Book picks similar to
The Fight by Luke Wordley


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contemporary
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Forsaken


James David Jordan - 2008
    Taylor is thrilled to receive the high-profile assignment, but she has no idea that Simon already knows more about her than she could imagine.When the terrorists strike, making a demand of the pastor that would shake the most steadfast saint, Taylor draws on all of her hard-knock toughness and training as she fights to save Simon and his daughter. Along the way, she discovers that she is not the only one who has done things she would like to forget—and she is not the only one who understands that some things are more important than living."James David Jordan pens a fascinating tale that is more than a suspense novel. An intimate exploration of the soul’s need for acceptance and belonging, it touches the nerves of some of our most sensitive fears and longings. Forsaken is a moving and relevant saga of faith on a collision course with the brutalities of our world."Endorsements:"James David Jordan pens a fascinating tale that is more than a suspense novel. An intimate exploration of the soul’s need for acceptance and belonging, it touches the nerves of some of our most sensitive fears and longings. Forsaken is a moving and relevant saga of faith on a collision course with the brutalities of our world."—Jill Elizabeth Nelson, author of Reluctant Burglar and Reluctant Smuggler"Entertaining, action packed, and thought provoking. I couldn’t put it down. Forsaken is a must read."—Patricia Rushford, author of Deadly Aim and As Good as Dead"With more twists and turns than a rip-roaring rollercoaster ride, Forsaken will keep you guessing right to final page. You’ll find no easy answers here but many to consider."—Ken Abraham, New York Times bestselling author"I have read many enthralling suspense novels, meaningful love stories, and books that challenged my thinking and purpose, but never has a novel combined all three elements with such adeptness as Forsaken."—RelzReviews

The Menu


Steven Manchester - 2020
    With heaven’s memories erased, his romantic quest teaches him that the heart often sees clearer than the eyes—and that not everyone has ordered the same items from The Menu. Evidence that love stories come in many different forms, The Menu is a spiritual journey involving more than just a man and a woman; it is a modern-day tale that reaches far beyond the boundaries of reason.

Frasier Island


Susan Page Davis - 2007
    She could love her new assignment if her commanding officer, Lt. George Hudson, weren’t so obstinate—and a bit distrustful.Despite George’s first reaction to her presence on the island, Rachel sets out to prove she is perfect for the job. She doesn’t dream of being a heroine or falling in love, but months later, when word leaks out about the prize they are guarding, Rachel and George have few resources besides each other and their faith in God to foil an enemy attack that could endanger all of America.

A Penny for Your Thoughts


Mindy Starns Clark - 2002
    Foundation and awards the best of them grants up to a million dollars. In each book of the series, Callie comes across a mystery she must solve using her skills as a former private investigator. A young widow, Callie finds strength in her faith in God and joy in her relationship with her employer, Tom. In book number one of The Million Dollar Mystery series, Callie’s assignment is to go to Philadelphia and present Wendell Smythe, an old family friend of her boss, Tom, with a check for $250,000. Mr. Smythe heads a relief organization and needs immediate funds. When Callie goes to his office, check in hand, she discovers him dead on the floor. At Tom’s request, Callie moves into Smythe’s home and begins a murder investigation.But it’s a dangerous place to be, for the family has secrets they would rather not have uncovered. Callie’s only hope is that God will help her use her investigative skills to discover the murderer and escape the web of deceit that surrounds her.

The Spirit of Prayer: The Believer's Authority on the Earth (The Sons of God Book 2)


Tolulope Oyewole - 2021
    

Live for Me


Emma Thomas - 2021
    Although she's had her ups and downs, life is good now: she lives with her twin brother, Onyx, and another friend in an artsy community in Cincinnati and is pursuing a master's degree in psychology. An avid reader, Ophelia likes everything to be orderly, including her job at a nearby bookstore. But when a good-looking stranger ends up in her apartment-invited to crash on their couch by her brother-her life begins to change forever.Brax Smith arrives to Cincinnati with nothing other than his van, having left Florida to start a new life, escaping the memories of losing his mother to cancer and dealing with his drunk father. A recovering alcoholic himself, Brax meets two guys at a group session in an eclectic area of Cincinnati when he gets to town. He feels grateful to have a place to stay but also comes face-to-face with the sister of one of his new friends, who is less than excited to have an additional roommate. Can he win her over, despite the fact that she has no interest in being his friend?In this novel, the lives of two struggling people collide and take them on a roller-coaster journey of good times and bad, ultimately leading to true love, devotion, and tragedy.

Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus


Joyce Magnin - 2011
    Insisting Harriet move in with them in California, they make a bet that her ankle is broken, and she foolishly promises to move if they’re right. Four x-rays later, Harriet’s ankle—and her heart—are broken. She packs up, ships her huge salt and pepper collection to California, and prepares to move away from the only life she knows. The only catch? She’s doing it her way. Just wait till her daughter-in-law hears Harriet will travel cross country only by public transportation and alternate means. What follows is a hilarious, heartwarming journey by train, metro bus, ferry, and motorcycle. Along the way, Harriet discovers that although her family thinks it’s time for her to be put out to pasture—God has a different plan.

An Abundance of Katherines


John Green - 2006
    And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun--but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself.

The Canary List


Sigmund Brouwer - 2011
    But is anywhere safe when Evil is hunting you? She’s just a twelve year-old girl, bumped around between foster homes and relegated to school classes for challenged kids, those lagging in their test scores or with behavioral issues. But her real problem is that she can sense something the other kids can’t—something dark. Something compelling her to run for her life. All Crockett Grey wants is to mark the anniversary of his daughter’s death alone. But when his student Jaimie comes to him, terrified, her need for protection collides with his grief, and a tangled web of bizarre events sends them both spiraling toward destruction. Crockett’s one hope of getting his life back is to uncover the mysterious secrets of Jaimie’s past and her strange gift. It isn’t long before his discoveries lead him to a darker conspiracy, secrets guarded by the highest seat of power in the world—the Vatican.

Almost Forever


Deborah Raney - 2017
    Among them was Bryn’s husband, Adam. Like the rest of the surviving spouses, she must find a way to begin again. But she must do so living with a horrible secret. Garrett Edmonds’s wife, Molly, was the only female firefighter to perish in the blaze. As her husband, it was Garrett’s job to protect the woman he loved… How can he go on in the face of such unbearable loss and guilt? And what started the fire that destroyed the dreams and futures of so many? Investigators are stumped. But someone knows the answer. This novel was originally published in 2010 under the same title.

Tiny Dancer


Patricia Hickman - 2000
    Irish teen dancer Flannery Curry lives in this beautiful setting but feels stuck between two worlds—the one before her family’s tragic accident and the one that beckons her. While her self-identity has shifted drastically, her stepmother Vesta is intent on grooming her as a rising socialite among the community’s elite families. But out the Currys’ back door is a despised sunflower forest, a towering garden tended by an African American neighbor Flannery calls the “sunflower man.” Even though Vesta forbids any association with this man or his eclectic relatives and guests, Flannery discovers a secret photograph in her deceased sister’s keepsake box—a photo that implies Siobhan entertained a taboo relationship with the people beyond the sunflower forest.Now driven to know more about the taboo family Flannery has only watched from her bedroom window, she does the unthinkable and crosses into the sunflower forest. Now she is the one feasting and dancing under the alluring summer moon. To continue in her rebellion threatens to destroy her already fragile home life. But to remain in a state of blankness threatens her identity. How will she choose?Tiny Dancer is a story of survivor’s guilt and secrecy, a universal story of how humans find meaning in the midst of broken dreams.

Aging with Gracie


Heather Hunt - 2012
    When she is assigned to manage her father’s corporation’s latest acquisition in Manhattan, she is ecstatic that she will finally have a chance to prove herself. Unfortunately, Grace’s joy takes a sudden downward spiral when she discovers that the assignment is the overhaul of a retirement home in Manhattan…Manhattan, Georgia, of all places.Grace resigns herself to tackling the overwhelming task of turning the retirement home into a welcoming and safe place for its elderly residents...a task made even more difficult by the destructive presence of a vindictive pair of former workers. Armed with a newfound sense of God's grace, the friendship of a pair of feisty elderly residents, and a blossoming relationship with handsome general contractor, Jackson Ellis, Grace discovers that God's plans for her life are not necessarily the ones she would have imagined…they are so much more amazing!

L.A. Candy


Lauren Conrad - 2009
    Nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts can't wait to start living it up. She may be in L.A. for an internship, but Jane plans to play as hard as she works, and has enlisted her BFF Scarlett to join in the fun.When Jane and Scarlett are approached by a producer who wants them to be on his new series, a "reality version of Sex and the City," they can hardly believe their luck. Their own show? Yes, please!Soon Jane is TV's hottest star. Fame brings more than she ever imagined possible for a girl from Santa Barbara-free designer clothes, the choicest tables at the most exclusive clubs, invites to Hollywood premieres-and she's lapping up the VIP treatment with her eclectic entourage of new pals. But those same friends who are always up for a wild night are also out for a piece of Jane's spotlight.In a city filled with people chasing after their dreams, it's not long before Jane wakes up to the reality that everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be.

The Perfect Age


Heather Skyler - 2004
    She is a lifeguard at the pool at the Dunes hotel in Las Vegas, caught off guard by the new attention from men and boys, not quite sure of her own footing in the world. Her mother, Kathy, suddenly finds herself in a place equally uncertain: her children getting older, her stable marriage perhaps too stable, the slow days of summer leaving her adrift. When Kathy meets Helen’s boss, the manager at the pool, her life is on the brink of a different sort of change.Following Helen and Kathy through three summers, this novel is an intimate picture of two sexual awakenings under one roof and their aftershocks on a family. The Perfect Age is set in workaday Las Vegas, where people are married at drive-through chapels, and escort services are advertised alongside 99-cent shrimp cocktail. The novel takes the reader beyond the glitz of showgirls and Elvis impersonators and reveals the everyday life in homes and schools, and among the lukewarm waters of Lake Mead and the semi-cool of the surrounding mountains. In The Perfect Age, Heather Skyler explores the nature of beauty, sex, and class divisions in a society where things are at once normal and bizarre, showing us that the validity of life’s deepest experiences—love, betrayal, acceptance—is never compromised by age.

On a Wing and a Prayer


Katherine Valentine - 2005
    Deputy Hill is devastated over his open-ended assignment to the graveyard shift, his just desserts for having nearly wrecked a car and a wedding in one unfortunate mishap.Then tragedy strikes: the Gallagher twins are fighting for their lives after a fall through the ice--one on life support and the other in a coma. Doc Hammond is waging his own battle for life while helping the twins. More than ever, Dorsetville needs a miracle.