There just isn't enough contemporary YA Christian fiction, so when I discovered that Lori Z. Scott has not only written it, she centered it in sports and tackled tough topics, I knew we had a winner. Listen in and see what you'll find in her books.

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Danger--from the outside. That's not what you expect with sports fiction. You expect injuries and team rivalries--maybe petty competitive nonsense among the team. You don't expect murderous men or traffickers.

But Lori Scott wasn't afraid to go there--to tackle the real dangers teens face today all in a safe zone like sports. I love the concept and I'm eager to read the books after having a great conversation about it all. Win/win/win.

Offsides by Lori Z. Scott

Dani Stevens knew senior year was going to be something else-with her last season on the soccer team, the possible strain of losing a friendship, and crushes? All the crushes.

But she didn't expect to be on the lookout for a sex trafficking ring in her town. When a young girl in her neighborhood seems to be in trouble with a pimp, Dani will do whatever she can to find out what she can and get the girl safely back home.

Unbeknownst to Dani, there could be another predator on the loose. And if she doesn't watch her back, she could just end up being his next victim.

Learn more about Lori on her WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads.

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It's not often you find historical Christian fiction set in Germany, so when I found out that's what Lynn U. Watson has planned for us, I was eager to learn more. Listen in and see why!

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This book (and series, actually) has all the elements you'd find in a Grimm story--except this isn't a fairy tale, folks. This is life as it was for some people. I think I'm glad my family would've been peasants. Sure, I might have worked myself into an early grave (and starved!), but I wouldn't have been property to buy and sell! So... there's that.

Tangled Promises by Lynn U Watson

Thunderous applause extinguishes her dream and ignites her worst nightmare.

Clara Reinhold’s father publicly pledges her hand to Georg Wolff. His character and arrogance match the stench of his odious cigars, but his lineage offers a suitable alliance for the station of a baron’s daughter.

A charades clue years earlier turned friendship into a promise of forbidden marriage between Clara and family carriage driver, Daniel Becker.

If she refuses Georg and follows her heart, her father disowns her and she loses everything—her loving family, dear friends, and the only home she’s known.

As a tangled web of scandal and deceit unwinds, hidden motives and illicit activities emerge among an unsuspecting ring of players changing everything but nobility’s rules.

How will justice be served?

How will Clara and Daniel overcome obstacles to claim a future beyond that of a charade?

Learn more about Lynn on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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When I read the synopsis for Mary Pat Johns' Lovin' on Red prior to our interview, I just had a feeling I was going to love this series. Listen in to see why I'm certain of it after our conversation.

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If you've been around for a while, you've probably heard me figure out that I do like romance--if it's a romcom, that is. That's not to say I never enjoy a good story that happens to be a romance, but hey. If it's a romcom (and a good one), I'm sure to like it for the romance itself. BONUS points if it has fun other story elements (can we just say there needs to be more romcom mysteries?).

Chatting with Mary Pat Johns was a whole lot of fun, and she hooked me on the idea for her stories right off the bat.

I especially like how she has ways for us to get all the "Valiant stories as quickly as possible, so be sure to check all that out.

Lovin' on Red by Mary Pat Johns

Rory is a wildly successful contractor with all the right connections. He has everything, except the woman who sees past his missing foot. If only the tiny redhead he’s insanely attracted to would go on a date with him, it could work, but Vi refuses.

Licensed massage therapist Vi Summers needs her childhood home remodeled, and Rory Spence is the perfect man for the job. Only he’s the last person she wants to work with. Despite Rory’s reputation as a flirt, his tender attention to getting her house right helps Vi see into his heart. Too bad her past mistakes prevent a future relationship.

Drawn together like magnets, they navigate trouble with illegal squatters, family expectations, and fire. Will they finally be honest with each other, or will their secrets tear them apart?

Learn more about Mary on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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Ever wonder how a husband and wife team write a novel together? Did either have unrealistic expectations? Did they have to work through writing problems together? Was it fun? Listen in while I chat with Deb and Bruce Potts about their novel, Love on Life Support.

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Marriage is a beautiful thing, but sometimes it becomes ill and needs a jump start. Enter Deb and Bruce Potts. After years of helping people with marriages, they've brought their vast experience together in a relatable, encouraging story that'll offer hope to readers who are dismayed at seeing what is happening to marriages in the church today.

I loved chatting about future projects and am looking forward to what comes next.

Love on Life Support by Deb and Bruce Potts

A quest for a storybook marriage . . . a desperate emergency . . . can love pull through?

"A tender and harrowing story." Michael and Gina Kell Spehn, NY Times bestselling authors of The Color of Rain

"A vivid portrayal of a marriage in crisis that is transformed by faith." Shaunti Feldhahn, bestselling author of For Women Only and For Men Only

Chris's eyes are the color of hot chocolate with marshmallows melted in. When Amy's eyes meet his for the first time she's like one of those marshmallows. It doesn't take long for them to realize theirs is a bond that will never break. They vow to have a storybook marriage and they're sure they know how the plot will go.

But old patterns are hard to change. Unforeseen circumstances get in their way. Their vision of epic endings starts to waver.

Then, the unthinkable happens. They're faced with a desperate emergency. Can their love be resuscitated?

An inspirational romance that will satisfy your heart's cry for love, no matter what.

Learn more about on WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads and BookBub.

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When an author tells me her book deals with cults, deception, and escape, well... what's not to love? Listen in and see why I'm eager to grab copies of this series by Rebecca Carey Lyles and start reading today!

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Chatting with Rebecca Carey Lyles really gave me a hunger to check out her Children of the Light series. Seeing some of these polygamist cults through the eyes of those who might be hoodwinked into them as well as through a Christian lens? Count me in. Lyles focuses on

Crimson Arches by Rebecca Carey Lyles

Although Kasenia Clarke escaped Shadow Ranch a year ago, when Trent Duran asks her to visit Crimson Arches Ranch, his ranch that borders Shadow Ranch, she hesitates. She adores Trent and wants to see where he “hangs his hat,” yet she dreads going anywhere near the abusive polygamous cult. Then an unexpected connection with another “plyg” community changes everything, and she jumps in with both feet, unaware of the peril that awaits her down by the border.

Learn more about Rebecca on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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When I learned about Sharon Srock’s Crafted with Love series, I knew I wanted to know more. As an avid crafter myself, a series about a bunch of different artisans… eeep! Listen in to what kinds of women you’ll meet in this series!

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I love the concept for this series, but when I learned that Sharon’s next release was about a guy who comes back from the Vietnam War to find his sweetheart married to someone else, I couldn’t be more excited. I mean, it’s not the same story as the one I wrote, but it had so many similarities I knew I’d have to read it. EEEP!

Ruthie (Crafted with Love #7) by Sharon Srock

YOUNG LOVE FOUND.
In 1970, seventeen-year-old Ruthie Arnold found the love of her life. Six months later, she lost him to the horror and confusion of war. With Elliott missing and presumed dead, Ruthie had no choice but to go on—carrying regrets and secrets she never dared tell another soul. Even though she eventually built a good life with a good man, the decisions she made in her youth haunt her.

THE RAVAGES OF WAR.
When Elliot Drake returned to the states in 1975, he searched for Ruthie. He found her—happily married and expecting a child. Though it broke his heart, he never contacted her. What good would it do to insert himself into her life after she’d moved on without him?

CAN GOD HEAL THE WOUNDS THAT TIME HASN’T TOUCHED?
A chance meeting forty-five years later brings a widowed Ruthie Gates back into Elliott’s life. He’s convinced that God orchestrated their reunion. Ruthie isn’t so sure. If she follows where her heart is leading, she’ll have to be honest about events that she’s never shared with anyone. Her secrets could drive a wedge between her and everyone she holds dear, including the man she never stopped loving.

Family
Second chances
Found family
Secrets
Mature love and loss

Learn more about on her WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads and BookBub.

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The riveting cover grabbed my attention. While not exactly what you expect for Biblical fiction, it had something that most Biblical fiction covers don’t. It asked a question as if taunting me to accept a challenge. “What’s in here?” it seemed to whisper. Well, after a chat with Sarah Talbert, I now know. Listen in and see why I think the book sounds awesome and why I love a cover that might surprise some.

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Biblical fiction like you’ve not seen before. That’s what I’m calling this. I have no idea if I’m right about that, of course. I haven’t read it yet since it doesn’t release until April 30, 2024. Still, it says it’ll be in Kindle Unlimited then, so I plan to read it asap. Because come on!

Look, we all know the familiar Bible stories of Abram from Ur of the Chaldees. About his wife Sari, and how they became Abram and Sarah. We know God moved them from Ur because of how ugly things had become. But… what about those people left behind? We often don’t realize the horrors they lived through, and Sarah Talbert has tackled that through the eyes of a fictional girl grieving for a sacrificed brother. If that doesn’t grab you, well… why not? LOL!

Secrets of the Wildflowers by Sarah Talbert

In the heart of ancient Ur, Secrets of the Wildflowers unfolds the captivating tale of Miu, a spirited young woman determined to bloom amid the constraints of her culture, family, and the ancient deities that hold sway.

When tragedy strikes, and her beloved brother becomes a sacrifice to the gods, Miu embarks on a courageous journey to break free from the shackles of societal expectations and unearth her true purpose. Motivated by the resilient wildflowers that grow wherever they please, Miu is driven to forge her own path and make her name great.

As Miu navigates running her own tavern, friendship with an unlikely courier, and supporting an abandoned child, she finds herself crossing paths with Abram, a figure of significance from the Bible. After losing and redefining freedom, Miu discovers that true freedom is found in working together with others and utilizing her God-given skills within a relationship with a loving God.

In a world where Miu's determination clashes with a strong religious culture, the story explores themes of true freedom, faith, and the transformative power of a healthy community. Secrets of the Wildflowers is a mesmerizing journey through the ancient city of Ur, where the seeds of rebellion sprout alongside the wildflowers, and the roots of faith run deep.

Secrets of the Wildflowers appeals to readers who crave a story of adventure, strong female leads, and characters evolving in their faith.

Learn more about on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads.

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Wow. If you love Alaska, seeing life through that rugged lens, and fiction that shines God's light on dark and/or difficult topics, then I think Maryann Landers is a great author to check out. Listen in and see why I listened to her newest release, A Call to Embrace within days of recording this episode.

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Maryann Landers, like many authors, is inspired by people, places, and events she's seen first hand. Taking one or more of those elements and weaving a story that points readers to Jesus, she's not afraid to tackle difficult topics.

But on top of those things, she also gives a realistic glimpse of life in a place that is very different from most of our own lives. I have to admit that I shivered as I read A Call to Embrace. Alaska can be cold, so if nothing else, read it this summer if the AC goes out!

A Call to Embrace by Maryann Landers

She’s detached in a stormy marriage because of both of their unfaithfulness. Now she faces the aftermath of her compromise with an unwanted pregnancy. Will fleeing bring her the freedom she yearns for?

Emily Corentin wants to escape the jagged edges of her brokenness. She believes the only option she has is to take her young daughter, leave her husband, and end the unintended pregnancy with an abortion. But her plans take an unexpected turn when the homeless shelter she finds is not the type of help she wanted. She’d buried religion years ago with the death of her Gran. Any God-fearing place will only confirm how much God abandoned her.

An offer from a shelter volunteer may be the lifeline she and her daughter need, but Emily only sees it as a means to an end. The unlikely friendship that follows, draws her closer to the answers she may have carried with her all along. But rash decisions bring new challenges that drag her further into a sea of helplessness.

When all hope is lost in despair will she be washed away by the patterns of her past? Or will she answer the call to embrace the mercy of the cross and in turn bring reconciliation to her marriage?

Learn more about on WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads and BookBub.

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