Most Popular Books by Melody Carlson

A journalist and her hometown friend risk their lives to expose danger and corruption on the Oregon coast. From the award-winning author of No One to Trust. Returning home for her father’s funeral, big-city reporter Megan McCallister is brutally attacked—confirming her suspicions that her father’s mysterious death was no accident. But only her childhood friend, Garret Larsson, believes her theory. The teenager she once knew has grown into a brave, honorable man . . . but can he keep her alive long enough to find the truth? Garret needs Megan to leave town, but he wants her to stay. He knows about the secrets her newspaperman father uncovered and the dangerous exposé he was writing. And now Megan has vowed to finish her father’s final article. Someone’s determined to kill the story—and Megan along with it—but he’ll have to go through Garret first. Praise for Melody Carlson “No one writes clean contemporary romance quite like Melody Carlson.” —Library Journal “A sweet toast to second chances.” —Booklist “This sweet romance satisfies.” —Publishers Weekly

Introduces teens to the Bible by focusing on the words of Jesus, offering spiritual guidance through the many changes that occur during adolescence.

Sophie is starting a new school year. Shopping for it with her best friend should be fun, but nothing seems to fit, which is a major issue to a high school girl. But her biggest problem is the secret she''s keeping. And she''s about to find out that she won''t be able to keep things under wraps for much longer. This page-turning novel explores the tangled web of choices, secrets, and love that all teen girls navigate. Melody Carlson enjoys a huge audience of teen readers. Now, Revell presents another new stunning story from an author who understands teen girls right where they are.

Written by bestselling author melody carlson. Meet Morgan, Amy, Carlie, and Emily. They all live in the trailer park at 622 Harbor View in tiny Boscoe Bay, Oregon. Proximity made them friends, but a desire to make the world a better place—and a willingness to work at it—keeps them together. In the first book of this new series, Project: Girl Power,bullies knock Emily from her bike on her way home from school, so the girls start walking together because there’s safety in numbers. With help from other people in the park, they set out to beautify Harbor View. In book two, Project: Mystery Bus, the girls begin summer by working to clean and restore their bus to use as a clubhouse. And thus begins the Rainbow Club. In book three, Project: Rescue Chelsea, Carlie makes a new friend. Chelsea Landers lives in a mansion and isn’t always very kind. Carlie would like a best friend, but will Chelsea fit in with her other friends? In book four, Project: Take Charge, the girls decide to take action when they find out their town’s only city park has been vandalized and may soon be turned into a parking lot. MELODY CARLSON In sixth grade, Melody Carlson helped start a school newspaper called The BuccaNews (her school’s mascot was a Buccaneer—argh!). As editor of this paper, she wrote most of the material herself, creating goofy phony bylines to hide the fact that the school newspaper was mostly a one-“man” show. She lives in Sisters, OR. Visit her at www.MelodyCarlson.com

As straight-A student GraceAnn enters her senior year, the stakes feel higher, the stress is mounting, and after bad breakup with her boyfriend, her grades begin to slip. And grades that are less than perfect just aren’t acceptable. GraceAnn knows that other kids cheat. After all, their cheating has made her life harder. But wasn’t it her turn to get a break? If she could get away with it—and no one got hurt—could she break the rules, just this one time? As GraceAnn’s world slips sideways, she finds herself caught in a twisted trap. Will her one bad choice cost her everything?

Ruth Wallace knows she can only hide the scars on her arms for so long. Cutting herself doesn’t make her problems disappear, but at least it helps her cope. Ruth needs to find some way, any way, to heal her scars—the ones she hides and the ones she can’t—before something terrible happens. The seventh book in the TrueColors teen fiction series, Blade Silver deals with cutting, guilt, psychology, and healing. Includes discussion questions.

Kim’s World Turns Upside Down When Kim’s mom is diagnosed with cancer, Natalie steps in, as true friends will do, to round up hundreds of people to pray for Mrs. Peterson’s healing. Her health begins to improve, and Kim’s love life begins to flourish…but with a non-Christian. Natalie warns Kim to break off the relationship, but is that just because she’s jealous? Or is God trying to speak to Kim through Natalie’s counsel? When her mom’s health suddenly declines again, Kim blames herself. Maybe she never should have become involved with Matthew, especially as she’s tempted to give in to his pressure to have sex. Kim’s faith is hanging in the balance. She wants to believe that prayer will prevail, but the obstacles seem so big… Thursday, December 29 My dad and I are both feeling a little torn about Mom right now. On one hand, we all act like everything is just peachy, perfectly normal. But at the same time, it’s like we’re walking on eggshells too. Like we’re all thinking the same thing–is this our last Christmas all together? Kim Peterson’s mom has stage four ovarian cancer, and Kim’s done enough research online to know the odds are dismal. But Kim and her best friend, Natalie McCabe, and a lot of other people are praying that God will heal her mom. Kim’s mom makes her promise that she’ll continue with life as normal: Nat, youth group, violin, her Just Ask Jamie newspaper column, even hanging out with Matthew. But how can life be normal with cancer hanging over your head like a dark cloud? And then she’s getting flak from Natalie because Matthew’s not a Christian, and Nat’s afraid he’ll drag Kim down. But Nat’s dating life isn’t exactly smooth sailing, either. Both girls are praying a lot–and waiting to find out what’s meant to be. Reader’s guide included Story Behind the Book “My teenage years remain vivid in my mind. It was a turbulent time, full of sharp contrasts–love and hate, pain and pleasure, trust and doubt. Then, just as I reached my peak of questioning, rebelling, and seeking, I found God. And I found Him in a really big way! My life turned completely around and has, thankfully, never turned back. Hopefully this story will touch and change hearts–speaking to teen girls right where they live, reminding readers that God is alive and well and ready to be intimately involved in their lives right now!” –Melody Carlson

Kim faces many changes her senior year in high school, including Nat''s hasty wedding, childbirth, and ultimate decision about the baby, the first holidays without her mother, new problems for cousin Maya, and a significant surprise from her past.

Once upon a time in a little town on the Oregon coast lived four Lindas--all in the same first-grade classroom. So they decided to go by their middle names. And form a club. And be friends forever. Decades later, they''re all back home in Clifden and reinventing their lives, but the holidays bring a whole new set of challenges. Abby''s new B&B is getting bad reviews and husband Paul is acting strange. Still grieving for her mom, Caroline is remodeling the family home, but boyfriend Mitch keeps pressuring her to go away with him. Artist Marley, distracted by a friend''s family drama (and a touch of jealousy), can''t find her creative groove. And Janie''s drug-addicted daughter has just appeared up on her doorstep. When a long-planned New Year''s cruise turns into a bumpy ride, they learn once again that, in your fifties, friends aren''t just for fun--they''re a necessity!

Big Apple. Bigger Problems. The success of the Forrester sisters’ On the Runway TV show lands them a hot ticket to Fashion Week in New York City. Paige is determined to garner the attention of New York’s top designers, but her newfound fame threatens to go to her head. Erin wants to help promote the work of some eco-minded designers, but struggles to be taken seriously. Can Paige keep her prima donna behavior in check? Will Erin’s involvement hurt the people she’s really trying to help? Success in the big city comes with even bigger challenges, and as the pressure grows, so does the drama.

When life feels like it''s closing in around you, sometimes the solution is to open the doors wide and invite others in . . . Jewel McKerry is on the brink of unraveling as she heads home to Oregon to help care for her father who has early-onset dementia. Her thirteen-year-old daughter is upset about the move. Her beekeeper dad is a humorous handful. Her mom is overworked and overwhelmed. Finances are stretched tight. And, according to her father, the neighbors are nothing but trouble. Despite all of these challenges, Jewel takes on one more when she convinces her parents to turn their decrepit farmhouse into a B&B in order to make some needed money. Her old high school flame turned contractor steps in to help, but Jewel isn''t sure she can really trust him. And those "troublesome" neighbors? The handsome widower and his teenage daughter just might be the key to making all this work. Get ready for a summer filled with family, good humor, and new beginnings!

Christmas miracles can come from unlikely sources, including a stray dog and a bereaved cat. Humorous and heartwarming, this 2-in-1 Christmas collection from bestselling author Melody Carlson is the perfect gift for pet lovers and anyone in whose heart Christmas holds a special place. The Christmas Dog Betty Kowalski isn''t looking forward to the holidays. She just can''t seem to find Christmas in her heart. Maybe it''s because her husband is gone. Maybe it''s because she''s missing her children. Or maybe it has something to do with her obnoxious new neighbor, who seems to be tearing his house apart and rearranging it on the lawn. But when a mangy dog appears at her doorstep, the stage is set for Betty to learn what Christmas is really all about. The Christmas Cat After years abroad, Garrison Brown finds himself at the home of his beloved grandmother who has just passed away. He must sort out her belongings, including six cats who need new homes. While he hopes to dispense with the task quickly--especially since he is severely allergic to cats--his grandmother''s instructions don''t allow for speed. She has left some challenging requirements for the future homes of her furry friends. Can he match the cats with the perfect new owners? And is it possible that he might meet his own match along the way?

With six teenage girls living under one roof, things are bound to get interesting. Mix six teenaged girls and one ’60s fashion icon (retired, of course) in an old Victorian-era boarding home. Add guys and dating, a little high-school angst, and throw in a Kate Spade bag or two ... and you’ve got The Carter House Girls, Melody Carlson’s new chick lit series for young adults!The Carter House experiences a shake-up as one of its own returns home after an unnerving disappearing act. Then, friction grows as a school Homecoming Queen race heats up, turning friends and housemates against one another. DJ, Eliza, Taylor, Kriti, Rhiannon, and Casey show they have plenty of lessons to learn as the votes roll in. Some grow smarter and closer to God, while others seem to make the same mistakes over again. Despite all their differences and disagreements, the Carter House girls continue to grow together, forging a bond that strengthens through hardship. Hearts CAN change and friendship paves the way for at least one girl to move closer to God.

Maggie blames her mom for the family’s disintegration: “She’s driven him away with her constant nagging and complaining and arguing. Honestly, who could stand to live with that woman?” she vents to her friend Claire. However, there’s more to the story, and Maggie desperately wants to know the truth—something nobody seems willing to tell her. The eighth book in the TrueColors teen fiction series, Bitter Rose takes an honest look at divorce, forgiveness, and relationships.

When the fun-loving and spontaneous artist Willow West meets buttoned-up, retired English teacher George Emerson, it''s not exactly love at first sight. Though she does find the obsessive-compulsive man intriguing. Making it her mission to get him to loosen up and embrace life, she embarks on what seems like a lost cause--and finds herself falling for him in the process. A confirmed bachelor, George vacillates between irritation and attraction whenever Willow is around--which to him seems like all too often. He''s not interested in expanding his horizons or making new friends; it just hurts too much when you lose them. But as the summer progresses, George feels his defenses crumbling. The question is, will his change of heart be too late for Willow? With her signature heart and touches of humor, fan favorite Melody Carlson pens a story of two delightfully eccentric characters who get a second chance at life and love.

When Wendy Harper inherits her family''s beachside cottage in Seaside, Maine, she sees it as a way to finally pay off the debts that have mounted since her husband died. But before it can be sold, the neglected property must be renovated. She and her 12-year-old son Jackson move in--temporarily, she reminds him--in order to do the work themselves, even though Christmas is coming. The charming town, along with local craftsman Caleb Colton, pulls on both Wendy and Jackson, who even registers himself for school in a bid to get his mom to move them there permanently. Wendy knows that the most responsible thing to do is to sell the cottage and return to Ohio, but the lure of the sea is hard to resist. Join award-winning author Melody Carlson for a Christmas story that will warm your heart and have you dreaming of your own enchanted seaside holiday.

Sometimes Aster just wants to be like all her friends. Why can''t she have a normal life? Teen fans of Melody Carlson will love her newest novel.

Bestselling author Melody Carlson captures hearts with a beautifully written romance set just after World War II. It''s almost New Year''s 1946, a perfect time for Caroline Marshall to start a new chapter in her life. Widowed three years ago when she lost her husband in the war, she has decided to move with her nine-year-old son to join her sister''s family in sunny California. Her sister''s new house has a basement apartment for Caroline to rent, and though jobs for women are scarce with so many veterans returning from the war, it seems the local chocolate factory is hiring. The apartment turns out to be rather dingy, and the job may be working the assembly line -- a step down from Caroline''s office job as a secretary back in Minnesota. But Caroline is determined to make a great new life for herself and her son. As she goes about making that happen, she keeps running into a handsome stranger -- at the diner, at church, and he even works for M.G. Chocolates. With a New Year, a new home, and a new job, is Caroline ready to find new love?

Sixteen-year-old Haley’s life is about to change. With divorced parents, she’s allowed to choose who to live with. Tired of Mom’s restrictions (like no dating), she picks laid-back Dad, although that means she’ll have to go to a new school. But even that situation starts to look up when hottie Harris Stephens flirts with her. And when he asks her out, Haley ecstatically accepts. Chalking up a mysterious warning about Harris to jealousy, Haley continues seeing him. But infatuation turns to devastation when Harris does something totally unexpected. Humiliation and peer pressure keep Haley from disclosing what happened, and with no one to talk to, her torturous secret is overwhelming.

Wrapping up her popular "Whispering Pines" series, award-winning author Melody Carlson presents this delightful, stand-alone romance. Maggie and her son have settled in Pine Mountain where she has found love again. Yet trouble lurks as she plans her wedding. As she and Jed are enjoying their deepening love, Amber returns to Pine Mountain and proves to be more of a distraction for Jed than Maggie wants.

If Morgan thought her life was tough before—what with a drug-addicted, klepto brother and a cradle-robbing mother—it just got worse: Her friend Jason took his own life. Morgan copes—or tries to—by attempting to piece together vague clues that might explain Jason’s suicide. Making matters worse, she can’t help but feel responsible somehow. Sometimes she thinks maybe Jason had the right idea all along. This fourth book in the TrueColors teen fiction series deals with the important topics of grief, suicide, self-worth, identity, and handling tragedy.

College student Christine Bradley grew up in a loving and honest family. So she couldn''t have been more surprised when, shortly after her mother''s death, her father revealed the startling truth that Christine had been adopted at birth. In search of clues about her biological mother, Christine encounters a family she never knew she had. She digs deeper as Christmas nears and what she finds reveals a shocking lineage. Will Christine be able to come to grips with the past, take hold of the present, and look forward to a brighter future? Carlson''s warm tale of loss, recovery, and acceptance will captivate current fans and create new ones.

Although Maggie did not come looking for love, she thought she found it in Jed Whitewater. While the possibility of a serious relationship exists with this mysterious man, circumstances intervene in their lives that can spell disaster for both their dreams.

Carlson helps you cut through the uncharted waters so you can hear what your teenage daughter''s really trying to tell you through her anger, silence, and mixed messages.

Chloe Miller and her fellow band members must sort out their lives as they become a hit in the local community. Accustomed only to being scorned and marginalized, Chloe suddenly has to decide who her real friends are, and who''s just along for the ride. Now her generosity gets her in more trouble than ever. And all too soon after a talent scout from Nashville discovers the trio, their explosive musical ministry begins to encounter conflicts with family and school. Exhilarated yet frustrated, Chloe puts her dream in God''s hand and prays for Him to work out the details.

Betty Kowalski isn''t looking forward to the holidays. She just can''t seem to find Christmas in her heart. There''s church, of course. But who can she bake for these days? And who would care whether or not she pulled out the Christmas decorations? Her new neighbor just adds to the problem. He''s doing home improvements that don''t appear to be improving much of anything. These days when Betty looks out the window, she sees a beat-up truck, a pile of junk, lots of blue tarps, and--horror of horrors--an old pink toilet. But when a mangy dog appears at her doorstep, the stage is set for Betty to learn a very important lesson about what Christmas is all about. This contemporary Christmas story is a timely yet gentle reminder that God can work miracles through something as seemingly insignificant as a little brown dog.

When Madison McDowell returns from several years teaching overseas, she has high hopes of picking up where she left off at her family''s Christmas tree farm in Oregon. But between damage from a recent wildfire and the neglect due to her sister Addie''s unwillingness to invest, the farm is in sad shape. In fact, Addie is intent on selling the property. And to top it off, her former high school flame, the now-widowed Gavin Thompson, has plans to break Madison''s heart again by turning his neighboring property into a dusty, noisy dirt bike track for his daughter. With the odds stacked against her, Madison decides there''s only one thing to do: double down on her dreams. It will take a ton of hard work--and some help from an unlikely ally--to save the farm she so dearly loves. But it may take a miracle to restore her relationship with her sister. Bestselling and award-winning author Melody Carlson charms and delights with this uplifting Christmas story full of old memories and new beginnings.

Readers have enjoyed Melody Carlson''s Christmas novels for years. Now six of these beloved stories are available in two handsome value-priced 3-in-1 editions. The Joy of Christmas includes An Irish Christmas, The Christmas Dog, and All I Have to Give. The Treasure of Christmas includes The Christmas Bus, Angels in the Snow, and The Gift of Christmas Present. Perfect as gifts, these volumes will be cherished parts of the holiday season for years to come.

A woman down on her luck finds a new start at Christmastime in this warm, contemporary story by a much-loved novelist.

After decades out of touch, four fifty-something childhood friends have returned to the little coastal town of Clifden, Oregon, where they grew up. They look forward to supporting one another as they reinvent their lives. But second acts can be a challenge, and each woman feels the stretch. Widowed lawyer Janie struggles to leave the past behind and move forward. Emerging artist Marley wrestles with "painter''s block." Empty-nester Abby fears no one takes her seriously, while beautiful Caroline has all she can do to keep her Alzheimer''s patient mother at home . . . and wearing clothes! Plus, old resentments and new misunderstandings are beginning to strain the friendships they all count on. Can the Four Lindas sisterhood continue to thrive in the close quarters of one little hometown?

Mix six teenaged girls and one ’60s fashion icon (retired, of course) in an old Victorian-era boarding home. Add guys and dating, a little high-school angst, and throw in a Kate Spade bag or two ... and you’ve got The Carter House Girls, Melody Carlson’s new chick lit series for young adults!Christmas is coming and Mrs. Carter treats the girls to a weekend trip to General Harding’s luxurious Vermont ski lodge. Naturally, she has no idea that Taylor has invited some guys to follow them—boys who have a different type of adventure in mind. As usual, Mrs. Carter does not pay close attention to the girls’ activities. When a dinner outing and small accident keep her away overnight, DJ, Eliza, Taylor, Kriti, Rhiannon, and Casey are quickly in over their heads. As a party gets completely out of hand, only God’s help can get the Carter House girls out of this gigantic mess.

Once again, I have kept the demons at bay. As a wife and mother, Ruth knows her prayers are crucial to her family’s spiritual welfare. She stands between her precious children and the evil one, doing battle in prayer. She can’t afford to be careless. Thankfully, she has powerful allies: Pastor Glenn, New Life Christian School where her daughters Mary and Sarah attend, and the inner circle at Arbor Drive Fellowship. They all reinforce her careful nurturance of her children. If only her husband, Rick, understood that. He’s exasperated about the money Ruth keeps spending for the church and school. Doesn’t he see that these are their best defenses in shielding their children from the dangers of the world? But the forces that threaten Ruth’s faith, her family–her very life–are not the ones she expects. Ruth doesn’t realize that her heartfelt desire to obey God is mingled with dangerous currents of OCD–Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Her own strategies for protecting her family may be the very thing that tears them apart.

Sixteen-year-old Simi Fremont thinks she’s found her dream job and the solution to her family’s money problems. But the modeling agency she found online is not what it seems. It’ll take every bit of her faith for her to escape the dangerous scheme and survive.

In the fictional Diary of a Teenage Girl, sixteen-year-old Caitlin O''Conner reveals the inner workings of a girl caught between childhood and womanhood ... an empty life without Christ and a meaningful one with Him. Through Caitlin''s candid journal entries we see her grapple with such universal teen issues as peer pressure, loyalty, conflict with parents, the longing for a boyfriend, and her own spirituality. Readers will laugh and cry with Caitlin as she struggles toward self-discovery and understanding God''s plan for her life. And they''ll be deeply moved by her surprising commitment regarding dating.

"Melody delivers all that is sweetest and best about love in this Valentine''s novella" about a woman who falls for her sister''s boyfriend (Robin Jones Gunn, bestselling author of Sisterchicks in Gondolas). Emma Burcelli has suffered over a decade of dating disasters. But she concludes that love is officially dead when her grandfather Poppi suddenly passes, leaving her grandmother Nona devastated. To help out, Emma works in the family bookstore, which Nona insists must be decked out in sweetheart décor as Poppi would have done for Valentine''s Day. Although she feels like a V-Day Scrooge, Emma quickly learns to enjoy the task with the help of a handsome family friend, Lane Forester, who shows her that hanging hearts is much more fun when done to the tune of Dean Martin. As Emma and Lane share time and memories of Poppi, she reconsiders the notion that romance is alive. Just as Emma''s heart begins to lift, however, she learns her sister has already staked a claim on Lane. Emma''s mother and sister insist Lane only sees her as a future sister-in-law, but she can''t help wondering if it could be something more. "A delightful story about the loss and recovery of romance, love and hope." — Family Fiction "A sweet, quick read that celebrates love''s beginnings as well the spirit of Valentine''s Day." — USAToday.com "A sweet love story, Once Upon a Winter''s Heart is a beautiful picture of the joy of being swept off your feet." ―Melanie Dobson, award-winning author of Love Finds You in Mackinac Island, Michigan and Where the Trail Ends "Once again Carlson touches the heart in this sweet, hopeful story of love finally found." — RT Book Reviews, starred review "This should attract attention from the prolific Carlson''s fans as well as fans of Christian romance." — Booklist

If your vision asked you to risk your life to save others, would you have the courage? When Samantha McGregor tells her friend Detective Ebony Hamilton of her disturbing visions of a brutal murder at a high school, Ebony asks her to go undercover to help identify the shooter before it’s too late. The stakes are raised when Ebony discovers that the potential crime may be connected to a larger terrorism threat! Meanwhile, Samantha realizes that her mother’s new boyfriend is a little too good to be true. Her unsettling visions, combined with Ebony’s investigation of Steven’s past, reveal him to be more interested in her mother’s money than her heart. To make matters worse, Samantha has been having visions of an unknown boy who is mercilessly being bullied by his peers. Who is this teen? Can she help him? This fourth and final installment in The Secret Life of Samantha McGregor series brings Samantha her biggest challenges yet, as she works against the clock to stop a mass murder, help a troubled youth, and save her mother from making a terrible mistake!

Claudette Fioré used to turn heads and break hearts. She relished the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle because she had what it takes: money, youth, fame, and above all, beauty. But age has withered that beauty, and a crooked accountant has taken her wealth, leaving the proud widow penniless and alone. Armed with stubbornness and sarcasm, Claudette returns to her shabby little hometown and her estranged sister. Slowly, she makes friends. She begins to see her old life in a new light. For the first time, Claudette Fioré questions her own values and finds herself wondering if it''s too late to change.

If You Thought You Needed Vision, Would You Ask God For It? Exhausted by her role in the dramatic rescue of Kayla Henderson, Samantha McGregor is ready for a vacation from her God-given visions. But when Sam gets her wish and the visions actually go on hiatus, she’s beginning to wonder if she’s lost her spiritual gift forever. To make matters worse, her police friend Ebony needs her help! Peter Clark has been dead for several years, an open-and-shut case of suicide, but Ebony’s not convinced. Why would he do it? And why does Ebony suspect foul play? Sam has been no help in the investigation, and just when she’s lost all hope, God gives her a vision of a guy jumping from a railroad bridge. Suddenly the floodgates open and all of Sam’s visions involve suicide. Who is this guy? And what does this have to do with Peter’s death? It’s a race against the clock as Sam worries about every brown-haired guy she meets: her lab partner, Olivia’s rocker friend, Peter’s little brother–they all fit the description! Whoever the guy in her vision is, his identity is just beyond Sam’s reach, and he’s definitely losing his grip fast…Trusting God will lead her, Sam’s determined to send a message of hope and find him before he gives up.