Book picks similar to
Emerald Illusion by J. Rodes


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As the Tide Comes In


Cindy Woodsmall - 2018
    Simons Island.After losing two loved ones in a devastating tornado and suffering a head injury, Tara Abbott flees to St. Simons Island, where her disorientation causes the lines between imagination and reality, past and present to blur. There she encounters island residents Julep Burnside, Luella Ward, Sue Beth Manning, and Dell Calhoun--The Glynn Girls--who have been friends since Bible camp, forty years earlier. When Julep's son Gavin identifies a troubled soul in need of help, can the Glynn Girls guide Tara back to herself?

From This Moment On


Debra Clopton - 2016
    Determined to never again risk her heart, she throws herself into running the family’s small boutique resort on the Florida coast, a place so full of romance that it’s a reminder every day of what she’ll never have. But when renowned artist Grant Ellington shows up to paint a mural on the wall of the resort, she’s swept away by her response to the artist. Suddenly, every time he looks at her, Cali finds it harder than she ever thought possible to keep her heart protected. Grant Ellington loves his ranch, his horses, and his life as a sought-after artist. But after walking away from a plane crash that killed his best friend and the young pilot, he’s still struggling with survivor’s guilt as he heads to Windswept Bay. Painting a sea life mural at the resort started out as a favor to his neighbor, but one meeting with the beautiful Cali and he feels alive again—and determined to spend time on the moonlit beaches with her in his arms… But, like him, Cali has her own emotional scars—can they learn to trust the love that sparks between them and move forward from this moment on?

Runt the Brave


Daniel Schwabauer - 2000
    Only JaRed the field mouse has the courage to face this terrible onslaught-a mouse so small and so young that even his family calls him 'Runt.' But it is not just the rats who are bent on Tira-Nor's destruction. A cold shadow stalks the tunnels of the underground mouse city. And JaRed is about to encounter a power that will fling him into a destiny wilder than anything he's ever imagined!

The Heart of Home


Stephenia H. McGee - 2018
    But when a nearly drowned soldier appears and asks if he can die on her porch, she must guard against the sudden revival of her heart’s hope for love. Haunted by the war, Tristan Stuart just wants to escape the pain. But when he wakes up at a house that looks too much like home with a woman determined to mend him, he may discover a new life worth fighting for. In order to save the last of what Opal holds dear, will he become the man she needs or let the troubled waters carry him away? Fans of In His Eyes will also enjoy seeing Ella and Westley again in Opal's story.  Don't miss these other titles from Bestselling Christian Historical author Stephenia H. McGee Ironwood Plantation Family Saga The Whistle WalkHeir of Hope The Liberator Series Leveraging LincolnLosing LincolnLabeling Lincoln Stand Alone Titles In His EyesEternity Between Us Novellas The Heart of HomeHer Place in Time

Identity


Ted Dekker - 2012
    Who am I? My name is Christy Snow. I'm seventeen and I'm about to die. I'm buried in a coffin under tons of concrete. No one knows where I am. My heart sounds like a monster with clobber feet, running straight toward me. I'm lying on my back, soaked with sweat from the hair on my head to the soles of my feet. My hands and feet won't stop shaking.Some will say that I m not really here. Some will say I'm delusional. Some will say that I don t even exist. But who are they? I'm the one buried in a grave. My name is Christy Snow. I'm seventeen. I'm about to die.So who are you?In a return to the kind of storytelling that made Black, Showdown and Three unforgettable, New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker drags that question into the light with this modern day parable about how we see ourselves. Humming with intensity and blindsided twists, Eyes Wide Open is raw adrenaline from the first page to the last pure escapism packed with inescapable truth. Not all is as it seems. Or is it? Strap yourself in for the ride of your life. Literally.

Love on the Line (Great Expectations Love Stories: The Graykens #2)


Laurie L.C. Lewis - 2019
    After all, Matt fell in love with Mikaela the first time he saw her across a room, serving her cancer patients. Mikaela crossed an ocean to find Matt’s birth sister Kate, whose stem cells could save his life. That’s the kind of love they share. In their quest to defy the limits of Matt’s health and return a bit of the good they’ve known, they embrace grand, miraculous opportunities. But these opportunities bring new stress that threatens Matt’s health while also entwining the Graykens in the lives of complicated people who will challenge their bond, putting to test the promise they made, to choose each other when love is on the line. Love on the Line, Great Expectations Love Stories: The Graykens, Book Two, is the highly anticipated sequel to Love on a Limb.

The Devil and Pastor Gus


Roger E. Bruner - 2014
    Half a century old. Closer to the grave than cradle. And what does Pastor Gus Gospello have to show for his fifty years on earth? Not much. Shepherd of a small church. Married without kids. Faithful keeper of God's commands. Well, most of them, anyway. Gus longs to make a difference for God - to have an eternal legacy. Now, as he comes to grips with his mid-life crisis, Gus acknowledges he'll never be another John Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, or Billy Graham. But can he become the next C.S. Lewis? His wife thinks so. Fueled with the unbridled hope of a naïve novelist, Gus sets out to craft a novel so rich in spiritual symbolism and truth that even the Devil takes notice. And that's never a good sign. The last time the Devil and Gus met, Gospello's pen hovered over the signature line of a dangerous contract - his soul in exchange for a child. But when Gus turned his back on the Great Deceiver, the news spread like Hellfire. Ever since, Satan's been obsessed with personally delivering Gus to Hell. With his eye on Gus's new novel, the Devil tempts Gus with a peek into the spiritual realm of good and evil for a truthful account of his rise, fall, and enduring success. The Devil will feed Gus information few mortals are privileged to know. In return Gus will craft what's sure to become a best seller. Of course, Gus has no intention of making the Accuser look as winsome as promised. Instead, Gus plans to write a scathing satire, exposing the Devil's excessive arrogance. But when the prologue to Gus's novel inexplicably appears in a popular Christian magazine and the Devil is shown to be a pride-filled fool, he seeks to destroy Gus and everything the pastor holds dear, including his precious wife. Gus, willing to lay himself on the line to turn his little flock back to God, makes one last deal and signs the dotted line. Satan finally has claim on Gus's soul, and with it, vindication. But Gus has a few tricks of his own. Win or lose, Pastor Gus is about to discover that striking a deal with Satan, even in jest, can have eternal consequences.

Lord of Her Heart


Sherrinda Ketchersid - 2019
    When she overhears a plot to force her into vows—either to the church or a husband—she disguises herself and flees the convent in desperation to discover the truth. Malcolm Castillon of Berkham is determined to win the next tournament and be granted a manor of his own. After years of proving his worth on the jousting field, he yearns for a life of peace. Rescuing a scrawny lad who turns out to be a beautiful woman is not what he bargained for. Still, he cannot deny that she stirs his heart like no other, in spite of her conniving ways. Chaos, deception, and treachery threaten their goals, but both are determined to succeed. Learning to trust each other might be the only way either of them survives. Written for the General Market (G) (I): Contains little or no; sexual dialogue or situations, violence, or strong language. May also contain some content of an inspirational nature.

Shattered Rose


T.L. Gray - 2013
    GrayAvery Nichols knows how to wear the mask. Perfect student, perfect daughter and perfect friend. Nobody would ever guess that inside, Avery is a prisoner to her own self loathing. Then she meets him…and everything changes. Handsome, charming and self assured, Jake Matthew sweeps Avery off her feet in an effortless fashion. Avery knows that Jake is everything she needs and all she has ever wanted. She would destroy herself to be loved by him…until he walks away.Broken and lost, Avery meets Parker. His genuine, caring nature reaches past the mask and the shattered pieces her heart begin to slowly heal. But just when Avery starts to feel whole again, she realizes the impossible.Jake never really left.

The Princess Sisters


Stacy Lynn Carroll - 2010
    But because of that name, she and her cousins, Belle, Aurora, Ariel, and Snow White suffer years of torment from their peers. Then as the girls enter high school and the enticing world of dating, a life-altering decision must be made. Is it finally time to stop fighting, and surrender to the fairy tale clichés that have been holding them back? By embracing their names, the girls discover an inner-strength they never knew existed. And by putting everything they have on the line, maybe, just maybe they will discover there really is such a thing as ‘happily ever after’.

Some Kind of Wonderful


Belle Calhoune - 2016
    When Nor’easter Igor unearths gold coins on Bounty Beach in Treasure Harbor, treasure seekers from near and far converge on the town in hopes of finding the treasure of a lifetime. Set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the seaside town of Treasure Harbor, this eight book series features heroes and heroines who are dealing with the fact that their beloved town has gone treasure crazy. Lara Callahan is a journalist living in Philadelphia and working for the Philadelphia Times newspaper. When her job sends her back to her hometown of Treasure Harbor, North Carolina in pursuit of a story about centuries old pirate’s treasure, Lara has mixed feelings. Years ago Lara left Treasure Harbor in order to seek a new life away from talk of buried treasure and the hunt for the elusive pirate’s booty. Her childhood was fractured by her parents’ obsession with finding the lost treasure; Lara still feels jaded about the dysfunction she and her sister, Avery, endured as a result. Now that she’s back in Treasure Harbor, Lara finds herself confronted by the ghosts of the past. Ryan Burton, her childhood best friend and the object of her teen crush, is now a gorgeous, kind man who is determined to find the treasure buried by his ancestor, Drake Burton. Although Lara quickly finds herself falling for Ryan, she isn’t sure that she can bear to watch someone she cares about become so consumed with the treasure. Ryan Burton can’t believe his eyes when Lara Callahan walks into Pirate Pizza looking all grown up and gorgeous. Years ago they were best friends before the enmity of their families and the centuries old Burton-Callahan feud tore them apart. Now an executive at the Burton import-export family business, Ryan is struggling to make his family proud of his achievements. Now that gold coins have washed up on Bounty Beach, the town is in a frenzy over the elusive treasure. Wanting to spend time with Lara, Ryan suggests they pool their resources since she’s writing a series of articles about the treasure and he’s officially become a treasure seeker. When romantic sparks fly between them, Ryan finds himself imagining a future with the spunky journalist. But when tensions rise over the treasure in the small seaside town, Ryan begins to realize that he and Lara are at odds over his pursuit of the treasure. Will Lara and Ryan find their way to a happy ending?

An Anchor on Her Heart


Patricia Lee - 2017
    She promised to love him until death parted them. But when circumstances drive a wedge into their marriage and Dane chooses to escape what life has dealt them, how long can she be strong? Can she remain faithful to her marriage vows when tempted by the friendship of an unlikely stranger?Rudy Taylor, who senses McKenna's loneliness and understands the difficulty of raising her daughter, struggles to keep his concern for the young woman biblical. Will McKenna’s faith in God and Rudy’s commitment to his Lord be enough to keep their relationship simple until McKenna's husband one day returns?

Callie


Sharon Srock - 2012
    Haunted by memories of a tiny coffin, Callie can’t understand how God could expect her to put her heart on the line a second time. But the evasive little girl attending her Sunday School class is so obviously in trouble that Callie finds her resolve cracking. Iris and Samantha Evans are living on borrowed time. Deserted, orphaned, betrayed, and deceived, they need rescuing in the worst way. Steve Evans had his life changed by God. A reformed drug addict, he’s searching for the family he abandoned ten years ago and praying for a miracle. The road to healing is rocky. But as Callie confronts her worst fears by bringing father and daughters together in a risky bid for reconciliation, she realizes that the Evans family aren’t the only ones God wants to rescue from a tortured past.

Let Them Eat Cake


Sandra Byrd - 2007
    She’s done with college but still living at home, ready to launch a career but unable to find a job, and solidly stalled between boyfriends. When a lighthearted conversation in French with the manager of her favorite bakery turns into a job offer, Lexi accepts. But the actual glamour is minimal: the pay is less than generous, her co-workers are skeptical, her bank account remains vertically-challenged, and her parents are perpetually disappointed. Her only comfort comes from the flirtatious baker she has her eye–but even may not be who he seems to be!So when a handsome young executive dashes into the bakery to pick up his high profile company’s special order for an important meeting–an order Lexi has flubbed– she loses her compulsion to please. “What am I going to do?” he shouts. “Let them eat cake!” she fires back with equal passion and a nod to Marie Antoinette. And then, something inside Lexi clicks. Laissez la révolution commencer! Let the revolution begin! Instead of trying to fulfill everyone else’s expectations for her life, Lexi embarks on an adventure in trusting God with her future–très bon!This book is written from a lightly, organically, Christian world view.

Simply Mad


Christina Coryell - 2015
    Is it possible to have everything, or should she be careful what she wishes for?