Must-Have September Releases + A Linkup

I can’t believe it’s already almost September! I have to say though, I’m really kind of glad, because there are so many fantastic books coming out in the next month! I have a handful of these on my absolutely-have-to-preorder list, because I just have to read them as soon as possible! So, what are these fantastic books, you ask? Just read on to find out! Oh, and as always, just click on the coral colored titles to see my full reviews of any of the previous books in the series!

A Lesson in Love and Murder

From political danger to personal drama, life is about to get explosive…

The legacy of literary icon Sherlock Holmes is alive and well in 1912 Canada, where best friends Merinda Herringford and Jem Watts continue to develop their skills as consulting detectives.

The city of Toronto has been thrown into upheaval by the arrival of radical anarchist Emma Goldman. Amid this political chaos, Benny Citrone of the Royal North-West Mounted Police arrives at Merinda and Jem’s flat, requesting assistance in locating his runaway cousin—a man with a deadly talent.

While Merinda eagerly accepts the case, she finds herself constantly butting heads—and hearts—with Benny. Meanwhile, Jem has her hands full with a husband who is determined to keep her out of harm’s way.

As Merinda and Jem close in on the danger they’ve tracked from Toronto to Chicago, they uncover a sinister plot to assassinate presidential candidate Theodore Roosevelt. Will they be able to save the day and resolve the troubles threatening their future happiness before it’s too late?

A Lesson in Love and Murder is the second book in Rachel McMillan’s Herringford and Watts Mysteries series, coming after The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder. I enjoyed the first book quite a bit, so I’m excited to see what this new mystery holds!

Sarah’s Orphans

These orphans may be on their own…but God hasn’t abandoned them.

Sarah Yoder belongs to a Plain community in Oklahoma, but her days are far from simple. Her father suffers from bipolar disorder—until a tragic accident ends his life and the abuse he inflicted. Instead of stepping up to provide a better future, Sarah’s mother packs her bags and leaves her six children behind.

Alone with her younger siblings, Sarah is exhausted by finally at peace. Then she nearly runs over a small Hispanic boy with her buggy…and somehow finds herself sheltering two more orphans.

Paul Byler moved to Cody’s Creek to help his brother in a time of need. But now that Joseph has recovered from his heart attack, Paul’s ready for a quiet place of his own. The only problem? His new property lands him next door to the orphaned Yoder family—and a calling from God he can’t seem to ignore.

Sarah’s Orphans is the third book in Vannetta Chapman’s Plain and Simple Miracles series, coming after Anna’s Healing and Joshua’s Misson. I haven’t gotten the chance to read either of the previous novels, but I have read some of Vannetta’s other books, and I really enjoyed them, so I still highly recommend this novel and can’t wait to read it myself!

Sewn with Joy

Sometimes dreams come together one piece at a time.

Joy Miller wanted nothing more than to be a wife and mother—especially now that her relationship with Matthew Slagel, the bishop’s son, was deepening. But when a television crew rolls into Pinecraft, Florida, to film a new show about the Amish, tension threatens to rip apart their relationship…and the entire Amish community.

Joy is initially hired to sew costumes for the show, but she soon finds herself becoming increasingly involved in the production—a fact that upsets Matthew and his father. Yet the more Joy befriends the Englischer production crew, the more she senses God working in their lives through her. Can she turn her back on this opportunity to share God’s love? Will she and Matthew somehow be able to stitch together their dreams for the future?

Sewn with Joy is the third book in Tricia Goyer and Sherry Gore’s Pinecraft Pie Shop series, coming after Made with Love and Planted with Hope. I was only able to read the first book, but it was such a cute little story, so I’m excited to read more in this series!

Just a Kiss

Riley Callahan’s plans to reveal his secret feelings for his best friend are ruined when his life is drastically altered in Afghanistan.

Watching the love of his life falling for his brother was enough to send Riley straight to boot camp. But over a year later, he’s officially a marine, and Beau and Paige are no longer an item. When Riley’s tour in Afghanistan is up, he intends to confess his feelings to Paige and win his best friend’s heart once and for all.

But all that changes when an IED takes the life of a comrade and leaves Riley an amputee. Now he’s heading home, injured and troubled. His plans to win Paige are a distant dream. She deserves so much more than the man that’s left. All he can do now is put some healthy distance between them. But upon his return he discovers his family has arranged for him to stay with Paige.

Paige is a nurturer at heart and happy to take care of her best buddy. By all appearances he’s adjusting miraculously well to his disability. But as the days pass, Paige begins to see that the smiles and laughter are just a mask for the pain he’s hiding. He has nightmares and mood swings, and his unwavering independence keeps him from accepting help from anyone, including her. To make matters worse, her job is in serious jeopardy. The animal shelter that she’s poured her heart into has lost its funding, and she has three months to come up with the money needed to save it.

As the weeks wear on with the two in such close proximity, Paige’s feelings for Riley begin to shift into unchartered territory. Why is she suddenly noticing his corded arm muscles and the way his lips curl at the corners? Will she be able to deny her feelings for another Callahan brother? And will Riley let his heart heal so he can let Paige in?

Just a Kiss is the third book in Denise Hunter’s Summer Harbor series, coming after Falling Like Snowflakes and The Goodbye Bride. I am a HUGE fan of Denise’s writing, and own both of the previous novels in this series because I knew I would love them (and I REALLY did), so I’m super excited for this book!!!

A Love Transformed

Clara lacks for nothing in her lavish New York mansion—except for love.

When Clara her husband, Adolph, dies suddenly, Clara Vesper is stunned. Not grief-stricken, as their marriage had never been a love match, but staggered by what might become of her and her children. For years she designed the sapphire jewelry that made her husband’s company a fortune, but she has little money in her own name and soon discovers that she has inherited nothing. Fearing for the welfare of her two small children, she decides to take them to her aunt and uncle’s ranch in Montana, the only place she has ever been happy.

But much has changed since she last visited the Montana ranch, both for Clara and for those she was forced to leave behind. And when dangerous secrets from her late husband’s past threaten everyone she loves, Clara must fight to remain where she can fulfill her dreams.

A Love Transformed is the third book in Tracie Peterson’s Sapphire Brides series, coming after A Treasure Concealed and A Beauty Refined. I didn’t get a chance to read the first book in this series, and I have to say, the second wasn’t my favorite. But I’m always willing to give an author another chance, so I still think this is a book to keep an eye out for.

The Wish

Leona Speicher got the “sister” she’d always dreamed of the day Gloria Gingerich and her family moved to Lancaster County Amish farmland. The Arkansas newcomers seems to be everything a devout Plain family should be, and Leona can’t help comparing Gloria’s engaging young parents to her own.

Leona’s cousin shows a romantic interest in Gloria around the same time as Gloria’s older brother expresses his fondness for Leona—it seems likely the two young women will marry into each other’s families, remaining close friends for life. Thus, Leona is shocked when the Gingeriches suddenly pack up and disappear after being expelled from the church for reasons no one will discuss. Despite Leona’s pleas, Gloria goes with them, leaving more than one broken heart behind.

When Gloria unexpectedly contacts Leona after a silence of several years, Leona makes up her mind to persuade her friend to return to Lancaster Country and the Amish ways. Leona’s new beau, the deacon’s son, is alarmed when Leona decides to go after Gloria. Will Leona’s dearest wish lead to her own undoing?

The Wish is Beverly Lewis’s most recent stand-alone novel, and is another book I am super excited to read. I’ve read almost every single one of Beverly’s books, so I can’t help but anticipate everything new that she writes, and this book is no exception!

Fates and Traitors

John Wilkes Booth, the mercurial son of an acclaimed British stage actor and a Covent Garden flower girl, committed one of the most notorious acts in American history—the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

The subject of more than a century of scholarship, speculation, and even obsession, Booth is often portrayed as a shadowy figure, a violent loner whose single murderous act made him the most hated man in America. Lost to history until now is the story of the four women whom he loved and who loved him in return: Mary Ann, the steadfast matriarch of the Booth family; Asia, his loyal sister and confidante; Lucy Lambert Hale, the senator’s daughter who adored Booth yet tragically misunderstood the intensity of his wrath; and Mary Surratt, the Confederate widow entrusted with the secrets of his vengeful plot.

Fates and Traitors brings to life pivotal actors—some willing, others unwitting—who made an indelible mark on the history of our nation. Chiaverini portrays not just a soul in turmoil but a country at the precipice of immense change.

I haven’t actually ever read anything by Jennifer Chiaverini, but I did listen to a decent amount of one of her books in audio form. I really enjoyed what I heard, and all of her descriptions of her novels sound fantastic. So, it’s safe to say I have high hopes for this novel.

A Lady Unrivaled

Lady Ella Myerston can always find a reason to smile—even if it’s just in hope that tomorrow will be better than today. All her life everyone has tried to protect her from the realities of the world, but Ella knows very well the danger that has haunted her brother and their friend, and she won’t wait for it to strike again. She intends to take action…and if that happens to involve an adventurous trip to the Cotswolds, then so much the better.

Lord Cayton has already broken two hearts, including that of his first wife, who died before he could convince himself to love her. Now he’s determined to live a better life. But that proves complicated when old friends arrive on the scene and try to threaten him into a life of crime. He does his best to remove the intriguing Lady Ella from danger, but the stubborn girl won’t budge. How else can he redeem himself, though, but by saving her—and his daughter—from those dangerous people who seem ready to destroy them all?

A Lady Unrivaled is the third book in Roseanna M. White’s Ladies of the Manor series, coming after The Lost Heiress and A Reluctant Duchess. Roseanna is one of my absolute favorite authors of all-time, and I absolutely love this series, so I’m super excited about this book! Plus, I’m so extremely glad it’s about Lord Cayton, as I already love him!

A Love Made New

Abigail Schrock knows God can make all things new, but does that include her broken heart?

It seems as if everyone is falling in love in Birch Creek, including Abigail Schrock. But when heartbreak descends upon her already fragile world, she can’t help but feel that if she’d only been a little prettier, she could be on her way down the wedding aisle. To make matters worse, Abigail’s two sisters have found love, while all Abigail can seem to find is the chocolate she has stashed in the pantry.

Asa Bontrager has never had trouble with the ladies in his Amish community—his good looks have always gotten him far. Which is why he’s baffled by the call he’s received from god to pursue Abigail, a woman who seems determined to turn him away.

Can Abigail find the peace and joy she so desperately desires? Will she allow herself to stop running and melt into the embrace of unforeseen comfort? If she does, she may just discover a love powerful enough to lift the heavy burden of grief weighing her down and restore her hope in a promising future.

A Love Made New is the third book in Kathleen Fuller’s Amish of Birch Creek series, coming after A Reluctant Bride and An Unbroken Heart. Although I didn’t get a chance to read the second book since it wasn’t at my library yet, I did read the first novel, and absolutely loved it. The story was fantastic, so I’m really excited to read the next books in the series.

Love’s Faithful Promise

A stirring story of love and faith and America’s great promise.

When her mother suffers a stroke, medical student Deirdre O’Leary makes the difficult choice to put her career on hold to care for her. Dr. Matthew Clayborne is renowned for his amazing results with patients, but when Deirdre approaches him about helping her mother, she finds him challenging and surly. Deirdre has had enough of complicated men in her life. After her fiancé left her, she vowed never to give a man that kind of power again.

Widower Dr. Matthew Clayborne is devoted to two things: his work with wounded soldiers and his four-year-old daughter, Phoebe. He won’t abandon either of these priorities to care for one older woman. However, when Phoebe suffers a health scare, they’re offered respite at the Irish Meadow’s farm, where his daughter’s weakened lungs can recover—but only if he cares for Mrs. O’Leary.

Matthew intends to hate Irish Meadows, yet he immediately feels at home, and soon both Mrs. O’Leary and Phoebe are showing improvement. But since he has no intention of leaving his life up north forever, and Deirdre has sworn off marriage in favor of her career, how will they deal with the undeniable attraction between them?

Love’s Faithful Promise is the third book in Susan Anne Mason’s Courage to Dream series, coming after Irish Meadows and A Worthy Heart. Although I haven't had the chance to read A Worthy Heart, I did read Irish Meadows and I really enjoyed it, so I'm hopeful I will love the rest of the series!

Twilight at Blueberry Barrens

“I need you to keep these girls safe…”

Kate Mason has devoted herself to caring for her family’s blueberry barrens. But after her fields stop producing fruit, she’s forced to come up with alternative ways to make a living.

Renting out the small cottage on her property seems and obvious choice, but it won’t be enough. When entrepreneur Drake Newham shows up looking not only for a place to rent but also for a nanny for his two nieces, it’s almost too good to be true. And maybe it is—because Drake brings with him dangerous questions about who might be out to kill his family.

The more time Kate spends with Drake and the girls, the more difficult it becomes to hide her attraction to him. But a family crisis isn’t exactly the ideal time to pursue a romance.

Meanwhile, Kate learns that her uncle—in prison for murder—has escaped. Add to that a local stalker who won’t leave her alone, and Kate is looking over her shoulder at every turn. With threats swirling from multiple directions, she wonders if her blueberry fields will ever flourish again…or if this twilight is her last.

Twilight at Blueberry Barrens is the third book in Colleen Coble’s Sunset Cove series, coming after The Inn at Ocean’s Edge and Mermaid Moon. I’ve read both of the previous novels and absolutely loved each of them, so I’m super excited for this book. Especially since Kate was definitely one of my favorite characters.

Keep Holding On

Beckett Walker hasn’t stepped foot in Maple Valley in years. There’s no getting past the painful memories, and there’s every chance he’ll be arrested as soon as he shows his face. Which is exactly what happens when he finally returns. Suddenly his dream of adventure as a military lawyer comes skidding to a halt.

Horticulturist Kit Danby has spent too much time missing home and her childhood best friend—Beckett Walker. Now she might have a shot at reclaiming both. After years of living abroad, she returns to run her family’s apple orchard. She has one season to turn a profit and impress the father she barely knows. But she can’t do it alone.

It should be simple: Beckett needs community service hours. Kit needs a helping hand. But there’s more at stake than either of them planned. With a tangled past and futures that look nothing alike, they’ll have to find a way to weather the storms of the present…or risk losing everything.

Keep Holding On is the third book in Melissa Tagg’s Walker Family series, coming after From the Start and Like Never Before. I absolutely loved both of the first two books, and I cannot wait for this new installment!!! 

A Sister’s Wish

Amelia Kinsinger is the perfect Amish woman—at least according to her neighbors. And while Amelia takes pride in her role as a homemaker, she’s also harboring a secret: she’s been in love with bad boy Simon Hochstetler for as long as she can remember. Too bad he’s about as far from “perfect” as an Amish man could get…but that’s exactly why she’s so drawn to him.

Life hasn’t been kind to Simon. He ran away from an abusive home at fifteen and things went downhill from there. Eventually, Simon landed in prison. But the experience changed him. Now back in charm as a grown man, he’s determined to make a new life for himself and not think too much about his wild past…unless it pertains to Amelia.

He’s loved Amelia for years. To him, she represents everything good and kind in the world. When he realizes that she returns his affections, he starts calling on her in secret, even though her older brother Lukas—who just happens to be Simon’s best friend—has made it perfectly clear that Amelia deserves better. Simon disagrees and believes he’s the only one who can truly make her happy.

But when Amelia gets hurt, it sets off a chain of events that forces them to consider their future together—and face their past mistakes. There’s a chance for love…but only if Simon dares to trust Amelia with the secrets of his past.

A Sister’s Wish is the third book in Shelley Shepard Gray’s The Charmed Amish Life series, coming after A Son’s Vow and A Daughter’s Dream. I’ve been able to read both the earlier books in this series and I did enjoy them, though they weren’t my favorite stories to read. All in all though, I’m definitely looking forward to this next book.

Those are my must-have releases for September! What about you? What are some new books you’re looking forward to?

And now on to the linkup!

Features

First, I'm featuring Casey from Cattails, Rabbit Trails, and Thistlefish, and her post about the things marriage is teaching her.

Second, I'm featuring Megan from No Small Life and her post listing 15 different ways to bust out of your funk.

Rules

-Link back to Spreading His Grace, Bows and Clothes, or both

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-This linkup has no theme so we encourage you to link any of your recent posts. Also note that we have the right to delete your link if it isn't appropriate. However, we are super excited to read about your passions and are so glad that you've decided to join us!

An InLinkz Link-up

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