Book picks similar to
Playgrounds & Black Markers by Libby May
christian
contemporary
tough-topics
21st-century
I Always Cry at Weddings
Sara Goff - 2015
At least until she realizes her relationship isn't what it should be. Then, in a move as daring as a red satin dress, she does the unthinkable - she calls it all off and makes a promise to God that from now on, she'll save sex for marriage.She's convinced the future is hers for the taking, especially when an undercover cop promises a new romance...and an unexpected friendship with the homeless guy under her stoop brightens her days.But when her carefully balanced life teeters out of control, weddings aren't the only thing to make her cry. Ava has to figure out what life she really wants to live... and what is the world love really means.
The Wounded Warrior's Wife
Hannah R. Conway - 2014
COLLIER CROMWELL loved God, his wife, and his country, though military life exacted a demanding toll. An unexpected deployment during the height of war sends Collier away for yet another year. Their lives tumble down a path marked with struggle, and fatalities.Burdened with unseen emotional wounds and crippled faith, Collier's homecoming only increases their trials. The angry, defeated hermit at Whitleigh's side barely resembles the loving, faithful hero she married two years earlier. Concerned about possible career repercussions, admitting his need for help proves difficult for Collier and his behavior worsens. Angry outbursts — and his cold, callous nature — isn't all that provokes Whitleigh to pack her bags. Collier seeks solace for his private suffering in the worst possible place leaving Whitleigh to walk away from shattered pieces of broken trust. Will Collier seek the healing he desperately needs in time to save their marriage, or is it over? Are there wounds too deep, marriages too broken, and lives so far gone they fall beyond even God's ability to restore?
The Coronation
Livy Jarmusch - 2017
The entire Palace is ablaze with excitement, as the Royal Family prepares for the event of a lifetime. Despite the exciting event which is near at hand, Addison and his younger siblings (all seven of them!) must carry on with their daily activities. Addison’s sisters, Princesses Bridget, Chasity, and Hope, have their struggles with being iconic European starlets of a modern day monarchy. The teen heiresses grace magazine covers, smile for photoshoots, and gracefully glide through important interviews–until a certain American popstar arrives on the scene. Kennetic Energy, the wildly popular band from the United States, is chosen to play at Addison’s Coronation. David Carter, the band’s handsome lead singer, fumbles through awkward moments with Princess Hope–in front of the cameras. When an embarrassing rumor sparks that Princess Hope is dating the young fellow, she is determined to get the band fired from their Royal gig. Meanwhile, Princess Chasity is dealing with her own fragile affairs of the heart. Her new security guard, Hanson Fletcher, is completely captivating, yet entirely frustrating. She attempts to keep the entrance of her heart firmly protected, while following the wisdom of Proverbs 4:23. But can she be successful in guarding her heart, from her security guard?
The Healing Jar, SAMPLE
Wanda E. Brunstetter - 2019
She thought love had passed her by until she meets Jesse Smucker, a widower with a baby daughter. She quickly falls in love with them both and accepts Jesse’s proposal of marriage, but Jesse breaks off their engagement when he realizes he can’t marry only for convenience. Resigned to living single, Lenore throws herself into caring for her elders. While working in her grandmother’s garden, she digs up an old jar. Will Lenore find healing for her broken heart and solve long-buried family secrets by reading the note contained inside?
Mercy Like Sunlight
Liz Curtis Higgs - 2014
Adrift on the streets of Chicago, she is surrounded by strangers and hounded by demons, both real and imagined. Her neighbors in Lincoln Park call her Mad Mary—until a fearless young pastor dares to call Mary his friend.Inspired by the biblical account of Mary Magdalene, this touching contemporary story first appeared in Liz’s nonfiction book, Mad Mary, later titled Unveiling Mary Magdalene. Now updated as a stand-alone novella, Mercy Like Sunlight is a powerful tribute to God’s boundless compassion and unending grace.“I was deeply moved by the story of Pastor Jake and Mary Margaret Delaney. So well written. So challenging to me. So Christlike. And so Chicago!”—Neta Jackson, best-selling author of The Yada Yada Prayer Group“Irresistible, unconditional love shines through on each and every page!”—Sharon Ewell Foster, Christy Award-winning author of Passing by Samaria
Manchester Christmas: A Novel
John Gray - 2020
Soon, she encounters kindness, romance, and is pulled into a mystery centered on an old, abandoned church and the death of a special girl. Are the images that only she can see in the church's stained-glass windows a warning, or is someone trying to reach her, to help heal this broken community? Manchester Christmas illustrates how God often uses the most unlikely among us to spread grace and healing in a wounded world. Full of love, hope, and forgiveness, this debut novel from an Emmy-winning writer will touch your heart and have you longing for Christmas in Manchester.
The Tattooed Rats
Jerry B. Jenkins - 2006
Sharing faith is considered hate speech. Worship is done in secret underground settings. Patch, a high school student, has to form his own beliefs, and try not to get killed along the way. He meets characters such as the Wharf Rats, a gang covered in tattoos, who turn out to be believers. Schoolmates betray. True friends are hard to find. Spiritual forces intervene causing havoc and deception. Through it all, can Patch's faith prevail?
Hollywood Nobody
Lisa Samson - 2007
Scotty is determined to discover what she wants from life. She’s even documenting the journey on her “Hollywood Nobody” blog. But as Scotty begins to ask tough questions, will her story have a happy ending?