Inhale. Exhale. Do you smell that?
The hint of spring coming? Hopefully you live in an area that isn’t covered in snow still. Hopefully your weather is warming. But even if your area isn’t showing hints of spring, there’s something about the turn of the calendar to March that just gives us that hope.
We know spring is coming even if we see no evidence. But, if you need to be taken away to that flowery season—maybe because you live in the Southern hemisphere or are still wrapped in a blanket (me)—then I have some books that will transport you.
First up (and in no particular order), Valerie Comer’s Pinky Promise
Kelly Bryant’s young daughter wants a daddy and sets her sights on her new best friend’s single father. The man may be charming, sweet, and a believer, but Kelly is embarrassed. She extracts a pinky promise from her six-year-old to stop proposing to men on her behalf.
Ian Tomlinson isn’t looking for a wife but does need care for his daughter during spring break the week after his move to Riverbend. He hates to ask Kelly — and plant ideas in the girls’ minds — but he’s rather low on options.
How can two single parents fall in love for real with a pair of mini-matchmakers pushing from both sides — pinky promises or not?
Sally Bayless’s Love at Sunset Lake
A caterer who’s been burned by love. An artist who’s withdrawn from the world. A property battle that just might heal them both.
When struggling caterer Tess Palmer inherits her great-aunt’s home at Sunset Lake, Missouri, she thinks she’s found the way to save her business. Selling the property can provide just the infusion of capital she needs to pay off her debts and move to a larger commercial kitchen.
Wildlife painter Jack Hamlin, who lives across Sunset Lake, wants the area kept exactly as it is—a place where waterfowl can thrive and where he can find peace and solitude to ease his troubled heart. Although he’s drawn to Tess’s honesty and beauty, he’s appalled to learn she would welcome a deal with a developer, and he vows to stop her.
As Tess discovers the reasons why Jack is so passionate about protecting the lake, she finds him more and more attractive. She takes a tentative step past her own emotional pain to risk her heart again. But there seems to be no solution to the impasse over the property. As a sale becomes imminent, can Jack and Tess trust God—and each other—and finally find a love that will last?
Tara Grace Ericson’s Spring Fever
An adorable toddler brings them together.
Will their own priorities tear them apart?
Mandy Elliott spends her days chasing children at her daycare. At night, she dreams of the little girl she lost and the family they could have been. To ease her loneliness, Mandy fills her calendar until there isn’t a spare moment to remember.
Dr. Garrett Pike is entirely focused on his caree. When tragedy strikes and he becomes a father overnight to his four-year-old niece, Garrett is way out of his depth. He turns to the only person he can think of—the intriguing daycare owner he met exactly one time.
Mandy thinks God has given her everything she wants: a ready-made family with a man who makes her stomach do backflips. Garrett, on the other hand, never wanted any of it. Suddenly, he has the perfect girlfriend and an adorable daughter—on top of a job he can barely manage.
Work. Family. Faith. Love. Can anyone really have it all?
Jaycee Weaver’s Whatever Comes Our Way
When two overcomers find common ground in their faith, they can handle whatever comes their way.
Gina Hernandez is no stranger to hard work—she’s got three jobs to prove it. Trauma in her teens may have left her with severe anxiety and some body image issues, but no one can say she’s not a fighter. It’s made her strong…and maybe a little snarky.
Then she meets youth pastor Jaydon Bennett, a gentle giant with a big beard and an even bigger heart—though he, too, has a few scars. He’s never doubted God could bring him the perfect woman, he just never thought He really would. Until Gina.
United to help a troubled teen whose family is in crisis, Jaydon and Gina set out to discover that the painful pasts they’ve been dealing with just might uniquely equip them to help this hurting family.
Amy Anguish’s Saving Grace
Michelle Wilson’s one goal in life was to become a top journalist at the local paper back in her hometown of Cedar Springs, AR. But on the way to bringing that dream to reality, a life-changing wreck interrupts Michelle’s plans and adds an orphaned baby into the mix. Now, she has tough decisions ahead—did God put her in that accident to save baby Grace? And if so, why is it so hard to convince everyone else she should be the baby’s new mommy?
Greg Marshall has been Michelle’s best friend his whole life. He’s thrilled she’s moving back home, but not so sure about her sudden desire to be a single mom. His feelings for her have grown through the years, but she’s never seemed to notice. Can he help Michelle with the adoption and grow their relationship at the same time?
Teresa Tysinger’s Someplace Familiar
Artist Livy Johnson needs a fresh start. That’s what a broken heart and forgotten dreams can do to a person. On little more than a whim, she reclaims her grandmother’s old home in quaint Laurel Cove, North Carolina and vows to restore its original charm. When she literally collides with childhood friend, Jack Bowdon, Livy wonders if she’s back for an entirely different reason.
Jack can’t believe his childhood crush is back. As the owner of Bowdon’s Supplies, and once again the town’s most eligible bachelor, he offers to help Livy with repairs. Together they embark on the project—and an undeniable whirlwind romance.
But it’s not all smooth sailing. Can they survive the destructive pain of their pasts to discover God’s grace waiting to renovate their hearts?
Toni Shiloh’s Grace Restored
Guy and Michelle’s story
Michelle Thomas has it all. Beautiful and successful, she’s just opened her own law firm in Freedom Lake. What more could she want? When her old flame rolls back into Freedom Lake, she’s intent on ignoring him. But how can she give the widower and his precious twin girls the cold shoulder?
Still reeling from the death of his wife, Guy Pierre returns to Freedom Lake to take over as town sheriff and raise his twin daughters. Alone. Yet, life keeps throwing Michelle in his path and sparks of interest began to rise.
Will old secrets tear them apart again or can they find the faith to let God’s grace restore what has been broken?
That’s it for my recommendations. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, please tell me what’s your favorite season to read in a book. Leave a comment by 3/5/21 3pm EST for a chance and I’ll pick a random winner afterward.
Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace thanks to the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior. She writes to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness. She spends her days hanging out with her husband and their two boys. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Find out more on her website at http://tonishiloh.com.
No absolute favorite.
We have just stepped into autumn here and I am thrilled. Summer is a killer.
I am one of those who is going in to autumn and am in denial. I like the warmer weather. Its interesting I think all seasons have good points. I like winter books with snow and Christmas. I really like spring one book I remember by Janet Tronstad was a Dry creek book featuring lilacs. I think Spring and Summer would be my favourite seasons to read about as I love the warmer weather and being outside.
Hi Toni! Spring is in the air in SW Michigan. Temperatures have been above freezing and snow is melting, but there are still ice balls on Lake Michigan. I enjoy late spring when flowers bloom – daffodils, tulip, lilac and peonies are spring favorites. In reading a fall and winter setting is often more interesting because of the holidays (Halloween, Fall Fest, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, and Valentine’s Day) and the activities, traditions, and cuisine associated with them. Spring gives hope, and summer people enjoy the outdoors. Best wishes. Happy Writing.
My favorite season is fall and I love to read about it in books .
Hi, Toni! Awesome selection of books, I have read many of them and loved them! We went from 80 degrees on Monday down to 50 yesterday, who knows what tomorrow will bring!
I don’t have a favorite season to read in a book, just like I really don’t have a favorite genre, either. As long as it’s Christian, I’ll read anything, set any time of year!
Hope you get some relief from the heat!
Autumn ia my favourite season and I love to read about it, especially jumping on crunchy leaves, lol!
Any season is great in a wonderful book :D
I enjoy any season, but I’m usually partial to books set in winter around Christmas. :)
Me too! Something so comforting about sun and warmth imo.
Best wishes to you too!
I don’t often see a lot of fall books, at least I don’t think.
If I had to pick one I would say summer because of all the outdoor activities that can take place. In my corner of SW Ohio I’ve noticed daffodils and crocuses starting to poke their heads out of the ground over the last few day which is a welcome sign of spring.
My favorite season is fall, but I welcome spring. I’ll admit to have a bit of spring fever. After the ice storm a couple of weeks ago, temps in the upper 50s and even 60 one day this week was such a blessing!
I love spring because the long winter is over but it’s not super hot. Which makes fall my second favorite season, since I REALLY don’t like heat!
Thanks for the shout-out on Pinky Promise, one of my favorite stories ever!
Oh wow!
Yay for that!
Oh, this is a tough one. I love something about every season, but fall and spring are neck and neck for me in both life and in books. There’s something about the SHIFT and CHANGE they both bring. Thanks so much for including Someplace Familiar! :)
My favorite season to read about in books is summer. There are always so many activities and events that can be included in stories during this season.
So agree!
Winter is fun to read imo.
I love when the flowers start popping up.
I read about the same number of books no matter what season, except perhaps summer. Spring is my favorite season. I’d say winter is my favorite season to read in, just because I can stock up on sappy Christmas romances in November and December. ;)
I love books with Christmas settings and enjoy books set in winter as well, but I especially love reading books set in warm weather when I’m cold. It’s the perfect way to help me forget about the nasty weather outside and pretend I’m warm and toasty even if the weather doesn’t agree.
Agreed! I plan on going outside and getting some much needed sunshine.
My pleasure!
So agree!!
Yes! So true!
Yeah I like stacking up on the Christmas romances too.
Yes!! Love when a good book transports us.
These are some great suggestions, thank you for sharing! I don’t know that I have a favorite season to read about, if I had to pick I think it would be summer though. Its fun to read about different locales and summer always seems so freeing to me.
I agree. Summer is so fun!
I don’t think I have a favorite season to read in a book, but winter time is always fun because of Christmas.
Yes! Christmas books are always fun.
I like both Spring and Christmas. I’m too particular though if it’s a good book. ;)
I Love reading any season and I am so ready for spring Thank you for this wonderful post! Blessings To You!
A good book always overrules everything else.
Blessings to you too!
I love reading from every season. Thank you for your recommendations! I love posts with recommendations of a special theme.
I am excited for spring, too, although I love winter. 🌷❄️ As long as the characters aren’t sweltering in the heat of summer (my least favorite season), any season is fine for a book setting – I don’t have a favorite.
I’m finally seeing signs of Spring on the Oregon coast where I live; daffodils & purple crocuses blooming & the Japanese cherry trees beautiful pink flowers showing their colors. I’ll know it’s truly spring when I start hearing the peeper frogs at night, but I haven’t heard them yet (soon, I hope!).
As for books, I am not a winter fan so stories set in cold places make me shiver. But I don’t mind reading a book set in any season :-) Each one has its own type of beauty….after all, God created all things and called it good!
I enjoy reading in the winter the most. I usually curl up in my favorite comforter with a cup of coffee and read!
I like reading books from different seasons, it can be the middle of summer and I love to read a Christmas book anytime. Thank you so much for recommending these Great sounding books. Have a Great week and stay sage.
I love Spring. It always brings new beginnings. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you.
I enjoy all seasons. Each one is special in their own way :)
I love books set at Christmas and books set in the summer, beachside.
I so agree even today it was nice and sunny but a chill at times. around the high 70’s so Autumn weather. even in winter as long as there is some sun I am ok I struggle when its dull and overcast.
So do I!
Summer was my favorite growing up and I haven’t decided if spring is now my favorite.
Amen!
There is a comfort in the winter that can be found in other seasons imo.
Have a great week too!
Blessings to you too!
So true.
Beachside reads are awesome!
I love the recs! And usually, I answer with “Fall”, but after your post, I just may be in the mood for some Spring reading :)
I hadn’t really thought about it, but I think I enjoy all seasons for story settings. Just like how many seasons I like to do my reading in. :)
Summer is my favorite because there are picnics, walks on the beach, fairs and concert tone visited and enjoyed by the community.
I hope you pick something up!
Same!
Oh, good reasons!