In 2017, I read 198 books—a personal best for me. If you’re wondering how I read that many, there are a couple of factors.
First, I’m single with no children and live alone so no distractions. Second, reading is my entertainment. I do not watch TV at all (not even the oh, so popular This Is Us). And finally, no matter where I’m at I have a book with me. In fact, just yesterday, I was sitting outside the oil change place, reading a book on my phone while I awaited my turn (good thing too since it took about 45 minutes before I pulled into the garage).
All of that to say, I read A LOT of books this year, which in turn made narrowing down the top reads tough. So, instead of a Top 10, you’re getting a Top 20 (and then some).
Without further ado, here are my top picks from new releases in 2017 (in no particular order). Click on the book title to go to a more in-depth review or the cover image to read more about the book and/or order.
Be sure and enter the giveaway because I’m letting one of my visitors pick two books from this list for their own library!
The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon (Contemporary)
Monzon hits on some points in this book that some may find uncomfortable. Her balance of Christianity vs. the Muslim faith is right on point. And while heartbreaking at times, the story is one of the ups and downs of marriage but also one of hope and faith.
The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner (Contemporary)
This book is unlike any other Christian Fiction out there. I mean, a steamy romance writer commits her life to God and falls in love with her pastor? What could possible go wrong? I was laughing out loud at several points while reading this one. The characters are great and you’re going to want more from one of them by the end.
An Uncommon Courtship and An Inconvenient Beauty by Kristi Ann Hunter (Historical)
It’s time for the Hawthorne men to fall in love. First there’s Trent who is forced to marry to save Adelaide’s reputation. Marriage is harder than either of them realize, and with the additional pressure of London Society and a meddling 
mother just might keep these two from seeing each other for the persons God made them to be.
Hunter ends her Hawthorne series with the most level-headed Hawthorne. As the Duke of Riverton, Griffith plans every detail of his life—even down to the best choice for a wife. But God has other plans, and with the help of a meddling family (because turnabout is fair play) and a woman who is more than a pretty face, Griffith learns that not every detail of life can be planned.
Jane of Austin by Hillary Manton Lodge (Contemporary)
A modern day adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility, Jane of Austin holds the major plots of the original work, but incorporates so much more. A move from San Francisco to Austin, Texas, tea shops, a man who is coming to terms with the loss of his father and his leg, and a rescue Great Dane who captures your heart. At its roots, this book is about relationships of all kinds.
Hold the Light by April McGowan (Contemporary)
This is the first of April McGowan’s books I’ve read, but man, did it leave a lasting impression. When Amber learns she’s losing her sight, everything she knows will change. As an art teacher, she relies on her eyes to teach. Amber’s best friend Shannon and blindness counselor Ethan come alongside her. While I didn’t love Amber at the beginning of this book, by the end, my opinion of her had totally shifted (and that’s what made this story so great for me).
The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck (Dual Time)
Quirky Tenley with her bathrobe, her desk, and her broken relationship with her mother is what I loved most about this one. Hauck has a way of making her characters, flaws and all, lovable. While the connection of the dual stories didn’t occur until near the end of the book, both were engaging.
Still Life and Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey (Romantic Suspense)
If you’re looking for an author who does Romantic Suspense well, Dani Pettrey is a must-read. The caveat? You’ll want to read
her series in order because there are at least two storylines happening, one which is not resolved until the next book. Books 2 and 3 of the Chesapeake Valor series were released in 2017, and boy, oh boy, do they get your adrenaline pumping.
In Still Life, Parker Mitchell comes to the aid of his former employee whose friend has gone missing. With the aid of his best friends, Griff
in McCray (Cold Shot) and Declan Gray (Blind Spot), the team races to figure out what happened to Avery’s friend. There is a nice, creepy scene in this one that will make you want to stay far away from abandoned buildings.
FBI Agent Declan Gray is on the trail of a possible terrorist attack on US soil. Now, if he didn’t have to deal with Tanner Shaw—the woman who has managed to capture his interest for more than just heated arguments. As Declan and Tanner race to discover where the attack is scheduled to take place, they run into someone from Declan’s past. Someone who will cause a huge wave to ripple through the circle of friends.
True to You by Becky Wade (Contemporary)
Another delightfully quirky character, Nora Bradford buries herself in her historical society and library. When John Lawson approaches her to help him find his birth parents, neither of them is expecting the harsh reality around the circumstances of his birth. I can’t wait to read more about the Bradford sisters in 2018! If you want a little backstory, be sure and check out Nora’s dad’s story in Wade’s novella, Then Came You.
Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh (Contemporary)
Small towns, family dynamics, past hurts, and work all play a part in Walsh’s fabulous story. On the cusp of a job promotion, the last thing Lane Kelley needs is a call demanding she return home to Harbor Pointe, Michigan. But her brother is in the hospital, and her family expects her there, so she goes armed with her cell phone and laptop in order to stay on top of things at work. Childhood friend Ryan Brooks is determined to find the girl he once knew under the hard shell Lane has built around herself for protection.
Beyond Justice and Imperfect Justice by Cara Putman (Legal Suspense)
With engaging characters, fast-paced scenes, and more than enough suspense, Cara Putman’s Hidden Justice series caught me up from the start. Beyond Justice involves a lawyer working her way to partner, a wrongful death case 
against the US Government, and some attempts on Hayden’s life (not to mention her roommate’s attractive and distracting cousin). Imperfect Justice turns the focus to Emilie Wesley (Hayden’s roommate) and her job defending women who are digging their way out of abusive situations. As I get to know this group of female friends working in different areas of law in the DC area, I find I just want to hang out with them more. Good thing there are a couple more ladies we haven’t gotten to delve into yet.
The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright (Dual Time)
There is a lot happening in Wright’s debut novel, yet she manages to keep readers from becoming overwhelmed by a murder (unsolved for decades), a woman who is determined to solve it, a returning love, a potential new romance, and another who has returned to the house of her great-great grandmother in order to heal from loss. While this book has a dark edge to it, it’s not at all creepy. In fact, it makes the book even better.
Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano (Historical)
Another debut and intriguing concept: a story within a story. When Aurelie Harcourt’s father dies, she leaves the debtor’s prison she’s known her entire life to live with her father’s wealthy family, whom she’s never met. She also takes on the task of picking up the stories her father wrote as Nathaniel Droll. As she incorporates her new family’s lives into the story, suspicions and accusations rise. And will Aurelie ever discover what happened to her mother?
The Space Between Words by Michele Phoenix (Contemporary)
I love a book that takes me by surprise. And this one, wow, did it ever! Don’t worry, no spoilers. This book can almost be classified as a Dual Time book since there’s a historical element but it’s minimal in the story. In fact, the book is about Jessica who survived the terrorist attacks in Paris and is not dealing with the personal (both physical and mental) aftermath of that tragedy.
Behind the Scenes and Out of the Ordinary by Jen Turano (Historical)
Jen Turano delivers gilded age humor like no one else. I can’t help but love her quirky heroines and the men who fall in love with them and this group of wallflowers is no exception. And the pickles they find themselves are, more-often-
than-not, laugh-out-loud hilarious.
The opening chapters in Behind the Scenes had me giggling while the attempts at romance in Out of the Ordinary were hilarious.
Warning: If you read an of Turano’s books in public, it’s likely people are going to wonder why you’re smiling!
Vanishing Point by Lisa Harris (Romantic Suspense)
Fans of Harris’s Nikki Boyd series will enjoy this closure to the series. I appreciate that it can almost be read as either a prequel or a sequel to the Nikki Boyd series (if you can over look the fact Nikki is always searching for answers to her sister). While Nikki Boyd makes an appearance in Vanishing Point (of course she does!), she’s not the heroine of this story.
The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay (Contemporary)
I always love Reay’s stories with their touches of literature and their vibrant scenery. When you add references to pretty much every Jane Austen book, I have a new favorite by her! When Mary Davies takes a vacation with her friend to Bath, England they role play some Austen characters, discover truths about each other and themselves, and take an in depth look at relationships. Mary is a delightfully nerdy electrical engineer extraordinaire.
Life After by Katie Ganshert (Contemporary)
Pretty much every time Katie Ganshert writes a new book, it ends up on my “best of” list. Somehow, she gets to the heart of some difficult issues. In Life After, the lone survivor of an attack on an El must come to terms with the fact she lived for a reason. It’s through the families of those lost that she begins to heal.
Crown of Souls by Ronie Kendig (Suspense/Crime/Military)
Not at all my usual genre, but the second book in The Tox Files had me wishing for a big screen to watch the story play out. Paramilitary, alpha males, strong and intelligent females, missing artifacts that can destroy the world, and the detail in the ancient ruins all add to the intensity of this one. (Oh, and can I just say in 2018 we get a story about Goliath’s sword?!)
Cold Terror and Cold Truth by Susan Sleeman (Romantic Suspense)
While I enjoy all of Susan Sleeman’s books, her first foray into the indie arena is super-powered. First is the novella Cold Terror which introduces readers to Cold Harbor, Oregon and Gage Blackwell, the man behind the Blackwell 
Tactical team—a group of ex-military and ex-law enforcement whose injuries prohibit them from continuing in their former roles. But serving and protecting is in their blood, and this team allows them to do just that.
Cold Truth is a full-length story about one of the other team members as the group searches for a biotoxin that has gone missing. The main suspect? The heroine’s twin brother. I didn’t see the villain in this one coming (which, for me, is always a positive in this genre).
The Uncloaked Trilogy: The Uncloaked, Tearing the Veil, Charging the Darkness by J. Rodes (YA Dystopian)
In a world where the US government changes one word in the constitution (instead freedom from religion instead of 
freedom of religion), the youth are most valuable, both to the government and to those who understand the truth of what is going on. Yet, the heroes of this fantastic trilogy are the same ones searching for their identity in a sea of conformity. Real, flawed characters and a driving plot that kept me engaged from beginning to end, this trilogy is one that young people and adults alike should read.
Giveaway
Phew, that is quite the list, but we were definitely blessed with vibrant, engaging, and imaginative stories in the Christian fiction genre this year. Have any of my favorites caught your eye? What were some of your favorites? With all of the 2017 favorites posts, has your TBR list grown? I know mine has! In order to help with that (well, the obtaining the books, not the reading part), I’m giving away a $25.00 Amazon gift card to one of you!
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Great list! I love Susan Sleeman. My biggest stand out of 2017 was Saving Detroit by Michelle Bolanger. A story about sex trafficking done very well.
Happy New Year!
Barb
Oh, sounds like I need to add this one to MY list!
Some great books in this list!
So many books, so little time! lol Some of these are on my to read list already and it looks like I will be adding others. Thank you!
That’s happened to me every time I check out someone else’s 2017 favorites list!
I’ve read several of these books and absolutely loved them, especially the ones by Dani Pettrey. I’d love to check out some of the others in the new year.
Great list I ended up with 153 books and that is not one of my best ! One of my favs was A Game Of Deceit by K.A. Davis it was so good !
Haven’t heard of the K. A. Davis book either! The dangers of asking people what their favorites were is that my TBR continues to grow!
Me too! It just grows and grows!
I love suspense! I have too many to list! So just a few at the top – Rachel Dylan, Lynette Eason, Irene Hannon. Also, Mary Connealy is great historical suspense. 🙂
All great authors!
A lot of these are on my list to read. One of my favorite reads this year was the Flavia deLuce series.
Oh, I’ll have to look up that series. It’s new-to-me.
Hold the Light, Blind Spot, Crown of Souls, Uncloaked trilogy, Beyond Justice….and all the other books on your list are on my TBR pile….
I did love A Name Unknown by Roseanna White (wasn’t it published in 2017?).
Yes, I believe it was a January 2017 release. And I have to say, if you loved A Name Unknown, wait until you read A Song Unheard!! I just finished that one last week.
Looking forward to reading some of these books.
I loved Lady Jayne Disappears!
I’m going to go back through and write these down!
“Life After” and “True to You” were two of my favorites this year as well! So many great books, so little time! Thanks for your list- some great recommendations.
I didn’t read nearly as many books as you! I loved A Man Called Ove and Jen Turano’s Out of the Ordinary.
Lots of great books! Some that I haven’t read yet and will be getting to. Thanks for the give-away.
I read most of these books, and quite a few were also favorites of mine!
I haven’t read Cara Putman’s newest, and am def looking forward to it. I’d also like to read The Austen Escape.
Happy New Year!
One of my favorite series was The Cobbled Court Quilt series by Marie Bostwick. All the books in this series were so good. Even though she is a secular writer she puts her faith into every book she writes. I really enjoyed that.
Suzie, I enjoyed your reviews on these books and you have a few I have been wanting to read! Thanks for writing and thanks for the chance at this giveaway! Happy New Year!
So many great reads! I love Jen Turano’s books. A favorite for me this year was For Love of Liberty by Julie Lessman.
What a fantastic list of books to read I think I daw about ten I would enjoy reading..thanks for a chance
A new year…….and so many new reads!
Never a bad thing!
Oh man, narrowing favorites is hard! I love your list. I’d go with A Court of Wings and Ruin, The Lady and the Lionheart, and anything by Kristi Ann Hunter.
I’ve been trying to get to The Lady and the Lionheart for a year! I’ve heard such fabulous things about it! Maybe 2018 will be my year to read it 🙂
The Amish Beginnings series by Suzanne Woods Fisher. Happy New Year!
A great list! I’m about to start Jen Turano’s Out of the Ordinary and I know I’m in for a fun ride! 🙂
One of my favourite reads from 2016 was Roseanna M. White’s A Name Unknown. And I just bought the next book in the series, A Song Unheard, so I’m excited to dive into that, too!
You are in for a fun ride. And both of Rosanna’s are fabulous (I just finished A Song Unheard this past week.)
I loved True to You by Becky Wade!!
I’m so looking forward to Willow’s story this spring!
I really enjoyed Life After by Katie Ganshert. I have never read a book quite like that. I am making a list of books to read based on your suggestions. Several of the books you listed are books I also enjoyed so I think we have similar tastes in books.
Thanks. Adding some of these to my TBR list.
I am too with these comments 🙂
I do not watch TV either. That is a great list, some of which I have but haven’t had the chance to read. I really want to read The House on Foster Hill. Thank you for the terrific reviews and giveaway opportunity.
I really liked A Note Yet Unsung by Tamara Alexander.
I have this one, just haven’t read it yet!
The Space Between Words was one of my favorite reads this yr too!! ❤️
Chiming in on this thread to say *thank you* for reading The Space Between Words! I love finding out that readers like you love Jessica, Patrick, Grant, Mona and Connor as much as I do..
These books sound great!
One of my favorites was The Austen Escape as well! A few others are Yesterday’s Promise by Michele Paige Homes, the Montana Fire series by Susan May Warren, A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz, and Paige’s Turn by Jennifer Peel.
OH, a couple more I haven’t read yet! So many books so few hours in the day!
Some great looking books on this list! Thanks for posting. I love Jen Turano’s books ~ she makes me chuckle so much. 🙂
My most favorite book I’ve read this year is Out of the Ordinary by Jen Turano because it is one of the most recent books I’ve read and I can remember just how funny and entertaining it was. I have also read a few of the other books on this list. Yes, my TBR list has increased by leaps and bounds this year. Thanks for the giveaway and good luck everyone.
I have a hard time narrowing down my favorites, but I did read and enjoy a lot of the books that you picked.
I have a lengthy list of new books to read now. Thanks!
I have read several of the books on your list and loved them too! Thanks for a great list and some new ideas of books to read in 2018.
Some of these were on my list. I read 127 books this year, but I’m married, raise a garden and can everything I can for winter, so my reading slows down then. Some of my favs were Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green, Bringing Maggie Home by Kim Vogel Sawyer, The Sound of Rain by Sarah Loudin Thomas, etc
Some of my favorite reads were These Healing Hills by Ann Gabhart and A. Name Unknown by Roseanne White! There are lots of good ones on your list!
beneath a scarlet sky
I loved Beartown by Fredrick Backman, For Love or Honor by Sarah M. Eden, Far from the Tree by Robin Benway, Love Remains by Sarah M. Eden, Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer, The Sound of Rain by Sarah Loudin Thomas, Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham, and Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette…as well as tons more but this comment is getting lengthy so I’ll stop 🙂
Haven’t really read many books this year to be honest.. but I always re-read the hobbit once in a while 🙂
I have been loving the My heart belongs in series….. I also loved Lynette Eason’s Oath of Honor.
I have read Cara Putman’s prequel e-book,Dying for Love ( Hidden Justice) , am reading Beyond Justice, and have Imperfect Justice ready to read. Lots on your list are on my to read list. Thanx for the giveaway!!! Happy New Year!!!!
You listed some new to me books/titles. Thanks. And oooh, I loved True to You by Becky Wade. And who could not love Tox? Love The Tox Files.
Loved the River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren.
I have a copy of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck and the whole series by Kristi Ann Hunters on My TBR shelf. I guess that is the difference between reading 30 or so books A year and close to 200!
I read 414 books this year. Most of them were historical fiction with a particular emphasis on Christian authors. I read several great series by Shanna Hatfield, including one series where all of the books are centered around Christmas. Those were probably my favorites of the year. (I challenged myself to read at least 31 Christmas books in December so Shanna’s books really helped me out! lol)
Wow, I am in awe! 414 books.
Wow, that is a great list. A number of those are on my list to pick up soon. A few of my favorites (of the 43 I got read this year) were A Noble Masquerade and A Lady of Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter, Submerged by Dani Pettrey, and Truth Stained Lies by Terri Blackstock.
I loved Beach House For Rent by Mary Alice Monroe.
So many books, not enough hours in the day. Thank you for these recommendations. I need an 8th day reserved for reading!
That’s exactly what we need!!
Jane of Austin was a favorite of mine this year and I just discovered Katherine Reay this year!
I loved ‘Wolf Hollow’ by award-winning author Lauren Wolk. It’s an awesome middle grade historical. Also, I loved ‘The Other Alcott’ by debut author Elise Hooper; a wonderful adult historical about May Alcott, the sister of Author Louisa May Alcott. Thanks for the generous giveaway, Suzie. Happy 2018, everyone!
I read Kristi Ann Hunter and liked her books. I also liked Love or Honor by Sarah Eden, Saving Shadow and a Peculiar Courtship by Laura Beers, Fablehaven Series
My favorite read of 2017 is As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner ( I received an ARC; the book actually will be out in February 2018).
I read and loved most of the ones on your list. I haven’t read either of Cara Putman’s, but they sound wonderful. I haven’t read The Writing Desk, either, but I’ve heard great things about it. I loved Lady Jayne Disappears, Life After, The House on Foster Hill. I still have a few of these in my TBR pile. It looks like we have similar reading taste.
I have several! 🙂 Stars in the Grass by Anne Marie Stewart, Life After by Katie Ganshert, Sweetbrair Cottage by Denise Hunter, and The Promise of Breeze Hill by Pam Hillman. There are many more, of course, but these stand out to me the most this year.
Thank you for the gift card giveaway chance, Suzie!
I read quite a few that you read; however, the one that touched my heart the deepest was The Space Between Words.
If I **had** to pick my favorite out of this list, it would probably be Hold the Light by April McGowan
I’m so honored, L Shuck! 🙂
I read Holiday Secrets twice. I really liked it.
One of my favorite set of books I read this year was The Bronze Horseman Trilogy by Paullina Simons. It was one of the best I’ve ever read. One book from the list I want to read is An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter.
I like The Vicar’s Daughter!
I also just love to read the Bible.
Mine has been more educational reading. I have been reading one of the books by Jackie Hernandez titled, “Free Decorating.” It has been helpful in learning to decorate our home.
Thanks so very much for including both Still Life and Blind Spot. So honored to make your awesome list!!!!
I think the most thought provoking and challenging read for me this year was Just Mercy by Brian Stevenson; I highly recommend that everyone read it. From a lighthearted fiction standpoint I just finished The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and enjoyed it far more than I expected to!
Beneath a Scarlet Sky and The Obsession were 2 of my favorites.
The Things We Keep by Sally Hepworth. The story of a woman’s early onset of Alzheimer’s disease at a young age and finds romance in an assisted living facility.
My best read this year – Camino Island by John Grisham.
I am an avid fan of his.
thank you
I read the last two books of the Wingfeather Series by Andrew Peterson.
I liked Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
I am so, so honored that The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck made your list! Thank you so much. ❤️