Book picks similar to
Summer's List by Anita Higman


romance
christian-fiction
contemporary
contemporary-fiction

Can't Help Falling


Kara Isaac - 2016
    Lewis fans together in a snowy and picturesque Oxford, England.Emelia Mason has spent her career finding the dirt on the rich and famous. But deep down past this fearless tabloid-reporter façade, there’s a nerdy Narnia-obsessed girl who still can’t resist climbing into wardrobes to check for the magical land on the other side. When a story she writes produces tragic results, she flees to Oxford, England—home to C.S. Lewis—to try and make amends for the damage she has caused.Peter Carlisle was on his way to become one of Great Britain’s best rowers—until he injured his shoulder and lost his chance at glory. He’s determined to fight his way back to the top even if it means risking permanent disability to do so. It’s the only way he can find his way past failing the one person who never stopped believing in his Olympic dream.When Peter and Emelia cross paths on her first night in Oxford, the attraction is instant and they find common ground in their shared love of Narnia. But can the lessons from a fantasyland be enough to hold them together when secrets of the real world threaten to tear them apart? Cobblestone streets, an aristocratic estate, and an antique shop with curious a wardrobe bring the world of Narnia to life in Kara Isaac’s inspiring and romantic story about second chances.

Irish Meadows


Susan Anne Mason - 2015
    He intends for his daughters to marry prosperous men–ones who will secure the family’s rightful place in society, and at the same time, guarantee the future of Irish Meadows. Both girls, however, have different visions for their futures.Brianna and Colleen O’Leary know their father expects them to marry well. Yet despite his wishes, Brianna, the quieter sister, dreams of attending college. Vivacious Colleen, meanwhile, is happy to marry–as long as her father’s choice meets her exacting standards. When stable hand Gilbert Whelan returns from college and distant family member Rylan Montgomery stops in on his way to the seminary in Boston, the two men quickly complicate everyone’s plans. It will take every ounce of courage for both sisters to follow their hearts. And even if they do, will they inevitably find their dreams too distant to reach?

The Way of the Brave


Susan May Warren - 2020
    He may be living alone in Alaska now, but the pain of his failure--and his injuries--has followed him there from Afghanistan. He has no desire to join Hamilton Jones's elite rescue team, but he also can't shirk his duty when the call comes in to rescue three lost climbers on Denali.Former CIA profiler and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun's yearly extreme challenge with her best friends is her only escape from the guilt that has sunk its claws into her. As a consultant during a top-secret mission to root out the Taliban, she green-lighted an operation that ended in ambush and lives lost. When her cathartic climb on Denali turns deadly, she'll be forced to trust her life and the lives of her friends to the most dangerous of heroes--the man she nearly killed.Her skills and his experience are exactly what's needed to prevent another tragedy--but in order to truly set Orion free from his painful past, Jenny will have to reveal hers. They'll have to put their wounds behind them to survive, but at what cost?Leap into action with this high-octane, breakneck new series from bestselling author Susan May Warren.

There You'll Find Me


Jenny B. Jones - 2011
    Love will lead her home.Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen year old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along?

Falling in Love


Susette Williams - 2012
    It doesn’t include becoming serious about anyone before she achieves her goals, not even her handsome boss. Just because she does not have time to date, doesn’t mean her boss shouldn’t. Her new mission…to make her boss happy, whether or not he wants to be.Wade McAlester fell in love with Katie the first day she walked into his clinic looking for a job. He hired her, content to settle for friendship until she lives out her dream of becoming a vet. Against his better judgment, Wade allows her to fix him up with a couple of her friends. The dates are disastrous. He can’t believe the kind of women Katie seems to think he’d enjoy spending his life with. However, when Wade’s old colleague, Dr. Laura Redmond shows up, Katie is rethinking how happy she wants her boss to be, and with whom. Definitely not the gorgeous doctor.

The Cowboy's Christmas Reunion


Valerie Comer - 2018
    Does God really expect him to treat Cheri the same as the others on his new Christmas list? Cheri Mackenzie has never forgiven herself for the pain she caused Kade by fleeing a week before their wedding, but undoing the past is impossible. Circumstances force her back to her aging grandparents’ Montana ranch, where Kade, now a widower with a toddler, is making himself cheerfully indispensable. When she receives kindness instead of the hostility she surely deserves, she can’t help but pray for a Christmas reunion with the cowboy she’s never stopped loving. Is there any hope for a second chance at love? About the Montana Ranches Christian Romance series Welcome to Saddle Springs, the fictional western town that’s home to the Montana Ranches Christian Romance Series! Revel in the lush mountain scenery with rocky peaks, tumbling rivers, and peaceful lakes. Meet the cowboys who ride the ranges, mend fences, and are lassoed by romance in this new series by USA Today bestselling author Valerie Comer. 1. The Cowboy’s Christmas Reunion (available in A Christmas to Remember box set in fall of 2018) 2. The Cowboy’s Mixed-Up Matchmaker Join USA Today bestselling author Valerie Comer in this new Christian romance series... with cowboys!

Even Still


Hannah Jo Abbott - 2017
    At twenty-two she thought she would be graduating from college and starting a career. But the loss of her parents changed everything, and instead she spends her days working as a waitress and spends her nights, weekends, and everything in between taking care of her five younger siblings. Now her life is completely focused on her family, and despite the urging of those close to her, she doesn’t find time for a life of her own. When Russell Pierce returns to his childhood hometown he is eager to focus on success in his new career. Meeting Paige wasn’t part of his plan either, but once he does he can’t stop thinking about her and how he wants to help her. But she can’t let go of her fears, and refuses to allow him to get close. Will she ever be able to open up and consider a life with anyone? Is she ready to give life a second chance?

Motherless


Erin Healy - 2014
    A car accident snatches him away from this world before he can reach her.Marina has spent her whole life mothering her brother, who suffers from an anxiety disorder. After their father's accident, they face losing their home--the only place Dylan's fears are held at bay.Crushing debt is just one of their father's secrets. Old keepsakes lead Dylan to believe their mother is alive and lives nearby. Sara Rochester is a successful chocolatier who doesn't dwell on her past and never expected the resurrection of its ghosts. But after Dylan confronts her, Sara consents to parent the only way she knows how: with money, chocolate, and a gross deficit of experience.Sara's hesitant presence divides Marina and Dylan. Marina doesn't believe that Sara is their mother. The woman's paper-thin lies suggest she might even be responsible for their mother's death. When Marina's suspicions spark an investigation, no one is prepared for the tragic truth or the powerful redemption that Marina's actions expose.Narrated by a storyteller with more to lose than any other character, Motherless is a richly layered mystery about the power of perception--and deception--among people seeking forgiveness for irreversible sins.

Second Chance in Summit County


Katherine Karrol - 2018
    God, however, had other plans. Her: “My marriage, career, and reputation just crashed around me and eliminated the little trust I had left in myself to make good decisions. I packed my bags, shook the dust off my feet, and started driving, begging God to tell me where to go. He brought me to a tiny, charming Northern Michigan town, where I’m recreating my life from scratch – without men.” Him: “My whole world turned upside down when I lost the love of my life and had to start over as a single father. I am now both mother and father to my little girl and have built my life around taking care of her; and protecting my heart from ever being hurt like that again. Love is not a part of my life anymore.” God: “We’ll see about that.” Can two people who have sworn off love stop fighting their attraction long enough to see that God is doing something? Can they trust Him enough to risk giving happiness another try?

The Inn at Ocean's Edge


Colleen Coble - 2015
    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.

Josiah's Treasure


Nancy Herriman - 2013
    She plans to use the house left to her by family friend Josiah Cady as collateral for her studio. But will all be lost when the inheritance is challenged by an angry man claiming to be Josiah’s son and legal heir? Rumor of gold nuggets hidden in the house place Sarah’s life in danger. Her future uncertain and her safety threatened, Sarah has nowhere to turn. That is, unless she can soften a vengeful man’s heart – and they both learn that love is finer than any gold.

Five Days in Skye


Carla Laureano - 2013
    When she's sent to meet Scottish celebrity chef James MacDonald on the Isle of Skye, she just wants to finish her work as efficiently as possible. Yet her client is not the opportunistic womanizer he portrays himself to be, and her attraction to him soon dredges up memories she'd rather leave buried. For James, renovating the family hotel is a fulfillment of his late father's dreams. When his hired consultant turns out to be beautiful, intelligent, and completely unimpressed by his public persona, he makes it his mission to win her over. He just never expects to fall under her spell.Soon, both Andrea and James must face the reality that God may have a far different purpose for their lives—and that five days in Skye will forever change their outlook on life and love.

The Wonder of His Love


Kimberly Rae Jordan - 2016
    Noella, Erin, Tennyson and Forrest might have aged out of the foster system, but they didn't age out of each other's lives. Follow these four foster siblings as they move past their troubled beginnings to find love. Please note: THE WONDER OF HIS LOVE is also part of the boxed set: CANDY CANE KISSES (ASIN: B01HPP4Q34) Noella Crawford watched as her mom fell in love over and over again, only to have the men take advantage of her love and leave her broke and brokenhearted. When her mom eventually abandons her daughter in order to keep the love of her latest man, Noella is determined to never repeat her mom's mistakes. After devoting several years of her life to university and then setting up a bakery business with her foster sister, Noella is finally ready to turn her attentions to a relationship. But she has two very high standards that any man she dates must meet: he must match or exceed her own financial position, and he must be driven to succeed in whatever field he has chosen for his career. And love is optional. If there is one person who might cause her to re-evaluate her requirements and the love part, however, it's Finlay Kinnaird. Except he's a mechanic. And lives in a trailer park. After leaving his Scottish home six years earlier, Finlay Kinnaird has floated around Canada for several years before finally putting down roots. In the year since Finn first met Noella through her foster brother, he has found himself drawn to her quiet, yet intense, personality. Even though it appears to be with a bit of reluctance, Noella agrees when Finn asks her out. Unfortunately, on their very first date, Finn discovers that they have very different views on love, marriage and finances, and he's not sure they can work past them. Compromise and trust are the only way things will work between them, but is that even possible when Finn longs for the type of relationship his parents have while Noella fears becoming her mother? As Christmas looms ahead of them, will they find a way to experience the wonder of love? Or will this be a season of heartache for them both? Stayed tuned for THE SWEETNESS OF HER LOVE the second Christian romance novella in the FOSTERED BY LOVE series coming in November 2016. If you enjoy heartwarming Christian romance with a focus on love, faith and family, be sure to check out these other books and series by Kimberly Rae Jordan. Other Christian romance series by Kimberly Rae Jordan: The Callaghans & McFaddens The McKinleys BlackThorpe Security Home to Collingsworth Those Karlsson Boys Other Christian romance books by Kimberly Rae Jordan: Faith, Hope & Love Marrying Kate

Hope Harbor


Irene Hannon - 2015
    But life–and love–altered her plans.When tragedy strikes and changes her plans yet again, she finds herself back in her hometown with a floundering farm to run and a heartbreaking secret. Romance is not on her agenda. Nor is it on Michael Hunter’s. The visitor from Chicago has daunting secrets of his own. But when Tracy recruits him to help save a struggling charitable organization, the winds of change begin to sweep through Hope Harbor, bringing healing, hope, and love to countless lives–including their own.

The Secret of Willow Inn


Pat Nichols - 2018
    A tragic event threatens her parents’ plans to refurbish an abandoned hotel and transform the obscure Georgia setting into a tourist destination.Sadie Lyles left Willow Falls a murderer who’d killed the town hero. She returns as a despised felon and seeks solace in the town’s café. Emily struggles to unite the close-knit community and becomes Sadie’s biggest advocate. She strives to uncover the truth about the crime and save her town from dying. To appease her father, Rachel, a VP in his Atlanta real-estate-development firm, relegates her acting dream to secret performances for imaginary audiences. After meeting charming, flirtatious Charlie Bricker, manager for Willow Falls’ future vineyard, she vows to break free from her father’s control.The tragedy and Willow Inn’s secret past launch Emily and Rachel on a collision course with destiny and truth.