The new year always brings with it so many things… A blank calendar just waiting to be filled in. A fresh start. The last part of winter with the promise of spring to come soon. Oh, and of course, new books! There are SO MANY book releases happening in 2025 that I simply can’t wait for, that I’m going to highlight just a few *Biblical Fiction* titles that are at the top of my “most-anticipated” list, although organized in no particular order.
Before the King by Heather Kaufman (Releases January 21, 2025)
“Joanna’s wealthy family aspires to Herod’s inner circle, but when her father’s esteemed position in the Sepphoris Sanhedrin is threatened, her family harbors a dark secret. Entangled in the complexities of aristocratic life and an impending arranged marriage, Joanna is caught between her own desires and maintaining appearances. When tragedy strikes, Joanna grapples with a new future that challenges her sense of duty and hope for love.
Years later, Joanna is forever changed when a rabbi comes preaching a new kingdom and healing the sick. As she contributes to his ministry, Joanna treads a perilous path between a court that mocks Jesus of Nazareth, disciples who view her with suspicion, and a husband who guards his own secrets. With pressure increasing on all sides, Joanna must decide where her allegiances lie and protect her relationship to the Christ, whose message is as compelling as it is dangerous.”
Noble: The Story of Maakah, King David’s Brides #2 (Releases August 19, 2025)
“Princess Maakah of Geshur is duty-bound to create a political alliance for her father through marriage. The cancellation by King Saul of her betrothal to his fourth-born son compels Maakah’s father to arrange an unexpected marriage to the rebel David ben Jesse, a shepherd-warrior anointed years earlier as Israel’s future king. Taken aback by stories of David’s fierceness and lowly birth, Maakah considers the match a degrading fate but obeys her father’s wishes out of duty as her nation’s only heir.
While alliances shift and enemies loom, Maakah navigates the delicate balance between her noble heritage and her growing respect for David’s faith and leadership. When David and his army move to Hebron, and he becomes king over Judah, Maakah faces prejudice and suspicion from David’s home tribe. In a land torn by war and divided loyalties, she must choose where her allegiance lies: with her people and heritage, or with an extraordinary destiny alongside David that beckons her from within.
Through Maakah’s lens of nobility, courage, and love, beloved author Mesu Andrews skillfully presents a biblical tale of King David and his royal household.”
The Daughter of Rome by Angela Hunt, The Emissaries #3 (Releases March 4, 2025)
“In Nero’s Rome, Calandra helps her father, a renowned sculptor, complete the most significant commission of his illustrious career. But then a catastrophic fire nearly destroys the imperial city, leaving Calandra reliant on a group of Christians–unusual individuals unlike any she has encountered before. Intrigued by their worship of the Son of an invisible God, Calandra grapples with her mistrust, only to find herself indebted to these believers as they help her rebuild her shattered world.
When Emperor Nero begins constructing his opulent Golden House, the people of Rome grow resentful, suspecting him of starting the fire in order to clear the land for his immense palace. Needing a scapegoat, Nero points at those who follow the Jewish Messiah, forcing Calandra to make an impossible choice between right and wrong, friends and family, love and death.”
Dawn of Grace by Jill Eileen Smith (Releases February 18, 2025)
“She’s been pulled up from the depths of despair–but what happens when the hope she has found slips from her grasp?
From her earliest days, Mary Magdalene has known fear and loss at a level so deep she has no hope of surfacing. Bound to the demons within her and incapable of freeing herself, Mary walks in shadow–until one day she encounters a healer, a rabbi who is radically different from the religious leaders and family members who could do nothing to help her. One touch from Jesus and Mary is never the same.
Now Mary’s one mission in life is to serve the one who freed her. She is determined never to leave his side, fearing that if she loses him, she’ll return to her former bondage. Even when the unthinkable happens and her savior is arrested and sentenced to execution, she cannot abandon him as so many others did. Let her be buried in his tomb, for she cannot live without him.
On the brink of despair, Mary is about to discover that while the life of faith is never perfect, perfect love casts out fear–and Jesus makes all things new.”
The Pharisee’s Wife by Janette Oke (Releases March 11, 2025)
“Like most young women in ancient Israel, Mary has little control over her own destiny. When Enos, a rising Pharisee, sees her one day in the market―the most beautiful woman he has ever laid eyes on―and determines to make her his wife, Mary’s fate is quickly sealed. His exorbitant bride price is the only hope her parents have of escaping abject poverty, but surely the fact that such a devout and esteemed man has chosen a girl of her station must be a sign of blessing.
When Mary enters training to become the proper Pharisee’s wife, it is as though she has been abandoned in a foreign land, where one misstep could cost her greatly. That feeling only deepens when she discovers Enos is all she feared he might be, treating her merely as a prize he has won―and worse. Then rumors of a miracle-working, traveling Prophet change everything, and Mary and Enos are swept up in events that will challenge all they hold dear and forever alter both their futures.”
Splendor of the Land by Connilyn Cossette, The King’s Men Book #3 (Releases August 5, 2025)
“Gavriel, a soldier in the elite company of Yonatan–son of King Saul–dreams of forging his destiny through crafting weapons with his own hands. Despite earning his place among Israel’s finest, he is haunted by a dark past that no distraction can dispel. When his reckless behavior forces Yonatan to present him with an ultimatum, Gavriel is sent on a mission to persuade a distant tribe to sever their ties with the Amalekites.
Zahava, a gifted goldsmith hidden behind her father’s legacy, lives in the shadows due to her physical affliction. Her talent, unmatched and unrecognized, is a closely guarded secret within her family. Disheartened by a love that seems unattainable, she resigns herself to a life of obscurity. However, when Gavriel arrives in her village, they’re tangled together in a way no one could have imagined. As they navigate through unforeseen dangers and enemy threats, Gavriel must confront his past and either bend his knee to the One True King or lose his love forever.”
As Sure as the Sea by Jamie Ogle (Releases February 11, 2025)
“Eastern Roman Empire, AD 310. In the shadow of Emperor Diocletian’s anti-Christian edicts, Demitria makes a meager living harvesting coral and pearls for a merchant who turns a blind eye to her faith. By night, Demi goes upriver with her brother, Theseus, to obtain provisions for fellow believers in the port city of Myra. While willing to risk her own life to ensure others are safe and fed, Demi lives with a desperate fear for those she loves and carries secret shame over her greatest failure. When Theseus is injured in a diving accident, all seems lost, until a stranger named Nikolas appears on the beach and offers help.
Arriving in a sinking boat, Nikolas is burdened by guilt over his older brother’s tragic death. Though the wealth he inherited from a prosperous shipping business now rests at the bottom of the sea, as the new pastor in Myra, he is determined to recover it and use it for good. As the violence against Christians increases, Demi helps Nikolas retrieve his lost fortune and distribute it to those in dire need.
Despite wondering if she can ever be worthy, Demi is drawn to Nikolas and longs to trust in his belief that freedom can be found in forgiveness. Then one terrifying night, everything changes as the Roman Empire’s fury rains down. Demi has no other choice but to decide if she has the courage to do what she once failed to . . . and if the faith she calls her own is sure enough to carry her.”
To-Be-Announced Novel by Jenna Van Mourik, the next book in the Generations of Faith series! (Release Date: TBD, sometime in 2025)
Whoops… Was that too much of a tease? I’m sorry! How about I share an aesthetic collage of Pinterest photos that inspired my story? Would that smooth things over? Be sure to leave any guesses on which of the characters in my Generations of Faith series you think this story might focus on. 🙂
I promise you, a release date and full reveal is coming just as soon as I finish edits. Thank you for your patience and prayers!
Well, what did you think? Which of those books are YOU most excited for? Which ones did I miss? (Because I’m NOT perfect, and this is NOWHERE NEAR a complete list! Just a few I’ve seen and squealed about… maybe more than once)
Be sure to keep the conversation going by letting me know what you’re looking forward to reading and collecting in 2025. I know my list just keeps getting longer…
Watch my latest video, where I share what books and authors I’m personally hoping to read this year:
Jenna Van Mourik 
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