When Grace Finds You by Melissa Alyse is a warm, grace-soaked Christian romance release for anyone who has ever wondered if a messy start disqualifies them from belonging. Set in the Willow Creek series, this faith-based romance novel follows a single mom, a gentle friends-to-more love, and a small-town church community that refuses to let shame have the last word. This Christian fiction author interview is an invitation to sit on the front porch and remember that grace stays.
Meet Melissa Alyse
Melissa Alyse is a Christian fiction author living in Alaska and the creator of the Willow Creek series. She writes grace-filled women’s fiction and Christian cozy mysteries that celebrate faith, friendship, and the beauty of small-town life. Her heart is to share stories that remind readers they don’t have to shrink to be loved and can trust the story God is writing in their lives.
Fun Fact: One thing readers may not know is that my favorite date nights with my husband are aerobics classes where we learn a new line dance together. It’s equal parts hilarious and fun, and we laugh a lot while trying to keep up with the steps.
About the Book: When Grace Finds You by Melissa Alyse
What happens when a single mom starts over in a tiny town with a newborn, no plan, and a shame she cannot shake?
What if God’s grace is bigger than the shame that won’t leave you alone?
Spoiler alert: It is.
Amanda never imagined starting over in a tiny town with a newborn, no plan, and more questions than answers.
But as the days unfold in Willow Creek, something begins to shift. Friendships take root. Walls come down. And little by little, she starts to believe that broken doesn’t mean finished.
Then love shows up—quietly, unexpectedly, and nothing like she planned. As her heart opens, she begins to learn that grace isn’t about being strong enough to hold everything together. It’s about letting yourself be seen—by God, and by the people He places beside you when you need them most.
When Grace Finds You is a heartfelt, faith-filled novel about second chances, found family, and a love that grows right alongside healing.
Full of warmth, gentle humor, and soul-deep hope, this story lingers long after the last page—reminding us that grace doesn’t just meet us where we are. It stays. And it changes everything.
Tropes & Themes
Small-town start-over
Found family
Friends to more
Single mom heroine
Military / minister love interest
Clean romance
Faith-driven healing
Small-town community
Release Details
Release Date: January 4, 2026
Series: Willow Creek Novels, Book 4
Publisher: Empty Nesting On Purpose
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance / Women’s Fiction
This is the cozy, front-porch kind of contemporary Christian romance that still tells the truth about shame. Melissa writes an inspirational love story where belonging is not earned and grace is not a lecture—it is a Person and a people.
If you love small-town Christian romance, found family, and a clean love story that heals as it unfolds, When Grace Finds You is uplifting Christian fiction you will want to press into a friend’s hands.
Author Interview: Behind the Scenes
.What inner struggle drives your main character(s)?
Melissa: At the beginning of When Grace Finds You, Amanda is carrying a deep sense of shame and uncertainty about her future. Starting over in a small town with a newborn, she feels broken and unsure if she’ll ever truly belong. As the story unfolds, friendships begin to form and her heart slowly opens, helping her discover that God’s grace is bigger than her past and that broken doesn’t mean finished.
What is the heart of the romance?
Melissa: At the heart of the romance in When Grace Finds You is the quiet, steady kind of love that grows when someone truly sees you and stays anyway. Amanda is carrying shame from her past and trying to rebuild her life while caring for her newborn, so trusting anyone—especially romantically—feels risky. What brings them together is kindness, friendship, and the gentle support of the Willow Creek community, but what stands in the way is Amanda’s fear that her broken pieces make her unworthy of love. It’s very much a friends-to-more kind of romance, where grace, patience, and healing slowly open the door to something beautiful.
What do you hope readers carry with them?
Melissa: I hope readers walk away remembering that God’s grace is always bigger than the shame we carry. Amanda’s journey shows that even when life feels messy or broken, it’s never too late for healing, belonging, and a fresh start. My prayer is that readers close the book feeling hopeful—that grace doesn’t just meet us where we are, it stays with us and gently changes everything.
What Bible verse encouraged you during this story?
Melissa: One thing I love about the Willow Creek novels is that there are sermons woven into every book, and I’ve discovered I really love writing Pastor Mark’s messages. In When Grace Finds You, the Lord kept bringing me back to John 15:4–5, where Jesus says to “abide in me.” Through that passage, He showed me again and again that abiding isn’t about striving or earning salvation—it’s about relationship. Amanda’s journey mirrors that truth: when she stops trying to carry everything on her own and begins resting in God’s presence, grace starts to reshape her life in ways she never expected.
About the Author
Melissa Alyse is the author of grace-soaked Christian fiction that feels like a front porch conversation with a friend. She lives in Alaska with her sweet husband and their rescue pup. Melissa loves quiet mornings journaling with Jesus and a cup of coffee, FaceTime with the grands, making a mess while she creates, and finding beauty in life’s simple, everyday moments.
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!
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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!
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Want early access to Christian fiction author interviews, new releases, and exclusive book giveaways?
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🎁 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.
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