Must-Have New Releases

                Happy Friday!! I have come to the decision that on the last day of every month I will post about the books I am most looking forward to that will release the next month. Today, however, I am going to post about all the books that I cannot wait to read that have released from January until now. That is quite a few books but, even though I haven’t yet read any of them, I am positive I would recommend all of them because I am that confident about the authors that wrote them. So, if you’re looking for something new to read, you just might find something here.

                Miss Harriet Peabody dreams of the day she can open up a shop selling refashioned gowns to independent working women like herself. Unfortunately, when an errand for her millinery shop job goes sadly awry due to a difficult customer, she finds herself out of an income.

Mr. Oliver Addleshaw is on the verge of his biggest business deal yet when he learns his potential partner prefers to deal with men who are settled down and wed. When Oliver witnesses his ex not-quite-fiance cause the hapless Harriet to lose her job, he tries to make it up to her by enlisting her help in making a good impression on his business partner.

Harriet quickly finds her love of fashion can't make her fashionable. She'll never truly fit into Oliver's world, but just as she's ready to call off the fake relationship, fancy dinners, and elegant balls, a threat from her past forces both Oliver and Harriet to discover that love can come in the most surprising packages.

                After a Fashion by author Jen Turano is the first book in her new series A Class of Her Own, and it released on February 24^th. I have read almost all of her Ladies of Distinction series, and I cannot wait to read this new release! Jen Turano does an amazing job of weaving bits of mystery into her novels, leaving you guessing until the very last page. It is nearly impossible to put her books down, and I know After a Fashion will be no exception!

Pick up a copy of it here!

            Behind him, beside him, before him, the synchronized cathedral bells began to ring out.

One, two, three . . .

Then she said it first. The words his heart burst to share. “I love you, Stephen. You are my true prince.”

An American heiress and a crown prince seem destined to be together. Will the devastation of war keep them apart forever?

American heiress Corina Del Rey caught her prince once. But the tragedy of war kept her too long in a fog of grief. Now she’s shifting her life forward, reigniting her career as a journalist. Still, nothing can relieve her of the secret and the love she carries in her soul.

Prince Stephen of Brighton is one of the world’s most eligible bachelors and a star rugby player, trying to make sense of his life. His days in Afghanistan with the Royal Air Command will mark him forever. And he can’t shake their dark shadow.

But when his brother, King Nathaniel, confronts him with a document the prince thought long buried and forgotten, Stephen is forced to face the pain of his past and the love he left behind.

With a little heavenly help, Prince Stephen and Corina embark on a journey of truth. But when the secrets are revealed, can they overcome, move forward, and find love again? 

                How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck is book three in her Royal Weddings series, coming after Once Upon a Prince and Princess Ever After. I read both of her previous books in this series, and absolutely loved each of them. She did a fabulous job of bringing her stories to life, weaving wonderful tales of princes and princesses as dreamy as a Disney princess story but so realistic you’d wish you were the heroine. I just know I’ll love How to Catch a Prince, and I’m sure you will too!

Pick up a copy of any of the Royal Weddings novels here.

                On a hot day in 1737 in Rotterdam, Anna Konig reluctantly sets foot on the Charming Nancy, a merchant ship that will carry her and her fellow Amish believers across the Atlantic to start a new life. As the only one in her community who can speak English, she feels compelled to go. But Anna is determined to complete this journey and return home—assuming she survives. She’s heard horrific tales of ocean crossings and worse ones of what lay ahead in the New World. But fearfulness is something Anna has never known.

                Ship’s carpenter Bairn resents the somber people—dubbed peculiars by the deckhands—who fill the lower deck of the Charming Nancy. All Bairn wants to do is to put his lonely past behind him, but that irksome and lovely lass Anna and her people keep intruding on him.

                Delays, storm, illness, and diminishing provisions test the mettle and patience of everyone on board. When Anna is caught in a life-threatening situation, Bairn makes a discovery that shakes his entire foundation. But has the revelation come too late?

               

                Anna’s Crossing by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the first book in her Amish Beginnings series, all about how the American Amish settlements got started. Suzanne Woods Fisher does an amazing job of weaving wonderful tales of the Amish, and I just know her new novel will be chock full of interesting Amish facts that will teach you more than you ever knew before. I cannot wait to read this story!

Grab a copy of this book here.

            In the celebratory mood of the recently-ended Civil War, Sarah discovers her betrothed has been keeping a devastating secret.

While the tiny town of Wabash, Indiana, celebrates the end of the fighting, Sara Montgomery attends the parties, but inside she’s fighting a deep sadness. The love of Sara’s life, Rand Campbell, didn’t come back from the front.

So her brother and ailing father persuade her to pledge herself to another man—despite her misgivings. When Sarah finds out that Rand is in fact alive—and that her fiancé Ben Croftner knew it—she indignantly breaks off their engagement.

Croftner doesn’t take rejection lightly—and a single woman with a sick father makes an easy target. He abducts Sarah, his intentions anything but honorable. Then Rand comes to her aid . . . only to reveal that he has been posted at Fort Laramie, Wyoming, and asks her to go with him as his wife.

Will Sarah leave her dying father’s side for the only man she’s ever loved? And what plans are forming in the jealous heart of Ben Croftner?

                A Heart’s Disguise by Colleen Coble is the first novel in her new A Journey of the Heart series, based just after the civil war. She always does an amazing job of adding mysterious themes to her novels, and they are always sure to be something you won’t be able to put down. Check it out, it released March 3^rd, so it shouldn’t be hard to find!

                 Twelve years of marriage, 4,000 square feet of dream house, and a handsome husband. Jessie Stanton has it all… until one fateful afternoon when she notices her BMW bouncing by the window behind a tow truck. Her husband has gone, and he’s taken it all. The whirling tornado that cuts down the life she’s built drops Jessie onto the sandy beach of Malibu with a thud, penniless and alone. When all she’s left with are the designer labels in her closet and the dreamy Neil Lane rock on her finger, Jessie tries to make ends meet by pawning her prized ring to fund a new business venture: a small shop where her designer duds and shimmering accessories are temporarily leased out to Southern California women with champagne tastes but root beer realities. As Jessie tries to rebuild, she realizes she can’t move on, not without answers. Reluctantly, Jessie turns to beach bum/private investigator Danny Callahan for help. But is she staking her future success and happiness…on a ring and a prayer?

                On a Ring and a Prayer by Sandra D. Bricker is the first book in her new Jessie Stanton series, and is sure to keep you laughing until the end. Sandra D. Bricker is amazing at writing hilarious stories chock full of fun, laughter, and love that will never disappoint. I am positive On a Ring and a Prayer will be no exception.

Want to laugh? Pick up a copy here!

                When trouble roars into quiet Arborville, Alexa and Anna-Grace find themselves the target for discord and exposed secrets. Can they continue to seek the God of all grace amidst the fog of confusion?  

Alexa Zimmerman wonders if the Old Order Mennonite community in Arborville, Kansas will ever fully accept her. Her family roots here aren’t what anyone thought when she first arrived, but she is hopeful that her culinary and hospitality skills will win the skeptics over. The bed-and-breakfast she’s operating needs to succeed so Alexa agrees to allow Briley Forrester, the hotshot reporter from Chicago, to stay as a long-term boarder not knowing his real motives for being amongst the Plain folk.
 
But when Alexa agrees to host her cousin Anna-Grace Braun, the presence of extended family brings out Alexa’s insecurities and sets Briley on the trail to uncovering a web of hidden truths. 
 
Plans for a secure future and the sweetness of young romance hang in the balance when Alexa and Anna-Grace have to face that their secrets are interconnected, binding the two in ways they could not have imagined. They must trust in a loving, heavenly Father and His plan for their futures.

                When Grace Sings by Kim Vogel Sawyer is the second book in her Zimmerman Restoration Trilogy, coming after When Mercy Rains. It is a wonderful story full of hidden secrets and sweet romances that I cannot wait to read.

Pick up a copy here!

                Marlena needed time to let things sink in. It was beyond her how all this could possibly work out--adding the care of an infant to her daily routine. Fortunately, it would just be until Luella returned home from the hospital and was stronger.
No more than a couple weeks, surely.

Marlena Wenger's life takes an unexpected turn on the day she learns she must care for her estranged sister's baby. Spending the summer in Brownstown, Pennsylvania, to assist her Mennonite grandmother, and miles from Marlena's Old Order Amish beau, she feels out of her element in nearly every respect. Yet Marlena determines to do her best and stay focused on her future, even as those hopes become drastically altered.

                I have been anticipating the release of Beverly Lewis’s The Love Letters for quite a while now, and the fact that I have to say I haven’t read it yet pains me a little. I absolutely love Beverly Lewis’s work; I have read almost every single book she has published and have enjoyed every one. Obviously I need to pick up this one!

You can pick it up here.

                Growing up in a comfortable home, Mary Catherine wanted for nothing. Though she loves her wealthy parents, their lifestyle never appealed to her. Instead, Mary Catherine pursues meaning through charity work, giving away a part of herself but never giving away her heart.

Mary Catherine lives in Los Angeles with her roommate, Sami, and volunteers at a local youth center with coach Tyler Ames and LA Dodger Marcus Dillinger. Despite Mary Catherine’s intention to stay single, she finds herself drawing close to Marcus, and their budding romance offers an exciting life she never dreamed of. That is, until she receives devastating news from her doctor. News that alters her future and forces her to make a rash decision. 

Inspirational and moving, Chasing Sunsets is the story of one woman’s deep longings of the soul, and the sacrifices she’s willing to make in search of healing.

                Chasing Sunsets is the second book in Karen Kingsbury’s Angels Walking series, coming after the book titled Angels Walking, which I am currently reading. I am a little over halfway through with Angels Walking, and is amazing! If you haven’t yet read it, you should, and then you should pick up Chasing Sunsets as well.

Pick up either of them here!

            Chelsea Morris has always been responsible, dependable, and focused on her dreams of fashion design—a dream that will officially begin come fall, when she leaves for college in New York City. And as she settles into her role as the lead designer for the local summer stock theater group, she decides to make the most of her last summer in North Carolina. But with her best friend Emily busy working late and spending time with Zander, and tensions with Chelsea’s boyfriend, Todd, running high, the summer she envisioned seems to be falling flat.

Then Dylan joins the latest summer production. There’s something about the college boy that makes her feel free and alive, and soon she’s broken up with Todd, and is sneaking out late to meet Dylan at parties and breaking rules at the playhouse. But before she knows it, her exciting nights are interfering with her job, her role on the play, as well as her relationship with Emily and with her parents. Worse, Chelsea finds herself feeling more and more estranged from God.

As the summer becomes wilder than she ever dreamed, Chelsea must decide if her heart is leading her in the right direction after all.

                Miles From Nowhere by Amy Clipston is another book I have been dying to read. Amy Clipston always does an amazing job of creating heart-stirring stories like this one. If you’re looking for a book full of heart and soul, and a little bit of fun, you should definitely check out Miles From Nowhere.

Check it out here.

            Will Sarah’s journey west lead her back into the arms of the one man she can trust?

When her father succumbs to a long illness, Sarah Montgomery is freed from duty to family. At last she can be with the love of her life, Rand Campbell, who has gone out west to Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Sarah and her younger brother Joel make the arduous journey filled with hope.

But at Fort Laramie, the reception Sarah meets isn’t what she had hoped for. Her friend Amelia is thrilled to have her, but Rand seems to be in the clutches of Jessica DuBois, the scheming daughter of the post commander.

Sarah resolves to remain at Fort Laramie and try to win Rand back. But things will get tougher before they get easier . . . especially when her ex-fiancé Ben Croftner arrives in Wyoming, obsessed with having her back in his arms.

                A Heart’s Obsession is the second book in Colleen Coble’s A Journey of the Heart series, coming after A Heart’s Disguise which I mentioned earlier. Both came out a little less than a month apart, and the third book is set to release in the beginning of May, so now would be a great time to start reading these books all about the heart.

                Somewhere in a sea of tulle and taffeta, satin and crepe, Katie Fisher needs to find a key ingredient of the perfect wedding--the groom.

Small-town girl Katie Fisher is busy planning her fairy-tale wedding. Sure, her boyfriend hasn't managed to pop the question just yet, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't enter a contest in Texas Bride magazine to win the dress of her dreams, right? Anyway, she's sure he'll be getting down on one knee any time now. And a one-of-a-kind designer dress doesn't just fall out of the sky right when you need it.

But when Katie's boyfriend takes a job in another town and breaks up with her--on the very same day she wins her dream dress--her world is turned upside down. Dare she go to Dallas to claim her prize? And will the hunky pro basketball player who runs the beyond-swanky bridal shop--yeah, you read that right--discover her humiliating secret if she does?

                Every Bride Needs a Groom by Janice Thompson is the first book in her new Brides with Style series. It is sure to be a hilarious tale with plenty of romance that would please any reader. I cannot wait to get my hands on this one!

Get your hands on it here!

            Claire’s visit to a luxury hotel in Maine awakens repressed memories, threatening all she holds dear.

In 1989, Claire Dellamare disappeared from her own fourth birthday party at the Hotel Tourmaline on the island of Folly Shoals, Maine. She showed up a year later at the same hotel, with a note pinned to her dress but no explanation. Nobody knows where Claire spent that year—and until now, Claire didn’t even know she had ever been missing.

But when Claire returns to the Hotel Tourmaline for a business meeting with her CEO father, disturbing memories begin to surface . . . despite her parents’ best efforts to keep them forgotten.

Luke Rocco lost his mother under equally mysterious circumstances—at the same time Claire disappeared. After a chance encounter reveals the unlikely link between them, Claire and Luke set out together to uncover the truth about what happened that fateful year.

With flashbacks swimming just beneath her consciousness and a murderer threatening her safety, Claire’s very life depends on unscrambling her past . . . even if her family refuses to acknowledge it. Someone—maybe everyone—is hiding something from Claire Dellamare, and it will cost her everything to drag the truth out into the light.

                The Inn at Ocean’s Edge by Colleen Coble is the first book in Colleen Coble’s Sunset Cove series and is a mystery that is already giving me goosebumps, and I’ve only read the synopsis! It sounds like a thrilling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, just don’t read it at night when you’re home alone!

Grab a copy of it here.

                She loves her friends and students in the West, but family obligations have called her home. Where does she truly belong?

After a year of teaching in the Canadian West, Beth Thatcher returns home to her family. She barely has time to settle in before her mother announces plans for a family holiday--a luxurious steamship tour along the eastern coast of Canada and the United States. Hoping to reconnect with her mother and her sisters, Beth agrees to join them, but she quickly realizes that things have changed since she went away, and renewing their close bond is going to be more challenging than she expected. 

There's one special thing to look forward to--letters and telephone calls from Jarrick, the Mountie who has stolen her heart. The distance between them is almost too much to bear. But can she give her heart to Jarrick when it will mean saying good-bye to her family once again--and possibly forever? And will she still want to live in the western wilds after the steamship tour opens up a world of people and places she never imagined?

Then comes a great test of Beth's faith. Someone in her family has trusted the wrong person, and suddenly everything Beth knows and loves is toppled. Torn between her family and her dreams, will Beth finally discover where her heart truly belongs?

                Where Trust Lies by Janette Oke is the second book in her Return to Canadian West series, right after Where Courage Calls. Both novels are companion books to Hallmark Channel’s series When Calls the Heart. I have read pretty much every one of Janette Oke’s stories, so I can promise that these would be worth reading. And, if you ever happen to be watching Hallmark Channel, you should check out season two of When Calls the Heart which premiers on April 25^th. It is an amazing show!!!

You can buy a copy of this novel here. 

                So, that’s it! These are the books I have been looking forward to these first four months of 2015. Don’t forget, on April 30^th I will be sharing the May releases I cannot wait to get my hands on, and I promise it will be a much shorter post than today’s! Also, you can find every book I mentioned on my Amazon Store, so if you read something you just have to have, just click on over!

Blessings!

All credit for the italicized synopses above and the wonderful book covers go to all the mentioned authors and their publishers.