Must-read inspy romances: 'Lady of Fire,' 'A Cliché Christmas,' 'The Wishing Season'
These inspy romances are sure to inspire some romance in you!
Lady of Fire by Tamara Leigh
What it's about (from the author):
Dangerous.
Believing only death will prevent him from returning to England, Sir Lucien de Gautier answers his king's call to arms. When he is captured and his family refuses the ransom demand, he finds himself bound to the oars of a galley. Enraged and embittered, he has no hope of escape—until a rich merchant's wife offers him freedom. In exchange, he agrees to smuggle a virtuous young woman out of a harem and onto a ship bound for England, unaware the real danger lies in the bond forged between him and his fiery charge. But when he learns she is as much his enemy as those who enslaved him, can he forgive her? More, can he forget her?
Impetuous.
Determined to wed her childhood friend, a betrothal her English mother will go to any length to break, Alessandra refuses to abandon the only life she has known in Algiers—even if it means compromising her faith. But when she is entrusted to a new bodyguard whose scarred face and soul draw her to him, she soon discovers the bold Englishman is only playing a part, biding his time until he can fulfill his end of a treacherous bargain. Desperate to turn him from his course, she reveals her identity, but only succeeds in gaining his contempt. Now that he knows the truth, will he ever feel for her all she feels for him? And will it be enough for her to forsake her world to live in his?
Lady of Fire is a "clean read" rewrite of Tamara Leigh's 1995 Bantam Books bestseller, Pagan Bride. It is a standalone novel.
Why you should read it: If the unwavering quality of the stories this prolific author produces isn't enough of a reason to buy every single thing she's ever written, let me introduce you to my latest fictional hero crush, Sir Lucien de Gautier. Err … I mean … allow me to introduce you to my latest fiction find, Lady of Fire by Tamara Leigh. *winks*
This novel is no exception to my "she writes it, I read it" rule, and if the speed at which it reached Amazon's No. 1 slot in Historical Christian Romance is any indication, I'm not alone in my opinion. Lady of Fire is a sweeping, clean-with-steam medieval romance. With a subtle faith thread, these delightfully realized characters invite you along as they embark on a tense and romantic journey across borders, cultures, and rivalries ... toward love. Another fine example of Tamara Leigh's exceptional story-weaving talent, Lady of Fire needs to jump into your shopping cart, now!
A Cliché Christmas by Nicole Deese
What it's about (from publisher Waterfall Press):
Writing happy endings is easy. Living one is the hard part.
Georgia Cole—known in Hollywood as the "Holiday Goddess"—has made a name for herself writing heartwarming screenplays chock-full of Christmas clichés, but she has yet to experience the true magic of the season. So, when her eccentric grandmother volunteers her to direct a pageant at Georgia's hometown community theater, she is less than thrilled. To make matters worse, she'll be working alongside Weston James, her childhood crush and the one man she has tried desperately to forget.
Now, facing memories of a lonely childhood and the humiliation of her last onstage performance, seven years earlier, Georgia is on the verge of a complete mistletoe meltdown. As Weston attempts to thaw the frozen walls around her heart, Georgia endeavors to let go of her fears and give love a second chance. If she does, will she finally believe that Christmas can be more than a cliché?
Why you should read it: If you could put everything you love about Hallmark Christmas movies in a magic blender, take out all the little things that make it "too sweet" and replace them with deeper characterization, heartfelt emotion and a WHAM-O-RAMA of physical attraction sssizzzzle, you start to get an idea of the romantic feast A Cliché Christmas will deliver to your imagination — and you'll see why I'm crushing so hard on this book!
This story is begging to be made into a movie and I have decided to officially christen A Cliché Christmas as My Favorite Christmas Romance of All Freaking Time. Yes, I love it that much — and I'm betting that you will, too! But seriously, if you read only one Christmas romance this holiday season, make it A Cliché Christmas by Nicole Deese. You won't be sorry.
The Wishing Season by Denise Hunter
What it's about (from publisher Thomas Nelson):
Living side-by-side, a fledgling chef and a big-hearted contractor find a delicious attraction.
Trouble is, their chemistry could spoil their dreams.
Spirited PJ McKinley has the touch when it comes to food. Her dream of opening her own restaurant is just one building short of reality. So when a Chapel Springs resident offers her beloved ancestral home to the applicant with the best plan for the house, PJ believes it's a contest she was meant to win.
Contractor Cole Evans is confident, professional, and swoon-worthy—but this former foster kid knows his life could have turned out very differently. When Cole discovers the contest, he believes his home for foster kids in transition has found its saving grace. All he has to do is convince the owner that an out-of-towner with a not-for-profit enterprise is good for the community.
But when the eccentric philanthropist sees PJ and Cole's proposals, she makes an unexpected decision: the pair will share the house for a year to show what their ideas are made of. Now, with Cole and the foster kids upstairs and PJ and the restaurant below, day-to-day life has turned into out-and-out competition—with some seriously flirtatious hallway encounters on the side. Turns out in this competition, it's not just the house on the line, it's their hearts.
Why you should read it: It might have been the title or the wintery cover art (which I love, btw!), but when I received this novel several months ago I assumed it was a Christmas romance. Silly me, I put off reading it until just before Thanksgiving (reading Christmas fiction too early messes with my holiday mojo!). Boy, did I miss out! Although Christmas happens during this book, that season isn't the focus ... and the story is resolved (and quite beautifully, I might add!) well-beyond December.
PJ and Cole are great foils for one another and their opposite, yet complementary backgrounds are portrayed in such an honest way that you feel connected to and invested in both of their dreams for the old house — even knowing the success of one means failure for the other. In the same way, you are drawn into their attraction, even though you know (as they do) that falling in love with the competition is a dangerous proposition.
If you have never read Denise Hunter's inspirational romances, you really should add her name to your list of "must reads." Her books are well-thought-out stories with memorable characters, comfortable settings, and just enough heat to speed the beat of your heart. I've enjoyed all the books of hers I've read, but this one is my favorite so far. Highly recommended!
A writer, performer and accomplished partaker of dark chocolate, Serena Chase lives in Iowa with her husband and two daughters. Her Eyes of E'veria series — The Ryn, The Remedy and The Seahorse Legacy — is out now. You can find out more about her at serenachase.com.