Reader friends! I confess I’ve been chasing my tail a bit lately and my blog has borne the brunt of my busyness. This post is going to be short and sweet, but it’s always fun to share the covers Revell has put together for their early 2018 lineup.
The stand out covers for me are Laura’s, Valerie’s debut novel, Samuel’s, and Lynette’s. Susie May’s is Ian and Sierra’s story and for readers of this series, that’s all I need to say 😉 And they happen to be the stories I can’t wait to read, as well. Particularly Valerie’s. I’m intrigued by Lynn, a new voice for Revell in romantic suspense and Sarah and Jill write beautiful stories without fail.
This is a terrific line up from Revell ~ what do you think? Any must reads for you? Which covers do you love?
Troubled Waters by Susan May Warren
Montana Rescue #4
Billionaire Ian Shaw can have everything he wants–except a happy ending. Or at least that’s what it feels like with his fortune recently liquidated, his niece, Esme, still missing, and the woman he loves refusing to speak to him. In fact, he doubts she would date him even if they were stranded on a deserted island.
Despite her love for Ian, Sierra Rose knows he has no room in his life for her as long as the mystery of his missing niece goes unsolved. The only problem is, Sierra has solved it, but a promise to Esme to keep her whereabouts secret has made it impossible to be around Ian.
When the PEAK chopper is damaged and Sierra lacks the funds to repair it, Ian offers a fundraising junket for large donors on his yacht in the Caribbean. But the three-day excursion turns into a nightmare when a rogue wave cripples the yacht and sends the passengers overboard. Shaken up and soaked to the bone, Ian finally has a chance to test his theory when he and Sierra do indeed find themselves washed up on a strange, empty shore.
It will take guts and gumption for the PEAK team to rescue the duo. But it will take a miracle to rescue Ian and Sierra’s relationship.
January 2018
When colonial Williamsburg explodes like a powder keg on the eve of the American Revolution, Lady Elisabeth “Liberty” Lawson is abandoned by her fiance and suspected of being a spy for the hated British. No one comes to her aid save the Patriot Noble Rynallt, a man with formidable enemies of his own. Liberty is left with a terrible choice. Will the Virginia belle turned lacemaker side with the radical revolutionaries, or stay true to her English roots? And at what cost?
Historical romance favorite Laura Frantz is back with a suspenseful story of love, betrayal, and new beginnings. With her meticulous eye for detail and her knack for creating living, breathing characters, Frantz continues to enchant historical fiction readers who long to feel they are a part of the story.
January 2018
Missing Isaac by Valerie Fraser Luesse
There was another South in the 1960s, one far removed from the marches and bombings and turmoil in the streets that were broadcast on the evening news. It was a place of inner turmoil, where ordinary people struggled to right themselves on a social landscape that was dramatically shifting beneath their feet. This is the world of Valerie Fraser Luesse’s stunning debut, Missing Isaac.
It is 1965 when black field hand Isaac Reynolds goes missing from the tiny, unassuming town of Glory, Alabama. The townspeople’s reactions range from concern to indifference, but one boy will stop at nothing to find out what happened to his unlikely friend. White, wealthy, and fatherless, young Pete McLean has nothing to gain and everything to lose in his relentless search for Isaac. In the process, he will discover much more than he bargained for. Before it’s all over, Pete–and the people he loves most–will have to blur the hard lines of race, class, and religion. And what they discover about themselves may change some of them forever.
January 2018
Oath of Honor by Lynette Eason
Blue Justice #1
Police officer Isabelle St. John loves her crazy, loud, law-enforcement family. With three brothers and two sisters, she’s never without someone to hang out with–or fight with. And she knows they’ll be there for her when things get tough. Like when her partner is murdered and she barely escapes with her own life.
Determined to discover exactly what happened, Izzy’s investigation sends her headfirst into a criminal organization, possibly with cops on the payroll–including someone from her own family. With her dead partner’s handsome homicide detective brother Ryan shadowing her every move, Izzy’s head is spinning. How can she secure justice for her partner when doing so could mean sending someone she loves to prison? And how will she guard her heart when the man she’s had a secret crush on for years won’t leave her side?
With her signature fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat action, Lynette Eason invites readers into a captivating new series where justice is a family affair.
January 2018
Having forfeited his youth to the state prison system, Michael moved back to the only home he’d ever known. An empty shell of a man who now lived–if it could be called living–in the still vacant house of his parents in a town with one stoplight. A town that hated him. Had always hated him. And was ready to pick up where the prison system had let off.
Now he’s on the run from men who’ve tried to kill him once; but Michael is more than an ex-con. A powerful, sinister force creeps inside him, threatening and destructive. Who–and what–it will destroy next is the only real question. From the bold voice that brought readers down Purgatory Road comes a new pulse-pounding, spine-rattling tale of vengeance and justice that will have them up all night.
January 2018
Phoebe’s Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Nantucket Legacy #1
Phoebe Starbuck has always adjusted her sails and rudder to the whims of her father. Now, for the first time, she’s doing what she wants to do: marrying Captain Phineas Foulger and sailing far away from Nantucket. As she leaves on her grand adventure, her father gives her two gifts, both of which Phoebe sees little need for. The first is an old sheepskin journal from Great Mary, her highly revered great-grandmother. The other is a “minder” on the whaling ship in the form of cooper Matthew Mitchell, a man whom she loathes.
Soon Phoebe discovers that life at sea is no easier than life on land. Lonely, seasick, and disillusioned, she turns the pages of Great Mary’s journal and finds herself drawn into the life of this noble woman. To Phoebe’s shock, her great-grandmother has left a secret behind that carries repercussions for everyone aboard the ship, especially her husband the captain and her shadow the cooper. This story within a story catapults Phoebe into seeing her life in an entirely new way–just in time.
In this brand-new series, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher brings her signature twists and turns to bear on a fascinating new faith community: the Quakers of colonial-era Nantucket Island.
February 2018
A Passionate Hope by Jill Eileen Smith
Daughters of the Promised Land #4
Hannah and her husband, Elkanah, share a deep and abiding love, for each other, for their God, and for his tabernacle at Shiloh. Greatly disturbed by the corruption of the priests, they long for restoration and pray for a deliverer. But nothing changes as the years pass. Years that also reveal Hannah to be barren.
Pressured by his family to take another wife, Elkanah marries Peninnah, who quickly begins to bear children. Disgraced and taunted by her husband’s new wife, Hannah turns again to prayers that seem doomed to go unanswered. Do her devotion and kindness in the face of Peninnah’s cruelty count for nothing? Why does God remain silent and indifferent to her pleas?
Travel back to the dusty streets of Shiloh with an expert guide as Jill Eileen Smith brings to life a beloved story of hope, patience, and deliverance that shows that even the most broken of relationships can be restored.
February 2018
The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin
Sunrise at Normandy #1
In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a Wren in the Women’s Royal Naval Service. Dorothy pieces together reconnaissance photographs with thousands of holiday snapshots of France–including those of her own family’s summer home–in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt will turn into naval bombardment plans.
As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn to love. Dorothy must resist its pull. Her bereaved father depends on her, and her heart already belongs to another man. Wyatt too has much to lose. The closer he gets to Dorothy, the more he fears his efforts to win the war will destroy everything she has ever loved.
The tense days leading up to the monumental D-Day landing blaze to life under Sarah Sundin’s practiced pen with this powerful new series.
February 2018
Beneath the Surface by Lynn H. Blackburn
Dive Team Investigations #1
After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston needed a change. She thought she’d left her troubles behind when she moved home to Carrington, North Carolina, and took a job in the emergency department of the local hospital. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present. She reaches out to her high school friend turned homicide investigator, Ryan Parker, for help.
Ryan finds satisfaction in his career, but his favorite way to use his skills is as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Carrington County Sheriff’s Office dive team. When the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer–one with a terrifying connection to Leigh Weston and deadly implications for them all.
Dive into the depths of fear with an exciting new voice in romantic suspense. Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn grabs readers by the throat and doesn’t let go until the final heart-pounding page.
March 2018
Hope Harbor #4
A crumbling lighthouse is not part of the inheritance Army doctor Ben Garrison expects to claim when he journeys to Hope Harbor. Fresh out of the service, he wants only to unload the tower of bricks, decompress from years of treating battlefield trauma, and prepare to launch his civilian career.
Hope Harbor Herald editor Marci Weber has other ideas. She may not be a Hope Harbor native, but the small Oregon seaside town has become home–and she’s determined to save the Pelican Point landmark.
Sparks fly as the two go head to head over the fate of the lighthouse. But when they start to cooperate, a different kind of fire ignites. And as they work together, might Hope Harbor heal the hearts of these two romance-wary souls?
Bestselling author Irene Hannon invites readers back to their favorite town for a story that will light a beacon of hope within their hearts.
April 2018
July 11, 2017 at 10:02 pm
Really looking forward to Irene’s book. It’s my favourite cover for the series!
July 12, 2017 at 12:00 am
I cannot wait for Ian and Sierra’s story! Also, Laura Frantz is a must read author for me so I’m looking forward to The Lacemaker. I love the covers of Missing Isaac and Cold Water.
July 12, 2017 at 10:57 am
Ditto on Laura Frantz. Hers are the only books I pre-order. 🙂
July 12, 2017 at 11:23 pm
Brittaney B » Yes, yes, yes!
July 12, 2017 at 12:22 am
Ian and Sierra’s story grabbed me in book 1 of the Montana Rescue series and I’ve been impatiently waiting for their book ever since. Susan’s cover is very easy on the eyes, but I can’t wait to rip it open and found out what happens. Laura’s cover is absolutely beautiful. Just a glimpse of the dress is stunning. Would love to see what the whole thing looks like and can’t wait to read about the woman wearing it. I’m looking forward to reading the majority of these books as these stories definitely peak my interest. Thanks for sharing, Rel, despite your crazy tail chasing ~ XOXO!
July 12, 2017 at 8:38 am
Amy, Here’s a closer look at the gown and it’s history if you have time for a peek:) Thanks for the cover kudos. Revell does some outstanding ones. Happy reading!
July 12, 2017 at 8:38 am
https://joyofreadingweb.wordpress.com/2017/06/28/cover-reveal-the-lacemaker-by-laura-frantz/
July 13, 2017 at 12:08 am
Thank you Laura for the shout-out! I really enjoyed teaming up with you for the cover reveal! I’m looking forward to reading The Lacemaker! <3
July 13, 2017 at 1:21 am
You’re so welcome, Trisha. Thank YOU:) Love when creative readers like you take something bookish and run with it!
July 12, 2017 at 11:21 pm
Amy » Love ya, Amy! I think we have all been hanging out for Ian and Sierra’s story 🙂 xo
July 12, 2017 at 3:47 am
I love Laura’s and Sarah’s covers the most.
The book I’m most looking forward to reading is The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz.
July 12, 2017 at 11:08 pm
Staci » Me too, Staci!
July 12, 2017 at 6:05 am
Hey Rel,
Well, my favorite of this set may surprise you a bit. I LOVE the cover for Valerie Fraser Luesse’s debut! It reminds me of my own growing up in rural Tennessee. While I didn’t fish, I did have a favorite tree I loved to climb. The story sounds so interesting too! I also LOVE Suzanne Woods Fisher’s newest cover! The parchment look for the series title, the old sailing vessel, and the Quaker dress all draw my attention. I look forward to this series a lot! The book I am anticipating reading the most is Laura’s. Colonial Williamsburg at the start of the Revolution is my wheelhouse when it comes to stories! Sorry, Laura, but I am not a fan of the cover. The dress is beautiful, but too much is cut out for me. But as I said, I can’t wait to read the book!!! Sarah Sundin’s new cover is great too! I love the uniform and the pop of her red hair. Jill Eileen Smith’s is good and fits with the others of the series. I really like Irene Hannon’s latest cover. This is my kind of shoreline, especially with the lighthouse. I love Samuel Parker’s cover!. It is eerily atmospheric, and the pop of red works great against the black and white. Susie Warren’s goes great with the series. A small thing I noticed, the slash between the pictures is on a different slant. Probably done for the aesthetic of the pictures and no big deal. Just caught my attention. I like Lynette Eason’s fine, but I think the font of the title should be different. To me it would help if “of” was smaller and the letters were closer together like in the author’s name. I think it would have looked cool to show the hat of the uniform on the woman as well. I confess I am not a fan of the cover of Lynn Blackburn’s. I love the concept for the series, but the picture just seems a bit too ordinary to me. I could see a masked diver looking just above the line of the water. That could be a more suspenseful look. Anyway, thanks as always for sharing these with us, Rel. Blessings!
July 12, 2017 at 11:08 pm
Aaron McCarver » I’m with you on Lynn’s – just a little something more would be great, but it certainly conveys a suspenseful feel. I’m always fascinated by your thoughts and appreciate you taking the time to share them.
July 12, 2017 at 6:41 am
Sarah’s cover is mesmerizing, and I can’t wait to read it! I love Laura’s cover and also the cover of Suzanne. There are so many wonderful books to read–I need double days!
July 12, 2017 at 11:37 am
May I say the double days for me are needed in part for your upcoming January 2018 release, Until We Find Home. And I love the cover!
July 12, 2017 at 11:50 am
I love that, Aaron! I’m thrilled with the cover for Until We Find Home, too–especially when I learned that the handwriting in the sky (hard to see on a thumbnail print) is taken from C. S. Lewis’s manuscript, The Problem With Pain–a book and author cameoed in my story. Tyndale has such a creative team–I never would have thought that one up!
July 12, 2017 at 10:50 pm
Cathy Gohlke » Hello dear Cathy – lovely to have you drop by. I’ll be posting the Tyndale covers, including your lovely one, soon 🙂
July 12, 2017 at 11:06 pm
Cathy Gohlke » I’m wishing for triple days, Cathy!!
July 12, 2017 at 9:06 am
Rel, You excel at cover posts and I always drop whatever I’m doing and race right over, even when it’s not for Revell:) Really enjoy these comments by reader and author friends. I’m always drawn to the historical ones and had the privilege of endorsing Suzanne’s which is my favorite novel of hers so far given the unique history she showcases and her heartwarming style – and so her cover is a standout for me. Aaron, you rascal! I KNEW you wouldn’t give a complete thumbs up on the wrapping of Lacemaker but am so pleased you are all in for the content/story;) I did have one reader who said she didn’t know if that was the waist or sleeve of the dress so it doesn’t appeal to everyone but on the whole many like it. That said, this cover is especially meaningful to me as the gown is in an actual museum collection and was worn by an real woman in history. 18th-century lace is very different from lace today and so it was interesting and a learning curve to highlight that. Like Aaron, I am drawn to Missing Isaac as it’s so evocative and southern and speaks to my childhood. Looking forward to meeting this new author and reading these others here. Thanks, Rel, for another post that brings authors and readers together in a celebration of beautiful art/books.
July 12, 2017 at 9:08 am
typos, grrrr 🙂
July 12, 2017 at 10:46 am
Hey Laura,
Yes, I’m a rascal, I guess. 🙂 At first, I thought it was the waist also, until I noticed the bit of her arm. I saw your post with the pictures, and I will say I would have loved a cover with the dress on a dressmaker’s dummy from the era in a room like in that museum. Something like Rachel Hauck’s “The Wedding Dress” or “The Wedding Shop.” By any chance, will the full picture of the dress be on the back of the book? That would be awesome, as the dress seen as a whole is beyond amazing! Truly, I can’t wait for this story! Blessings to you!
July 12, 2017 at 11:02 am
Oh my, love that idea, Aaron, about the entire gown. I didn’t think of that & now I hope that’s included on the spine &/or the back. I never see those till the finished book is in hand so am always as surprised as the reader. I remember Courting Morrow Little being that way & it’s my former fave for that reason. You have great cover instincts:)
July 12, 2017 at 11:29 am
Thanks so much. I meant to add that I already have this one pre-ordered on Amazon.com. So that lets you know how much I can’t wait!
July 13, 2017 at 1:22 am
HUGE thanks for your preorder, Aaron. As a fellow author you know the meaning behind that!
July 12, 2017 at 11:05 pm
Laura Frantz » Lovely Laura! Always a treat when you visit – thank you for dropping by and sharing your thoughts. I love the simplicity of your cover and green is my favourite colour 🙂 As always, your encouragement is such a blessing xo
July 12, 2017 at 10:58 am
Is it just me or does the cover model for Troubled Waters look a lot like Richard Rankin??
July 12, 2017 at 10:51 pm
Heather Harris » Nancy thinks it’s Ken from Survivor, Heather 🙂
July 12, 2017 at 8:44 pm
Love these posts by you! So many books, so little time! I immediately recognized the model on the cover of Troubled Waters! Ken from Survivor! I can’t wait to get my hands on another Laura Frantz book! Some great sounding suspense novels and historicals!
July 12, 2017 at 10:47 pm
Nancy M » Really? Well, there you go!
July 13, 2017 at 6:07 am
Pretty sure!
July 12, 2017 at 9:22 pm
Lots to look forward to in 2018. Thanks for sharing!!
July 12, 2017 at 10:45 pm
Debbie Williams » You’re welcome!
July 13, 2017 at 12:32 am
Looks like some good reads for early 2018.
July 13, 2017 at 3:00 am
Well – there are many intriguing covers and stories headed our way – but at the top of the list for me is “A Passionate Hope” by Jill Smith. I LOVE historical stories – but Bible time historical has really gotten my attention lately. We all know the story of Hannah – but I’ve got a feeling there is more depth and width to this account than we ever thought about – – that’s what I want – the “nuggets”, the “gleaning” – that “aha” moment. I think this story will have it. I’m also interested in “Missing Issac” – for some reason this has a Charles Martin feel to it – and he’s one of my favorite writers – so it will be a must read.
Thanks for the heads up Rel – and as always, thanks for keeping us informed!
July 13, 2017 at 6:15 am
The Lacemaker’s cover is exquisite! I also love The Sea Before Us.
REL, thank you for sharing!
July 13, 2017 at 1:30 pm
Love the Sarah Sundin one! Wow!
July 14, 2017 at 9:15 am
Thanks for sharing these covers. Revell does an exceptional job with their cover art.
July 14, 2017 at 9:25 pm
Thank you so much for spotlighting Missing Isaac, Rel. I couldn’t believe the cover the first time I saw it. The creative team at Revell is simply amazing. I hope your readers enjoy taking a Southern journey with me. Thanks again!
July 14, 2017 at 11:37 pm
Hi Rel!
Loved seeing all of the new covers! They are beautiful…each one. Grateful for all you do to help authors and readers find each other! Warmly, Suzanne
July 16, 2017 at 5:16 am
Wow! So many amazing covers and intriguing books! Thanks for keeping us informed and for adding to my toppling TBR pile!
September 13, 2017 at 2:24 am
You can always count on Revell to create fabulous covers that capture the essence of the story. Even though for some reason the cover for my next book, A Borrowed Dream, wasn’t included in this reveal, it’s a March 2018 release from Revell. I’m excited about the cover and did a cover reveal blog post to tell everyone just how wonderful it is. http://bit.ly/2wXIO4a
September 13, 2017 at 8:35 am
Amanda Cabot » Hi Amanda – your title, along with one of Thomas Locke’s wasn’t live when I did the cover reveal, so that’s why it isn’t here. I’ll be sure to include it in my next one. Thanks for sharing it in the comments. I love that she is holding books on the cover 🙂
September 17, 2017 at 12:46 am
Rel — I knew there had to be a good explanation for the missing cover, since you’re always so good about promoting our books. Thank you again for all that you’ve done to spread the word about my stories. I appreciate it so much!