Book picks similar to
Plain Obsession by Alison Stone
amish
mystery
romance
christian-fiction
The Christmas Orphans
Hannah Miller - 2019
After her parents die in a buggy accident, Diane is bereft. It was all so sudden, not only for her, but also for her four younger siblings. Heartbroken, Diane turns to the young man she's courting for support. But when Elmo learns that Diane is determined to care for all four of her siblings, he's quick to back away. Now Diane is all alone, and the local bishop has told her that unless she can prove to him that she can run her parents' fabric store as well as raise her siblings, the children will be split up and sent to relatives in distant states. Diane has already lost her beau and her parents – she can't face losing the rest of her family, too. And the bishop has imposed an impossible deadline: Christmas Day. The snow is falling, the holiday is fast approaching, and Diane is struggling to cope with responsibilities she never asked for. Yet as Christmas Day draws near, there's a glimmer of hope in the darkness. Diane meets Ben Lehman, himself trying to raise his two children after grieving the loss of his wife. As Christmas approaches, he might turn out to be just what Diane has been missing ... before she runs out of time.
Saving Gideon
Amy Lillard - 2012
This is not the Amish way, but he’s devastated after the death of his wife and son to the point of losing his faith. He buys a farm on the outskirts of the district and pulls away from his community. But when a freak spring snowstorm brings a beautiful Englisher to his farm, what choice does Gideon have but to let her in?Dallas socialite Avery Ann Hamilton is intrigued by the Amish farmer who pulls her out of the snow and into his austere lifestyle. Poor little rich girl, Avery has just gone through (yet another) bad breakup. Every man she meets only wants her for her father’s money. All she has ever wanted is to be loved for herself. Avery soon discovers the Oklahoma Amish country is the perfect place to hide out and heal her broken heart.But she finds a peace in those back roads that she’s never felt before. Now her life has purpose and meaning as she connects with God and those around her. And there’s something more as she begins to care for this man who needs both love and forgiveness.Gideon never wanted to live again much less fall in love, but Avery finds her way into his heart, showing him the beauty of life and God’s greatness. Yet as the feelings between Avery and Gideon grow, can they overcome their dissimilar lifestyles, or will their sheer differences pull them apart?
Missing
Shelley Shepard Gray - 2012
The first death from mysterious circumstances in more than two decades brings the scrutiny of the outside world: A police detective arrives to help the local sheriff with the investigation. His questioning begins with Lydia Plank, Perry’s former girlfriend, and Perry’s best friend, the Englischer Walker Anderson.Lydia and Walker know they didn’t have anything to do with Perry’s death, but they both hold secrets about his final days. Do they dare open up about the kind of man Perry had become? In the oppressive shadow of these dark times, they discover strength in a most unlikely companionship: one that offers solace, understanding, and the promise of something more.
Nantucket Romance 3-In-1 Bundle
Denise Hunter - 2011
. . all in a romantic, seaside setting. Once childhood friends, single-mom Samantha and her former boyfriend Landon are now separated by distance and secrets. As their long-dormant romance begins to bud again, Samantha must face a past that separated her from the God of her childhood. And she must tell Landon why she fled the island in the first place--a secret that could tear them apart.An inspiring tale of enduring love, "The Convenient Groom" follows celebrity marriage counselor Kate Lawrence. Five hours before her Nantucket beach wedding and on the eve of her big book launch Kate has everything in place; everything, that is, but the groom. Could it be that God's plans for "Dr. Kate" don't align perfectly with her to-do list? And will Kate realize that the truest love she'll ever receive can only come from God?"Seaside Letters" follows Sabrina s story; she never intended to fall in love with Tucker, the man she serves coffee every morning at a Nantucket cafe especially since he's unwittingly tied to a past she deeply regrets. When Tucker learns Sabrina is the research assistant for a local mystery writer, he asks Sabrina to help him with a little sleuthing of his own . . . locating an elusive woman he's fallen for online. If Sabrina accepts the job, she'll spend her evenings in close proximity to a man who can never be hers. If she turns him down, he'll hire someone else and discover her secret . . . that the person he's trying to find is her.
Undercover Amish
Ashley Emma - 2016
She soon finds out that there are even more dark secrets in Unity than the ones from her own past, just waiting to be unearthed from the farm soil. After an Amish man is murdered, the community will not pursue justice or answer questions from the police, so she begrudgingly dons her old prayer kapp and heads to Unity to investigate the murder undercover. To make things even worse, her captain also orders her to protect the man she dated as a teen: Isaac Troyer, who was attacked on the night of the murder but cannot remember the incident. The handsome and quirky cabinet maker begins to fall for her once again, unaware that she carries a 9mm under her skirt as she must fake her way into rejoining the Amish community to gain the people’s trust. After another murder, some deadly pranks, and a kidnapping, Olivia realizes she needs Isaac's help most of all because of his personal ties to the suspect. When Isaac asks Olivia if he can court her, her captain orders her to pretend to love him, to make her cover more believable. Even though Olivia lies to Isaac about a lot of things, she doesn’t have to fake her reigniting feelings for him. Especially when he smiles that crooked smile or tenderly holds her hand. When Olivia tells Isaac she is a detective, will he be willing to break Amish rules to help her arrest the killer? Or will he be unable to forgive her for lying to the community about wanting to be Amish again…and for lying to him? Olivia values one important rule over all others: never let emotions, especially love, get in the way of the job. But as the body count rises and she starts falling for Isaac again, she might just end up breaking her own rule. Like free eBooks? Go to AshleyEmmaAuthor.com to download 3 of Ashley's free eBooks and get all of Ashley's future eBooks free! Undercover Amish was a finalist in Maine Romance Writers Strut Your Stuff Competition 2015 and received 26 out of 27 points! (These books can be read out of order or as stand-alone novels. The sequel Amish Under Fire is coming soon.) "Ashley Emma clearly did extensive research on the subject and portrayed this group in a compassionate, thoughtful manner. Couple her careful handling of this society with her compelling characters and heart-racing plot, and you've got a real winner!” -Staci Troilo, author * "...The only disappointing thing for me about Undercover Amish was when the story ended—I already miss the main characters!” --Sue M Wilson, author * A twig snapped in the woods somewhere in the distance. Olivia whipped around, clamping a hand on the leg holster that was beneath her skirt. “I’m watching you, Olivia.” The scratchy, deep masculine voice rode on the breeze from somewhere in the trees that no longer seemed so far from her. Her blood froze, a sick feeling churning in her gut. “You still mourn the ones who died here, don’t you? You miss your family.” She stood on the other side of her vehicle, using it as protection as she carefully drew her M&P Shield. Her throat closed up. She wanted to shout angry words, but fear stole her voice. How did he know about the fire? “If you go, I won’t harm you. You should leave now while you still have the chance.
The Crow's Call
Wanda E. Brunstetter - 2020
The women’s only income must come from the family greenhouse, but someone seems to be trying to force them out of business. Amy King has just lost her father and brother, and her mother needs her to help run the family’s greenhouse. It doesn’t seem fair to ask her to leave a job she loves, when there is still a sister and brother to help. But Sylvia is also grieving for her husband while left to raise three children, and Henry, just out of school, is saddled with all the jobs his father and older brother used to do. As Amy assumes her new role, she also asks Jared Riehl to put their courtship on hold. When things become even more stressful at the greenhouse, will Amy crumble under the pressure?
The Amish Midwife
Mindy Starns Clark - 2011
There she meets Marta Bayer, a mysterious lay-midwife who desperately needs help after an Amish client and her baby die.Lexie steps in to assume Marta’s patient load even as she continues the search for her birth family, and from her patients she learns the true meaning of the Pennsylvania Dutch word demut, which means “to let be” as she changes from a woman who wants to control everything to a woman who depends on God.A compelling story about a search for identity and the ability to trust that God securely holds our whole life—past, present, and future.
The Amish Girl
Samantha Bayarr - 2015
When she returns to her childhood home, strange and frightening events warn that she will soon become a victim of the same fate if she is unsuccessful in solving the crime even the authorities couldn't solve. The secret she uncovers beneath the decaying floorboards of her dilapidated home makes her wish she'd never returned... and her parents are too dead to give her an explanation. This book, like all other books by Samantha Bayarr, is a clean read. A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: While this novel is set against the backdrop of an Amish community, the characters and the names of the community are fictional. There is no intended resemblance between the characters in this book or the setting, and any real members of any Amish or Mennonite community. As with any work of fiction, I’ve taken license in some areas of research as a means of creating the necessary circumstances for my characters and setting. It is completely impossible to be accurate in details and descriptions, since every community differs, and such a setting would destroy the fictional quality of entertainment this book serves to present. Any inaccuracies in the Amish and Mennonite lifestyles portrayed in this book are completely due to fictional license. Please keep in mind that this book is meant for fictional, entertainment purposes only, and is not written as a text book on the Amish.
Legacy Rejected
Robin Patchen - 2019
But Ginny's built a home in New Hampshire. After a childhood of nomadic living, she’s not running again, certainly not because of some nameless, baseless threat. Real estate developer Kade Powers is thrilled to go out with Nutfield’s beautiful new real estate agent. But the prowler they surprise after their first date offers a glimpse into Ginny's past and the legacy of lies her parents left her with. She brings a mystery, one he’s determined to help her solve. With Kade’s help, Ginny searches for the truth of her parents’ criminal activity while her enemies close in. When the mobsters show up in her quaint New England town, will she find a way to bring them down, or will she lose the life—and the man—she’s come to love?
Legacy Rejected is the first book in a new Christian romantic suspense series. If you like romance coupled with page-turning suspense that’ll keep you reading late into the night, you’ll love Legacy Rejected. Buy it now.
If you like the Legacy series, you might also like Robin Patchen's other books. Check out the Hidden Truth series, the first books that take place in Nutfield. Then, be sure to read the Beauty in Flight 3-book serial story, which has roots in the same town. And don't miss the Amanda books, two romantic suspense novels, and Robin's standalone romance novellas. THE HIDDEN TRUTH SERIES:
Convenient Lies
Twisted Lies
Generous Lies
Innocent Lies
THE BEAUTY IN FLIGHT SERIES
Beauty in Flight
Beauty in Hiding
Beauty in Battle
THE AMANDA SERIES
Chasing Amanda
Finding Amanda
STANDALONE NOVELS
A Package Deal
One Christmas Eve
Faith House
Fire in the Night
Linda Byler - 2013
The clues are sparse, but Levi, the Beilers’ oldest son, happened to be awake in the middle of the night and spotted a white vehicle driving past the house with its lights off.Sarah, David and Malinda’s daughter, is in her late teens and old enough to observe her parents’ agony. Not only is she afraid, too, and wishing she could protect her parents, she’s entranced by the flirtatious Matthew Stoltzfus. He’s dating her friend, Rose, but when he tenderly bandages Sarah’s hand after she burned it at the barn raising, she wonders who he’s really interested in.When a second Amish barn burns for suspicious reasons, the Amish grow more restless. “We’re too quiet too much of the time,” a group of Amish men tell David Beiler, their minister. Seriously considering police protection, the increasingly tense community questions their traditional nonresistant approach to violence.Sarah now finds herself at odds with her mother over her choice of boyfriends and uncertain about how to respond to the attention of Lee, a newcomer to Lancaster. Not only that, she wonders if her dad is a wise enough leader as her community reels from within and without.Everyone is on edge as the losses mount and suspicions undo the usual steadiness of these people.
The Lonestar Collection: Lonestar Sanctuary, Lonestar Secrets, Lonestar Homecoming, and Lonestar Angel
Colleen Coble - 2014
But with a stalker out for revenge, all Allie can think about now is their safety. She heads to the peaceful Bluebird Ranch, nestled in Texas hill country. Ranch owner Elijah DeAngelo eagerly welcomes the duo. But Rick Bailey—the ranch foreman—hasn't decided to let his guard down. Promises made long ago soon force Rick and Allie to work together to escape danger.
Lonestar Secrets
Shannon Astor returns to southwest Texas to serve as the town's veterinarian—and to get her life back on track. Then she catches a glimpse of Jack MacGowan, the man who ruined her life years before. Even more shocking is the sight of Jack's five-year-old daughter Faith, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Shannon's own daughter Kylie. Could Faith be the daughter that Shannon has believed to be dead for all these years?
Lonestar Homecoming
Gracie Lister escapes with her daughter to the West Texas country where her family fell apart years ago. There, Lieutenant Michael Wayne gives Gracie the refuge she needs and a job caring for his two children. When Gracie’s ex-fiancé catches up to her, her impulse is to flee the danger—and the father she lacks the courage to confront. Together Gracie and Michael must find the strength they need in each other to protect their newly forged family.
Lonestar Angel
Five years ago Eden and Clay Larson’s baby was stolen and never found. The tragedy ended their young and rocky marriage. Now Eden’s moved to a new town to rebuild her life. But Clay arrives and delivers news: he never signed their divorce papers. And Clay has been searching for Brianna all this time. He believes he’s found her in Bluebird, Texas, at a youth ranch. All five little girls there are the right age. Eden and Clay sign on as counselors, but as danger closes in, Eden, Clay, and all their young charges are in jeopardy. As they fight to save their family, Eden realizes that God has been fighting for them all along.
All is Calm
The Bluebird Ranch is the perfect place for Lauren Everman to hide. As the witness to a murder, she needs protection and the ranch’s owners offer her sanctuary. She lends a hand with the foster kids who visit the ranch to learn how to ride horses. Little Carly is her first student. Brendan Waddell is recovering from a gunshot wound at Bluebird Ranch. His friends’ welcoming home is the perfect place for him to rest during the holiday season. Lauren intrigues him, even though she says she’s not interested in romance. When Lauren and Brendan conspire to give young Carly a happy Christmas, love blooms. But first the couple must race against time to find the killer before he strikes again.
Secret Past
Sharee Stover - 2018
She’s been in witness protection since childhood, and now her crime-lord father has found her. As bullets fly, US marshal Daniel Knight whisks her to safety—but not for long. Captured and held prisoner, only Katie can unearth her secret past…if she can survive long enough.
Framed for Murder
Mary Alford - 2017
So when her squad's leader attempts to bring her in for questioning, she knows her future depends on convincing Aaron Foster to go rogue and help her. On the run from the rest of her team and the gun dealers who are convinced she knows the location of their missing weapons, Liz risks losing the proof that would clear her name. But will eluding her pursuers—and trying not to fall for the handsome commander—prove to be fatal?
Rachel's Secret
B.J. Hoff - 2008
With the first book, Rachel’s Secret, Hoff introduces a new community of unforgettable characters and adds the elements readers have come to expect from her novels: a tender love story, the faith journeys of people we grow to know and love, and enough suspense to keep the pages turning quickly.When the wounded Irish American riverboat captain, Jeremiah Gant, bursts into the rural Amish setting of Riverhaven, he brings chaos and conflict to the community--especially for young widow, Rachel Brenneman. The unwelcome “outsider” needs a safe place to recuperate before continuing his secret role as an Underground Railroad conductor. Neither he nor Rachel is prepared for the forbidden love that threatens to endanger a man’s mission, a woman’s heart, and a way of life for an entire people.