Time to Travel!

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday is all about books that make it possible for me to travel even while I’m stuck here at home bouncing between work and school and all my other responsibilities. What I mean is, today is all about books set outside the US, which are some of my favorite books to read because they help me to see all the places I long to visit. Since right now travelling that far isn’t really an option, I love books that help me to travel while keeping my feet firmly planted on American soil. Someday soon, though, I will get a chance to travel to all kinds of wonderful places. But for now, I’ll keep reading wonderful books like the ones on this list! Oh, and don’t forget, if you want to see my full reviews of any of these books, click on the colored titles in my descriptions!

The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder by Rachel McMillan

The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder is the first book in Rachel’s Herringford and Watts Mystery series, and is set in Canada.

Beneath the façade of a wealthy aristocrat may beat the black heart of a killer…

In 1910 Toronto, most girls are perfecting their domestic sills and finding husbands.

But Merinda Herringford and Jem Watts have never been ordinary. As the two detectives launch their business, the deaths of two young Irish women lead them deep into the mire of the city’s underbelly.

While searching for answers, donning disguises, and sneaking around where no proper ladies would ever go, they pair with Jasper Forth, a police constable, and Ray DeLuca, a reporter in whom Jem takes a more than professional interest. Merinda could well become Toronto’s premiere consulting detective, and Jem may just find a way to put her bachelor girlhood behind her forever—if they can stay alive long enough to do so.

The Centurion’s Wife by Janette Oke

The Centurion’s Wife is the first book in Janette’s Acts of Faith series, and is set in Palestine.

A sweeping saga of the dramatic events surrounding the birth of Christianity—and the very personal story of Leah, compelled into a betrothal she never wanted, drawn by a faith she never expected…

When her family’s wealth and power are lost forever, Leah is sent to Pontius Pilate in hopes that he might arrange a strategic marriage. But despite her betrothed’s striking countenance and position, Lead deems life as a centurion’s wife a fate far worse than death.

Head of the garrison near Galilee, Alban has ambitions that could one day see him at the seat of power—in Rome itself. Eager to prove himself, he takes on the assignment of a lifetime, one that will put his career, his beliefs, and his very life at risk.

But when the death—and missing body—of an obscure rabbi compel Leah and Alban to search for answers, what they discover changes everything.

Child of the Mist by Kathleen Morgan

Child of the Mist is the first book in Kathleen’s These Highland Hills series, and is set in Scotland.

In the harsh Scottish highlands of 1564, superstitions threaten a truce…a traitor plans his attack…and a new love is born.

An arranged betrothal was never the course Anne MacGregor imagined her life would take. Yet when her father explains that her cooperation is the only way to bring about the long-sought truce between feuding families, Anne has no other choice.

A simple ceremony pledging Anne’s hand in marriage after one year of commitment is the only seal to the promise of peace. But when the arrangement requires the reluctant Anne to follow Niall Campbell back to his home, she soon discovers that peace is not so easily achieved. Before they even arrive, rumors about her abound, and her safety is threatened. Meanwhile, Niall’s ascension as leader of his clan is in jeopardy, as a traitor works to bring about his downfall.

As Niall and Anne begin to see beyond each other’s defenses, love takes them by surprise. But will it be enough to defeat their foes? Or will the truce be broken, their lives forfeit, and war return to their beloved land?

The Crimson Cord by Jill Eileen Smith

The Crimson Cord is the first book in Jill’s Daughters of the Promised Land series, and is set in Jericho.

Wife to a gambler who took one too many risks, Rahab finds herself sold as a slave to cover her husband’s debt. Forced into prostitution, she despairs of ever regaining her freedom and her self-respect. But when Israelite spies enter Jericho and come to lodge at her house, Rahab sees a glimmer of hope and the opportunity of a lifetime.

In one risky moment, she takes a leap of faith, puts her trust in a God she does not know, and vows to protect the spies from the authorities. When the armies of Israel arrive weeks later, Rahab hopes they will keep their promise, but she has no idea what kind of challenges await her outside Jericho’s walls—or if she will ever know the meaning of love.

Finally and Forever by Robin Jones Gunn

Finally and Forever is the fourth book in Robin’s Katie Weldon series, coming after Peculiar Attractions, On a Whim, and Coming Attractions, and is set in Africa.

What was she thinking?

Katie Weldon wonders if she was crazy to spontaneously fly off to Africa on a mission trip. Suddenly she is dealing with a new culture, a world she’s never experienced—and Eli, a friend who is quickly becoming much more. It’s all overwhelming…and exciting. As her life turns topsy-turvy, however, she begins to think this might be exactly what she needs. Here, God might give her a glimpse into His will for her life.

But just as Kenya and its people find a place in her heart, and her relationship with Eli begins to get serious, Katie is faced with unanswered questions from her past and unresolved issues with Eli. Is she really headed down the same path into the future he is? It doesn’t look like it. Why can’t she finally and forever settle into a set direction? Living in this new and captivating place, one thing she knows for sure: anything might be possible.

For Such a Time by Kate Breslin

For Such a Time is Kate’s debut novel, and is set in Czechoslovakia.

In 1944, Hadassah Benjamin feels abandoned by God when she is saved from a firing squad only to be handed over to a new enemy. Pressed into service by SS Kommandant Colonel Aric von Schmidt at the transit camp of Theresienstadt in Czechoslovakia, she is able to hide behind the false identity of Stella Muller. However, to maintain her cover as von Schmidt’s secretary, she is forced to stand by as her own people are sent to Auschwitz.

Suspecting her employer is a man of hidden depths, Stella appeals to him on behalf of those in the camp. Aric’s indulgence gives her hope even as she risks discovery with every attempt to help the prisoners. When her bravery brings her to the point of ultimate sacrifice, she faces an excruciating choice. God may have brought her to the camp for such a time as this, but how can she save her people when she cannot save herself?

Healer of Carthage by Lynne Gentry

Healer of Carthage is the first book in Lynne’s Carthage Chronicles series, and is set in—you probably guessed it—Carthage.

A twenty-first-century doctor. A third-century plague. A love out of time.

First-year resident Dr. Lisbeth Hastings is too busy to take her father’s bizarre summons seriously. But when a tragic mistake puts her career in jeopardy, answering her father’s call seems her only hope of redeeming the devastating failure that her life has become.

While exploring the haunting cave at her father’s archaeological dig, Lisbeth falls through a hidden hole, awakening to find herself the object of a slave auction and the ruins of Roman Carthage inexplicably restored to a thriving metropolis. Is it possible that she’s traveled back in time, and, if so, how can she find her way back home?

Cyprian Thascius believes God called him to rescue the mysterious woman from the slave trader’s cell. What he doesn’t understand is why saving the church of his newfound faith requires him to love a woman whose peculiar ways could get him killed. But who is he to question God?

As their different worlds collide, it sparks an intense attraction that unites Lisbeth and Cyprian in a battle against a deadly epidemic. Even as they confront persecution, uncover buried secrets, and ignite the beginnings of a medical revolution, Roman wrath threatens to separate them forever. Can they find their way to each other through all these obstacles? Or are the eighteen hundred years between them too far of a leap?

Hurricanes in Paradise by Denise Hildreth Jones

Hurricanes in Paradise is one of Denise’s stand-alone novels, and is set in the Bahamas.

From the moment Riley Sinclair stepped onto Paradise Island, Bahamas, and into her new job as director of guest relations at a five-star resort, she felt the pieces of her once-broken life finally coming together. But the waters become choppy when Riley discovers that some who come to the Atlantis hotel arrive with more than just suitcases and suntan lotion in tow—they’re accompanied by their lurking demons, paralyzing secrets, and overwhelming fears.

Riley and three women guests are in desperate but unknowing need of each other, eventually forging unlikely yet powerful friendships. With a hurricane headed straight for the island, together they embark on a journey of laughter and lunacy, heartache and healing.

The Painter’s Daughter by Julie Klassen

The Painter’s Daughter is Julie’s most recent stand-alone novel, and is set in England.

Sophie Dupont assists her father in his studio, keeping her own artwork out of sight. In private, she paints the picturesque north Devon coast, popular with artists—including handsome Wesley Overtree, who seems more interested in Sophie than the landscape.

Captain Stephen Overtree is accustomed to taking on his brother Wesley’s responsibilities. Near the end of his leave, he is sent to find his brother and bring him home. Upon reaching Devonshire, however, Stephen is stunned to learn Wesley has sailed for Italy and left his host’s daughter in serious trouble.

Stephen feels duty-bound to act, and strangely protective of the young lady, who somehow seems familiar. Wanting to make some recompense for his own past failings as well as his brother’s, Stephen proposes to Miss Dupont. He does not offer love, but marriage “in name only” to save her from scandal. If he dies in battle, as he fears, she will at least be a respectable widow.

Desperate for a way to escape her predicament, Sophie finds herself torn between her first love and this brooding man she barely knows. Dare she wait for Wesley to return? Or should she elope with the captain and pray she doesn’t come to regret it?

There You’ll Find Me- Jenny B. Jones

There You’ll Find Me is one of Jenny’s stand-alone novels, and is set in Ireland.

Grief brought Finley to Ireland. Love will lead her home.

Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She’s witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.

She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will’s travel journal. It’s the place he felt closest to God, and she’s hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.

Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She’s the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.

Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up or her in this emerald paradise?

Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she’s been looking for has been looking for has been with her all along?

Those are my top ten books set outside the US! What about you? What are some of your favorite books that are set in a different country?

Happy Tuesday and happy reading!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly linkup hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

To see where I’m linking up, check out my Where I Party page.

All credit for the italicized synopses goes to each author and their respective publishers.