Book picks similar to
Dear John by Kim Vogel Sawyer


christian-fiction
romance
heartsong-presents
christian-romance

Waiting for His Return


Carrie Turansky - 2017
    British born James Galloway, a special artist for Harper’s Weekly, travels with the Union troops, sketching battle scenes to bring war news home to those in the North. It’s dangerous work, but he is committed to the Union cause. When he is captured by Confederate troops, he spends several months in a prison camp. Finally, he escapes and travels north, hoping to reach the Union lines, but a bushwhacker attacks him, steals his horse, and leaves him seriously injured at the side of the road outside Nashville.Rachel Thornton, a kind-hearted doctor’s daughter, takes James into their to home and nurses him while he recovers. Her feelings for James grow, but she has already lost one man she loves in the war. How can she give her heart to James, when she knows he may become another casualty of the war? With family drama, romance, and inspiration, this novella will lift your spirit and satisfy your romantic heart.This novella was originally titled Though the Mountains Tremble and published in A Blue and Gray Christmas novella collection in 2009. It has been revised and updated for new readers to enjoy.

Christmas at the Red Door Inn


Liz Johnson - 2018
    Two friends. Three days to fall in love. Lifelong islander Brooke Kane doesn’t know what to do with her college degree, her dreams, or her future, but she knows better than to venture far from home when there’s a storm brewing. But a promise to check on Rose’s Red Door Inn prompts Brooke to venture out. By the time she arrives at the inn, the snow is knee-deep and visibility almost non-existent. She settles in to spend a few days alone at the inn until a familiar figure appears at the door. Father Chuck O’Flannigan has never felt like a bigger fool. So focused on his recent decision to leave Prince Edward Island, he’s caught unaware by the blizzard while on a walk. He can only see the inn’s red door, a promise of safety. But when he discovers that Brooke—the only woman who could tempt him to stay on the island—is also taking refuge there, he knows he’s in trouble. With Christmas only three days away, Brooke is determined that they’ll celebrate—even if it’s just the two of them. Happy to play Scrooge to her Tiny Tim, Chuck wiles away his hours dreaming of a return to Ireland—praying that God may have plans for him there. After all, God seems to have forgotten him in North Rustico. But as Brooke brings Christmas to life, her joy makes him wonder if God may not have forgotten him. In fact, God may have big plans for both of them—if they can only survive Christmas at the Red Door Inn.

The Shenandoah Road: A Novel of the Great Awakening (The Russells Book 1)


Lynne Basham Tagawa - 2018
    While other books feature the raw grit of frontier colonial life, this book goes deeper and reveals the heart." - Douglas Bond John Russell's heart aches from the loss of his wife, but the Shenandoah Valley frontiersman needs to marry again for his daughter's sake. At first he believes he has found the right young woman, despite their differences, but his faith falters when time reveals she isn't quite what she seemed. Can he truly love her? Unlike her disgraced sister, Abigail Williams obeys the Commandments. At least, she thinks herself a Christian until a buckskin-clad newcomer courts her. He treats her kindly but also introduces her to a sermon by the controversial preacher, George Whitefield. Her self-righteousness is shattered, and she wonders about their relationship. If she confesses her lack of faith, will John continue to love her? "Raw, realistic, and historically packed, this story will make you think. If you enjoy stories with deep theological themes, you will enjoy this." - Amber Schamel

A Perfect Match: An Amish Wedding Novella


Kathleen Fuller - 2013
    Now with her sister’s wedding right around the corner, Naomi wonders why she’s able to find husbands for her friends and family, but not one for herself.At age twenty-nine, Zeke Lapp is a confirmed bachelor. The problem is, he doesn’t want to be. But despite his family and friends’ attempts at matching him up with the single women in his community of Middlefield, he still hasn’t found the one for him. He wonders if he ever will. Zeke arrives in Paradise to help his cousin finish the house he’s building for his soon-to-be new wife. A month before the wedding, he meets the bride’s sister, Naomi, a pretty girl with a bubbly personality.From the moment they meet, Zeke is attracted to Naomi. But Naomi tries to set him up with her friend Margaret, who is desperate for a mate. Hiding her unexpected feelings for Zeke, she is reluctant but loyal to her friend. When the date is a disaster, Naomi comforts her friend but cannot deny her growing feelings.As Zeke and Naomi grow closer, so does their reliance on God’s will for their future and in a moment of honesty, both reveal what’s holding them back. Will they be able to overcome these obstacles and find true love?

Land of Promise


Carol Cox - 2004
    But sometimes love shows up when you least expect it... Elizabeth Simmons longs to escape the mold society has for her and realize her dreams of independence. When offered a job caring for an injured family acquaintance, Elizabeth gladly leaves her pampered life in Philadelphia behind and sets off for the newly-formed Arizona Territory. However, she soon discovers the awful truth behind her new arrangement. Michael O'Roarke stepped away from bright prospects back East in order to keep tabs on his unprincipled father in frontier Arizona. That burden, along with the demands of starting his own freighting business, claims all his attention...until he finds himself captivated by the feisty Elizabeth. Will losing her heart to Michael undermine the independence Elizabeth has worked so hard to achieve? Or could this land of danger and hardship also prove to be her land of promise? Land of Promise is the first book in Carol Cox's ARIZONA TERRITORY BRIDES, four sweet, inspirational stories of strong women with bold faith who played a part in taming the Western frontier. If you like wholesome, historical Western novels grounded in faith, you won't want to miss a single title in the ARIZONA TERRITORY BRIDES series. Scroll up to grab your copy of Land of Promise and start reading today! Also available in the ARIZONA TERRITORY BRIDES series: Book 1: Land of Promise Book 2: Refining Fire (pre-order now to receive your copy on October 18, 2016) Coming soon: Book 3: Road to Forgiveness Book 4: Copper Sunrise CAROL COX is the author of 30 inspirational novels and novellas. With over one million copies of her books in print, those titles range from historical romantic suspense to contemporary romance and cozy mysteries, often set in her native Southwest. When she isn't busy researching or writing about the Old West, Carol spends her time helping her husband (a pastor who also operates a saddle shop) and working on a never-ending series of crochet projects. She and her family enjoy rural life in northern Arizona, where the deer and the antelope really do play--often within view of the family's front porch.

Central Park Rendezvous


Ronie Kendig - 2012
    Home from Afghanistan, Sean Wolfe is avoiding his dreams. Will Jamie Russo and an old coin give him new hope? Once betrayed by love, Alan James is embittered. Will a sweet reunion in Central Park heal his broken heart? Helen Wolfe is struggling to provide for herself and her family. Is Bernie O’Day her answer to prayer? Damaged in body and soul by war, William Wolfe’s fiancée has rejected him. Will he ever risk his heart again? Will love persevere despite unimaginable odds?

Gentleman of Her Dreams


Jen Turano - 2012
    Hamilton Beckett, the catch of the season. The only problem? She's never actually met Hamilton. Fortunately, one of her oldest and dearest friends, Mr. Henry St. James—who has returned to New York after a two-year absence—does know Hamilton. Much to Henry's chagrin, Charlotte immediately ropes him into helping her meet Hamilton. However, none of her plans to catch Hamilton's eye go as she expected, and she is even more confused when her old feelings for Henry begin to resurrect themselves. In the midst of the mayhem Charlotte always seems to cause, she wonders if the gentleman of her dreams might be an entirely different man than she thought.

The Covenant


Hilda Stahl - 1991
    It is also the revealing story of the lumber barons who amassed millions of dollars as they robbed the northern midwest of its beautiful white pines.

Road to Deer Run


Elaine Marie Cooper - 2010
    Her brother, Asa is dead — killed by the King’s army, so when she stumbles across a wounded British soldier, her sense of right and wrong is challenged. Should she help a soldier of the enemy who took her brother’s life, or let him die, cold and alone?The war has also broken British soldier Daniel Lowe’s spirit. A severely wounded prisoner of war, he escaped his rebel captors while on a death march to Boston. As the pain in his injured leg worsens, he wonders if the young woman looking down at him is an angel or the enemy.Need and compassion bring these two young lives together, but will the bitterness of war keep them apart? Or can they find their way to love and forgiveness on the Road to Deer Run?

In the Company of Secrets


Judith McCoy Miller - 2007
    Somehow, it just happened. And wasn't it all Lady Charlotte's fault anyway?Now Olivia's position as assistant chef at Pullman's elegant Hotel Florence is dependant upon her keeping her secrets. And sometimes lies have a way of leading to other lies. Should Olivia admit her real past and accept the consequences or keep quiet in order to preserve her comfortable new circumstances?Deception seems to be part of everyday life in the company town of Pullman, Illinois, where the grand Pullman Palace Car is manufactured. Samuel Howard, Olivia's friend and the town manager, seems to think everything is fine, but Olivia observes something quite different. Could it be that Olivia is not the only one harboring secrets?

Hurricane Allie


Rachel Hauck - 2013
    As Allie rushes through wedding preparations days before her wedding, Kyle makes a last minute trip to New York to secure a new client. Meanwhile, a hurricane bears down on the coast days before their wedding. Is it a bad sign the storm is named Allie? Stuck in New York, Kyle struggles to find a way home. Meanwhile, Allie scrambles to find Plan B. Her perfect wedding is ruined but not even the forces of nature can stop a wedding that was meant to be.

Up from the Sea


Amanda Dykes - 2019
    She finds help from a local lumberjack--who holds a shadowed past of his own--to discover the truth of a local legend and save her land. But her expedition may have unexpected ramifications on her life--and the lives of those around her.

Stranger's Bride


Denise Hunter - 2014
    Either he must marry, as dictated by his father's will, or he will lose the ranch that has been in his family for three generations. Angry and bitter about his choices, he seeks a woman who will join herself to him in name only. Desperate to escape her abusive stepfather, Sara Donaldson accepts a long-distance marriage proposal from Nathan. Because of her stepfather's tyranny, Sara finds herself intimidated by her new husband. Added to this are the lies she told in her initial communications with Nathan. Will Sara find the courage to make her marriage work? Will the faith she pretends to have become real in her heart?

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?

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?