Doss Chambers’ dreams of having his own restaurant crash and burn after a lapse of judgment leads to a fatal accident. Doss pays for his mistake, but starting over with a criminal record isn’t always easy. He’s lucky to have the support of his family, and he’s working hard to fulfill the dream he’s never given up on. If only he could cook… Henri Courtan is a vampire with a checkered past, as well as being the best pastry chef in Paris. Searching for a place to belong, he ends up cooking for a group of vampires with a penchant for human food. The last thing he expected was to fall in love. But then he accepts a special delivery and logic goes right out the window. Two men trying to make fresh starts—will their pasts bring them closer together or keep them at arm’s length?
She knew trouble when she saw it, and he was definitely trouble. After spending years dealing with her flighty mother, a café on the edge of ruin, a misbehaving backyard fountain, and tea that may or may not be increasing the libido of her elderly neighbors, Fiona Campbell has had enough. She’s ready to move out, get away from her mother and all the craziness that accompanies her, and start a life of her own. The last thing she needs is another complication, especially one like Matthew Monroe. When he walks through their door with a guitar on his back and a sexy gleam in his eyes, Fiona knows she should stay away. She doesn’t trust him, or his motives, but there is something about Matthew that draws her close, against her better judgment. And when disaster strikes, it seems he’s the only one she can turn to for help. But Matthew represents all the things she’s spent a lifetime trying to escape. She has her future mapped out in detail, including what kind of man she should date. She wants safety and predictability, but could it be that the best thing that ever happened to her is the one thing she never planned on?
A “moving and memorable” novel about a cafe where everyone has a story to tell from the award-winning author of The Women of Brewster Place (The Boston Globe). In post–World War II Brooklyn, on a quiet backstreet, there’s a little place that draws people from all over—not for the food, and definitely not for the coffee. An in-between place that’s only there when you need it, Bailey’s Cafe is a crossroads where patrons stay for a while before making a choice: Move on or check out? In this novel, National Book Award–winning author Gloria Naylor’s expertly crafted characters experience a journey full of beauty and heartbreak. Touching on gender, race, and the African American experience, Bailey’s Cafe is “a sublime achievement” about the resilience of the human spirit (People).
What if you could ask God anything? What would you ask, and how would He answer? Chelsea Chambers is on her own. After a public split from her NFL superstar husband, Chelsea takes a bold step out of the limelight and behind the counter of the Higher Grounds Café, an old-fashioned coffee shop in dire need of reinvention. But when her courage, expert planning, and out-of-this-world cupcakes fail to pay the bills, this newly single mom finds herself desperate for help. Better yet, a miracle. Then a curious stranger lands on Chelsea’s doorstep, and with him, an even more curious string of events. Soon, customers are flocking to the Higher Grounds Café, and not just for the cupcakes and cappuccino. They’ve come for the internet connection to the divine. Now the café has become the go-to place for people in search of answers to life’s biggest questions. When a catastrophe strikes and her ex comes calling, Chelsea begins to wonder if the whole universe is conspiring against her quest to make it on her own. After a shocking discovery opens her eyes to the unseen world around her, Chelsea finds the courage to ask God a question of her own—and heaven answers in a most unexpected way. “Max Lucado’s remarkable gift of storytelling brings the pages to life in his novel Miracle at the Higher Grounds Café. This highly relatable story of working through heartache and standing firm on your faith is intertwined with a good dose of humor and overflowing with biblical truth. This message will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page.” —Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author of The Best Yes and It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way “Step inside the Higher Grounds Café, a place brimming with whop, a heaping helping of comfort food, and a direct line to heaven. Where faith lives, all things are possible, for a family, a community, and one woman who wasn’t sure she had the courage to believe again.” —Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours “Now, here is the in-depth breakdown on why YOU will love it: First of all, Max Lucado is the best. Of course, angels, miracles and neighborhood cafés are also at the top of the list. Most of us love stories and according to statistics, 54% of us actually love coffee. So, there! Read Miracle at the Higher Grounds Café immediately. It’s a story by Max Lucado about an angel and the miracle performed for some folks (who drink coffee) in a cool neighborhood café. Can a book even get any better than this? I don’t think so.” —Andy Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of The Noticer and The Traveler’s Gift Full-length inspirational novel USA TODAY bestseller Includes discussion questions for book clubs
Placed on a medical leave of absence from her job as a special agent in the National Protection and Investigation Unit, Mikala Flynn is a woman on the edge—guilt-ridden, depressed, battling war wounds and personal demons. The world and the relationships as she knew them no longer exist. Now, the streets of New York, the bottle, and anonymous sex have become her solace. In the midst of a fire escape bender, Flynn overhears her crazy-like-a-fox grandmother and her art-world cronies planning a daring theft of a valuable historical document. Eventually Flynn crashes the party and agrees to take on the heist herself. Along the way, Flynn runs into, both literally and figuratively, her now wheelchair-bound best friend, an alluring, mysterious thief who throws multiple wrenches into the works, and the ex-love of her life. Can Flynn pull off the job without falling victim to vodka and lost love…and somehow begin to find herself again along the way?
“T. I. Lowe has crafted a terrific novel with characters to root for. This author is one to watch!” —Francine Rivers, New York Times bestselling author of The Masterpiece When a damaged young woman is given a chance to reclaim her life in a small Southern town, she must reckon with the dark secrets she left behind in order to accept the love she deserves. On the run from a violent past, Leah Allen arrived in tiny Rivertown, South Carolina, battered and broken, but ready to reinvent herself. By a stroke of fate, Leah is drawn to the Southern hospitality of a small café, looking for a warm meal but finding so much more. Lulu, the owner, offers her a job, a place to stay, and a new lease on life. Leah quickly finds herself embraced by the quaint community as she tries to put herself back together. Soon Leah meets Crowley Mason, the most eligible bachelor in town. A lawyer and friend of Lulu’s, Crowley is wary of Leah’s sudden, mysterious arrival. Despite his reserve, something sparks between them that can’t be denied. But after all she’s been through, can Leah allow herself to truly love and be loved, especially when her first urge is to run? Exploring the resiliency of both the heart and the spirit, Lulu’s Café gorgeously illustrates how old scars can finally heal no matter how deep they seem. Features of Lulu’s Café include Clean Christian romance Discussion questions for book groups Playlist inspired by the book
Wayne Grady, and his wife Merilyn Simonds embark on a road trip across the United States and discover a country different from the one they thought they knew.
