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.
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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?
Discover a gripping second-chance romance wrapped in heart-pounding danger in Flare Up by Lily J. Hann, the exciting Book #2 in the New Freedom Fire and Rescue Series. When high school sweethearts Tylan and Madyson reunite years later—one a protective single dad and volunteer firefighter, the other a courageous journalist back from the brink of death—their long-buried feelings ignite just as deadly enemies close in. This clean Christian romantic suspense delivers friends-to-more chemistry, faith-filled redemption, and a tender little girl who steals every heart. Perfect for readers who love edge-of-your-seat inspirational romance with real emotional depth, powerful messages of trust in God’s gentle whisper, and the hope that second chances can shine even brighter the second time around.
Meet Lily J. Hann
Lily Hann is a Christian romantic suspense writer, teacher, boy mom, and pastor’s wife. Writing is her fun job, and she loves telling stories where danger is real, love is hard-won, and God’s redemption always has the final word.
Fun Fact: Lily teaches forensic science to high school juniors and seniors. She went to training from her local police department and learned all she could about police procedures and collecting, processing, and reporting evidence. It was a great experience that she also gets to use in her writing.
About the Book: Flare Up(Book #2 New Freedom Fire and Rescue Series)
What happens when a second chance at love collides with life-threatening danger?
Some fires never go out—they just wait for the right moment to reignite.
Private investigator and volunteer firefighter Tylan Jamison knows evil when he sees it—and he feels it closing in on New Freedom. After losing his wife, Tylan vowed to protect their daughter, Sari, from the ghosts determined to finish what they started. Every case he takes, every fire he runs toward, is driven by that promise.
Madyson Viruel has spent the last eight years fighting for the innocent in some of the world’s most dangerous places. Nearly killed while exposing those who exploit children, she returns to New Freedom to recover and disappear. The last thing she expects is to come face-to-face with the boy who once held her heart—and the man she never truly stopped loving. When Madyson’s enemies track her to New Freedom, the danger becomes impossible to ignore.
As threats escalate and secrets unravel, Tylan is forced to confront a terrifying truth: the evil hunting Madyson may be the same darkness that destroyed his wife. Drawn together by danger and a love they never acted on, Tylan and Madyson must face the past head-on. Because this time, protecting the innocent—and their second chance at love—means standing in the fire together.
Tropes & Themes
Friends to more
Second chance romance
Protector hero / PI & volunteer firefighter
Single dad (protective father)
Romantic suspense with real danger and faith elements
Found family through a little girl who steals hearts
God’s gentle whisper and better plans
Release Details
Release Date:
Publisher:
Genre: Christian romantic suspense
Series name: New Freedom Fire and Rescue Series (Book #2)
If you crave clean Christian romance packed with heart-pounding suspense, tender second chances, and powerful messages of redemption, Flare Up delivers. Lily J. Hann weaves thrilling danger with the beauty of rekindled love and a child who captures everyone’s heart. Readers will be reminded that God’s plans are always better than our own and that even in the middle of the fire, His gentle whisper leads us home. Perfect for fans of faith-filled romantic suspense who want hope, healing, and a story that lingers long after the last page.
Author Interview: Behind the Scenes
What inner struggle drives your main character(s)?
Lily: Tylan gave up on ever loving anyone other than Madyson and his sole focus is keeping his daughter, Sari, safe. Madyson came back to New Freedom to hide from the evil men she had been fighting against and from the man she never stopped loving. When the two reconnect, trouble follows Madyson and evil lurks in the shadows waiting to swallow Tylan’s daughter in it. Tylan and Madyson rekindle their shared love while also stopping the men chasing after Madyson and Sari.
What is the heart of the romance?
Lily: Tylan and Madyson were best friends in high school and promised each other that if neither of them found someone they’d find each other again when they turned 30. They both went their separate ways—Tylan into the Marines, FBI and finally as a PI and Madyson got her degree in journalism and traveled the globe bringing to light the horrors of trafficking. Sparks fly from the moment the two reconnect, but will Madyson stay this time or will she take Tylan’s heart with her again when she leaves? It is a friends to more and second chance romance woven with danger and a little girl that steals Madyson’s heart too.
What do you hope readers carry with them?
Lily: Sometimes we lose sight of where God wants us to be and we cling to what we think life should be. It can happen to the best of us. I hope that Madyson and Tylan’s story helps readers realize that God’s plans for us are better than we could have ever imagined and when He gives us a second chance to do something the right way, we should take those opportunities and cherish them. No matter what we thought about what was best for us, God’s way is always better.
What Bible verse encouraged you during this story?
Lily: After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (1 Kings 19:11b-12) When Madyson felt God calling her to bring such evil to light so that she could be a part of the people who stopped such evil, she thought that was what she was supposed to always do.
When she almost dies and is sent home, she is drowning in knowing whether or not to go back into the field. I chose this verse because sometimes we want God to speak to us in grand ways or we are holding onto what we thought was best when in reality God is whispering to us to change course. This is a lesson that Madyson learns in the story and one that resonates with me.
About the Author
Lily J. Hann writes Christian romantic suspense novels that intertwine thrilling mysteries with messages of faith and love. A devoted wife and mom, she cherishes time spent exploring life’s adventures with her husband and two sons. When she’s not writing or adventuring, you’ll likely find her curled up with a good book or enjoying a quiet moment with a cup of coffee.
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?
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