Julie Arduini's Blog, page 14

Fiction Finder August 2023 New Releases

August 2023 New Releases
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website

Amish Romance:

The Heart’s Bidding by Kelly S. Irvin — Together, schoolteacher Rachelle Lapp and auctioneer Toby Miller must face their hardest battle yet: trusting God’s plan for their uncertain future. As their families matchmake, Toby and Rachelle realize their jobs may not be all that’s holding them back from a future together. They both must learn not only to trust each other, but also trust God’s plans for them. But do those plans involve a lifetime together or them going their separate ways? (Amish Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

Children’s:

Bold and Brave by K.A. Cummins — Sometimes courage is loud like an elephant, and sometimes it’s quiet like a llama. Lily, a young autistic girl with a vivid imagination, wants to sing the solo in the school’s choir show, but the thought of standing at center stage turns her heart a gloomy grey. School is overwhelming enough. Now all eyes will be on her, and she can’t wear the red polka dots she needs to be bold and brave. (Children’s/Picture Book from Eleonora Press)

Contemporary Romance:

Window of the Heart by Amy R. Anguish — Lennox Malone may not believe in love, but she’s determined to do the best job she can as her friend Sara Beth’s maid of honor. Problem is, the man in charge of fixing up the chapel doesn’t match her determination. Fighting against preconceived notions, a past that catches up to her, and an attraction she wants nothing to do with, this wedding is turning into more than she can handle. Ty Dunne might be laid back and easy-going, but he’s determined to make sure the chapel is ready for his cousin’s wedding. Not only is it his duty as best man, but he wants to preserve the family’s history in the building. If only he could live up to his family’s other expectations—or those of Lennox Malone, the fiery redhead he can’t stop thinking about. Before he can go any further with her, though, he has to convince her that love is real and worth the risk. Lennox has built her walls high and sturdy, but Ty is determined to find a way in—even if it’s a window. (Contemporary Romance from Scrivening’s Press)

Her Cowboy Blind Date by Narelle Atkins — He’s a small-town guy, a cowboy at heart. She’s a city girl from the other side of the world. Will a blind date lead to a love that lasts a lifetime? Since Becky is only in Gilead until June, a blind date with a suitable plus-one before the wedding seems like the perfect solution for Sam. No strings and no commitment. But the blind date turns into a not-so-fake relationship when Sam and Becky must work together on the passion play. Can they overcome past emotional wounds and geographical distance to create a future together? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

A Surprise Wedding for the Cowboy by Valerie Comer — Everything hit all at once. Tate Sullivan became the guardian of his young nephew after his brother’s death, and now Grandfather has bought a failing guest ranch in Montana. Tate’s used to handling Fortune 1000 companies, but moving halfway across the country and learning an entirely new, rural business is a challenge, especially with a toddler in tow. Nice girls finish last… or that’s what it seems like to Stephanie Simpson when her ex-boyfriend, a pastor, proposes to a former bad girl. It’s not that Stephanie wants her ex to rethink his life choices, but would it be so wrong to move on as quickly as he has? A quick wedding to that cute but faltering cowboy with the adorable toddler might get her what she wants. After all, it’s clear Tate needs a helping hand. He’s a Christian, just like she is. What could possibly go wrong? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

To Protect His Brother’s Baby by Linda Goodnight A stranger in his house…Could be the family he never knew he needed? After he spent six months on the road, the last thing cowboy Wilder Littlefield expects to come home to is a pregnant woman living on his ranch. Taylor Matheson not only believes the house is hers, but she’s carrying his estranged late brother’s child. Tied together by blood, Wilder lets Taylor stay as his housekeeper. But as they learn how to be a family, could obligation turn to love? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired/Harlequin)

His Heart Renewed by Cynthia Herron — Three choices. Two dreams. One path. A girl from his past. The woman who holds his future. Will a wrong detour lead to the right destination? As the couple navigates blunders and heartaches, a new season emerges—one that taps into Erin’s and Mike’s deepest longings and desires—the spring that holds their future. At last, it seems their happily-ever-after is within reach…
But in the bat of an eyelash, a memory from Mike’s past emerges in an unexpected way. Will this change in circumstance hinder what he has with Erin or will truth prevail by way of a divine appointment? (Contemporary Romance from Mountain Brook Ink)

Muskoka Spotlight by Carolyn Miller — Jackie O’Halloran never expected her actions at a friend’s wedding in Muskoka to go viral. Even less did she expect to gain the notice of a famous actor, Lincoln Cash, and all the temptation his handsome presence provides. But she’s a good Christian girl, so a man like him has to be out of the picture. Or so she thinks. Linc’s visit to see his ailing grandfather was supposed to be a quick visit to Muskoka. He hadn’t counted on meeting a forthright young lady whose courage made headlines around the world. But as he gets to know her he’s tempted to stay, which just might prove dangerous for his agent’s peace of mind, and for Linc’s own heart. Can these two opposites push past mere attraction to find real love? And what does faith have to do with it at all? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

The Friendly Disaster by Dineen Miller — He waited too long to admit how he feels and now she’s found a perfect match. Will this triangle of passion end in calamity or kisses? As Calen’s plan to attract visitors to Emma’s show pales in comparison to her new boyfriend’s connections, the besotted man fears he’ll never be enough. But when Emma’s eyes are opened to her platonic pal’s extreme efforts, she wonders if it’s wrong to keep him in the friend zone. Can a bashful barista prove to a struggling artist that he’s soulmate material? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

The Cowboy Bargain by Tina Radcliffe — A little competition…Brings a change of heart. Sam Morgan never thought he’d see his ex-fiancée again after she skipped town days before their wedding. He certainly didn’t expect to find her opening a restaurant on his property—in the building he’d intended to sell his crafts from. This time Olivia’s sticking around, forcing Sam to strike a deal: work together and see whose products sell best. Could their business venture lead to a surprising reunion? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired/Harlequin)

The Love Script by Toni Shiloh — Hollywood hair stylist Nevaeh Richards loves making those in the spotlight shine but prefers the anonymity of staying behind her stylist chair, where no one notices her. But when a photo of Nevaeh and Hollywood heartthrob Lamont Booker goes viral for all the wrong reasons, her quiet life becomes the number-one trending topic. Lamont Booker’s bold faith has gained him a platform, and the authenticity of his faith is well known . . . until the tabloids cause the world to question everything he claims to be. With his reputation on the line, he finds himself hearing out his agent’s push for a fake relationship–something he never thought he’d consider in a million years. With their careers at risk, Nevaeh and Lamont have to convince the world that their scripted romance is more than just an act. But when fake seems to turn into something real, can Nevaeh trust her heart in a world where nothing is ever as it seems? (Contemporary Romance from Bethany House)

An Unexpected Gift by Melissa Wardwell — Cruising around the island on a Moped in a business suit may seem incongruous, but wedding planner Kiana knows how to blend practicality and professionalism, a strong work ethic and relaxation. With no time for mistakes or changes in plans, she’s also decided to forgo romance (for herself). There just isn’t enough time in the day. That is until the early arrival of one of the groomsmen of Something Suamalie’s first booking throws everything off balance, including her thoughts on long distance dating.
Beau was perfectly content with his job and the growing attraction to a girl back home; however, he hadn’t figured in the sassy and sometimes unprofessional wedding planner. Seeing her world begin to unravel while she and her partners fumble with their first weddings tugs at his heart strings and leaves him second guessing his choices in the romance department. (Contemporary Romance from Celebrate Lit Publishing)

General Contemporary:

Where the Wings Rise by Ashlyn McKayla Ohm — After years of disastrous choices, Addisyn Miles has a second chance with the person she once betrayed—her older sister, Avery. Moving from Whistler, Canada, to Avery’s home in the Colorado Rockies seems like the perfect opportunity to not only rebuild her fragile relationship with her sister but also distance herself from the past she can’t forget. But adjusting to Avery’s life is harder than she expected, especially with her heart drawing her back to the chance at love that she left behind in Canada. When she begins helping her sister care for an injured hawk, Addisyn is forced to confront the fears that have left her just as wounded—or to allow her darkest enemy to sabotage her future. The second book in the Climbing Higher series, Where the Wings Rise is a story of the scars that keep us earthbound, the choices that lead to healing, and most importantly, the faith that allows us to always fly free. (General Contemporary, Independently Published)

General Historical:

The Girl From the Papers by Jennifer L. Wright — Beatrice Carraway has dreams. Although she’s aged out of the childhood pageant circuit, she’s intent on carrying her talents all the way to the big screen―if only she can escape the poverty of West Dallas first. But as the Great Depression drags the working class further and further under, Beatrice struggles just to keep herself, her mother, and her younger sister afloat. And then in walks Jack Turner. Though Beatrice is determined to pull herself up by her bootstraps, Jack has decided on a different path out of the gutters. It isn’t long before Beatrice is swept into an exciting and glamorous life of crime beside the man she loves. Keeping one step ahead of the law, she sees her dreams of fame come true when her name and picture are plastered in newspapers across the country. Yet as their infamy grows, the distance between them widens. While Jack begins seeking bigger payouts and publicity, Beatrice starts to long for a safe, quiet life and something deeper to fill the emptiness in her soul. But when the danger of Jack’s schemes ratchets up, Beatrice fears her dreams―and her future―will end up going down in a hail of bullets (General Historical from Tyndale House)

Historical Romance:

Beryl’s Bounty Hunter by Linda Shenton Matchett — Orphaned as a child, Beryl Atherton has lived on the streets of London for as long as she can remember. Reduced to stealing for survival, she is arrested. During her incarceration, one of her cellmates shows her a newspaper ad for an American mail-order bride agency. But all is not as it seems, and moments after landing in Boston, she must run for her life. Will things be no different for her in the New World? Working as a bounty hunter since The War Between the States, Lucas Wolf just needs a few more cases before he can hang up his gun, purchase a ranch out West, and apply for a mail-order bride from the Westward Home & Hearts Mail-Order Bride Agency. While staking out the docks in Boston, he sees a woman fleeing from the man he’s been tailing. Saving her risks his job. Not saving her risks his heart. (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

Romantic Suspense:

Hunting the Witness by Kate Angelo — Attacked in the mountains with no memory of why…She’s the only witness to see the face of a killer, but a deadly attack leaves Belinda Lewis unable to remember even her own name. She’ll have to rely on her rescuer, FBI special agent Jonah Phillips, to survive repeated attempts on her life—but she doesn’t know he’s in hiding because his description matches the killer’s. Can they unmask the true criminal to clear Jonah’s name and save both of their lives? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired/Harlequin)

Mountain Abduction Rescue by Darlene L. Turner —

A wildfire threat…
becomes a missing person search.

A serial arsonist is out for revenge in the Canadian Rocky Mountains—and kidnaps park warden Hazel Hoyt’s son and his camping troop. Now Hazel must team up with the man who broke her heart, firefighter Mitchell Booth, to find the missing boys as wildfires blaze around them. But someone has no intention of letting the pair get off the mountain alive…

(Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired/Harlequin)

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:
The Gunslinger Next Door by Susan Page Davis, Is he really just a harmless old fellow? (Romance/Mystery)
The Mailboat by Susan Page Davis, When Robyn and Mike meet again, things begin to happen. (Contemporary Romance)

The Spinsters Next Door by Susan Page Davis, Can the schoolmaster persuade Rachel to defy her aunts and open a locked box–or will she remain alone with a tangle of unanswered questions? (Historical Mystery)
The Yuletide Angel by Sandra Ardoin , Who is the mysterious Yuletide Angel? (Historical Romance)

Tangled Lives by Carol McClain

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Where do you get your ideas for your books?

The ideas come from different areas. In two I wrote, setting played a heavy role. However, in the Treasured Lives series, the concept came from people I loved and the hard times they lived through.

Tangled Lives concludes the Treasured Lives series and was the most difficult book I ever wrote. My mind decided I’d follow my main character Roxie through her graduate studies into the wilds of the Adirondacks. Her sister Crystal stayed home as a schoolteacher and had married Jesse, Roxie’s longest-lasting love.

I wrote the original version for three months, and every episode I sent to my critique partners irritated and bored them.

Finally, I contacted my publisher and told her the story wasn’t working. Did I have a deadline? If so, could my due date be extended? Deb Haggerty is a gracious woman. She told me quality mattered more than time.

I scrapped my thirty thousand words and started a brand-new story which Deb said was one of my best.

I agree with her. My two protagonists are my most complex—loveable and troubled, competitors with each other and best friends. They’re human and show the power of God to heal and restore.

That said, where do your ideas for your characters come from?

I tell all my friends to watch out, if their lives and actions intrigue me, they’ll be in my book. In this case, Crystal is like my youngest granddaughter, especially earlier in the series. She’s never met a person who isn’t her friend. She’s funny and carefree. She loves with abandon—although Luciana doesn’t have Crystal’s mobility issues (she climbed stairs at seven months old!), she has her joie de vivre.

I’m embarrassed to say—I’m Roxie. Read the book. Her foibles are mine (sadly, I don’t have her talent).

What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?

Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t quit. Failure can change the course of your life. Quitting locks you in the old routine which gives no new surprise—and that gets boring.

I mentioned that I scrapped over thirty-thousand words in Tangled Lives and started my story over. Because I did, I turned out a book loved by my publisher and my critique partners. (It’s good not to irritate those people whose job is to tear apart your book!)

I’ve “quit” writing after almost every book I’ve written, but instead of eating potato chips watching reruns of Bones (I don’t advise eating while watching that show), I’ve rallied myself, learned from what I’ve succeeded at and failed with, and have always written a book that was better than the last one published.

My characters failed—at least in their own lives. (You’ll have to read the book to find out what they did with failure.)

What is your writing strength?

I’m gifted with humor. This book doesn’t display humor as much as Book 1 in the series, but it exists.

The purpose of my next book, due out next year, is to make you laugh. Those critique partners I told you about? They laugh and giggle and send me smiling face emojis with each submission I send them.

Tell us about the featured book?

Tangled Lives is a contemporary novel. Two sisters love the same man. They share a past one can’t remember and the other can’t forget.

Tangled Lives is the third, and final installment, of the Treasure Lives series. The story follows the life of Roxie and Crystal Snow, two of the sisters found by Meredith Jaynes in Book 1, Borrowed Lives. The past tangles their future as they learn forgiveness and decide to follow their dreams rather than their prescribed lives.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Prologue

Childhood behaves like the morning mist. Children dance and delight, then grow and vanish into the light of their days. So many nights, I wished my girls would mature, would give me grandchildren, would give me a moment to myself. First, of course, go to college.

When the time arrived, and they left me, they took their magic. Without magic, the scent of childhood wafted away in the morning fog. How could I have understood, all those years ago, the bedraggled waifs I fostered would steal my heart? In my reluctance to mother the abandoned children, I never fathomed the temporary fostering would turn into everlasting love when I adopted them.

Once more, I bit back tears as Crystal Joy, my youngest girl, climbed into her car. Last week, we outfitted the Honda with hand controls, so she could drive despite her spina bifida. Parker and I watched as she drove away to the University of Tennessee to join her sister.

I imagined I heard her singing. Never was Crystal without a song even as a child. Back then she hammered on pots and Tupperware to make music. Her alto, always on pitch. Her fingers twitched on guitar strings or dulcimers. In the end, my youngest daughter settled on the violin. Never did the spina bifida slow Crystal down or make her feel inferior. Could a mother call one child perfect?

The dust from the road settled, and I stood next to Parker like the day Lisa Simpson tried to adopt Crystal’s sister.

Roxie.

Always the most sensitive. Perhaps the proverbial middle child. Sweet, insecure Roxie. Too independent and too needy. Her biological parents died of drug overdoses. Roxie had been old enough to understand abandonment, too young to realize her parents’ issues had nothing to do with her worth. Her oldest sister’s grandfather adopted her when she was eight. The hole bored through my heart. It compounded sweet Roxie’s belief in her lack of worth. Roxie believed I loved everyone more than her.

Parker looped his arm around me.

His closeness soothed. Always.

“Meredith, the girls will be home before you realize they moved out. Now’s the time for them to heal, live their passions, and find themselves.” He kissed the top of my head. “They’ll be okay.”

In Parker’s eyes, I hoped to see the truth of his words. This time, I didn’t run away and hide. I let God take my fears and prayed the sins of my daughters’ parents would no longer descend on their innocent offspring. I prayed the love of adoptive parents and a heavenly Father would redeem.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

You can find my latest book on Amazon at:

Tangled Lives book: https://www.amazon.com/Tangled-Lives-Carol-McClain/dp/1649499671/ref

My website lists my appearances, my releases with buy links, and my blog. You can find me at:

carolmcclain.com

Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter.

I’m on Facebook as Author Carol McClain

Carol McClain is the award-winning author of four novels dealing with real people facing real problems. She is a consummate encourager, and no matter what your faith might look like, you will find compassion, humor and wisdom in her complexly layered, but ultimately readable work.

Aside from writing, she’s a skilled stained-glass artist, a budding glass fuser. She lives in East Tennessee with her husband who finally gave into her dreams. They own five goats—three of them does who she milks from which she makes yogurt and cheese and butter. She’s raising bunches of chickens.

You can connect with her at carolmcclain.com.

She also can be found on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/author.Carol.McClain

On twitter and Instagram: @carol_mcclain

Dial S for Second Chances by Linda Shenton Matchett

Dial S for Second Chances: The Story Behind the Story

By Linda Shenton Matchett

I was honored to be invited to contribute two stories to the You Are On the Air series, but after accepting, I began to have second thoughts. I primarily write historical romance and wasn’t convinced I could successfully pen a contemporary “rom-com.” When I talked to the series coordinator, she suggested I tie historical “roots” into the stories. That I could do!

Second-chance stories are among my favorite type to read and write, so I snapped up the letter S. (The series will be twenty-six books, one for each letter of the alphabet). Now, to come up with my plot. I started noodling through scenarios between couples that could involve reconnecting after some period of years. My eye caught sight of the tiny photo album that contains pictures from my wedding. I was reminded that my husband and I were high school sweethearts. High school sweethearts that broke up several times.

The kernel of an idea but where to have my characters reconnect? I started doing math to decide when the couple graduated from high school. I started with my own 1979 graduation and came up with 44 years. (Don’t get me started on how hard to believe that is!) I realized if I rounded up a year, I could have them attend their 45th reunion. Perfect!

I’ve only attended one reunion – my ten-year college event – and it was awful (and in the 90s). Let the research commence! I found quite a bit about reunions…how to plan, what to bring, what not to do, as well as personal remembrances – those were interesting! Then I dug into the years 1973 through 1978 and was surprised at how much I remembered, and alternatively, how much I had forgotten. Especially poignant was the music. Every song seemed to dredge up a memory and strong feelings. (I’ve since discovered that many studies have shown music’s ability (more so than any other sense) to conjure up vivid memories and trigger intense emotions.

I wanted to use “our song,” the one that belongs to my husband and me, but it didn’t release until 1979. Instead, I spent an emotional session listening to love songs from 1978 before I settled on I Feel Like Dreamin’ by Kenny Nolan. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCl9fCq23dg). The rest of the research about movies and events was used to “inform” the story. An interesting walk down Memory Lane.

Have you attended a high school or college reunion?

Dial S for Second Chances:

Can years of hurt and misunderstanding be transformed into a second chance at love?

Jade Williams agrees to be on the high school reunion committee because the-one-that-got-away is out of the country and won’t be home in time to attend the festivities. Now, he’s not only home, but joined the committee. Is it too late to back out or can she set aside forty-five years of regret and pretend she isn’t to blame for her broken heart?

One of the downsides of being rich means fielding requests for money and favors. But when an old high school buddy contacts Derek Milligan to be on the reunion committee as just one of the gang, no strings attached, he can’t resist. At the first meeting, he’s dismayed to find himself sitting next to his former high school sweetheart. He should be angry. Instead, he’s attracted. Can he risk his heart a second time?

Reunion festivities include calling into to WDES’s program No Errin’ for Love with fake relationship problems. When both use their real situation, the stakes are raised higher than either imagined.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3rh2ZdB

Bio:

Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a former trustee for her local public library. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state and immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.

Rekindled for Christmas Eve by Janetta Fudge Messmer

REKINDLED FOR CHRISTMAS EVE BY JANETTA FUDGE MESSMER

THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
(Almost twenty years in the making)
 

Today, I’m going to tell you about my latest novella, Rekindled for Christmas Eve. It is a Contemporary Christian Romance set in Annapolis, Maryland. And with any book – it has to have a back story.

However, the backstory in this one doesn’t have anything to do with the plot of Rekindled for Christmas Eve and all to do with my siblings and their help on this particular project.

Let me explain.

THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Years ago (2004), I spent a few weeks with my two sisters. We sat down for a couple of nights together and started brainstorming this particular story.

My oldest sister, Debbie, shared some great ideas to get me started on the plot. But my other sister, Linda, aimed for the stars when she said, “When Hollywood makes this into a movie, Tom Selleck will be perfect for the part of Reese.”
 
I laughed at her optimism for my not-yet-written book and about the said story making it to the big screen. However, for whatever reason, when I returned home – I put the story away and worked on many other projects.

In 2022, I glanced through my idea folder and found the notes from my sisters and our brainstorming session from 2004. So I decided it was time to sit down and write Reese and Madison’s story.

When I typed THE END, this is where I brought my brother Stan into the picture because he’s retired Navy. And since the Naval Academy is part of the story, I sought his expertise on all things Navy. I am forever in his debt for helping me get the Naval ranks correct.

After my brother and I finished discussing what I needed to fix, I said, “Stan, you can now check off your Bucket List that you’ve read a Christian Contemporary Romance.” He laughed and said, “I enjoyed reading it. Then he added, “It’d make a great Hallmark movie.”  
 
Concerning Rekindled for Christmas Eve becoming a movie – Mr. Selleck won’t play the main character, but he would make a perfect Captain Pointer. For Reese, I’m voting for Bradley Cooper. Just saying…

We’ve all heard the saying that “It takes a village.” In my case, my family helped me accomplish a task that I’m not sure I’d have finished on my own.

Here is the short blurb for Rekindled for Christmas Eve:

Reese Solomon returns to Annapolis—the place where Madison broke his heart. He’s not back in Maryland a week and learns he has a twenty-five-year-old daughter named Kimberly.

The two meet and agree it is a God thing. They spend time together, and Reese finds out Madison (Kim’s mom) is a widow. He hopes they can rekindle their romance, but Madison wants nothing to do with him.

Where was he when she needed him? Why believe him now? And the so-called miracles Reese and her family talk about are driving Madison nuts. Will she continue to believe the lies others have told her, or will she allow the past to convince her of the truth and to trust in Reese and the Lord again?

And to celebrate Christmas in July, I’ve lowered the price for Rekindled for Christmas Eve to .99 cents for the e-book until July 30th. Hurry and get your copy before it’s too late.

Janetta Fudge Messmer

“Turning Life Into Comedy”

Author of Christian Comedies (with a touch of Romance). 

My books are available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01DWHA1EW

E-mail: janettafudgemessmer@gmail.com

Website: http://janettafudgemessmer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetta.fudge.messmer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nettiefudge

Paint the Sunset by Dawn V. Cahill

NEW RELEASE!GOLDEN STATE TRILOGYBook IIIPAINT THE SUNSET

More about Paint the Sunset:

Exploring today’s social problems, Paint the Sunset tells the story of believers navigating a new world of drug addiction and homelessness in the finale to Dawn V. Cahill’s Hot Topic fiction series.

Newlyweds Jon and Meg Paulson are enjoying the good life in beautiful Marin County, California. Jon runs a successful business, and Meg eagerly anticipates the birth of her first grandchild. But their contentment is shattered when Jon discovers his shop ransacked, and the culprits on the run. With the rampant drug culture enslaving new victims every day, even their own children succumb to addiction. Will Jon and Meg lose everything they hold dear, or does God have other plans?

Meanwhile, an investigative reporter goes undercover to a local homeless camp, and a devastated young woman, Myla, is fleeing from the law and from her own demons. Will the reporter uncover the corruption responsible for so many ruined lives? Will Myla’s tragic past catch up to her, or will she find hope for a new future?

WHY I WROTE PAINT THE SUNSET

A few months ago, I watched an appalling YouTube documentary on homelessness in a certain US west coast city. The hosts filmed block after block of shanty-like structures, ragged tents, trash, and graffiti, and compared it to Haiti. They blamed several factors: rampant drug use, lack of law enforcement, indifference by city policy makers, high rents.

In the scenic west coast city where I live, I have seen in person the tragic after-effects of the opioid crisis, chronic narcotic addiction, and out-of-control housing costs. In my city, it might not appear as bad as what I saw in the video, but it sure appears to be headed that way. With all the blue tents blocking sidewalks (the tents and tarps are given out by the county, I’ve learned), the piles of trash, the ugly graffiti and broken-down RVs, my city has become unrecognizable. Crime has soared, and people are concerned.

But why? Why didn’t we see this scene ten, fifteen years ago? What has happened to our nation?

If you live in a major US metropolitan area, you have likely been affected by the homeless crisis which has exploded in the past ten or so years, especially in the states of California, Florida, and New York. In this story, I aimed to humanize the problem by setting part of the story in a homeless camp. In my own experience with a homeless outreach ministry, the houseless folks I chatted with one-on-one proved to be real people like you and me who had either gotten caught up in addiction, or some other misfortune had victimized them. But so many others have been hardened from years of substance abuse. These are some of the ones either doing the victimizing, or they are capitalizing off the addicts.

I also found, as illustrated in Paint the Sunset, numerous reasons why people end up on the street. But too many times public policies try to solve the problem with a singular focus instead of getting to the root cause or emphasizing prevention. Perhaps it takes too much individual investment and time? Yet I am thankful for the many non-profit organizations and ministries who do take time to tailor individual solutions. In my opinion, however, there just aren’t enough of them. As the fictional county official in Paint the Sunset said, “The problem is exploding faster than we can solve it.”

This is not merely a liberal or conservative problem. Blaming the other side won’t solve anything, yet too often I see pointing fingers on social media. In my opinion, we can only solve the problem through practical, sacrificial means, and by being willing to invest time and resources into individual lives.

As the books in my Hot Topic Fiction series demonstrate, it’s clear there are no pat or easy answers to complex social problems. But individual believers can do a lot. Together, we can be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Download Here.

About the Author

Dawn V. Cahill, an indie author from the land of microbrews and coffee snobs, published her first book, When Lyric Met Limerick, in 2015. She published her first full-length novel, Sapphire Secrets, in January of 2016. “The characters in my stories face situations which would have been unthinkable even 20 years ago. We live in a vastly different world than our parents did, and that’s the world I write about.”

Seeing an unfilled niche in the Christian market for edgier fiction, Ms. Cahill came up with the concept of Hot Topic Fiction (HTF) at an intensive four-day writers conference. HTF isn’t afraid to explore the question, how does God want us Christians to live out our faith in this not-so-brave new world? Without insulting the reader by offering pat or easy answers—because there aren’t any—HTF tells stories of ordinary Christians following hard after Christ in a world of terror and violence, of upside-down morality, of hostility to Judeo-Christian values.

She has written six novels, several newspaper articles, and more limericks than she can count. Email her at dawn@dawnvcahill.com, or find her on Facebook, Twitter, and her website. She is a member of Oregon Christian Writers (OCW) and American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

Fiction Finder: July 2023 New Releases

July 2023 New Releases
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website

Contemporary Romance:
Dial S for Second Chances by Linda Shenton Matchett — Jade Williams agrees to be on the high school reunion committee because the-one-that-got-away is out of the country and won’t be home in time to attend the festivities. Now, he’s not only home but joined the committee. Is it too late to back out or can she set aside forty-five years of regret and pretend she isn’t to blame for her broken heart? One of the downsides of being rich means fielding requests for money and favors. But when an old high school buddy contacts Derek Milligan to be on the reunion committee as just one of the gang, no strings attached, he can’t resist. At the first meeting, he’s dismayed to find himself sitting next to his former high school sweetheart. He should be angry. Instead, he’s attracted. Can he risk his heart a second time? (Contemporary Romance from Shortwave Press)

Fire and Ice by Carolyn Miller — Hannah Wade’s heart might’ve once been touched by a rancher’s son, but her real passion has always been sports. Years later, when her sports career is cut short by injury and an opportunity arises to be one of Calgary’s first female sports analysts, she jumps at the chance. Trouble is, some of the old dinosaurs she works with think she’s only there to look good, add ratings, and stir controversy among the fiercely loyal hockey fans. She longs for the chance to prove herself, so when an opportunity comes along to interview newly traded defenseman Franklin James, she meets him. Or, more accurately, re-meets him. With disastrous effect. Can these two overcome prejudice and find a way forward? And what has faith – or the lack of – got to do with anything? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Sweet Romantic Fiction Editors’ Choice Christmas Collection by Barbara Britton, Renee Blare, Anne Greene, C.E. Hilbert, Susan Lyttek, and Dixie Jarchow — An editors’ choice collection of Pelican Book Group’s Christmas stories. Join the fun at Christmas and all the year through. (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing (Pelican)

General Contemporary:
Room for Love by Marguerite Martin Gray — God gave her peace then; maybe He’ll do it again. When Amy Lee’s son heads off to college, the bed and breakfast owner finds life even lonelier and emptier than she had after losing her husband. She needs something to occupy her mind and heart while she reinvents her life again. What more could she ask for than an after-school program for local children and a renewed interest in painting? Then the arrival of a professor of archeology shakes her world and makes her yearn for the way things were only a few short months ago. Still grieving the loss of his beloved wife, and ignoring the warnings and protests of his grown children, Professor Walker Standish escapes on a six-month sabbatical. His heart, barely beating these past months, jerks to. (General Contemporary from Celebrate Lit Publishing)

General Historical:
Rebecca by Shannon McNear — Born the daughter of a Powhatan chieftain and a woman of unknown origins, Mato’aka enjoys a carefree life. When strange men from across the eastern waters appear near her home, she regards them at first as a mere curiosity. Soon, though, she finds herself torn between friendship with one of their leaders and the opinions and politics of her elders. Drawn to a young Englishman, John Rolfe, who has lost a wife and baby daughter, she shares his griefs. . .and perhaps something more. Could she have a future among the English of Jamestown, accepting their ways and even changing her name? Could her fate be a part of the lasting legacy of the Lost Colony of Roanoke? (General Historical from Barbour Publishing)

Historical Biblical:
Plagues and Papyrus: Egyptians by Christine Dillon — What if life is built on the wrong foundation? Kheti and his family have farmed papyrus along the Nile for generations. He’s confident the gods of Egypt and the harmony maintained by the divine Pharaoh are the sources of his prosperity. Then he watches his beloved river turn to blood, his crops fail, and his nation descend into chaos. The Hebrew God wants his people released from slavery. When the gods remain silent and Pharaoh is powerless to stop the carnage, Kheti wrestles with which way to turn. Replant his flattened crops and cling to Egypt’s gods? Or forsake his roots to follow new friends and a new faith to a distant land? Could there be a place in God’s family for an Egyptian who kept God’s people as slaves? (Historical Biblical from Links in the Chain Press)

Historical Romance:
A Summer at Thousand Island House by Susan G. Mathis — She came to work with the children, not fall in love. Part-nanny, part entertainer, Addison Bell has always had an enduring love for children. So what better way to use her creative energy than to spend the summer nannying at the renowned Thousand Island House on Staple’s Island? As Addi thrives in her work, she attracts the attention of the recreation pavilion’s manager, Liam Donovan, as well as the handsome Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a lighthouse inspector, hotel patron, and single father of mischievous little Jimmy. But when Jimmy goes missing, Addi finds both her job and her reputation in danger. How can she calm the churning waters of Liam, Lt. Worthington, and the President, clear her name, and avoid becoming the scorn of the Thousand Islands community? (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Hoping for Treasure by Bettie Boswell — A few months after Ginny and Scott’s marriage begins, tragedy strikes when a miscarriage dashes their hopes of starting a family. As Ginny seeks comfort through a manuscript about her great-grandparent’s unlikely post-WW 2 romance, she discovers secrets about her family and the Woodson House’s hidden room. Ginny found the manuscript about her great-grandmother’s romance hidden in a secret compartment in an old wooden desk, along with poems about Missy’s life after the Civil War. When researching her musical, Ginny wondered if Samuel and Missy’s romance led to marriage, but how did her grandmother come into possession of the poetry? As she and Scott read through the story, they find some comfort until Ginny’s teaching position is threatened, if a tax levy doesn’t pass. Scott helps campaign, but finds his own tenure threatened by the distraction. Can Scott and Ginny survive the trials that face them in their young marriage? (Historical Romance from Mt. Zion Ridge Press)

Over the Horizon by Penny Zeller — A most unusual proposal…Alone in 1870s Idaho Territory, Paisley Abbott has nowhere to turn. With no other options, she finds herself consenting to an unconventional, but mutually beneficial agreement. During an unplanned return to his family’s farm, prodigal Tyler Shepherdson inherits three orphans. When Tyler finds a woman hiding in the back of his wagon, an idea begins to form and he makes a rash decision that results in perhaps one of the most spontaneous marriages of convenience ever. Despite an unorthodox beginning to their marriage, will Paisley and Tyler trust God as they forge ahead to create a home for three children? Will love arise from a desperate situation? (Historical Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)

Uncharted Grace by Keely Brooke Keith — An inherited orchard offers a fresh start in a new village for social butterfly Caroline Vestal. She believes Good Springs is where she will finally find a soulmate, but building a genuine relationship means being honest—even with the family secret that could ruin her new life before it begins. With his relaxed manner, professional expertise, and dapper appearance, physician Jedidiah Cotter makes a good first impression in his new village. Once the Good Springs elder council officially titles him, he can establish his career and be safe from the obligation to return to his crooked family’s business back home. But when the council unexpectedly stalls the process, Jedidiah must discover the cause and quickly find a cure. Though Caroline is smitten with the dashing new physician who lives across the road from the orchard house, his attraction to her drives him to ask questions she isn’t prepared to answer. If she trusts the wrong person with the shocking truth about her family’s past, she could lose the inheritance and the man she loves. (Historical Romance from Edenbrook Press)

Romance:
Sweet Romance for Every Season by Felicia Ferguson, Hope Bolinger, Renee Leonard Kennedy, and Lori Z. Scott, — So many sweet romance stories always take place over Christmas. We love an adorable kiss in the flurries of gentle snow. But it’s time some other holidays get a little love too. Set during every month of the year, this collection of sweet romances will have you swooning from early January to summer solstice to New Year’s Eve. Proving that a happily ever after can take place at any time of the year. An anthology from End Game Press authors, we are very proud to bring you their excellent stories! (Romance from End Game Press)

Romance Mystery:
Like Honey for the Bones by Brandy Heineman — Present Day. Solveig Borja fled Virginia to escape the guilt of one reckless night, and once she settles the family estate, she’s Norway-bound and never looking back. Meanwhile, Kyle Benton has come seeking asylum from past sins—which Solveig shatters even as their hopeless romance blooms. But when they discover a skeleton at Rice Caverns, its century-old mystery holds startling links to the here-and-now. 1919. The Great War is won. Gussie Rice longs for her beau’s return from France, until she learns he’s confined at a stateside hospital and her closest confidant is part of the secret. Her bid for love sparks a confrontation that ricochets through time…Bad blood and escalating threats swirl around Solveig, and Kyle’s new life proves no haven from the old with his brother’s killer trolling the shadows. As the past rears up, the cavern’s hidden places beckon with power to light their hope or to swallow them in utter darkness. (Romance Mystery, Independently Published)

Romance Novella:
His to Adore by Z. Peabody — Elise Montgomery has always wanted to be a professional singer. Becoming one of the world’s greatest Gospel singers of all times, is more than a dream, it’s one of her life’s goals. Elise would sing for her supper in almost any venue she could, to pay her dues. Now comes her big break, to join a Gospel tour in New York. When Elise has a five-hour layover on her way to an awards show, Elise gets side-tracked by a tall, handsome cowboy. That night Elise makes one of the hardest decisions of her life when she walks away from her handsome cowboy. But that decision will come back full-circle four-years later. (Romance Novella from Z. Peabody Publishing)

His to Honor by Z. Peabody — Braun Hartgrove, is a retired Army Ranger and detective with the Cody, Wyoming police department and a happy bachelor. After ten-years of serving his country, Braun is happy to settle into his life in his childhood town, enjoy his bachelorhood, and enjoy some nights with his military family at his favorite place, The Caverns. While attending his future brother-in-law’s bachelor party, Braun gets an unexpected surprise, one that he will later figure out, too late is his greatest blessing. Now the bachelors’ life doesn’t seem so enjoyable. But Braun needs to wait to claim his blessing, and wait he will, because what is his, only God can take away. (Romance Novella from Z. Peabody Publishing)

Science Fiction/Time Travel:
A Gilded Age Getaway by Stephania McGee — Can one magical night of glamour in the past save their future? When Fiona Robinson imagined her life with Tyler, she dreamed of a grand adventure. Together. But after a decade of marriage, suburban seclusion, and stress from his job, she’s let the strain of being a stay-at-home mom of two toddlers squeeze all the fun out of their relationship. With pressure mounting at work and his homelife growing stale, Tyler’s fighting to recapture the joy in his marriage. But he can’t seem to do anything right, his job’s drained his energy, and his wife no longer resembles the fun-loving girl he married. Then Fiona’s mother presents them with an anniversary weekend getaway at a seaside B&B, and they hope it can rekindle their romance. But they never could have imagined their room would transport them to the Gilded Age in New York! Now, can one night at the famed Vanderbilt ball reignite their spark, or will they be stuck in a future neither of them expected? (Science Fiction/Time Travel, Independently Published)

Thriller/Suspense:
A Mountain Too Steep by Robin Patchen — A car accident that might not be an accident at all. A murderer bent on revenge. And a woman desperate to keep her family together. She’s already lost her soul mate. She’ll do anything to protect her children.For the sake of her kids, Camilla Wright managed to survive after her husband’s murder. When she’s awakened in the night with the news that her teenage son and nephew have been in a horrific car accident, she rushes to the hospital in a haze of shock and panic.The boys were supposed to be skiing in the mountains east of Salt Lake City. What were they doing so far west? More alarming, the wreck might not have been an accident at all.While Jeremy fights for his life, Camilla is running out of time to discover who lured her son and her nephew into the desert. With each new clue, the terrifying truth becomes clearer. Her husband’s killers are closing intenure threatened by the distraction. Can Scott and Ginny survive the trials that face them in their young marriage? (Thriller Suspense, Independently Published)

Thriller/Suspense/Crime:
No Child of Mine by Kelly S. Irvin — When the remains of a young girl are found near the site of a foster child’s kidnapping, two colleagues risk their lives to bring one home and find justice for the other. The day a colleague’s eight-year-old foster child is kidnapped at a wedding reception, homicide detectives Deborah Smith and Alex Luna find the bones of a little girl not far from the abduction site. Both are determined to save the boy and solve a five-year-old murder, even as Deborah struggles to hang on to her newfound sobriety while Alex works to get a foothold in her life. The two detectives travel from the seamy underside of San Antonio’s drug-dealing gang territory to the back roads of rural America where secrets fester in simple country homes. Their investigation rips off the bandage that covers the cracks in an overburdened, understaffed foster care system and reveals the painful reality that children are all too often battered, terrified victims of the people who should love them Deborah and Alex must risk everything–even their lives–to bring a little boy home safely and unmask a child’s murderer. (Thriller/Suspense/Crime from Ally Press)

Romantic Suspense:
Defending the Witness by Sharee Stover — To catch a killer…She must trust her protectors. After witnessing a murder at the hands of a notorious gang leader, Ayla DuPree is a marked woman sent straight to witness protection. But when her handler is killed and her safety compromised, she has no choice but to run—forcing US Marshal Chance Tavalla and his K-9 to chase her. Can Chance keep Ayla alive long enough to find safety and justice? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired/Harlequin)

Frozen in Jeopardy by Melanie D. Snitker — A routine stop turns deadly. When Police Officer Gabe Harrison and his K-9 partner, Loki, investigate a stranded vehicle during the fury of a winter storm, they unexpectedly uncover evidence of a drug shipment. Suddenly, gunfire erupts from the tree line, and Loki is hit. Gabe is forced to shoot the attacker before taking him into custody. With Loki in need of urgent medical care, Gabe races to the veterinarian, praying he’ll get there in time. As the storm of the century howls through Destiny, Dr. Paige Wade decides to stay at her clinic to care for any animals that need help. Her quiet night takes a turn when her longtime friend brings in a prisoner along with his beloved dog suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite all the distractions, she’ll do everything in her power to save Loki’s life. With the storm raging outside and a violent gang intent on freeing the member Gabe has captured, Gabe and Paige must race against the clock to protect the clinic–and each other–until help arrives. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Unseen Danger by Jerusha Agen — This woman and her K-9 protect others. Now who will protect them? After a brutal attack, it took Nevaeh Williams six years to rebuild her life. Now a security specialist at the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency, she faces danger nearly every day. But when an old friend is targeted, her fragile stability begins to crumble. Celebrity bodyguard Branson Aaberg could lose more than his career if he fails to end the mysterious threat against his client. Soon he’s more concerned with rescuing the tough but vulnerable woman who joins his security team. Nevaeh is there to protect her friend, but what if she needs protection? What if the feeling she’s being watched isn’t the result of her traumatized imagination? If the danger is real, Nevaeh’s only hope for survival may be the God powerful enough to defeat her worst enemy—the one she doesn’t see before it’s too late. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

Dedicated to the One I Love by Beth K. Vogt — She doesn’t believe in love anymore. He doesn’t either. (Contemporary Romance) Gypsy for God by Yvonne M. Morgan — Kathleen is a middle-aged woman who loses her job, which leaves her doubting herself and fearing the future. (General Contemporary) Love’s True Calling by Lori DeJong — Harper Townsend, has finally found her true calling … and her true love. (Contemporary Romance) New Embrace by Cindy E Huff — Can these two broken people heal into one whole love? (Contemporary Romance)
The Coyote and a One-Armed Man by B.D. Lawrence — Failure means his death and her enslavement. (Thriller/Suspense/Crime)
Three confess by Luana Ehrlich — When Silas McKay crosses paths with a killer, a man who’ll stop at nothing to achieve his objective, he has only one thing on his mind—stop the killer before he destroys his family. (Romantic Suspense)

Aivan: The One Truth by Kayla E. Green

Rune sunk to the ground in despair. Hot tears rolled down her face. How could she leave the temple with no vision? How could she face the elders? How could she admit that she had doubted the gods and was now being punished?

She had her future planned out, but, instead of coming to fruition, her dreams now crumble before her. Rune Kallio, one of the sixteen year-old protagonists of Aivan: The One Truth, has a choice to make–Will she forsake the polytheistic religion of her people and everything she’s ever known to follow the one who claims to be the only true God? Aivan promises her a life greater than she ever imagined, but her heartache makes Rune question if happiness is possible for her anymore. Further still, Rune only wants a simple life. Who is she to Aivan and his plan?

Though Rune’s brief story in the fantasy realm of The Great Continent is geared toward a young adult audience, her emotions are universal. As humans, we struggle with disappointment and finding our place in this world. We struggle with our identity as who the world wants us to be is at war with who we are as children of God. When we are called to step outside of our comfort zone we immediately become like Moses asking, Who am I?

In Exodus 3:11 (NIV) Moses asks God, “Who am I?” after he is told to go to the Pharaoh to rescue the Israelites. God tells Moses, “I am with you,” (Exodus 3:12, NIV). Similar to Moses’ walk of faith, Rune, like us all, must learn to accept the truth. Like Aivan in the fantasy novella, our God, the one true God, is always with us. We may not immediately–or ever–understand His plan; however, through Him we are whole, redeemed, and loved. And in that, we have great purpose.

As an author, my prayer is that Rune and Rolf’s journey in the fantasy story, Aivan: The One Truth, will serve as a guiding beacon to lead readers of all ages to seek truth in our reality–the truth that can only be found through our one true God. May whoever reads this prequel novella of the upcoming Chronicles of The One Truth series find parallels to our own world and may you find solace knowing that you are because God is the great “I Am.”

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Author Bio: Kayla E. Green is a school librarian, speculative fiction author, and poet living in the eastern United States with her husband and their furbabies. When she isn’t writing, reading, or taking photos for her bookstagram, she loves singing loudly and off-key to KLove Radio, napping, and pretending she’s a unicorn. Her award-winning YA fantasy novella, Aivan: The One Truth, and her inspirational poetry collection, Metamorphosis, are now available through book retailers. Kayla also has stories and poems featured in various anthologies, and she has several flash fiction stories through Havok Publishing. Connect with her online at theunicornwriter.com and on Instagram @theunicornwriter93.

All Links: https://linktr.ee/theunicornwriter93  

Website/Blog: https://theunicornwriter.com/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theunicornwriter93
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theunicornwriter
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/theunicornwritersnewsletter 

Book Blurb: Two young people from opposite sides of the Great Continent must make sense of their life.

Rune has grown up all of her life in the mountainous northern nation of Kansanai. As granddaughter of the Senior Elder, she has been a devout believer of the Vihishki gods her whole life. Yet, when a prophet challenges the Vihishki gods against his Aivan, the One Truth, everything she thought she knew is turned upside down. Will she be able to let go of the life she thought she deserved for something far greater than what she could have ever imagined?

Rolf goes through the motions of everyday life in the southern nation of Etalentin. Yet, his routine is disrupted when a voice claiming to be the one true God speaks to him. Listening to his heart, he follows Aivan, but he is thrown temptation after temptation on his journey. Will Rolf be able to resist the temptations in order to fulfill Aivan’s plan for him?

Aivan: The One Truth is a story about self-discovery, identity, and faith.

Amazon Order Link: https://amzn.to/3nFEBB5 

Editorial Reviews:

“A smoothly written religious fantasy enlivened by fiery antagonists.” -Kirkus Reviews“Like the compelling stories of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia…this story will appeal to young readers, challenging them to confront their own quest in a search for self-identity and faith.” -Readers’ Favorite (5 Star Review)

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The Greatest Sacrifice by BJ Bassett

Julie’s Note:

I’m excited to share BJ Bassett’s newest release. The Greatest Sacrifice. BJ is in the same critique group as I am and I watched this evolve from an idea to a draft to a completed manuscript. I watched BJ send out to publishers in hopes they would believe in her story. When one did, like all authors, she had to submit her “baby” knowing an editor’s job is to read with one eye on having the best story and the other eye on knowing what readers are looking for.

BJ worked super, super hard and here it is, ready for pre-order. This is wonderful women’s fiction featuring adoption, addiction, and forgiveness. Congratulations to BJ and please check out The Greatest Sacrifice.

—Julie Arduini

Stevie is a young woman trying to come to terms with giving her baby up for adoption after being raped as a teenager. She numbs her pain with alcohol and a quick marriage. Two children follow, but the marriage is abusive, leaving Stevie a weary single mother.

After years of infertility, Annie and Joe believe their lives are complete when they adopt Zoey, a beautiful, blonde, blue-eyed girl. Their perfect family unit isn’t quite as it seems when Zoey is colicky and Annie gives all her attention to their daughter. Joe, feeling neglected, is unfaithful. Annie refuses to forgive him, ending their marriage in divorce. 

Will Zoey be the catalyst to heal Stevie, Annie, and Joe’s hearts?

BIO:

B. J. Bassett is an author, teacher, and speaker. Her books include The King’s Daughters—A Women’s Devotional, a historical novel Lily, Gillian’s Heart,and Sweet Charity.She coauthored My Time with God, Focus on the Family, Heritage Builders, with over 55,000 copies sold while in print.

Her books are available on Amazon.com, including her newest release on June 20, The Greatest Sacrifice.

Magazines, devotional booklets, curriculum, and newspaper publishers include Focus on the Family, Woman’s World, The Quiet Hour, Pathways to God, Devotions, Harcourt Brace, WordAction, Gospel Publishing, and Times-Standard (newspaper).

She teaches writing workshops and is a speaker for Stonecroft Ministries. She recently moved to the picturesque Danish town of Solvang, California.

Fiction Finder: June 2023 New Releases

June 2023 New Releases

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

Contemporary Romance:

Operation Find a Guy by Amy R. Anguish — Skye Jones has one goal for the summer—keep her father from taking away her convertible. That’s the only reason she agrees to work at her sister’s bridal shop in Boulder, Colorado, while she searches for a non-boring job. Why else would she have anything to do with weddings when she has no interest in marriage?

Benjamin Smith somehow ended up as a groomsman in two weddings over the summer, so he’s spending a lot of time at Happily Ever After events. Falling for a blonde with no dreams of settling down wasn’t in his five-year plan, yet the more he sees Skye, the more he wants to figure her out.

But all she sees him as is a boring attorney−her complete opposite. Besides, romance is supposed to be for Skye’s friends, not her. And she’s in Colorado to get a job, not a guy. Right? (Contemporary Romance from Scrivening’s Press)

A Green and Vibrant Hope by Valerie Comer — Arleigh O’Neill gambles on starting her own flower farm with a tight budget on leased land…and loses when the river overflows its banks, demolishing the rented greenhouse, drowning her fields, and destroying her mobile home. She needs both a home and a job, but no one in Galena Landing seems to be hiring. Widowed farmer Mitchell Ackerman is at wit’s end with his two rambunctious sons, but his brother’s suggestion he hire Arleigh to nanny the boys is a nonstarter. He can’t afford to pay anyone, and besides, she annoys him with her hippie-flower-painted van and independent attitude. Arleigh thinks he’s arrogant. Mitchell thinks she’s frivolous. What will it take to get them to see into each other’s hearts and grasp a green and vibrant hope? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Love Like No Other by Tabitha Bouldin — Alicia Gray wants one thing: to prove her capabilities as a doctor. Maybe then she can escape the feeling that her mother’s abandonment was deserved. She’s never felt worthy and grew up in foster home after foster home, always being told that if she did better, if she was more amenable, she’d find her place. When she came to Suamalie, the last thing she expected to find was a man whose grumpy personality conflicted so piercingly with her sunshine demeanor. Colin Tremblay was dishonorably discharged from his army medic position and sent home in disgrace after his twin brother stole from his clinic. Back on the islands, he’s bounced from job to job, never finding anything that satisfies him. To make matters worse, his twin niece and nephew convince him to spend his summer overseeing their camp activities while working alongside Little Miss Sunshine herself. (Contemporary Romance from Celebrate Lit Publishing)

Love Somebody Like You by Carolyn Miller — For Lexi Franklin, returning to Trinity Lakes feels a little like running home with her tail between her legs. But what’s a girl to do, when her life has been turned upside down on the other side of the world? She needs a place to regain hope and healing – just didn’t count on meeting a cowboy whose own battered heart might need nursing back to health too. Jackson Reilly has his own set of troubles, between caring for his ranch, his mom, and the black hole of finances. So when a pretty redhead with a sassy tongue offers some distraction – and a potential solution to one of his most pressing concerns – he’s not going to say no. But as they spend time together, questions soon rise about their future, and whether faith can truly win over fears. Will Jackson be able to save his ranch, and his hopes and heart, before Lexi returns to Australia? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

And Then There was You by Nancy Naigle — Reeling after falling prey to a Romeo con-artist who just waltzed away with the better part of her belongings, Natalie Maynard works closely with the detective assigned to her case, only the few leads have led nowhere.

Detective Randy Fellowes can’t promise Natalie restitution, but he’s determined to find the culprit and serve up justice. Married to his work, he’s caught off guard when Natalie has his thoughts wandering to more than the case.

Natalie soon seeks refuge in the one thing she still owns ― an old fishing cabin in the mountains of Chestnut Ridge. She quickly falls in love with the town and the eccentric people who are teaching her so much about the area and its heritage.

Through these people, and the determination of Detective Fellowes, she rediscovers her courage, self, and a reason to risk love again. (Contemporary Romance from St. Martin’s Press)

General Historical:

To Calm a Storm by Heather Day Gilbert — For years, Kadhrin has anticipated marrying her betrothed, Vikarr, who is now second in command only to the king. As she settles into married life, she becomes increasingly convinced that her husband would make a far better ruler than his distracted cousin, and she urges him to heed advisors calling for an overthrow. Vikarr is honored to marry such a noble bride, but he hasn’t bargained for Kadhrin’s boldness. Although pleased by the growing passion between them, he struggles to understand her motivations. As rumors of an insurrection build, Vikarr is torn between the captivating woman who has laid claim to his heart, his loyalty to his king, and his growing desire to seize the kingship so he can unify his country against looming threats. Caught up in a web of political intrigue and personal betrayal, Kadhrin and Vikarr must choose not only which war to wage, but also which side to stand on, even if it means sacrificing everything they hold dear. (General Historical, Independently Published)

Historical Romance:

Beneath a Peaceful Moon by Debby Lee — Mary Wishram, an orphaned Yakima tribal member, aches for her brother who suffers in a POW camp in the Philippine Islands. Her Japanese friends languish in a relocation center. Determined to end the war by any means necessary, she employs her language skills to become a spy. She leaves Camp Pendleton for the South Pacific and faces escalating threats of peril to help bring her loved ones home. John Painted Horse, a proud Navajo, struggles with the loss of his father who died in WWI for a country that didn’t consider him a United States citizen. Though his home state doesn’t offer him the right to vote, he joins the Code Talker program at Camp Pendleton. Thrust into mounting danger in the South Pacific, he hopes to bring long overdue recognition and honor to his people, no matter the cost. Will these two wounded souls find healing from their past traumas and a deeper relationship with God, before it’s too late? Or will they lose their chance at love, and everything they hold dear? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Love Most Certain by Penny Zeller — Can newfound love heal a broken heart? Genevieve Amsel is recovering from a canceled engagement when her dear friend, Tillie, invites her to move to Ellis Creek for a fresh start. While she settles into life in the friendly Montana town, one thing is for certain: Genevieve will never fall in love again, no matter what marriage prospects come her way. Becoming the new postmaster in Ellis Creek is not for the faint of heart. Attempting to do his best to replace the popular Mr. Norman who recently retired, Oliver Bessell relocates from Bozeman and attempts to win the hearts of Ellis Creek residents, especially one in particular. Can he prove to Genevieve he’s nothing like the man who broke her heart? Soon Oliver makes it his mission to encourage and brighten Genevieve’s day by leaving her notes at the breakfast table at the boarding house where they both reside. And when a mysterious letter arrives at the post office, will the solving of the puzzle draw him and Genevieve closer? (Historical Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)

Mystery:

Backstory by Susan Page Davis — A hurricane lashes the Novel Inn, forcing guests to remain when they’d hoped to leave. Add an elderly neighbor, Kate’s ex-fiancé, and a clandestine thief. When a guest is found dead in the Hercule Poirot Room, it’s time for the Gage siblings and the local police to go into action. (Mystery from Scrivenings Press)

Romantic Suspense:

Blue Ridge Mountain Escape by Loretta Eidson — The firefighter rescued her once…But can they outrun the dangers?
A peaceful vacation is what Haley Gordon needs to put her troubles behind her. Instead, she finds herself fighting for her life against a raging forest fire. Forest Service firefighter Kendall Simpson vows to protect Haley—although he has questions about her story. But with the firestorm out of control and news of escaped convicts on the mountain, can Haley and Kendall trust each other enough to survive? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired/Harlequin)

Hold for Release by Heidi Glick — Carlotta Hartman’s life is falling apart. Although Carlotta desperately wants a child, her journalist husband just wishes their marriage would go back to the way things used to be before infertility treatments took over their schedule. While volunteering at an animal shelter to fill the void, Carlotta stumbles upon dead animals and a human body. Days later, Jake confesses to an affair with a co-worker. Hurt and confused, Carlotta moves in with her sister. And then things go from bad to perilous. As Jake receives counsel from a pastor, he pledges to woo Carlotta again and piece together their shattered marriage. But as Carlotta rushes out of Jake’ s arms, she runs straight into danger. Like the articles Jake writes and holds for release, a psychopath, bent on revenge, vows to hang onto Carlotta until the time is right. In the end, a secret from the past threatens to kill all hopes of a happy future. (Romantic Suspense from HarborLight Books/Pelican)

Western Romance:

The Laws of Attraction by Mary Connealy If widowed town seamstress Nell Armstrong has to make one more pair of boring chaps for the cowboys in her tiny Wyoming town, she might lose her mind. So meeting Brand Nolte, a widower father struggling to raise three girls, seems like her dream come true. Brand has no idea how to dress the girls, and Nell finally has a chance to both create beautiful dresses and teach the girls to sew. But Nell is much more than a seamstress, and the unique legal and investigative skills and knowledge she picked up alongside her late lawman husband soon become critical when a wounded stagecoach-robbery survivor is brought to town. As danger closes in from all sides, Nell and Brand must discover why there seems to be a bull’s-eye on their backs. (Western Romance from Bethany House/Baker)

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

A Musician’s Heart by Sandra Ardoin, How will two people with opposing visions for their futures find common ground? (Contemporary Romance)

Ben: Ben Mitchell/Titus Ray Mysteries, Books 1-3 by Luana Ehrlich, Is Ben really in love with the daughter of a Turkish dissident? (Thriller/Suspense/Romantic) Finding Her Frontier Home by Louise M. Gouge, A ranch out West could be the home she’s longed for. (Historical Romance) The Keys to Gramercy Park by Candice Sue Patterson, His life and new home in Gramercy Park are the envy of his peers, but nothing is as it seems. (Historical Romance)

Where Promises Remain by Heidi Chiavaroli, Hannah Martin thought she was about to have an empty nest . . . until the illegitimate daughter of her late husband shows up on her doorstep. (Contemporary/Women’s Fiction)

Every Hidden Thing by Valerie Massey Goree

Every Hidden Thing by Valerie Massey Goree

Reading for pleasure came late into my young life. It wasn’t until my teens that I discovered the joy of reading. Nancy Drew books hooked me first, and later, I read numerous Regency Romances. The heroines were always petite and blonde, and the heroes – usually much older – were tall, dark, and handsome. Blonde heroines suited me fine at the time because I was born with white-blonde hair which didn’t darken until my early 20s.

Many years later when I began writing fiction, I based my characters’ outside appearances on people I associated with, lived beside, worked with. Some of my heroines are blonde and some of my heroes are tall, dark, and handsome. But I’ve made a conscious effort to create characters who don’t follow the Regency Romance criteria and who might live in the area where the story is located.  

During the planning stages of writing Every Hidden Thing, I knew I wanted Jo, my heroine, to be different. Not just to create a character who didn’t fit the model, but because her outward appearance affected her personality, and thus created friction between her and her mother. This angst forms a major plot thread.

Jo is nearly six feet tall, redheaded, freckled, and not movie-star beautiful. For the most part, she has come to terms with her outward appearance, but she has to tolerate her mother’s constant criticism and comparison to her older, “perfect” sister. Jo makes a comment that “she was a child of God, unique in many ways,” and decides not to change to appease her mother.

Being a unique child of God is one of the takeaways in the story.

Few of us female readers are petite blondes, or fall in love with a tall, dark, handsome guy, but whatever our physically appearances, we are children of God, cherished by the Father who made us. Wouldn’t the world be a boring place if we all looked alike?

I was still writing this novel when I moved to a new apartment. My neighbor is interested in my day-to-day life working on my next book and she’s curious about my characters. As I state in the Dear Reader letter at the back of the book, my neighbor, now in her eighties, silver-haired, and stooped, was a redhead most of her life and close to six feet tall. When I described my heroine to her, she was tickled that someone actual wrote about a woman who resembled her.

Author Dorothy Parker added her own spin to a popular idiom. “Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone.” How true. We can spend thousands of dollars trying to change our outward characteristics, but if our thoughts and actions are “ugly”, we’ve wasted our time. Jo reaches this same conclusion—we might not be in control of what we look like on the outside, but we can definitely change our inner attributes.

In conjunction with accepting herself, Jo has to learn how to forgive her mother. Flynn, my not-so-tall or dark hero, has his own issues to overcome, but he helps Jo in her quest. Forgiveness might be one of the hardest acts we have to accomplish in the real life Christian walk.

Back Cover Blurb:

While documenting needed repairs on a mansion, Jo makes a discovery that endangers her life. To complicate her plight, she uncovers a secret that could rip her family apart. Flynn, a co-worker, strives to keep her safe, however, a relationship from his past comes crashing back into his life and interferes in his efforts.

Jo and Flynn are both scarred—one emotionally, one physically. As they work together and learn to trust each other, they find their perilous circumstances are intertwined, and culminate when a young man’s life is threatened.

Will they unravel the strands of intrigue in time to rescue the victim? Can they overcome their fear of commitment and foster their growing attraction for each other?

Bio:

American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award winner Valerie Massey Goree resides in the beautiful Texas Hill Country northwest of San Antonio.

After serving as missionaries in her home country of Zimbabwe and raising two children, Valerie and her husband, Glenn, a native Texan, moved to Texas. She worked in the public school system for many years, focusing on students with special needs. Now retired, Valerie spends her time writing, traveling, spoiling her grandchildren, and learning to live as a widow.

Valerie loves to hear from her readers.

Check Valerie’s website to learn more about her romantic suspense novels and Glenn’s non-fiction books: www.valeriegoreeauthor.com

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