New Releases by Robin Jones Gunn

Chi trova un amico trova un tesoro. "Whoever finds a friend finds a treasure." Italian saying Grace and Claire have formed a close friendship over their love of reading. After many years and many books that provided armchair adventures, the time has come for them to go somewhere instead of only dreaming of someday. Traveling to Venice, Florence, and Bellagio, the Suitcase Sisters find themselves immersed in the magnificent works of art, scrumptious gelato flavors, and endless pasta variations of Italy. And they discover a vulnerability to disclose their struggles in ways they never did at home. As Grace experiences a newfound freedom and confidence in who she is, Claire wrestles with painful memories of her teen years. A special dinner party brings unexpected revelations about faith and God''s nearness. Then a life-changing moment on the shores of Lake Lugano causes Grace and Claire to discover they are not just tourists but pilgrims on a path to becoming all God created them to be. Robin Jones Gunn whisks you away to experience the incredible culture of Northern Italy in this inspiring, faith-based contemporary fiction with themes of European travel, midlife adventures, and lifelong friendships, making this a perfect book club selection.

Bestselling author Robin Jones Gunn invites women to the shore to refresh their souls as they savor this collection of ocean-inspired stories and reflections. Does your idea of a perfect day include a lazy afternoon under a beach umbrella or a serene oceanside stroll? If the coast seems a million miles away from where you are today, let these engaging stories bring the ocean and all its gifts to you. Author Robin Jones Gunn wants to help you relax, recenter, and be reminded of the places that draw your heart closer to God. Robin shares poignant, humorous, and heartwarming stories inspired by the beach, along with poems, quotes, and Scripture verses to help take your mind off whatever is burdening you and bring your focus back to God. This is your invitation to soul restoration. There’s a place waiting for you by the sea.

Ever since they met as teenagers volunteering at a conference center in Costa Rica 20 years ago, Fern Espinoza and Lily Graden have shared a close friendship, even though they live in different states. They can hardly believe it when their teen dream of traveling to Africa together becomes a reality. It''s the trip of a lifetime--but life sure isn''t what they thought it would be back when they were young. Along with their suitcases, each woman brings along emotional baggage that weighs heavily on them. Yet the people they meet and the places they experience have the power to change their hearts--but only if they surrender to the lessons God wants to teach them in this unexpected land of emerald tea fields, graceful giraffes, and rambunctious elephants. Pack your bags and get ready for adventure as Robin Jones Gunn invites you on a safari of the heart in this vulnerable exploration of how to move forward in faith even when the future is uncertain.

"With her signature wit and style, Robin Jones Gunn crafts a Christmas tale filled with faith, love, and the true meaning of the season." —Lisa Wingate , #1 New York Times– bestselling author of Before We Were Yours Anna''s first visit to Carlton Heath in England was last May for the wedding of her cousin Ian to Miranda. The beautiful event ended with a dance under the stars and Anna receiving an unexpected kiss from Peter, the groomsman who caught her eye and now holds her heart. Now, at the invitation of family and friends, Anna is returning to Carlton Heath for Christmas. She has Peter''s recent email to fill her with assurance that he''s looking forward to seeing her again as well. More than his brief words, though, the vivid memory of their unforgettable kiss provides a promise of more to come. Anna, ever the imaginative artist, has been busy painting a romantic conclusion to her holiday visit. Certainly she''s not the only one who has been dreaming of another dance and another kiss. But when she sees Peter again, his intentions seem to shift as speedily as the blustery winter weather. Is Anna''s heart misleading her, or will Father Christmas bestow on her the gift of love for which she has long dreamed? "A thoroughly delightful Christmas romance full of grace and good humor." —Francine Rivers , international bestselling author of Redeeming Love "Gunn writes from the heart. . . . a delight to read." — RT Book Reviews "Both charming and gripping." —Cynthia Ruchti, author of An Endless Christmas and Restoring Christmas "Robin''s ability to ribbon a tale that wraps our hearts in beauty and love is seamless." —Patsy Clairmont , author of You Are More Than You Know

Your little girl is growing quickly. You want to prepare her for the changes that are already happening to her body. But how? In Before Your Tween Daughter Becomes a Woman, bestselling author Robin Jones Gunn provides heart-level mentoring that will help you and your young daughter grow closer rather than drifting apart as she reaches adolescence. This is your chance—not for having “the talk”—but for beginning a conversation that will continue as your daughter grows into the beautiful young woman God created her to be. Talking about periods and other natural changes doesn’t have to be awkward. Even if your own experience was less than ideal, there’s no need to be nervous. Instead, you can make it a fun, memorable occasion that helps to strengthen the bond between you and your daughter. In each chapter, you’ll find ideas to boost your confidence as you create a pathway into this next season for your young girl. This book includes ideas for how to broach the subject with your daughter, pitfalls to avoid, and encouraging stories from other moms.

Bestselling author Robin Jones Gunn teams up with author and teen advocate Tricia Goyer on a devotional for young single women to help them establish God-honoring thinking and beliefs that will lay a firm foundation for their future marriage. Movies, television, and novels feature glamorous portrayals of dating and marriage, giving us unrealistic expectations of what true love looks like. A beautiful counterpoint to those dreamy fantasies, Before You Meet Your Future Husband focuses on three areas you, as a young woman, need to address in preparing for marriage: • your heart—nurturing a place where healthy love can grow • your head—realigning your thoughts with biblical truth • your hands—learning to make the most of your God-given potential This uplifting, interactive devotional helps you approach dating from a place of peace and strength, whether you’re in a relationship now or simply hope to be married one day. With a focus on your own transformation, Before You Meet Your Future Husband offers biblical guidance, real-life stories, thought-provoking questions, and intentional prayers to help you prepare now for the future God has in store for you. Discover the freedom and contentment that come from preparing for a God-honoring, life-giving relationship.

Print Book 1 in the Sisterchicks series.

Katie arrives in Kenya and as she settles in, she is continually surprised by both Africa and Eli.

Sierra goes to Hawaii hoping to make a decision about her future. When she meets Jordan everything changes.

From the bestselling author of Becoming Us comes a novel that asks: What does it mean to be truly known? In a marriage, in a friendship, or by a loving God? After her mom passed away, Jennalyn was in the midst of moving, adjusting to life with a new baby, and helping her husband, Joel, work toward his dream job. At the time, she thought she’d processed her mother’s death, but only now that Jennalyn has two small children, a lovely new home, and a husband who is always working does she feel the full impact of what she has lost. Even among her sweet circle of friends, the Haven Makers, grief silently overwhelms Jennalyn, until an unexpected encounter allows her to express herself in ways she hasn’t fully been able to with her husband. Even though Christy, Sierra, Emily, and Tess provide a soft place to land in times of tension, Jennalyn remains guarded, especially when Tess reveals she is tangled emotionally in a relationship that was thorny from the start. Will the two women open up and remain honest with the others in their Haven Makers group? Or will their hesitation to truly be known, faults and all, keep them from holding on to the friendships that have been the sweetest gift during this season of life?

From the author of the best-selling Christy Miller and SisterChicks series comes a new book of community, friendship, and tackling the hard things of life with God and loved ones around a table. Five young moms, including beloved Gunn character Christy Miller, gather to share meals and soon become unlikely best friends. The regular gatherings provide opportunities for the women to reveal their stories, and those life stories endear them to each other. They experience their lives naturally meshing as they raise their children together in community. In Becoming Us the group find ways to challenge, encourage, and help each other become the nurturing mothers they wished they''d had when they were growing up. They unite to be remembered for what they do as moms and not for what was done to them.

You love the sweetness in his little smile and the way she wiggles her tiny toes in delight. You love the beautiful chaos that your life has become. And then come the challenges of motherhood. The exhaustion. The frustration. In A Pocketful of Hope for Mothers, Robin Jones Gunn reminds us that as moms, the only thing we need to do each day is to live with a selfless spirit, a tender heart, and all the gusto our giddy souls can muster. She reminds us that no matter how fragmented our lives may feel right now, all that matters is that we love well. God is near, giving us encouragement and hope as we care for the little soul that has been entrusted to us. This collection of heartwarming vignettes, inspiring quotes, and simple prayers makes a perfect gift of inspiration for all mothers and moms-to-be.

Christy and Todd are parents of two very small children. As with any growing family, they must balance parenting, marriage, work, ministry, and friendships. Their lives are becoming complicated. Can they continue to honor God, and grow closer as a couple, during this very full season of their lives?

Christy & Todd, The Baby Years (Book 2)Christy is elated when her best friend arrives in Newport Beach. Although the reason for Katie''s journey from Kenya is complicated, they are hoping for lots of memorable catch-up time. But Katie isn''t herself, and nothing seems to be as it should. Why doe Christy''s heart feels so unsettled? What does friendship mean in this season of life?

By beloved author Robin Jones Gunn, two timeless, heartwarming Christmas novellas bound together for the first time in an omnibus edition. In Finding Christmas, Miranda Carson''s search for her father leads her unexpectedly to London with only a few feeble clues as to who he might be. Immediately welcomed into a family that doesn''t recognize her, and whom she''s quickly coming to love, she faces a terrible decision. Should she reveal her true identity and destroy their idyllic image of her father? Or should she carry the truth home with her to San Francisco and remain alone in this world? Whatever choice she makes during this London Christmas will forever change the future for both herself and the family she can''t bear to leave. In Engaging Father Christmas Miranda Carson can''t wait to return to England for Christmas and to be with her boyfriend, Ian. She has spent a lifetime yearning for a place to call home, and she''s sure Carlton Heath will be it, especially when a hinted-at engagement ring slips into the conversation. But Miranda''s high hopes for a jolly Christmas with the small circle of people she has come to love are toppled when Ian''s father is hospitalized and the matriarch of the Whitcombe family withholds her blessing from Miranda. Questions run rampant in Miranda''s mind about whether she really belongs in this cheery corner of the world. Then, when her true identity threatens all her relationships in unanticipated ways, Miranda is certain all is lost. And yet . . . maybe Father Christmas has special gifts in store for her after all.

College student Christy trusts God to guide her in making decisions about school and her boyfriend Todd.

Previously published: Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers, 2001.

QUANDO CRIS MILLER CONHECEU TED SPENCER NO VERO EM QUE COMPLETOU QUINZE ANOS, ELA APENAS SONHAVA QUE SEU AMOR SERIA UM AMOR PARA SEMPRE.Agora que esto casados h quase dois anos, Cris e Ted esto enfrentado desafios que nenhum dos dois esperava. Tudo que parecia familiar em seu relacionamento est sendo abalado. Tudo o que haviam sonhado para o seu futuro juntos est prestes a mudar.Quando Cris conta a Ted uma notcia capaz de mudar a vida deles, o marido no reage da forma alegre e entusiasmada que ela esperava. Alm disso, Tia Marta entra com suas opinies fortes sobre como o jovem casal deve enfrentar a difcil temporada que esto vivendo. E quando o pai de Ted pede ao filho que o ajude a reformar sua casa de praia em Newport, fica claro para Cris que a vida deles nunca mais ser como antes.Com a chegada de todas essas mudanas, o que acontecer com o relacionamento de Ted e Cris? O casal continuar se afastando? Ou conseguir atravessar todas as grandes mudanas de vida com um amor muito mais profundo um pelo outro e por Aquele que os uniu?

Christy and Todd have now been married for a year and a half and they are being severely tested as individuals and as a couple. Christy has some news to share with Todd, but his news shakes her to her core. Will the two of them be able to come out the other side of their dark place with a stronger faith and greater love, or will all of their dreams lie shattered?

"Christy and Todd both made important promises long ago. Todd assured his dad he''d stand with him if his dad ever got remarried. Christy promised her best friend she''d be there for Katie when she walked down the aisle ... What neither of them ever guessed was that they''d need to fly halfway around the world to keep their promises and participate in the weddings of these two people they love ... However, an unexpected phone call uproots Christy and Todd the night before their flight and a frightening diagnosis leaves the young couple questioning their next decision"--P. 4 of cover.

Say Yes to the Love Story of Your Life A great romance was set in motion before you were born. A relentless Lover is pursuing you, and He has made His intentions clear. He wants you to be His forever. How will you respond to the One who longs for you to be His with your whole heart? In Spoken For, Robin Jones Gunn and Alyssa Joy Bethke speak to your heart about what it means for you to belong to Christ, who you are because of His love, and how that affects the way you live. Drawing on biblical promises and their personal experiences, these two friends share what it’s like to live out God’s unfolding love story. You are not up for grabs. You are spoken for. Includes questions for group discussion and personal reflection.

Robin Jones Gunn reveals poignant truths from her life as well as from the lives of women in the Bible as she flips the notion that we are at the mercy of circumstances. She asks, what if God has dreams for you? What if he is accomplishing those dreams in the midst of shattered hopes? When life doesn’t go as expected, it’s easy to feel like a victim. We look at the events that have gone wrong and view our lives as impaired. What if we could see our future as God sees it? Would our view radically change if we understood we are indeed victims rather than of happenstance? God, the Relentless Lover, has vigorously sought you. He has instilled dreams in your heart that are grander than you can imagine. But the route to their fulfillment often is through a path you wouldn''t seek. What if God wants to take the hopes that tug at your heart and enliven them? Are you ready to live inside the mysterious joy of being a victim of grace?

When Genevieve Ahrens moves into the charming community of Glenbrooke, she revives the downtown area by purchasing the Wallflower Restaurant and making it a town favorite. But Gena''s heart needs some renovation of its own when her daughter marries and Gena is back in touch with her estranged husband. All of her advice to a young friend about forgiving and trusting God to heal the hurt haunts her as she and Stephen talk through what went wrong in their marriage. Will the pain-filled couple experience the joy of God''s redeeming grace or the agony of divorce? Genevieve has been married for over half her life…so how can she suddenly fall deeply in love for the very first time? Genevieve Ahren’s dream is coming true at last! Glenbrooke’s Wildflowers Cafe goes up for sale and Genevieve knows she can make it into something special. However, her new venture is far from easy. With her husband gone so often due to his career as an international airline pilot, Genevieve is alone in making all the important decisions. Her heart is empty and hollowed out...like an isolated cottage boarded up for a long winter season. It’s in the solitude of this dark season that Genevieve discovers friends she didn’t realize she had. When this small circle of tender-hearted women rally around her, Genevieve finds light streaming in through the door of her heart. A door she thought she had locked and bolted long ago. The biggest surprise of all is when Genevieve realizes she is giddily in love—with the last man she expected could make her feel this way!

The charming town of Glenbrooke, Oregon, welcomes readers once more to delight in a contemporary love story. In this all-new offering in the heartwarming Glenbrooke series, bestselling author Robin Jones Gunn''s characters get two lessons on love: it''s not based on performance and its motives must be pure. When Leah Hudson, the "ugly duckling" among beautiful sisters, meets mysterious newcomer Seth Edwards, she thinks someone could love her after all. Their friendship grows, but Seth has things he must work through before he can open himself to anyone. An unexpected inheritance serves to complicate matters that strike to the core of Seth''s and Leah''s hearts and faith. Leah Hudson loves to give. But when others want to give back? Well, that’s another story entirely! After years of pouring herself out for others, Leah, an average twenty-seven-year-old woman, finally finds herself receiving. She has her own cottage in Glenbrooke, wonderful friends, a great job at the hospital, and the attention of Seth Edwards, the new guy in town. She even wins a cruise to Alaska when she accidentally dials the number of a radio station! So why can’t Leah relax and enjoy this new season of her life? When an inheritance of fifty acres of prime Oregon woodlands is left to her—with a certain condition attached—Glenbrooke’s town lawyer, Collin Radcliffe, prompts Leah to question Seth’s motives for his interest in her. Only by turning her affections in a new direction will Leah be able to hear the true song of this springtime of her life.

"Everybody has a story. You listen to that story, Honeygirl, and your story will come find you." Her Grand Lady spoke these words when Abby was just a girl, spending the summer in rural Louisiana, surrounded by an extended, loving family. She''s been listening carefully ever since. Now Abby is raising her own family thousands of miles away. And even though Hawaii might seem like paradise to some, it''s a long way away from those idyllic days she remembers, sitting with her grandmother, learning about the beauty and mystery of life. So Abby has just one wish: that her daughter Hannah might be touched by the beauty of her 92-year-old Grand Lady''s stories, before it''s too late. But when Hannah finally does spend time with Grand Lady, the old woman crushes her tender spirit. And a mother-daughter journey home becomes an adventure of discovery-about the importance of family and the healing found in forgiveness. In Gardenias for Breakfast, mothers and daughters may recognize a branch or two from their own family trees and find themselves wishing not only for Grand Lady''s guidance but also for Hannah''s ability to smell the clouds.

This bestselling former Palisades release is book in the new Glenbrooke series by award-winning author Robin Jones Gunn. Alissa loves her new job as a Pasadena travel agent. Only an abrupt meeting with a stranger in an espresso shop leaves her feeling that all men in California are rude. To her dismay, Alissa soon learns that the man is none other than Brad Phillips, her new neighbor. But the coincidences don''t stop there. For as the weeks unfold, Alissa''s and Brad''s lives keep intertwining in extraordinary ways. And as Alissa works through her longings for someone who will never leave her, she finds herself encountering love in places she never would have dreamed. Alissa runs into this man everywhere she goes…coincidence, or part of some greater plan? Alissa loves her new job as a travel agent in Pasadena —the chance to start over. But shortly after her arrival, an abrupt meeting with a man at her favorite espresso shop leaves her wondering if all men in California are rude and arrogant. Just like the ones she’s been hurt by recently. “This guy has to go,” she tells herself. But Alissa soon learns that man is none other than Brad Phillips, her new neighbor. And the “coincidences” don’t stop there. Alissa’s and Brad’s lives keep intertwining in extraordinary ways. Then she ends up on a road trip with Brad—a trip that holds one disaster after another! Alissa’s only solace is their destination: charming Glenbrooke , Oregon —a place so warm and friendly it might just reopen her shielded heart.

In this dramatic contemporary romance by bestselling author Robin Jones Gunn, Lauren Phillips enters the wild, uncharted territory of the Internet on her home computer and "connects" with a man known only as "K.C." As she struggles to recover from a broken engagement, Lauren keeps busy by working full time and striving to finish her college degree. But her correspondence with K.C. quickly becomes the thing she loves most...and the source of dreams she cannot bear to relinquish. When the opportunity comes for them to meet after a year of corresponding, Lauren faces a tough choice: Is she willing to risk everything...including a broken heart? Readers will stay "on-line" to find out in this bestselling former Palisades release, now the third book in the new Glenbrooke series. Will Lauren risk losing her heart...to a man she''s never met? Lauren Phillips tries to keep busy while recovering from a broken engagement. Then one day, through her home computer, Lauren accidentally connects on the Internet with a mysterious man she knows only as K.C. Lauren''s e-mail relationship with K.C. quickly becomes the thing she loves most in life..and the source of dreams she cannot bear to relinquish. After a year of corresponding, the opportunity appears for them to meet. Lauren faces a tough choice: Is she willing to risk everything...including another broken heart?

Erin Bryce leaves behind her fledgling wedding planning business to take care of her father, who has just suffered a stroke, in his cottage in coastal Oregon, where she also wrestles with her own negative feelings.

What was she thinking? Katie Weldon wonders if she was crazy to spontaneously fly off to Africa on a mission trip. Suddenly she is dealing with a new culture, a world she’s never experienced—and Eli, a friend who is quickly becoming much more. It’s all overwhelming ... and exciting. As her life turns topsy-turvy, however, she begins to think this might be exactly what she needs. Here, God might give her a glimpse into His will for her life. But just as Kenya and its people find a place in her heart, and her relationship with Eli begins to get serious, Katie is faced with unanswered questions from her past and unresolved issues with Eli. Is she really headed down the same path into the future he is? It doesn''t look like it. Why can''t she finally and forever settle into a set direction? Living in this new and captivating place, one thing she knows for sure: anything might be possible. Finally and Forever is the final book in the Katie Weldon Series.

Sierra is in Sunset Beach, Hawaii to relax at a friend''s oceanfront beach house, but her friend''s wild antics and the noisy surfing competitions disrupt her plans. More disrupting, however, is her new but distant neighbor, photographer Jordan Bryce. But is he really as disintersted as he seems?