Christian Fiction

By Tamara Butler -- Library Journal, 6/1/2007

Thoroughly Modern

This summer's offerings reflect changes that have transformed the CF genre in recent years. Female protagonists, in particular, have abandoned their traditionally submissive roles to drive the action of many contemporary Christian novels. Young women will root for high-spirited Cassidy Cantrell, the memorable heroine of Melody Carlson's These Boots Weren't Made for Walking; Essie Spreckelmeyer, the antiheroine of Deeanne Gist's Courting Trouble, is everything a romance novel leading lady is not; Angela Hunt's The Elevator takes readers on a thrill ride as three desperate women tackle their problems during a hurricane; and Delia Parr's Day by Day addresses the growing social issue of grandmothers raising their own grandchildren.

Thirty-one-year-old Cassidy Cantrell is convinced that buying a fashionable pair of boots she can't afford will help her secure a long-awaited marketing promotion, but her world is about to crash around her. Not only does Cassidy lose her job, but she also gets dumped by her long-term boyfriend and discovers that her poshly dressed neighbor has stolen her credit card and racked up nearly $5000 in charges. Tired of drowning her sorrows in chocolate and other junk food, Cassidy decides to reevaluate her life and reinvent herself. RITA Award winner Carlson, author of more than 100 titles (e.g., Homeward), has written a great summer read that's first-rate chick lit. Think Bridget Jones with a Christian flavor. Highly recommended for public libraries and women's fiction collections. Carlson lives in Oregon.

In 1894 Texas, where a woman is expected to be slight and soft, Essie Spreckelmeyer is tall and muscular. She is also past her prime marrying years and sick of her father buying her picnic basket at the annual Fourth of July auction. Not yet ready to become the town spinster, Essie devises a plan to convince widower and storekeeper Hamilton Crook that she would be the perfect wife and mother to his young child. Essie's journey is touching, funny, and refreshingly atypical of the romance genre. Her faith and fearless determination will warm the hearts of readers who enjoy gentle historicals. This delightful follow-up to the 2006 Christy Award-winning A Bride Most Begrudging and The Measure of a Lady is recommended for historical fiction collections and readers wanting a different, spiritual twist to the traditional romantic tale.

This follow-up to the chilling Waking Lazarus also taps into mystical territory as unconventional heroine Canada MacHugh, a rough-and-tumble, no-nonsense trash collector whose relationship with her mother is distant and strained, starts hearing the voice of her long-dead father, who asks her to join forces with a special underground group that helps people avoid disasters. Canada isn't sure what to do, but she can't resist communicating with her beloved father, whom she misses dearly. Hines excels at writing gripping supernatural thrillers with plenty of twists and turns; he'll pull you in from page one. Recommended for CF and popular fiction collections where supernatural thrillers are popular. Hines lives in Montana.

Gina Rossman is desperate to prevent her cheating husband from running off with all their money. Michelle Tilson has to tell her boyfriend she is pregnant. The secret Isabelle Suarez is hiding may cost her family members their lives. When these three strangers get trapped in an elevator during a raging Florida hurricane, the real drama unfolds, and they discover their lives are connected in more ways than they can imagine. Christy Award and Holt Medallion winner Hunt (By Dawn's Early Light) skillfully builds tension and keeps the plot well paced and not overly melodramatic. Recommended for CF, women's fiction, and suspense collections. Hunt lives in Florida. [This is Hunt's first original novel for Steeple Hill.—Ed.]

Lang (Pieces of Silver) tells alternating stories set in Victorian England and modern times in this mystery about accepting God's will. Talie Ingram finds an old family diary discussing a secret tragedy that affected her ancestors' children. As the history unfolds, Talie begins to suspect her own son might suffer from the same fragile X syndrome (a form of mental retardation) about which her great-great-great-grandmother, Cosima Hamilton, wrote more than 100 years ago. This novel was inspired by Lang's own similar experiences. Such firsthand knowledge and her skillful use of flashbacks make this clever tale of deceit and revenge as entertaining as it is enlightening. A tender account of unconditional love and the deeper joy that results from overcoming the odds, Lang's latest is recommended for all collections and is an essential read for those with fragile X syndrome in their families.

Sheridan's husband left her for a man, which makes it hard for her to trust her new boyfriend despite his desire to marry her. Kendall catches her husband in an affair, while Asia takes desperate measures when her longtime married lover dumps her. Lastly, the death of Vanessa's husband is almost too much for her to bear. This quartet of broken, flawed women forms a prayer circle to support one another in their struggles. Essence magazine best-selling author Murray's (Grown Folks Business) girlfriend fiction contains no overt sexual content, but it is a bit steamier than most in this genre. Writing in an engaging and comfortable style, she creates believable women to whom readers will easily relate. Recommended for public libraries and where African American fiction is in demand. Murray lives in California.

The third entry in the "Home Ties" series (after Abide with Me) reopens in Welleswood, NJ, where we are invited into the lives of three fiftysomething grandmothers. Barbara Montgomery's single-parent son has been murdered, which leaves her and her husband to provide a home for six-year-old twins. Beautician Judy Roberts returns home from work one day to find her son-in-law with the grandson she has not seen in four years, and she soon learns that, with her daughter back in rehab, the boy's father has no intentions of keeping him. Meanwhile, Ginger King's estranged daughter Lily has married into a prestigious family that may not appreciate her single-mother status. So Lily asks Ginger if she can keep her child until she has a chance to make a good impression on her new in-laws. These three strong women must retackle parenting at an age when they thought that chapter of their lives was over. Parr draws readers in from the first page, making them care about these midlife ladies and their life-altering situations. Recommended for public libraries and readers looking for stories revolving around women in this age group. The author lives in New Jersey.

This follow-up to Rekindled and Revealed is a rich historical romance by possibly the best new writer in this subgenre. Veronique Girard is looking for her father, who left France 25 years earlier in search of the American dream. Pierre Girard had promised to bring his wife and young daughter to the new country after he made his mark but never did. Instead, Veronique arrives in Colorado in 1871 and meets Jack Brennan, who has been nursing his own loss. Descriptive prose and memorable characters set within an engrossing love story make this an essential read for those who like 19th-century Western romances with faith subtly interwoven throughout. Highly recommended for CF and romance collections.

This coming-of-age story, winner of the Christian Writers Guild 2005 Operation First Novel Award, is about a 15-year-old boy who loses his father in a drunk-driving accident. Matt's father trusted God, so Matt cannot understand why God would let this happen to one of his own. He makes a deal with God that from now on, each will stay out of the other's life, but can Matt keep that promise? When Wade Scott, a handicapped boy, moves in next door, Matt is less than thrilled with the boy's childlike faith in the God he believes betrayed his dad. This is a valiant, well-intentioned first effort, but the protagonist's voice does not always conjure an authentic teenager. Still, it may be a good choice for helping young people deal with the death of a loved one. Recommended for public libraries. Barnes lives in Kansas.

Riley Keep is a shadow of the man he used to be. Having lost his family and his faith, he has been living on the streets for three years. While passing time in Florida, Riley hears about a small Maine town where miracles supposedly occur. So he takes his dying friend there, even though the town holds ghosts for him. The power of alcoholism runs through this well-written, intelligent follow-up to Dickson's Christy Award-winning River Rising. An involving, suspenseful take on God's transforming grace, it tackles a serious issue while providing an absorbing story. Recommended for all collections; especially relevant for readers struggling with their own addictions.

This contemporary story about a 45-year-old woman who discovers she is pregnant and then is diagnosed with cancer tackles the controversial issue of abortion. Merit Sullivan and husband Will had planned to buy a small resort in midlife, but God seems to have other plans for their futures. Merit holds strong, conservative views against abortion, but with her health deteriorating, will she persist in carrying her baby to full term? Elmer's (The Duet) believable tale was inspired by a real-life experience; it may be a good choice for a reading group willing to take on the challenging subject matter. Elmer lives in Idaho.

Chapman (coauthor, The Five Languages of Apology) reunites with Christy Award winner Palmer (The Bachelor's Bargain) in the second volume of the "Four Seasons" series (after It Happens Every Spring). Following her marriage to an abusive first husband, Kim Finley thinks she has found the perfect spouse in boat officer Derek Finley. Kim's son from her prior marriage has leukemia, and her daughter acts too old for her age, but it isn't until her mother-in-law moves in that Kim reaches the breaking point. Familiar series faces return, including quirky beautician Patsy Pringle. Though the outcome is fairly predictable, the authors try to make a point about marriage while providing an entertaining story. Their comfortable, breezy writing style makes this a good choice for a lazy summer afternoon; recommended for public libraries. Chapman is the host of the national radio show A Growing Marriage and lives in North Carolina, while Palmer makes her home in Missouri.

In this follow-up to Troublesome Creek, winner of the Christian Writers Guild 2004 Operation First Novel Award, Watson continues the saga of Laura Grace "Copper" Brown. Newly married to Dr. Simon Corbett, Copper leaves her beloved mountain home in 1883 to make a new start in Lexington, KY. Her anxiety about moving to the city sets in quickly, and Simon's haughty sister Alice does nothing to welcome Copper to the family. Though Copper's faith in God is tested, she learns to cope with her new life, trusting in God's plan. Colorfully descriptive language, engaging characters, and words that flow like honey make this a rich, satisfying historical novel. As charming as its predecessor and easily as good; highly recommended for those who like historical fiction with strong female protagonists. Watson lives in Kentucky.

In this second volume of playwright Gutteridge's "Occupational Hazards" series (after Scoop), ex-narcotics officer Ron Yeager takes over an undercover assignment investigating car thefts in Las Vegas. His rookie team, however, is more than he bargained for, particularly God-talking Mack Hazard and know-it-all Jesse Lunden. Gutteridge lives in Oklahoma.

Kingsbury continues the saga of the Baxter family from the "Redemption" and "Firstborn" series in this new series launch. The famous Dayne Matthews and his fiancée are trying to keep their wedding out of the press, but they will need the Baxters' assistance to pull it off. Meanwhile, Coach Flanigan tries to help an ailing football star as well as take care of his three adopted children.

Rose Franklin thought that having solved one murder, life would return to normal, but she is drawn into a new mystery when she finds another body. Complicating matters is her ex-husband's appearance on the scene. Lynn's gentle mystery is the second (after Down by the Riverside) in the "Shady Grove" series. The author is a writer for the Charlotte Observer and lives in both North Carolina and New Mexico.

This sequel to A Hearth in Candlewood is set in mid-19th-century New York. Emma Garrett runs a boardinghouse that welcomes anyone in need. Lester and Orralynne Burke test her charity, though, as they create tension with her other guests. Parr lives in New Jersey.

This second thriller in Parrish's trilogy (after Relentless) takes place in a world pounded by floods, fires, and apocalyptic disasters. Humanity's only hope may be a man with superhero qualities called The Guardian.Parrish lives in North Carolina.

Set in the post-Civil War era, this series launch focuses on a church sewing circle whose single members vie for the attention of a new bachelor minister. Pella resides in Oregon.

Set in 19th-century Philadelphia, this new historical series tells the story of matchmaker Mia Stanley, whose parents are unhappy with her habit of snooping into others' dangerous exploits. Mia may be risking more than she realizes. Peterson lives in Montana.

This novel about first-century leader Silas, who accompanies the Apostle Paul on his missions, concludes veteran author Rivers's biblical series (after The Priest, The Warrior, The Prince, and The Prophet). Rivers lives in California.

Sophie Knutson can't bear waiting any longer to marry Hamre Bjorklund, so the two elope. But life as a fisherman's wife in early 20th-century Seattle is lonely and not the romantic escapade she thought it would be. Sophie's hard lessons form the basis for the second entry in the "Daughters of Blessing" series (after A Promise for Ellie).

In lawyer Teel's (The Election) newest legal thriller, the search is on to fill a pivotal vacancy on the Supreme Court, one that may cast the deciding vote in the abortion debate. Then attorneys Eli Faulkner and Jill Baker discover a link between a recent murder and a liberal politician opposing conservative forces. Teel lives in Tennessee.

In trying to impress her spoiled and disdainful cousin Elaine, Julie White claims she works as a wedding planner. When Elaine's own planner skips town, Elaine turns to Julie to bail her out. The author of the "Dry Creek" series lives in California.

This humorous superhero tale by a debut novelist centers on James, a recently divorced man who discovers he has the superhuman ability to "leap" across space. But is all this actually happening, or is James just losing his mind? Wood lives in Memphis.

As if making sure her sister's wedding runs smoothly weren't enough, interior designer Alex Butler is caught off guard when the man who broke her heart years earlier returns to Piper Cove to be the best man. It seems as though Josh Turner has changed, but Alex is not about to be caught again, even though she still loves her former husband. Major family interference, staunch friendships, and struggles with forgiveness influence this sweet, faith-infused romance seasoned with small-town, seaside flavor. This is the first volume in a new series of Christian inspirational romances. Windsor (Blue Moon) also writes as Linda Covington and lives on Maryland's East Shore.—Kristen Ramsdell, California State Univ. Lib., East Bay