Turano (A Lesson in Propriety) returns to Gilded Age Chicago with her energetic second installment in the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies series. Devoted animal rescuer Annaliese Merriweather inherits the temporary role of headmistress at Chicago’s Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies when her sister, the school’s headmistress, goes on her honeymoon. Plagued by self-doubt but determined to keep the school afloat, Annaliese throws herself into her new duties while continuing to rescue animals from fur traders. When two headstrong students disappear during a visit to the county fair, Annaliese enlists one of their older brothers—the attractive, offbeat inventor Seth McCormick—to help find them. As Seth and Annaliese plunge into a chaotic search involving a bear wrangler, a monkey handler, and a less-than-ethical illusionist, they find unexpected comfort in one another and sparks fly. But when the same two students disappear again, the stakes rise, putting Annaliese’s—and the school’s—reputation on the line and the students’ lives in real danger. Turano adeptly balances heart and hijinks as Seth and Annaliese navigate the bustling city, grappling with their own faith and a possible romance along the way. The result is a high-spirited historical with charm to spare. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

Green’s immersive latest in the On Central Park series (after The Hudson Collection) centers on a librarian who becomes unwittingly enmeshed in a web of crime. In 1926, the New York Historical Society, where Ivy Malone works as a librarian, publishes an excerpt of her interview with an anonymous former gang member. Unbeknownst to readers, the ex-gangster is Adeline King, an Irish immigrant who clawed her way out of a rough-and-tumble past into New York City’s upper crust. Ivy’s determined to keep her friend’s identity under wraps, but library patrons soon ask to read the full interview, and a man claiming a connection to one of Adeline’s former victims seeks retribution. Then Ivy’s cousin Gina gets detained on Ellis Island, forcing Ivy to call on Adeline’s alluring neighbor, Tom, to prevent her deportation. Things reach a boiling point when an ill-advised deal to rescue Gina lands Ivy in more trouble than she started with, and she must draw on her faith to shield her friend’s secret and her cousin’s fragile legal status. Green makes up for a meandering middle section with a fast-paced third act and a textured historical backdrop that brings the seedy side of 1920s Manhattan to vivid life. Readers will be swept up. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

A mysterious Michigan mansion and an unexplained disappearance link two women separated by more than a century in the enthralling latest from Austin (Waiting for Christmas). The first timeline unfolds in 1873, when Hannah Wagner and her doctor husband, John, arrive in a remote Michigan lumber town, recruited by John’s lumber baron friend, Henry Abernathy, to provide desperately needed medical care. Hannah quickly befriends Kate, Henry’s young, outspoken wife whose checkered past and taste for whiskey have made her something of a town pariah. As Hannah tries to teach Kate about God, she can’t help but worry about Kate’s rocky marriage, and her fears are confirmed when Kate vanishes under suspicious circumstances. The second timeline is set in the present day and stars Ashley Gilbert, an aspiring curator who’s moved to Michigan for her husband’s job, and volunteers to help turn the dilapidated Henry Abernathy mansion into a museum. When Ashley unearths Kate’s diary, she becomes determined to solve the mystery of her disappearance once and for all. Austin patiently stretches the story’s central mystery across the two timelines to keep readers invested, and Kate’s interspersed diary entries add immediacy and intrigue. The result is a captivating small-town mystery. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

The legends of a Civil War–era ghost and an elusive secret door in a Pennsylvania mansion animate this spine-tingling dual-timeline mystery from Wright (The Bell Tolls at Trager Hall). In 1888, Minnie Tipton and her ailing father move into Ambrose Fields, an estate said to be haunted by the ghost of a deranged Union Army captain who murdered a group of wounded soldiers after the Battle of Gettysburg. When her father begins having hallucinations of the captain, Minnie becomes increasingly motivated to locate the mansion’s 100th door, rumored to be a portal for the souls of the dead. In the present, Triss Bellamy believes she’s left her family’s ghost-hunting business behind by becoming the bookshop manager of Ambrose Fields, which is now a museum. But after the museum director hires her family to investigate paranormal activity at the mansion as a publicity stunt, her brother has vivid delusions similar to the ones that plagued Minnie’s father, and Triss must put her faith in God and work to unlock the house’s mysteries before it can claim another victim. Wright interweaves the two timelines seamlessly, gradually ratcheting up the suspense as both protagonists inch their way closer to the truth. The result is a page-turning historical perfect for fans of Darcy Coates and Gabrielle Meyer. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/23/2026 | Details & Permalink

This affecting historical from Kirkpatrick (Across the Crying Sands) follows a strong-willed postal worker as she navigates the rugged terrain of Oregon’s northern coast at the turn of the 20th century. Mary Gerritse is busy enough delivering mail for the postal service to support her husband and kids when she gets word from her father that her mother, Amanda, is sick. Upon traveling to their remote town with her headstrong 11-year-old Belle, Mary finds that her father has hired a helper, Virginia, to care for her dementia-stricken mother. Initially perturbed by the stranger in their midst, Mary slowly gets to know Virginia and starts to feel at ease leaving Belle in her care so she can resume her work. Then a sudden death reveals a shocking secret about her own past, forcing Mary to see her family, and faith, in a new light. While Kirkpatrick’s extensive cast of characters (many of whom Mary encounters on her postal route) and myriad plotlines can become unwieldy, the atmospheric depiction of the forbidding Oregon coast and the nuanced rendering of family bonds are vivid and gripping. It’s a captivating if sometimes crowded portrait of a trailblazing woman. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/23/2026 | Details & Permalink

Steele brings the fake-dating trope to Amish country for this fun sequel to Hunting for a Husband. After failing to make her first crush fall for her, Salina Stolzfus is 22, single, and subject to her meddling mother’s attempts to marry her off by inviting each of Havenlee, Ind.’s eligible men to dinner. Seth Weaver has recently arrived in Salina’s hometown from Kentucky to nurse his broken heart after being dumped three days before his wedding. He can’t help noticing cheery, upbeat Salina, who is determined to help Seth smile again. The two become friends while establishing a consignment shop to help a nearby community recover from a tornado, and Seth soon agrees to fake a relationship with Salina to curtail her mother’s matchmaking efforts. Just as they begin to wish their pretend courtship were real, an emergency draws Seth back home, leaving Salina feeling rejected and wondering if her happily ever after will forever remain beyond her grasp. Readers will have no trouble rooting for Steele’s leads—especially boisterous, good-natured Salina—as they overcome past rejections in hopes of starting over. The result is a clean, feel-good romance sure to satisfy Steele’s fans. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/23/2026 | Details & Permalink

A true crime podcaster and a wilderness guide try to outmaneuver a criminal empire and a disastrous storm in Mentink’s high-octane follow-up to Fire Mountain. After building a career analyzing unsolved mysteries, Mackenzie Bardine returns to the cold case that started it all: the murder of her older brother, Aaron, who she believes ran afoul of Bullseye, an elusive and powerful drug dealer. A lead on Bullseye’s identity brings Mackenzie to the remote Washington State town of Oakleaf, where she encounters Gideon Landry, a wilderness guide and her late brother’s former best friend. Despite being convinced that he could have done more to prevent Aaron’s death, Mackenzie recruits Gideon to help with her unfolding investigation. The pair wind up stranded in the wilderness during a raging rainstorm, but Mackenzie’s determined to connect with a new informant back in town, forcing them on a harrowing quest through a landscape rife with Bullseye’s minions and threatened by rapidly rising waters. Before long her growing closeness with Gideon has her wondering if vengeance is truly what her heart needs to heal—and if faith might be enough to help her forgive him and, ultimately, herself for the tragedy. The action starts on the first page and never lets up, with a tightly plotted series of twists and turns building to an explosive finale. It’s a plunge worth taking. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 01/23/2026 | Details & Permalink

Gould’s sweet second entry in the Letters from Lancaster County series (after The Shop Down the Lane) sees polar opposites slowly find their way to each other. Adam Slaybaugh and Joanna Grebel meet in Lancaster County, where they’re both staying with their grandparents. The chemistry is instant, but outgoing Adam comes on too strong and reticent Joanna rebuffs him, worried she’s not ready to start courting. She begins seeing Jacob Byer instead, and Adam moves to Pinecraft, Fla. After several years—and a trip to Pinecraft during which their chemistry reignites—Adam returns to Pennsylvania to take over his grandparents’ construction company. When Jacob breaks up with Joanna, Adam sends her anonymous letters of encouragement but later lies about it, potentially risking his future with her. Though the buildup drags on a bit, readers will have no trouble rooting for the charming leads as they tackle plenty of humorous hurdles and miscommunications on their way to a happy ending. This small-town Amish romance delights. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 01/16/2026 | Details & Permalink

Addiction, loss, and recovery animate this affecting contemporary from Lowe (Lowcountry Lost). After serving time in jail for a DUI, Juniper “Junie” Wilder is determined to rebuild her life and regain custody of her daughter, Fern, who’s now living with Junie’s older brother, Cy. She retreats to her late grandmother’s South Carolina seaside estate, which she’s just inherited, and sets about trying to get back on her feet. Thankfully, the road to sobriety isn’t a solitary one, and she leans on the tough love of her 73-year-old sponsor Gilbert; the Magnolia Nephalist Society, an eclectic addiction recovery group; and handsome neighbor Henry, who offers a glimpse of a future beyond her mistakes. As Junie tackles recovery, a custody battle, and the process of starting a dog-walking company, she grapples with deep fears about whether her daughter might be better off without her and whether she’s worthy of God’s forgiveness. Lowe’s character work is nuanced, and she excels at depicting the unglamorous, day-to-day grind of recovery. It adds up to a resonant testament to the power of community to help one make a fresh start. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 01/09/2026 | Details & Permalink

Peterson (A Moment to Love) pairs two do-gooders divided by a thorny family history in this solid series starter. After meeting at a charity event in Philadelphia in 1866, Judith Ashton Stanford and Dr. Roman Turner bond over their shared desire to help the needy, especially orphans and widows of the Civil War. Four years later, the pair cross paths again in Minnesota, where Judith has traveled to meet her wealthy estranged grandfather, who is dying. Roman’s shocked to discover that Judith’s the granddaughter of James Ashton, a corrupt businessman who once swindled his father, and is unaware she plans to use the inheritance for charitable purposes. As James tries to reconcile with a skeptical Judith, she and Roman discuss their faith and consider what it means to forgive others. Just when it starts to look like a happy ending might be on the horizon, a greedy lawyer determined to steal Judith’s inheritance threatens to wreck the relationship and their plans to finance a new hospital and orphanage. Readers will have no problem rooting for plucky, idealistic Judith as she works to do good in a society ravaged by war and class divides. This satisfies. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 01/09/2026 | Details & Permalink