The Baker of Christmas Wishes by Georgia Curtis Ling — Sarah Baker is about to find out if her grandmother’s folklore is really just a recipe—or something more. They say Christmas Wishing Cookies carry prayers straight to heaven, but for Sarah, they reveal a secret she never saw coming. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Not So Very Sensible by Carolyn Miller — Elinor and Katie Bennett are as opposite as sisters can be: Elinor loves structure, planning and design, while Katie’s head is in the clouds as she chases fanciful, romantic dreams. A college graduation trip to the Blue Mountains sees them staying at the Hydro Grand hotel for a murder mystery weekend. There, they end up meeting two men who just might hold the keys to their hearts—taking the sensible Elinor Bennett by surprise while crushing the romantic Katie’s hopes. . .and proving that the path of love doesn’t always follow one’s plans or dreams. (Contemporary Romance from Barbour Publishing)

The Pastor’s Christmas Prayer by Mindy Obenhaus — Returning to Legacy Ranch with his two young daughters, widowed youth pastor Jonathon Bauer is delighted to find his first love, Meredith Hunt, is one of the owners. When Jonathon and Meredith are thrown together to oversee the annual Christmas Under the Stars event at the ranch, past affections stir between them. But Meredith has been keeping a secret since they were teens—one that she must reveal if she and Jonathon are ever to have a future together. Will the truth tear them apart…or give them everything they’ve always dreamed of? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

More Than Enough by Krystina Renae Rankin — Teacher and former foster care youth Isabelle and pastor and single father Dustin learn to heal and love again. (Contemporary Romance from Quirky Bullpen Press)

The Sweetest Thing About You by Alyssa Schwarz — She’s been looking for somewhere to belong for ten years. He’s been running away from the only place he ever had. Two plane tickets. One month. And one Maple Lake bakery about to remind them both what home actually feels like. (Contemporary Romance from Sunrise Publishing)

Crazy for Christmas by Penny Zeller — It’s Christmas in Cloverdale Falls! Take a trip to the town you’ll want to become a resident of in this hilarious installment, perfect for the Christmas season and beyond. She’s an extrovert who loves Christmas. He’s an officer who loves law and order. And there’s a Corgi. (Contemporary Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)

A Bookshop for Christmas by Heidi Chiavaroli — When Brooke’s beloved grandparents die unexpectedly, their final wish brings her scattered family back to Hope Creek, including Jeremiah, the boy she once loved—the same boy who abandoned them when the Chilton clan disintegrated years ago. Despite the long-held grudges and awkward secrets that kept them all apart, Brooke and Jeremiah convince the Chilton cousins to help honor their grandparents’ last request: to take the old church they saved from destruction and turn it into a bookshop that will serve their beloved community. And to do it all before Christmas. But repurposing the church building may be easier than healing the deep wounds that tore their family apart. (General Contemporary from Hope Creek Publishers LLC)

Mercy’s Rose by Delores Topliff — Mercy’s Rose invites readers to join a young Amish woman’s journey as she struggles to help her family through a medical crisis while respecting the confines of her community’s faith. This is a sweet coming of age story that allows Mercy to grow into the right love and the right role for her through discernment and faith. (General Contemporary from TrueNorth)

Loyalty’s Pursuit by Shannon McNear — August 1780. After the Battle of Camden leaves British camp follower Bess Eaton widowed, expecting a child, and stranded in enemy territory, she faces two impossible choices: a return to an England that offers her nothing…or marriage to a stranger before the army marches on without her. Backcountry loyalist Rob MacFarlane has already buried a wife and son and has no intention of risking his heart again. But he can’t ignore the vulnerable widow in his path. What begins as an act of duty quickly becomes something far more complicated when he offers Bess protection—and a name. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Deadly Charade by Lynette Eason and Kelly Underwood — One wrong move and their cover is blown. So their charade sparking real feelings is the last twist they can afford. Special Agent Kira Miller’s new career at the FBI has started–in translations. It’s not the opportunity she was hoping for to show off her skills, until she detects a lead in some paperwork. Now assigned an undercover role, she’s in her element as she gathers intel on an art smuggling ring. She’s daunted not by the mission but by her cover–posing as a married woman to the fake husband she met less than twenty-four hours earlier. Special Agent Bryce Lambert’s assignment to go undercover as a newlywed couple with Kira has the two of them moving next door to the prime suspects, and a relationship is the last thing he wants, fake or real. With secret auctions and hidden treasures, there’s plenty to keep them busy–if only they can play the part their lives and careers depend upon while keeping their own hearts in check. (Romantic Suspense from Revell [Baker Publishing Group])

Violet Fly by Demi Griffin — Rescued by a Mystic with no memory of his life prior to the event that should have ended it, Siaran becomes the ward of Prince Enris. He matures into a young man with all the privilege and protection of the Emerald Palace while the kingdom is ravaged by enemies. Life in the palace on the mountain should have been peaceful. The disappearance of the king’s firstborn child haunts the corridors and hearts of the royal family. With the Cerulean Rose wilting, the kingdom’s divine protection falters. Siaran is desperate to do something to help. An unsanctioned departure from the palace takes him on an adventure that brings the legend of the Violet Fly to life, making him the hero the kingdom needs. Wrestling with the unknowns of his past, Siaran’s restless soul leads to his captivity. Only one thing can save him – the woman he mistook for an enemy. (Speculative/Romantic Fantasy, Independently Published)

Edges & Other Hard Things by Lauren Thell — A teen artist with a sensory disorder and a high-strung boy photographer hiding a dangerous secret collide in this sweet, faith-based YA romance. (Young Adult, Independently Published)

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

Murder at Crayfish Cove by Suzie Peace Pybus — Hester receives an empty envelope in the post, follows it to Crayfish Cove and finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. (Cozy Mystery)

Just Grace by Kimberly Banet — Two families. One long-held secret. Only God’s grace can heal them when they collide. (General Contemporary)

The Seafaring Women of the Faithful by Susan Page Davis and James S. Davis — Captain Alice Packard and her all-female crew face danger, uncertainty, and a fight for their future when the Vera B reaches England, forcing them to rely on faith, courage, and one another both on land and at sea. (General Historical)

Moonshine River by Marie Wells Coutu — She’ll break the law to save her mother. He’ll uphold it to save her soul. (Historical Romance)

Vision of My Heart by Heidi Gray McGill — Blinded by smallpox and guarded against pity, Serafina Shankel never expects a steady Irish horseman named Connor Finnegan to unlock a love built on trust, patience, and a way of seeing that has nothing to do with sight. (Historical Romance)

The Lost Warrior of Noridge by Demi Griffin — His life was a mistake. Her love had to remain hidden. Would their united faith shine bright enough to save their world? (Speculative/Romantic Fantasy)

As the World Burns by Aaron Ryan — For the Earth to survive, one father must sacrifice his only son. (Speculative/Science Fiction)

Imagine your living room starts shaking.

Not like it would in an earthquake. It’s a tremble, more than a shake, a movement so gentle that you don’t recall when it began. But it’s certainly not your imagination—the dog whines and attempts to crawl under the sofa, even though he hasn’t fit under there for five years. The smell of dust fills the air as books and houseplants begin to vibrate.

You step out the door, and that’s when you hear a low, angry roar in the distance. As you try to figure out what to do, minutes pass, and the shaking and noise get worse—slightly. Over fifteen minutes pass, and then twenty. The sense of urgency begins to fade. And that’s when disaster hits.

The scenario above isn’t fantasy; it’s history—all except the houseplants and sofa. Because this disaster happened, not in a modern suburban neighborhood, but during the Ice Age.

I grew up in the path of the Missoula Flood, an Ice Age disaster that spanned four states and changed the landscape where I live forever. It would have covered my childhood home in hundreds of feet of water, and even if I began running as soon as the earth began shaking, I wouldn’t have made it to high ground in time. That’s not a commentary on my fitness level; the wave was 400 ft tall in places and reached speeds of over 60 mph.

That’s four times the highest wave we saw in Tibet and Nepal on August 26th, 2026.

If you were the size of a LEGO minifigure, the wave would be higher than a standard 8 ft ceiling. 

I wrote The Last Climb with the help of multiple geologists, fact-checking as many details as possible, because I wanted to come as close as I could to experiencing this cataclysm myself—without actually getting wet.

If you’re keen on ancient history, you should check it out! You can find a free copy at the link below.

Download a free digital copy at https://shannonskaer.com/freebook/ 

Or check out the paperback on Amazon https://a.co/d/0stlITe

About Shannon

Shannon is a homeschool mom and ancient history science nerd. She lives in a small logging town in Oregon with her very own hero and their ten children.

Her life could best be described as a love affair with beauty, which explains the number of babies, and her greatest joy is to know God, from whom all beauty comes.

In 2026, Shannon won the Aurora Award for Science Fiction and the ACFW Genesis Award for Historical Fiction. In 2025, she won the Vision Christian Writers Most Promising Writer award and semi-finaled in ACFW’s Genesis award. She has also been longlisted in History through Fiction.

Shannon is represented by Bob Hostetler of the Steve Laube Agency. 

www.shannonskaer.com

https://www.instagram.com/shannonskaer/https://www.facebook.com/61585032383200

The Booked for Love anthology started with a post in a Facebook readers group. Right there in the middle of it all, a woman typed out a question no one expected.

 Does anyone know a sweet, book-loving girl who might want to meet my brother-in-law?

The group members loved it. So many people commented, and a handful of authors sat there watching a book club turn into a group of matchmakers in real time.

I thought, “Oh, there’s a story in this.”

Turns out there were nine stories.

Matchmakers have been around since long before musicals began singing their praises. Seniors at church, friend groups, and even families try to pair people of like faith, shared passions, or familiar community. But what if your people, book people, got together and drew two book-loving (or soon will be!) hearts together? It’s a match made in literary (if not literal) heaven!

So that’s what we did. Nine authors. Nine book clubs. Nine sets of well-meaning meddlers who have already decided they know best—and who are almost certainly wrong about the details and gloriously right about the big picture.

Here’s what’s waiting for you inside.

Love Twice Served by Malissa Chapin — Love is a dish occasionally served twice. In this gentle, faith-filled second-chance romance, split between the bustle of 1940s Harvey Houses and the comfort of a 1980s book club, you’ll enter a Midwestern town where community, grace, and a carefully guarded heart find their way back to hope.

Turnabout Is Fair Match by Chautona Havig — Imogen thought Olemann’s Books and their book club would match her grandson with the perfect bookish girl and heal his broken heart. But no one (including the Lord!) is following her carefully orchestrated plot, and the wrong people are getting matched! Or are they?

Connected by Susanna Haymond — Emily never imagined her grandmother’s book club would set her up with a cop who not only determines to keep her safe from a relentless stalker, but who she can also trust with her heart. But threats become attacks, and one question remains: will Josh stop this guy before tragedy strikes?

Match to Be Had by Martha Artyomenko Hurley — When newly widowed Mattie returns to her hometown, Elaine decides to rekindle a friendship and embroil Mattie in her latest matchmaking scheme at her newly formed Silent Book Club group. Can these two find the joy of friendship while helping others find love?

Hatched Marts by Joanne Markey — When discussing a romcom becomes solving major problems in the church, is a geriatric book club really the answer? Merry isn’t so sure, but she accepts the challenge and reinvents blind dates… with a book, that is. Add a bad guy and knitting needles, and book club just got way more exciting.

Monday Meddlers by Marisa Masterson — Introducing a book club that would rather scheme and matchmake than actually discuss the book. When the local librarian becomes their latest focus, secrets, laughter, and a little chaos follow. Will they reconcile the broken romance between a stubborn librarian and a proud rancher?

The Book Club on Willow Lane by Dannielle Norwood — When Nevaeh’s boss drags her into a book club filled with deeply intrusive women, she finds herself pushed into awkward conversations, unexpected friendships, and something even more terrifying: real connection. What was wrong with her nice, safe AI chatbot boyfriend, Max?

The Teacher’s Secret by Caitlin Nikolai — She’s running from the past. He feels broken from his. When a meddling book club brings them together, will he be enough to protect her? Together, can they find peace and healing in Jesus’ Name?

The Straight Path Home by Mishael Austin Witty — After a workplace accident, Jonah Calloway moves to Chokeberry Falls and finds a steady job, a quiet apartment, and a book club that adopts him. But when anonymous notes appear and danger edges closer, Jonah must decide between running or trusting that God might lead him down a path he never expected.

Nine stories, and not a single one of them goes the way the matchmaker planned.

You’ll find sweet romance in these pages, and suspense, and a fair bit of laughing at ourselves. Historical and contemporary. Grandmothers with agendas and spreadsheets. At least one set of knitting needles was put to a use the manufacturer never intended.

And all of it traces back to one woman in a Facebook group who decided her brother-in-law deserved a girl who reads.

So, if your book club has ever wandered just a little off-topic… if somebody has ever looked at you across the circle with that gleam in her eye… friend, this one’s for you.

Malissa Chapin writes wholesome, heartwarming Christian fiction you can trust—charming stories rooted in real life and grounded in God’s timeless truth. With warmth, wit, and honesty, she shares uplifting tales of friendship, redemption, and second chances that reflect the beauty of God’s grace. Her stories draw on years of ministry experience—including children’s, women’s, and care ministry—as well as her work as a domestic violence advocate.

A lifelong book lover, Malissa is still tickled that her childhood dream of becoming an author has come true. She enjoys creating with words, watercolor, fabric, and yarn. You’ll often find her in her garden, at the piano, homeschooling her bonus baby, or savoring coffee with friends. She lives—and sometimes freezes—in north central Wisconsin with her family and a fancy little dog sporting a pink tail