Inspired Reads

Perfect for the Christmas season, four beloved authors bring their bestselling, award-winning talents to a multigenerational collection of romantic holiday novellas.

In stories ranging from 1820s Regency England to present-day Washington state, readers will be treated to Christmas tales of an heirloom brooch passed from mother to daughter for almost two hundred years. Will the family legend claiming the brooch brings love to its recipient hold true for these women separated by the years but bonded together by the ties of family?

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When Zoe returns home with her daughter and boyfriend Kyle, she finds that she’s the only person in town who doesn’t expect her to give up the life she’s established far away from Copper Creek. Everyone believes she was born to run the orchard, but how can she make it her home after so many years?

Cruz Huntley never quite got over his first love, Zoe Collins, the little sister of his best friend Brady. Not when she cheated on him during their "break," not when she took off to parts unknown with good-for-nothing Kyle Jenkins, and not even now–five years later.

As life-changing decisions and a history with Cruz hang over Zoe’s head, tensions rise between her and Kyle. Even as she comes to terms with the shifting relationships in her life, Zoe still isn’t sure if she can remain in Copper Creek with her new responsibilities… and her first love.

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But the woman’s arrival changes everything. Who is she? How does she know so much about Dan’s brother, who is still held captive in the mountain? Why are long-forgotten memories rising to the surface? And why does Dan feel so compelled to keep her presence in his house a secret?

Visionary writer Shawn Smucker is back with an unsettling story that invites us to consider two challenging questions: To what lengths will we go to assuage our own guilt? and Is there a limit to the things we will do for the people we love?

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As this tenacious, redeemed woman perseveres toward her vocation, her temper and stubborn independence threaten to derail her aspirations. Will Tabitha pass the trial by fire that is necessary for God to truly use her?

And what is Tabitha to do with her feelings for Mason Carpenter, the man who simply refuses to give up on her? Is it even possible for God to ordain a shared future for two such different people, both with fervent callings upon their hearts?

When the Great War erupts in Europe, Carpenter leaves for England to train British pilots to fly reconnaissance missions over Belgium and France. Soon after, Tabitha hears God asking her to nurse the war wounded. However, because America has not joined in the fight, Tabitha has few options. Will the elite British Nursing Service make a place for her? Will they accept the services of an American volunteer?

And will Tabitha and Mason overcome the differences that stand between them?

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Everyone loves a carol—in the end, even Ebenezer Scrooge. They have the power to summon up a special kind of mid-winter mood, like the aroma of gingerbread or the twinkle of lights on a tree. It’s a kind of magic.

But how did they get that magic? Andrew Gant—choirmaster, church musician, university professor, and writer—tells the story of some twenty carols, each accompanied by lyrics and music, unraveling a captivating, and often surprising, tale of great musicians and thinkers, saints and pagans, shepherd boys and choirboys. Readers get to delve into the history such favorites as “Good King Wenceslas,” “Away in a Manger,” and “O, Tannenbaum,” discovering along the way how “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” came to replace “Hark, how all the welkin’ ring” and how Ralph Vaughan Williams applied the tune of an English folk song about a dead ox to a poem by a nineteenth century American pilgrim to make “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”

A charming book that brims with anecdote, expert knowledge, and Christmas spirit, this is a fittingly joyous account of one of the best-loved musical traditions.

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Prep School is the ultimate collection of the weekly Chicago Tribune column of the same name, written by culinary instructor and award-winning food writer James P. DeWan.

This compilation is focused on teaching readers how to become better cooks, from amateurs who are learning to cook for themselves or their families to professional and gourmet chefs who are searching to perfect their technique. Illustrated with full-color photography and a plethora of simple, plainspoken instructions, Prep School is an easy go-to guide for becoming more adept at any kitchen skill.

Prep School is filled with more than fifty delicious recipes, as well as insightful and straightforward tips on knife skills, preparation techniques, pantry essentials, holiday meals, and general advice on how to make your kitchen as user-friendly as possible.

Before any home cook or professional chef picks up a cookbook, they should first pick up Prep School and be sure to take DeWan’s advice to heart. His recommendations on improving kitchen efficiency and ease, along with his in-depth knowledge of shortcuts and cooking common sense, make DeWan the perfect teacher for any aspiring culinary student.

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A mysterious painting breathes hope and beauty into the darkest corners of Auschwitz–and the loneliest hearts of Manhattan.

Manhattan art dealer Sera James watched her world crumble at the altar two years ago, and her heart is still fragile. Her desire for distraction reignites a passion for a mysterious portrait she first saw as a young girl–a painting of a young violinist with piercing blue eyes.

In her search for the painting, Sera crosses paths with William Hanover–the grandson of a wealthy California real estate mogul–who maybe the key to uncovering the hidden masterpiece. Together Sera and William slowly unravel the story behind the painting’s subject: Austrian violinist Adele Von Bron.

A darling of the Austrian aristocracy of 1942, talented violinist, and daughter to a high-ranking member of the Third Reich, Adele risks everything when she begins smuggling Jews out of Vienna. In a heartbeat, her life of prosperity and privilege dissolves into a world of starvation and barbed wire.

As Sera untangles the secrets behind the painting, she finds beauty in the most unlikely of places: the grim camps of Auschwitz and the inner recesses of her own troubled heart.

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Wrapped in a cloud of steam, the engine rolled to a stop, the screech of metal against metal filling the frosty air. Snow blew across the railway platform and around Meg’s calfskin walking boots. The weather definitely was not improving.

She ordered tea with milk and sugar, eying the currant buns and sweet mincemeat tarts displayed beneath a bell jar.

Later, perhaps, when her appetite returned. At the moment her stomach was twisted into a knot.

“Anything else for you?” the cashier asked as she handed over the tea, steaming and fragrant.

Meg was surprised to find her fingers trembling when she lifted the cup. “All I want is a safe journey home.”

“On a day like this?” the round-faced woman exclaimed. “None but the Almighty can promise you that, lass.”

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As a first-year law associate, Sydney Batson knows she will be updating her resume by New Year’s if she loses her current case. So when her grandmother gets inexplicably ill while she’s in court, Sydney arranges for a cab to get her to the clinic.

The last thing cab driver Finn Parrish wants is to be saddled with a wheelchair-bound old lady with dementia. But because Miss Callie reminds him of his own mother, whom he failed miserably in her last days, he can’t say no when she keeps calling him for rides. Once a successful gourmet chef, Finn’s biggest concern now is paying his rent, but half the time Callie doesn’t remember to pay him. And as she starts to feel better, she leads him on wild-goose chases to find a Christmas date for her granddaughter.

When Finn meets Sydney, he’s quite sure she’s never needed help finding a date. Does Miss Callie have an ulterior motive, or is this just a mission driven by delusions? He’s willing to do whatever he can to help fulfill Callie’s Christmas wish. He just never expected to be a vital part of it.

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Elle: All I wanted was a nice, relaxing Christmas vacation at home with my family. But no, the lot of them had to ruin it by inviting my childhood crush, Oliver Moore, and throwing us together at every possible moment. Heaven, help me.

Now, instead of sipping hot cocoa by the fire, I’m dodging matchmaking attempts and trying to pretend I’m not attracted to Oliver’s adorably perfect smile. I will not become another one of my family’s projects.

Oliver: I mean, am I upset Elle’s family swindled us into this Christmas vacation together? No. Will I ever admit that aloud? Also, no. I’ve long ago come to terms with the friend zone Elle placed me in back around ninth grade.

But there’s something different about her this week. Something that’s bringing up feelings I really should ignore.

Too bad ignoring has never been my strong suit.

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Love always finds a way in this heartwarming second installment in the Cedar Cove series, only from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

Judge Olivia Lockhart’s plate is full. Her hometown of Cedar Cove is the kind of community that’s always relied on each other for support, but lately it seems everybody needs somebody to lean on, especially Olivia’s best friend, Grace Sherman, whose husband disappeared six months prior. Thirty-five years together, then—just gone. Moving forward without closure is hardly ideal, but for librarian Grace, it may be time to start a new chapter.

For Olivia, helping her good friend start over is just the beginning. There are enough marriages, separations, and babies being born in Cedar Cover to keep anyone on their toes. And when Olivia’s ex-husband makes it clear he wants her back, it throws a serious wrench at her on-again, off-again relationship with newspaper editor Jack Griffin. Sometimes the right path isn’t always clear, but finding the courage to follow your heart will lead you right where you belong.

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When Alex runs into trouble, he gets help from the most unlikely person. Bae Hwa is a thirteen-year-old North Korean girl who likes to steal backpacks. When she unknowingly gets her hands on a satchel full of nuclear codes, her entire family is in danger and she ends up in prison. Alex is arrested and thrown in the same prison cell as Bae. It’s a race against time as he has to save them both and keep the codes out of the hands of those who want to destroy America…

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Falsely convicted of bank robbery, drifter Johnny McAllister is sent to a rehabilitation program in the home of a California judge. When he goes to Judge McMann’s home, his aim is to be a model prisoner, hoping to be released early and return to his life’s mission: to kill the man who wiped out his family 15 years before. He’s planned for everything… except his encounter with Ragan, the beautiful and kind housekeeper, and with the generous folks of Barren Flats. But can Johnny let go of his anger and embrace a new life? One that would include Ragan as his bride?

This tender story reveals how even the hard law of the land doesn’t stand a chance when God’s mercy and true love come to reside in a heart.

📚Read More of The Western Sky series:

• Book #1: Outlaw’s Bride
• Book #2: A Kiss for Cade
• Book #3: Walker’s Wedding

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Does a sense of the Lord’s presence seem to elude you, despite your earnest seeking? Does Heaven seem silent, despite your patient listening?

Many Christians have been on a similar journey, but Scripture makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is within you—not just with you. The secret to experiencing the Lord is simply to live from the reality of His already-intimate presence within your own heart.

Author, teacher, songwriter, and worship leader, Daniel Amstutz wants to revolutionize how you think about God’s presence. In The Place of His Presence, Amstutz makes the bold, biblical claim that, while you’ve been looking for God, He already dwells within you!

If you’ve been frustrated by the fruitless results of your fervent search for God, this book is for you. Discover the power of this life-changing truth: you are The Place of His Presence!

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When a "lost" rose is discovered at Rose Hill Farm, Billy is sent to track down its origins. Get in, identify the rose, and get out. That’s his plan. The only catch is that he’s having a hard time narrowing down the identity of the lost rose, and he can’t get those tropical blue eyes of Bess Riehl out of his mind.

As the history of the lost rose is pieced together, it reminds Bess and Billy–and Amos, too–that Christmas truly is the season of miracles.

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