Here are 64 books that True Devotion fans have personally recommended if you like True Devotion. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Life Flight

Rebecca Hartt Author Of Returning to Eden

From my list on Christian military romance about overcoming fear.

Why am I passionate about this?

My passion and expertise for writing Christian Military Romance stems from the fact that I was a military wife—twice. My first husband, an Army officer died eight years into our marriage. I then married a petty officer in the Navy—all this on top of growing up all over the world as my father worked in the foreign service. As someone who views the world through the lens of faith and who relies on God to overcome hardship, I'm convinced that the elite warriors who protect us and who fight giants on our behalf must also rely on faith. Tie all those elements together, and, voilá, you have a Rebecca Hartt Acts of Valor book!

Rebecca's book list on Christian military romance about overcoming fear

Rebecca Hartt Why Rebecca loves this book

This story features an EMS helicopter pilot and an FBI special investigator—so no Navy SEALs, but I can’t help but have huge respect for either of these other occupations.

Penny, the pilot, is forced to land her chopper on a mountain in a raging storm with a critical patient inside and a serial killer unleashing havoc in the area so remote that cell phones don’t work. Thank goodness for FBI special investigator Holt Satterfield! The two of them have their hands full making sure they—and everyone else—survive.

Lynette Eason’s books are more thrillers than romance, yet she is really good at weaving the faith element—after all, when things are as terrifying as they are in this story, there’s a prayer on your lips the whole time.

It may not be a book you want to read right before bedtime, but if you love drama and you can handle the harsher…

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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of Vanished

Rebecca Hartt Author Of Returning to Eden

From my list on Christian military romance about overcoming fear.

Why am I passionate about this?

My passion and expertise for writing Christian Military Romance stems from the fact that I was a military wife—twice. My first husband, an Army officer died eight years into our marriage. I then married a petty officer in the Navy—all this on top of growing up all over the world as my father worked in the foreign service. As someone who views the world through the lens of faith and who relies on God to overcome hardship, I'm convinced that the elite warriors who protect us and who fight giants on our behalf must also rely on faith. Tie all those elements together, and, voilá, you have a Rebecca Hartt Acts of Valor book!

Rebecca's book list on Christian military romance about overcoming fear

Rebecca Hartt Why Rebecca loves this book

Two sentences into Vanished, and I was hooked!

I have to admit, I’m a tough sell when it comes to the genre I write. But Ms. Hannon is an excellent writer. She never “tells”; she “shows”. Her characters are motivated by their faith, just like I am. While Irene Hannon does not feature military heroes in her stories, her police detectives display the same level of discipline and willingness to take on danger.

She has done her research and portrays realistic investigations. Her heroine is a mature, complex individual—someone I would like to meet and befriend. And the romance that blossoms between Moira and Cal is natural and touching.

This is also a second-chance romance, which gets me every time. The only way it could be better would be to throw a kid into the story. 

By Irene Hannon ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Vanished as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Reporter Moira Harrisons is lost. In the dark. In a thunderstorm. When a confusing detour places her on a rural, wooded road, she's startled by the sudden appearance of a lone figure caught in the beam of her headlights. Though Moira jams on her brakes, the car careens across the wet pavement--and the solid thump against the side of the vehicle tells her she hit the person before she crashes into a tree on the far side of the road.

A dazed Moira is relieved when a man opens her door, tells her he saw everything, and promises to call…


Book cover of Without a Trace: The Rock Harbor Series

Rebecca Hartt Author Of Returning to Eden

From my list on Christian military romance about overcoming fear.

Why am I passionate about this?

My passion and expertise for writing Christian Military Romance stems from the fact that I was a military wife—twice. My first husband, an Army officer died eight years into our marriage. I then married a petty officer in the Navy—all this on top of growing up all over the world as my father worked in the foreign service. As someone who views the world through the lens of faith and who relies on God to overcome hardship, I'm convinced that the elite warriors who protect us and who fight giants on our behalf must also rely on faith. Tie all those elements together, and, voilá, you have a Rebecca Hartt Acts of Valor book!

Rebecca's book list on Christian military romance about overcoming fear

Rebecca Hartt Why Rebecca loves this book

Can you imagine losing your entire family to a plane accident? That’s what the heroine of this first-in-a-series book by Colleen Coble has to deal with.

With so many unanswered questions, Bree Nichols puts her K-9 search-and-rescue skills to work, looking for the bodies of her husband and son in the wilderness of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Having been widowed young, my heart went out to her from the start.

Working with Park Ranger Kade Mathews, Bree stumbles upon a terrible crime that may be linked to the plane crash. I think this book speaks to the importance of never giving up on faith and hope, even when everything looks absolutely bleak.

The best thing about Ms. Coble’s books is her character development. The pacing is less of a thriller than a cozy mystery with a good dose of romance. While lacking a military hero, I do like that there is…

By Colleen Coble ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Without a Trace as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When a plane crash claims her husband and son, Bree Nichols and her search-and-rescue dog won't rest until they recover the bodies. But when quiet Rock Harbor is shaken by a violent crime, Bree discovers links to her husband's fatal accident. Would solving this crime bring her peace-or more incredibly, reunite her family?

It's been months since the crash. K-9 search-and-rescue worker Bree Nicholls knows the chances of finding her husband and son in the vast wilderness of Michigan's Upper Peninsula grow more remote by the day. But her heart and her faithful dog, Samson, demand she keep searching.

Deep…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of The Way of the Brave

Elizabeth Goddard Author Of Shadows at Dusk

From my list on Christian stories that take readers to stunning locations.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m always inspired by nature. I’m sure that’s because my parents always took us to beautiful places on our summer vacations. I enjoyed snorkeling in Florida, hiking in the Rockies, exploring at Yellowstone National Park, to name a few places. I’ve never forgotten how in awe I was at seeing such beauty, and when I started writing romantic suspense novels, it seemed natural to look for a setting that not only inspired me to write but would lend to the suspense and tension aspect of my novels as well as provide an exciting adventure. Even now, when we travel and explore, it’s always setting that inspires me with new story ideas.

Elizabeth's book list on Christian stories that take readers to stunning locations

Elizabeth Goddard Why Elizabeth loves this book

Again, another title that really grabbed me. I absolutely adored this book about former pararescue jumper Orion Star who lives in Alaska and his romance with the CIA profiler he met while on a mission overseas.

Jenny decides she wants to climb Denali! The tallest mountain in North America doesn’t always play nice so Orion must rescue her. I loved every minute of this story, especially all the details the author includes about climbing this mountain as if she’d done it herself. Who knows—maybe she did. 

By Susan May Warren ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Way of the Brave as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Former pararescue jumper Orion Starr is haunted by the memory of a rescue gone wrong. He may be living alone in Alaska now, but the pain of his failure--and his injuries--has followed him there from Afghanistan. He has no desire to join Hamilton Jones's elite rescue team, but he also can't shirk his duty when the call comes in to rescue three lost climbers on Denali.

Former CIA profiler and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun's yearly extreme challenge with her best friends is her only escape from the guilt that has sunk its claws into her. As a consultant during a top-secret…


Book cover of The Illuminator

Deborah Swift Author Of The Poison Keeper: An enthralling historical novel of Renaissance Italy

From my list on historical fiction to immerse you in the old skills of artisans and craftspeople.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a historical fiction author but have always enjoyed actually making things as well as writing. In the past, I was a theatre designer, so I was often immersed in recreating antique objects for the stage. Our versions weren’t the real thing–but it meant researching old crafts and then imitating them to build a convincing fake version. My research filled me with great admiration and respect for the real craftsmen of the past–their skill and artistry, and I only have to look at our old cathedrals–so lovingly created, to be inspired all over again.

Deborah's book list on historical fiction to immerse you in the old skills of artisans and craftspeople

Deborah Swift Why Deborah loves this book

I loved the portrait of late 14th-century feudal England in this story of a master illuminator and his forbidden English translation of the Bible.

There are not many books set in this period, and it really immersed me in the time. Lady Kathryn of Blackingham Manor is a character that is both strong and vulnerable, and I was really rooting for her and for her relationship with Finn, the craftsman, to work out. The monastic life is excellently described, as is the craft of illumination.

This is a book that stayed with me for a long time with its rich portrayal of the past.

By Brenda Rickman Vantrease ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Illuminator as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A glowing first novel that brings us "historical fiction in the grand epic manner, beautifully felt and written"

It is England, in the fourteenth century -- a time of plague, political unrest and the earliest stirrings of the Reformation. The printing press had yet to be invented, and books were rare and costly, painstakingly lettered by hand and illuminated with exquisite paintings. Finn is a master illuminator who works not only for the Church but also, in secret, for John Wycliffe of Oxford, who professes the radical idea that the Bible should be translated into English for everyone to read.…


Book cover of The Essex Serpent

Juliana Adelman Author Of The Grateful Water

From my list on historical novels set on rivers or estuaries.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a historian who recently started writing historical fiction. A few years ago, while writing my most recent academic book about 19th C Dublin, I became frustrated with the limitations of what I felt I could write about. I had a lot of sense of the atmosphere of the city that didn’t really fit into the way an academic book is constructed. So, I ended up trying my hand at historical fiction, wanting to give a real sense of place that I felt to be true but which was also a product of my imagination. One of my favorite things about reading novels has always been this sense of place. 

Juliana's book list on historical novels set on rivers or estuaries

Juliana Adelman Why Juliana loves this book

I love the central female character in this book, Cora Seaborne, who can swing between admirable and ridiculous over the course of a page. I love the dark atmosphere created by the marshes of the Blackwater, where Cora is determined to find evidence of a mysterious creature presumed by locals to be malevolent.

The estuary is a menacing presence in reality (people and animals are sucked in and lost in times of bad weather) and in the imaginations of the villagers. I also love the way that this provides a backdrop for various tumults of the soul experienced by the characters as Cora crashes into the settled lives of a local minister and his family, wreaking accidental havoc.

By Sarah Perry ,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Essex Serpent as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Now a major Apple TV series starring Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston

THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER

'A blissful novel of unapologetic appetites ... here is a writer who understands life' JESSIE BURTON, author of THE MINIATURIST

London, 1893. When Cora Seaborne's controlling husband dies, she steps into her new life as a widow with as much relief as sadness. Along with her son Francis - a curious, obsessive boy - she leaves town for Essex, in the hope that fresh air and open space will provide refuge.

On arrival, rumours reach them that the mythical Essex Serpent, once…


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of A Streetcar Named Desire

Sayed H. Rohani Author Of Wedding in the Sandcastle

From my list on exploring emotional conspiracies and the heavy toll they take on relationships.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a man of principles. I have suffered from life's hardships and enjoyed its beauty. I have always been patient, modest, peaceful, and conscientious. I have written seventeen books, including fiction and nonfiction. My writings reflect social injustice, political corruption, and psychological dilemmas, focusing on aesthetic phenomena and universal qualities such as truth, justice, humanity, morality, freedom, beauty, and more. With this background, I am recommending the following five books because they display conspiratorial relationships between individuals, resulting in a heavy toll that impacts the relationships.

Sayed's book list on exploring emotional conspiracies and the heavy toll they take on relationships

Sayed H. Rohani Why Sayed loves this book

This book is an amalgam of different experiences. DuBoi Blanch, from an elite upbringing, comes to stay with his sister Stella, who criticizes him as “sub-human” and “coarse.” The book exposes distinct cultures, attitudes, and conflicts, displaying aristocratic and ordinary lifestyles. 

I love the book because it delves deeply into emotional conspiracies, introducing desire, which is the most conspicuous and established component of emotion and has been presented both physically and mentally. Suspense is hanging in the air as we see the initial sexual assault being perpetrated by Blanche’s brother-in-law. 

The story's conclusion serves to underscore the theme that unchecked desire can lead to downfall or suffering, highlighting the inherent risks and moral dilemmas associated with pursuing one's ambitions without considering the broader implications. It provides a moral lesson or insight into the human condition, showing how the choices driven by desire can shape the course of our lives and…

By Tennessee Williams ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Streetcar Named Desire as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

It is a very short list of 20th-century American plays that continue to have the same power and impact as when they first appeared-57 years after its Broadway premiere, Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire is one of those plays. The story famously recounts how the faded and promiscuous Blanche DuBois is pushed over the edge by her sexy and brutal brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski. Streetcar launched the careers of Marlon Brando, Jessica Tandy, Kim Hunter and Karl Malden, and solidified the position of Tennessee Williams as one of the most important young playwrights of his generation, as well as that…


Book cover of Widowed. Rants, Raves and Randoms

Rachel Blythe Kodanaz Author Of Finding Peace, One Piece at a Time: What to Do with Your and a Loved One's Personal Possessions

From my list on embracing life’s challenges.

Why am I passionate about this?

Rachel is a heart-minded professional specializing in current and relevant approaches in support of individuals and workplaces following a loss or trauma. She is a best-selling author, seasoned keynote speaker, and business consultant. She began her career serving in management of Fortune 500 companies, overcoming her own adversity following the sudden death of her husband while raising a 2-year-old. She was immediately confronted with the see-saw created when personal and professional trajectories collide, giving her the opportunity to provide invaluable insights about loss. Her books include best-selling Living with Loss One Day at a Time, Finding Peace, and Grief in the Workplace: A Comprehensive Guide for Being Prepared.

Rachel's book list on embracing life’s challenges

Rachel Blythe Kodanaz Why Rachel loves this book

Widowed. Rants, Raves and Randoms is a great read for widows and widowers, but really anyone that had a loss or knows of someone that has. It's excellently written, easy to read, and thoroughly engaging but mostly will make your heart smile. A beautifully told, heartbreaking love story, but mostly it will leave you with optimism and lingering warmth. It gives one hope that brighter days are ahead and love survives, even in death.

By John Polo ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Widowed. Rants, Raves and Randoms as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Join Hope & Empowerment Coach, author and speaker, John Polo, as he takes you on a journey into the mind of a young widower in this unique and eclectic book. You will laugh. You will cry. You will question why. “This is the best grief book I have read. Ever.” – Phyllis “You sir have found your calling. OMG! You have no idea what your book has just done for me.” – Jennifer “This book made me cry so hard, and then laugh even harder. Have Kleenex ready and go pee before you start. Because you won’t want to put…


Book cover of Safekeeping: Some True Stories from a Life

Rachel Krentzman Author Of As Is

From my list on transforming pain and trauma into wisdom through presence and mindfulness.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a physical therapist, certified yoga therapist, and Hakomi practitioner who has spent over twenty-five years helping people heal from physical and emotional pain through the integration of yoga, mindfulness and western medicine. My passion for this topic comes from my own transformation—moving through trauma and burnout into a life guided by mindfulness, movement, and compassion. I’ve seen again and again that presence is the medicine that changes everything. Writing and teaching about this path feels like offering others the same lifeline that once saved me.

Rachel's book list on transforming pain and trauma into wisdom through presence and mindfulness

Rachel Krentzman Why Rachel loves this book

I fell in love with Abigail Thomas’s memoir, her wise voice and writing style.

Her brief vignettes capture the sacredness of ordinary moments: a dog on the couch, a shared meal, a loss remembered. She taught me that healing isn’t dramatic; it’s built quietly through presence and acceptance.

Reading Safekeeping feels like sitting with a friend who has lived, grieved, and found peace in the small details that hold a life together.  

By Abigail Thomas ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Safekeeping as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A beautifully crafted and inviting account of one woman’s life, Safekeeping offers a sublimely different kind of autobiography. Setting aside a straightforward narrative in favor of brief passages of vivid prose, Abigail Thomas revisits the pivotal moments and the tiny incidents that have shaped her life: pregnancy at 18; single motherhood (of three!) by the age of 26; the joys and frustrations of three marriages; and the death of her second husband, who was her best friend. The stories made of these incidents are startling in their clarity and reassuring in their wisdom.

This is a book in which silence…


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Book cover of Old Man Country

Old Man Country by Thomas R. Cole,

This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world’s most famous heart surgeon.

In these and other intimate conversations, the book…

Book cover of Flirting With The Beast

Susan Cochran Author Of The Interview

From my list on books that capture the feeling of love and romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been reading romance novels since I was a teenager. Love is a universal feeling, and there is no better emotion in the world than falling in love. While I read a variety of novels in different genres, I always come back to read romance. I write romance as I believe we all deal with different things in our daily lives, but an emotional connection and love bring us all together and make the world a better place to live in.

Susan's book list on books that capture the feeling of love and romance

Susan Cochran Why Susan loves this book

I loved this "later in life" romance with the main characters being in their fifties and early sixties.

A novel filled with plenty of steam, humor, and passion. Widow Andi McDermott retreats to her mountain cabin at Christmas and runs into her grumpy neighbor, Wolf Enders. An instant attraction sparks between them neither can ignore.

Wolf is a military veteran who is intimidating and has a soft spot for the widowed Andy, as well as an aversion to committing to a woman. Intensely emotional, this novel focuses on family issues, love, and learning to trust again. A well-written novel I recommend.

By Jane Porter ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Flirting With The Beast as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A woman expecting to spend the holidays alone finds warmth in the iciest man she knows in this steamy and charming later-in-life romance by New York Times bestselling author Jane Porter.
 
It’s been five years since Andi McDermott lost her husband, and she's finally starting to feel like herself again, ready to live fully—she’s even started dating again. But when her holiday plans with her stepson and his fiancée fall through, she refuses to spend another Christmas alone while everyone is celebrating with their families. Impulsively, she decides to go up to her cabin in Lake Arrowhead, a place she…


Book cover of Life Flight
Book cover of Vanished
Book cover of Without a Trace: The Rock Harbor Series

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Interested in widows, US Navy SEALs, and the United States Navy?

Widows 92 books
US Navy SEALs 32 books