Pepper Basham (Thomas Nelson)
In this epistolatory romantic comedy, the delightful Penelope Edgewood plans to save fictional Skymar’s historic theater with her hard work, fueled by optimism, baked goods, and a local theater troupe. Love also takes center stage when two brothers vie for Penelope’s heart. After being offered a dream job, she must choose between returning home and a romantic happily-ever-after in Skymar. While the email and text exchanges between Penelope and her family and friends are lighthearted and fun, Basham weaves depth and truth into the characters’ journeys. Skymar is enchanting, a place you’ll want to visit again.
Susan May Warren (SDG Publishing)
Susan May Warren entertains with fast-paced, high-action novels dealing in strong characters and spiritual truths. In this third installment of her successful Minnesota Marshalls series, Navy SEAL Ned Marshall wants to settle down and marry his true love, Shae Johnson. He proposes in Geneva, but her yes is not as simple as it seems. Instead of making wedding plans, Ned and Shae find themselves embroiled in intrigue. Warren is a skilled storyteller with powerful prose, and she leans on her 10 years spent in Russia as a missionary, as well as her experiences in France and Alaska.
Beth K. Vogt (independently published)
Kylie Franklin left her successful career as a romance author under the pen name Veronica Hollins the day her husband died. Joe Edwards goes by Tate Merrick in his literary life as a military suspense author. Even with his success, Joe can’t hit the bestseller list. When his publisher suggests working with Veronica to add a touch of romance, resentment is the name of the game. But there’s a twist. Kylie/Veronica and Joe/Tate are actually good friends in an online game. When the truth comes out, sparks fly. Vogt’s book captures what we love about rom-coms: humor, irony, and a path toward happily ever after.