Author: Iola Goulton

3 July 2020

First Line Friday | Week 142 | Can’t Beat the Chemistry by Kat Colmer

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Can’t Beat the Chemistry, a hilarious young adult novel from Australian author Kat Colmer.

Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

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

About Can’t Beat the Chemistry

Ionic and covalent bonds are a piece of cake for MJ. But human bonds are a little harder …

There are only two things MJ wants in her final year of high school:

1) Glowing grades and …

2) To convince uber-smart, chiselled-jaw Jason they’d be a winning team outside the science lab as well as in.

Tutoring deadbeat drummer, Luke, isn’t part of the plan. After all, he has average intelligence, takes disorganised notes and looks like a partied-out zombie at their study sessions! Not even his taut biceps will win MJ over.

But MJ learns that she could be tutored in a few life lessons too: That sometimes there’s good reason to skip chemistry tutorials. That intelligence is so much more than a grade average.

And that sometimes you can’t beat the chemistry.

You can find Can’t Beat the Chemistry online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

29 June 2020

Book Review | Dead Silence by Robin Caroll

Dead Silence opens with a bang disguised as a whisper when sign language interpreter Elise lipreads a threat against her mother-in-law. She is then contacted to say her deaf son has fallen in the playground, so she rushes to the hospital and forgets what she saw … until the next morning, when the news reports her mother-in-law has been murdered.

There are a couple of credibility gaps.

No matter how concerned you were about your son, would you really forget to tell someone you “overheard” a death threat? Especially a death threat against your mother-in-law, your child’s grandmother, who also happens to be a US Senator. Also, why did no one call Elise to tell her the Senator was dead?

The family spend a lot of time together during the course of the novel, which adds even more to the credibility gap. Okay, so I can perhaps believe that Elise was too stressed to call her mother-in-law. But then neither the father-in-law or sister-in-law call to say the mother-in-law has been murdered. Instead, they allowed her to find out by watching the TV news. And it’s not a big family: the Senator only had two children and one grandchild.

Yes, that bugged me.

But it didn’t bug me enough to stop reading, because the overall premise was unique, and the story was fast-paced enough that I didn’t stop to think. It picks up pace again after Elise receives a “gift” on her doorstep—a dead rat, an obvious message that she shouldn’t share what she knows.

Another “gift” the next day, and Elise is convinced there is a leak in the FBI. After all, the only people she’s told are the two agents. This got a little frustrating as well—anyone with half a brain could work that out, but not the FBI. Again, that does slightly strain credibility (overall, the FBI do come across as less than competent). But, again, I kept reading because I had to. The story was that compelling.

Elise is an excellent character—a determined single mother with a strong desire to protect her only child from whoever is trying to harm them. She’s independent, but not afraid to ask for help, and her background as a trial interpreter gives her an insight into the legal and investigative process that comes in handy.

Overall, Dead Silence is a fast-paced and compelling thriller featuring a main character with a unique occupation. It’s well worth reading for those looking for a straight thriller with no romance.

Thanks to Shiloh Run Press and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Dead Silence

Political games can be deadly…

Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who reads lips all the time. As a widow with a young son who is deaf, lip reading is simply second nature, until the day she reads the lips of someone on the phone discussing an attempt to be made on a senator’s life—a senator who just happens to be her mother-in-law. Before she can decide what she needs to do, she receives the information that her son is rushed to the ER and she must leave.

Then she later sees the news report that her mother-in-law has been shot and killed. But when she comes forward, her life, as well as her son’s life, may now be in the crosshairs of the assassin.

Find Dead Silence online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

About Robin Caroll

Robin Caroll grew up in Louisiana with her nose in a book. She still has the complete Trixie Belden series, and her love for mysteries and suspense has only increased with her age. Robin’s passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others and come alongside them on their faith journey—aspects Robin weaves into each of her published novels.

Best-selling author of thirty-plus novels, ROBIN CAROLL writes Southern stories of mystery and suspense, with a hint of romance to entertain readers. Her books have been recognized in several awards, including the Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, RT Reviewer’s Choice Award, and more.

When she isn’t writing, Robin spends quality time with her husband of nearly three decades, her three beautiful daughters and two handsome grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home in the South. Robin serves the writing community as Executive/Conference Director for ACFW.

Find Robin Caroll online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Tumblr | Twitter

26 June 2020

First Line Friday | Week 141 | Grace in the Desert by Christine Dillon

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Grace in the Desert, the fourth book in the Grace series from Australian author Christine Dillon. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

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

About Grace in the Desert

Sometimes the pain of the past destroys the hope for the future.

Rachel Macdonald is learning how to navigate the unfamiliar world of being a Christian.

She’s been estranged from her father for decades but now he claims to be a new man. Surely God can’t expect her to forgive him? Forgiving feels like a denial of all the pain and suffering he caused. Rachel can remain bound by anger and hurt, or embrace the future God has planned.

Past tragedy almost overwhelmed Pete Klopper and the hardest person to forgive is himself. Now he’s taken over the family plant nursery it could be the fresh start he hopes for. If, his past doesn’t drag him down.

You can find Grace in the Desert online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

22 June 2020

Book Review | The Widow’s Secret by Katharine Swartz

I read this novel about three months ago, at the beginning of lockdown, but I’m finally writing the review the night before this post goes live. That’s not my usual practice—my routine is to write my review as soon as possible after finishing a book. That’s for two practical reasons: so my reviews don’t pile up, and so I don’t forget the details. Yes, it happens.

Some novels are forgettable. The Widow’s Secret is not.

The Widow’s Secret is a unique dual timeline story set in Whitehaven, a small village in northern England. The present story is about marine archaeologist Rachel Gardener, who tends to place her career ahead of her relationship with her husband, to his annoyance. The past story is about Abigail, the wife of an eighteenth-century maritime trader.

A good dual-timeline story always has a clear relationship between the past and the present story. With The Widow’s Secret, it doesn’t take long to work out that the link must be the ship Rachel is investigating, given that Abigail’s husband was a ship’s captain. We watch Rachel discover aspects of Abigail’s story in the present, then see more of Abigail’s life in the past story.

Abigail is definitely the heroine in this story.

Her prospects for making a good marriage are rapidly declining when she meets Mr Fenton, a newcomer to their village. He is a ship owner, a man with excellent prospects, and she is delighted to marry him. Her delight is tempered when she is unable to present him with a son. He gifts her a slave, a young girl, which raises more discord in their marriage.

As Abigail’s circumstances change, she has to reconsider everything she was raised to believe. And that’s what makes her a brilliant character. She’s not content to believe what everyone around her believes. Instead, she makes her own decisions based on Christian values. And that includes some tough decisions.

As the news is constantly reminding us, the USA is still suffering the aftereffects of slavery. What’s less well-known is the role of the English in the slave trade. The Widow’s Secret is an outstanding novel that shows the power of looking beneath our obvious differences to our underlying humanity.

Recommended.

Thanks to Lion Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Katharine Swartz

After spending three years as a diehard New Yorker, Katharine Swartz now lives in the Lake District with her husband, an Anglican minister, their five children, and a Golden Retriever. She enjoys such novel things as long country walks and chatting with people in the street, and her children love the freedom of village life—although she often has to ring four or five people to figure out where they’ve gone off to!

She writes women’s fiction as well as contemporary romance for Mills & Boon Modern under the name Kate Hewitt, and whatever the genre she enjoys delivering a compelling and intensely emotional story.

Find Katharine Swartz online at:

About The Widow’s Secret

Marine archaeologist Rachel Gardener is thrilled to be summoned to the coast of Cumbria to investigate a newly discovered shipwreck. She is also relieved to escape the tensions of her troubled marriage, and to be closer to her ailing mother. Yet the past rises up and confronts Rachel, as seeing her mother surfaces hidden childhood hurts. When the mysteriously sunken ship is discovered to be a slaving ship from the 1700s, Rachel is determined to explore the town of Whitehaven’s link to the slave trade.

Soon she learns of Abigail Fenton, the young wife of a slave trader, who has a surprising secret of her own, lost to the ages. The more Rachel learns about Abigail, the more she wonders if the past can inform the present… Perhaps Rachel can learn from Abigail and break free from her troubled history, and embrace the future she longs to claim for her own?

Find The Widow’s Secret online at:

Amazon | Goodreads | Koorong

19 June 2020

First Line Friday | Week 140 | Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

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

About Engraved on the Heart

Reluctant debutante Keziah Montgomery lives beneath the weighty expectations of her staunch Confederate family, forced to keep her epilepsy secret for fear of a scandal. As the tensions of the Civil War arrive on their doorstep in Savannah, Keziah sees little cause for balls and courting. Despite her discomfort, she cannot imagine an escape from her familial confines—until her old schoolmate Micah shows her a life-changing truth that sets her feet on a new path . . . as a conductor in the Underground Railroad.

Dr. Micah Greyson never hesitates to answer the call of duty, no matter how dangerous, until the enchanting Keziah walks back into his life and turns his well-ordered plans upside down. Torn between the life he has always known in Savannah and the fight for abolition, Micah struggles to discern God’s plan amid such turbulent times.

Battling an angry fiancé, a war-tattered brother, bounty hunters, and their own personal demons, Keziah and Micah must decide if true love is worth the price . . . and if they are strong enough to survive the unyielding pain of war.

You can find Engraved on the Heart online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

15 June 2020

Book Review | The Woman in the Green Dress by Tea Cooper

The Woman in the Green Dress was initially published in Australia and has now been republished by Thomas Nelson, an imprint of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. I can’t say there was anything overtly Christian about the novel—there was definitely no clear faith element. There was no bad language, sex, or violence, and there was a disgust of racism that was unfashionable for the time.

It’s a dual timeline story, and one that’s relatively unusual because both timelines are historic.

The story starts in London on 11 November 1918—Armistice Day. Fleur Richards is looking forward to seeing her husband and emigrating with him to his homeland of Australia. Instead, she finds he died of the Spanish Flu a week before the war ended, and she must travel to Australia alone to collect his inheritance.

The past story starts in 1853, and centres on Captain Stefan von Richter, who has travelled to Australia as a favour for an old mentor, and who is searching for opals. He travels from Sydney to the Hawesbury region, where he meets Della Atherton, a taxidermist who also owns a curio shop in Sydney … the same shop Fleur inherits in 1918.

There is always a link between past and present in a good dual timeline story (well, in this case it’s a link between past and further past). That’s certainly present in the locations, although the final connections don’t become apparent until the very end. There is also a mystery element that builds up gradually and delivers a solid finish.

All in all, The Woman in the Green Dress is an excellent novel with lots of linked threads that tie up into a satisfying whole. Recommended for fans of dual timeline stories and Australian colonial fiction.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Tea Cooper

Tea is an award winning Australian author of historical fiction. In a past life she was a teacher, a journalist and a farmer. These days she haunts museums and indulges her passion for storytelling. She is the bestselling author of several novels, including The Horse Thief, The Cedar Cutter, The Currency Lass, The Naturalist’s Daughter, The Woman in the Green Dress and The Girl in the Painting.

Find Tea Cooper online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

The Woman in the Green Dress

1853 Mogo Creek, NSW

Della Atterton, bereft at the loss of her parents, is holed up in the place she loves best: the beautiful Hawkesbury in New South Wales. Happiest following the trade her father taught her, taxidermy, Della has no wish to return to Sydney. But the unexpected arrival of Captain Stefan von Richter on a quest to retrieve what could be Australia’s first opal, precipitates Della’s return to Sydney and her Curio Shop of Wonders, where she discovers her enigmatic aunt, Cordelia, is selling more than curiosities to collectors. Strange things are afoot and Della, a fly in a spider’s web, is caught up in events with unimaginable consequences…

1919 Sydney, NSW

When London teashop waitress Fleur Richards inherits land and wealth in Australia from her husband, Hugh, killed in the war, she wants nothing to do with it. After all, accepting it will mean Hugh really is dead. But Hugh’s lawyer is insistent, and so she finds herself ensconced in the Berkeley Hotel on Bent St, Sydney, the reluctant owner of a Hawkesbury property and an old curio shop, now desolate and boarded up.

As the real story of her inheritance unravels, Fleur finds herself in the company of a damaged returned soldier Kip, holding a thread that takes her deep into the past, a thread that could unravel a mystery surrounding an opal and a woman in a green dress; a green that is the colour of envy, the colour buried deep within an opal, the colour of poison…

Find The Woman in the Green Dress online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Koorong

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

12 June 2020

First Line Friday | Week 139 | Unhinged by Amanda Deed

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m heading back into the to-read pile and sharing from Unhinged by Australian Author Amanda Deed. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

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

About Unhinged:

Serena Bellingham is faced with an impossible choice. Either leave her struggling family to serve the eccentric genius, Edward King, or stay, only to see the same man imprison her father.

Her decision leads her to Aleron House, a home shrouded in secrecy, strange attitudes and even stranger happenings. Is Edward King all that she has heard, or is the truth something entirely different? Is it possible that the handsome architect might need her even more than her beloved family does?

Unhinged is an Australian retelling of Beauty and the Beast, complete with a mysterious curse and a precious rose.

You can find Unhinged online at:

Amazon| Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

8 June 2020

Book Review | Stories that Bind Us by Susie Finkbeiner

First things first.

While I am a fan of illustrated or art-text covers like this, I mostly see them on contemporary romance or contemporary women’s fiction, often with an element of humour. Stories that Bind Us is neither contemporary, humorous, or romantic. (If that’s what you’re looking for, check out Kara Isaac or Victoria Bylin.)

Instead, Stories that Bind Us is a typical Susie Finkbeiner novel.

It is set in the “Goldilocks-sized” town of LaFontaine, Michigan, “smack-dab between Detroit and Michigan.” It’s the story of Betty Sweet, wife of town baker Norman Sweet for twenty-three of her forty years. But what starts as a chatty story soon turns into something more serious when Betty’s pleasant life is turned upside-down.

Stories that Bind Us examines grief, mental illness, and racism through Betty’s experiences with her husband, sister, and nephew … and even her memories of her long-dead mother. There’s not an over plot with Things Happening. It’s more a story of life and living, even when life is hard.

Susie Finkbeiner doesn’t write action-packed novels that keep you turning the pages. Instead, she writes quiet novels that keep me thinking about her characters and themes long after I’ve finished the novel.

Recommended for fans of historical fiction thought-provoking historical fiction.

Thanks to Baker Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Susie Finkbeiner

Susie Finkbeiner is the CBA bestselling author of A Cup of Dust, A Trail of Crumbs, and A Song of Home. She serves on the Breathe Christian Writers Conference planning committee, volunteers her time at Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and speaks at retreats and women’s events across the state. Susie and her husband have three children and live in West Michigan.

Find Susie Finkbeiner online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

BookBub | Goodreads

About Stories That Bind Us

Rediscover the power of story to open the doors of our hearts

Betty Sweet never expected to be a widow at forty. With so much life still in front of her, she tries to figure out what’s next, never imagining what God had in mind.

When her estranged sister returns to town, Betty finds herself taking on the care of a five-year-old nephew she never knew she had. In 1960s small-town Michigan, they make an odd pair. Betty with her pink button nose and bouffant hair. Hugo with his light brown skin and large brown eyes. But more powerful than what makes them different is what they share: the heartache of an empty space in their lives. Slowly, they will learn to trust one another as they discover common ground and healing through the magic of storytelling.

Find Stories that Bind Us online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

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

5 June 2020

First Line Friday | Week 138 | Stories that Bind Us by Susie Finkbeiner

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Stories that Bind Us by Susie Finkbeiner. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

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

About Stories That Bind Us

Rediscover the power of story to open the doors of our hearts

Betty Sweet never expected to be a widow at forty. With so much life still in front of her, she tries to figure out what’s next, never imagining what God had in mind.

Find Stories that Bind Us online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

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

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

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

3 June 2020

New Releases in Christian Fiction | June 2020

It’s another month. At last. Maybe. April and May feel like the longest months on record, and June isn’t looking any better—for a completely different reason.

As a result, I’m finding it hard to read fiction. (Let’s be honest: I’m finding it hard to read much other than Twitter.) You’ll see this reflected in my reviewing choices this month: they’re mostly historical fiction.

What about you? What are you reading? What novels or genres take your mind off what’s happening outside?

Anyway, let’s look at what’s new to read for June.

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

Contemporary Romance:

Forever Home by Amy Grochowski — A Canadian Amish farmer proposes a convenient marriage to a Lancaster Amish businesswoman so they can join a new community welcoming married couples only. They are both surprised when a Prince Edward Island foster child finds her way to them in need of a home. Yet what will happen when the English world and the Amish world collide? (Romance from Ambassador International)

Start With Me by Kara Isaac — A professional woman and her old flame, who doesn’t remember her, are forced to work together when the companies they work for merge. (Romance, Independently Published)

I’m lucky enough to have read this already. It’s a fun read that combines characters from two of Kara Isaac’s previous novels—Victor from Can’t Help Falling, and Lacey from one Thing I Know.

A Father’s Promise by Mindy Obenhaus — Is he ready for fatherhood? He doesn’t think he deserves a family… But now he has a daughter. Stunned to discover he has a child, Wes Bishop isn’t sure he’s father material. But his adorable daughter needs him, and he can’t help feeling drawn to her mother, Laurel Donovan—a woman he’s finally getting to know. But can this sudden dad overcome a past tragedy that has him convinced he’s not meant to be a husband or a father…and make a promise of forever? (Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Historical:

Until June by Barbara M. Britton — When a young seamstress agrees to take care of a WWI amputee in a remote Alaskan lodge, there’s enough friction to melt a glacier. (Historical from Inspired [Prism Book Group])

A Cord of Three Strands by Christy Distler — As 1756 dawns, Isaac Lukens is torn between loyalty to his Lenape heritage and a childhood friend who needs to marry in order to raise her siblings after her father was killed by his people. (Historical from Avodah Books)

Persuaded: The Story of Nicodemus by David Harder — From the prison colony on Patmos, the Apostle John entrusts Nicodemus with manuscripts for the Christian fellowships increasing throughout the Roman Empire. While transcribing the manuscript, Nicodemus is prompted to recall his former life and his encounter with Yeshua – a man of mystery, a healer, a teacher, and a prophet. An encounter that changed everything. Under the cover of darkness, risking his reputation and endangering his life even further, it is here that Nicodemus realizes the world-changing power of the Good News . . . and what being a follower of Yeshua truly means. (Historical from Ambassador International)

Historical Romance:

Love’s Mountain Quest by Misty M. Beller — When a Rocky Mountain widow returns home from work to find her son and the woman watching him missing–and the sheriff dead–she enlists a man she prays has enough experience in this rugged country to help. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])

The Damsel’s Intent by Mary Davis — Washington State 1893. Nicole Waterby has lived her whole life in the hills away from town due to her grandfather’s mistrust of people. But now he’s passed away, and Nicole is left to care for her two younger cousins. Feeling inadequate to handle the responsibility, she heads down the mountain to fetch herself a husband. She doesn’t realize women don’t wear trousers, buckskins, or carry a gun. She has a lot to learn about being a lady if she’s going to catch a husband. And the quilting circle is just the group of women to help her. Rancher Shane Keegan has drifted from one location to another to find a place to belong. He longs to have a family of his own but feels doomed to live a life alone. When Nicole crosses his path, he wonders if he can have love, but he soon realizes she’s destined for someone better than a saddle tramp. Even though he knows there’s no future for him with the intriguing mountain girl, he still steps in to help her at every opportunity. Will love stand a chance while both Nicole and Shane try to be people they are not? (Historical Romance from Mountain Brook Ink)

Line By Line by Jennifer Delamere — Since she was young, Alice McNeil has seen success as a telegrapher as the best use for her keen and curious mind. Years later, she has yet to regret her freedom and foregoing love and marriage, especially when she acquires a coveted position at an important trading firm. But when the company’s ambitious junior director returns to London, things begin to change in ways Alice could never have imagined. For Douglas Shaw, years of hard work and ingenuity enabled him to escape a life of grinding poverty. He’s also determined to marry into high society—a step that will ensure he never returns to the conditions of his past. He immediately earns Alice’s respect by judging her based on her skills and not her gender, and a fast camaraderie forms. However, when Alice accidentally angers a jealous coworker and his revenge threatens both their reputations, Alice and Douglas are forced to confront what is truly important in their lives. Will their growing bond give them the courage to see the future in a different light? (Historical Romance from Bethany [Baker])

An Appalachian Summer by Ann H Gabhart — After the market crash of 1933, the last thing Piper Danson wants is to flaunt her family’s fortune while so many suffer. Although she reluctantly agrees to a debut party at her parents’ insistence, she still craves a meaningful life over the emptiness of an advantageous marriage. When an opportunity to volunteer with the Frontier Nursing Service arises, Piper jumps at the chance. But, her spontaneous jaunt turns into something unexpected when she falls in love with more than just the breathtaking Appalachian Mountains. (Historical Romance from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

The Widow & The War Correspondent by Linda Shenton Matchett — Are a new life and new love possible in a country devastated by war? Barely married before she was widowed after Pearl Harbor three years ago, journalist Cora Strealer travels to England where she’s assigned to work with United Press’s top reporter who thinks the last place for a woman is on the front lines. Can she change his opinion before D-Day? Or will she have to choose her job over her heart? A sought-after journalist, Van Toppel deserves his pick of assignments, which is why he can’t determine the bureau chief’s motive for saddling him with a cub reporter. Unfortunately, the beautiful rookie is no puff piece. Can he get her off his beat without making headlines…or losing his heart? (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

An Impossible Price by Davalynn Spencer — With no husband of her own, midwife Sophie Price lives to keep others calm in their hour of need. But when a handsome horse handler steps off the train with a fiery stallion, he brings anything but calm as he looks her dead in the eye and clear through to her soul. Clay Ferguson returns to the place he once called home, hunting a fresh start and the one woman who could draw him back. If he can hide his battered heart and the brutality of his past, maybe she’ll take another look and give him a second chance. Both bear scars from their fathers. Both fight for life. Together, they may learn that love is worth its impossible price. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Mystery:

Pride and Pettiness by Elizabeth Ludwig — A hairdresser fears she may lose her business when appointments go terribly wrong. (Mystery from Guidepost Publications)

Romantic Suspense:

Don’t Keep Silent by Elizabeth Goddard — Investigative reporter Rae Burke will do anything to find her missing sister-in-law, even if it means facing Liam McKade, a man who almost lost his life saving hers. (Romantic Suspense from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Closer Than She Knows by Kelly Irvin — Court reporter Teagan O’Rourke thinks her job taught her everything she needed to know about murder until a serial killer decides to teach her a new lesson–up and personal. (Romantic Suspense from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

Direct Threat by Kimberly Rose Johnson — One little girl. Two bodyguards. Only one chance to guard their hearts. Protection Inc. co-owner, Carissa Jones, an ex-cop turned bodyguard, has one goal—keep her young client safe. When her business partner brings in a new guy to help, she discovers her heart desires more. Can she still do her job and follow her heart without compromising her client’s safety? Marc Olsen, a former Military Police officer, struggles to find his way as a civilian. He agrees to help out an old friend for the summer. He gets more than he bargained for when he’s assigned to work with the feisty co-owner of Protection Inc. When sparks fly faster than bullets, will the bodyguards be distracted from their task, or will they work together as an even stronger team? (Romantic Mystery, Independently Published)

Imminent Threat by Kimberly Rose Johnson — The Protection Inc. team is growing, and so is their client list. Former cop and new team member, Peter King, seeks to solve the mystery surrounding threatening notes being sent to Jenna Walsh. Facing an uncertain future, Jenna is afraid for her life. Will the team at Protection Inc., specifically Peter, be able to stop the threats before things escalate, or will tragedy strike before Peter is willing to face his growing attraction to Jenna? The team must divide and conquer when two big cases present themselves at the same time. Carissa Jones and Marc Olsen work to protect a young college student who is staying in the home of a federal judge. All work and no play has put a strain on their relationship. Can they find balance or will their fragile bond be extinguished? (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Plain Refuge by Dana R. Lynn — On the run from hired gunmen, can she find safety in Amish country? After overhearing an illegal weapons deal, Sophie Larson knows two things: her uncle’s a dangerous criminal…and he wants her dead. Now undercover cop Aiden Forster has no choice but to blow his cover and protect Sophie by hiding her and her deaf sister in Amish country. But with a mole in the police force, danger isn’t far behind. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Speculative:

Evocatus by Burke Speed — Jamie is a young veteran with a painful history. He’s done battling for others…until the whole “fight for your life in a mini-mart” thing. Without warning, Jamie is attacked by a sword-wielding man and warned to stay away. From what, he’s not sure. Unexpectedly, he is invited to join a covert band of brothers that fights to keep these evil beings, called Malum, at bay. To accept their invitation is to add death matches against evil to his resume. To decline is to live . . . at least for a while. Kate is a beautiful barista and an important member of this undercover organization. She just might have the key to victory over the Malum but is kidnapped before she can tell what she knows. Everything hinges on a timely rescue of Kate as Jamie’s past and present collide. Now an Evocatus, a veteran called again to duty, Jamie must decide how far he’s willing to go to fight-and love-again. (Speculative from Ambassador International)