Bethany House Publishers have made a name for themselves in the fiction world, in particular for their historical romance and high quality cover art, as proven here with their late 2019 releases with 12 historical romance, plus a time slip novel, out of the 18 novels showcased here. The production quality of Bethany House’s covers is never in question and the attention to detail is always top-notch. That said, I’m not the target audience for traditional Christian Fiction covers with models on the covers when it come to preferences (even if my age and background would say otherwise!). Though I do make the exception for Elizabeth Camden’s The Spice King, very Richard Armitage-esque, I have to say 😉
While I love the Autumn treatment and font on Becky Wade’s repackaged My Stubborn Heart, the male model just doesn’t fit my image of the Matt Jarreau you will meet within the pages, nor does he have the chiselled chin of the Matt on the original cover!! That said, rush out and buy this book – the story is a beauty.
Of the remaining covers the stand outs to me are Sarah Loudin Thomas’, Jaime Jo Wright’s, and Elizabeth Musser’s (gosh, that story sounds intriguing!). As you can tell, my personal preferences run to clean lines and a more ‘simple’ style, that still manage to visually communicate the context or theme of the story. These three do that beautifully.
Those of you who love the more traditional covers, tell me what appeals to you most about them, along with the stories you are excited to read!
The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden
Hope & Glory #1
Gray Delacroix has dedicated his life to building his very successful global spice empire, but it has come at a cost. Resolved to salvage his family before it spirals out of control, he returns to his ancestral home to save his brother and sister before it’s too late.
As a junior botanist for the Smithsonian, Annabelle Larkin has been charged with the impossible task of gaining access to the notoriously private Delacroix plant collection. If she fails, she will be out of a job and the family farm in Kansas will go under. She has no idea that in gaining entrance to the Delacroix world, she will unwittingly step into a web of dangerous political intrigue far beyond her experience.
Unable to deny her attraction to the reclusive business tycoon, Annabelle will be forced to choose between her heart and loyalty to her country. Can Gray and Annabelle find a way through the storm of scandal without destroying the family Gray is fighting to save?
September, 2019
Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano
American Heiresses #2
To save her family from financial ruin, Miss Poppy Garrison accepts an unusual proposition to participate in the New York social season in exchange for her grandmother settling a family loan that has unexpectedly come due. Ill-equipped to handle the intricacies of mingling within the New York Four Hundred, Poppy becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, doomed to suffer a grand societal failure instead of being deemed the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs for her to become.
Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, has been forced to travel to America to help his cousin, Charles Wynn, Earl of Lonsdale, find an American heiress to wed in order to shore up his family estate that is in desperate need of funds. Reginald himself has no interest in finding an heiress to marry, but when Poppy’s grandmother asks him to give etiquette lessons to Poppy, he swiftly discovers he may be in for much more than he bargained for.
September, 2019
Hope’s Highest Mountain by Misty M. Beller
Hearts of Montana #1
Ingrid Chastain readily agreed to accompany her father to deliver vaccines to a mining town in the Montana Territory. She never could have anticipated a terrible accident would leave her alone and badly injured in the wilderness. When rescue comes in the form of a mysterious mountain man who tends her injuries, she’s hesitant to put her trust in this quiet man who seems to have his own wounds.
Micah Bradley left his work as a doctor after unintentionally bringing home the smallpox disease that killed his wife and daughter. But his self-imposed solitude in the wilds of Montana is broken when he finds Ingrid in desperate need of medical attention, and he’s forced to face his regret and call on his doctoring skills once again.
Micah can’t help but admire Ingrid’s tenacious determination despite the severity of her injuries, until he learns the crate she brought contains smallpox vaccines to help quell a nearby outbreak. With Ingrid dead set on trekking through the mountains to deliver the medicine–with or without his help–he has no choice but to accompany her. As they set off through the treacherous, snow-covered Rocky Mountains against all odds, the journey ahead will change their lives more than they could have known.
September, 2019
The Timepiece by Beverly Lewis
As the only daughter, Sylvia Miller of The Tinderbox has always held a special place in her Old Order family, one Adeline Pelham jeopardizes when she shows up at the Millers’ Hickory Hollow farm. It isn’t that Adeline means to be a threat, but her very existence is a reminder of the painful secret that has so recently upended the Miller household. And with Sylvia and her mother still struggling to come to terms with that news, this is a challenging time to welcome an Englisher–especially this Englisher–into their midst.
Despite the Millers’ unexpected hospitality, Adeline is well aware that she’s treading on Sylvia’s turf, and she feels guilty about doing so when Sylvia is grappling with issues of her own. Not only is Sylvia trying to rebuild her trust in her father, but she’s uncertain what to make of her once-promising engagement to Titus Kauffman, who hasn’t pursued her since she confronted him. Adeline wishes she could help Sylvia, but she’s not sure that either she or Sylvia is ready for that level of closeness in their relationship.
Can God make something good come out of the mistakes of the past? Or does Adeline’s
arrival mark one too many surprises for the Millers and their Amish community?
September, 2019
An Amish Christmas Kitchen by Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, and Kate Lloyd
As the weather grows cold and the nights grow long, the cheer and warmth of the Christmas season is one thing all readers can find comfort in. This collection from bestselling Amish fiction novelists Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, and Kate Lloyd finds the beating heart at the center of the holiday and offers three novellas that celebrate family, faith, and especially the sights and smells of a bustling holiday kitchen.
Leslie Gould tells the story of how, in the wake of a heartbreaking loss, a young Amish woman finds unexpected comfort and hope in a yearly baking tradition surrounding the local Lancaster Christmas market. Jan Drexler offers a sweet tale of a shy Amish woman who decides to use her gift for sweets to woo a local Amish boy with her beloved Christmas cookies. And Kate Lloyd offers a heartwarming tale of a woman’s unexpected discovery about the truth of her past, and the warm and welcoming Amish family table she finds herself invited to on Christmas.
September, 2019
Aiming for Love by Mary Connealy
Brides of Hope Mountain #1
Josephine Nordegren is one of three sisters who grew up nearly wild in southwestern Colorado. She has the archery skills of Robin Hood and the curiosity of the Little Mermaid, fascinated by but locked away from the forbidden outside world–a world she’s been raised to believe killed her parents. When David Warden, a rancher, brings in a herd much too close to the girls’ secret home, her older sister especially is frightened, but Jo is too interested to stay away.
David’s parents follow soon on his heels, escaping bandits at their ranch. David’s father is wounded and needs shelter. Josephine and her sisters have the only cabin on the mountain. Do they risk stepping into the world to help those in need? Or do they remain separated but safe in the peaks of Hope Mountain?
October, 2019
What Comes My Way by Tracie Peterson
Brookstone Brides #3
Ella Fleming is on the run from her past and the secrets that could tear her family apart. As a member of the Brookstone Wild West Extravaganza, a wild west show comprised of all-female performers, her uncanny talent for trick riding impresses the viewers. Only while performing can she forget the truth about who she really is–the daughter of a murderer.
Phillip DeShazer blames himself for his father’s death and has done his best to bury his guilt in work and drink. Realizing he needs something more, he seeks answers and finds support and kindness from the beautiful Ella Fleming. However, the more she comes to his rescue, the more his guilt grows. He’s fallen in love with her and feels confident that she returns his feelings, but until he can overcome the past and let God guide his future, Phillip knows he’s not worthy of Ella’s love.
Uncertain of what will come their way, Ella and Phillip must learn to trust God even when the road they travel takes them in different directions. Only then can love be a part of their journey.
October, 2019
When Silence Sings by Sarah Loudin Thomas
Colman Harpe works for the C&O in the Appalachian rail town of Thurmond, West Virginia, but he’d rather be a preacher and lead his own congregation. When a member of the rival McLean clan guns down his cousin and the clan matriarch, Serepta McLean, taunts the Harpes by coming to a tent revival in their territory, Colman chooses peace over seeking revenge with the rest of his family.
Colman, known for an unnaturally keen sense of hearing, is shocked when he hears God tell him to preach to the McLeans. A failed attempt to run away leaves Colman sick and suffering in the last place he wanted to be–McLean territory. Nursed by herbalist Ivy Gordon–a woman whose unusual appearance has made her an outcast–he’s hindered in his calling by Serepta’s iron grip on the region and his uncle’s desire to break that grip. But appearances can be deceiving, and he soon learns that the face of evil doesn’t look like he expected.
November, 2019
My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade
Repackaged
Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When her grandmother asks Kate to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance.
Upon her arrival, Kate meets Matt Jarreau, the man hired to renovate the house. Kate can’t help being drawn by both his good looks and something else she can’t quite put her finger on. He’s clearly wounded, yet Kate sets her stubborn heart on bringing him out of the dark and back into the light . . . whether he likes it or not.
When the stilted, uncomfortable interactions between Kate and Matt slowly shift into something more, is God finally answering the longing of her heart–or asking her to give up more than she ever dreamed?
November, 2019
A Pursuit of Home by Kristi Ann Hunter
Haven Manor #3
In early 1800s England, Jess Beauchene has spent most of her life in hiding and always on the move in an effort to leave her past far behind her. But when she learns the family she thought had died just might be alive and in danger, she knows her secrets can only stay buried for so long.
Derek Thornbury loves the past, which has led him to become an expert in history and artifacts. He knows Jess has never liked him, but when she requests his help deciphering the clues laid out in an old family diary, he can’t resist the urge to solve the puzzle.
As Jess and Derek race to find the hidden artifact before her family’s enemies, they learn as much about each other as they do about the past. But can their search to uncover the truth and set history right lead to a future together?
November, 2019
Serving Up Love: A Harvey House Brides Collection by Tracie Peterson, Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, and Jen Turano
Bestselling novelist Tracie Peterson joins Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, and Jen Turano in this collection of four novellas, each featuring a Harvey Girl heroine. From Kansas to Texas, the Grand Canyon to New Mexico, the stories cross the country with tales of sweet romance and entertaining history.
In Karen Witemeyer’s “More Than a Pretty Face,” a young woman works her hardest to escape poor choices from her youth. Tracie Peterson offers “A Flood of Love,” where reuniting with an old flame after more than a decade offers unexpected results. Regina Jennings’s “Intrigue a la Mode” delights with a tale of a young woman determined to help support her family, despite warnings of danger nearby. And Jen Turano’s “Grand Encounters” heads to the Grand Canyon with a tale of a society belle intent on finding a new life for herself.
November, 2019
The End of the Magi by Patrick W. Carr
Following his vision of the coming Messiah, the prophet Daniel creates a select group of men who will count down the calendar to the arrival of Israel’s promised king. Centuries later, as the day nears, Myrad, a young magi acolyte, flees for his life when his adoptive father and others are put to death by a ruthless Parthian queen.
Having grabbed only a few possessions, Myrad escapes the city, and searching for a way to hide from the soldiers scouring the trade routes, he tries to join the caravan of the merchant Walagash. The merchant senses that Myrad is hiding secrets, but when the young man proves himself a valuable traveler, an epic journey filled with peril, close escapes, and dangerous battles begins.
With every day that passes, the calendar creeps closer to the coming Messiah. And over everything shines the dream of a star that Myrad can’t forget and the promise that the world will never be the same.
November, 2019
When I Close My Eyes by Elizabeth Musser
Henry Hughes was hired to kill a well-known author, but the TV news anchor says she isn’t dead. Henry won’t get paid unless he finishes the job, and he really needs the money. But how will he get close to Josephine Bourdillon when the hospital is crawling with cops?
Josephine’s 17-year-old daughter, Paige, isn’t sure what’s going on. Her mom is in a coma, and the police are asking questions. Amid the stress and emotional upheaval, she wonders why this is happening to her family. Her mother has received disturbing reader mail in the past, but would someone really want her dead? And there’s the odd man in the waiting room, whose young son desperately needs surgery. She wishes she possessed her mom’s faith, but faith has been ebbing from her life for some time. . . .
Set against the flaming hills of North Carolina, this is the story of two families struggling with dysfunction and finding that grace is stronger than anything the mind can imagine.
November, 2019
Seconds to Live by Susan Sleeman
Homeland Heroes #1
When cybercriminals hack into the US Marshals’ Witness Protection database and auction off witnesses’ personal details to the highest bidders, the RED Team led by FBI Agent Sean Nichols begins a high-stakes chase to find the hacker. But before he can even get started, the first witness is targeted and barely escapes with her life. Sean believes Phantom, an obsessed hacker who previously outwitted the top minds in the field, is behind the attack, and Sean needs this witness’s help, as she’s the person who has come closest to discovering Phantom’s identity.
Trouble is, she’s a witness under the care of US Marshal Taylor Mills, and Sean is reluctant to work with the captivating marshal who knows his deepest secrets. But Phantom claims he knows where the witness is hiding and will kill her, so to stop the hacker, Sean and Taylor must work through their personal pain and learn to trust each other. . . . The seconds are ticking down before someone dies.
December, 2019
The Major’s Daughter by Regina Jennings
The Fort Reno Series #3
Caroline Adams returns to Indian Territory after tiring of confining society life. She wants adventure, and when she and her friend Amber come across swaggering outlaw Frisco Smith, they find his dreams for the new territory are very persuasive. With the much-anticipated land run pending, they may just join the rush.
Growing up parentless, all Frisco Smith wanted was a place to call his own. It’s no wonder that he fought to open the Unassigned Lands. After years of sneaking across the border, he’s even managed to put in a dugout house on a hidden piece of property he’s poised to claim.
When the gun sounds, everyone’s best plans are thrown out the window in the chaos of the run. Caroline and Frisco soon find themselves battling over a claim–and both dig in their heels. Settling the rightful ownership will bring these two closer than they ever expected and change their ideas of what a true home looks like.
December, 2019
Echoes Among Stones by Jaime Jo Wright
After Aggie Dunkirk’s career is unceremoniously ended by her own mistakes, she finds herself traveling to Wisconsin, where her grandmother, Mumsie, lives alone in her rambling old home. She didn’t plan for how eccentric Mumsie has become, obsessing over an old, unsolved crime scene–even going so far as to re-create it in the attic.
Mystery seems to follow her when she finds work as a secretary helping to restore the flooded historical part of the cemetery. Forced to work with the puzzling, yet attractive museum curator to contact living family members of those in the disturbed graves, Aggie stumbles upon the unsolved murder of a young woman–the details of which match Mumsie’s case. As Aggie exhumes the past’s secrets, she uncovers a crime that some will go to any length to keep quiet–even if it means silencing Aggie.
In 1946, Imogene Flannigan works in a local factory and has eyes on owning her own beauty salon. But coming home to discover her younger sister’s body in the attic changes everything. Unfamiliar with the newly burgeoning world of criminal forensics and not particularly welcomed as a woman, Imogene is nonetheless determined to stay involved. As her sister’s case grows cold, Imogene vows to find justice . . . even if it costs her everything.
December, 2019
The Bridge to Belle Island by Julie Klassen
After a humiliating mistake, lawyer Benjamin Booker resolves to never again trust a beautiful woman. When an old friend is killed, the senior partner isn’t satisfied with Bow Street’s efforts and asks Benjamin to investigate. Eager to leave London for a while, Benjamin agrees. Evidence takes him to a remote island on the Thames, a world unto itself, shrouded in mist and mystery. Soon he finds himself falling for the main suspect–a woman who claims not to have left the island in ten years. But should he trust her?
On Belle Island, Isabelle feels safe and leads a productive life, but fear keeps her trapped there. When Mr. Booker arrives with news of her trustee’s murder in London, Isabelle is stunned. She has not left the island, yet she has a recurring dream about the man’s death. Or is it a memory? She had been furious with him, but she never intended . . . this.
When a second person dies and evidence shockingly points to her, Isabelle doesn’t know who to trust: the attractive lawyer or the admirer and friends who assemble on the island, each with grudges against the victim. Can she even trust her own mind? While they search for the truth, secrets come to light and danger comes calling.
December, 2019
March 9, 2019 at 10:36 am
My favorite cover of those above is Susan Sleeman’s. I LOVE it! It really stands out, is contemporary & different from the norm. Definitely appeals to my romantic suspense heart. I will definitely be putting that one on my “books to buy” list.
March 9, 2019 at 1:48 pm
Melinda H » Great thoughts – thanks for sharing 🙂
March 9, 2019 at 10:48 am
I enjoy covers with models on them but I’m pretty picky about the visuals, even when the design is high quality. Several of these aren’t my favorite but I’m still excited to read the stories because I love the authors. I agree that The Spice King is well done! Nice and moody. I love the new cover for My Stubborn Heart- mostly because of the excellent font choice for the title and the sweet pose. I agree with you on the male model not being a good match. I’m looking forward to reading the ones by Misty M. Beller, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, Kristi Ann Hunter, and Julie Klassen.
March 9, 2019 at 1:47 pm
Heidi Robbins » Yes, I know what you mean 🙂 You have some good choices there, Heidi!
March 9, 2019 at 11:02 am
The Spice King . . . I may have a hard time reading the book . . . I will just want to stare at the cover. I love it. And I agree, Sarah Loudin Thomas’ cover is lovely.
March 9, 2019 at 1:46 pm
Rebecca Maney » Haha!!! Thanks for sharing, Rebecca!
March 9, 2019 at 12:25 pm
I am sooo looking forward to the Bridge to Belle Island. That cover is calling my name.
March 9, 2019 at 1:46 pm
Arletta » Julie’s book are always excellent!
March 9, 2019 at 1:09 pm
I REEAALLY like Elizabeth Camden’s Spice King cover. Also, Becky Wade’s is really nice and really love Sarah Loudin Thomas’s cover. <3
March 9, 2019 at 1:46 pm
Twins!!!
March 9, 2019 at 2:36 pm
Hey, Rel! There are some great covers here! I love Jen Turano’s! The setting and the look on her face are great! I also love Misty M. Beller’s first Bethany cover! The angle of the “camera” and the setting makes me think of the beginning of “The Sound of Music” with Julie Andrews on the mountain. Julie’s cover looks great, and I love a British historical mystery! I would, however, add a bit more fog and just a bit less light to heighten the mysterious look. This is my favorite of Tracie’s covers in this series. I think the colors of the side scrollwork work well. I love the treatment around Mary’s name, also. And the archer look is perfect for the story, looking both historic and fairy tale-ish at the same time. Regina Jennings’ cover is perfect for the historical setting and for the humor found in her stories. Kristi Ann Hunter’s has a beautiful scene to go with nice colors. I like the model with a slight back-turn and authentic-looking uniform for the Harvey House novella collection, but I am not a fan of the blurred background. It will probably surprise you, but I do really like Sarah Loudin Thomas’s cover. However, to get it to love for me, I wish the “sky” was not so starkly white. A bit of blue would add so much and allow the picture to not appear chopped off. Oh, I want to love Elizabeth Camden’s cover. The mood created seems perfect and the story sounds wonderful, but the decapitation… Oh well, I still can’t wait to get lost in the story of this family. I love Patrick Carr’s biblical cover! It makes me think of one of my all-time favorite poems, “Journey of the Magi” by T. S. Eliot. I also love Cliff Graham’s biblical cover and look forward to reading it, too. Bev’s Amish cover is beautiful as usual, but the viewpoint angle of the model is a bit strange to me. She looks as if she is turned a bit awkwardly on the bench. I love the background, however! As for the Amish anthology, yet another Henry VIII victim I’m afraid. 🙂 I love the scenery in Elizabeth Musser’s cover! It reminds me of where I grew up in the Tennessee hills. However, I think the model needs to be on the left so it appears she is looking at those beautiful hills. I much prefer this cover of Becky Wade’s story. I love the scene for the couple, and I agree with the others that the title font looks fantastic. However, I again think the sky backdrop is too starkly white. Jamie Jo Wright’s cover is wonderfully atmospheric as always. The title and the grave stones work so well together. However, I think the viewpoint is much too close to the gate. Just a few “steps” back could give an even better view of this scene that represents mystery and a dual-time story so well. I saved another of my favorites for last. I absolutely love Susan Sleeman’s new cover! The colors, the fonts, and the silhouette of the model all look so sleek and modern and definitely suspenseful. It reminds me of the opening to James Bond movies with Bond’s silhouette and the bullet hole. I have thought about your question, Rel. I think I love traditional covers with models for a couple of reasons. One, I first began reading secular historicals, and they usually had similar type covers, too. But I think what really draws me is what draws me to the stories themselves. I love seeing a historic setting and models in historic clothes. Without these elements, the stories might as well be contemporary. In the same way that Amish readers love the bonnets and the simple lifestyle settings, I want to see those historical ones as they immediately begin me on the journey into the past I long to take as I dive into the pages. As always, Rel, thanks for sharing!
March 12, 2019 at 3:12 pm
Hey Aaron – I appreciate your insights, both with respect to the covers and your response to my question, with such attention to detail. Will have more covers for you to comment on soon 😉
March 10, 2019 at 4:06 pm
Another batch of gorgeous covers! I’m anxious to read almost all of these books. I’m with you on the simpler, clean lines of Sarah Loudin Thomas, Elizabeth Musser, and Jaime Jo Wright’s books. Although, since I read Aaron’s comments, I’d like to see Jaime’s from a step back, too. I’m looking forward to Jen Turano’s, Kristi Ann Hunter’s, Mary Connealy’s, and Regina Jennings’ especially, because I like their humor. Then I need Jaime and Susan Sleeman to add some suspense, and Elizabeth Camden, Sarah Loudin Thomas, and Julie Klassen for historical reasons. Oh well, I’ll just have to pile them all on my TBR/wish list!
March 12, 2019 at 3:08 pm
This made me laugh, Winnie – just buy them all 😉
March 12, 2019 at 3:35 pm
Well, I’m on a few of the launch teams, so that will help trim the cost a bit. I need to make sure I have enough money for food! LOL
March 13, 2019 at 9:57 am
Winnie Thomas » 🙂
March 13, 2019 at 9:11 am
How did I just see this? I’m excited to see more leading men on the cover, but LOVE that I got such an evocative cover this time. Poetic, I think.
March 13, 2019 at 9:55 am
Sarah Thomas » It’s stunning! One of my faves of yours, Sarah! Thanks for stopping by!