Fiction Friday: New Releases in Christian Fiction

February 2025 New ReleasesMore in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website

Contemporary Romance:

Small Town Harmony by Milla Holt -- Faith, fame, and family collide as a Christian music power couple hides a secret discord. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Only You Can Love Me by Carolyn Miller -- Dr. Jess Martin--Doc Martin to her local community--might be used to solving the veterinary problems of rural south east Washington, but she can't solve the problems of her lonely heart. Cooper Reilly never pictured himself as finding his future or contentment on a ranch. But when a corporate reshuffle sees him kicked to the curb, he finds himself right back where he started. And right back to trying to convince a certain pretty vet to give him a second chance. But she's not playing, convinced she's found her Dream Match already. Can these two friends look past previous mistakes and find a future? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon -- If the covers of every romance book ever published didn't convince librarian Evangeline Kelly that she isn't heroine material, her fiancé calling off their wedding when she lost her hair to alopecia did. But what's a girl head over heels for love to do when her feelings are unrequited? Matchmake, that's what. Armed with library patrons' check-out histories, she's determined to make at least one love connection--even if it's not her own. (Contemporary Romance from Bethany House Publishers)

Winning the Twin’s Heart by Rebecca Reed -- College rodeo roper Yoani Alliegro can’t stop looking over her shoulder despite, or maybe because of, her recent success. She longs for family––the one she lost, and the one she hopes to have. When rejection shatters Yoani’s sense of belonging and sends her running in search of truth, will it lead to the family she’s dreamed of and freedom from her past, or will she discover she’s left all that in Montana? Bull rider Chantz Nannenga is caught between following his dream of teaching and upholding tradition by managing the family ranch. Should he settle for less than his dream or push forward when conquering his regrets could prevent him from winning Yoani’s heart? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Where I Found You by Betsy St Amant -- Will the treasure hunt lead them to find a prize worth more than gold, or will the longstanding family feud continue for yet another generation?⁠ (Contemporary Romance from Sunrise Publishing)

The Nature of Love by Toni Shiloh -- Dr. Erykah Kennedy, a renowned orthopedic surgeon, finds herself at a crossroads in life. At forty, she’s achieved remarkable success in her career, yet when it comes to her love life, she is feeling fractured. But when she meets Christian Gamble, a passionate wildlife conservationist, an unexpected bond forms between them despite their contrasting worlds. Despite his passion for saving the planet, Chris has yet to find someone to share his adventures with. But as his friendship with Erykah begins to blossom, he finds himself falling for her in every way. When tragedy strikes and Erykah suddenly becomes guardian to her nieces, Chris helps her pick up the pieces. With their lives turned upside down, finding their way to a lasting love while putting their faith in God may be the biggest challenge they’ve ever faced. (Contemporary Romance from Bethany House [Baker Publishing Group])

Uneasy Street by Becky Wade -- A wealthy, cynical CEO who has everything except love. An etiquette expert set on helping her niece solve the mystery of her birth. Equally matched in a battle of wills with their hearts on the line, they’ll have no choice but to confront their history – and the undeniable spark between them – while living side by side on uneasy street. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Contemporary Romance Novella:

Pets Amore by Amy R Anguish, and Linda Fulkerson, and Heather Greery and Beth E Westcott -- Four romantic comedy novellas with a bit of matchmaking help from the pets. (Contemporary Romance Novella from Scrivenings Press)

Contemporary Women’s Fiction:

The Promise by Pat Nicols -- For Erica, Wendy, And Amanda, there are old wounds, and new challenges. Will they have the courage to face them all? (General Contemporary from Armchair Press)

Biblical Historical:

Dawn of Grace, Mary Magdalene’s Story by Jill Eileen Smith -- Bound to the demons within her and incapable of freeing herself, Mary Magdalene walks in shadow--until one day she encounters a healer, a rabbi who is radically different from the religious leaders and family members who could do nothing to help her. One touch from Jesus and Mary is never the same. Now Mary's one mission in life is to serve the one who freed her. She is determined never to leave his side, fearing that if she loses him, she'll return to her former bondage. Even when the unthinkable happens and her savior is arrested and sentenced to execution, she cannot abandon him as so many others did. On the brink of despair, Mary is about to discover that while the life of faith is never perfect, perfect love casts out fear--and Jesus makes all things new. (Biblical from Revell)

Historical Romance:

Heart of Beauty by Danielle Grandinetti -- Discover the origin of Crooked Tooth Ranch in this 1870s western retelling of Beauty and the Beast. (Historical Romance from Hearth Spot Press)

Tides of Healing by Sandra Merville Hart -- A Southern belle fights to reclaim her home, but will her spying destroy the Union officer she never meant to love? (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Mail-Order Hotelier by Edwina Kiernan -- California, 1860. A disillusioned woman must gain a mail-order husband or lose her beloved hotel. (Historical Romance from Moliant Publishing)

Snow and the Seven Brothers’ Circus by Megan Miles -- Upon her twenty-first birthday, Catherine Penner is set to inherit her late parents' vast estate and thriving coal mines, if she can make it to her birthday. An undiagnosed wasting disease threatens to steal her life, leaving her parents' legacy in the hands of her cold guardian. As Catherine wrestles with the hopeless meaning of her short life and her fragile health, it becomes clear that something sinister is playing with her future. Will she find enough hope to push through to a promising future? Or will her life fade away like her beautiful memories? (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Redeeming Rupert by Susan Pope Sloan -- Hannah and Rupert must navigate the challenges of a marriage of convenience and learn to fight for each other as they protect their family legacies. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin -- Desperate to escape the occupied Netherlands in 1941, Cilla van der Zee agrees to become a spy in Britain. But her plans to betray the Germans and work for the Allied cause are derailed when a suspicious Royal Navy officer finds her on the shores of his Scottish home. (Historical Romance from Revell)

The Bandit’s Redemption by KyLee Woodley -- A holdup gone wrong, a reluctant outlaw, and the captive she’s sworn to guard. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Crime Mystery:

Chilled to the Bone: A Jake Sledge Mystery by BD Lawrence -- A prominent attorney is found murdered outside his River City office. Jake Sledge and his partner, Bobo Johnson, are drawn into a case that quickly spirals out of control. They uncover chilling connections to frozen evidence, shadowy underworld figures, notorious neo-Nazis, and a dangerous game involving the high-stakes casino industry. The lawyer’s death is only the beginning. (Crime Mystery, Independently Published)

Western Romance:

Whispers of Fortune by Mary Connealy -- In 1875 California, Brody MacKenzie arrives at Two Hearts Ranch on a mission to find his runaway brothers, worried they may have fallen into harm. Instead, he finds them thriving at the ranch's school and orphanage under the care of Ellie Hart, a woman with a heart as resilient as the land she calls home. When the boys show him a mysterious journal that has been guiding their travels and may hold the key to a lost treasure, Brody and Ellie are captivated by the possibility of a thrilling adventure. With winter approaching, Brody and Ellie race against time to decipher cryptic clues and unearth the hidden fortune. (Western Romance from Bethany House [Baker Publishing Group])

Speculative Fiction/Allegory:

Whispers and Flame by Demi Griffin -- A new generation haunted by their parents' legacy must find a way to save their world. A new generation was poised for leadership in Everlasting. Secrets kept by their parents hindered what should have been a seamless transition. When Everlasting faces destruction through a massive flood, the newly chosen Sentinels must decide how to respond. Would they transition into their destined roles or adapt to present circumstances? When the king of the water domain becomes a threat of epic proportions would the next generation be equipped to defend the foundations of Everlasting? (Speculative Fiction, Independently Published)

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

A Hundred Magical Reasons by Laura DeNooyer -- This split-time novel (early 1900s and 1980) is a whimsical and poignant story rooted in a girl’s childhood friendship with The Wizard of Oz Author, L. Frank Baum, and his influence across four generations. (Literary Historical)

For No Apparent Reason by SK Derban -- A calloused murder, a chance discovery – two unplanned events become the catalyst that proves: “in all things, God works for good…” (Legal Mystery)

Bronze and Brokenness-Midianites by Christine Dillon -- Reuel rejected all the gods, and Jael followed his lead. But is what she has all she’ll ever have? Why does her sister, Zura, find such hope in the God of Israel, even though she remains blind? All are broken, but can they, like bronze, be recast? (Biblical Historical)

The Seed’s Price by Erin Greneaux -- A special seed might help Everly find her lost cat, but is she willing to pay the price? (Children’s/Middle-grade)

Uncovering the Truth by Carol J Post -- When Alyssa Anderson stumbles upon her ex-boyfriend’s illegal art theft operation, she goes on the run—and narrowly escapes a drive-by shooting. With the help of her high school sweetheart, Spencer Cavanaugh, and his service dog, Apollo, Alyssa tries to stay one step ahead of her ex who will do anything to find her. (Romantic Suspense)

Mara: The Unseen Battle by Blossom Turner -- Mara holds a secret she must bury...if she wants to survive. A story of faith and the power of the unseen.. (Supernatural Suspense)

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Sherri Stewart!

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Sherri Stewart!

I'm thrilled to welcome Sherri Stewart back to my blog. Listen in and learn more about Sherri's writing journey and her latest release.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

The first time I ever thought of writing a book was when an idea came to me while sitting in a hotel room in Phoenix waiting for my husband to finish with the trainers conference he was attending. I quickly typed a few paragraphs of a story line on my laptop and saved it into a file.

A few weeks later, I was talking to a student in a journalism class I taught, and I told her about my idea. She scoffed, “That book’s already been written.” Deflated, I put the idea of the book aside until three years later, when my husband lost his job and with it his health. I’d been volunteering at a law firm as a new attorney at the time, and ideas about cases I was working on reignited my desire to write a book about them. That led to my first book, and thirteen years later I’m writing my 24th.

How did you learn how to write?

I always hated writing when I was a kid. I was the ninth grader who spent more time counting my words to reach the minimum number required, rather than trying to write an original story. But I loved teaching English—I was one of those strange people who adored diagramming sentences. Looking back, it was law school that turned me around. Having to write hundreds of timed essays engendered in me the confidence to be creative. After writing my first book, I joined Word Weavers, a Christian writers organization. Through editing other writers’ works, I learned the conventions of fiction that weren’t taught in my high school or college.

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

My favorite thing about writing is research. I love to visit the towns in my books, sample their food,

walk their streets, and listen to their sounds. For Secrets Dark and Deep, I visited Zürich, stayed at the same hotel my main male character stayed at, enjoyed fondue and Swiss chocolates, and visited the opera. Last spring, for my most recent novella called An Uncommon Gift, I took a transatlantic cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona, trying to imagine what it was like for a young woman to travel by ship back in 1910. Even when I can’t travel to my books’ locales, YouTube is a viable source of information.

Which of your books is your favorite?

My favorite book is A Song for Her Enemies, which I wrote in 2021. My hero has always been Corrie ten Boom, who hid Jews in her bedroom closet during the Holocaust. I wrote a fictional version of Corrie’s story from the point of view of one of the Jewish women who hid in her house. For the book, I traveled to Haarlem in the Netherlands, and even visited the concentration camp where Corrie was taken. Though loosely based on her story, my book took on a life of its own, and God gave me a sign that I was to write the book. I published the second book in the series in 2023—What Hides behind the Walls, and I’m writing the third and last book in the series at the present time—In the Presence of Her Enemies.

Can you share a real life event that inspired your writing?

In my book, Secrets Dark and Deep, Maddie has a secret she’s buried so deep she can’t remember it. Then a note appears on her desk at the news station from an anonymous person who calls himself Absalom. He warns her that he knows her secret and vows to exact revenge. Thus follows a race to discover her secret before he finds her. I also have a secret that I’ve blocked—something that happened in eleventh grade, but I have no desire to find out what it is.

What was the best money you spent as a writer?

Travel. I’ve always loved to visit new places. In my twenties I was a flight attendant, and I wrote the book, Très Chic, a fictional account of my own experiences. After my husband died five years ago, traveling helped me grieve. Since then my son and I have been to Paris, Amsterdam, Zürich, Maine, Texas, Rhode Island, Boston, and most recently Spain and Portugal. Everyone of those places have provided the settings for my books. How do I afford it with the meager royalties I make? I run an editing business, which keeps me busy.

How do you improve your writing?

It’s hard to believe but grammar changes often. I keep up-to-date by checking with the Chicago Manual of Style for my editing business. I also attend writers conferences and am part of an online writers group that meets once a month. You’d think that an editor could edit her own work. Not in the least. We writers are too close to our own work to see our mistakes. When I edit my books, my eyes autocorrect my mistakes, so I don’t see them. It takes other writers to hone my skills.

How does God inform your writing?

I am a pantser, which means I write by the seat of my pants. I don’t have an outline from which to write each day although I have a general idea how the book is going to end. I write 500 words a day six days a week, and I depend on God to lead my writing. I’m always amazed on where He takes me. Things I never thought about take shape before my eyes. My characters are believers but flawed, and the obstacles they encounter drive them to God again and again. Most of my readers are also believers, but many aren’t, and I hope they’re inspired to seek a relationship with Jesus Christ.

About Secrets Dark and Deep

TV anchor, Maddie Caldecott, has a secret so deeply buried within that she doesn’t remember it. But the man called Absalom knows her secret, and his threats to exact his revenge are becoming more and more intrusive. As an investigative reporter, Maddie can dig out the truth of any story, but she can’t unearth the secret she’s blocked until it’s too late. Police Detective, Brody Messner, is at his wits end. How can he protect Maddie if she resists his every suggestion? His need to protect her has become personal. From Orlando to Zürich, he follows her, trying to stay one step ahead of her assailant—all of his notes to her, and the song. 

Purchase link: https://bit.ly/3OYSFjM

About Sherri:

Sherri Stewart is a woman of faith who loves all things foreign—whether it’s food, culture, or language. A former French teacher, her passion is traveling to the settings of her books, sampling the food, and visiting the sites. She savored boterkoeken in Amsterdam for A Song for Her Enemies, and crème brûlée in Paris for its sequel, What Hides beyond the Walls, and raclette in Zürich for Secrets Dark and Deep. A widow, Sherri lives in the Orlando area with her dog, Lily, and her son, Joshua, who always has to fix her computer. As an author, editor, blogger, speaker, and Bible teacher, she hopes her books will entertain and challenge readers to live large and connect with their Savior. Join, chat, and share with her on social media. http://www.stewartwriting.com/blog

Photo Credits:

Fondue: Pixabay/Annette

Arc de Triomphe: Pixabay/Lagrange