As always, Revell releases its new covers shortly after their publishing sister, Bethany House! And I’m a little underwhelmed…well, maybe a lot…with these covers.
Mike Nappa’s is fantastic – love the eeriness it evokes, setting the scene for the tale with just one look. Sandra’s cover is unique and certainly eye-catching and I’m loving the titles for her series. The colour and theme of Irene’s is great, too.
I really love the layout and font of Johnnie Alexander’s but I’m not a fan of the people on the cover and the red wash on the Lehman/Nesbit cover bothers me!
As for Susie May’s…sigh. I can’t wait to read the story but the cover is disappointing for me. Too busy, too Christian Fictiony (yes, I made a new word), and I’ll be shallow here – the stetson and the baby faced guy just don’t scream romantic hero to me. All you cowboy fans, have at me!!!
So excited to read Liz’s second PEI novel, but I much prefer her first cover to this one.
Revell publish excellent stories, I adore working with their team, and I’m excited to read their novels. My cover art views are a matter of personal opinion only and in no way reflect anything other than that. I’d love to hear which covers appeal to you, and why.
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This Road We Traveled by Jane Kirkpatrick
Drama, Adventure, and Family Struggles Abound as Three Generations Head West on the Oregon Trail
When Tabitha Brown’s son makes the fateful decision to leave Missouri and strike out for Oregon, she refuses to be left behind. Despite her son’s concerns, Tabitha hires her own wagon to join the party. Along with her reluctant daughter and her ever-hopeful granddaughter, the intrepid Tabitha has her misgivings. But family ties are stronger than fear.
The trials they face along the way will severely test Tabitha’s faith, courage, and ability to hope. With her family’s survival on the line, she must make the ultimate sacrifice, plunging deeper into the wilderness to seek aid. What she couldn’t know was how this frightening journey would impact how she understood her own life–and the greater part she had to play in history.
September, 2016
A Primary Decision by Dr Kevin Leman & Jeff Nesbit
Forces Conspire to Take the Worthington Family Down
Sarah Worthington never expected to become the US attorney general–at least not this early in her career. Plunged into the vicious vetting process, with all sides digging for secrets in her family closet, she steels herself for the path forward. Nothing will deter her from making her mark on the world in the biggest way possible–even if that means prosecuting the current president of the United States. Yet powerful forces conspire behind the scenes to take the Worthington family down, and the president orders her to close the investigation.
Will she comply? Or turn the tables to pursue her ultimate dream–the US presidency?
September, 2016
“A thrill ride into the stark territory between grace and the letter of the law.”–Tosca Lee, New York Times bestselling author
As part of his regular street performance, a deception specialist who goes by the name The Raven picks his audience’s pockets while they watch. It’s harmless fun–until he decides to keep the spare wallet a city councilman doesn’t seem to miss, hoping for a few extra bucks. When he finds not money but compromising photos of the councilman and his “personal assistants,” The Raven hatches a plan to blackmail the man. However, he quickly finds himself in over his head with the Ukrainian Mafia and mired in a life-threatening plot code-named, “Nevermore.”
Private investigators Trudi Coffey and Samuel Hill must scramble to sort out the clues–and their complicated feelings for each other–to rescue The Raven and save hundreds of lives from a wildcard bent on revenge.
September, 2016
Mattie’s Pledge by Jan Drexler
A Tender, Poignant, and Heartwarming Glimpse into the Amish Migration West from Pennsylvania
Mattie Schrock is no stranger to uprooting her life. Even as her father relocated her family from one Amish community to the next, she always managed to find a footing in their new homes. Now as the Schrock family plans to move west from Somerset County to a fledgling Amish settlement in Indiana, she looks forward to connecting with old friends who will be joining them from another Pennsylvania community–friends like Jacob Yoder, who has always held a special place in her heart.
Since Mattie last saw Jacob, they’ve both grown into different people with different dreams. Jacob yearns to settle down, but Mattie can’t help but dream of what may lie over the western horizon. When a handsome Englisher tempts her to leave the Amish behind to search for adventure in the West, will her pledge to Jacob be the anchor that holds her secure?
September, 2016
When Love Arrives by Johnnie Alexander
An Unlikely Couple Struggles to Reconcile the Burdens of Their Past
Dani Prescott came to the children’s hospital to spy on Brett Somers–so how did she end up on a date with him? Weeks earlier she’d seen an interview in which he blamed her mother for the plane crash that had killed his parents. But the crash had killed her mother as well, so Dani can’t believe the story Brett’s trying to sell to the media.
Vowing to find a way to discredit the privileged–and maddeningly handsome–Brett, Dani has been following him and taking photos, hoping to find something she can use against him. But when she catches his eye instead, she quickly finds herself offering up a fake name and agreeing to a date. Brett knows this mystery girl is hiding something–but he’s got his own secrets to keep. What will happen when he discovers who she really is? Will Dani and Brett look beyond their own heartaches to discover a love that could heal their deepest pain?
September, 2016
Now That Glade, Selah’s Protecting Force, Is Gone, the Hunt Is On to Capture Her
Selah has survived the forces of both man and nature to reunite her family. But her happiness is short-lived as they are forced into a barren world of volcanic ash that conceals the storm boiling beneath. The clock is ticking and Selah’s abilities are growing–along with the list of those out for her blood.
Selah feels unworthy of her status as a novarium and is tortured by the knowledge of lives lost to protect her. Her physical and mental abilities will tempt her to be reckless, but she must learn to wield such power responsibly. Time is running out as more lives are tragically cut short and the search for the Third Protocol takes Selah into lands that have fallen into legend. Can Selah follow the trail of ancient artifacts and finish the quest? Or have she and her companions pinned their hopes on nothing more than a fanciful story?
October, 2016
The Devoted by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Fan Favorite Suzanne Woods Fisher Offers Readers Tender Romance, Humor, and Plenty of Surprises
Bright, curious, and restless, Ruthie Stoltzfus loves her family but is stuck in a sea of indecision about her future: Should she stay Amish? Or should she leave? She’s done all she can to prepare to go–passed the GED, saved her money–but she can’t quite set her journey into motion.
Patrick Kelly is a young man on a journey of his own. He’s come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to “everything Plain.” Time, to Patrick, is of the essence. Every moment is to be cherished, especially the hours he spends with Ruthie, his Penn Dutch tutor.
Ruthie’s next-door neighbor and cunning ex-boyfriend, Luke Schrock, is drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame. Rebellious, headstrong, defiant, Luke will do anything to win Ruthie back–anything–and Patrick Kelly is getting in his way.
October, 2016
Three-Time RITA Award Winner Delivers Another Heart-Stopping Thriller
After a disastrous Middle East mission ends his six-year Army Ranger career, Finn McGregor needs some downtime. A peaceful month in the woods sounds like the perfect way to decompress. But peace isn’t on the agenda once he crosses paths with publishing executive Dana Lewis, a neighbor who is nursing wounds of her own. Someone seems bent on disrupting her stay in the lakeside cabin she inherited from her grandfather.
As Finn and Dana work together to discover who is behind the disquieting pranks, the incidents begin to take on a menacing tone. And when it becomes apparent Dana’s foe may have deadly intent, Finn finds himself back in the thick of the action–ready or not.
October, 2016
Another Day Another Dali by Sandra Orchard
A Fast-Paced, Keep-You-Guessing Whodunit with a Dash of Romance
When a valuable Salvador Dali painting belonging to her grandmother’s friend is mysteriously replaced by a forgery, FBI Special Agent Serena Jones is called in to investigate. Serena hopes finding the thief will also mean finally measuring up to Nana’s expectations. But when the evidence points to members of the owner’s own household, it becomes increasingly clear that Serena won’t be winning any popularity contests.
The Dali isn’t the only painting that’s fallen prey to the forgery-replacing thief, raising the specter of a sophisticated theft ring–one with links to dirty cops, an aspiring young artist, and the unsolved murder of Serena’s grandfather.
October, 2016
Wild Montana Skies by Susan May Warren
Bestselling Author’s New Series Delivers Romance and Adventure as an SAR Team Searches for Others–and Finds Themselves
Search and rescue pilot Kacey Fairing is home on leave in Mercy Falls, Montana, twelve years after she joined the military to escape the mistakes of her past. With a job waiting for her as the new lead pilot of Peak Rescue in Glacier National Park, Kacey hopes to reconnect with the now-teenage daughter she sees only between deployments. What she doesn’t realize is that someone else is also back in town.
Ben King has been building his country music career since the day Kacey shut him out of her life. Now all of that’s on hold when his injured father calls him home to help run Peak Rescue until he’s fully recovered. It doesn’t take long, though, to discover his father’s ulterior motives as Kacey Fairing walks into the house and back into his heart.
With Mercy Falls in a state of emergency due to flash floods, Kacey and Ben are forced to work together to save lives. But when floodwaters turn personal, can they put aside the past to save their future?
October, 2016
Where Two Hearts Meet by Liz Johnson
Evocative Contemporary Romance Set in a Charming Inn on Beautiful Prince Edward Island
In her kitchen at the Red Door Inn, executive chef Caden Holt is calm, collected, and competent. But when her boss asks her to show off their beautiful island to impress a visiting travel writer and save the inn, Caden is forced to face a world much bigger than her kitchen–and a man who makes her wish she was beautiful.
Journalist Adam Jacobs is on a forced sabbatical on Prince Edward Island. He’s also on assignment to uncover a story. Instead he’s falling in love with the island’s red shores and Caden’s sweets.
When Caden discovers Adam isn’t who she thought he was, she realizes that the article he’s writing could do more than ruin the inn’s chances for survival–it might also break her heart.
October, 2016
March 2, 2016 at 11:17 am
I like Susie’s best. ๐
March 2, 2016 at 11:22 am
Well, there you go! xo
March 2, 2016 at 12:52 pm
I agree with you on Susie’s cover. He’ll look better in a black-and-white Kindle thumbnail ๐
And I’m not judging books by their covers (yeah, right), but I really want to read the Sandra Orchard title. The cover is striking and original.
March 2, 2016 at 12:02 pm
Ho hum. Honestly that’s how I feel about the covers. Stories, I am excited for. Covers? Yawn. Though Irene’s makes me think it’s about mermaids. Hmm…I’d read a CF book about mermaids…hint hint to any authors out there…but I digress.
I’d be more excited about faces being on covers if there was more diversity in them.
March 2, 2016 at 12:07 pm
I like Jane’s. A lot.
March 2, 2016 at 12:09 pm
Aw, there’s some cute ones in this batch.
Being the contemporary romance fan I am, I do like Liz’s and Johnnie’s but then that could be the romantic in me. ๐
As for Susan’s… I DO like it. I think. I like the concept though am with you; not sure the baby-faced cowboy hero is the BEST model to represent this story. Beyond that, I like the spliced title font though I’m so-so about the image splice. (Yep I’m going all picky here.)
Other covers: glad Bonnie and Irene’s are so well suited to their cover series!
And above all else, as you say, these are going to be amazing stories! Cannot wait to read so many of them.
March 2, 2016 at 3:56 pm
Hey Rel,
I do agree with you that this batch has no real standouts for me, but there are some I really, really like. I really like both of the Amish covers here. I think I like Jan Drexler’s because it definitely looks like a historical cover with an Amish girl on it. Most the of the historical Amish covers look just like the contemporary ones due to the dress and lifestyles pictured. I also like the night scene of Suzanne Fisher’s, with one small thing that bothers me a bit. Against the dark sky, the face looks like computer animation. Now get ready for this one…I really like Jane Kirkpatrick’s. Yes, a decapitation I like. What I am drawn to is the locking of the arms, illustrating the three generations mentioned in the synopsis coming together to face what is ahead, even though there is no head ๐ (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) I also like the cover for “The Raven.” I love the silhouette of the raven adding to the suspenseful atmosphere. I have liked the concepts of the Lehman/Nesbit covers, but the blue color wash on the first is the only one that has worked well. I do disagree on Johnnie Alexander’s. I really like this cover, including their sitting on the grass. I agree with you, however, about Liz Johnson’s. This one is ok, but the first was much better. As for Susan Warren’s, I feel as split as the picture. As you know, I do like people on the cover, but the split just seems off somehow to me. I like the scenic picture, too, but the two just seem mismatched to me. I still am not a fan of Sandra Orchard’s covers. I look so forward to reading the books, but I do not think the covers work. Now it comes down to the green book or the red book. I do agree with you about the titles, though…fantastic. I am also not a big fan of this series of covers for Irene Hannon. They are just too nondescript to me. Bonnie Calhoun’s cover is ok. It works well with the others for the series. Except for color, they are very similar, however. This seems to be a current trend, I guess. Sounds like a fantastic lineup of stories. Thanks for sharing, Rel.
March 2, 2016 at 5:53 pm
How striking are these ones, Rel. And a BIG ditto to your comment on Mike Nappa’s. Wow. I’ve got cover envy.
Thanks again for sharing these with us, Rel.
March 3, 2016 at 10:37 am
Ian ยป Pleasure!
March 3, 2016 at 1:39 am
I just finished Susan May Warren’s Christiansen family series, so I’m anxiously awaiting her new Montana Rescue series. But I prefer my cowboys be a lot less ‘boy’ (see model on Ruth Logan Herne’s “Back in the Saddle for my preference). I don’t read anything Amish so as soon as I see the bonnet on the cover, my interest is lost. I do like Irene Hannon’s cover, and “The Raven” grabs my attention just because it’s so different. “A Primary Decision” hurts my eyes. Way too much red for me. Thanks for sharing and letting us voice our opinions.
March 3, 2016 at 10:17 am
Amy ยป Oh, yes, Amy! Waterbrook got that cover right in terms of what appeals about a cowboy ๐ Love hearing your thoughts, always.
March 3, 2016 at 4:57 am
Thank you once again for the cover line-up. I agree with you about the cover on Susan May Warren’s book. My first thought when I saw it? He’s fat! Not a hunky cowboy.
I do like Mike Nappa’s cover–I’d pick that one up immediately.
Those are the two that stood out to me–the others are just . . . same old. I’m sounding cranky today, eh?
March 3, 2016 at 10:16 am
Ann Shorey ยป Not to worry, Ann, we can be cranky together ๐
March 5, 2016 at 2:37 pm
I’m not too impressed either. I like Jane Kirkpatrick’s. When I first started seeing fade out covers like that I wasn’t a huge fan but the two pictures mesh really well and I like the women linking arms. I’m not sure how I feel about the red tone of A Primary Decision. Usually I’m a fan of red wash but this cover doesn’t particularly stand out in any way to me. I love Mike Nappa and the Poe theme his books have. I’m really looking forward to starting Annabele Lee, it sounds promising. I’m not really a fan of Amish fiction so these usually only get a cursory glance from me. I feel like they generally all look the same. Johnnie Alexander’s is cute but not a favorite. I’m a fan of the minimalist feel of Sandra Orchard’s.
March 7, 2016 at 9:28 am
Not the most exciting covers, but some definite must-reads in the mix. When I saw Susan’s Wild Montana Sky’s on pre-order, I freaked. A most favorite author, for sure. I’m just excited that I will be reading this series from the beginning since I discovered her books half way through the Christiansen Family series. No back list this time. Yay!