Varni, host of the Moments from Moonberry Lake podcast, delivers a solid debut focusing on the stories of ordinary Midwesterners. The faith content is vague enough that general-fiction readers of Fannie Flagg, J. Ryan Stradal, and Viola Shipman will appreciate the small-town flavor and humorous anecdotes.
Cox (The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery) is a brilliant writer, and her characters feel like old friends. With humor and a tenderness for the struggling, the novel explores what happens when people let the light in on their journey to healing.
A nuanced and heartwarming tale of sisterly love and community, based partly on the author’s family history, from a master of Southern fiction similar to Lisa Wingate or Lauren K. Denton.
A great read for those enthralled with real-life stories of war and survival such as Laura Hilderbrand’s Unbroken and Adam Makos’s Devotion. Recommend to those looking for a new angle on World War II fiction.
Finkbeiner (The Nature of Small Birds) excels at illuminating history and the human condition through the voices of young people. Fans of the 1992 movie A League of Their Own will enjoy this, as will readers of women’s fiction such as Heirlooms by Sandra Byrd and The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir by Jennifer Ryan.
Cabot (The Spark of Love) is becoming a must-buy. Her sensitivity and realistic portrayal of characters often on the margins of history really shine in this new historical series, which includes a child with Down syndrome, a domestic-abuse survivor, and a family impacted by suicide. Read-alikes can be found in the works of Melanie Dobson, Ann H. Gabhart, and Tamera Alexander.
Each Sundin (Until Leaves Fall in Paris) novel tops the last as she delves deeper into the Christian psyche. Fans of Lisa Wingate, Lynn Austin, and secular author Hazel Gaynor will treasure this moving tale.
Readers who love Celtic settings will rejoice over this offering featuring bonny Scotland. For fans of historical fiction from the likes of Jocelyn Green, Michelle Griep, and Elizabeth Camden.