Bethany House is back with their solid block of historical romance with a couple of other genres in the mix.
So, not many standouts for me in this batch. That said I do have a penchant for male characters on covers so I’m liking Elizabeth and Julie’s a lot. Regina’s is eye-catching and fun, although quite a modern look for the model. Tamera’s is not as appealing as the first cover in her series and the expression of the model on Tracie’s A Sensible Arrangement is a little odd. Patrick and Julianna’s do a terrific job conveying the tone and genre of their stories and I quite like Kate Breslin’s cover.
Storywise, I can’t wait to read Patrick’s, Julie’s, Tamera’s, Kate’s, Regina’s, and Siri’s ~ the novella collection looks a sweet, fun read ~ and I highly recommend Lynn Austin’s republished Civil War trilogy.
Now, my dear friends, have at it! I know Bethany covers always get a great response ~ what say you about these 2014 offerings?
~~~~~~~~
A Match Made in Texas by Mary Connealy, Karen Witemeyer, & Carol Cox
In Dry Gulch, Texas, 1893, a young woman with a tender heart that longs to help those in need takes it upon herself to meddle in the affairs of three acquaintances who are in dire straits. Wanting to stay anonymous, she relies on unusual methods to hire men and women of good character who she thinks can solve the problems facing her “targets.” How was she to know that her meddling would turn into a cupid’s arrow? And what will she do when her friends turn the tables on her with a matchmaking scheme of their own?
Four novellas in one volume.
January, 2014
The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen
Finding himself the man of the family, and with no other options, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But Alec is stunned to learn the village is controlled by a wealthy widow who has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.
Alec finds an unlikely ally in Miss Julia Midwinter, the widow’s daughter. While initially wary of Julia’s reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul–and a hidden sorrow of her own.
Julia Midwinter is instantly intrigued by the handsome dancing master–a man of whom her mother would never approve. She cannot fathom why he would leave London–or why he evades questions about his past.
Together, can Alec and Julia bring new life to this quiet village–and to one woman’s hardened heart?
January, 2014
All Things Hidden by Tracie Peterson & Kimberley Woodhouse
Gwyn Hillerman acts as a nurse at her father’s medical practice in 1935 rural Alaska. Her family life has been rough ever since her mother, hating Alaska, took Gwyn’s younger sister back to Chicago to live.
Dr. Jeremiah Vaughan finds his life suddenly turned upside down when his medical license is stripped away after he loses an affluent patient. In a snowball effect, he then loses his engagement to Gwyn’s sister, Sophia. When the government decides to send a group of families to Alaska in hopes of making a better life, Dr. Hillerman sends a letter urging Jeremiah to join his practice. Thinking his secret would be safe in the isolated Alaska Territory, Jeremiah agrees.
Gwyn and Jeremiah soon recognize a growing attraction to each other. But when another suitor enters the scene and Jeremiah’s secret is revealed, their hopes for a future are threatened.
January, 2014
Wildwood Creek by Lisa Wingate
Allie Kirkland has never been one to take wild risks. But when she’s offered a costuming assistant’s job on a docudrama in the hills near Moses Lake, she jumps at the chance. She’s always dreamed of following in her director-father’s footsteps, and the reenactment of the legendary frontier settlement of Wildwood is a first step. The family expectations will have to wait.
But in 1861, the real Wildwood held dangerous realities. Town founder Harland Delevan held helpless residents, including young Irish schoolteacher Bonnie Rose, in an iron grip. Mysterious disappearances led to myths and legends still retold in the folk songs of Chinquapin Peaks. Eventually, the entire site was found abandoned.
When strange connections surface between Allie and the teacher who disappeared over a century ago, everyone in Wildwood, including Allie’s handsome neighbor on the film set, Blake Fulton, seems to be hiding secrets, and Allie doesn’t know who she can trust. If she can’t find the answers in time, history may repeat itself . . . with the most unthinkable results.
February, 2014
Shadow Hand by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
By her father’s wish, Lady Daylily is betrothed to the Prince of Southlands. Not the prince she loves, handsome and dispossessed Lionheart, but his cousin, the awkward and foolish Prince Foxbrush. Unable to bear the future she sees as her wedding day dawns, Daylily flees into the dangerous Wilderlands, her only desire to vanish from living memory.
But Foxbrush, determined to rescue his betrothed, pursues Daylily into a new world of magic and peril, a world where vicious Faerie beasts hold sway, a world invaded by a lethal fey parasite . . .
A world that is hauntingly familiar.
February, 2014
Minding Molly by Leslie Gould
Capable and optimistic Molly Zook has a slight issue with control: She doesn’t like giving it up. So she’s chafing against her mother’s wish that, to save the family farm, she marry Mervin Mosier–especially after she meets Leon Fisher. He’s from Montana but is working in Molly’s district, training horses at a nearby ranch. He is tall and muscular, with a confident demeanor. Molly has never met anyone like him, and he seems to feel the same about her.
Determined to let nothing get between them, Molly decides the best course of action is to get Mervin to fall back in love with her best friend, Hannah. Molly organizes a weekend camping trip hoping to bring them together, but things quickly go awry and it seems Leon and Hannah might be falling for each other instead. Will Molly keep struggling to control everyone and everything around her? Or will she learn to let God handle the twists and turns of her life?
February, 2014
A Draw of Kings by Patrick W. Carr
Their journey to Merakh should have made Errol and his companions heroes of the realm. Instead, much is changed on their return. In the wake of the king’s death, Duke Weir is ruling the country–and his intentions are to marry Adora to bring an heir.
With Errol and the others imprisoned and the identity of the rightful heir to the throne still hidden in secrecy, Illustra is on the verge of civil war–and at growing risk from the armies of Merakh and Morgol.
A dangerous mission to free Errol succeeds, but the dangers facing the kingdom are mounting with every passing moment. The barrier has fallen, ferals are swarming toward the land, and their enemies draw near. Will the revelation of Illustra’s next true king come in time or will all be lost?
February, 2014
Tide and Tempest by Elizabeth Ludwig
It’s been two years since Tillie McGrath last saw Captain Keondric Morgan. He’d let her visit her ill fiancé before he died. Now the dashing captain has found her at the boarding house where she lives and has swept back into her life. But all is not well. He seems to be trying to protect her–from whom or what stays a secret.
Even years later, Keondric never forgot the heartbroken lass from his boat. When a crewmember’s death-bed confession hints that her fiancé’s death may have been murder, the captain knows he must try to save her. But his attention draws the notice of others as well, dangerous men who believe Tillie may have the last bit of evidence needed to put them away. And trying to stay safe may put them both in more danger than they could have ever imagined.
March, 2014
A Shining Light by Judith Miller
When Andrea Wilson receives the devastating news that her husband has been lost at sea, she decides to return home to Iowa with her young son. But what she finds there is equally terrible: the family farm has burned and her father has died, leaving Andrea with few options. Relying on the kindness of the members of the Amana Colonies, she accepts their offer to live among them until she can make plans for her future. Andrea discovers so much goodness and contentment among the Amana people that she doesn’t want to leave, especially since the strong, kind tinsmith, a man named Dirk, has captured her heart. But is this cloistered life what she wants for her and her son’s future? Is she prepared to give up the comforts and freedom of the outside world? And when yet another wave of shocking news comes her way, will Andrea ever find the serenity and hope that have eluded her for so long?
March, 2014
Love Comes Calling by Siri Mitchell
Ellis Eaton has always felt she’s been a disappointment to her stuffy, traditional Boston family. Her sights are set on something entirely different: Hollywood. Though she’s captured the eye of Griffin Phillips, she knows that “dutiful wife” is one role she can’t picture herself playing–even if he makes her head spin and her heart quicken. Besides, Ellis seems to make a mess of any situation, despite her good intentions. She’s simply not worthy of an up-and-comer like Griff.
When a look-alike childhood friend begs Ellis for a favor, Ellis finds herself working shifts at the city telephone exchange. At first Ellis believes this will be the acting practice she needs to prepare for life in the movies, but the job is far more complicated than she’d ever imagined, and Ellis finds herself in her usual scrapes. After accidentally overhearing a call that makes her blood curdle, Ellis fears for Griff’s safety. Then handsome policeman Jack Flanagan comes to the scene, adding to the mayhem. With her job on the line and her heart all a-muddle, Ellis unexpectedly discovers what might be her role of a lifetime.
March, 2014
Death by the Book by Julianna Deering
Drew Farthering wants nothing more than to finish out the summer of 1932 with the announcement of his engagement to Madeline Parker. Instead, he finds himself in the middle of another murder case. The family lawyer has been killed, a cryptic message stuck to the body with an antique hatpin. Drew is content to leave solving this one to the police, but when the dead man’s widow asks for his assistance, he can’t help but be pulled in.
Life at home is just as troubling. Madeline still hasn’t decided whether she will accept his proposal of marriage, and worse, her formidable maiden aunt, Ruth Jansen, appears at Farthering Place with the sole objective of convincing Madeline to return to America.
When a second murder occurs, and another baffling message secured with a hatpin is found at the scene, the village of Farthering St. John is thrown into a tizzy. And it seems Drew and Madeline and their friend, Nick Dennison, are the ones who will have to crack the case before the Hatpin Murderer strikes again.
March, 2014
Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austin
Book 1 in the Refiner’s Fire series. The daughter of a wealthy slave-holding family from Richmond, Virginia, Caroline Fletcher is raised in a culture that believes slavery is God-ordained and biblically acceptable. But upon awakening to the cruelty and injustice it encompasses, Caroline’s eyes are opened for the first time to the men and women who have cared tirelessly for her. Her journey of maturity and faith will draw her into the abolitionist movement, where she is confronted with the risks and sacrifices her beliefs entail.
March, 2014
Fire by Night by Lynn Austin
Book 2 of Refiner’s Fire. The drama of the Civil War unfolds through the eyes of two very different Northern girls. Lovely Julia Hoffman has always enjoyed the carefree life of her well-to-do family, but when she fails to attract the attention of Rev. Nathaniel Greene, a fierce abolitionist, she determines to bring meaning to her empty and shallow existence. When she becomes a Union nurse, her eyes are opened to the realities of war and suffering. She also meets Phoebe, who has entered the army under false pretenses–and whose journey to understanding herself, as well as the tumultuous world about her, is revealed with sensitivity and drama.
March, 2014
A Light to My Path by Lynn Austin
Refiner’s Fire book 3 Kitty, a house slave, always figured it was easiest to do what she’d always done–obey Missy and follow orders. But when word arrives that the Yankees are coming, Kitty is faced with a decision: will she continue to follow the bidding of her owners, or will she embrace this chance for freedom? Never allowed to have ideas of her own, Kitty is overwhelmed by the magnitude of her decision. Yet it is her hope to find the “happy ever after” ending to her life–and to follow Grady, whom she loves–that is the driving force behind her choice. Where will it lead her?
March, 2014
A Sensible Arrangement by Tracie Peterson
Bestselling Author Tracie Peterson Pens a Brand-New Series
Marty Dandridge Olson is a widow looking for a way out of Texas. Widower Jake Wythe has secured a job as a bank manager in Denver, only to discover that the bank board wants him to be a married man. With Texas in his roots, he advertises for a Lone Star bride, and Marty answers the call. They both agree they are done with romance and love and will make this nothing more than a marriage of convenience.
Marty works to carve out a new life in high-society Denver as Jake works to guide the bank through a collapsing economy. But when money goes missing at the bank and accounting discrepancies point to Jake, he must find a way to prove his innocence. Yet all he wants to do is go back to Texas and own his own ranch. Marty, on the other hand, owns a ranch–one she’s never told her husband about. She hates Texas because it represents the losses in her life. But as the couple grows closer and love begins to bloom, Marty realizes she needs to tell Jake the truth. Can she come to terms with the past and her anger toward God in order to make room for love?
April, 2014
The Last Bride by Beverly Lewis
Nineteen-year-old Tessie Miller is the youngest of her Old Order parents’ five daughters–and the only one yet to marry. She has her heart set on Amishman Marcus Smucker, and come wedding season, they plan to tie the knot and start a family together. But Tessie’s father disapproves. Ammon Miller has his reasons, and he has put his foot down. The marriage will not go forward.
Impetuously, Tessie and Marcus take matters into their own hands, eloping to exchange their vows in the fancy, English world. After a secret honeymoon, they return to their Plain community to live as singles, hoping that, in time, they can convince the Millers to give their love a chance. But when the unthinkable happens, Tessie faces the biggest challenge of her life–and the almost-certain censure of the People.
Will Tessie find a reason for hope in spite of her desperate plight?
April, 2014
For Such A Time by Kate Breslin
In 1944, blonde and blue-eyed Jewess Hadassah Benjamin feels abandoned by God when she is saved from a firing squad only to be handed over to a new enemy. Pressed into service by SS-Kommandant Colonel Aric von Schmidt at the transit camp of Theresienstadt in Czechoslovakia, she is able to hide behind the false identity of Stella Muller. However, in order to survive and maintain her cover as Aric’s secretary, she is forced to stand by as her own people are sent to Auschwitz.
Suspecting her employer is a man of hidden depths and sympathies, Stella cautiously appeals to him on behalf of those in the camp. Aric’s compassion gives her hope, and she finds herself battling a growing attraction for this man she knows she should despise as an enemy.
Stella pours herself into her efforts to keep even some of the camp’s prisoners safe, but she risks the revelation of her true identity with every attempt. When her bravery brings her to the point of the ultimate sacrifice, she has only her faith to lean upon. Perhaps God has placed her there for such a time as this, but how can she save her people when she is unable to save herself?
April, 2014
Caught in the Middle by Regina Jennings
A Most Unlikely Heroine Takes Center Stage
in This Fun Historical Romance
The train to Garber, Texas, is supposed to bring Nicholas Lovelace to the next victory in his life and career. Instead, it gets held up by robbers who are thwarted by the last person Nick ever expected–Anne Tillerton from back home in Prairie Lea.
Anne’s been working as a buffalo hunter and hiding from polite society. She’s only coming to town to talk their runaway cook into returning. Instead, the woman flees–and leaves Anne with her infant son. With Nick the only person she knows in town who can help, the two form an unlikely team as they try to figure out what to do with the child.
Both soon find themselves stuck in complicated situations. To care for the child, Anne’s forced into polite society–and it’s not going well. Meanwhile, Nick is being pressured on all sides of his business, and being seen with Anne isn’t helping his reputation. Still he can’t quite seem to forget her and must make a choice between the leading of his heart and his plans for the future.
April, 2014
A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander
She’s plain, practical. No stunning Southern beauty. And she never wears pink…
Eleanor Braddock, a spinster at 30, has long since dismissed any hope of marriage. But when a dying soldier whispers his final words, she believes her life can still have meaning and determines to find his widow. But this compassionate deed takes a harsh turn, and Eleanor finds herself dependent upon the richest woman in America and the most despised woman in Nashville–her aunt, Adelicia Acklen, mistress of Belmont Mansion. A clandestine act of kindness leads Eleanor to an unlikely path for her life–building an orphanage, a place that will house widows and orphans from the Civil War. And while Eleanor knows her own heart, she also knows her aunt will never approve.
Marcus von Quint, Archduke of the House of Habsburg and fourth in line to the Austrian throne, arrives in Nashville in search of a life he determines, instead of one determined for him. Collaborating with botanist Luther Burbank, Marcus seeks to combine his own passion for nature with his expertise in architecture. But his plans to incorporate natural beauty into the design of the orphanage run contrary to the wishes of practical, frugal Eleanor, who sees his ideas as costly nonsense.
Yet as the construction project continues, Marcus and Eleanor find common ground–and a love neither of them expected. But Marcus is not the man Adelicia has chosen for Eleanor to marry, and even if he were, someone who knows Marcus’s secrets is about to reveal them all.
April, 2014
June 20, 2013 at 7:53 am
I absolutely love Julianna Deering’s cover. So artsy and retro, yet very on trend. Kate’s is unique as well.
June 20, 2013 at 8:26 am
I second that, Jenny! Julianna’s are awesome.
July 27, 2013 at 11:19 am
Can’t wait to read many of these. And Julianna’s cover is wonderful…the first book was AMAZING!
July 30, 2013 at 6:20 pm
Cara Putman » Thanks for dropping by, Cara
June 20, 2013 at 8:07 am
Caught in The Middle caught my eye! Thanks again for this feature.
June 20, 2013 at 8:14 am
Well, Rel, this is hardly fair! My 2013 TBR pile still needs attention and I’m already daydreaming about 2014, thank you very much!!
June 20, 2013 at 8:35 am
LOL! I second this, Beth. 🙂
June 20, 2013 at 4:07 pm
I totally understand! There is just not enough time to read all the books that need to be read.
June 20, 2013 at 8:15 am
I think that Regina Jennings cover (and blurb) caught my attention the most. Looks like a fun read. 🙂
June 20, 2013 at 8:35 am
Oh. My. Gosh! Been drooling over these for the better part of the earlier afternoon. Love them. 🙂 Thanks Rel!
Like Tracie’s – it’s really “pretty” even if the heroine does looked… stumped. (Is there ever a time Tracie doesn’t have a new book coming!?) Julie’s and Julianna’s both are wonderfully gorgeous and retro (as Jenny says) respectively. The pose and splash of green is lovely on Julie’s though I feel like the model’s hairstyle is a bit… misplaced or ill suited. Julianna’s is just plain awesome – that thirties/forties era concept is nifty. Love Elizabeth’s – the hues are soothing (really like the Statue of Liberty also but I think designers should have left it or the ship off – both seems “too much”) and of course, seeing the hero is awesome!
Regina’s is cute even if not everything fits the era – have a soft spot for the “sassiness” of her dusty boots peeking out beneath her frilly dress. And oh, yes, Siri’s is cute too – maybe even darling enough to entice me to try another of her historicals. 🙂
Aw! I still like Lynn’s (old) covers for her civil war series. These are pretty though.
June 20, 2013 at 5:30 pm
Rissi » Thanks for sharing your always insightful and interesting thoughts, Rissi – yep, those boots are cute 😉 Tracie is certainly prolific, isn’t she?
June 20, 2013 at 9:25 am
Reaction after scrolling through : OHH! COLORS! I think this group is WAY better than that last one from Thomas Nelson.
So many to chose from. Let’s see…
– TIDE AND TEMPEST – LUDWIG’S! Oh my goodness. I fell hard for the first one in the series. The blurb sounds so good. And I think the cover is nice too. Nice view of the sea at the back, along with the look of regret that the man has. Gives a melancholic air to it that seems fit the blurb of the story.
– THE DANCING MASTER – What a fitting cover for the blurb. It could have been more creative though…
– A MATCH MADE IN TEXAS- I like the red dress. Vibrant color on a background with smooth colors.
– WILDWOOD CREEK – Looks like the kind of cover one could get lost in. The girl’s posture looking at the man (her man, hopefully). The hill separating them. The sunset. Bliss.. and dreamy a bit.
– A BEAUTY SO RARE- Hmm. Maybe if I got a closer look at the cover it would appeal to me more. A Lasting Impression’s is quite nice but I feel like the publisher could have gone with another idea this time around. Something less bright? A style more classy.. something nice but different than A Lasting Impression’s cover… I don’t know if I’m making any sense?..
And soooo….
Cover-wise, I’ll go with.. Wildwood Creek and Tide and Tempest.
June 20, 2013 at 5:41 pm
Ganise » You are so funny and enthusiastic – I love it! Isn’t it funny – Wildwood Creek didn’t grab me at all but I’m glad you love it. As for A Beauty So Rare – you are making total sense – I agree with you completely! Hugs xo
June 20, 2013 at 9:46 am
Hmm… why does The Dancing Master remind me of Footloose? Meanwhile, I’ll be interested to see how Kate Breslin’s take on Esther turns out.
As for covers, I don’t pay attention to them. The plot synopsis has to draw me in. If it doesn’t, I’m probably not going to waste any precious reading time on it 🙂
June 20, 2013 at 5:43 pm
Sally M » You are smart, Sally, but really, not at all impacted by covers?! That’s pretty impressive, my friend 🙂
June 20, 2013 at 9:33 pm
When I pull a book off the library shelf, it’s in such a way that I see the back first 🙂 When I’m in a bookstore, I look for subjects in which I’m interested. I’ve seen some drab covers and some covers that had nothing to do with the story line. With the amount of books I own that I’ve not yet read, I’ve had to learn to be ‘particular.’ *shrug* I guess I’m just weird 😉
June 20, 2013 at 9:53 am
Hey Rel!
There are many I like here, but a couple miss it for me. My favorite is Julie’s. I LOVE this cover! It looks like a scene from a British television adaption of a Jane Austen novel. I like Tracie’s a lot, even the look on her face. The only thing I do not like is the design of the book title. The slant does not work for me. Her cover with Kimberley Woodhouse is pretty good but a little historically nondescript for me. I really like Regina’s. The boots and the red dress really pop. And I really, really like Tamera’s. I think it is pretty close to the first one for me. Siri’s is great with old phone system and I love how the background works with the girl’s dress and look on Judith’s. I really, really like Lisa Ludwig’s too! And I actually like the statue and the boat both. The boat cements the time period along with the guy’s clothes. I like Lynn’s new covers a lot. I do like the old ones, too. It is a toss-up for me as to which is better. I especially love the two flags on each showing the Civil War era. As for Julianna’s, I disagree with most who have commented. I love the first cover of the series, but I don’t care for this one too much. The guy is OK, but the woman looks too modern in her hairstyle and dress. And the bike doesn’t look quite right to me for the era either. It needs to have more of a mystery look. That is only shown through the series title and the book title. I love Anne’s covers and this is no exception. Truly beautiful. I like Patrick’s cover, but I think they should have made each cover in the series a little more unique. They seem to run together, with none standing out. The Amish cover is pretty good and I much prefer Lisa’s here over the last she had in this series. The girl’s hair is interesting. Well, Rel, you knew it was coming. 🙂 I do not like the cover of the novella collection due to the cut-off head. It makes not sense here. An important aspect of a cover to me is what is the designer trying to draw a reader’s eye to first on the cover. The first thing here is the title, which is pretty generic as are the titles for most collections like this. The next is the dress and the blond hair. I don’t get that as there are four heroines and I doubt all four are blond. Her eyes should be shown as they would help draw the reader’s eye to the book which is a bit lost at first as it is too close to the dress in color. And the cover of Kate Breslin’s really bothers me. I do not like the art deco title area, but I really do not like the picture of the woman. First, if the back cover is going to announce right away that the woman is blond, then the picture should match. Because the picture is cut the way it is, the red hair really stands out. Second, what is the reader supposed to notice in this picture? The pearl necklace stands out but is not mentioned in the description so is probably not that important. The same with whatever she is holding. Is it a book or a bag of some kind? I understand the picture at the bottom and it goes with the story well, but the rest should pop more to offset it a bit. A big disappointment in design to me for what sounds like a good read. Thanks as always, Rel, for posting these!
June 20, 2013 at 2:08 pm
Some interesting and thought-provoking observations. I would like to comment on a couple, if I may.
Concerning For Such a Time: Hadassah has to have a false identity in the novel…does she color her hair in an effort to hide her true identity? Maybe somewhere in the book that is revealed. If that’s true, I don’t have an issue with the “blond/blue-eyed” description being contrary to what is on the cover. Guess we’ll have to read the book for clarification.
Concerning A Match Made in Texas: It says in the blurb, “…a young woman with a tender heart that longs to help those in need takes it upon herself to meddle in the affairs of three acquaintances who are in dire straits…”. My thought was that the cover included the young woman who is trying to find men for the other three (and herself) – not just a generic cover that may or may not apply to the leading lady in each of the stories.
I’m also not the biggest fan of partial decapitation, but I don’t find it to be a big drawback on this novella collection. My eyes are drawn more to the red dress and the book she is writing in and not so much that the top of her head is missing. 😉
Thanks for letting me throw my two cents in. =)
June 20, 2013 at 2:25 pm
Good points. In the case of Kate’s that would help the cover make more sense to me. I would change the blurb a bit if that is the case, however. It does make more sense for the novella collection, too, but I still just do not like where they cut this one off and think it would look much better showing the face here. Thanks again for getting me to take another think and look!
June 20, 2013 at 5:58 pm
Jenny » “Partial decapitation” – love it!
June 20, 2013 at 5:46 pm
Aaron McCarver » I love how you have so many opinions on covers, Aaron – you are our male voice!!
I don’t agree with you on everything but here’s what I do – the title of Kate’s cover, yes, it is a bit dominant and distracting. I like the rest and I agree with Jenny’s comment that the red hair is a disguise. Your comments on the novella book made me smile – you had so many thoughts about it – LOL! I don’t think I consider half the things that impact you! You are obviously a details man, and I’m sure that serves you very well as a writer 🙂
June 21, 2013 at 5:10 am
Thanks, Rel! I admit I am a bit OCD at times. (My friends would probably roll their eyes at this and say a lot of the time, but I digress.) Some of this comes from having worked on the other side and being in on discussions about covers. And even though you may not overtly think about these things, you probably do without realizing it fully. That is what the designers are counting on, that you do react certain ways. Oh, and Diane and I recently had one of those redesigns on a cover for our compilation of three stories coming out in December, Mississippi Brides. I am not sure if the first was actually released. We received it as a catalog page. Anyway, Diane liked the cover but I really did not. She was kind to let me ask for a redesign and we got one. I really like the cover we have now. Thanks again, Rel.
June 21, 2013 at 8:07 am
Aaron McCarver » It must be great to have a publisher that is willing to listen to your preferences and even go so far as to make changes.
June 20, 2013 at 10:27 am
Love these cover posts! My favorite covers are Julie Klassen’s, Julianna Deering’s, Siri Mitchell’s, and the one co-written by Kimberley Woodhouse and Tracie Peterson. I love that the model is smiling on the one by Mary, Carol, Regina and Karen. We need more happiness and less melancholy in books! By happiness I don’t mean silliness/airheads, etc. Did anyone else notice that the model on Julie’s cover is wearing the same dress at the model on The Apothecary’s Daughter? The jacket is different and the color has been altered to green. Digitally I assume.
http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780764204807_p0_v1_s260x420.jpg
June 20, 2013 at 5:50 pm
Sylvia M. » Thanks Sylvia! Good eye – I’ve just been comparing the dresses and yes, I think you are right. The stitching down the front of the dress is identical, for sure. You and Aaron win the prize for observation!
June 20, 2013 at 11:07 am
None here for me, as you know, Rel. But I do love the cover of Wildwood Creek (Lisa Wingate).
June 20, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Nicole » And I appreciate the visit all the more 🙂 xo
June 20, 2013 at 11:42 am
Oh, Tamara Alexander’s book looks very interesting. I have an absolutely fab biography about Burbank, so that may have something to do with it.
I always love anything Klassen. She does so well getting the nitty gritty details right.
All the covers are gorgeous. I tried, but couldn’t pick a favorite.
June 20, 2013 at 5:54 pm
Vanya » Hey Vanya – sometimes it’s hard to pick a favourite, isn’t it?! I’ve liked Julie’s books more with each one I have read. Do you have a favourite story of hers, then?!
June 21, 2013 at 6:18 am
So far my favorite has been Maid of Fairbourne Hall, but I just ordered the Tutor’s Daughter, which may eclipse it. We’ll have to see. 🙂
June 21, 2013 at 8:04 am
Vanya » Well, The Tutor’s Daughter is my favourite so I’ll be interested to hear if yours changes after you have read it!
June 29, 2013 at 6:50 am
I’ve now read The Tutor’s Daughter and I absolutely loved it! But… Maid of Fairbourne Hall would win by a nose if I had to pick a favorite. 🙂
July 3, 2013 at 1:43 pm
Vanya » thanks for letting me know, Vanya. TTD has it by a nose for me – LOL!
June 20, 2013 at 1:48 pm
Lots of interesting stories in this bunch and my wish list just got bigger. My favorite covers…A Match Made in Texas and For Such a Time.
I also like the color scheme of Tide and Tempest – although I also found the background a bit busy.
One other thing…why do covers of Amish books have their models wearing makeup? I see Amish folks from time to time and have NEVER seen any of the ladies wearing cosmetics. I think most readers of Amish fiction realize that they don’t and wouldn’t have a problem showing covers with models being more true to life.
Hope all is well with you, Steve, and your girlies, Rel. =)
June 20, 2013 at 2:27 pm
And if I can add here…I have wondered the same thing about Amish covers. I am sure some makeup is needed when the pictures are taken, but I am also sure that could be retouched to give a non-makeup look. In some ways that is a big a mistake as hair color or historical accuracy issues.
June 20, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Jenny » We’re well, thanks, Jenny. Miss E is actually in Thailand on a school missions trip – I’m trying very hard to be a brave mum 😉 How are your treasures and your fella?!
The makeup and Amish covers is an interesting one, for sure – a bit of a contradiction, right?!
June 20, 2013 at 2:27 pm
This post made me so happy! There were a few of them I hadn’t heard were coming out and almost all I had yet to see the covers for so as I scrolled through there was quite a bit of squealing! My favorite covers are A Match Made in Texas, The Dancing Master, Caught in the Middle, and A Beauty So Rare! The other books I’m looking forward to are, A Draw of Kings, A Sensible Arrangement, and For Such a Time! Thank you so much for putting these posts together they are pure awesome!
June 20, 2013 at 4:09 pm
Abbi Hart » I think I heard your squealing in Australia, Abbi! As usual, you and I like most of the same stories 🙂
June 20, 2013 at 4:20 pm
😀
June 20, 2013 at 3:18 pm
I was so happy when I saw these! I think my favorite cover is Regina Jenning’s, though I agree–it does betray the usual genre feel. But these all look pretty great, and Julie Klassen’s books are always such a treat, so I’m especially excited for her’s! And I’m sure the collaboration by Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, Karen Witemeyer, and Carol Cox will be good too 🙂
June 20, 2013 at 4:49 pm
So many pretty ones!! 🙂
LOVE Julie’s! She has the best covers. I’ve liked all of hers, they all fit their plots really well. This one is no different. And I can’t wait for it! I want it now!!
Anne’s is definitely awesome. Gives you the character plus a great background. There’s a lot going in that background and wow! I really need to read her books.
Siri’s is wonderful. The outfit! The hair! Gorgeous.
Julianna’s is so retro looking! My first glance I wasn’t sure, but the more I look at it, the more I like it. The synopsis intrigues me a great deal!
And Kate’s sounds amazing and looks amazing! It doesn’t seem to stand out at first, but I really like the old picture on it. I’m really excited for that one. Really excited! 😀
June 20, 2013 at 6:03 pm
Kara » The downside to these cover posts is the wait for the real thing…sorry about that 😉 So, you’re a WW2 history “buff”, too? I have all Anne’s books here and haven’t read them either…must do that!
June 20, 2013 at 11:40 pm
lynn austins with new covers! huzzah!
the Julianna Deering looks FAB as does the Kate Breslin
June 20, 2013 at 11:40 pm
the Siri Mitchell I am eager to read; but the cover– ick—too much makeup.
June 20, 2013 at 11:41 pm
Elizabeth Ludwig Tide and Tempest, sure looks like a great adventure and could partly be because I am wanting to read this next one in the series…
thanks for showing, many authors and books that I will want to read come 2014, good lord willin and the creek don’t rise…
Paula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)
June 21, 2013 at 12:02 am
All of these covers just make my heart happy! Does anyone else feel like you’ve got a hint of Christmas in the air?
June 21, 2013 at 1:42 am
These are STUNNING! I especially love Caught in the Middle, The Dancing Master, For Such a Time and Love Comes Calling. Siri’s cover especially made me sit up and take notice, since my debut novel, Mistaken (releasing in a few weeks), also features a 1920s era telephone operator. It always amazes me how different authors can start out with a similar story thread, but then take it a completely different direction. I can’t wait to read her take on the 20s telephone exchanges.
June 21, 2013 at 3:07 am
They are all very appealing but the one that took my eye first was “Match Made In Texas”. Also the one by Tamera Alexander. Bur really all are very eye catching covers!!!
June 21, 2013 at 3:12 am
I love the cover of Caught in the Middle by Regina Jennings. I can’t wait to read this book!
June 21, 2013 at 4:16 am
More beautiful covers! I really love Lynn Austin’s updated covers for her Refiner’s Fire series. I hope more people read them, they are one of my favorite series. Such great books!
June 21, 2013 at 8:11 am
Cathy » I agree, Cathy, all Lynn’s books are excellent but this series is exceptional.
June 21, 2013 at 5:19 am
Anne Elisabeth Stengl is one of my favorite Christian authors, and I love all the covers of her books so much (although, I’d prefer if Daylily didn’t look so photoshopped here). Heartless is my favorite cover, though, because Una is reflected in the Dragon’s eye. Anyway, go read The Tales of Goldstone Wood right now, because they are all amazing. I cannot stress this enough! AMAZING. FANTASTIC. BRILLIANT! I’ve loaned the books to four other people and 3/4 LOVED them and read through the series within a week… the fourth person only read Heartless and read it too quickly to understand it so she only “liked” it. Anyway, I can not wait for Shadow Hand! The cover is my second favorite!
I am also rather intrigued by Patrick W. Carr’s books… they look really good. And I always think a scene that says something about the book is preferable to a cliche cover of a pretty girl in a costume with an expressive, dramatic look on her face. Although, those are pretty too, sometimes.
All the other covers are rather cliche.
For Such A Time by Kate Breslin catches my eye because it’s a bit different.
Wildwood Creek is at least pretty and vague (leaving the character’s faces a bit more to the imagination).
Lynn Austin’s Civil War Books (esp. Fire By Night) have a pretty sky and a pretty face, but it’s far from unique.
The most unique one is Death by the Book by Julianna Deerin, which, ironically enough, I find to be rather ugly (no offense).
I’m sorry, but the font/text arrangement on Siri Mitchell’s Love Comes Calling makes me cringe. The picture is so-so, but what you do with it makes or breaks it.
A Shining Light is nice. The colors and composure all mesh well.
June 21, 2013 at 8:06 am
Rose Red » Hi there! I’ve read Patrick’s first book and loved it – excellent storytelling. I’m soon to dive into the second. I have all of Anne’s books but am yet to read them – I loaned them to a friend and she’s loved them, too. Enjoyed reading your comments on the other covers – thanks so much for sharing!
June 21, 2013 at 6:38 am
More books to put on my list! It’s never ending but so much fun.
June 21, 2013 at 8:03 am
Martha J. Sturm » 😉
June 21, 2013 at 10:22 am
You have got to be kidding! Only pick ONE???
The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUIhu7_Hryg Gene Kelly and Jerry the Mouse in Anchors Away ~ the little king who prohibited dancing
June 21, 2013 at 12:48 pm
Lane Hill House » Good choice, and a fun link 🙂
June 21, 2013 at 11:05 am
Just have to LOVE Bethany House Covers.
Regina’s made me LOL!
And I’m glad someone else thinks the smirk on Tamera’s cover is just a bit…off…
Is Kate Breslin a new author? Love her cover! I’m headed over to check out her website.
Being in the midst of all these new fiction releases and their gorgeous covers does to me what a sugar store must do to a diabetic. 😉
You’re a dear for sharing them all, Rel!
June 21, 2013 at 12:46 pm
Casey » Try not to overdose, Case – especially when there is more coming your way soon 😉
June 21, 2013 at 11:21 am
So fun to see all the new covers together like this!! I love, love, love the art department at Bethany House. So proud of the work they do! Thanks, Rel!
June 21, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Elizabeth Ludwig » Hi Elizabeth ~ your cover is certainly getting a lot of love! Appreciate you dropping by 🙂
June 21, 2013 at 1:01 pm
Loved seeing these! My favorites are Elizabeth Ludwig and Lisa Wingate’s covers. I think Kate Breslin’s is extremely well done. And I’m intrigued by Siri Mitchell’s and Julie Klassen’s.
June 21, 2013 at 3:03 pm
Becky Wade » You know what it’s like to wait on a new cover, Becky, don’t you? Must be a mixture of excitement and angst!!
June 25, 2013 at 5:37 pm
Becky Wade » Hey Becky – thanks for dropping by 🙂 Don’t you just love a good cover?!
June 27, 2013 at 11:44 am
Indeed I DO love a good cover, Rel!
June 22, 2013 at 4:07 am
Being who I am and considering what I write…I can’t help but notice a significant lack of suspense/romantic suspense in their early 2014 lineup. Did I miss something?
I’m so excited for Kim Woodhouse’s series launch with Tracie! How awesome!
I’m *determined* to find time to get into Patrick Carr’s series. 😀
June 22, 2013 at 1:09 pm
Hey Ronie, my book is considered Historical/Romantic Suspense. Does that count? LOL!
June 26, 2013 at 1:07 am
I didn’t mean to offend, but your title is still primarily historical. I was referring to those that are straight suspense or [contemporary] romantic suspense. Authors like myself, Steven James, Davis Bunn, DiAnn Mills, Lynette Eason, Dani Pettrey, etc.
June 25, 2013 at 5:35 pm
Ronie » Yes, I noticed that, too. Patrick’s is well worth getting in to 🙂 xo
July 21, 2013 at 2:49 pm
What a great new crop of covers!
My personal favorite is “For Such a Time.” Beautiful cover, looks like a good retelling of the Esther story. Want!
Thanks for including mine. 😀
July 22, 2013 at 9:31 am
DeAnna Dodson » A pleasure, DeAnna ~ I’m in the middle of reading yours now 🙂 Intriguing!
July 22, 2013 at 2:09 pm
I hope you like it. 🙂