May New Releases + Giveaway

It’s a new Best Reads blog tradition! Celebrating the month’s new releases the first week of each month.

Because I recently discovered that a book’s success or failure is often determined by first month sales! (Though I bet preorders play into that as well.) Publishing houses look at those stats to determine whether they’ll add on to a series or accept the author’s next manuscript! All that literary goodness hanging in the balance but for a month’s worth of sales! (This was a cozy mystery author, but I imagine all traditional publishers use the same ‘system’.) So, I thought I should do my wee little bit to promote Christian Fiction.

By hosting a special “Hello — insert month” giveaway. It’s easy to play along. You just have to choose one of the May 2025 new releases on your TBR wishlist (must be Christian Fiction) and mention the title in a comment below (or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca.) If your name is drawn, that May release is the book you will win and we’re one book count closer to keeping our fave authors in business.

69 thoughts on “May New Releases + Giveaway”

  1. MADISYN CARLIN’S SHATTERED REDEMPTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CAUSE MY SWEET MARCUS BABY IS *FINALLY* GETTING HIS OWN BOOK AND IT IS GOING TO BE *INCREDIBLE*!!!!!!! AND ALL OF THE NIGHT GUARD BOYSES WILL BE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Shattered Redemption is the fourth (and final book—unless I have anything to say about it 😁) in The Shattered Lands series. It’s a nonmagical Christian Fantasy Fairy tale retelling about discovering His healing and forgiving those who’ve hurt you. There are strong brotherhood themes and BEAUTIFUL clean romance!!!! Madi’s books always have heart-wrenching plot lines, inspiring themes, and characters you will root for!

    Shattered Redemption is my MOST anticipated read this year!!!!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ha! I can tell you’re not excited about this book release at all. 🙂 The fourth in the series? Hmmmm….do you think the books need to be read in order? I do love fairytale retellings! Good luck, Courtney!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. This series should definitely be read in order. You could probably start with either book 0.5 (Shattered Revision) or book 1 (Shattered Reflection), but aside from that, yes, definitely read them in order. WHEN you read them I NEED to know how much you love them!!!!!!!! (Disliking them isn’t an option *grins*)

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  2. Yay May! Kav, hope you’re able to start working in your yard. I saw a FB friend’s lovely, pink cherry tree a few days ago & was so glad for her that Spring had finally arrived in MI & she said they had a freeze that morning. Ugh I thought about you & was hoping that wasn’t the case in Ca. April was frost-free for us, so flowers are popping up & grass is greening up! 😃 Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

    The Pursuit of Elena Bradford by Ann H. Gabhart (May 6)

    dianalflowers at aol dot com 

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The weather is just plain strange. Two days ago it went up to 27 (80 F) and we had wicked thunderstorms. Then the temps plunged down to zero overnight and only got up to about 8 yesterday. Supposed to warm up a bit over the next few days but we definitely aren’t in the frost freeze zone yet. I have been playing in my garden though. Transplanted my leeks and battled periwinkle and divided daisies. 🙂 Good luck, Diane!

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      1. Do I need to clean my reading glasses? For a minute I thought you said from 80 to 8. 😳 How does that even happen? Periwinkles are fun little flowers that seem to pop up everywhere & sure don’t stay little. Zinnias also came up w/ my daisies & I don’t remember even planting them last year. Sometimes they bloom every other year so maybe I planted them a couple of yrs ago. I just don’t remember ever having any this color. Oh well, this is a book blog not a garden blog! Sorry. But books and flowers are two of my favorite things!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. When stray flowers appear in my garden I always figure a squirrel with a green paw did a little rearranging around the neighbourhood. 🙂 Totally crazy weather. Freezing today but at least I didn’t work up a sweat in the garden plus no lannoying bite-y bugs to contend with. 🙂

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  3. This was a hard one because I have several in May I’d LOVE to read. Finally decided top of the list would be A LESSON IN PROPRIETY by Jen Turano if I were so lucky as to be chosen. It has a release date of May 20, 2025.

    Thank you for the chance to win a copy!

    2clowns at arkansas dot net

    Liked by 1 person

  4. One I’m very excited about is “Heart’s Aweigh” by Shannon Sue Dunlap!!! I read the first one for judging in a readers contest and was absolutely charmed by the “Shippers”, those pesky septuagenarian matchmakers who live onboard the cruise ship. They really are charmers but very determined to make sure everyone in their radar is happily in love…..hilarious 😂😂

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yessss!!! Love Overboard was such a fun surprise. And you’re right, those Shippers are a hoot. And, a bet since they are matchmaking a new couple every book this is a series that will easily be read out of order. Hope it’s a long, long, long series! Good luck, Trixi!

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  5. Im going to choose A Lesson in Propriety by Jen Turano. I could definitely use a laugh rn lol. There are so many good releases this month! Here are a few others in case others are interested or need to build their TBR

    Sporting for Love by Candace Patterson

    The Pursuit of Elena Bradford by Ann Gabhart

    Freedom’s Distant Frontier by Lacy Williams

    Capture the Moment by Suzanne Fischer

    The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender by Kylee Woodley

    The Discarded Companion by Rosanne Lortz

    Like the Air After Rain by Kellyn Roth

    To Kiss A Knight by Grace Hitchcock

    Bodies and Battlements by Elizabeth Penney

    The Angel of Second Street by Barbara Blakey

    The Shop Down The Lane by Leslie Gould

    In Tempest Winds by Kendy Pearson

    A Wager With the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund

    The Marriage Pact by Kathleen Fuller

    Across the Crying Sands by Jane Kirkpatrick

    Mantle by Dana McNeely

    Ripples of Mercy by S. L. Klein

    Oh and this is one I really am looking forward to reading! It released in April so please DO NOT use this as a entry(anyone who may be reading this) but definitely add to your TBR!

    Beneath A Turquoise Sky by Kiersti Giron

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks for that comprehensive list, Sarah. There are some new-to-me May releases I need to check out. And you’re right that April release — Beneath a Turquoise Sky sounds amazing! Must keep my eye out for that one too. Good luck, Sarah!

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Hello May! I’m looking forward to Liz Johnson’s Sometimes You Stay (I’m looking past the cartoonish cover because I know what’s inside will be good)

    Thanks for the giveaway Kav! and happy gardening! 🙂 tracey14567 atgmail dotcom

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Ooh, there are two that I’m EXTREMELY excited about for May. The one I’ll go with for this giveaway opportunity is The Valkyrie by Carrie Cotten. (The other I’m excited about is Caligo by J. J. Fischer😜)

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Hello May! 🌷 So many awesome releases this month! I’m really looking forward to Every Hour Until Then by Gabrielle Meyer!

    Alison Boss
    nj(dot)bossman(at)gmail(dot)com

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  9. Happy May. I’m preparing my garden for planting. I do have, radishes, beets, onions and lettuce up and my garlic is flourishing. Black raspberries and blueberries are starting to bloom, pears are forming and my favorite birds are returning. Every Hour Until Then by Gabrielle Meyer! 

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ohhhhh, I’m so jealous!!! We don’t get blueberries until August and I’m not sure if anyone grows pears where I am. That’s more for the Niagara belt — milder climate. I’m just starting to see buds on the trees and my Pasque flower is in bloom. Daffodils are up and dancing in the wind. Haven’t seen a robin yet though, which has me concerned. Where are they? Do they know something I don’t?! Good luck, Lucy!

      Liked by 1 person

  10. It was hard to choose just one but I’m going with Sometimes You Stay by Liz Johnson. I always enjoy her Prince Edward Island books.

    pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com

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  11. Hello May! I know I say this almost ever month, but how are we in May already?! I would pick “A Wager with the Matchmaker” by Jody Hedlund. 

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Kav, yay for another new release giveaway! 🙂 Across the Crying Sands by Jane Kirkpatrick has me intrigued. Fingers crossed! 

    ckbarker at gmail dot com

    Liked by 1 person

  13. I’m am loving the spring weather! I can’t wait to get our new house’s patio all set up for some summer reading! We moved just before Thanksgiving and didn’t have a chance to enjoy it before frigid winter hit.lol

    and I’m choosing a fitting title.. No Place Like Home by Betsy St Amant. Lol

    ladepooh at hotmail dot com

    Liked by 1 person

  14. May is an exciting book month. I’m looking forward to Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher May 6

    The Pursuit of Elena Bradford Ann H. Gabhart May 6

    A Lesson in Property by Jen Turano May 20

    Thanks for all you do. I find it hard to keep up. You are amazing!

    Blessings

    nora finding hope at yahoo

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Capture the Moment by Suzanne Fischer is a book I would enjoy reading.

    Looks like spring is finally arriving.

    cenyatwoathotmaildotcom

    Liked by 1 person

  16. A Wager With the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund. I loved the first two books in the series!

    Jolene – iwant2save34 at gmail dot com

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