Love, betrayal, and divided loyalties animate this heart-pounding Revolutionary-era historical from Frantz (A Fierce Devotion). Sisters Maebel and Coralie Bohannon keep the home fires burning in Chatham, N.J., while their brothers Jon and James are off fighting in the Continental Army. Mae does what she can to support the Patriot cause, including sewing uniforms for soldiers, but Coralie is a Loyalist who’s secretly engaged to British soldier Eben Gibbs. Mae reluctantly agrees to keep Coralie’s secret until the wedding, but things get complicated when James returns home with Gen. Rhys Harlow, head of an elite rifle corps with whom Mae feels an instant spark. As the two fall for each other, Mae starts to suspect Coralie of gathering information about Patriot soldiers’ movements for her British fiancée. With nowhere else to turn, Mae looks to God for help surviving the war with her romance and her family intact. Frantz’s fast-moving plot unfolds against a rich historical backdrop that precisely renders the cruelties of war and the choices those caught in its crosshairs make to survive. This will captivate the author’s fans and newcomers alike. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 10/31/2025 | Details & Permalink

Keller resumes her Second Chances in Harmony Springs series (after The Reverend’s Second Chance) with this sweet historical romance. The story opens in late-19th-century Boston, when Tori Mountbatten’s father threatens to kick her out of the house unless she stops practicing medicine and gets engaged within three months. Luckily, her friend Dr. Harrison Blake needs to find a wife by his 30th birthday to claim his inheritance, so the pair enter into a marriage of convenience that solves both their problems. After the wedding, they leave for Harmony Springs, Mont., where they begin treating patients and make plans to start a local hospital. Harrison quickly falls for the talented and feisty Tori, whose rocky relationship with her father has convinced her that she’s stubborn and unlovable. When several unanticipated crises endanger the hospital and their relationship, Tori and Harrison must weigh how much faith they’re willing to place in one another to make their marriage—and their mission—work. The marriage of convenience plot is enlivened by historical details about the challenges female doctors faced in the 19th century, while a charming cast of returning characters adds texture. The result is a satisfying tale of unexpected love. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 10/24/2025 | Details & Permalink

A community mailbox links two women across time in this overbusy contemporary from Ayers (Waiting for Sunset). In 2023, Brooklyn Marshal returns to her hometown of Sunset Beach, N.C., to recover from an abusive marriage. She finds comfort in riding her lavender bicycle to the Kindred Spirit mailbox, where townsfolk leave written confessions and requests for help. One such missive puts her in touch with Logan, an attractive real estate agent who helps Brooklyn find housing for a local woman. But as the chemistry between them intensifies, Brooklyn’s vengeful ex appears, threatening the relationship. The second timeline begins in 1963 as Trisha Malone, the original owner of the lavender bicycle, struggles to keep her faith after her boyfriend is drafted into the Vietnam War. The Kindred Spirit mailbox pulls Brooklyn and Trisha together in the present as each turns to God for help starting a new chapter in her life. While the bond between the two women is affecting, the narrative arc too frequently gets lost in a tangle of story lines, backstories, and symbols. It’s a mixed bag. (Dec.)

Reviewed on 10/24/2025 | Details & Permalink

Warren (One Last Chance) launches the Call of the Wild series with an exhilarating tale of survival and second chances. Facing a major life decision, pop star Keely Williams leaves New York City for Alaska, where she hopes meeting her estranged birth mom will give her some clarity. But she can’t connect with her mother, and her flight home is hijacked and crashes in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness. The downed plane is found by Dawson Mulligan, a former cop who’s determined to redeem himself for failing to rescue an ex by getting Keely home safely. As a snowstorm approaches, the two trek to a small community whose faith and tight-knit bonds inspire them to open up about their pasts. The danger’s far from over, however, and when Keely and Dawson find themselves entangled in an elaborate drug-trafficking plot linked to the hijacking, they must learn to trust themselves and one another to survive. In Warren’s hands, the Alaskan bush becomes a visceral force that pushes the characters to grapple with their faith, while the central romance serves as a strong emotional anchor for the fast-moving plot. Warren’s fans and newcomers alike will enjoy this high-stakes romantic thrill ride. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 10/24/2025 | Details & Permalink

Bradley’s rushed latest in the Logan Point series (after Silence in the Dark) stars a true crime podcaster whose current investigation hits a little too close to home. Tori Mitchell, host of Dark Deeds Unraveled, has maintained a careful distance from her hometown of Logan Point, Miss., ever since her mother died in a tragic accident there seven years earlier. But when her 17-year-old nephew, Drew, is accused of murdering Tori’s sister-in-law’s best friend, Jenny Tremont, Tori reluctantly heeds her relatives’ pleas to return home and use her investigative skills to clear his name. There’s barely time to start sleuthing, though, before an attempt is made on Tori’s life, forcing her to seek help from former FBI agent Scott Sinclair, who’s in town recovering from an injury. Even Scott can’t seem to protect Tori from the “accidents” that keep befalling her, however, and as their escapes grow narrower—and it becomes clear Drew knows more about the murder than he should—both Tori and Scott wrestle with their faith as they race to unmask the killer. While the murder mystery adds intrigue, it’s blunted by clumsy prose and a second half that incorporates several hasty reveals on its way to the abrupt conclusion. Thrill seekers would be better served elsewhere. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 10/17/2025 | Details & Permalink

The sweet latest in Blackburne’s the Heart of the Amish series (after Hunting for a Husband) stars an unassuming young baker with an unfortunate nickname. Jane Bontrager has been pining over Samuel Mast for years, unaware he’s behind her hated childhood nickname “Plain Jane,” a byproduct of his effort to hide his childhood crush on her. When Jane starts receiving letters and gifts from a secret admirer, the last person she suspects is Sam. His best friend encourages him to stop sending anonymous gifts, own up to his past behavior, and declare his feelings, but Sam’s reluctant, especially when he and Jane forge a tenuous bond after spending time together at her bakery. But when a second secret admirer starts pursuing Jane, the stakes rise and Sam worries he’s missed his chance to set the record straight. Blackburne’s central romance is enriched with plenty of small-town charm and comic relief, including a few mischievous cats (one of which is named Little Mouse). Series fans and newcomers alike will be charmed by this cheerful trip back to Ohio Amish country. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 10/10/2025 | Details & Permalink

Meyer (For a Lifetime) romps through parallel timelines in the irresistible latest in her Timeless series. Charles spends half his days as a farmer in 1883 Virginia and the other half as an earl and adviser to Queen Elizabeth in 1563 Britain. At age 25 he’ll have to permanently choose a timeline and needs to iron out his problems in each life first. He starts by commissioning fellow time traveler Andrew, a medical student in the 19th century, to treat the ill Queen Elizabeth. It seems like a fail-safe plan until Charles’s stepsister Cecily points out all three could be accused of sabotage if the court learns Charles hired a fake physician. Meanwhile, in the 19th century, Charles agrees to show up in his earl persona at Andrew’s family’s vacation home, in an effort to boost Andrew’s mother’s social standing. As it becomes increasingly difficult to carry out their duties without being found out (or irrevocably changing history), Cecily, Charles, and Andrew must put their trust in God to lead them to the right path, wherever—and whenever—it leads. Meyer uses questions of time and fate to develop her characters’ identities and moral crises, and vividly reanimates bygone eras with rich historical detail. Readers will be hooked. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 10/03/2025 | Details & Permalink

Twenty-seven-year-old Anne Loveday, the heroine of this mixed-bag Regency-era romantic suspense novel from Klassen (A Sea View Christmas), would rather follow in her surgeon father’s footsteps than marry, much to her pushy stepmother’s chagrin. When Anne’s invited to stay with a family friend in the town of Painswick, she jumps at the chance and is soon tasked by local physicians Dr. Marsland and Dr. Finch task with caring for Celia Fitzjohn, a woman with dropsy who lives at the grand estate of Painswick Court. As Anne settles into her nursing duties, she can’t help but notice the shady dealings and hushed conversations taking place in the estate’s dark corners, especially when Celia’s nephews, Jasper Paine and Jude Dalby, come to stay. Even handsome Dr. Finch, of whom Anne is quickly growing fond, seems to have something to hide. As more and more “accidents” occur and endanger Celia’s life, Anne draws on her faith to protect herself and her patient—which becomes increasingly difficult as the culprit works to frame her for the mishaps. While readers might struggle with the novel’s somewhat sluggish first half, the tension mounts as the story progresses, setting the stage for a satisfying conclusion. Slow start aside, Klassen’s fans will find this worth their while. (Dec.)

Reviewed on 10/03/2025 | Details & Permalink

Irvin (To Love and to Cherish) pairs two young Amish animal lovers in this spirited romance. Henrietta Miller has never dreamed of a life spent cleaning and cooking indoors; she’d prefer to care for the animals outside, especially her goats. When Nicholas Byler moves to town and starts working as the vet’s assistant, Hen wants nothing to do with the man who took the job she applied for. Nicholas isn’t sure what to make of the outspoken Henrietta either, especially after they clash about the proper treatment of a geriatric horse. He’s also struggling with doubts about his faith and is torn between remaining in the Amish community or leaving to attend vet school. The two eventually bond over their devotion to animals, but Hen’s committed to Amish life and can’t imagine a future with a man who feels differently. Irvin’s characters are multifaceted, and the gratifying love story gains depth from the pair’s resonant struggles to navigate between passion and faith. Fans of Beverly Lewis and Wanda Brunstetter will be hooked. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 09/19/2025 | Details & Permalink

Miller (A Valentine for a Vet) kicks off the Silver Teapot Series with a fun if somewhat flimsy 21st-century spin on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. After losing her job as a high school history teacher, Liv Bennet is tasked by her family with caring for her ailing grandmother, Veronica, in the small English village of Hartbury. A lifelong Austen fan, Liv is itching to visit historic Hartbury Hall, which doubled as Pemberly Hall in the film Pride and Prejudice, but upon arriving discovers the building has fallen in disrepair and learns from surly, handsome gardener Liam Brown, who chastises her for trespassing, that it is closed to the public. But there’s more to Liam than meets the eye, her grandmother hints as she and Liv marshal a group of volunteers to refurbish the hall and open it to the public. Liam begrudgingly joins the efforts to revive Hartbury Hall and begins to open up about a long-ago tragedy and his struggles with his faith in its wake. While the narrative frame and Regency-inflected trappings are cute, it feels unlikely that it would take Liz almost to the end of the book to discover Liam’s secret. Still, Austenites who can suspend their disbelief will find enough to enjoy. (Dec.)

Reviewed on 09/19/2025 | Details & Permalink