Need some sweet, inspirational romance? Start here

Here are some newer inspirational romance releases (info provided by publishers and/or their websites):

A Most Peculiar Circumstance by Jen Turano (Bethany House). Arabella Beckett is in the business of helping other women, but she is not at all in the habit of accepting help herself. She certainly doesn't want assistance from some arrogant, narrow-minded knight in shining armor sent by her brother. But she's about to learn that private investigator Theodore Wilder is just as stubborn as she is. Has this feisty suffragette finally met her match?

Trouble in Store by Carol Cox (Bethany House). After losing her position as a governess, Melanie Ross turns to her last resort: the Arizona mercantile she inherited from her cousin. Unfortunately, Caleb Nelson is positive he inherited the mercantile…and he's not interested in sharing. However, Melanie and Caleb are forced to set aside their differences when someone starts sabotaging their store. Will their business—and their budding romance—survive the trouble ahead?

Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House). On his way to interview for a ministerial position at a church in Texas, Crockett Archer can scarcely believe it when he's forced off the train by a retired outlaw and presented to the man's daughter as a gift for her birthday. Joanna Robbins can't believe it either. For months, she's prayed for a preacher—a man to bring life back into the abandoned church in her community. Is there any chance Joanna can convince this stolen cowboy-turned-preacher that he's ended up right where he belongs?

Cooking Up Trouble by Michelle Levigne (Desert Breeze Publishing). Tabor Heights, Ohio, series) Audrey had two passions in life: cooking and Homespun Theater. Steve came back to Tabor Heights to get to know his half-sister better. Cast in "Romeo and Juliet," they teamed up on stage, to protect his sister's wedding from the paparazzi, and start a dinner theater. Amid the chaos of theatrical productions, the gossip rags, and nosy reporters, their friendship grew strong, until their pasts returned to haunt them. Conflicting stories made Steve think Audrey was just like everyone else in Hollywood: a user and a schemer. He didn't want to believe it, but how could he trust her completely when her secrets kept her from trusting him?

Sweet Dreams by Carla Stewart (Hachette Book Group/FaithWords). It's 1962, and Dusty Fairchild, daughter of a self-made millionaire and oilman, is sent to a private finishing school in East Texas. The only upside to attending Miss Fontaine's is having her cousin and best childhood friend, Paisley, join her. Their loyalty to each other binds them, but when they fall in love with the same handsome young man, their relationship teeters on shaky ground. Only after a tragic accident do they learn where their true hearts — and dreams — lie.

The Offering by Angela Hunt (Howard Books). After growing up an only child, Amanda Lisandra wants a big family. But since she and her husband can't afford to have children right away, Mandy decides to earn money as a gestational carrier for a childless couple. Just when the nearly perfect pregnancy is about to conclude, unexpected tragedy enters Mandy's world. Devastated by grief, she surrenders the child she was carrying and struggles to regain her emotional equilibrium. Two years later she studies a photograph of the baby she bore and wonders if the unthinkable has happened—could she have inadvertently given away her own biological child? The Offering is a heart-wrenching "what if" story that will grip you from the first page.

Face of the Earth by Deb Raney (Howard Books). When Mitch's wife of 20 years, Jill, goes missing, he enlists the help of Jill's best friend, Shelly, to help find her. When days turn into months, Mitch's friendship grows complicated with Shelly. Will he ever find his wife or has she disappeared off the face of the earth?

The Promise Box by Tricia Goyer (Zondervan). Tricia Goyer writes another touching Amish romance in book two of her Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series. When Lydia Wyse returns to the small Amish community she grew up in, she never expected to fall in love with Gideon Hooley. She wants nothing more than to forget her past and become an Amish bride, but will the pain of her childhood keep her from committing her whole heart?

Inspirational romance releases compiled for HEA by Serena Chase, author of the recently released The Ryn and The Remedy. Her website is serenachase.com.

Check out some newer contemporaries, too.