9 books like The Calgary Chronicles

Without a Front combines two of the genres I enjoy most: a heart-warming romance with three-dimensional characters and a well-written sci-fi novel with amazing world-building. The culture and history of Alsea, a planet of empaths, is portrayed in fascinating detail, but it never distracts from the love story. I fell in love not only with the world but also its characters, most of all Salomen, a stubborn farm owner who is a worthy opponent and eventual love interest for Tal, the ruler of Alsea. 

This book is the epitome of a slow-burn romance, so as a reader, you get to know both main characters—small-town doctor Maddie and new-in-town librarian Syd—really well and fall in love with them as you watch them slowly fall in love with each other. The author has a unique sense of humor, and the witty banter between Maddie and Syd made me laugh out loud several times. 

Ask, Tell is the story of Captain Sabine Fleischer, a surgeon in the US Army during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era. The book is told entirely from Sabine’s point of view, so as a reader, I could really feel her pining for her superior officer, stunning and competent Colonel Rebecca Keane. It’s a story that will make you laugh and cry and understand much better what LGBT+ people serving in the military went through during that time. 

Breaking Character is a lesbian celebrity romance, but it’s also so much more than that. The main character, icy British actress Elizabeth, is in the closet for fear of risking her career. When she meets her younger colleague Summer, she starts letting someone close for the first time—and the result is a romance that is sizzling and sweet at the same time. 

If you like age-gap romances with a fake relationship and well-written characters, this is a great introduction to Lee Winter’s books.

By the time I read Courageous Souls, I had, through a combination of reading and metaphysical experiences, developed a deep belief in the survival and reincarnation of souls.

So, encountering the ten personal stories contained within the book did not introduce me to anything new. What it did, however, was dive deeper into questions that have plagued philosophers and theologians.

Why do some people stumble through life, and others float blithely above universal chaos? How do we square the concept of a loving Creator with all the evils which escaped Pandora’s Box, and haunt humanity? Is it possible that we truly choose personal adversities to be part of our lifetime? And if so, why?

This book further expanded my growing understanding of the spiritual soul choices that guide all incarnations.

As part of my metaphysical quest, I had several readings through a medium my sister-in-law recommended.

In the second reading, my late husband came through loud and clear, and I was given a recommendation to read Echoes of the Soul. When I read it, it was as if I remembered it, rather than reading it for the first time. I understand this book, too, was a soul signal I set before birth that kept me moving toward my destiny.

My wife and I had the opportunity several years later to attend a seminar Echo Bodine conducted in Atlanta, and Echo was as impressive in person as on the pages of Echoes of the Soul.

In October 2004, I tuned the television to the series, Unsolved Mysteries, to provide background noise while I had lunch.

When George Anderson’s story was featured, I was riveted, and ordered We Don’t Die as soon as the show ended. That led me to a myriad of other metaphysical books and experiences, and a fascination that has not waned in the nearly two decades since I first heard of George and his ability to speak with those who have passed from physical life.

As I have learned over the years, it was not by accident that I saw that TV show. It was a soul signal that I’d set for myself before birth, to guide me to a new phase of my life.

I’ve never read a series that made me feel both highly spiritual and completely grounded like Michael Newton’s Soul series did. These books shifted everything for me. They helped me see that my struggles—and even the difficult people in my life—from a higher perspective. This is when I began to understand that this life isn’t supposed to be all rainbows and butterflies.

Life here on Earth is a school, and we’re all here to learn. These books helped me remember that we’ve all played every role—every gender, every skin color, the villain, and the hero. I come back to them when I need perspective, when I forget that challenges are part of the soul’s evolution, and when I need a reminder to not take things here too seriously. They didn’t just change how I think—they changed how I feel about being human.

I loved this book because it led me on a journey to discover my own past lives, something I never even knew was possible before reading this book! Once I read the words of Dr. Brian Weiss, I knew I had to do a regression myself.

Through this process, I realized there were things I hadn’t finished in past lifetimes and that I came back once again to complete my mission. It also helped me understand that some of the souls I know now are souls I’ve known before. After this book I felt a sense of oneness, not only with my mission, but with my friends, family and the Divine.