Interview with Shelley Shepard Gray: Writing Suspenseful Amish Romance, Redemptive Love, and Finding Courage in Community

Interview with Shelley Shepard Gray: Writing Suspenseful Amish Romance, Redemptive Love, and Finding Courage in Community

In this heartfelt episode, bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray returns to chat with Kelly about her latest romantic suspense novel, Unshaken — a thrilling standalone set in the hauntingly quiet Amish community of Crittenden County, Kentucky. Shelley opens up about her creative process, overcoming writer’s block with unexpected help from neighbors, and how her characters wrestle with faith, fear, and redemption. This episode is full of warmth, wisdom, and a beautiful reminder that in Christ, we are all made new. Plus, Unshaken is included in this month’s special giveaway!

Listen to the episode here.

Meet Shelley Shepard Gray

Shelley Shepard Gray picture

With more than 2 million copies of her books sold, Shelley Shepard Gray has mastered the delicate balance of faith, romance, and suspense that readers have come to expect. In her newest standalone novel, Unshaken, Gray offers a tension-filled, tightly written tale that is sure to thrill fans of both Amish fiction and romantic suspense.

Shelley Shepard Gray is The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 100 books, including Unforgiven and Unforgotten. Two-time winner of the HOLT Medallion and a Carol Award finalist, Gray lives in Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.

Visit Shelley’s Website

Follow Shelley

Bible Verse for Encouragement

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

Shelley Shepard Gray’s New Book: Unshaken

He helps her hide until danger has passed. She hopes her cover lasts long enough.

When Stephanie Miller planned her visit to a dollar store in southern Ohio, she was expecting to pick up a few items she couldn’t find in her Amish community. She was not expecting to find herself an innocent bystander as a drug deal went horribly wrong. The sole witness to a murder, now Stephanie is targeted by the gunman.

Hardy Anderson is always ready to help his social worker sister, Bev–which now includes hiding an Amish woman until a killer can be brought to justice. Surely if they dress her in English clothing, Hardy can hide her at the sprawling ranch where he works. But the killer is desperate–and there’s no telling what lengths he will go.

PRAISE FOR UNFORGOTTEN
“Readers won’t be able to resist the propulsive plotting. This begs to be read in one sitting.”Publishers Weekly

“This uplifting story of healing reminds readers that God’s love and grace endures even within one’s trauma and fear.”Booklist

This tension-filled tale is sure to thrill fans of Amish fiction and romantic suspense alike. Acclaimed author threads together themes of protective hero, fish out of water, and confronting trauma.

💞 Tropes in Unshaken

  • Woman in danger
  • Forced proximity
  • Fish out of water
  • Protective hero (military background)
  • Opposites attract
  • Found family
  • Villain with a POV / morally gray antagonist
  • Glamping cabin bonding scene (Love Boat binge)
  • Slow-burn connection
  • Redemption arc

Get your copy today!

Amazon

Baker Book House

Get updates on our themed book giveaways

Enter the most current book giveaway on ChristianRomancePodcast.com and sign up for our email list.

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Kelly’s Personal Update

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me during the Kickstarter! I’m so grateful for you!

Finding Forevermore Novel

If you missed out on my debut novel Finding Forevermore on Kickstarter, no worries. You’ll have a chance to get the book at a later time once it officially launches across retailers like Amazon.

I’ll share more updates by joining my free email list and you’ll get all kind of goodies! Visit my website here to sign up

Follow me for updates

Interview with Tracie Peterson: Second Chances, Strong Heroines & Stories Designed with Love

Interview with Tracie Peterson: Second Chances, Strong Heroines & Stories Designed with Love

In this episode of The Christian Romance Podcast, we welcome back beloved author (and official friend of the show) Tracie Peterson to chat about her newest release, Designed with Love, book two in The Hope of Cheyenne series. Tracie opens up about the inspiration behind her spirited heroine Emma, the real-life roots of her unforgettable character Rosie, and the grace-filled message woven through this historical romance. With themes of redemption, second chances, and the transforming power of God’s love, this conversation will uplift your heart and have you reaching for Tracie’s books—and maybe a few tissues too. Join us as we talk about writing as ministry, fun versus faith, and why sometimes the most unlikely characters bring us the deepest joy.

Listen to the episode here.

Meet Tracie Peterson

Tracie Peterson

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling author of more than 145 novels, both historical and contemporary, with more than 6 million copies sold. She has won the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana.

Visit TraciePeterson.com

Follow Tracie

Bible Verse for Encouragement

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

Tracie Peterson’s New Book: Designed With Love

Designed with Love book cover by author Tracie Peterson

Love weaves together two determined hearts through even the most unexpected paths.

After being widowed on her wedding day, Emma Johnson moves to Cheyenne with her sister-in-law to start over. Emma’s life has been marked by wild living and a desire for fun, but the death of her husband forces her to reconsider her priorities. Her brother-in-law Colton Benton travels with them, intending to help Emma get established, but she becomes wary of Colton’s intentions, wondering if he is genuinely interested in her or merely after his brother’s inheritance–which is now hers.

Colton has harbored feelings for Emma since they first met, and he is caught between his love for her and the pressure from his brothers to marry her for the family’s financial benefit. As they settle into Cheyenne, Colton tries to balance his business dealings with the Union Pacific and his growing affection for Emma. With his sister’s simple yet profound faith in God as inspiration amidst their struggles, Emma and Colton will be challenged to believe that a divine plan is intricately woven into their lives.

💞 Tropes in Designed With Love

  • Second Chance Romance
  • Opposites Attract
  • Redemption Arc
  • Strong Female Lead
  • Found Family
  • Forced Proximity
  • Hidden Gem (Heroine helps overlooked character shine)
  • Small Town / Western Historical Setting

Get your copy today!

Amazon

Baker Book House

Get updates on our themed book giveaways

Enter the most current book giveaway on ChristianRomancePodcast.com and sign up for our email list.

[convertkit form=6900532]


Kelly’s Personal Update

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me during the Kickstarter! I’m so grateful for you!

Finding Forevermore Novel

If you missed out on my debut novel Finding Forevermore on Kickstarter, no worries. You’ll have a chance to get the book at a later time once it officially launches across retailers like Amazon.

I’ll share more updates by joining my free email list and you’ll get all kind of goodies! Visit my website here to sign up

Follow me for updates

Interview with Kelly Fernlake: Clean Romantasy, Bodyguard Romance, and the Power of Second Chances

Interview with Kelly Fernlake: Clean Romantasy, Bodyguard Romance, and the Power of Second Chances

In this episode of The Christian Romance Podcast, we welcome author Kelly Fernlake, whose new release Lady of Shadows (Book 3 in the Blood of Kings Legend series with Sunrise Publishing) blends clean romantasy, heartfelt redemption, and swoony forbidden love. Kelly shares her writing journey (14 years in the making) and how God’s timing, community, and a passion for clean storytelling led her to this beautiful co-written project with Jill Williamson.

We dive deep into the themes of faith, protection, and second chances, explore the world of Arretts, and fall head over heels for Lady Tara and her fiercely loyal bodyguard, Carmack. Kelly also shares the Bible verse that has guided her entire writing path and what it means to co-create stories that point readers to Jesus—whether subtly or overtly.

If you’re craving a faith-filled romance with fantasy flair, noble themes, and characters you can root for, you won’t want to miss this chat!

Listen to the episode here.

Meet Kelly Fernlake

Kelly Fernlake crafts sweet, no-spice romantasy novels infused with Christian themes, weaving tales
of love, adventure, and timeless truth. A former attorney turned stay-at-home mom, she hails
from a tiny town in North Dakota and now resides in Florida, where she and her husband will soon
embrace the bittersweetness of an empty nest. When Kelly’s not writing, you’ll find her on her back
patio, with a dog on her lap and a book in hand, savoring dark chocolate and watching the sunset
over the lake. A lover of classic old movies, hockey, and travel, especially to castle-dotted landscapes,
she brings her passion for storytelling and her journey of faith to every page.

Kelly Fernlakes’ Website

Follow Kelly Fernlake

Bible Verse for Encouragement

“And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”
1 John 1:4 (NKJV)

Kelly Fernlake’s New Book: Lady of Shadows (Blood of Kings: Legends, Book 3)

Lady of Shadows book by Kelly Fernlake

The only man she loves is the one she can never have…

Lady Tara’s dreams of marrying for love were shattered with her arranged marriage to the sickly Lord Gershom. Fine. She may not have love, but she has purpose—a position of power that lets her make a difference in the kingdom. At least her Carmack, her fiercely loyal shield, remains by her side, even if she must deny her heart.

Then Lord Gershom dies. And to her horror, Carmack is blamed. Branded a traitor, he flees, forcing Tara to choose between protecting the life she’s built or following the man she loves.

Loving her might cost him everything…

Carmack Demry has secretly loved Lady Tara all his life, sworn to protect her at any cost—even if it meant watching her wed another man. But now, accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he’s on the run because staying away is the only way to keep her safe. Except Tara has other plans.

Determined to clear his name, she plunges into a web of treachery and deceit that reaches far beyond them both—one that threatens the very heart of the kingdom. Together, they must navigate a world of danger, unravel a conspiracy, and face a choice more perilous than any battlefield: deny their love or risk everything to claim it.

💞 Tropes in Lady of Shadows

  • Bodyguard Romance
  • Forbidden Love
  • Second Chances
  • Friends to Lovers
  • Medieval Fantasy Setting
  • Slow Burn
  • She’s Nobility, He’s Not
  • He Sees Her When No One Else Does
  • Protective Hero
  • Hidden Feelings

Get your copy today!

Amazon

Sunrise Publishing

Get updates on our themed book giveaways

Enter the most current book giveaway on ChristianRomancePodcast.com and sign up for our email list.

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Kelly’s Personal Update

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me during the Kickstarter! I’m so grateful for you!

Finding Forevermore Novel

If you missed out on my debut novel Finding Forevermore on Kickstarter, no worries. You’ll have a chance to get the book at a later time once it officially launches across retailers like Amazon.

I’ll share more updates by joining my free email list and you’ll get all kind of goodies! Visit my website here to sign up

Follow me for updates