We're well into 2013, but I still wanted to share a few books that I'm DYING to read this year! Well ... not really dying ... but ... you know what I mean. After I posted my list last year, I continued to find out about great books that would be released in the second half of the year. So this year I'm going to post twice—once now, and once in July. Plus, this will allow me to share twice as many books!
Top 10 Most Anticipated Books of 2013
(January through June releases)
The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen
Available January 1
Bethany House
After reading The Maid of Fairbourne Hall
last year, I've decided that I need to read more of Julie Klassen!
Emma Smallwood, determined to help her widowed father when his
boarding school fails, accompanies him to the cliff-top manor of a
baronet and his four sons. But soon after they arrive and begin teaching
the two younger boys, mysterious things begin to happen. Who does Emma
hear playing the pianoforte at night, only to find the music room empty?
And who begins sneaking into her bedchamber, leaving behind strange
mementoes?
The baronet's older sons, Phillip and Henry Weston, wrestle with
problems--and secrets--of their own. They both remember the studious
Miss Smallwood from their days at her father's academy. But now one of
them finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her...
When suspicious acts escalate, can Emma figure out which brother to blame and which to trust with her heart?
Filled with page-turning suspense, The Tutor's Daughter takes readers
to the windswept Cornwall coast--a place infamous for shipwrecks and
superstitions--where danger lurks, faith is tested, and romance awaits.
Poison by Jordyn Redwood
Available February 1
Kregel Publications
Jordyn's debut novel, Proof
, was definitely one of the best suspense novels I've read in a while. I can NOT wait to see how the story will continue in Poison
.
Five years ago, Keelyn Samuels’s armed, mentally ill stepfather took her
family hostage in their house in rural Colorado. She and her
half-sister Raven made it out alive, but others did not. Authorities
blamed the father’s frequent hallucinations about a being named Lucent,
but in the end, even the best of the FBI’s hostage negotiators failed to
overcome the man’s delusions and end the standoff peacefully.
SWAT team member Lee Watson was there that day. He watched it all unfold
and was able to pull Keelyn and Raven from the grip of their
demon-possessed father. Though partially successful, his team had still
failed, and the outcome of that day—and that tortured family—has
continued to plague Lee ever since. Though unusual for SWAT to reconnect
with survivors, Lee bumped into Keelyn two years after the crisis, and
they both found some peace in their budding relationship. But peace is
hard to maintain when the memory returns . . . in the flesh.
Lucent is back, and he’s no hallucination. In fact, he is a very real
person with dangerous motives. He has kidnapped Raven’s daughter,
and--Keelyn worries--maybe has hurt Raven as well. Though she is
estranged from her sister, Keelyn feels the immediate need to find Raven
and save what family she has left. But when others who were involved in
that fateful day start dying, some by mysterious circumstances, Keelyn
wonders if she and Lee can emerge unscathed a second time.
The
highly anticipated second installment of the Bloodline Trilogy explores
the boundaries of faith and family and what happens when both are put to
the test.
Secrets Over Sweet Tea by Denise Hildreth Jones
Available March 1
Tyndale House
Ahhh ... Denise Hildreth Jones writes incredible stories. If Secrets Over Sweet Tea
is anything like her previous books, it's sure to be wonderful. I'll be sure to have tissues handy, though!
Secrets can be funny
things. We think they keep us safe, but more often than not, they spill
out when we least expect and make a mess out of everything. It’s a truth
Scarlett Jo Newberry knows all too well—a truth Grace Shepherd and Zach
Craig are about to learn the hard way. As the lives of this boisterous
pastor’s wife, polished news anchor, and beleaguered divorce attorney
intersect in the tree-lined streets of Franklin, Tennessee, scandal
threatens to topple their carefully constructed worlds. Grasping at
survival, they embark on a journey of friendship and courage, desperate
to find a way back to laughter, love, and life.
Grave Consequences by Lisa T. Bergren
Available March 1
David C. Cook
The first book in this series was incredible, and it totally left me hanging! I NEED to read Grave Consequences
to find out what happens!
For Cora Kensington, the journey of a lifetime takes unexpected
twists. And her future-her very life-depends on the decisions she’ll
make at each crossroad. As her European tour with her newfound family
takes her through Austria, France, and Italy, an unseen enemy trails
close behind. Meanwhile, a forbidden love continues to claim her heart,
putting everyone’s plans in danger.
And as Cora stays one step ahead of it all, what might need the
most protection is her own heart, torn between the dramatic pursuit of a
dashing Frenchman and a man who has been quietly staking claim to her
affections all along. Love has dangers all its own. She must escape the
bonds of the past and discover the faith to make the right choices, as
each one has grave consequences.
A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund
Available April 1
Bethany House
Jody Hedlund writes some incredible books! I'm definitely looking forward to another powerful book in A Noble Groom!
Annalisa Werner's hope for a fairy tale love is over. Her husband
failed her in every way and now his death has left her with few options
to save the family farm. She needs a plentiful harvest. That, and a
husband to help bring it in. Someone strong, dependable. That’ll be
enough. A marriage for love...that's something she's given up on.
So her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find Annalisa a groom.
Then a man appears: Carl Richards, from their home country of Germany
and a former schoolteacher--or so he says. He's looking for work and
will serve on the farm until her husband arrives.
With time running out, she accepts his help, but there's more to this
man than he's admitting. He's also gentle, kind, charming--unlike any
man she's ever known. But even as Carl is shining light into the
darkness of her heart, she knows her true groom may arrive any day.
Love at Any Cost by Julie Lessman
Available April 1
Revell Books
I'm a little late to the Julie Lessman fan club, but after reading the final chapter in the O'Connor's saga, I can't wait to read more! Looking forward to starting a new series (at the beginning this time!) with Love at Any Cost.
He’s looking to take care of his family. She’s looking to take care of her heart.
Trouble is . . . love’s looking to take care of them both.
Cassidy McClare is a spunky Texas oil heiress without a fortune who
would just as soon hogtie a man as look at him. Jilted by a fortune
hunter, Cassidy travels west hoping a summer visit with her wealthy
cousins in San Francisco will help her forget her heartache. But no
sooner is she settled in beautiful California than Jamie McKenna, a
handsome pauper looking to marry well, captures her heart. Can love
prevail when Jamie discovers that Cassidy is poorer than he is? And can
Cassidy ever learn to fully trust her heart to a man?
Bestselling author Julie Lessman brings the delectable Gilded Age to
life in this sumptuous new series. Join your favorite romantic
storyteller as she moves to the hills of San Francisco for more romance,
passion, and surprising revelations.
Widow of Gettysburg by Jocelyn Green
Available May 1
River North
Jocelyn's debut novel was just fantastic, and I know Widow of Gettysburg
will be the same. Plus, the Civil War is such a fascinating time period in our country's history.
When a horrific battle rips through
Gettysburg, the farm of Union widow Liberty Holloway is disfigured into a
Confederate field hospital, bringing her face to face with unspeakable
suffering--and a Rebel scout who awakens her long dormant heart.
While
Liberty's future crumbles as her home is destroyed, the past comes
rushing back to Bella, a former slave and Liberty's hired help, when she
finds herself surrounded by Southern soldiers, one of whom knows the
secret that would place Liberty in danger if revealed.
In
the wake of shattered homes and bodies, Liberty and Bella struggle to
pick up the pieces the battle has left behind. Will Liberty be defined
by the tragedy in her life, or will she find a way to triumph over it?
Widow of Gettysburg is inspired by first-person accounts from women who lived in Gettysburg during the battle and its aftermath.
Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade
Available May 1
Bethany House
I don't know what to say about Becky Wade that I haven't already said. If Undeniably Yours
is anything like Becky's previous novel, it will find a permanent place on my keeper shelf.
When Meg Cole's father dies unexpectedly, she's forced to return home to
Texas and to Whispering Creek Ranch to take up the reins of his empire.
The last thing she has the patience or the sanity to deal with? Her
father's Thoroughbred racehorse farm. She gives its manager, Bo Porter,
six months to close the place down.
Bo knows he ought to resent
the woman who's determined to take from him the only job he ever
wanted. But instead of anger, Meg evokes within him a profound desire to
protect. The more time he spends with her, the more he longs to
overcome every obstacle that separates them and earn her love.
Just
when Meg realizes she can no longer deny the depth of her feelings for
Bo, their fragile bond is broken by a force from Meg's past. Can their
relationship—and their belief that God can work through every
circumstance—survive?
Catch a Falling Star by Beth Vogt
Available May 7
Howard Books
Beth Vogt is another debut author that simply blew me away. I'm STILL thinking about how great Wish You Were Here
was. Catch a Falling Star
has a lot to live up to, but I'm confident that it will be another book I fall in love with.
Successful career gal Kendall Haynes is tired of wishing on stars for
a home and a family. Can God’s dreams for her be even better than her
own?
What does a girl do when life doesn’t go
according to her plan? At thirty-six, Kendall Haynes has seen some of
her dreams come true. She’s a family physician helping kids with severe
allergies and asthma achieve more fulfilling lives—a childhood struggle
she knows all too well. But are Kendall’s dreams of having it all—a
career, a husband, children—nothing more than a childhood fantasy? God
says He knows the plans He has for her—why can’t Kendall figure them out
and be content with her life?
Griffin Walker prefers flying
solo—both as an Air Force pilot and in his personal life. But a wrong
choice and health problems pulled him out of the cockpit. His attempts
to get out of “flying a desk” are complicated by his parents’
death—making Griffin the reluctant guardian of his sixteen-year-old
brother, Ian. How did his life get so off course? Can he get his life
back on track…or has there been a divine plan all along?
Catch a Falling Star
reminds readers that romance isn’t just for twenty-somethings and that
sometimes letting go of your “wish I may, wish I might” dreams is the
only way to embrace everything God has waiting for you.
Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck
Available May 7
Zondervan
I've read a few of Rachel's other novels and this story sounds so intriguing. Looking forward to reading Once Upon a Prince
!
Once Upon a Prince, the first novel in the Royal Wedding
series by bestselling author Rachel Hauck, treats you to a modern-day
fairy tale. Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being
treated like a princess—just to marry the man she has loved for twelve
years. But life isn't going according to plan. When her
high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of
proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.
The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simon's Island
is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family's tense
political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel
comes to Susanna's aid under the fabled Lover's Oak, he is blindsided
by love.
Their lives are worlds apart. He's a royal prince. She's a
ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an
invitation to Nathaniel's coronation. It's the ultimate choice. His
kingdom or her heart? God's will or their own?
When the Smoke Clears by Lynnette Eason
