Tracie Peterson, often called the Queen of Historical Christian Romance, returns with A Life So True, the second book in her Minnesota Legacy series. Set against the financial panic of 1893 and a city threatened by fire, this faith-filled story follows two people who confide their deepest secrets—only to discover that honesty may cost them everything they love.
Meet Tracie Peterson
Often called the Queen of Historical Christian Romance, Tracie Peterson has written more than 150 books, most of them in the genre she loves. She makes her home in the mountains of Montana with her husband Jim, and her stories continue to offer readers both heart and hope.
Fun Fact: Tracie loves facilitating Bible studies because she always learns so much about the Lord and enjoys sharing what He’s done for her while hearing others share what He’s done for them.
About the Book: A Life So True
What happens when two people confide their deepest secrets… only to watch a devastating fire threaten everything they hold dear?
Will their undeniable bond overcome the disasters surrounding them?
Evelyn Turner is determined to work at her physician father’s side as he opens a hospital for Minneapolis’s poor. But when nursing makes her physically ill, she faces an impossible choice between the promises she’s made and her own limitations. Maxwell Garrison is helping manage his father’s investments through the financial crisis of 1893, and he’s especially interested in their sawmill businesses.
At a Turner family fund raiser, he is horrified when he overhears his father and other mill owners plotting to commit arson and insurance fraud. When Evie and Max meet at the same fund raiser, a connection sparks between them. As their interests in each other grow, they confide their secrets and agree to guard each other’s trust. Then a suspicious and devastating fire sets Minneapolis ablaze, and Max and Evie fear the worst.
Even amid the ashes of deception, can they build a life together?
Tropes & Themes
Love at first sight
Shared secrets / confiding secrets
Historical Christian romance (1893 Minneapolis)
Family secrets and the cost of truth
Financial crisis & arson plot
Nursing / medical calling vs. physical limitations
Forgiveness and transparent honesty
Trusting God when the truth could destroy everything
If you love rich historical Christian romance with heart, faith, and high stakes, A Life So True delivers. Tracie Peterson weaves a tender love-at-first-sight story against the backdrop of the 1893 financial panic and a city on fire—literally. Readers who enjoy Christian fiction that explores honesty, forgiveness, and the courage to speak truth will find this one especially meaningful. It’s the kind of faith-filled historical romance that leaves you thinking about the power of transparency long after you turn the last page.
Author Interview: Behind the Scenes
What inner struggle drives your main character(s)?
Tracie: In A Life So True, book 2 in A Minnesota Legacy series, the heroine Evie Turner is struggling with telling the family the truth about something. It’s been years in the making and coming to odds with the issue and revealing her heart on the matter is beyond difficult. Maxwell Garrison is struggling with hidden secrets that he fears may destroy his family and good name. As the story unfolds, both will learn the importance of transparent truth and God’s desires for them to put their trust in Him.
What is the heart of the romance?
Tracie: This is a play on love at first sight. Both Evie and Max are quite taken with each other from their first encounter. Neither have been looking for love, but love has come at them like a freight train and they aren’t able to ignore it despite life’s complications.
What do you hope readers carry with them?
Tracie: That honesty is important, even when we fear it will hurt someone else. God calls us to truth and to forgiveness and in this story, both elements walk hand in hand.
What Bible verse encouraged you during this story?
Tracie: Proverbs 6:16-19 speaks of the seven things God hates. Two of those deal with lying. The truth is of utmost value to the Lord. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” in John 14. From the time we’re little children, lying is one of the first sins we commit as we seek to get ourselves out of trouble or impress someone. Knowing how much God hates lying should be a deterrent to refrain from it, but in our society lying often comes as a common, everyday occurrence that everyone accepts as a part of life. We need to fight harder against it and seek the truth.
About the Author
Tracie Peterson gave her life to Jesus at the age of six. She knew early on that God was calling her to ministry, and writing for Him has allowed her to offer the Gospel message and encourage people to hope in the Lord. Her motto is Soli Deo Gloria—For God Alone the Glory.
Often called the “Queen of Historical Christian fiction,” Tracie is an ECPA and USA Today bestselling author of over 150 books. She has received the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award, the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, and multiple best-book honors. A Kansas native, she now makes her home with her husband Jim in the mountains of Montana.
Hosted by Kelly Jo Wilson, the Christian Romance Book Nook is your cozy, faith-filled corner of the internet for Christian romance. Kelly connects readers with uplifting stories, honest author interviews, exclusive giveaways, and the joy of knowing you’re never alone in your love for clean romance focused on Jesus.
Come join our growing community, new friends, new books, and plenty of bookish encouragement are always waiting for you!
Join the Christian Romance Book Nook Community
Want early access to Christian fiction author interviews, new releases, and exclusive book giveaways?
Looking for a heartfelt Christian fiction author interview and a faith-filled historical novel that blends clean romance with real courage? The Brunswick by Callie Murray, her debut novel, delivers an inspirational love story set in 1939 small-town Georgia—where opening one door changes everything.
Meet Callie Murray
Callie Murray is a Christian fiction author living in Norcross, Georgia, with her husband David and their seven children—four of whom joined the family through foster care. Her debut historical novel, The Brunswick, releases May 19, 2026, and draws deeply from both her town and her family’s foster care journey, even though the story is set in 1939.
Fun Fact: “I am an entrepreneur whose work has been featured on The TODAY Show and in The New York Times. Writing has always been something I’ve done as part of marketing or hiring or all-around rallying people into my work, but this novel is my first go at long-form fiction. I’ve found writing fiction to be much like building a business, where there are helpful frameworks but also plenty of room for creativity and the spark from others.”
About the Book: The Brunswick by Callie Murray
What happens when a weary young woman running her family’s struggling general store is asked to turn their once-grand hotel into a sanctuary for Jewish refugee children fleeing Nazi persecution—and a quiet newcomer arrives seeking work and a fresh start?
In 1939 Georgia, far removed from the war brewing overseas, Cora Cain’s world feels small—and shrinking. There, she runs The Brunswick, her family’s once-grand hotel, which is now struggling as the town’s general store. When Thomas Watkins arrives seeking work and solace after his mother’s death, a connection sparks between them. Through Thomas, Cora glimpses a life beyond obligation and her war hero father’s unpredictable moods.
But everything changes when Cora’s asked to turn The Brunswick into a sanctuary for Jewish refugee children fleeing persecution in Germany. As Cora and Thomas prepare for the children’s arrival, they struggle to confront their pasts—and the prejudice of their neighbors—as their fragile hope is put to the test.
Meanwhile, in Vienna, ten-year-old Charlotte is offered refuge in America. But even with the horrors she sees around her, Charlotte wonders how her parents could possibly send her away. As war’s shadow begins to reach small-town Georgia, each person must face what love demands and decide what they must hold on to and what they must let go.
Tropes & Themes
Small-town historical romance
Found family
Fresh-start hero
Entrepreneur heroine
Foster care & adoption themes
Community & fellowship of believers
Clean, faith-driven romance
Second chances & quiet courage
Release Details
Release Date: May 19, 2026
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Revell
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction / Historical Romance
The Brunswick by Callie Murray is a faith-filled historical novel is the kind of uplifting Christian fiction that lingers long after the last page. Readers who love clean romance, inspirational love stories, and small-town settings will find themselves rooting for Cora and Thomas as they open their hearts—and their doors—to the vulnerable. The Brunswick offers a tender, hope-filled look at what it means to live with open hands, care for the least of these, and discover that love and community can grow even in uncertain times. It’s a beautiful Christian romance release that reminds us grace meets us exactly where we are.
Author Interview: Callie Murray
.
What inner struggle or desire drives your main character(s) at the beginning of the story? How does that shift as the story unfolds?
Callie: “Cora Cain is The Brunswick’s main character, and she too is an entrepreneur—albeit begrudgingly. She runs her family’s old hotel which has since turned into a general store. At the beginning of the novel, she is weary and overworked and is coveting any other life beyond what she has. But then a man walks in the store asking for a job…”
What is the heart of the romance in this story?
Callie: “Thomas Watkins finds himself in Norcross after his mother’s death. He is looking for a fresh start, and he and Cora get lost a bit in this spark between them. But Cora tends to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders, and when her health starts to become a concern, she wonders if she should spare Thomas the heartache. Thomas, meanwhile, has a secret of his own that he’s worried will keep their relationship from progressing. And then, they’re asked if The Brunswick could become a refuge for Jewish children fleeing Nazi persecution. Will this mission bring them together or add further complications?!”
What is one takeaway you hope readers carry with them after finishing this book?
Callie: “I really dig into the nuances of foster care and adoption, and even though it’s set in 1939, I hope that readers will consider how they may be able to care for the vulnerable in their own modern day lives. I also hope readers feel a deep relief that perhaps they don’t have to solve all the world’s problems themselves but can instead just approach life with open hands and see where they are called to step in.”
What Bible verse encouraged you during your writing journey or that reflects this story’s message?
Callie: “Acts 2:42-47 (‘the fellowship of the believers’) definitely shaped the found family and community aspects in The Brunswick. I’ve seen this play out in my own community here in Norcross, and it was so fun to imagine it in 1939.”
About the Author
Callie Murray is an entrepreneur and grassroots marketer whose work has been covered in dozens of news outlets, including The TODAY Show and The New York Times. She writes a series called The Author’s Note, and she’s eagerly awaiting the May 2026 release of her debut historical fiction novel, THE BRUNSWICK. She lives in Norcross, Ga with her husband and seven children—four who joined recently through the honor of adoption—where they are probably hosting a potluck right now.
Hosted by Kelly Jo Wilson, the Christian Romance Book Nook is your cozy, faith-filled corner of the internet for Christian romance. Kelly connects readers with uplifting stories, honest author interviews, exclusive giveaways, and the joy of knowing you’re never alone in your love for clean romance focused on Jesus.
Come join our growing community, new friends, new books, and plenty of bookish encouragement are always waiting for you!
Join the Christian Romance Book Nook Community
Want early access to Christian fiction author interviews, new releases, and exclusive book giveaways?
You’ll receive:
Christian romance book updates
Author spotlights
Early giveaway access
Behind-the-scenes goodies
🎁 The current Christian romance book giveaway is open now — subscribers always hear about giveaways first.
Looking for a heart-pounding Christian romantic suspense that blends faith, family protection, and second-chance romance? Connie Mann’s The Liar’s Treasure delivers a globe-trotting adventure packed with trust issues, a secret society of strong women, and the reminder that faith is easiest on familiar ground—but most powerful when the path turns dark.
Meet Connie Mann
Connie Mann writes romantic suspense and women’s adventure fiction that features strong, flawed women who fight for what they believe in and are trying to make the world a better place. After living near Ocala for 25 years, she and her husband now live on Florida’s east coast, not far from Daytona Beach, and are loving every minute. She’s also a USCG-licensed boat captain, so water and boats always seem to make their way into her stories.
Fun Fact: My father worked for the airlines his whole career, so I caught “Fernweh” – a longing for places I’ve never been – as a child. Now, those far-off places regularly make their way into my stories. Last summer’s trip to Kenya has led to teaching creative writing workshops via Zoom to several dozen students there, which has been such a joy.
About the Book: The Liar’s Treasure (A Speranza Team Novel)
What happens when a mother’s determination to protect her daughter collides with a centuries-old treasure, a secret society, and a high school crush she never quite forgot?
From the acclaimed author of Beyond Risk and The Crown Conspiracy, hailed as a “wild ride” by Library Journal, comes an action-packed adventure about a mysterious diary and a thrilling, high-stakes treasure hunt.
Camille Abernathy ignored rumors of The Liar’s Treasure and her family’s connection to it . . . until someone put a target on her daughter’s back. Growing up in New Orleans, such tall tales were as common as beignets and gumbo. But when Camille’s teenage daughter, Cass, posts pictures of a centuries-old diary her uncle gave her, she unwittingly attracts dozens of treasure hunting fanatics who are convinced Cass and the diary can lead them to a valuable cache.
To keep her daughter safe, Camille enlists the help of Speranza, a secret society always ready to help women in need. Together, they set out on a globe-trotting journey to find The Liar’s Treasure while also investigating a suspicious death related to Camille’s childhood friend. The deeper they dig, the more they suspect it’s all connected.
Chasing clues from New Orleans to Italy to the Bahamas, Camille and her friends receive unexpected assistance—and unwanted competition—from a handsome treasure hunter from Camille’s past. Then Cass is kidnapped, and finding the treasure truly becomes a matter of life and death.
Tropes & Themes
Romantic suspense
Second-chance romance / high school crush reunited
Protective single mother
Secret society of strong women (Speranza Team)
Globe-trotting treasure hunt
Romantic suspense with life-or-death stakes
Faith and trust under extreme pressure
Complicated past and unrelenting guilt
Reluctant allies turning to more
Release Details
Release Date: March 10, 2026
Series: Speranza Team novels
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense / Women’s Adventure Fiction
Christian fiction and romantic suspense fans will be hooked by the nonstop action, the fierce mother-daughter bond, and the slow-burn second-chance romance that feels earned. Connie Mann weaves faith naturally into every high-stakes moment, reminding readers that trusting God is often hardest—and most necessary—when the ground beneath you is shifting. If you love Christian romance with strong heroines, international adventure, and spiritual depth that sticks with you long after the last page, The Liar’s Treasure belongs on your TBR.
Author Interview: Behind the Scenes
What inner struggle drives your main character(s)?
Connie: Trusting others and trusting God are hard for tough, independent Camille. She was widowed before Cass was born, so she’s always been 100% responsible for her daughter’s safety and well-being. Now, Cass is pulling away, thinking she’s all grown up and independent, and Camille wrestles with whether to trust Gran to watch over her daughter while she leaves with the team. Camille has to navigate the tightrope of Faith and trust while doing what needs doing to save her daughter.
What is the heart of the romance?
Connie: Trust is a huge issue, not just for Camille, but also for Lucien, her high school crush. She still feels like an awkward teenager around him and he’s never really gotten over her, either, but his loyalties are divided, since they are both after the same treasure – though for very different reasons. Then there’s the matter of the unrelenting guilt from the past he carries and…well, it was very fun watching these two unravel their complicated past and take steps toward a future together.
What do you hope readers carry with them?
Connie: In the story, Camille is reminded of her Gramps’ favorite saying: “Faith is easy when you’re standing on familiar ground.” When life is humming along smoothly, it’s pretty easy to trust God’s goodness and provision. But when things get dark and scary, we have to make a conscious decision to keep trusting that He knows best and that He not only goes before us, He walks beside us. Our job is to listen to His voice and keep going, keep doing what needs doing, no matter what. My hope is that readers take this phrase with them, to encourage them to hold fast and trust God’s leading – during the good times and the scary ones.
What Bible verse encouraged you during this story?
Connie: One of my very favorite verses has always been Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Since childhood, the image of holding a lantern aloft, only able to see the next few steps, has stayed with me. I’m a chronic planner, so I really, really want to see the whole journey, in exact detail, but God doesn’t give us that. His word provides enough light for the next couple steps and faith asks us to keep trusting that He’ll illuminate the next turn, and the next, and the one after that. Not surprisingly, this lesson in trust is one my characters face as well.
About the Author
Connie Mann loves taking readers on heart-pounding, suspense-filled adventures featuring strong, determined women who fight for what they believe – and for those they love. When those stories take place in exciting locales and include a tempting hero, so much the better. Her Speranza Team novels center around a modern-day secret society of resourceful, talented women who travel the globe helping other women, especially those trying to make the world a better place.
Connie is also the author of the Florida Wildlife Warriors series, the Safe Harbor series, Angel Falls and Trapped. She has won several writing awards and loves encouraging writers on their journey through mentoring and writing workshops.
Connie has been a USCG-licensed boat captain for 20 years and gets to introduce Florida visitors to dolphins and manatees, which is as much fun as it sounds. She is also passionate about helping women and children in developing countries break the poverty cycle through education and entrepreneurship.
She and her husband love spending time with family and friends and exploring new places, especially if they involve water and boats.
Hosted by Kelly Jo Wilson, the Christian Romance Book Nook is your cozy, faith-filled corner of the internet for Christian romance. Kelly connects readers with uplifting stories, honest author interviews, exclusive giveaways, and the joy of knowing you’re never alone in your love for clean romance focused on Jesus.
Come join our growing community, new friends, new books, and plenty of bookish encouragement are always waiting for you!
Join the Christian Romance Book Nook Community
Want early access to Christian fiction author interviews, new releases, and exclusive book giveaways?
You’ll receive:
Christian romance book updates
Author spotlights
Early giveaway access
Behind-the-scenes goodies
🎁 The current Christian romance book giveaway is open now — subscribers always hear about giveaways first.
Discover buried treasure, opposites-attract sparks, and God’s illuminating light in Chase the Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher. In this heartfelt Christian romance set in stunning Acadia National Park, a determined ranger and a Penobscot lawyer team up for a century-old mystery that unearths far more than secrets. Perfect for fans of contemporary Christian fiction filled with adventure, faith, and unexpected romance—don’t miss Book 2 in the National Parks Summers series! (148 characters)
Meet Suzanne Woods Fisher
Suzanne Woods Fisher is a Christy finalist, two-time ECPA Book of the Year finalist, and bestselling author of nearly forty books with over 1.5 million copies sold. She writes contemporary and historical romances, Amish romance, and women’s fiction filled with flawed, searching characters who discover far more than they expected—always with an honest thread of faith woven naturally through the story. Off the page, she’s a wife, mother of four, and grandmother who splits her time between snowy Minnesota winters and sunny Florida beaches.
Fun Fact: I play tennis at least 2-3 times a week. Love it!
About the Book: Chase the Light (National Parks Summers, Book 2)
What happens when a by-the-book park ranger’s search for buried treasure collides with a towering Penobscot lawyer, a meddlesome mother, and a century-old shipwreck mystery?
When Acadia National Park ranger Scout Johnson discovers a weathered note near a remote lighthouse, she never imagines it will expose a century-old mystery. The cryptic message points to a forgotten shipwreck, a vanished treasure, and a lighthouse keeper’s suspicious death. Seeking answers, Scout enlists Naki Dana, a thoughtful man whose Penobscot heritage provides crucial insights. As they venture deeper into Acadia’s rugged wilderness, their unlikely partnership begins stirring feelings Scout didn’t expect to find. But they aren’t the only ones searching.
Chase Fletcher, a charming local journalist, sees this treasure hunt as his last opportunity to save his failing paper—and finds himself increasingly drawn to the ranger leading the search. With pressure mounting and loyalties tested, Scout must navigate a winding path between history and justice, truth and betrayal . . . and determine who—and what—deserves her trust.
If you’re looking for a fresh Christian romance that feels like an adventure through Acadia’s misty trails while gently reminding you that God’s light reaches even the deepest buried places, Chase the Light is your next favorite read. The author, Suzanne Woods Fisher, delivers charming characters, a compelling treasure-hunt mystery, and a sweet opposites-attract romance that blooms in the most unexpected ways. This story will leave you smiling, inspired, and ready to chase a little more light in your own life—perfect for fans of contemporary Christian fiction who enjoy heart, hope, and a touch of suspense.
Author Interview: Behind the Scenes
What inner struggle drives your main character(s)?
Suzanne: At the story’s opening, Ranger Scout Johnson is laser-focused: find the clues, honor the park, uncover the treasure buried somewhere in Acadia National Park. She’s a woman who loves to get things right. What she doesn’t need is her meddlesome mother showing up uninvited, or Naki Dana, a Penobscot man who disrupts her plans in ways she never saw coming. As the story unfolds, what started as a search for buried treasure quietly becomes something far more personal.
What is the heart of the romance?
Suzanne: Ranger Scout Johnson and Naki Dana have no business falling for each other. She’s a petite Southern belle (not that she’d ever admit it), an earnest, by-the-book ranger who just wants to solve the mystery and do her job. He’s 6’6″, the son of a Penobscot chief, a Harvard-trained lawyer who represents the Penobscot Nation in public policy. Opposites attract is alive and well here. Somewhere between hunting down clues and the Acadia fog, a spark catches. What brings them together is the land itself—both of them love it fiercely, just from different sides of a complicated history. But, what stands in the way is everything else, including Scout’s mother.
What do you hope readers carry with them?
Suzanne: Sometimes what we’re searching for and what we truly need are two very different things. Scout’s journey through Acadia is a gentle reminder that life’s unexpected detours often lead us somewhere better than we planned.
What Bible verse encouraged you during this story?
Suzanne: As I wrote “Chase the Light,” I kept circling back to Job 12:22, which says that God ‘uncovers the depths and brings light to what lives in the dark.’ This shipwreck story reminded me that nothing meaningful stays buried forever. Therefore, whenever I felt stuck (and with lots of prayer), God would quietly bring ideas to the surface.
About the Author
Suzanne Woods Fisher is a Christy finalist, a two-time ECPA Book of the Year finalist, and the Publishers Weekly, ECPA, CBA bestselling author of nearly forty books with over 1.5 million copies sold. Her genres include contemporary and historical romances, Amish romance, and women’s fiction. She and her husband live in a small town in California. She has four grown children and enough grandchildren to keep her young and appropriately humble.
Hosted by Kelly Jo Wilson, the Christian Romance Book Nook is your cozy, faith-filled corner of the internet for Christian romance. Kelly connects readers with uplifting stories, honest author interviews, exclusive giveaways, and the joy of knowing you’re never alone in your love for clean romance focused on Jesus.
Come join our growing community, new friends, new books, and plenty of bookish encouragement are always waiting for you!
Join the Christian Romance Book Nook Community
Want early access to Christian fiction author interviews, new releases, and exclusive book giveaways?
Discover Scent of Hope by USA Today bestselling author Susan May Warren in this heartfelt Christian romance spotlight. Packed with second-chance love, romantic suspense, faith-filled redemption, and rugged Alaskan wilderness, this story delivers the perfect mix of emotional depth, danger, and hope that Christian fiction fans crave. Whether you’re searching for Christian romance books with K9 heroes, childhood sweethearts reunited, or powerful messages of new beginnings in Christ, Susan May Warren’s latest is a must-read.
Meet Susan May Warren
I’m Susan May Warren, a USA Today bestselling author who splits my time between the snowy winters of Minnesota and the sunny beaches of Florida with my amazing hubby, four adult children, five grandchildren, and two wild and crazy labradoodles who think they run the show. I’ve written over 100 romantic suspense novels and founded both Novel.Academy and Sunrise Publishing because apparently I can’t sit still! When I’m not crafting stories of second chances and adventures in Alaska and Montana, you’ll find me with a good glass of wine, hosting friends, traveling to new places with a book in hand, and worshipping the Lord who makes all things possible!
Fun Fact: I’m adopted (just like my heroine in Track of Courage), which deeply influences the themes of belonging, identity, and chosen family that run through my stories. This personal connection to adoption and the search for home shows up in many of my characters’ journeys—it’s not just about finding where you fit, but discovering that sometimes the family you choose loves you exactly as you are.
About the Book: Scent of Hope (Call of the Wild Book 2)
Two broken hearts. One deadly mission. And just one avalanche dog standing between them and a killer.
Harley Tatum made a vow to never return to Copper Mountain, Alaska, where a drug dealer destroyed her family and the man she loved walked away. But when that same criminal escapes and justice calls her name, she has no choice but to face everything she buried.
Jericho Bowie remembers things differently. She left him. And he’s spent years wondering why. Now Harley needs his search-and-rescue dog, Orlando, to track a fugitive through treacherous mountain terrain–and Jericho refuses to let her go alone. Not again.
But as they push deep into the frozen wilderness, the hunter becomes the hunted. Old feelings resurface at the worst possible time, and survival depends on two people who don’t know if they can trust each other–or their own hearts.
Susan May Warren packs action and heart-pounding suspense from the rugged wilderness of Alaska into a nonstop adventure where the greatest danger might be opening your heart again.
This gripping suspense is filled with pulse-pounding action, second-chance romance, and a heroic K9 rescue dog from Alaska, sure to thrill fans of Lynette Eason, Dani Pettrey, and Natalie Walters.
Tropes & Themes
Childhood friends-to-lovers
Second-chance romance
Forced proximity
Romantic suspense with K9 hero
Themes of redemption, new hearts in Christ, surrender vs. control, belonging, and chosen family
Alaskan wilderness adventure
Release Details
Release Date: June 2, 2026
Series: Call of the Wild (Book 2)
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense / Christian Romance
Why Scent of Hope is Must-Read Christian Romantic Suspense
Susan May Warren delivers another gripping tale of faith, courage, and second chances that will keep Christian romance readers turning pages late into the night. With authentic emotional wounds, a heroic avalanche dog, and breathtaking Alaskan settings, Scent of Hope blends high-stakes romantic suspense with deep spiritual truth. Fans of Christian fiction, clean romance with heart, and stories of redemption will find encouragement that God truly gives us new hearts and restores what was lost. Perfect for readers seeking hope-filled Christian romance books that point back to God’s faithfulness.
Author Interview: Behind the Scenes
What inner struggle drives your main character(s)?
Susie: Harley Tatum returns to her small Alaskan hometown haunted by failure—she blames herself for not saving her brother from addiction before his death three years ago, and she carries the weight of her parents’ tragic plane crash. She’s driven by a desperate need to pursue justice and protect others, believing that if she can just catch the bad guys, she can somehow redeem her past failures. But when her presumed-dead brother Gabe reappears alive, having faked his death to work undercover, everything Harley believed about herself shatters. Her journey shifts from pursuing justice through her own strength to learning that true freedom comes from trusting God’s plan and accepting that she doesn’t have to carry the weight of the world alone—that surrender, not control, is the path to the life she’s been seeking.
Jericho Bowie, Harley’s childhood sweetheart, left town years ago, leaving behind Harley and his family, convinced he couldn’t protect the people he loved. He returns home believing he’s just helping his brother temporarily, but Harley’s reappearance forces him to face what he really ran from—the fear that he’s not enough to save anyone, especially the woman who has always owned his heart. His transformation comes through surrendering his need to control outcomes and accepting that God calls him to partnership, not solo heroism.
What is the heart of the romance?
Susie: The heart of this romance is the collision between two protectors who’ve spent years running from their pasts and each other. Harley and Jericho were childhood sweethearts, their love story written in secret signals—lights turned on in bedroom windows across the lake—until tragedy tore them apart. What brings them together now is a dangerous search for justice against the crime family that destroyed both their families, forcing them into proximity despite their unresolved hurt.
What stands in their way isn’t the external danger, but their shared wound: both believe they’re not enough to save the people they love. Harley fights to prove her worth through performance, while Jericho’s protective instincts push him to control every outcome. Their journey is learning to trust—not just each other, but God—and discovering that real love isn’t about being strong enough to protect someone, but vulnerable enough to need them.
This is a childhood friends-to-lovers, second-chance romance with forced proximity. It’s the story of two people who were “spark and fire” from the beginning, learning that coming home means accepting who God made them to be—together.
What do you hope readers carry with them?
Susie: I hope readers carry the truth that God offers us new hearts—not repaired versions of our broken ones, but completely new. When we’ve hardened ourselves through hurt, grief, and the weight of trying to save everyone in our own strength, God’s love can transform us. The longer we hold onto old wounds and try to earn our worth through performance, the harder our hearts become. But when we surrender and accept God’s mercy, He removes those hearts of stone and gives us hearts capable of trust, hope, and the freedom to finally come home—both to the places we’ve fled and to the people we were always meant to love.
What Bible verse encouraged you during this story?
Susie: Ezekiel 36:26 has been central to this story: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
This verse captures the entire journey of both Harley and Jericho—two people whose hearts have turned to stone through grief, guilt, and self-protection. During a challenging season when I was wrestling with my own need to control outcomes and prove my worth, God gently reminded me through this passage that He doesn’t ask us to fix our broken hearts ourselves. He offers us something completely new.
I also leaned heavily on the reminder that the Bible says “do not fear” 365 times—once for every day of the year. God knows fear is our default, but His perfect love drives it out. When I felt afraid I couldn’t tell this story well enough, or worried about disappointing readers, I returned to this truth: God is big enough to protect us, and we don’t have to fight for ourselves. That freedom transformed not just my writing, but my faith.
About the Author
Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of over 100 novels with more than 1.5 million books sold. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, she’s the founder of Novel.Academy and Sunrise Publishing, where she coaches writers to craft stories that matter. When she’s not creating adventures in Alaska and Montana, she’s splitting her time between Minnesota and Florida with her hubby, four kids, five grandchildren, and two labradoodles who are convinced they’re the real stars of the show.
Hosted by Kelly Jo Wilson, the Christian Romance Book Nook is your cozy, faith-filled corner of the internet for Christian romance. Kelly connects readers with uplifting stories, honest author interviews, exclusive giveaways, and the joy of knowing you’re never alone in your love for clean romance focused on Jesus.
Come join our growing community, new friends, new books, and plenty of bookish encouragement are always waiting for you!
Join the Christian Romance Book Nook Community
Want early access to Christian fiction author interviews, new releases, and exclusive book giveaways?
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. They're not the kind that are delicious, I'm sorry. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
