Author: Iola Goulton

What was your last five-star read?

Bookish Question #341 | What was your last five-star read?

This question was harder to answer than it should have been.

I read a lot of books. And the more books I read, the harder it is to find stories that stick in my memory after I’ve closed the book (or switched off the Kindle.

The title that sprang to mind for this question isn’t a book I’d normally read, but I’ve seen it mentioned online and have been waiting for it to come on sale on Kindle. Then I saw it at my local library, so checked it out.

It’s not fiction.
It’s not Christian (although the author is a Christian).
It’s nothing like the books I usually read and review.

It’s Jesus and John Wayne by Kristen Kobes Du Mez

(which I did recently feature in a First Line Friday post).

Jesus and John Wayne is probably best described as a history textbook, showing how the modern church has, step by tiny step, morphed the collective understanding of Jesus from the man who healed the sick and ate with sinners to some kind of nationalistic patriarchal authoritarian who was the opposite of politically correct.

Like John Wayne.

Yet Jesus was nothing like John Wayne. Jesus stood up for women, for widows (the single parents of his day), for orphans, for the oppressed, for the immigrants, the refugees (Jesus himself was a refugee in Egypt).

Du Mez makes a compelling argument for how the US Christian church has come to misinterpret Jesus by conflating him with people like John Wayne, and how that has hurt the church in the USA (I would add that it’s hurt the church globally).

You might not agree with everything she says, but it’s a well-researched and strongly written case, and well worth taking the time to read.

It might just make you think.

What about you? What’s your most recent five-star read?

A discipline is any activity I can do by direct effort that will eventually enable me to do what I cannot currently do by direct effort.

Book Review | Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer

John Mark Comer posits that Christianity should be more than praying a salvation prayer. It should also be a way of living. In Practicing the Way, Comer offers practical, Biblical suggestions as to how Christians can become true disciples—apprentices—of Jesus.

The book is structured in four parts.

In the first, Comer takes readers through the rabbinical tradition of disciples, pointing out that “disciple” is a noun, not a verb i.e. we are (or aren’t) disciples of Jesus. He also suggests that “apprentice” might be a better translation, because an apprentice is responsible for learning.

Comer argues that the accountability is on us listening to Jesus and learning, rather than putting the accountability on the teacher to teach (which turns “discipling” into adverb, an action that is performed on us).

He then moves onto three goals for disciples: to be with Jesus, to become like Jesus, and to do as He did.

But how? Here Comer builds on some of his suggestions and insights from his previous book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, and suggests some oh-so-logical ideas that are oh-so-easy to resist: ideas like having a digital Sabbath once a week, and to have daily no-phone times.

Comer also emphasises that we can’t let our practices become our faith.

The point of spiritual practices is to bring us closer to God, not to turn our faith into a set of rules for the sake of rules (something I see as I grow older: one person has a personal rule they find helps them grow closer to God, such as not reading novels or not using their phones on Sunday, and others turn this into a Rule they say everyone must live by in order to be a “proper Christian”. This is a “Jesus plus” gospel, where outward appearance and action takes precedence over the heart attitudes … instead of outward actions reflecting our heart attitudes).

Discipline is a means to an end—to be with Jesus, become like him, and do what he did. But Comer is refreshingly realistic: he recognises that we all need limits.

 

You must name your limits—and from there determine what you honestly can do, and then, let that be enough.

Comer’s Christianity is the opposite of hustle culture and the more-more-more of modern life (and, often, of modern church). Instead, it’s less:

For most of us, it’s ... important to focus on what we’re not going to do, to build margin into the architecture of our lives.

In other words, we have to learn how to say “no” to people if we’re going to have the capacity to say “yes” to God.

I got a lot out of reading Practicing the Way. It’s easy to read, yet jam-packed with Christian wisdom and solid ideas on how to turn the ideas into actions. I will no doubt need to re-read it in a few months … perhaps right after I re-read The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.

Recommended.

Thanks to Waterbrook and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About John Mark Comer

John Mark Comer is the New York Times bestselling author of Practicing the Way, Live No Lies, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, and four previous books. He’s also the Founder and Teacher of Practicing the Way, a simple, beautiful way to integrate spiritual formation into your church or small group. Prior to starting Practicing the Way, he spent almost twenty years pastoring Bridgetown Church in Portland, OR, and working out discipleship to Jesus in the post-Christian West.

Find John Mark Comer online at:

About Practicing the Way

We all have experienced unwanted parts of our spiritual journey: distance from God, gaps in our character, the fear that our lives will be trivial and empty… Jesus is calling us into more. Calling us to be shaped in his likeness. To experience his abundance of life.

But how, practically, can we do that? By becoming his apprentice. By practicing the Way.

Outlining the timeless process of being with Jesus, becoming like him, and living as he did, bestselling author and pastoral voice John Mark Comer delineates God’s vision for the journey of our soul.

In this powerful and practical work, he defines his core philosophy of spiritual formation to help us form a “rule of life.”

Along the way, readers benefit from his rich cultural insight, deep biblical teaching, and honest and hopeful view of the potential of each human soul.

You feel like there’s more to life than this? You’re right. Now come discover just how much life awaits you.

Find Practicing the Way online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #347 | Sure About You by Jaycee Weaver

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from Sure About You by Jaycee Weaver, a Christian rom-com I recently downloaded free on Kindle.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Eyes closed with my head resting against my hands, I inhale the crisp fragrance of spring on the unseasonably cool night air, fresh after a late spring rain.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

 

About Sure About You

She’d had her future perfectly planned. Now? She’s not so sure.

Isley:

Three things I love—quality food, eighties rom coms, and my custom-made planner.

Three things I loathe—internet trolls, traveling, and Walter Paxton.

Anita runs our online news site DFW Daily, and she’s dangling my dream job like the proverbial carrot. Now my weekend getaway to finally meet my online almost-maybe-sort of-boyfriend in LA has become a work trip with the man who irritates me most. So why do I find myself relying on him with every bump in the road (literally and metaphorically)? And why does he smell like a moonlit forest waterfall? Before this trip, my life was all planned out, but now I’m not so sure.

Pax:

Three things I love—stargazing, coffee, and pushing Isley’s buttons.

There’s no point in talking about dislikes. It’s more fun to take things in stride and enjoy all that life has to offer. Do I want Isley for a babysitter on this trip? Of course not. Though needling her is almost as fun as rescuing her. There’s plenty of both when nothing on this road trip goes according to her perfect plans. I’m in the driver’s seat, but she’s the one driving me crazy. Only I’m not so sure it’s in a bad way.

A shorter version of this book previously appeared in The 80s Rom-Com Club collection with books from Betsy St. Amant, Teresa Tysinger, Mikal Dawn, Bell Renshaw, and Jennifer Rodewald featuring contemporary twists on classic 80s movies. This newly expanded edition has been fully rewritten with significant changes and is about 30% longer than its predecessor.

As with all of Jaycee’s books, you can expect plenty of faith-friendly chemistry, banter, and kisses with no spice.

Find Sure About You online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

Bookish Question #340 | What’s the best novel you’ve read based on a true story?

I tend not to read novels based on true stories. I think that’s because I like to not know what’s going to happen during the story (even if I can guess how the novel is going to end, which is pretty much the case with every romance novel ever published).

If a novel is based on a true story, then I might know (or can Google) what’s going to happen.

(And I have done so.)

So if I do read novels based on true stories, I’d rather not know until I finish reading.

(Which might have been why I stopped reading stories set in Tudor England.)

I knew nothing about the history behind Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate until I read the book.

I’d never heard of Georgia Tann or the Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage scandal, which made the story a powerful read.

Here’s the Amazon description:

Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.

Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.

Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.

Find Before We Were Yours online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

What about you? What’s the best novel you’ve read based on a true story?

 

Inhale: Irrational things are happening. Exhale: But that does not mean I’m irrational

Book Review | Between You and Us by Kendra Broekhuis

Loren meets her husband for a fancy dinner to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary, but something weird happens when she walks into the restaurant. Instead of meeting her husband, she meets his doppelganger—an alternative David who wears fancy suits and drives a fancy car. When he drivers her home, she finds they live in a fancy house, he works for his parents … and their daughter is still alive.

This isn’t a completely original concept in Christian fiction.

I remember reading a  Christian novel sometime in the 1990s where the main character was living two different lives concurrently. Not long after, the movie Sliding Doors was released, which had a similar concept.

Between You and Us is similar but different. Loren is only living one life at a time—the story she remembers David #1, and the story she’s been inserted into with David #2.

Science fiction fans might recognise this as the multiverse, popularised by franchises such as Marvel and Star Trek.

(I’m not even sure how the concept of the multiverse fits with Christianity. Do all universes converge at the crucifixion so Jesus dies once for everyone? Or are there infinite versions of Jesus dying in infinite worlds? I think it’s easier to believe in one world, one Jesus, and one crucifixion.)

Between You and Us is classified as magical realism, in that it is set in contemporary Milwaukee but with magical elements added—the switched bodies.

The story is published as Christian fiction, but doesn’t have any noticeable Christian element—there is nothing to suggest the main characters have any kind of faith, and the only time they go to church is for a funeral. But there is also no bad language, or on-the-page sex, or violence.

The plot was woven well, with a nice twist at the very end. The writing was solid and placed the focus of the novel squarely on Loren as the narrator.

Loren had a difficult upbringing. Her mother was a piece of work, and her father found his refuge in alcohol. Life changed when she met David, and we see the story of their meeting, courtship, and marriage. She is a relatable character, with a tendency to show the worst of herself.

David is a more likeable character, as far as we can see him, which is only ever through Loren’s eyes. That has positives and negatives, as Loren doesn’t always think rationally when it comes to David, and David never sees the truth of her relationship with his mother.

I don’t actually know what I think about Between You and Us.

Loren annoyed me at times, but I have to admire her strength in staying true to herself and not allowing herself to be dragged down to Delancy’s level. I found David’s inability to stand up to his parents frustrating but relatable. Even so, I admired his love for his wife and his daughter, and for the fact he hadn’t allowed himself to become a mini-me of his mother.

If you’re looking for a quick, formulaic read, then Between  You and Us isn’t going to suit. But if you’re looking for an original debut novel that will keep you on your toes, check it out.

Thanks to WaterBrook and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Kendra Broekhuis

Kendra BroekhuisKendra Broekhuis is an author who lives in the city of Milwaukee. For her day job, she stays home with four of her children and drives them from one place to another in her minivan. She’s written, spoken, and created non-fiction content for over a decade, and now is excited to be publishing two novels with WaterBrook, the first of which debuted in March 2024. You can find most of her sarcastic ramblings and serious encouragement—including the grief of losing a baby at 33 weeks pregnant—in her newsletter and on social media.

Find Kendra Broekhuis online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram

About Between You and Us

Two possible lives to live. One impossible choice to make.

Between You and UsWhen Leona Warlon heads across the city to meet her husband, David, for a rare dinner out, she hopes they can share a moment of relief after their year of loss. But Leona quickly realizes this is no ordinary date night. She hasn’t just stepped into an upscale ristorante; she’s stepped into a different version of her life. One in which her marriage is no longer tender, in which her days are pressured by her powerful in-laws, and in which her precious baby girl lived.

Now Leona must weigh the bitter and sweet of both trajectories, facing an unimaginable choice: Stay in a world where tragedy hasn’t struck but where the meaningful life she built with David is gone? Or return to a reality that’s filled with struggle and sorrow but also deep and enduring love?

Find Between You and Us online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #346 | The Blooming of Delphinium by Holly Varni

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m currently reading The Blooming of Delphinium by Holly Varni, the second book in her Moonberry Lake series.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About The Blooming of Delphinium

As far as hidden talents go, Delphinium Hayes is blessed with one of the more unique ones. With the slightest passing whiff, she knows someone’s most admirable or weediest characteristic. This peculiar perception never fails to give her an advantage in life–until she meets two men who turn her world upside down.

Mason McCormack has agreed to help her with a group of seniors who have taken over her flower shop as their hangout. But his assistance is not without its price, and Delphinium agrees to compensate him with beautiful bouquets that seem to possess a bit of dating magic.

Elliot Sturgis, director of The Gardens Assisted Living Facility, is determined to discover why a group of his residents keeps sneaking over to Delphinium’s shop to play poker in the walk-in refrigerator. He soon finds himself as enchanted by Delphinium as everyone else. But his devotion to following the rules and maintaining order does not endear him to the shop’s owner.

Sparks fly as opposites attract and love finds a match in Delphinium’s Flora Emporium–even for those who resist it the most.

Find The Blooming of Delphinium online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

What's your favourite novel based on a real-life person?

Bookish Question #339 | What’s your favourite novel based on a real-life person?

Mine is Legacy by Susan Kay.

It’s an older book, first published in the 1980s, and I haven’t read it in more than thirty years …

On that basis, I should probably re-read it to see if it lives up to my memories.

It’s my favourite book because it’s about the life of Queen Elizabeth I. We studied Tudor England in my final year of high school, and Elizabeth I was obviously a key figure in the Tudor period.

The novel brought Elizabeth to life for me (and several of my classmates) in a way that the textbooks didn’t, and we were all convinced that helped us pass our final exam.

What about you? What’s your favourite novel based on a real-life person?

 

Book Review | Broker of Lies (Travis Brock #1) by Steven James

Travis Brock is a redactor for the US Department of Defence, which means he works in the depths of the Pentagon, reading endless documents in response to official information requests, and deciding what information can safely be released to the public without endangering the security of the USA and her citizens … and what can’t.

Brock has an unusual gift (which could also be seen as a curse).

He has an eidetic memory—better known as a photographic memory—which means he never forgets anything he sees or reads. That comes in handy in his job as a redactor, because he can link odd facts from different documents he’s read. It’s less good when it comes to forgetting his dead wife, or the pain of the injuries he sustained trying to save her.

Brock gets a new request for information that is dated 18 months earlier—the date of the first that killed his wife. What looks at first to be a fairly routine request has some unusual aspects …

And we’re neck-deep in action.

Brock is a fascinating character both because of his gift and his job. He’s an odd character—as one would expect—and his scenes are written in first person point of view, which enables us to really get inside his mind. The other characters are written in more traditional third person, and add to the suspense as the reader is made aware of information Brock and his colleagues don’t yet know.

Broker of Lies is a fast-paced thriller that reminds me of the TV show “24” in terms of the cleverly woven plot where every detail is potentially critical, the seemingly unrelated characters, and where the suspense starts on page one and doesn’t let up until the end.

But Broker of Lies is more than just a fast-paced well-plotted thriller.

It asks some serious questions about the nature of justice in our broken world, and how far is too far to go in search of justice. It also challenges readers to think about the concept of justice, and our role in creating a just world (spoiler: we have a God-given role).

You couldn’t objectively read the Bible and not come away with the idea that God hates injustice and the oppression of the weak by the strong.

Broker of Lies is only the second Steven James novel I’ve read, with the first being Synapse, his first and only venture into science fiction. Both novels are definitely Christian fiction, but with a twist: instead of merely showing us Christian characters, James challenges readers to examine some of the tough questions of faith ourselves.

Overall, Broker of Lies is an excellent thriller that introduces a fascinating character and asks big questions, questions without easy answers.

Thanks to Tyndale Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Steven James

Steven JamesSteven James is the critically acclaimed, national bestselling author of sixteen novels.

His work has been optioned by ABC Studios and praised by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, the New York Journal of Books, and many others. His pulse-pounding, award-winning thrillers are known for their intricate storylines and insightful explorations of good and evil.

When he’s not working on his next book, he’s either teaching master classes on writing throughout the country, trail running, or sneaking off to catch a matinee.

Find Steven James online at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

About Broker of Lies

The man who knows all our secrets has a secret of his own.

Broker of Lies by Steven JamesWhen Travis Brock, a high-level Pentagon redactor with an eidetic memory, finds a clue to solving the tragic arson that took his wife from him, he risks everything to find the truth—and chances losing himself in the process.

With a terror attack looming on the horizon and a pair of assassins on his tail, Brock drops off the grid and joins forces with a disavowed Homeland Security operative. Together they race to stop the attack before Brock is neutralized by the people he trusts the most.

Find Broker of Lies online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click her to find Broker of Lies and other great Christian fiction at my Amazon shop.

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #345 | Heroes of Purple Heart Ranch by Shanae Johnson

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from On His Bended Knee by Shanae Johnson, the first story in the compilation Heroes of Purple Heart Ranch, which is currently free on Kindle.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

The sound of the hooves impacting the earth brought to mind the sound of artillery fire.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

 

About Heroes of Purple Heart Ranch

In this collection of wholesome military romance novels, Active Duty, Retired Veterans, and Wounded Warriors all come to find out that love can truly heal all wounds in these light-hearted, sweet romances of convenient arrangements that unfold into lasting love on the Purple Heart Ranch!

In On His Bended Knee, in order to save his beloved ranch for wounded veterans, Dylan must get married. Maggie needs to find a home for her and her special needs dogs. A marriage of convenience could solve both their problems, but can two wounded souls believe in the power of true love?

In The Rancher takes his Convenient Bride, insta-love alters the plan when an Army Ranger makes a calculated deal to wed a female rancher in a modern day marriage of convenience.

In His Pledge to Honor, a general’s daughter can rehabilitate the most wounded of horses. But when an injured soldier shows up at her ranch as part of her father’s last command, will she follow his lead down a trail of love?

In His Vow to Love, Air Force Pilot Charlie Matthews has flown to the farthest reaches of the world, but he can never seem to reconnect with his first, and only love. Will their latest reunion finally land them on a path to forever?

Find Heroes of Purple Heart Ranch online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

New Releases in Christian Fiction

New Releases in Christian Fiction | July 2024

We’ve just celebrated Matariki in New Zealand, which is the traditional Māori new year celebration following the appearance of the Pleiades star cluster, also known as Seven Sisters in England and Subaru in Japan. 

Happy New Year!

Like our more traditional 1 January new year, Matariki is a time for thinking back over the last year and planning for the year ahead.

It also signals the halfway point of 2024 … which I find hard to believe! Anyway, that means it’s time for another list of new releases in Christian fiction from the members of American Christian Fiction Writers.

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Contemporary Romance

Renee by Sandra Ardoin — A bake-off competition can change widow Renee Burnette’s life and mend a frayed friendship. As the bake-off competition intensifies, Renee’s office relationships are strained, her sweet son becomes unruly, and the rift with her old friend widens. Can a decades-old cookbook help Renee restore the bonds every woman needs? (Romance from Corner Room Books)

Pointe, Shoots, and Scores by Carolyn Miller — When Bailey Donovan’s dance studio faces the risk of closure, she takes a God-given miracle of a gig training a complete non-dancer for a TV show. Only problem is, he’s a real grump, and for an athlete, seems to be lacking all the moves. Luc Blanchard loves hockey, God, and his family, with no time for more, until an unexpected promotion forces him to swallow his pride for the sake of his team. Sparks soon fly as these two opposites spend time together, and TV ratings push for their onscreen partnership to make a fake relationship real. But as they discover a certain magic under the spotlight, will issues from the past ever let them truly soar? (Contemporary Romance Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

Their Unlikely Protector by Meghann Whistler — The last person Valerie Williams expects to rescue her and her toddler twin brothers from a fiery blaze is Brett Richardson, her high school nemesis. But with her house burned down, Valerie is forced to stay at the same inn as Brett and work with him on the town festival. Now Brett has the chance to make things right, but can Valerie let go of the past to make way for a future together? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Historical

Muldoon’s Misfortunes by E.V. Sparrow — A poor widower who suffers from scoliosis loses his second family in Ireland from a typhus epidemic, and his sister convinces him to emigrate to the land of plenty, America. (Historical from Celebrate Lit Publishing)

Historical Romance

Into the Starlight by Amanda Cabot — Who would have guessed that a spinster’s desire to visit her fiancé’s grave would change the course of a young doctor and a lovely pianist’s lives and resolve a decades-old mystery? (Historical Romance from Revell)

War’s Unexpected Gift by Linda Shenton Matchett — Eager to do even more for the war effort, nurse Gwen Milford puts in for a transfer from a convalescent hospital outside of London to an evac hospital headed across Europe. Leap-frogging from one location to the next, nothing goes as expected from stolen supplies to overwhelming numbers of casualties. Then, there’s the handsome doctor who seems to be assigned to her every shift. As another Christmas approaches without the war’s end, can she find room in her heart for love? (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

Libby’s Lighthouse by Susan G Mathis — When a lighthouse keeper’s daughter finds a mysterious sailor with amnesia, the secrets she uncovers may change her life forever. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)


The Highlander’s Charity by Z Peabody — From the halls of the royal palace of Oge-chukwukama, to the lush oasis of Shushara, Sani and Teagan will travel the golden dunes to their destinies together. (Historical Romance from Z Peabody Publishing LLC)

Romantic Suspense

Four Doubt: A Silas McKay Suspense by Luana Ehrlich — Silas investigates the murder of a cybersecurity executive. Was it a random shooting or a targeted killing? (Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

When Secrets Come Calling by Felicia Ferguson — Two ex’s once headed to the altar are reunited by a cold case robbery and murder. His dad is the accused, and she’s the investigator. Will the case’s fallout bury their love forever or rekindle a life they only dreamed of? (Romantic Suspense from Salt & Light Publishing)

Sunset Over Swaziland by Shirley E. Gould — A former military hero rescues a beautiful grant writer when riots erupt in a third-world country and becomes her bodyguard as she completes her assignment losing his heart to her as they work to save orphans being trafficked. (Romantic Suspense from Scrivenings Press)

Vengeance in Vienna by Sara L. Jameson — A moonlight sail, a sniper on the shore, and a terrorist financier determined to kill Interpol agent Jacob Coulter and everyone he holds dear. (Romantic Suspense from Scrivenings Press)

Chasing Amanda: Expanded Edition by Robin Patchen — Now with a brand-new bonus epilogue… In the tense months following 9/11, a chance encounter sparks an unlikely connection between two strangers—a young college student and a marine on his way to Afghanistan, but once he says goodbye, there’ll be nobody there to protect her from the stalker with sinister intentions… (Romantic Suspense from Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

Speculative Fiction (Time Travel)

The Root of the Matter by Lynne Basham Tagawa — Geneva Fielding, an archivist in the Department of Applied History, is sent back in time with a colleague, Peter Donatelli, to investigate John Winthrop and Roger Williams in New England of the 1630s. (Speculative Fiction from Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

The Way Back by Heidi Chiavaroli — When her mother’s vindictive fans threaten her grandmother’s livelihood and the lighthouse Laney has come to love, she turns to the century-old words of a young lighthouse keeper to help her find the courage to move forward. But once truths from the past come to light and old love finds new beginnings, will Laney discover that forgiveness is the only way toward true healing? (Literary Contemporary)

Her Part to Play by Jenny Erlingsson — When a last minute change in his team brings John face to face with the feisty and alluring Adanne, will the flash of bright lights be stronger than the pull of their hearts? (Contemporary Romance)

Running from the Past by Melanie D Snitker — They must face their fears or risk losing everything. The investigation leads them right back to the scene of the crime. If they have any hope of identifying the killers, they’ll have to set aside their differences or risk facing their greatest fear: losing each other. (Romantic Suspense)

What’s on your to-read pile for July?