| All That We Carried by Erin BartelsStarring: Olivia, an atheist lawyer who spends her days prosecuting criminals; her younger sister, Melanie, who has a successful YouTube channel and takes what she likes from a variety of spiritual beliefs.
What happens: The estranged sisters, who haven't spoken in the decade since their parents' deaths in a car accident, embark on a week-long hiking trip in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Who it's for: those who like stories that examine sibling relationships, have allegorical elements, or feature evocative natural settings. |
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| Beauty Among Ruins by J'nell CiesielskiWhat it is: a richly detailed historical romance that has a bit of mystery and is set in Scotland against the backdrop of World War I.
What it's about: After being shipped off to English cousins just before war breaks out, spirited American socialite Lily Durham finds herself nursing wounded soldiers at a Scottish castle turned convalescent home in 1915. When strange events occur, Lily works with a Scottish laird to sort out what's going on.
Read this next: Roseanna M. White's Shadows Over England series, which also takes place during WWI. |
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| The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley ClarkWhat it is: a faith-filled novel with romance and vividly drawn characters that takes place over several decades in the Southern United States.
What happens: In 1946, teenage Millie Middleton, who's biracial, begins passing as white in order to have a career in dressmaking. In modern times, recent college grad Harper is at a crossroads and turns to Millie for help. When circumstances lead them both to Charleston, they fight fear and doubt to work toward owning their own dress shop.
Series alert: This touching debut novel is the 1st in the Heirloom Secrets series; the 2nd book, Paint and Nectar, comes out in May. |
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| To Dwell Among Cedars by Connilyn CossetteWhat it's about: In 1070 BC, Philistines capture the Ark of the Covenant. Eight years later, it's been returned to the Hebrews, but not to its original home. Determined to bring the Ark back to Shiloh, Levite musician Ronen is stunned to find that among the people he's supposed to deceive are a Philistine girl he knew years ago and her young brother, who've been adopted into a Hebrew family guarding the Ark.
Series alert: Introducing Connilyn Cossette's Covenant House series, this well-researched Biblical novel will be followed in July by the 2nd entry, Between the Wild Branches. |
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| Wrath by Victoria Christopher MurrayWhat it's about: When attorneys Chastity Butler, the Christian daughter of a famous and philandering pastor, and Xavier Owens, who had an abusive childhood, meet, they instantly connect and soon marry -- but then Chastity finds herself dealing with Xavier's rage.
Media buzz: The first two books in Victoria Christopher Murray's Seven Deadly Sins series, Lust and Envy, have inspired two Lifetime TV movies set to air in April. Wrath is the 4th entry in the series.
Is it for you? This gripping novel is best suited for readers not upset by occasional curse words or depictions of domestic violence. |
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| The Bake Shop by Amy ClipstonStarring: Christiana Kurtz, a talented baker who runs a popular roadside bake stand in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; leather craftsman Jeff Stoltzfus, who's still emotionally wounded after a broken engagement.
What happens: Christiana moves her business to the local market, where she meets Jeff, who has a stand there -- but their growing closeness is threatened by her strict Amish father's disapproval, Jeff's trust issues, and some unfortunate events.
Series alert: Readers looking for sweet faith-filled romances will want to try the Amish Marketplace series, of which this is the 1st entry; the 4th entry, The Jam and Jelly Nook, comes out in May. |
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| An Appalachian Summer by Ann H. Gabhart1933 Kentucky: Against the backdrop of the Great Depression, 20-year-old debutante Piper Danson volunteers as a horseback-riding nursing courier in the Appalachian Mountains, partially to postpone marriage.
What happens: City-raised Piper learns about rural life and considers her choices for a match: a parent-approved railroad heir or her childhood friend whose family was devastated by the stock market crash.
Read this next: Kim Vogel Sawyer's The Librarian of Boone's Hollow; Joanne Bischof's Blackbird Mountain series; or any of Sarah Loudin Thomas' Appalachian-set historical novels. |
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| A Common Life by Jan KaronThe setup: In the small town of Mitford, North Carolina, 62-year-old bachelor Episcopal priest Tim Kavanagh proposes to his neighbor Cynthia Coppersmith.
What happens: There’s music to select, floral centerpieces to arrange, and a honeymoon to plan, and as Father Tim and Cynthia hammer out the details, the rest of Mitford is abuzz over the impending nuptials.
Who it's for Readers who enjoy weddings and gentle humor won’t want to miss this delightful 6th entry in Jan Karon’s beloved Mitford series. |
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| Across the Blue by Carrie TuranskyStarring: Bella Grayson, an aspiring journalist and the daughter of a British newspaper magnate; James Drake, a young aviator, who crashes his experimental aircraft on the Grayson's new country estate.
What happens: Though her new-money parents pressure her to marry into a well-to-do family, Bella is entranced by James, who's hoping to be the first to fly across the English Channel, winning a prize sponsored by the Grayson newspapers and providing him with better social standing.
For fans of: romances with strong faith elements and a bit of suspense; novels set in Edwardian England that examine social class. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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