From Publishers WeeklyMitchell (Love's Pursuit) sets her newest historical in Gilded Age New York, an opulent time and place when marrow spoons and exceedingly tight corsets were in vogue among the moneyed. The motherless Clara Carter is making her debut in society, and her aunt and her physician father expect her to win the hand of Franklin DeVries, the wealthiest catch of the season. Clara's best friend Lizzie is also aiming for DeVries, and Clara is caught between duty, friendship, and her own desires, which tend more toward Byron's poetry than bombazine hats. Mitchell's story is well researched, with fascinating details, and Clara is a complex character. The plot machinery creaks loudly at points: three overheard conversations is at least one too many. A social consciousness plot thread dealing with New York's slums is weak. But those who love historicals can have their fill as well as any debutante supping on oysters and clutching her filled dance card; Mitchell delivers the historical goods.
Product DescriptionBorn with the face of an angel, Marget Barnardsen is blessed. Her father is a knight, and now she is to be married to the Earl of Lytham. Her destiny is guaranteed ... at least, it would seem so. But when her introduction to court goes awry and Queen Elizabeth despises her, Marget fears she's lost her husband forever. Desperate to win him back, she'll do whatever it takes to discover how she failed and capture again the love of a man bound to the queen.
From the Back CoverNothing will be the same after the summer of 1964. Drought has gripped the quiet Kentucky town of Hollyhill, and the town seems as if it is holding its breath--waiting. Jocie Brooke is nervous about starting high school. Her sister Tabitha is experiencing the weariness of waiting for a new baby. Her father David is feeling the timidity of those first steps toward true love. All of these pivotal steps in life are awaiting the Brooke family. Into this cloud of tense anticipation, the Hearndons move their family from Chicago to plant an orchard outside of town. Fresh off the Freedom Train, Myra Hearndon is sensitive to what the color of her skin may mean in a Southern town. Her family will have to contend with more than the dry ground and blazing sun as they try to create their orchard of hope. In this close-knit community, everything is about to change. Let this riveting novel take you along to experience unexpected love, new life, and renewed faith amid life's trials.
Product DescriptionThe summer of 1964 certainly was eventful, but it's nothing compared to what's coming to the Brooke family and to Hollyhill, Kentucky. David finally gets up the nerve to pop the question to Leigh and wedding plans are in the making. But the past is coming to call on many in Hollyhill, threatening to destroy the relationships that everyone thought were so strong. Two people--one David thought was gone for good and the other no one's ever heard of--are making their way to the small town and promise trouble. This complex and well-written story is the perfect conclusion to the Hollyhill story. With true-to-life family drama, refreshing humor, and lovable characters, Summer of Joy will delight readers.
Product DescriptionJocie Brooke has never wanted for love, despite the fact that she hardly remembers her mother. Jocie's father, preacher David Brooke, has done his best to be both father and mother to his daughter. Even Jocie's spinster Great-aunt Love, who's slowly going senile, cares for Jocie in her own stern way. But in their small town of Hollyhill, Kentucky, painful secrets lie just beneath the surface, and inquisitive spirits discover surprising truths. There's a reason why Aunt Love hides behind black dresses and a stoic countenance. And David takes his morning walks not just for quiet solitude, but to wrestle with the past. Full of stories of lost loves and the trials of small-town living, this heartwarming novel explores the journey of faith and family.
Product DescriptionWhen Libby’s husband Greg fails to return from a two-week canoe trip to the Canadian wilderness, the authorities soon write off his disappearance as an unhappy husband’s escape from an empty marriage and unrewarding career. Their marriage might have survived if their daughter Lacey hadn’t died…and if Greg hadn’t been responsible. Libby enlists the aid of her wilderness savvy father-in-law and her faith-walking best friend to help her search for clues to her husband’s disappearance…if for no other reason than to free her to move on. What the trio discovers in the search upends Libby’s presumptions about her husband and rearranges her faith.
From Publishers WeeklyHiggs, the bestselling author of 20 inspirational books, successfully tries her hand at her first historical novel, spinning a new version of the biblical story of Jacob to show the costs of deception and the triumph of love despite adversity. The story opens in 1764 Scotland, a month before the birth of Rowena McKie's twin boys. Those readers familiar with the biblical account of Isaac and Rebecca, their twin sons Jacob and Esau, and Jacob's search for a wife will have no trouble discerning how the plot unwinds. Higgs has a good track record with romance novels (Bookends; Mixed Signals), and she handles the love affairs between the younger twin James McKie and sisters Rose and Leana McBride with aplomb. Despite the predictable story line, Higgs keeps a few surprises up her sleeve, including the device of a proxy wedding (which although historically authentic, may be a stretch for some). Christian fiction readers will appreciate many of the moral lessons gently delivered, especially as James discovers that deception is a two-edged sword. The book feels a bit too long, but Higgs's fine writing will satisfy historical fiction aficionados. Although Scottish words are liberally sprinkled throughout the text, their definition through context is usually clear, and a welcome and thorough glossary in the back of the book further aids readers. Higgs incorporates many lovely historical details, and her strong storytelling skills stand her in good stead here.
From Publishers WeeklyCushman's (Waiting for Daybreak) latest faith-based novel begins with a jolt. As a police officer arrives on the doorstep of Alisa Stewart's home, she fears that her only living son, Kurt, has been killed in the course of his dark lifestyle, living on the streets and using drugs. Her terror is calmed when she learns her son is only needed for an investigation into the beating death of a local dealer, and she's further assuaged when Kurt himself calls to say he is now in rehab. Latching onto this unexpected and desperately needed ray of hope, Alisa is deceived by her own optimism. As past secrets are revealed, she is forced to consider justice and mercy's conflicting demands. Though Kurt's struggle dominates the novel, Alisa faces additional personal crises— her husband threatens divorce and she's tempted by the possibility of an affair. The number of crises facing her is overwhelming and at times distracts from the power of the central conflict. However, the novel offers a denouement that will satisfy evangelical Christian readers with its resolution while maintaining its reality.
Product DescriptionWhat happens after all your dreams come true? In these uplifting tales of faith and fortune, delve into the lives of three people whose hearts--and wallets--are on the line when an unexpected windfall tests them like never before. . .
Product DescriptionKate Evans is an adventurous and independent young woman with a pioneering spirit. She pilots a mail-delivery plane in the forbidding Alaskan wilderness, the lone woman in a male profession. But even that seems easy compared to finding true love. She likes a fellow pilot and would even consider marrying him--if it weren't for Paul, a mysterious man on her mail route with a gentle spirit and a past to hide. Can Kate break through the walls Paul has put up around his heart? And will her quest for adventure be her demise?
Product DescriptionA terrible drought has settled on Thornton Creek and has parched both the land and the strength of all who live there. After a devastating fire eats up most of Douloo and leaves them with barely enough to survive, Daniel and Rebecca Thornton are forced to go to extremes to provide for their growing family. With fear and uncertainty weighing heavy on his heart, Daniel makes an ill-advised investment with a shady businessman from Brisbane. But at what price? What will happen when they can't pay their dues? Could this deal cost them the very home they are trying to save? The captivating conclusion to the Queensland Chronicles, When the Storm Breaks is a compelling tale of hope, prayer, and learning to trust in a loving God.
Product DescriptionHannah Talbot has no one. Forced to leave the only home she's ever known, she works for a cruel employer who brutally takes the one thing she has left--her dignity. When she is banished from London, she is certain God has turned his back on her. John Bradshaw was a successful businessman whose untamed spirit sometimes wanted more. When he is betrayed by those closest to him, he loses everything--his wife, his business, even his freedom. John's and Hannah's paths are about to cross. Aboard a ghastly, nineteenth-century prison ship from London to Australia, John and Hannah must keep hope alive and trust God's unconditional love.
Product DescriptionJust when things seem to be looking up for John and Hannah Bradshaw, their world is turned upside down. Years ago, John was in prison when he was told his first wife, Margaret, died. So how is it that she shows up in Sydney Town looking to pick up where they left off? Her marriage now null and void, Hannah is distraught. But she and John feel they must separate to allow John's first marriage to continue. But is Margaret hiding something after all? And just what will she do to get what she wants? This conclusion to the Sydney Cove trilogy will draw readers in with its suspenseful, romantic, and tender narrative.
Product DescriptionBonnie Kahler, immersed in grief since losing her husband, attempts to rise from the ashes of mourning. Will love and faith give her the power to conquer the demons within and evils without? In an attempt to outrun his past, Preacher Travis Whitworth arrives in Kahlerville, incognito. When he stumbles across a dead body, suspicion falls on his shoulders. Is Travis in too deep to win Bonnie's love? As Bonnie finds herself drawn to Travis, her life and heart are threatened. When secrets unravel, will she be strong enough to face the twisted truth?
Product DescriptionHave you ever tried to change something about yourself but had a hard time making it stick? If so, Bonnie Grove knows how you feel. The problem, she explains, is that when it comes to self-improvement, most of us start by asking ourselves the wrong questions. Instead of, What are my weaknesses? How can I fix them? we should be asking, What are my strengths? How can I build on them?
This book is not a one-size-fits-all approach to lifestyle change. It doesn't offer a ten-step formula or a one-minute prayer that guarantees success in 30 days. This book is about you. It's about discovering and developing what you do well, what you love, and what brings you joy so you can see yourself the way God sees you and begin to truly receive His best for your life.
Product DescriptionCarol Kent has lived every parent's nightmare. After her only son was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, Carol's life took a permanent detour. She and her husband, Gene, have been adjusting ever since, moving to Florida to be near the prison, starting a new ministry for prison inmates and their families, and sharing the faithfulness of God with anyone who will listen.
A New Kind of Normal begins with the story of that horrible night when Carol and Gene learned their son had been arrested, but it doesn't end there. In fact, Carol knows what it means to live with an unthinkable circumstance that will never change-and to still make hope-filled choices. Through the eight chapters in this book, Carol will use their own story, the story of Mary mother of Jesus, and stories of women who have experienced their own "new normal" to share how God has led them to choose life, gratitude, vulnerability, involvement, forgiveness, trust, and action.
Product DescriptionCounselor and author Leslie Vernick has discovered that many people pray, “Lord, I just want to be happy!” With candor, Leslie reveals that readers don’t need new circumstances but a new perspective to discover true happiness. With biblical insight, Leslie guides readers to take simple steps as they…
* recognize and change habits that, day by day, keep them from experiencing happiness
* make good choices and learn from mistakes without beating themselves up
* develop the skills that enable them to let go of negative and painful emotions more quickly
* transform difficult circumstances so they can live with gratitude, joy, and purpose
Application questions help readers work godly thinking, as well as healthy skills and habits, into their lives and hearts. They’ll discover that, even if nothing changes in their circumstances, their inner chains can be broken and they can go free…into a new path of real hope and happiness.
Review"In Culture Making, Andy Crouch has given us a vision for creativity that is not reserved for the practitioners of high art, but that reveals the dignity of the most ordinary sorts of cultural creation. It is a transformative vision that inspires to action and--in the face of the almost inevitable failures--perseverance. In the end, cultural creativity is not a gift we own, exercise and grow anxious over, but one that we receive and nurture--and through which we come to know grace." (David Neff, editor-in-chief and vice president, Christianity Today Media Group )
Product DescriptionBestselling author Lori Copeland weaves together elements of a wonderful, classic Western romance with themes of forgiveness and grace.
Falsely convicted of bank robbery, drifter Johnny McAllister is sent to a rehabilitation program in the home of a California judge. When he goes to Judge McMann’s home, his aim is to be a model prisoner, hoping to be released early and return to his life's mission: to kill the man who wiped out his family 15 years before. He’s planned for everything…except his encounter with Ragan, the beautiful and kind housekeeper, and with the generous folks of Barren Flats. But can Johnny let go of his anger and embrace a new life? One that would include Ragan as his bride?
This tender story reveals how even the hard law of the land doesn’t stand a chance when God’s mercy and true love come to reside in a heart.
Product DescriptionBestselling author Lori Copeland shares another marvelous romantic Western full of God’s grace, the beauty of redemption, and second chances.
Famous bounty hunter Cade Kolby is forced off the trail to decide the fate of his late sister’s orphaned children. He’s not just returning to his hometown and nieces and nephews, but also to the fiery redhead he loved and left 17 years ago.
The last person Zoe Bradshaw wants to see is Cade. She tries to be cool and polite, even as the attraction between them flares up again. Only this time, Zoe is determined to not let Cade get close to her heart.
But the townsfolk have other ideas. They want to see the little orphans with a mother and a father, and they form a plan that includes the possibility of a kiss...
Product DescriptionA New Quest Begins
A dragonkeeper of Paladin, Kale is summoned from the Hall to The Bogs by the Wizard Fenworth to serve as his apprentice and tend his newly hatched meech dragon, Regidor. But Kale isn’t going alone. The Hall is sending a student to monitor her performance and report back to the scholars. Worst of all, it’s Bardon–an older boy Kale finds irritating, but who at least can hold his own in a sword fight.
Product DescriptionWhen international jewel theives attempt to steal the Hope Diamond from the Simthsonian Institute, only Dr. Abigail Mitchell stands in their way. Abby soon realizes she alone holds the pieces to the complicated puzzle in this deadly game. It is in this context that her faith will be put to the ultimate test as she confronts the father who abandoned her, the betrayal of the only man she has ever loved, and the possibility that she may lose her life because of the legendary gem.
Product DescriptionAs every writer knows, keeping the faith isn't always easy. On those days when you find yourself literally at a loss for words, you may long for a little writer's TLC. In A Cup of Comfort for Writers, you'll meet more than fifty writers who, just like you, have faced down that empty page-and won!-from a woman who enters an elite writing program at the age of forty, and proceeds to blow "the pros" away, to a man who wins his wife's hand by writing her countless love letters.
Whether you're already published or as yet undiscovered, A Cup of Comfort for Writers will inspire you, motivate you, and fuel the fire that keeps you writing.
Product DescriptionA Faithgirlz Guide to Life By middle school, a lot of new, sometimes strange, things start to happen, and it can be overwhelming. You have new responsibilities, new opportunities, and a whole new set of problems, and sometimes it can feel like no one but you can understand what it's like to be you. Well, you're not alone. This one-year devotional is filled with stories about girls who feel just like you, and who are going through things like embarrassing moments in front of friends, putting up with mean girls at school, having a huge crush on that cute boy, or just dealing with what it's like to become a young woman. As you read their stories each week, and fill in questions about how you think each girl should react, you'll learn new ways to deal with the pressures around you. Through prayer and journal exercises, you'll also discover there is someone out there who knows exactly how you feel. And he's more than ready to listen.
Product DescriptionThe lives of notable Christian women are the basis of this brand-new devotional. More than 200 women are profiled in brief biographical sketches, with each day's entry providing the reader a devotional application. Featuring women such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, Amy Carmichael, Corrie ten Boom, Fanny Crosby, Susanna Wesley, and dozens of others less well-known but powerful in their lives and legacies, 365 Daily Devotions for Women offers fascinating historical information, encouragement for daily life, and challenge for Christian service.
Product DescriptionDreaming of a Family by Arlene James
Widowed mother Dixie Stephenson never stopped blaming herself for her late husband's accidental death. And she didn't expect any of her dreams to come true, especially since she had been dreaming of another man. But is Joel Slade, a wounded soldier, truly the answer to her prayers? Can he be the father her little boy needs, and the man who helps Dixie finally heal?
The Mommy Wish by Kathryn Springer
Julia Windham's country house was her sanctuary--a quiet place where she could be left alone to grieve her shattered dreams. That all changed when handsome widower Nick Delaney and his precocious daughter, Beth, moved next door. Now there's noise, laughter and maybe even hope for a future as a family.
Product DescriptionWho Is Quinn O'Halloran?
Well, he's not exactly who he tells Abby Porter he is. Sure, he's the carpenter who'll help turn her run-down lodge into a charming inn. But what he can't tell her is that her worried brother hired him to secretly watch over her. After two weeks, he'll finally be able to return to his old life--where he belongs. Yet the closer he gets to sweet Abby, the more he wants to tell her all his secrets. Including his desire to build a life with her on Mirror Lake--forever.
