If you saw my ever growing to-be-read pile, you might wonder how I choose what to read next. Often it comes back to which authors I’ve come to trust. The ones I know I’ll enjoy a good story that I can’t put down. A week ago I read a couple by some of my favorite authors and I thoroughly enjoyed each book.

A Cowboy’s Touch is the latest novel by my friend Denise Hunter. You may have read her Nantucket Love Stories. Now she’s moved to Big Sky country in Montana. I usually see a book with a cowboy and groan, but because Denise wrote it, I knew I had to give A Cowboy’s Touch a chance. Denise accomplished her mission of writing a compelling romance with layer after layer of conflict that makes for a page-turner. Abigail Jones is sent to Moose Creek, MT, by her mom and sister for health reasons. She needs a break from her job and the big city. But the truthseeker literally stumbles onto a story that could save her Mom’s dying magazine. The only problem is it will mean betraying the family she’s working for as a nanny.

As I read, I cared deeply about Abigail and Wade, but really wanted to see Maddy get her heart’s desire. I also wondered how many times I’ve worked as hard as Wade to protect those I love…to the point it became an obsession. And how many times have I taken on Abigail’s burden of feeling like I was the only one who could make something right. Even when it wasn’t all up to me. Great book, with deep layers of truth. Be sure to check out an excerpt here.

Don’t you love the baby!

The next book I picked up was one Mindy Starns Clark wrote with Leslie Gould. I have been a fan of Mindy’s since I first discovered her Million Dollar Mysteries series (which rumor has it are getting ready to rerelease. Yeah!!!!). Mindy and Leslie pulled off what I would think is the hardest part of co-authoring…making a book read like it was authored by one person. I was so impressed with the way this first person book was seamless.

Nurse Midwife Lexie Jaeger’s father dies which sends are on the hunt for her birth family. She takes what she thinks is a detour to help Marta Bayer, a midwife who is in trouble with the law. This plants Lexie firmly in the middle of Pennsylvania Amish country and what feels like a detour may not be one after all.

This book is set in an Amish location, but really shows the difference between Mennonite and Amish. The Amish was a detail, but not really the driver of the plot — I actually prefer the way Mindy does that in her books. I also liked how the theme of Demut (To let be) wove through the story. Can Lexie let the past go, or must she push through to find answers? And how many lives will be uprooted in the process? Is it worth the hurt to find the truth?

The characters are richly drawn and I was completely engaged in the search from page one. I cared deeply and had to know how things would turn out. And now I have to know what happens to Ada. But I have a feeling that story will be in the next book.

Thank you to the publishers for the books… the opinions are mine.