditions for Celebrity Proposal—and wins—Penelope’s life is upended. It’s either go on the show with the hunky movie star with a less-than desirable reputation or her sister could be in serious trouble.

Angus MacLachlan was Hollywood’s hottest leading man until a bitter, very public breakup with his agent—and subsequent bad behavior—ruined his image and tanked his career. Desperate to get back into his fans’ good graces, he agrees to be on the show, Celebrity Proposal.

Neither of them is looking for love, but as the weeks pass, they find themselves growing closer. Can two cold hearts warm up to love, or will the past keep them frozen in time?

Tessa
​by Kayla Tirrell

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Tessa never dreamed of going to Shelfbrooke Academy, but the summer before her senior year, a lawyer visits her family saying she’s a long-lost descendant of the D’Villes—one of the founding families of the school. Encouraged by her parents, she leaves everything she knows behind to finish her studies at the prestigious boarding school. 
Once there, Tessa’s ties to the D’Villes give her access to all the perks Shelfbrooke has to offer—secret meetings, private rooms, hot guys.

But when Tessa and Angelo, the artistic student she can’t seem to stop thinking about, are paired for a school project, Tessa discovers not everyone shares the same love for the D’Ville name. Many would delight to see their fall from grace, while others are willing to do anything to climb to the top.

How far is Tessa willing to go to learn more about her past while trying to follow her heart?

The Path We Take
​by Kylie Key

​He's alone
He's tattooed
He's badly burnt
He's fighting for his life
A knee injury turns my world upside down,
putting my gymnastics scholarship in doubt.
As I wait for surgery, I'm persuaded into volunteering
to help with my college applications.
The boy called Spider has no family nearby
and faces many months in hospital.
They think my visits will help with his recovery,
give him something to look forward to,
help him heal.
But they're wrong.
I don't help Spider.
He helps me,
The boy who has nothing to live for
Ends up giving me everything to live for.

Challenge Accepted
​by R J Amos

​A magical cat.
A contract signed in blood.
A key to every door in the city.

A challenge for the imagination.

In January 2019, author R. J. Amos challenged herself to write a short story every day for thirty days. Using prompts found online, R. J. pushed her creative powers to the limit, writing a full story with a beginning, middle, and end, every day.
Here, for you, is the collection of weird and wide-ranging, fun and fantastic stories. Also included are the story prompts that R. J. used so that you too can stretch your imagination.

A challenge for you, should you choose to accept it.

The Playboy Patriot
​by Evangeline Kelly

She refused to date a playboy, but would she accept his job offer?
​
Katie Kennedy admired football player, Tucker Jackson, from afar, but she never imagined she’d run into him at the popular restaurant she worked at. He was gorgeous, wild, and completely off limits. After dealing with unstable parents, she was determined to find a man who met her standard of “safe.”

As a wide receiver for the Georgia Patriots, Tucker received plenty of attention, but he was tired of the media blasting him for being a player, thus earning him the reputation, “the playboy patriot.” He wanted to settle down one day but wouldn’t let anyone steamroll him into a commitment he wasn’t ready for.

When a friendship developed that neither of them expected, along with more sparks than they knew what to do with, something changed between them.

If they’d foreseen the explosion their relationship would cause in the media, they might have thought twice about their actions.

Then again, Tucker was never one to back down from a challenge.

Contemporary Romance:
The Art of Rivers by Janet Ferguson — Can a woman whose life has been damaged by addiction trust her heart to a man in recovery? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Cross My Heart by Robin Lee Hatcher — Horse rescue farmer Ashley helps Ben start an equine therapy barn on his great-great grandfather’s farm. When they consider a relationship together, her bitter experience with her opioid addict brother reins in any hope for a future with Ben, who is five years in recovery from alcoholism. Ben knows that with God, all things are possible—but will Ashley find it within herself to give love a chance? (Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

Risking Love by Toni Shiloh — Nikki lives with a perfect trifecta of noes. No guys. No dates. No way. After years of keeping men at bay, Nikki Gordon has it down to a science. No one, not even sweet, hunky Shorty Smalls can change her mind. Period. So if she’s got it all figured out, why does her heart sink to her toes when she sees Shorty with another woman? (Contemporary Romance from Celebrate Lit)

General:
Uncharted Destiny by Keely Brooke Keith — When Bailey sets out to rescue her lost friend in the Land’s dangerous mountain terrain, she discovers more about the Land—and herself—than she bargained for. (General from Edenbrooke Press)

Six Houses Down by Kari Rimbey — Two days after Sharon Webster’s distant husband returns for a surprise visit, their autistic son slips out of the house and is lost in historic Washington D. C. As they search for their boy, Sharon is forced to rely on the husband she believes no longer loves her. An elderly black couple down the street seems to understand her unspoken hurts. Has God sent them to help her find trust again? (General Contemporary, Independently Published)

Historical:
In the Shadow of the King by Melissa Rosenberger — Beset by doubts and jealousy about prophecies spoken over her brother Yeshua, Hannah struggles to see the truth before her eyes until it is too late…or is it? (Historical from Carpenter’s Son Publishing)

Historical Romance:
This Healing Journey by Misty M. Beller — An adventure-seeking wilderness girl and an ex-cavalryman looking to settle down fall in love while caring for a wounded Indian child that shows up in his barn. Will their differences keep them apart or become their greatest strengths? (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Cameo Courtships by Susanne Dietze, Debra E. Marvin, Jennifer Uhlarik, and Kathleen Y’Barbo — In 1851, a special cameo is gifted by Queen Victoria to Letitia Newton, who though considered an old maid, meets the perfect gentleman minutes after donning. Told by the Queen the cameo is to be shared, Letitia gifts the “Victoria Cameo” to a woman in her family, hoping adventure and romance will follow each of its subsequent wearers. Adventure indeed follows two competing journalists, one of whom carries the cameo while looking to expose a smuggler, a trouser-wearing frontierswoman and a reverend who are on a mission to ransom the cameo from a manipulative brothel owner, two Pinkertons who are charged with the care of the cameo but must rely on one another when the cameo is once again stolen, and a young woman who doubts the cameo can help her when a handsome Scottish library administrator ruins her dream of overseeing the new Carnegie Library children’s department and keeps a social chasm between himself and her father. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Mail-Order Refuge by Cindy Regnier — Carly Blair from Baltimore buys a train ticket to Kansas where she will become the wife of a man she’s never met. She must leave Baltimore to escape the evil plans her ex-fiance has for using her artistic talents for a counterfeit operation. Rand Stafford, Kansas cattle rancher is looking after his two orphaned nieces, but knows they need a mother. He’s not interested in love since being left at the altar so he advertises for a mail-order bride, willing to do whatever it takes to give Mary Jo and Jenna a proper home and upbringing. Can Carly and Rand find love where they least expect it, or will the shadows of the past dash their hopes for the future? (Historical Romance from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)

No Ocean Too Wide by Carrie Turansky — Between the years of 1869 to 1939 more than 100,000 poor British children were sent across the ocean to Canada with the promise of a better life. Those who took them in to work as farm laborers or household servants were told they were orphans—but was that the truth? (Historical Romance from Waterbrook/Multnomah [Random House])

Romantic Suspense:
Darkwater Truth by Robin Caroll — Adelaide Fountaine, general manager, is enthusiastically renovating parts of the Darkwater Inn. Her intentions come to a screeching halt when a skeleton is found behind a makeshift wall—an axe beside it. As Adelaide works alongside owner Dimitri Pampalon and Detective Beau Savoie, the two men who have been pursuing her heart, she learns the eerie death has tentacles that reach deep into the seedy past of both the Darkwater Inn and the evil underground of New Orleans. The past and the present collide as the stakes are upped—not only for Adelaide’s heart, but for her very life and her father’s life as well. The threats are deadly, the coils of evil are tightening around everyone involved, and they are more powerful than anyone could have ever imagined. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Over the Line by Kelly Irvin — Gabriela’s brother is missing, he’s a suspect in a murder, and she’s in the cross hairs of a criminal organization. The only person who can help her is the one man she can’t trust. Will Gabby & Eli find her brother before it’s too late? (Romantic Suspense from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

Long Walk Home by DiAnn Mills — As an Arab Christian pilot for a relief organization, Paul Farid feels called to bring supplies to his war-torn countrymen in southern Sudan. But with constant attacks from Khartoum’s Islamic government, the villagers have plenty of reasons to distrust Paul, and he wonders if the risks he’s taking are really worth his mission. American doctor Larson Kerr started working with the Sudanese people out of a sense of duty and has grown to love them all, especially Rachel Alier, her young assistant. But despite the years she’s spent caring for them, her life feels unfulfilled. It’s a void noticed both by Paul and by Rachel’s older brother, Colonel Ben Alier of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army. When Rachel is abducted, Paul, Ben, and Larson agree to set aside their differences to form an unlikely alliance and execute a daring rescue. Their faith and beliefs tested, each must find the strength to walk the path God has laid before them, to find their way home. (Romantic Suspense from Tyndale House)

The Last Chaplain by Carl M. White — At the request of Pastor John Grant, the last chaplain of the United States Senate, Lisa Smithy embarks on the adventure of a lifetime: find a former Senate staff member and convince him to reveal to a DC reporter the plot that led to Dr. Grant’s removal and the discrediting of his best friend, a United States Senator. From the South, to the West, to the Midwest, evil men are desperate to stop her, and romance surprisingly finds her. Can she bring together the former Senate staffer who knows all and the Washington reporter who can tell all, while eluding the men who would end it all? (Romantic Suspense from Austin Brothers Publishers)

My daughter and I recently took a trip to visit my grandma in Arizona. While my daughter had met her in person once before, she was only two and a half years old and didn't really remember. Thankfully, my daughter's spoken to her great grandma over Skype a couple of times, and they write to each other here and there. Don't you just love technology and how it can keep us all connected? 

The trip was also a wonderful opportunity for my daughter and I to have an adventure together and do some bonding - something we both enjoyed. 

We had fun walking with my grandma, admiring all of the pretty flowers and the orange trees (which smelled heavenly), and just spending time visiting. 

Here are some of the pretty flowers we saw, along with an orange tree and a serene fountain. I enjoyed taking photos!

I'm excited to announce that my newest book,  Charmed by the Daring Cowboy, is now available! This book was SO much fun to write. Dare originally appeared as Grey's younger brother in I Still Do. The moment I "met" Dare, I knew he had to have a book of his own. I hope you enjoy reading Dare and Alyssa's story as much as I did writing it. 

Romancing the Conflicted Cowboy by Crystal Walton
Falling for the Younger Cowboy by Liwen Y. Ho
Wrangled by the Watchful Cowboy by Tamie Dearen
Charmed by the Daring Cowboy by Melanie D. Snitker
Inspired by the Creative Cowboy by Bree Livingston

Happy May! I love this month - the weather is beautiful, wildflowers are cropping up everywhere, and it just makes me feel cheerful.

It also means school is starting to wind down for the summer. I don't know about you, but I find it's great to have some books waiting for me on my Kindle for those moments when I get some time to myself. Thankfully, there are a number of fabulous books coming out this month.

​I hope you'll take some time to browse around and pick a few for yourself!

​If you missed last month's new releases, you can find them here. 

Find You Again by Jan Thompson

Firefighter Cheyenne Endecott is grateful to Savannah Senior Living Resort Director Roger Patel for providing a safe place for Aunt Gemma to live in her widowed years.

When Roger needs a trustworthy confidant to help him deal with a skeleton in his family closet, Cheyenne is more than happy to pray for him and do what she can. She feels that she is returning a favor.

One thing leads to another, and the favor starts to affect their friendship. Pretty soon, bachelor Roger is reconsidering his self-imposed moratorium on dating and relationships…

The Ranger's Forgiveness
​by Bree Livingston

​A conspiracy theorist, the high school sweetheart whose heart she broke, and the threats that bring them together.

Taylor Mabrey runs a conspiracy theory satire website. It’s something she loves to do, and since it’s anonymous, she doesn’t think twice about it. But the fun stops when she starts getting ominous threats. Thinking she just needs a break, she goes home to spend time with family, where she comes face to face with Elijah Emerson—the only boy she’s ever loved . . . the one she dumped right after graduation.

Elijah Emerson returns to his hometown to take care of his family’s estate after his mom passed away. But his plan for a quick trip goes awry when he sees his high school sweetheart, Taylor Mabrey. Nine years ago, they were supposed to run away and get married, instead she broke his heart, and he still doesn’t know why.

When the threats follow Taylor and her home is burned down, Elijah feels compelled to protect her. Forced together, old feelings bubble to the surface as they confront their past, along with the reason Taylor ended things.

Charmed by the Daring Cowboy
​by Melanie D. Snitker

​She's a landscaper on a deadline. He's a cowboy assigned to help. Will their growing attraction get in the way, or blossom into true love?

Alyssa Reid has never shied away from a challenge, but she may be in over her head this time. The single mom is juggling two landscaping projects with strict deadlines. Having her young son and an ornery runaway goat underfoot certainly isn't helping. A handsome cowboy is assigned to help her, and she finds herself losing focus in a whole new way.

Dare Jackson knows what it's like to be raised by a single mom. When the Sage Valley ranch hand meets Alyssa and her son Noah, he's immediately drawn to them. The more he gets to know them, the more he wants to be there for them both. But with every attempt he makes, he can feel Alyssa pulling farther away. He needs to change his game plan, and fast, because he's already having trouble imagining life without her.

Alyssa is afraid to trust her heart--and her son's--to the kind cowboy. Dare doesn't know how to convince her he's worth the risk. Can they meet in the middle? Or, like Hopscotch the goat, will true love escape their grasp?

In the Market for Love
​by Megan Squires

​Sophie Potters’ life is in full bloom. Running both a thriving flower farm and successful Farmers’ Market, she’s living out her dreams in the idyllic Northern California town of Fairvale. While Sophie might be able to create stunning bouquets, she withers when it comes to romance. Content with her single status, she resolves to focus on her work, until a lost piece of luggage lands a handsome stranger on her porch. 

Landscape architect, Cole Blankenship, has always lived in his father’s shadow. When he’s selected as the designer for a popular backyard contest, a trip out west offers an opportunity to finally prove himself. He meets the charismatic florist who farms the same plot of land and tensions grow, along with unexpected feelings. But any sort of relationship is prohibited and could cost Cole the first place title and Sophie, her livelihood.

Will Sophie and Cole let a contest dictate their love lives? Or will they discover that love grows best when you follow your heart and not the rules?

Monster of the Asylum
​by B.T. Lord and J.S. Stephens

​Sixteen year old Addison Monroe and her friends think they’ve hit the jackpot when they win a contest that will allow them to go on a televised ghost investigation with the nationally renowned TV paranormal investigative team, The Ghost Dudes. With cameras rolling, the two groups arrive at the infamous Meadowlark Asylum. Suddenly shut down nearly a half century before under mysterious circumstances, it’s become shrouded in stories and legends about the darkness, nicknamed Monster of the Asylum, that allegedly stalks its abandoned hallways. It isn’t long before Addison realizes something is terribly wrong. 

What was advertised as a Halloween night TV special takes on a sinister note when, as her team’s reluctant psychic, she begins to see visions that show what really happened all those years ago. Visions that warn her they are all in danger. Things escalate when one of her teammates suddenly disappears while the others, including members of The Ghost Dudes, slowly come to the horrifying realization that the legends about Meadowlark Asylum may actually be true. And the Monster won’t rest until it claims another victim. This is Book 1 in The Ghost Seekers Paranormal Mystery series.

Not Until You
by Valerie M. Bodden

​She clings to the past like a treasured antique. He’d rather toss it in the trash. But if they can learn to trust in the God of second chances, they might just discover a future together.

The past is all she has… Since her husband’s death three years ago, Violet has struggled to keep their antique store afloat and her grief at bay. She knows it’s time to move on, but she’s not sure she wants to. So when Nate moves in next door, she tries to ignore the feelings he stirs in her—feelings that were supposed to have died with her husband.

The past haunts him… Nate’s star was rising in the world of Christian music. But all that was erased with  a single, life-shattering mistake. One he doesn’t deserve to be forgiven for. One that means he doesn’t deserve a future—and definitely not with his beautiful new neighbor.

Can they have a future? As the two work together to save her store, neither can deny the feelings that are starting to develop. But when Nate’s secret is exposed, they have to decide if they should walk away—or trust that the God of second chances has a plan for their future.

Last Second Chance
​by Robert Goluba
​
A convicted murderer. A caring family. Under one roof.

Rick Powell’s relentless dedication to succeed serves him well. He expects the same results when he gets sucked into the family business.

He’s wrong.

Things implode, and the bank wants its money back. Generations of hard-work look to be lost forever.

Out of options, Rick and his wife accept an inmate into their home to gain some quick cash….and provide a second chance.

At first, it appears to be a stroke of genius, but incarcerated felons are unpredictable. Nothing goes as planned.

Will granting an inmate a second chance be a deadly mistake?

Game Plan
​by Kayla Tirrell

I’ve got one shot to win his heart.

I’ve had a crush on Preston Royce for as long as I can remember. Only, I’ve never told him, or anyone, because he doesn’t see me that way. (And because his sister, Charlie, happens to be my best friend!)

But when Preston’s girlfriend breaks his heart, Charlie comes up with a plan to get them back together—a plan that involves Preston and me pretending to date.

Yeah, it’s a bad idea cozying up with a guy who’s still in love with his ex, but it may be my only chance to get close to him before we graduate high school. He thinks we’re faking.

Meanwhile, I’m falling more in love with him....

Inspired by the Creative Cowboy
​by Bree Livingston

​A woman who’s lost her trust, an artist who’s lost his inspiration, and the broken-down barn that brings them together.

Summer Brown is back at Sage Valley Ranch nursing the loss of her job and desperate to prove herself. Her Nanna has given her the task of restoring the old barn used for events. When the contractor she’s hired skips town, she’s left high and dry—until Julian Wolf steps in. He sure is good-looking, but her trust is shot.

Artist Julian Wolf has wandered aimlessly since the failure of his last gallery showing. When he hears the cute blonde lamenting the loss of her contractor, he offers to help. His plan was to fix the barn, maybe do a little soul-searching in hope of finding his inspiration, not lose his heart to a girl he’ll have to leave.

Contemporary Romance:
When Love Won’t Wait by Roger E. Bruner — Laugh at Pastor Dan’s impulsive efforts to get out of the ministry and marry a woman of his own choosing by going against his domineering widowed mother’s wishes. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

A Perfect Amish Match by Vannetta Chapman — After three failed relationships, Amish bachelor Noah Graber would rather disappoint his parents than try again. But when matchmaker Olivia Mae Miller agrees to provide courting lessons, Noah’s perfect match becomes clear—it’s Olivia Mae herself! With ailing grandparents at home, she hadn’t planned on love or marriage. Might a future with Noah be everything she’s been missing? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Sing a New Song by Candee Fick — Songbird Gloria Houghton has always needed to be the center of attention, but the spotlight has shifted. Seeking fame and a fresh start, she finds a new stage in Branson, Missouri…only to risk being replaced by a manipulative rival. If Gloria can’t be the star, who is she? Jack-of-all-trades Nick Sherwood is just one leaf on a vast family tree that includes a restaurant chef, hotel owners, and even the headline act at a family-owned theater. He’s seen how fame can blind a person with jealousy and is more than content to stay in the background thank you very much. If only he wasn’t so fascinated–and irritated–by the newest addition to the staff. After a disaster of a first impression and financial difficulties land Gloria in the humblest of jobs—with Nick as her boss—it might be time for her to learn to sing a new song. (Contemporary Romance from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)

Pigtails and a Tool Belt by Janetta Fudge-Messmer — The Christian Romance where circumstances seem impossible. But with God – all things are possible. (Contemporary Romance from Winged Publications)

Wooing Cadie McCaffrey by Bethany Turner — After four years of dating Will, Cadie questions his love for her and sends him packing. Their breakup only makes Will more determined to become the man Cadie wants him to be. With the help of his work buddies and tactics drawn from Cadie’s favorite romantic comedies, he devises a “foolproof” plan. What could possibly go wrong? (Contemporary Romance from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing)

General Contemporary:
Over the Waters by Deborah Raney — As “Dr. Botox” to the bored rich women of Chicago, plastic surgeon Max Jordan was shocked by the decision of his son, Joshua, to focus his medical talent on Haitian orphans. Embittered by Joshua’s death, Max searches for resolution in the very place his son called home. The selfless labor of Joshua’s coworkers stuns Max. He is particularly taken by American volunteer Valerie Austin, whose dream of a honeymoon on a tropical beach were crushed, replaced by a stint working in the impoverished orphanage. But Valerie’s view of Joshua’s sacrifice challenges everything Max has lived for. Now Max wonders if he can ever return to his “Max-a-Million” lifestyle, or if the doors to his gilded cage have finally opened. (General Contemporary from Raney Day Press)

Historical:
True Freedom by Carol Ashby — When a Roman slave rescues his master’s daughter from the kidnapping arranged by her own brother, will his sacrificial service earn the freedom and love he never dreamed possible, or will it only end in death? (Historical from Cerrillo Press)

Historical Romance:
The Daughter’s Predicament by Mary Eileen Davis — Can a patient love win her heart? As Isabelle Atwood’s romance prospects are turning in her favor, a family scandal derails her dreams. While making a quilt for her own hope chest, Isabelle’s half-sister becomes pregnant out of wedlock and Isabelle–always the unfavored daughter–becomes the family sacrifice to save face. Isabelle loves her sister, but with three suitors interested, will she really allow herself to be manipulated into a marriage without love? Or will the man leaving her secret love poems sweep her off her feet? (Historical Romance from Mountain Brook Ink)

Mail-Order Mishaps by Susan Page Davis, Linda Ford, Vickie McDonough, and Erica Vetsch — In The Bride’s Dilemma by Susan Page Davis, Eve Martin arrives in Cheyenne to learn that man she came to marry is in jail, accused of a violent murder. But has God brought her here to help save Caleb Blair’s life? In Romancing the Rancher by Linda Ford, Amelia expects a safe home for herself and her niece in Montana as mail-order bride to Zach Taggerty. Only Zach has never heard of her. In The Marriage Sham by Vickie McDonough, Texas mail-order bride Zola Bryant is a widowed newlywed. Worse, they were never truly wed because the officiant was an outlaw not a preacher. What will she do now that her life and reputation are in tatters? In The Galway Girl by Erica Vetsch, a mail-order mix-up sends Irish lass Maeve O’Reilly to the Swedish community of Lindsborg, Kansas. Will Kaspar Sandberg consider it a happy accident or a disaster to be rectified as soon as possible? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Lord of Her Heart by Sherrinda Ketchersid — Lady Jocelyn Ashburne suspects something is amiss at her family’s castle because her father ceases to write to her. When she overhears a plot to force her into vows—either to the church or a husband—she disguises herself and flees the convent in desperation to discover the truth. Malcolm Castillon of Berkham is determined to win the next tournament and be granted a manor of his own. After years of proving his worth on the jousting field, he yearns for a life of peace. Rescuing a scrawny lad who turns out to be a beautiful woman is not what he bargained for. Still, he cannot deny that she stirs his heart like no other, in spite of her conniving ways. Chaos, deception, and treachery threaten their goals, but both are determined to succeed. Learning to trust each other might be the only way either of them survives. (Historical Romance from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)

Love’s Belief by Linda Shenton Matchett — When the Third Reich implements mandates that require Jewish babies and other “undesirables” to be killed as part of The Final Solution, is midewife Pia Hertz’s new faith in Christ strong enough to defy the laws of man? Dieter Fertig is relieved he’s no longer part of Hitler’s army, despite the reason–a battle that cost his arm. After he returns to Berlin, only to discover the Nuremburg Laws require his best friend’s baby girl to be killed, he must find a way to spirit the child out of Germany before the Nazis discover her existence. (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

Shelter Bay by Pamela S. Meyers — Adventurous bicyclist Maureen Quinn and her best friend, Preston Stevens, a member of the U.S. Life Saving Service, find love and face life-altering events on the shores of Lake Michigan. (Historical Romance from Mantle Rock Publishing)

Mystery:
Fallen Leaf by Julie B. Cosgrove — When a DNA kit reveals blond, blue-eyed Jessica Warren is half Cherokee, she confronts her adoptive parents and learns her birth father is in prison…for murder! Now he wants her help in exonerating him. Can Jessica trust the handsome, young Tulsa district attorney to help, or does he have an agenda of his own? (Cozy Mystery from Write Integrity Press)

Bitter Pill by Richard L. Mabry, MD — Things were going along just fine until the miracle fouled them up. (Medical Mystery, Independently Published)

Latter-day Cipher by Latayne C. Scott — Kirsten Young, a well-known and rebellious Utah heiress, is found murdered in Provo Canyon. The strange markings carved into her flesh and the note written in 19th century code seem to cast a shadow on ancient Mormon laws. Journalist Selonnah Zee is assigned to cover the story– and it quickly grows out of control. (Historical Mystery from Moody)

Romantic Suspense:
Running Target by Elizabeth Goddard — A routine patrol turns deadly when marine deputy Bree Carrington’s boat is sunk by men carrying illegal weapons. Fleeing a barrage of bullets, she’s suddenly rescued by DEA agent Quinn Strand—her ex-boyfriend. Quinn’s return threatens more than Bree’s heart…because he’s the one the men are really after. As criminals hunt her to get to him, can Quinn and Bree take down a drug ring? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Speculative:
The Pages of Her Life by James L. Rubart — Allison Moore’s dad was living a secret life and left her mom in massive debt. As she scrambles to help her mom find a way out, she’s given a journal, anonymously, during a visit to her favorite coffee shop. The pressure to rescue her mom mounts, and Allison pours her fears and heartache into the journal. But then the unexplainable happens. The words in the journal, her words, begin to disappear. And new ones fill the empty spaces—words that force her to look at everything she knows about herself in a new light. Ignoring those words could cost her everything…but so could embracing them. (Speculative from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

I've been crocheting a little again. My son absolutely loves the Veggie Tales right now, and he asked if I'd crochet him a Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber. It was fun creating these guys without a pattern. I was happy with how they turned out. My son was thrilled with them!

My son's teacher is expecting a baby this month. I wanted to make her something and had been dying to try this super soft yarn I'd seen. The teddy bear lovey was a joy to make and ended up so cuddly! 

After creating it, our son wanted one just like it for himself (he collects all kinds of stuffed animals). So I made him one, and I'm in the process of making another in a different color for my daughter. They have been fun projects!