Bethany House Cover Art & Book News ~ mid 2019

Cover Art Headers (6)

I know you’ve been hearing crickets a little around here lately. Sorry about that! My middle daughter graduated from high school (we work on a calendar year here), so we have had Muck Up Day, Valedictory Dinner, and she now in the middle of her final exams. It’s been a busy few weeks. I’ll soon be back to regular programming! I don’t usually post on a weekend but with so many pretties from Bethany House, coming to readers everywhere in mid 2019, I couldn’t resist!

Time is still short, so I won’t go into detail with these suffice to say Ronie Kendig’s is my absolute favourite! I love everything about the cover and having read the MS, the cover model is the perfect fit for Leif, and the colours and styling reflect the thrills and danger within the pages. Dani’s and Davis’ also appeal and out of the historicals, Roseanna’s and Conni’s are my top picks. As for the stories, I can already rave about Ronie’s, I can’t wait for Becky’s, Amanda’s, Morgan’s, and Jody’s, in particular.

How about you? I’d love to know which ones you can’t wait to read!

*****

Outbreak

Outbreak by Davis Bunn

The waters off the West African coast are a menacing red, full of algae thick enough to stand on in places. In nearby villages, mysterious deaths start to occur–and the panic mounts. But before an alarm can be sounded, the sea currents shift, the algae vanishes, and the deaths stop. Everyone is relieved when things return to normal, and local government officials are happy to sweep the publicity nightmare under a rug.

An American biological researcher, Avery Madison, is dispatched by his employer to piece together exactly what happened, having long feared an ecological disaster just like this could occur. He’s had little evidence to go on before now, and what he finds in West Africa is rapidly disappearing. But Avery knows the danger hasn’t disappeared–it has just moved on.

When parts of the Caribbean start turning a familiar red right before hurricane season kicks into high gear, the implications are clear. If Avery and his colleagues can’t convince the world of what’s about to happen, toxic destruction could be loosed on American soil. Will their efforts prove too late?

April, 2019

 

The Tinderbox

The Tinderbox by Beverly Lewis

With her Amish parents’ twentieth anniversary approaching, eighteen-year-old Sylvia Miller stumbles across a surprise–the old brass tinderbox her clockmaker father keeps in his Lancaster County shop has been left unlocked. Against her better judgment, Sylvia opens the cherished heirloom, not realizing that what she is about to discover will splinter apart her happy life.

Sylvia’s bewilderment grows when her father confronts her about snooping in the box. To her amazement, the respected convert to the Old Order reacts as if he has something to hide.

Burdened by the weight of his deception, Earnest Miller decides he must reveal the details about his past to his beloved wife, Rhoda. The long-kept secret alters everything for the close-knit family, jeopardizing Earnest and Rhoda’s relationship, as well as threatening Sylvia’s recent engagement to the preacher’s grandson.

Can the Millers find a way forward through the turmoil to a place of forgiveness and acceptance?

April, 2019

 

Never Say Never

Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate

Repackaged

A sudden shift in a hurricane’s course cancels senior citizen Donetta’s cruise at the last minute. Thrown together with a young woman named Kai, Donetta leads a group of evacuees back to Daily, Texas, where the charm of the town–and the high school coach–has Kai rethinking her drifter existence. Donetta, on the other hand, is contemplating moving on from her floundering marriage. As more people seek refuge in the small town, can they transition from merely surviving to truly thriving?

April, 2019

 

WavesOctober

Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes

In the wake of WWII, a grieving fisherman submits a poem to a local newspaper: a rallying cry for hope, purpose . . . and rocks. Send me a rock for the person you lost, and I will build something life-giving. When the poem spreads farther than he ever intended, Robert Bliss’s humble words change the tide of a nation. Boxes of rocks inundate the tiny, coastal Maine town, and he sets his calloused hands to work, but the building halts when tragedy strikes.

Decades later, Annie Bliss is summoned back to Ansel-by-the-Sea when she learns her Great-Uncle Robert, the man who became her refuge during the hardest summer of her youth, is now the one in need of help. What she didn’t anticipate was finding a wall of heavy boxes hiding in his home. Long-ago memories of stone ruins on a nearby island trigger her curiosity, igniting a fire in her anthropologist soul to uncover answers.

She joins forces with the handsome and mysterious harbor postman, and all her hopes of mending the decades-old chasm in her family seem to point back to the ruins. But with Robert failing fast, her search for answers battles against time, a foe as relentless as the ever-crashing waves upon the sea.

April, 2019

 

Flight of the Raven

Flight of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse

Ravenwood Saga #2

Selene Ravenwood, once the heir to House Ravenwood, is now an exile. On the run and free of her family’s destiny, Selene hopes to find the real reason her family was given the gift of dreamwalking. But first she must adapt to her new life as wife to Lord Damien Maris, the man she was originally assigned to kill.

While adjusting to her marriage and her home in the north, her power over dreams begins to grow. As the strongest dreamwalker to exist in ages, her expanding power attracts not only nightmares but the attention of the Dark Lady herself.

With a war looming on the horizon and a wicked being after her gift, Selene is faced with a choice: embrace the Dark Lady’s offer, or search out the one who gave her the gift of dreamwalking. One path offers power, the other offers freedom. But time is running out, and soon her choice will be made for her.

April, 2019

 

Sweet On You

Sweet On You by Becky Wade

Bradford Sisters Romance #3

Britt Bradford and Zander Ford have been the best of friends since they met thirteen years ago. Unbeknown to Britt, Zander has been in love with her for just as long.

Independent and adventurous Britt channels her talent into creating chocolates at her hometown shop. Zander is a bestselling author who’s spent the past 18 months traveling the world. He’s achieved a great deal but still lacks the only thing that ever truly mattered to him–Britt’s heart.

When Zander’s uncle dies of mysterious causes, he returns to Merryweather, Washington, to investigate, and Britt is immediately there to help. Although this throws them into close proximity, both understand that an attempt at romance could jeopardize their once-in-a-lifetime friendship. But while Britt is determined to resist any change in their relationship, Zander finds it increasingly difficult to keep his feelings hidden.

As they work together to uncover his uncle’s tangled past, will the truth of what lies between them also, finally, come to light?

April, 2019

 

Wherever You Go

Wherever You Go by Tracie Peterson

Brookstone Brides #2

Mary Reichert is one of the best sharpshooters in the country, and in the Brookstone Wild West Extravaganza her skills are on display in every performance. But unless the man responsible for her brother’s death is brought to justice, Mary’s fame and accomplishments seem hollow. She feels helpless in the face of the murderer’s money, power, and connections. The only bright spot in her days is the handsome journalist who keeps attending their shows.

Christopher Williams has been assigned to follow the Brookstone show on its 1901 tour of England and write a series of articles for his magazine. As he gets to know the cast he quickly finds himself irresistibly drawn to the show’s sharpshooter. But getting close to someone would threaten to bring his past to light. How could he ever win Mary’s heart if she knows the truth? Mary and Chris will both have to trust God if they are to heal from the wounds of the past and chart a new future together.

June, 2019

 

A Reluctant Bride

A Reluctant Bride by Jody Hedlund

Bride Ships #1

Living in London’s poorest slum, Mercy Wilkins has little hope of a better life. When she’s offered an opportunity to join a bride ship sailing to British Columbia, she agrees. After witnessing so much painful heartache and loss in the slums, the bride ship is her only prospect to escape a bleak future, not only for herself but, she hopes, someday for her sister.

Wealthy and titled Joseph Colville leaves home and takes to the sea in order to escape the pain of losing his family. As ship’s surgeon, he’s in charge of the passengers’ welfare aboard the Tynemouth, including sixty brides-to-be. He has no immediate intention of settling down, but when Mercy becomes his assistant, the two must fight against a forbidden love.

With hundreds of single men congregating on the shore eager to claim a bride from the Tynemouth, will Mercy and Joseph lose their chance at true love, or will they be able to overcome the obstacles that threaten to keep them apart?

June, 2019

 

The Number of Love

The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White

The Codebreakers #1

Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network–field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough.

Drake Elton returns wounded form the field, followed by an enemy who just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the intelligent Margot, but how can he convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life’s answers lie in the heart?

Amid biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save themselves form the very secrets that brought them together.

June, 2019

 

More Than Words Can Say

More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer

After fulfilling a pledge to a dying friend, Zacharias Hamilton is finally free. No family entanglements. No disappointing those around him. Just the quiet bachelor existence he’s always craved. Until fate snatches his freedom away when the baker of his favorite breakfast bun is railroaded by the city council. Despite not wanting to get involved, he can’t turn a blind eye to her predicament . . . or her adorable dimples.

Abigail Kemp needs a man’s name on her bakery’s deed. A marriage of convenience seems the best solution . . . if it involves a man she can control. That person definitely isn’t the stoic lumberman who oozes silent confidence whenever he enters her shop. Control Zacharias Hamilton? She can’t even control her pulse when she’s around him.
When vows are spoken, Abigail’s troubles should be over. Yet threats to the bakery worsen, and darker dangers hound her sister. Can she put ever more trust in Zach without losing her dreams of independence?

June, 2019

 

Storm Rising

Storm Rising by Ronie Kendig

Book of the Wars #1

Mentioned in the pages of the Septuagint but lost to history, the Book of the Wars has resurfaced, and its pages hold secrets–and dangers–never before seen on earth.

Tasked with capturing the ancient text, former Navy SEAL Leif Metcalfe is finally given command of his own team. But their best efforts are ruined when a notorious Bulgarian operative known as “Viorica” snatches the volume right out from under them.

Iskra “Viorica” Todorova is determined to use the book to secure the thing that matters most–freedom. But a series of strange storms erupts around the globe and the coming dangers foretold in the text threaten crops, lives–entire nations.

Though both are haunted by secrets of their past and neither trusts the other, Leif and Iskra must form an uneasy alliance to thwart impending disaster. However, the truth hidden in two-thousand-year-old words could unleash the storm of their own destruction.
July, 2019

 

 Until the Mountains Fall

Until the Mountains Fall by Connilyn Cossette

Cities of Refuge #3

Recently widowed, Rivkah refuses to submit to the Torah law compelling her to marry her husband’s brother and instead flees Kedesh, hoping to use her talents as a scribe to support herself. Without the protections of her father, Kedesh’s head priest, and the safety of the city of refuge, Rivkah soon discovers that the cost of recklessness is her own freedom.

Malakhi has secretly loved Rivkah for years, but he never imagined his older brother’s death would mean wedding her himself. After her disappearance, he throws himself into the ongoing fight against the Canaanites instead of dwelling on all he has lost. But with impending war looming over Israel, Rivkah’s father comes to Malakhi with an impossible request.

As the enemies that Rivkah and Malakhi face from without and within Israel grow more threatening each day, is it too late for the restoration their wounded souls seek?

July, 2019

 

A Perect Silhouette

A Perfect Silhouette by Judith Miller

In 1850, Mellicent “Mellie” Blanchard takes a job at a mill in Manchester, New Hampshire, to help support her family. In search of additional earning opportunities, she approaches a daguerreotype shop owner with the proposal that he hire her to make paper cuttings or silhouette portraits for those who can’t afford an expensive daguerreotype.

When a particularly charming customer–whose broad smile and twinkling eyes catch her off guard–asks to escort her home, the seeds of romance begin to blossom. All the pieces of her new life seem to have fallen perfectly into place, but when her new venture brings her an unexpected opportunity, she is confronted with the truth that all is not as it seems. Will Mellie, who is keeping secrets of her own, find happiness in the new life she has carved out for herself in the busy mill town?

August, 2019

 

King's Shadow

King’s Shadow: A Novel of King Herod’s Court by Angela Hunt

The Silent Years #4

Two women occupy a place in Herod’s court. The first, Salome, is the king’s only sister, a resentful woman who has been told she is from an inferior race, a people God will never accept or approve.

The second woman, Zara, is a lowly handmaid who serves Salome, but where Salome spies conspiracies and treachery, Zara sees hurting people in need of understanding and compassion.

Powerful and powerless, Idumean and Jew, selfish and selfless–both women struggle to reach their goals and survive in Herod the Great’s tumultuous court, where no one is trustworthy and no one is safe.

August, 2019

 

A Song of Joy

A Song of Joy by Lauraine Snelling

Under Northern Skies #4

In Minnesota in 1911, Nilda Carlson is torn between society life in the city of Blackduck and spending time with her family back home on the farm. Her employer, Mrs. Schoenleber, gives her more and more responsibility and experience, including recommending new opportunities for her philanthropy. Still new to America herself, Nilda focuses on the area’s immigrant community, but she’ll have to fight to get her ideas accepted by the locals and donors alike.

In the meantime, one of her greatest joys is her weekly piano lesson with the handsome schoolteacher, Fritz. But just as Nilda is beginning to realize she has feelings for him, a stylish, affluent young woman moves to Blackduck and monopolizes Fritz’s attention. With her humble background, how can Nilda hope to compete with such a sophisticated beauty?

August, 2019

 

Love at Last

Love at Last: 3 Historical Romance Novellas for Love in Days Gone By by Elizabeth Camden, Amanda Dykes, & Kristi Ann Hunter

Three acclaimed Christian historical fiction authors’ romantic and intriguing stories will delight inspirational readers. Romance and history across the years make this collection a perfect fit for fans of timeless love stories.

Hunter’s “A Search for Refuge” tells of solicitor Nash Banfield, hiding from society in a market town, and Lady Margaretta Fortescue, on the run from a mysterious threat and in desperate need of refuge.

Camden’s “Summer of Dreams” follows the whip-smart daughter of an army general, determined never to marry a man in uniform, and a charismatic West Point cadet just as determined to change her mind.

Dykes’s “Up from the Sea” follows the romance between the daughter of a Southern lumber baron who finds herself out of her element in coastal Maine and the humble local lobsterman and lumberjack far below her station.

August, 2019

 

Firestorm

Firestorm by Nancy Mehl

Kaely Quinn Profiler #2

When FBI profiler Kaely Quinn’s mother is diagnosed with cancer, Kaely takes time off work to go to Dark Water, Nebraska, to help her brother care for their mother. Upon her arrival, she learns of a series of fires in the small town, attributed by the fire chief to misuse of space heaters in the frigid winter. But Kaely is skeptical, and a search for a pattern in the locations of the fires bolsters her suspicions.

After yet another blaze devastates a local family, Kaely is certain a serial arsonist is on the loose. Calling upon her partner from St. Louis, Noah Hunter, and her brother’s firefighter neighbor who backs Kaely’s suspicions, Kaely and her team begin an investigation that swiftly leads them down a twisted path. When the truth is finally revealed, Kaely finds herself confronting a madman who is determined his last heinous act will be her death.

August, 2019

 

The Killing Tide

The Killing Tide by Dani Pettrey

Coastal Guardians #1

When one Coast Guard officer is found dead and another goes missing, Coast Guard Investigative Service special agent Finn Walker faces his most dangerous crime yet. His only clues are what little evidence remains aboard the dead officer’s boat, and the direction the clues point to will test Finn and the Guard to their limits.

When investigative reporter–and Finn’s boss’s sister–Gabby Rowley arrives, her unrelenting questions complicate an already volatile situation. Now that she’s back, the tug on Finn’s heart is strong, but with the risks she’s taking for her next big story, he fears she might not live through it.

Thrown together by the heinous crime, Finn and Gabby can’t ignore the sparks or judgments flying between them. But will they be able to see past their preconceptions long enough to track down an elusive killer, or will they become his next mark?

August, 2019

 

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26 Responses to Bethany House Cover Art & Book News ~ mid 2019

  1. Oh my goodness, Rel! All the pretties! Bethany House has done a wonderful job with these covers!! So excited!!

  2. I am reading “Mark of the Raven” right now and it has totally surprised me. I love it, so of course I want to read “flight” and the cover is an amazing representation of what the story sounds like.

    Some great books are coming our way!

  3. So many beauties!! I can’t wait to read them.
    My favorites are Ronie Kendig’s, Dani Pettrey’s, and Nancy Mehl’s.

  4. Too many. All my favorites are here – Karen Witemeyer, Jody Hedlund, Roseanna White, Becky Wade, Connolyn Cossette, Ronnie Kendig, Nancy Mehl, Angela Hunt, Dani Pettrey! I guess I’ll be quite busy in mid 2019.

  5. Wow,
    These all look so stunning! It makes me want to read them! Thanks for sharing them Rel!

  6. I really like Dani’s because it’s “different” than the normal suspense, plus the colors are gorgeous!!Of course, I also adores Becky’s because it’s so soft and pretty. 🙂

  7. Hey Rel,
    There are a lot of covers to love here! I have been a fan of Tracie Peterson and Lauraine Snelling from the start. While I am still in awe over the covers of Tracie’s last series, the first of which is an all-time favorite of mine, I really like the cover of “Wherever You Go.” As in the first of the series, the lettering and style evokes old advertising posters. The model looks authentic as do the clothes. I also like Lauraine’s cover a lot. I especially love the house! Karen Witemeyer’s cover is wonderful! I almost expect movement as it looks like a scene from a movie of the book. I love the design of Jody Hedlund’s new cover! There is only one thing I would change slightly. I love the close-up of the model, but I would pan back a bit and make the ship appear larger as it is so integral to the story of the series. Roseanna White’s cover is great, too, and well highlights the suspense elements with its dark overtones, but I think it should be lightened just ever so slightly to give just a bit more clarity. I love Judith Miller’s stories a lot, but this cover does not quite work for me. I love the overall look and the design around the lettering, especially the silhouette in the O, but the model turned toward the back doesn’t really work for me here. I love the design elements, especially the lacework, of the anthology, but oh the decapitation…. I am just thankful they are not being used as often. I have loved the covers of this series of Connilyn Cossette and did not think the others could be topped, but I was wrong. I love this third cover. The model’s dress, the colors, and the beautiful scenery all work together to create a stunning picture. Angie’s new cover is fantastic, too. The full front stare works great as she seems to capture your eyes and draw you into her story. Bev’s cover is another beautiful scene of Amish life. I also love the cover of Morgan Busse’s new fantasy novel. The picture, especially of the model, captures the wind from the sea perfectly. The cover evokes nobility and strength with the model standing firm against the sea and with the castle fortress in the background. As I mentioned on a previous post, I love the picture of the lantern on the rock near the sea on Amanda Dykes’ cover, but I am not a fan of the style of font of the title or of the color of the fort of the author’s name. I am enjoying the new covers of Lisa Wingate’s series. They truly portray that small town where many people want to live. The covers of Becky Wade’s current series are beautiful. They combine elements of historical covers with contemporary designs to create great pictures. Davis’s red coloring works great for the plot, but it is a bit too stark for me. While I was not a fan of Nancy Mehl’s previous cover in this series, I love this one. The sparks of fire swirling in the sky in what appears to be a cold backdrop evokes the title and feel of the story perfectly. As I mentioned in a previous post, I do love Ronie Kendig’s new cover. The dark colors and the design overlay work great together. Now for Dani Pettrey’s new cover: I am torn over this one, I must admit. From an artistic point of view, I love the cover’s design, including the look of the model appearing to struggle in water. I am just not sure how I feel about it working as a romantic suspense novel cover. I do wonder about the designs of the future titles in this series as to what direction they will go. I confess that I think the cover would have worked better for a stand-alone women’s fiction title that has elements of suspense. Thanks, as always, for sharing these with us, Rel. And congratulations to your daughter on her graduation! Tell her I know a great Christian university in America, with a decent English instructor on staff, if she is interested…. 🙂

    • Aaron McCarver » Thanks Aaron! Not sure this mama is reading for her girl to travel to the other side of the world, despite the quality of the English staff 😉 I always find your thoughts on covers fascinating. Thanks for sharing, as always.

  8. Not only are these covers gorgeous but this is a great group of books, most of which I’m eagerly looking forward to! I love that the sea on the cover of Bunn’s book is made of microscopic grossies. I’ve always been intrigued by disease, outbreaks and the like and I’ve recently been following the red tide in Florida. This story is right up my alley. Even though Wingate’s is a re release I haven’t read this book and it sounds interesting. With all the recent tragedies along the coast, I’m sure hurricanes have been in many people’s thoughts lately. The cover is cute with the yellow cottage and the Volkswagon. Amanda Dyke’s story sounds like something I’d enjoy and the cover is lovely. The cover for Busse’s next in this series just screams to me with the castle and the sea. I’m planning on reading the first next week when it releases and I hope to love it as much as I’m anticipating it. As for Becky’s, I can’t wait for the story but I’m not loving the cover. I think it’s my least favorite out of the series. I’m not sure if it’s because the cover model just isn’t how I pictured Britt or that I’m not loving the dress and flower combo. The setting is gorgeous though! I like the look of the covers for Tracie’s new series, the Old West poster feel is a fun departure from some of her past series. I like the map framing Jody’s new book and the ship is a nice touch. I can’t wait for her new series! I really love the cover for Roseanna’s new book! The dark colors, the rain misted window and the number on the glass have me wanting to know more. I’m also super excited to get Margot’s story. I like the cover for Karen’s new book although it’s not my favorite of hers. The hero isn’t really what I was picturing when reading about Zach. I’m really looking forward to the story though. Everything about Ronie’s new cover is PERFECTION! And do I even need to mention how excited I am for this new series? Connilyn’s new cover is gorgeous. The mountains in the background are a nice touch. This is another book I’m eagerly awaiting. I don’t love Angela’s cover. I think the fabric looks too modern for some reason but I am looking forward to reading about King Herod’s court. Dani’s new cover is really striking with all the blue waters against the stark white backdrop. Her new series is one of the ones I’m most looking forward to!

  9. Wow! Your house is busy! And also, wow, these covers! Outbreak, Flight of the Raven, and The Killing Tide are calling me. Oh, and Whose Waves These Are looks beautiful–a step away from the genre norm, I feel like–in a good way.

  10. Such fantastic covers! I’m loving almost all of them. For some reason Tracie Peterson’s makes me grin. It’s such a fun cover. Other stand-outs for me are Roseanna White, Karen Witemeyer, Connilyn Cossette, Jody Hedlund, and Ronie Kendig. I’m looking forward to reading most of these books. What a great lineup!!

  11. Congratulations to your middle daughter!

    My favorite covers are Amanda’s, Becky’s and Roseanna’s.

    The ones I’m most looking forward to reading: Amanda’s, Roseanna’s, Connilyn’s and Jody’s. I am a book behind on Becky’s series so need to get caught up.

    Lots of lovely novels ahead!

  12. Of course, I’m a bit biased about my publisher’s covers this go-round. 😀 Personally, I ADORE the cover for my new series. They nailed it! Among the others, my favorites include Amanda Dykes’, Roseanna White’s (just LOVE that she’s writing on the glass), and Morgan Busse’s (cannot wait for book 2!!!). Nancy’s is also very striking.

  13. Thanks so much for sharing The Killing Tide, sweet lafy.

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