Adult brothers grapple with the revelation of a shocking family secret in the meandering fiction debut from journalist Fenton (Stolen Years). In the mid-1990s, rabbi Yossi Kugel arrives in Moab, Ga., to energize the town’s small Jewish population. Twelve-year-old twins Marty and David Belkin begin studying for their bar mitzvahs with the “gnome-bearded man in funeral garb,” who hires their mother Ida Mae as a secretary. Twenty years later, David lives a mostly secular life, while Marty, who’s changed his name to Mayer, is ensconced in a Brooklyn yeshiva and married to the devout Sarah. When Ida Mae dies, leaving behind a suicide note revealing that she’d lied about being Jewish, the brothers’ lives are upended. Estranged for years, they reunite for a road trip through the Deep South that’s described by a friend of David’s as a Jewish version of Rumspringa. There’s plenty of potential here: Fenton’s wry and ingratiating narration touches on rich themes of identity formation, belonging, and exclusion. Unfortunately, that promise is undercut by thinly developed characters whose dramatic inner transformations (such as Mayer’s quick turnaround from hyper-observant Torah scholar to seeker curious about the wider world) can feel unearned. This falls short of its intriguing premise. Agent: Murray Weiss, Catalyst Literary Management. (May)

Reviewed on 01/26/2024 | Details & Permalink

Witemeyer continues her Texas Ever After series (after Fairest of Heart) with a spunky, Cinderella-inspired tale of unexpected love and intrigue set in the late 19th century. Samantha Dearing, the daughter of Palo Pinto County’s “cattle king,” is unamused by her father’s efforts to marry her off, trusting God to bring her the perfect man. So when a mysterious stranger breaks into the Dearing household and, while being chased off the premises, saves Samantha’s younger brother from drowning, she’s intrigued. The only clue to the intruder’s identity is the boot he left behind; unbeknownst to Samantha, it belongs to Asher Ellis, who seeks revenge on Mr. Dearing for evicting his family from their land. As Samantha, who’s eager to make a difference in the community, begins to tutor Asher’s younger brother in their rundown new home, an attraction blooms and Asher fights to keep from falling for her. Bigger problems arise, however, as mysterious threats are made on Samantha’s life, including an attempted arson. To help keep her safe, Asher and Mr. Dearing must find a way to work together. With a plot full of masked cowboys, family intrigue, and ranch politics, there’s ample suspense to keep readers turning pages, and the romance between Asher and Samantha offers just enough sweetness to balance things out. Witemeyer’s fans will be on the edge of their seats all the way through to the satisfying conclusion. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 01/26/2024 | Details & Permalink

With the follow-up to The Maid of Ballymacool, Deibel returns to provincial Ireland for an irresistible tale of matchmaking mishaps and second chances. Since Donal Bunratty became a widower nearly six years ago, he has struggled to keep his farm running while raising his high-spirited, eight-year-old daughter, Sara. Hoping to find someone to help out around the farm and with Sara, he calls on local matchmaker Jimmy Daly but is paired instead with Jimmy’s business partner and daughter, Catríona. The “unmatched matchmaker,” who’s sick of her small town and dreams of a life of luxury with dashing Andrew Osborne, a member of the landed gentry for whom she’s coincidentally supposed to be finding a match, becomes fast friends with Sara. As Donal and Catríona spend more time together as part of her matchmaking duties, their bond deepens. Things get complicated, however, after Donal strikes a risky business deal with Andrew, jeopardizing both his farm and his budding relationship with Catríona. Deibel enriches the narrative with vivid local color, from the Irish phrases sprinkled throughout (with a glossary provided) to her textured renderings of small-town life, matchmaking culture, and the social divides of early-20th-century Ireland. This earnest romance has more than enough heart to keep Deibel’s fans hooked. (Feb.)

Reviewed on 01/05/2024 | Details & Permalink

In this sizzling series opener, Hannon (All Our Tomorrows) pits a calculating arsonist against tenacious fire investigator Bri Tucker for a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse. When Bri and ATF agent Marc Davis are called to investigate a fatal fire at the home of retired arson investigator Les Kavanaugh, they find no evidence of foul play. But Bri’s not convinced that a man who “knew all the fire hazards and would have taken pains to eliminate them” has died in an accidental blaze, and her misgivings grow when the victim’s daughter hands over what appears to be Kavanaugh’s coded list of other suspicious fires. To complicate matters, Bri’s being stalked by former coworker Travis Holmes. As sections from the arsonist’s perspective alternate with those following the investigation, sparks fly between Bri and Marc. There’s not much time to focus on the budding romance, however, as Travis’s petty, mean-spirited pranks soon give way to the arsonist’s more dangerous machinations. As the situation grows darker, Bri and Marc draw strength from their faith as they race to uncover the arsonist’s identity before it’s too late. Hannon’s knack for balancing slow-burning romance with creeping danger results in a narrative that crackles with suspense all the way through its surprising conclusion. Fans will be eager for the follow-up. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 12/15/2023 | Details & Permalink

Hubbard (Hidden Away at Promise Lodge) wraps up the Promise Lodge series with an energetic if overstuffed tale of unexpected love. Bad-boy Isaac Chupp is eager to escape a checkered past in Coldstream, Mo., for a quieter life in the Amish colony of Promise Lodge. But his reputation travels fast between the two communities, which are a three-hour drive apart. Soon nearly the whole town knows about his drunken exploits, including accidentally setting two barns on fire when he knocked over lit lanterns. Storekeeper Dale Kraybill is willing to give Isaac a job if he makes amends with those he’s harmed, which Isaac hopes might persuade Vera Brubaker that he’s “worthy of her time.” But when Vera starts to get close to Ezra Overholt, Isaac makes a jealous blunder that spoils his chances with her. Things become even more complicated when Maria Zehr, who’s recently returned to town, sets her sights on Ezra. After several more twists and turns, Maria and Isaac find their way to one another and sparks fly, though they’ll need to keep their volatile emotions in check to build a future together. While the many relationships and subplots can be hard to track, Hubbard’s fans will appreciate cameos by favorite characters from other books in the series, and there’s more than enough heart to keep readers hooked until the end. This is good fun. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 12/15/2023 | Details & Permalink

Peterson (Knowing You) kicks off her Heart of Cheyenne series with a crackling romance set against the backdrop of a bustling, crime-riddled frontier town. It’s 1867 when 20-year-old Marybeth Kruger’s father dies in a wagon accident, leaving her the sole caretaker of her one-year-old sister, Carrie. To make matters worse, the local pastor pressures Marybeth to let a wealthy couple adopt her baby sister. Marybeth’s friend, kind widower Edward Vogel, proposes a platonic marriage to save Carrie and give her a stable life. The three start afresh in Cheyenne, an “end-of-the-rails” frontier town in Dakota Territory, where their bare-bones life involves sleeping in a tent in frigid temperatures and avoiding a veritable sea of criminals, especially the fearsome brothers Hank and Emory Garlow. As Marybeth and Edward adapt to the town, they yearn for more than a platonic relationship, though trouble—in the form of a run-in with the Garlow brothers that ends in gunfire—threatens to snuff out the pair’s chance at happiness. Peterson adeptly balances a propulsive story line with Marybeth and Edward’s slow-burning romance, which is woven through with deeply felt meditations on letting go of grief and embracing unexpected love. This spirited series launch will whet appetites for the next installment. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 12/08/2023 | Details & Permalink

Two career-focused women swap hospitality jobs and chaos ensues in the jovial latest from Carlson (A Royal Christmas). Ginny Masters, the ambitious manager of a boutique luxury hotel in Seattle, is tired of meeting the last-minute demands of her high-strung boss, Diana. After a mix-up over wedding reception flowers sparks a spat between the two, Ginny informs Diana that she’s signed up on a job-swap website to switch places with the manager of a fishing lodge in Idaho. Jacqueline Potter has worked at her grandfather’s lodge for six years and is sick of its run-down facilities and frustrated by standoffish, “drop-dead gorgeous” fishing guide Ben Tanninger, whom she keeps trying (and failing) to attract. After the switch, things seem idyllic at first—Ginny revels in the town’s quiet, implements improvements to the lodge, and strikes up a flirty friendship-and-then-more with Ben, while Jacqueline sets her sights on Diana’s son, Adrian. But Jacqueline soon realizes she’s in over her head at the hotel, and she and Adrian work to lure Ginny back to big city. Ginny’s budding relationship is put at risk; Jacqueline must decide how hard she’s willing to work for her career; and both women draw on faith to decide where they belong. Go-getter Ginny and dreamy Jacqueline are effective foils, and the mistakes and misunderstandings that ensue when each tries to inhabit the other’s life churn up more than enough momentum to keep the pages turning. Carlson’s lighthearted take on an old trope charms. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 12/15/2023 | Details & Permalink

The bright lights of professional baseball shine on Amish country in this high-spirited romance from Beckstrand (The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unconventional Niece). When the Yoder sisters decide to make a quilt for their great-grandmother’s 100th birthday, they seek out octogenarian “master quilter” Cathy Larsen, who promises that each of the quilt blocks she gives the sisters “has a little magic stitched into it.” Mary Yoder thinks nothing of choosing the “Drunkard’s Path” pattern until an inebriated major leaguer with “muscular arms and shoulders as broad as the Mississippi River” crashes his car into her family’s barn. Clay Markham, who’s been dodging the limelight ever since he cost his team a spot in the playoffs, offers to pay for the damage, but Mary’s father insists he repair it himself. As Clay spends more time with the family, he grows to appreciate their slower-paced lifestyle and begins to fall for Mary. Trouble comes, however, when news of his whereabouts leaks, bringing reporters and fans to the Yoders’ door. Worried that he’s endangering the family, Clay decides to leave, forcing shy, withdrawn Mary to fight for the man she loves. The plot never flags across its many twists and turns—some more believable than others, but each rendered with enough heart and charm to sweep readers happily along for the ride. Beckstrand’s fans will delight in this cheerful romp. (Feb.)

Reviewed on 12/08/2023 | Details & Permalink

Gray (Her Only Wish), Hubbard (Hidden Away at Promise Lodge), and Lauer (The Love of a Good Amish Woman) celebrate the spirit of Valentine’s Day in a trio of heartwarming epistolary Amish romances. Gray’s “A Love Letter Courtship” finds Matthew Lapp pursuing his best friend’s sister, Jenni Miller. Unconvinced of his affections—she’s insecure about her looks and believes Matthew is interested simply because she lives nearby—Jenni suggests the two write letters to one another until Valentine’s Day to gauge their compatibility. During their weeks of correspondence, she learns about Matt’s dysfunctional home life and becomes fonder of him than she thought possible. Secret admirers and second chances animate Lauer’s “The Wrong Valentine,” in which a widowed schoolteacher strikes up a lively correspondence with a mystery pen pal after the sample Valentine’s Day card she’d shown to her class accidentally gets delivered to charming “bad-boy” Mose Troyer, who’d once briefly left the Amish community. Mistaken identity tropes also form the basis for Hubbard’s “S.W.A.K.,” albeit somewhat less successfully. When shy Fannie Kurtz declares her love for Eddie Brubaker in a letter, confusion ensues because Eddie is being avidly pursued by—and seeking to fend off—another girl named Fannie, who has similar handwriting. Though the similarities between the two Fannies feel contrived, there’s plenty of clean, slow-burning romance for readers to savor in this earnest anthology. It’s a delight. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 11/17/2023 | Details & Permalink

A woman is given a do-over she didn’t ask for—and didn’t know she needed—in this sensitive, time-bending contemporary from Broekhuis (Here Goes Nothing). For months, Leona has been looking forward to a fancy dinner with her husband, David, to celebrate their 10-year anniversary. When she arrives at the restaurant, however, small signs indicate that something is awry, from the chilly silence between her and David to his unfamiliar haircut. It isn’t until they return home (to a stately Victorian Leona hasn’t seen in years) that she realizes she’s stepped into an alternate universe, in which David works for his wealthy father’s pharmaceutical company, and the couple is well-off, but seem to have an invisible rift dividing them. Leona decides to delay investigating how she ended up in this alternate world when she realizes her daughter Vera—who died at four months in a car crash a year earlier—is alive and well. Made privy to what her life with David might have been like if they’d made different choices, Leona searches for a way back to her former reality when it becomes clear it may be dangerous to stay in her new one. Broekhuis’s shifts between past and present are sometimes jarring, but she mostly makes up for it with perceptive renderings of the nuances of grief, the challenges of healing, and what it means to trust God’s will. There’s plenty to appreciate in this touching tale of loss and renewal. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 11/17/2023 | Details & Permalink