Here are some new releases in Christian fiction for July 2023. I’m sure you’ll find one or two (or half a dozen) to add to your TBR list.
Four Christmas Kisses Anthology, by Jen Peters, Tamie Dearen, Donna K. Weaver, Liwen Y. Ho (July 1)
Table of Contents
**THE BILLIONAIRE’S BODYGUARD – Tamie Dearen, USA Today bestselling author
It’s only one woman… only one weekend. How hard can it be?
But there’s one tiny complication… Mack has secretly had the hots for this woman since the day they met. Oh, and one more complication… she doesn’t want a bodyguard.
**ROMANCING THE RANCHER – Jen Peters, multiple award-winning author
She’s worth everything. He knows he’s nothing.
Ranch hand Jesse Williams is captivated by veterinarian Samantha Squires despite their contrasting backgrounds. A fateful Christmas accident reveals their stark differences, challenging any hope of a shared future. Can Sam’s unwavering belief in Jesse’s potential overcome the scars of his past and bridge the gap between them?
**MERRY AND THE GENTLEMAN – Donna K. Weaver, USA Today bestselling author
She can’t leave. He can’t stay.
Devoted single mother Merry Hurst is bound to her hometown. Charismatic widower Carlisle Wyndham threatens the delicate balance she’s found, but demanding responsibilities beckon him to England. Can they resist their undeniable connection as the inevitable separation looms?
**LOVE PACT WITH THE HERO – Liwen Y. Ho, USA Today bestselling author
Two best friends. One little girl’s prayers. And a love pact that may be the answer to all of their Christmas wishes.
Two best friends revisit the pact they made as kids to marry each other before they turn thirty. With their birthdays on the horizon, will Jeremiah be able to show Haven that she’s the only woman he’s always loved?
Detection (Benson First Responders Book 4), by Lisa Phillips (July 4)
A boy with no name.
Officer River Gaines walks in the footsteps of the cop who rescued him from the ocean and gave him a name—and a family to belong to. River and his K-9 partner, Kutter, work side-by-side finding people in Benson, but the fact he never remembered who he is has become a weight he never let go.
A girl with no future.
Search and Rescue handler Tessa Atkins is back from a dark FBI case she volunteered for in Arizona. Tessa and her dog Maverick live in Benson at the SAR training center during the warm Pacific Northwest months. But up in Washington she’s got to contend with her family, and their expectations, while she figures out what’s next.
After Tessa is caught in a deadly bombing, and a series of crimes target both their families, the FBI believes a threat from Arizona is coming. River is ordered to ensure Tessa’s safety and the safety of everyone at the Search and Rescue training center his father started after he quit the force.
When the attacks keep coming, these two will have to fight together for the future God has for them. Or see it all swept away.
Pixels and Paint, by Kristi Ann Hunter (July 4)
For Emma Trinket, life is a delicate balancing act between loving her family and pursuing interests they don’t understand. When the opportunity arises to finally impress them with her job as a computer programmer, she jumps at it even if it means immersing herself in a world she’s despised since childhood.
Unfortunately, the one man who could crush her prospects is also the best person to help her navigate the lessons she needs to be a success.
Artistic expression is both Carter Anderson’s safe space and his livelihood, but his fading inspiration has him worried about his place in life. His encounters with Emma spark a passion to create that he hasn’t felt in years and he isn’t ready to let go of his new muse even if she’s threatening the sanctity of his art world with her digital technologies.
As each tries to gain an advantage from the other, Emma and Carter discover they actually might be more compatible than they thought. Will that be enough to unify their opposing missions or will the real differences between pixels and paint tear them apart?
The Doctor Prince and the Outsider, by Cami Checketts (July 5)
A feisty billionaire framed for murder. The generous ‘Doctor Prince’ who discovers her. Will Prince Steffen believe her, or is she destined to live life on the run?
Hattie Ballard, a billionaire heiress, spends her days traveling and rarely visits home, especially after the tragic death of her parents in an accident two years ago. She leaps from one adventure to the next, trying to forget the wounds of her past. While paragliding in the Alps, Hattie crash lands into the kingdom of Augustine where she is wanted for a murder she did not commit. She wakes up in the hospital under the care of the charming Doctor Prince Steffan, stranded and desperate to escape before she is thrown in prison. For the first time in years, Hattie has to rely on someone besides herself. As Steffan remains by her side, determined to help, she begins to fall for him, but Hattie knows she could never ask him to leave everything he loves.
Prince Steffan loves his mansion in Traverse, his wonderful brothers and friends, and most of all his hospital and the opportunities he has to help and care for others. But despite all the good in his life, he feels like there is something missing. When a beautiful and intriguing young woman comes under his care at the hospital, she lights a fire in him and gets under his skin in the most appealing way. Despite the suspicious circumstances of her accident, Steffan is drawn to Hattie, and finds himself longing to heal her, protect her, and love her. But how can he convince her to trust him?
Hattie wishes the true murderer could be exposed and she could give her broken heart to the handsome prince. But if there’s one thing Hattie Ballard has learned over the years: happily ever after will never happen for her.
Critical Witness, by Tara Grace Ericson (July 10)
A presidential assassin is on the loose, and Hannah is the key to unlocking his identity.
But it’s her own identity that is going to blow up the entire operation—and her future with the hero who saved her.
Ex-special forces commando Will Gilbert is leading a black op tasked with bringing down the presidential assassin. When his team rescues a woman who witnessed the fatal shot, protecting her becomes just as important as finding their target and keeping the entire thing under wraps. Behind those scared eyes, this woman has the answers they need to finish the mission.
Struggling journalist Hannah Stone was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or was it the right time? A Pulitzer is practically guaranteed if she can manage to escape without being killed. All she has to do is help Will and his team capture the shooter—without revealing her own identity as a reporter. Or just why she was at the hotel that day in the first place.
Pursuing the shooter and targeted by a powerful enemy, Will and Hannah face impossible odds. While her heart is quickly becoming tangled with his, Hannah hides her identity from the man trying desperately to save her.
Pistol Perfect (Pink Pistol Sisterhood Series Book 11), by Jessie Gussman (July 10)
Welcome to Sweet Water, North Dakota, where the pace is slow, the sunsets are breathtaking, and love has a way of sneaking up on you.
Mable Lefrak, a compassionate veterinarian, finds herself in an unexpected situation when she moves in with her neighbor to lend a hand. Little did she know that her act of kindness would lead her to stumble upon Annie Oakley’s legendary pistol and catch the eye of James Long, the dashing nephew from the big city.
With the town’s matchmaking steer making himself at home, Mable and James embark on a journey filled with laughter, mishaps, and the undeniable pull of true love.
Can they overcome the obstacles in their path and create a family for the three little girls who have captured their hearts?
Two to Tango, by Kathleen Fuller (July 11)
When career-driven Olivia Farnsworth and Kingston Bedford refuse to act on their obvious chemistry, the town of Maple Falls schemes to pair the two up—and dance their way to another happy ending.
Olivia Farnsworth always has a plan and knows just what she likes. She likes her job as head librarian. She likes spending time with her aunt Bea and with her close-knit group of friends. She likes attending the cinema’s monthly Vintage Movie Night. What she does not like is stepping outside her comfort zone. But when Kingston Bedford, her best friend’s older brother, runs into her at the movies, that’s exactly what she does. She takes a chance on the gorgeous pediatrician she’s known her whole life—only to crash land her way into heartache. Twice. One year later, she’s determined to avoid him forever. Aunt Bea and her Bosom Buddies, however, have other ideas. Plans that begin with ballroom dancing lessons . . . and end with one of the Bosom Buddies getting a taste of her own matchmaking medicine.
Kingston never thought he’d be utterly alone—as his mother puts it—in his thirties. But somehow, he’s let his life spiral out of control. His career has taken over, leaving no time for romance. That is, until his clinic forces him to take a two-month sabbatical. But is it too late to start over with the girl he can’t get off his mind?
Luckily, the scheming town of Maple Falls is once again ready to help make sparks fly.
The All-American, by Susie Finkbeiner (July 11)
It is 1952, and nearly all the girls 16-year-old Bertha Harding knows dream of getting married, keeping house, and raising children in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. Bertha dreams of baseball. She reads every story in the sports section, she plays ball with the neighborhood boys–she even writes letters to the pitcher for the Workington Sweet Peas, part of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
When Bertha’s father is accused of being part of the Communist Party by the House Un-American Activities Committee, life comes crashing down on them. Disgraced and shunned, the Hardings move to a small town to start over where the only one who knows them is shy Uncle Matthew. But dreams are hard to kill, and when Bertha gets a chance to try out for the Workington Sweet Peas, she packs her bags for an adventure she’ll never forget.
Dial S for Second Chances, by Linda Shenton Matchett (July 14)
Can years of hurt and misunderstanding be transformed into a second chance at love?
Jade Williams agrees to be on the high school reunion committee because the-one-that-got-away is out of the country and won’t be home in time to attend the festivities. Now, he’s not only home but joined the committee. Is it too late to back out or can she set aside forty-five years of regret and pretend she isn’t to blame for her broken heart?
One of the downsides of being rich means fielding requests for money and favors. But when an old high school buddy contacts Derek Milligan to be on the reunion committee as just one of the gang, no strings attached, he can’t resist. At the first meeting, he’s dismayed to find himself sitting next to his former high school sweetheart. He should be angry. Instead, he’s attracted. Can he risk his heart a second time?
Never Admire an Adventurer, by Regina Scott (July 17)
A pretend engagement puts her life and his heart on the line
Kristof Tanner grew up dreaming of glorious adventures far beyond the little kingdom of Batavaria. He’s followed his king and crown prince across Europe to England, but he never expected his first position there to be guarding the daughter of a wealthy businessman, who doesn’t seem to have a care in the world. Still, it’s hard not to see adventure calling in Julia Hewett’s warm brown eyes.
Julia has been fretting under her father’s demands for years. She won’t allow him to dictate a husband, especially when he insists no less than a duke will do. So, when her father refuses to listen to her pleas, she concocts the most unsuitable engagement she can imagine—to her bodyguard. If the charming Tanner plays along, they might both get what they want.
But it soon becomes apparent that someone is stalking Julia, intent on her downfall. Tanner and Julia must work together to uncover the culprit and save her reputation and his. In doing so, they may discover that the greatest adventure of all is falling in love.
If you like warm, witty historical romances, with a touch of mystery, then you’ll love this historical romance by an award-winning, bestselling author.
Amish Red Riding Hood, by Ashley Emma (July 17)
Scarlett Schrock witnessed her father being killed by a rare coyote attack in the woods of Unity, Maine when she was sixteen, but not everyone in her Amish community believes her.
Perhaps she was so overcome with grief that she imagined the entire thing. Scarlett always did have a wild imagination. After all, everyone knows that coyote attacks are extremely rare in Maine.
But Scarlett knows what she saw, and she’s determined to hunt down the coyote that took her father’s life.
After ten years with no coyote attacks, something vicious suddenly begins killing off livestock in the community at night. Scarlett knows the offending coyote has returned, so when a hunting party forms to hunt it down, she’s one of the first to volunteer. Amish women do hunt across America, and there are no rules against it in Unity.
The Amish are now legally allowed to wear red instead of vibrant orange while hunting in Maine, so Scarlett wears a deep red cloak in her father’s memory, and not just when she’s hunting.
Nathaniel Raber would ask Scarlett to marry him if only she would stop hunting and wearing that ridiculous, flashy red cloak, and he isn’t afraid to let her know. Scarlett’s Grossmammi, her grandmother, persistently tries to play matchmaker and hopes to see Scarlett married before she dies, but Scarlett can’t stand Nathaniel at all and knows in her heart that God has someone out there just for her.
During the hunt, Nathaniel insists Scarlett won’t last a day in the frigid temperatures, but her father taught her well. All the young men laugh at her except for widower Jacob Fisher, who has been in love with Scarlett for a while but can’t find the courage to tell her how he feels. He loves watching her play with his two children, Sadie and Eli, who adore her, and he admires her courage and spunk.
As the hunting party treks deeper into the frozen woods, they are faced with much more than a mere coyote. Will Scarlett prove herself before the coyote kills one of their own, or can she put aside her pride and work with Jacob to stay alive?
Christmas Royalty, by Eliza Boyd (July 18)
She’s a princess getting ready to take the throne. He’s a small-town caterer raising his niece. Is there any hope for their romance this Christmas?
Cora Allen—or Princess Emeline Cordelia Allenwick-Kent as she’s known in her home country of Raldana—is spending Christmas with her cousins in Holiday Harbor. She has a huge decision to make regarding the throne and the future of her country. A Holiday Harbor Christmas Week under the radar will hopefully bring much-needed clarity so she can make that big choice.
Sam Irwin is juggling a lot. Raising his niece, a busy catering career… The last thing he has time for is love. But one look at Cora changes his mind. Almost, anyway. When she offers to watch Amber on her winter break, he finds out she’s from another country—so she’ll leave soon. He should stop thinking about her that way, but he can’t.
When Sam doesn’t seem to know her true identity, Cora keeps it a secret. But the secret starts to come between them as sparks fly. Will her royal title stop their romance before it even starts? Or can the magic of a Holiday Harbor Christmas help them fall in love?
Holiday Harbor is a clean Christian romance series about Christmas each year in sleepy small-town Maine. Read along as God’s miracles (with a splash of Christmas magic) bring couples and families together through trials, faith, and the Christmas spirit. The hot chocolate is rich, the sweaters are cozy, and the romance is as sweet as it is satisfying.
How Sweet It Is: A Deep Haven Novel, by Andrea Christenson (July 18)
Sometimes the sweetest moments in life are made from the most familiar and ordinary ingredients.
Robin Fox is living out her dreams working in a gourmet bakery in Paris. She thought she’d live there forever, but when her relationship with her boss sours, those dreams crumble. She finds herself back home in Deep Haven, Minnesota, caring for her grandparents’ rundown bakery while they’re away. But she vows that when they return in six weeks, she’ll trade this ordinary life for the one she left behind.
Sammy Johnson has never gotten traction in any area of his life. This hasn’t improved in the almost two years since the accident which nearly killed him. Although his heart is still beating, it contains little passion for the life he’s living in Deep Haven. But that begins to change when he offers to help his former high school friend, Robin.
Working together to keep Fox Bakery from going under, they find more than friendship is simmering between them. But when the six weeks are up, will Robin follow her old dreams back to the glamor of Paris or will she discover how sweet it is to be loved in Deep Haven?
Return to Deep Haven with the Fox Family, where Robin and Sammy find that small-town life isn’t ordinary after all.
The Amish Marriage Arrangement, by Patricia Johns (July 25)
Forgiving past mistakes
Could open up a whole new future…
After leaving the community years ago, Amish bad boy Arden Stoltzfus is back to convince his grandfather to move to Ohio. But neighbor Sarai Peachy stands in his way—her grandmother is sweet on the older gentleman. When a sudden windstorm damages her grandmother’s home, Sarai and Arden are forced to work together on the repairs. Will spending time with the former heartbreaker prove to her Arden is a changed man?
A Summer at Thousand Island House, by Susan G Mathis (July 25)
She came to work with the children, not fall in love.
Part-nanny, part entertainer, Addison Bell has always had an enduring love for children. So what better way to use her creative energy than to spend the summer nannying at the renowned Thousand Island House on Staple’s Island? As Addi thrives in her work, she attracts the attention of the recreation pavilion’s manager, Liam Donovan, as well as the handsome Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a lighthouse inspector, hotel patron, and single father of mischievous little Jimmy.
But when Jimmy goes missing, Addi finds both her job and her reputation in danger. How can she calm the churning waters of Liam, Lt. Worthington, and the President, clear her name, and avoid becoming the scorn of the Thousand Islands community
Her Alaskan Companion, by Heidi McCahan (July 25)
Romance isn’t the plan…
Until a mischievous dog changes everything.
When pregnant widow Lexi Thomas moves to Alaska for a fresh start, the last thing on her mind is romance. Fortunately her neighbor’s affectionate goldendoodle is just the distraction she needs—unlike his gruff owner. Police officer Heath Donovan hopes building a fence in exchange for pet sitting will keep Lexi at a distance. But when his unruly dog turns matchmaker, can he face his biggest fear for a shot at love?
Hidden Amish Target, by Dana R. Lynn (July 25)
She’s an accidental witness.
Now she’s running for her life…
Witnessing a murder puts a target on Molly Schultz’s back, and now she’s on the run from a gunman dead set on silencing her. She turns to family friend Zeke Bender for help, but when Molly’s identity and location are exposed, they’re left with a criminal among her Amish community. Can Zeke safeguard Molly long enough to catch the culprit—or will they fall prey to their merciless hunter?
Ranch Showdown, by Tina Wheeler (July 25)
Seeking refuge at a ranch…
Has fiery consequences
After being threatened by her sister’s ex, Sierra Lowery has forty-eight hours to surrender documents linking him to a bombing before he kills her and kidnaps her nephew. With the evidence missing and anyone who helps becoming a target, hiding out with Detective Cole Walker, her college sweetheart, might be her only chance for survival. But as explosives detonate in the wake of their search, their ranch safe haven could become a dangerous trap.
Unseen Danger, by Jerusha Agen (July 27)
This woman and her K-9 protect others. Now who will protect them?
After a brutal attack, it took Nevaeh Williams six years to rebuild her life. Now a security specialist at the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency, she faces danger nearly every day. But when an old friend is targeted, her fragile stability begins to crumble.
Celebrity bodyguard Branson Aaberg could lose more than his career if he fails to end the mysterious threat against his client. Soon he’s more concerned with rescuing the tough but vulnerable woman who joins his security team.
Nevaeh is there to protect her friend, but what if she needs protection? What if the feeling she’s being watched isn’t the result of her traumatized imagination? If the danger is real, Nevaeh’s only hope for survival may be the God powerful enough to defeat her worst enemy—the one she doesn’t see before it’s too late.
His Tender Mercy, by Autumn Macarthur (July 30)
He chose chasing easy money over their family too many times before. Can she believe he’s changed, and give him a second chance?
Life hasn’t been easy for elementary school teacher Petra McManus as a single mom. But when her husband’s risky share trading — call it what it was, his gambling addiction — risked not only their family’s finances but their safety, she had no choice but to leave him and return to her small home town of Sweetapple Falls. There, she has her mom, her sister, and her church to support her. She’s built a safe, secure life for her two children.
Financial adviser Mark McManus knows he made mistakes, huge ones. He nearly paid for them, not only with his own life but his kids’ lives. Rather than put them at risk, he stayed away. But now, with God’s help, he’s turned his life around. Paid his debts and left his gambling days behind him. He won’t blame Petra Mercy if she refuses to have anything to do with him. But he knows it’s time for him to try.
Can she forgive him, and trust that he’s a changed man? Especially when he thinks he’s left his past life behind, but his past life won’t let him go…
Finding Home With My Cowboy, by Sophia Quinn (July 31)
When the place you called home is the last place you want to be…
April O’Sullivan is on the run. The youngest sister in the O’Sullivan clan doesn’t know where home is anymore, but it’s definitely not with the six half-sisters she never knew existed until just before her father passed away. But now, grieving for the life she lost, she’s desperate for answers, and she’s not going back to her father’s ranch until she finds them.
There’s only one problem. April’s new family has sent someone to fetch her. And that someone was the bane of her existence in high school. Boone Donahue probably didn’t even remember the artsy geek he’d gone to school with, but April can’t forget the cocky, big shot quarterback with the charming grin and the Greek god bod. He’s the kinda guy who always gets his way—because who could say no to a charmer like Boone? Well, April can. And she will. There’s no way she’s going to let Boone drag her back to the ranch before she’s good and ready. So if that means he’s tagging along while she uncovers her family’s dirty secrets, so be it.
But when Boone’s famous charm makes her smile when she’s at her lowest, and when those broad shoulders are there for her to cry on, it’s easy to forget that he’s an unwanted reminder of home. In fact, some days it starts to feel like maybe….Boone is her home.
