The Masterpiece

Francine Rivers

Wealthy artist Roman Velasco gets no satisfaction from his success. Tormented by memories of his horrific childhood, he finds release by illegally tagging buildings with graffiti. Enter Grace Moore, Roman’s reliable but equally troubled personal assistant. Both carry heavy emotional baggage, but Grace gains strength through her trust in Jesus. Her unwillingness to settle for less than God’s best leads Roman to re-evaluate his own lifestyle. In this beautiful story, the two find true love and peace only after Jesus does His redemptive work in their hearts.

The Saturday Night Supper Club

Carla Laureano

Food isn’t the only thing sizzling in this fun, modern romance set in Denver. Award-winning chef and restaurant owner Rachel Bishop has reached the top when everything comes crashing down after a social media fiasco. To assuage his guilt for his part in her demise, writer Alex Kanin offers to help Rachel salvage her career by hosting Saturday night supper clubs. The story demonstrates the harmfulness of careless words and assumptions and explores a common conflict: balancing a satisfying personal life with a successful career. It also shows God’s ability to use seemingly bad circumstances for our good.

Until We Find Home

Cathy Gohlke

This World War II story begins at a frantic pace as Claire Stewart smuggles five Jewish children out of France before Nazis invade Paris. When her contact doesn’t show up to collect the children, she reluctantly takes them to her wealthy aunt’s English estate. From here the story slows and skims over the grim fact that these kids will probably never see their parents again. Contemporaries Beatrix Potter and C.S. Lewis have cameo roles, the latter helping Claire understand God’s love and goodness despite the chaos in her life—and the book’s ending satisfies.

The Empowered

Craig Parshall

Ex-attorney Trevor Black’s unusual ability to interact with supernatural creatures uniquely qualifies him to investigate a Washington lawyer’s mysterious “death by voodoo.” His research takes him and his daughter to New Orleans and further into the murky swamps of Port Sulphur, La. As they dig deeper into voodoo rituals, they uncover a connection to a heartbreaking human trafficking ring preying on young girls. An unseen enemy threatens their lives as they race to save a new batch of victims, but Trevor’s reliance on Jesus’ power gives him victory over repeated evil encounters.

AFTERWORD

Inspired by real events, All She Left Behind by Jane Kirkpatrick (Revell, 2017) follows the remarkable life of Jennie Pickett, a woman who dreamed of being a doctor in 19th-century Oregon. A tale of tenacity and courage during a time when women had few options apart from motherhood and housekeeping, Jennie’s unconventional story contains many surprising twists. Trusting God’s providence in all circumstances, Jennie overcame dyslexia, social norms, and many personal setbacks. In addition, the story highlights the destruction caused by rampant alcohol and drug abuse even then. Kirkpatrick’s meticulous attention to historical detail allows the reader a fascinating glimpse into one woman’s often sad but joy-filled journey. —S.B.