Category: Books

Romantic suspense/mystery is my favorite genre. I used to stick to vintage books from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, but in the last few years, Christian authors have been writing top-quality books, and i’m finding many new favorites. When Delayed Justice came my way (that sounds like a song title, don’t you think?), featuring a lawyer, a military hero, a service dog and a little girl, I gladly accepted an advance copy. There are layers to this book – no one-dimensional characters or plot holes.  The heroine was “damaged” by her past but she went on to become a strong, intelligent woman.  The hero was… a hero. I like over-the-top good and Godly men.  🙂  Over the course of the book, with the help of  Chandler and her friends, Jaime discovers that God is the one and only true healer, and He is more than sufficient. The use of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was beautiful. (That’s a link, because if you don’t have a copy of this C.S. Lewis classic, you really ought to get it.)  It’s hard to do non-cheesy evangelism in fiction, but Ms. Putman did a fine job. Delayed Justice and the other Read More

October 2018 New Releases Do you enjoy ACFW Christian Fiction?  Check out Fiction Finder – a searchable website for the best in ACFW Christian Fiction of every genre. More in-depth descriptions of these ACFW Christian Fiction books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: A Christmas to Remember by Julie Arduini, Valerie Comer, Janet W. Ferguson, Kimberly Rose Johnson, Deb Kastner, Elizabeth Maddrey, Lindi Peterson, and Ginger Solomon — Eight authors from the popular blog Inspy Romance each share a Christmas-themed novella to put you in the mood for the season. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published) Their Family Legacy by Lorraine Beatty — Annie’s inheritance will provide a home for her twins and all she had to do is keep a man paying for his mistake forever. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin]) The Return by Marianne Evans — A prodigal who never wanted to return home must repair his family farm and rush back to the big city before an old love convinces him to stay. (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing [Pelican]) A Harvest of Blessings by June Foster — When Nadia accidentally sits on a stranger’s lap in the graveyard where her late husband Read More

September 2018 New Releases Do you enjoy ACFW Christian Fiction?  Check out Fiction Finder – a searchable website for the best in ACFW Christian Fiction of every genre. More in-depth descriptions of these ACFW Christian Fiction books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: A Baby for the Minister by Laurel Blount — Jilted at the altar, Natalie Davis has no one she can turn to—until Jacob Stone steps in. The single minister’s drawn to the beautiful mommy-to-be and wants to help…even if it goes against his congregation’s wishes and could cost him his job. But when she refuses to accept charity, can he convince her she’s more than a ministry project? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin]) Courting Her Secret Heart by Mary Davis — Deborah Miller lives a double life as an Amish woman—and a fashion model! All photography is forbidden in her Plain community, so she must keep her job a secret. But when Amos Burkholder starts helping at her family’s farm, hiding the truth from him is impossible. And soon she must choose between the Englischer world of modeling and the Amish man she’s come to love. (Contemporary Amish Romance from Love Read More

Running is a tightly-plotted, fast-paced thriller/political suspense novel with believable and interesting characters. Dave Milbrandt obviously knows his way around the political scene, journalism and police procedure; he handled all of those aspects skillfully, without distracting the reader with extraneous details. Jim Mitchell, the hero of the story, is a complex man. He’s a new Christian, with a new wife and a baby on the way, when he’s thrust into an unexpected and unwanted legislative role. He’s an admirable man, too, with good intentions and a commitment to his new moral code. I liked the way the author brought in one reality: especially in politics, one’s past mistakes and actions are always brought to light and can have serious consequences.  He didn’t sugar-coat that or have an instant resolution to the problem. I haven’t read the previous books in this series, but I was able to figure out what had happened and enjoy this one as a standalone novel. The dialog was sometimes a little long, but the action was fast. It moved along quickly, never getting dull. It was a suspenseful book, not romantic suspense, with various threads that tied up at the end – not in a tidy Read More

July 2018 New Releases Do you enjoy ACFW Christian Fiction?  Check out Fiction Finder – a searchable website for the best in ACFW Christian Fiction of every genre. More in-depth descriptions of these ACFW Christian Fiction books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.   Contemporary Romance: A Widow’s Hope by Vannetta Chapman — After tragedy claimed her husband’s life and her son’s ability to walk, Hannah King doesn’t want a new man. She has her family, a home and mounting debts. Scarred Amish bachelor Jacob Schrock offers Hannah the job she desperately needs. But while Hannah helps Jacob resolve his accounting issues, can she and her little boy also heal his wounded heart? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin]) Firestorm by Laura V. Hilton — Bridget Behr can’t shake the guilt that it was her fault her family moved—and is too afraid to trust anyone, especially the flirtatious, overly-friendly Amish man who lives next door. Just as Bridget is finally settling into friendship, a new life, and maybe even love, a devastating forest fire ravages the county, destroying both land and the Behrs’ dreams. Now Bridget and her family must decide: will they leave behind the ashes Read More