March 2024 ACFW New Fiction Releases

Hold on to your hats, because new books have blown in this month like March winds!

Contemporary Romance:

For Better or For Granted by Amy R. Anguish — Divorce was never in the plans for Genevieve Stewart. Only four years into marriage, and everything has gone wrong. If only she could find her way back to the way things were before Scott’s job took all his time and energy, leaving nothing for her. Scott Stewart achieved his goal of becoming a high school principal younger than most in the state. Everything in life seems to be going exactly as planned until Genevieve threatens to leave. Suddenly, his dreams aren’t as clear as they once were. He desperately wants to stay married, but he can’t let down his school, either. The way back to love isn’t easy when you’ve grown used to taking each other for granted. (Contemporary Romance from Scrivenings Press)

A Slice of Paradise by Nancy Lavo — Single mother and baker Eden Lambert arrives in quaint Village Green looking for a home for herself and her 18-month-old son, Jake. Her warm welcome by her elderly hostess is offset by the cold disdain of Mary Jo’s self-appointed protector, Joe Wolfe. At first, the long-legged blonde and her kid look like trouble to Joe. Mary Jo saved the builder’s life years ago, and he will do no less for the woman he considers a surrogate mother. But as he keeps an eye on the unwanted guests, Joe’s suspicions soon become replaced by admiration and respect for Eden’s resolve and dedication to her son. With his background of abuse and abandonment, Joe is aware of the dangers facing the vulnerable and wants better for Eden and Jake. He offers her a business arrangement–he’ll build her a bakery, and she can run it. As they join forces to start the bakery, can they overcome the scars of the past to find a recipe for love? (Contemporary Romance from Iron Stream Media)

Tangled Up in Love by Carolyn Miller — When Ellie Reilly returns from a dream overseas trip, a too-long hug from her best friend Jasper Cohen clues her in that his feelings might be more than what she suspected. He’s unsure about pushing their friendship further, and doubly uncertain when her European friend, Sebastian, seeks her out in Trinity Lakes. Uncertainty is something Ellie knows all too well. Since returning from her vacation, Ellie feels like she doesn’t fit at her family’s ranch or in small town life. When she is asked to take on responsibility for reopening Trinity Lakes’ historical museum – a dream she’s always wanted – she can’t help but wonder if settling for life in the familiar is all that God has for her, or can she dare trust Him for more? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

Prestige of Hearts by R.F. Whong — When Chicagoan Grace Feng, a recent college graduate and a devout Christian, delivers her late mother’s letter to a billionaire, Mr. Lam, in Hong Kong, she expects a quick exchange. Upon their meeting, he offers her a job and luxurious accommodations. She reluctantly stays and befriends Kevin Cheung, the butler’s atheist son, and a jobless unpublished author. Haunted by a tragic past, Kevin finds solace in Grace’s company, but a mystery troubles him: Grace resembles several movie stars who date Mr. Lam, the town’s most eligible bachelor. Can Kevin unravel the enigma? Meanwhile, Mr. Lam’s college-aged son and a fugitive who fled China after the Tiananmen Square Massacre also vie for Grace’s affections. Caught amid a love quadrangle, will she retain her Christian values and guide them toward true grace? (Contemporary Romance from Vidaysm Publishing)

General Contemporary and Women’s Fiction:

Between You and Us by Kendra Broekhuis — When Leona Warlon heads across the city to meet her husband, David, for a rare dinner out, she hopes they can share a moment of relief after their year of loss. But Leona quickly realizes this is no ordinary date night. She hasn’t just stepped into an upscale ristorante; she’s stepped into a different version of her life. One in which her marriage is no longer tender, in which her days are pressured by her powerful in-laws, and in which her precious baby girl lived. Now Leona must weigh the bitter and sweet of both trajectories, facing an unimaginable choice: Stay in a world where tragedy hasn’t struck but where the meaningful life she built with David is gone? Or return to a reality that’s filled with struggle and sorrow but also deep and enduring love? (Contemporary from Waterbrook/Multnomah)

Chokecherry Valley Faith by Jean Rezab — Alex Richmond is being released from prison after a two-year term for embezzlement. His former boss’s cancer has returned, and the town blames Alex.
His wife, Courtney, looks forward to his return but worries about how the community will react.
Can Alex and Courtney work as a team after having been apart for two years and face the trials that will come with his return home? (Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Independently Published)

Cozy Mystery:

Saguaro, Snowflakes, and Murder by Jenna Hendricks — Maisy Bransky’s life takes an unexpected turn when she inherits a quirky bookshop from her beloved great-aunt Jo. The giant saguaro cactus out front named Siggy, shelves filled with rare books, and the possibility of a small coffee shop inside seem like the perfect recipe for a peaceful life. However, tranquility is shattered when Jo’s archnemesis, the notorious local troublemaker Homer Kimball, is found dead near her bookshop. As the gossip mill starts churning, Maisy becomes the prime suspect. Determined to clear her name, Maisy embarks on a journey to unravel the mysteries hidden within the dusty shelves of Aunt Jo’s bookshop. With the help of a rescued Frenchie named Ollie, a mysterious old cowboy, and unexpected allies like a quirky cactus enthusiast, Maisy discovers cryptic messages, hidden compartments, and a secret diary that hints at Aunt Jo’s enigmatic past. As Maisy delves deeper, she uncovers a forged will, a lost treasure map, and a series of red herrings that lead her to suspect everyone from Aunt Jo’s best friends, The Fearsome Foursome, to the local pirate. Can Maisy solve the mystery, unearth the secrets of the past, and prove her innocence? (Cozy Mystery, Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

The Luck of the Irish by Kate Darroch, Kathleen Marple Kalb, C.A. Phipps, Amy Grundy, Jessica Brimer, Jessica Thomson, J.L. Lancaster, Jaclyn Weist, K. Rose, W. Jenkins– Ten Tantalizing Cozy Mysteries and the authors’ favorite Saint Patrick’s Day Recipes – sure to make you chuckle, and to keep you guessing! (Cozy Mystery from Ad Astra Press Inc)

Historical Romance:

Streams of Courage by Sandra Merville Hart — In a world turned upside down by war and betrayal…will his role as a spy bring them closer…or tear their future apart? The war that Julia Dodd prayed to avoid is now reality, and with it, her world has been turned on its head. Her fellow citizens, who stood with her in their support of the union, have crossed firmly to the side of the south. And her mother, lost in her grief over the loss of her husband and children, can think of nothing but protecting Julia’s brother’s inheritance. She insists that her daughter seek a wealthier husband than Ashburn Mitchell. Ash knows what his fellow citizens think of him when he refuses to fight for the confederacy. Shouldering the accusation of being a coward and refusing to hide behind his limp, Ash remains in Vicksburg to support his family as a saddler while his two best friends join the fight. Struggling to increase his business so he can marry the woman he loves, Ash becomes a spy in support of the Union. He can’t fight for the South but won’t raise a musket against them. As tragedy instigates Ash to risk greater danger to speed the end of the war, Julia can only pray it won’t cost them everything. She’s already lost her father and two siblings. Must she lose the man she loves too? (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

To Speak His Name by Tara Johnson — Avalina is a woman trapped in silence. Stolen from her home in Ireland and sold as a slave to a Barbados plantation owner, the trauma of her past has left her mute, wrapped in a prison of loneliness and isolation amid an island of beauty. Though she longs to be free from the cruelty of her overseer, her heart yearns for a greater freedom…something just beyond her grasp. Josiah Holland has been born into a South Carolina slave-holding family but all it takes is one trip to the island of Barbados to open his eyes to the ugly cruelty that abounds beyond the confines of his plantation. With the aid of fiery abolitionist Benjamin McGee, Josiah forges a new future, fighting the very ideals he was once a part of. When Avalina and Josiah’s lives entwine, will their spark engulf them in destruction, or ignite a revolution? (Historical Romance from Story Architect)

Uncharted Peace by Keely Brooke Keith — Lena’s stay at The Inn at Falls Creek leaves her torn between loyalty to her family and marrying Philip for love. (Historical Romance, Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

Seashells in My Pocket by Terri Wangard — German-Brazilian Isabel Neumann delights in creating seashell art, but it’s her mathematical ability that lands her a job at the American air base in Natal, northern Brazil during World War II. She doesn’t need a calculator to determine the correct weights and balances for the Air Transport Command’s cargo planes. Daniel Lambert, an American transport pilot based at Natal, endures the taunts of combat pilots that he is “allergic to combat.” His flying skills win him respect, however, and his friendship with Isabel deepens, even as a new source of trouble looms. Isabel is caught in the crosshairs of a German saboteur who is obsessed with her. He insists that she belongs with him and demands that she help him sabotage the Allied base. Her growing relationship with Daniel angers the Nazi, who will do anything to get of rid him. What will happen to Isabel if the madman captures her? (Historical Romance from Scrivenings Press)

Set in Stone by Kimberley Woodhouse — From the time she was little, Martha Jankowski has been digging in the dirt, much to the dismay of her mother. Now, she dreams of being a paleontologist and is determined to make her parents proud by uncovering the next big discovery. When Martha finds what she hopes to be a fully intact dinosaur skeleton–one that that could win her an acclaimed exhibit–she learns another team is competing against her and could steal her chance at being recognized for this momentous discovery. Paleontology student Jacob Duncan has fulfilled his dream of digging for dinosaur bones at last. In a race against time, he and his team are bent on unearthing a complete skeleton to claim a museum exhibit with their names on it. But when Jacob meets their charming competitor Martha and uncovers foul play within his team, love and danger grow hand in hand until a menacing ruse threatens to destroy it all. (Historical Romance from Bethany House)

Levi’s Vow by Peny Zeller — Wrongfully imprisoned for a crime and disowned by his family, Levi Callahan endeavors to put the past behind him. When he travels to the Idaho Territory and secures a job on a small farm, he has no idea he’ll once again be defending the vulnerable. Norah Hammett knows what it means to suffer loss. After her husband leaves her and their children for a “better” life and her hired hand steals from her, she is left to run the farm alone. When ruthless men attempt to steal Norah’s Idaho farm, can Levi help her save it? Or will he prove to be disloyal like the rest of the men in her life? Will God use desperate circumstances to bring two hurting hearts together? (Historical Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)

Love’s Promise by Penny Zeller — Can one man’s love win a fragile woman’s heart? After Amaya Alvarado lost her fiancé to a senseless tragedy, she vows never to love again. Two years later, at her grandmother’s request, she travels to Poplar Springs to assist with the mercantile and help care for her ailing grandfather. During a stagecoach accident and a confrontation with nefarious outlaws, she crosses paths with a man named Silas McFadden who rescues her and the other passengers. Silas is not the man he once was. After a stint on the wrong side of the law, he’s now a respectable rancher in Poplar Springs, Wyoming. Amaya’s and Silas’s friendship soon grows, and she begins to trust him with everything but her heart. Can she push her growing feelings for him aside? When the past comes back to haunt him and revenge is sought, can Silas protect the woman he has come to love? (Historical Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller:

Open Water by Betty Thomason Owens — As much as Lisa Oliver wanted to believe that she could be safe in the small mountain community of Benning, Kentucky, she knew that wouldn’t be the case when Agent Farrow’s car pulled next to the school where she had been working. They’d found her again? Who was stalking her and why? Jake Bradley uses his widely popular “Jake on the Road” articles to help him continue to follow leads into Lisa’s past, but he didn’t expect the people whom he spoke with to be attacked and killed. How could he possibly protect this woman who had become so important to him when he so miserably failed at learning about her past and why someone had killed her parents? Lisa and Jake learn more about her past, and about each other, in this dramatic suspense. (Contemporary Mystery/Suspense from Write Integrity Press)

Romantic Suspense:

Never Fall Again by Lynn H Blackburn — Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven’s guests, she’s finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction. Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family’s business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can’t bear to lose like that again. Before construction on the house can begin, Landry’s pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger—but from whom? Despite his best efforts to remain unattached and uninvolved, Cal knows that Landry needs him— and he fears he needs her just as much. (Romantic Suspense from Revell)

Even in Death by Rebecca Hemlock — After receiving a note that her ninety-three-year-old great aunt is very sick, Emily Fredrickson assumes the worst. She’s always known that she’d someday lose the only blood relative she has, but when she’s met with a ghost story and a mysterious family keepsake, she must dive into the past to figure out how to get rid of the ghosts in Fredrickson Mansion and bring peace to her troubled aunt. (Romantic Suspense from Bluecap Publishing)

Cold Case Target by Jessica R Patch — Caught in a serial killer’s deadly game with nowhere to turn… Interrupting an attempted murder—and leaving with incriminating evidence—makes Sissy Spencer a serial killer’s next target. With a flash drive in her possession containing disturbing proof of multiple murders, Sissy has no choice but to trust her ex-boyfriend, private investigator Beau Brighton, to keep her safe. But can they unravel the clues and track down a killer…before he catches them first? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Sweet Deceit by Sally Jo Pitts — Someone will stop at nothing to keep the secrets of Sweet County hidden. Public Relations Consultant ANNIE MCAFEE hopes to spend a quiet summer in Sugarville waitressing, housesitting and job hunting. But her plans are upended after she’s run off the road and narrowly escapes with her life. Rookie state investigator WILL BRICE is looking forward to a bright future with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement until the governor removes the Sweet County Sheriff and appoints Will to take his place. Propelled into the middle of Sweet County’s dark secrets, Will and Annie find that deceit hides beneath its sugar-coated façade and the townspeople prefer to turn a blind eye to wrongdoing. Confronted with a web of mysterious threats, life threatening crises, and the death of a teenager, the two must work together with the help of an unusual sidekick to expose the corruption. Can this unlikely crime fighting trio crack the town’s sweet cover? (Romantic Mystery from Elk Lake Publishing)

Caught in the Crosshairs by Melanie D. Snitker — For single mom Erica Keyes, a normal day swiftly changes to one of terror when someone intentionally runs her off the road, endangering her and her son’s life. Already unsettled by the encounter, strange things begin happening at the B&B she owns, leaving her watchful and on edge. Unable to find a connection between the events, Erica is grateful for a handsome guest who insists on helping. In town to scout a new location for his private security employer, Cole Shepherd rents a room at the Tranquil Bed & Breakfast. When he realizes someone is harassing the lovely owner and her son, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep Erica and Peter safe. As the danger escalates and the suspects grow increasingly desperate, it’s clear that Cole and Erica are missing a key piece of information. Can they stay one step ahead long enough to figure out who is behind it all and thwart their evil plans? (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

Young Adult:

Salvaged by Shanna M Heath — Hadley, forced to relocate with her estranged father at age seventeen, searches for belonging. A cancer diagnosis threatens to take her beloved Nonny, and a looming senior project might just break her. Has God forgotten Hadley Edwards? (Young Adult, Independently Published)

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

Trust and Trickery-Hivites by Christine Dillon — But what can a mere baker do to save his family, his city, and his people? (General Historical)

Dawn’s Hidden Threat by Elizabeth Goddard — An unexpected search and rescue uncovers a hidden threat. Angie Harris doesn’t know whom to trust, except for the man who rescued her from a cold, dark cave and a grizzly bear. *Previously published in the Heroes in the Crossfire collection. (Romantic Suspense)

Guardian by Cathy McCrumb — In order to save her allies, the Recorder must activate a drone, but her success might destroy any hope for freedom, a future, and a name. (Speculative Fiction)

Dysfunction Junction by Robin W Pearson — At the junction of healed and hurting, broken and whole, and past and present, three women wrestle with their inability to forgive and forget in this riveting Southern family drama about sisterhood. (Contemporary Literary Fiction)

The Medici Quest by Jeff Raymond — Highlighted by accurate locations and blending in factual historical characters and events, The Medici Quest touches on the real-life topics of faith, grace, and redemption. (Thriller/Suspense)

Who Brought the Dog to Church? by Tracy L Smoak — God works in mysterious ways—and through ordinary people. The town of Prosper is about to experience some drama—and it all starts with a dog who comes to church. (Contemporary General)

Caleb’s Cross by Urcelia Teixeira — A suspenseful true crime murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. (Crime/Mystery)

Former Things Forgotten by Thomas Michael Trezise — This intriguing and unforgettable story of love at the intersection of heaven and earth, where relationships are eternal and hard choices determine destinies, examines the questions, answers, and consequences of life lived for self or for God. (Contemporary Literary)

Rocky Road by Becky Wade — Escape to Maine for this swoon-worthy “fake romance”! Banter, humor, perfume, and a mystery from the past intertwine in this sweet Sons of Scandal love story. (Contemporary Romance)

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

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