Here are 81 books that The Real Thing fans have personally recommended if you like
The Real Thing.
Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.
My research for Dial P for Perfectcame from deep within. I've always considered myself on the heavier side of the scale. Being measured for a costume for Brigadoonas a High School Junior was traumatic. The moms that volunteered that day may not have said the words, but I heard them in my mind. I felt "less than," or bigger than, as the case may be. Identifying with Ginger in Dial P for Perfectwas easy for me, and I felt her pains and triumphs, her fears, and her confusion.
Marbeth removes the “food-obsessed, short-of-breath, perpetually sweaty, and utterly unattractive to anyone not willing to see beyond her flawed curvy-girl stereotype” from her stories. Her plus-sized characters are not on the road to recovery, under a doctor’s care, and losing weight by the end of the book. Marbeth’s characters are real; by the end of the story, you find a piece of yourself changed because of her well-written words and exceptionally crafted heroines.
As a reader, I want to connect with a book’s characters. I may empathize with one and wish I were another, but when I find a book where I feel I AM the character, it’s a keeper. Marbeth doesn’t shy away from complex topics yet does an excellent job of moving the reader through the process of change – in their heart.
As an author, I work to align myself with like-minded authors who can reach deep…
Caroline Taft did her best to live a life of service and sacrifice, “above reproach,” but when her teaching career at Benchmark Baptist Christian School is cut short, she discovers that she hasn’t lived much of a life at all. Despite going on visitation every Saturday, teaching Sunday school, singing in the choir, directing children’s music, leading Wednesday’s Bible club, and, of course, teaching fourth grade (her actual job), it isn’t enough to keep her on. She wonders if it isn’t what she has or hasn’t done or if it’s her weight. Caroline is one of the few plus-sized women…
My research for Dial P for Perfectcame from deep within. I've always considered myself on the heavier side of the scale. Being measured for a costume for Brigadoonas a High School Junior was traumatic. The moms that volunteered that day may not have said the words, but I heard them in my mind. I felt "less than," or bigger than, as the case may be. Identifying with Ginger in Dial P for Perfectwas easy for me, and I felt her pains and triumphs, her fears, and her confusion.
Humor is a gift, and Sarah Monzon does not disappoint. Nicole is a curvy girl who has the moxie to insist that her body isn’t the problem but more likely the clothing manufacturer. The main character, Nicole, is well-developed. The male heroine, Drew, pulled me into this story. He was flawed, which made him feel real—which was important because he is a dream with his positive attitude and quick wit. The chemistry between the two is full of sparks while remaining sweet and clean. This book upholds traditional Christian values.
She never imagined anything could make her angrier than the thought of the polar icecaps melting. Then she met Drew Bauer.
There are a few things everyone should know about Nicole Applegate.
She doesn't think the words "calm" and "down" should ever be used together. Yes, she's a passionate person, but since when is displaying enthusiasm a bad thing? In her opinion, people need to be stirred up more, not stewing in their complacency.
She will do anything for her daughter, even take learn how to have fun lessons from her nemesis when it's brought to her attention that, in…
My research for Dial P for Perfectcame from deep within. I've always considered myself on the heavier side of the scale. Being measured for a costume for Brigadoonas a High School Junior was traumatic. The moms that volunteered that day may not have said the words, but I heard them in my mind. I felt "less than," or bigger than, as the case may be. Identifying with Ginger in Dial P for Perfectwas easy for me, and I felt her pains and triumphs, her fears, and her confusion.
Mikal Dawn knows how to write a romantic comedy with equal parts rom and com. Mikal blends these genres into an unforgettable story that will keep you on the tips of your tingling toes. Her characters are authentic and believable. Mikal’s ability to seamlessly weave in a spiritual theme throughout the story leaves your heart full of the knowledge that God loves each of us. Prepare to laugh, fan your face, and wipe your tears all in the span of a single page. This debut novel will not disappoint.
*This is a romantic comedy with a Christian worldview.Allegra Spencer has been living a careful life. Her safe job as an accountant is bookended by going to church and the gym. Okay, sometimes the gym. Fine. She goes to church. And the coffee shop. She avoids risk at all cost, preferring to stay safe in her cozy condo. Until her accounting firm goes belly up and she's out of a job. Tyler Hawk had a glorious career as a star NFL tight end. He retired on a high note and now lives a second dream of owning his own business…
My research for Dial P for Perfectcame from deep within. I've always considered myself on the heavier side of the scale. Being measured for a costume for Brigadoonas a High School Junior was traumatic. The moms that volunteered that day may not have said the words, but I heard them in my mind. I felt "less than," or bigger than, as the case may be. Identifying with Ginger in Dial P for Perfectwas easy for me, and I felt her pains and triumphs, her fears, and her confusion.
USA Today bestselling author Valerie Comer’s plus-sized character, Sadie Guthrie, has much to learn, even though she is a gifted lawyer. She may be a confident, independent woman, but her emotional struggles and decisions are not easy. Choices about love, life, and even food options weigh on her. She’ll need to be as honest with herself as she expects others to be with her. The gardener might get under her skin like the dirt under his nails, yet may be just what she needs to learn to love herself and see herself for who she truly is – a beautiful child of God.
She pictures a relaxing oasis. He sees food for the less fortunate. They both claim the same backyard. Family lawyer Sadie Guthrie snaps up a heritage house with a backyard perfect for relaxing with her caramel espresso and cinnamon rolls. Now some guy is digging in her garden and thinks he has a claim to it. For vegetables! Too bad he doesn’t realize he’s taken on a veggie-hating attorney in her den.
Urban farmer Peter Santoro had a deal with his elderly neighbor to cultivate her yard for his business, but when she dies and the property is sold, the…
I don’t warm to crime novels where the only point is to find whodunnit. Those that resonate with me are the ones that have an extra dimension. It may be taking me into a world I am unfamiliar with, like bell-ringing or a theatre troupe. Or it could be a richly-evoked setting, like Donna Fletcher Crow’s Celtic Christian background. Or a character whose very flaws make them more gripping, such as Rebus or Wallender. I want to come away feeling enriched and not just pleased that I guessed that it was the butler with the candlestick.
Ian Rankin’s Rebus is a superb creation. We are in the modern era of the flawed investigator. Rebus is a brilliant detective but fails to gain promotion because of his refusal to obey authority. This culminates in Rebus being sent to the Scottish Police College for retraining after throwing a cup of tea at his Chief Superintendent. It is all too plausible, but he is really working undercover to investigate some senior officers suspected of a crime.
They are assigned to investigate a murder, about which Rebus already knows too much. This is vintage Rebus, where his keen detective instincts put him in personal danger, and his unorthodox past comes back to haunt him.
His newly-promoted side-kick, Siobhan Clarke, provides a great foil, taking on a murder involving Rebus’s arch-enemy.
The thirteenth Inspector Rebus novel from the No.1 bestselling author of A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES
'No one in Britain writes better crime novels' Evening Standard
'This is Rankin at his best, and, boy, that's saying something' TIME OUT
Rebus is off the case - literally. A few days into the murder inquiry of an Edinburgh art dealer, Rebus blows up at a colleague. He is sent to the Scottish Police College for 'retraining' - in other words, he's in the Last Chance Saloon.
Rebus is assigned to an old, unsolved case, but there are those in his team…
For almost thirty years, I worked as a cop in the back alleys, poorly lit laneways, and forgotten neighbourhoods in Toronto, the city where I grew up. Murder, mayhem, and sexual violations intended to demean, shame, and haunt the victims were all in a day’s work. Whether as a beat cop or a plainclothes detective, I dealt with good people who did bad things and bad people who followed their instincts. And now that I’m retired, I can take some of those experiences and turn them into crime fiction novels.
Having personally investigated numerous missing persons cases (not all of which ended well), I was drawn to this book and identified with DI Rebus’ frustrations with the police bureaucracy. The inner demons that are the cornerstone of the Rebus character make for a wonderfully flawed protagonist and one exceptionally good read.
The twelfth Inspector Rebus bestseller - a powerfully gripping novel where past and present collide... From the No.1 bestselling author of A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES
'This is, quite simply, crime writing of the highest order' DAILY EXPRESS
'The unopposed champion of the British police procedural' GUARDIAN
A student has gone missing in Edinburgh. She's not just any student, though, but the daughter of well-to-do and influential bankers. There's almost nothing to go on until DI John Rebus gets an unmistakable gut feeling that there's more to this than just another runaway spaced out on unaccustomed freedom.
I dropped out of law school to pursue a PhD in music at the University of Glasgow and to write the history of the flute in Scotland. Essentially, I wanted to know that if Scotland was a leader in Enlightenment thought, and if there were hundreds of publications with flute on the title page, and since the flute was the most popular amateur instrument in the eighteenth century, why was nothing written about the flute. I obsessively read Scottish mythology as a child, and was always drawn to the stereotypical wild misty landscapes of Scotland without knowing much about it.
Published in 1779, this book shows far more about Enlightenment Edinburgh than it does Edinburgh history, and should be read for that reason. Full of myth, legend, bloody Scottish history, and contemporary events, it is written with the perspective of the historical enquiry of the Enlightenment as described by Broadie. Plus, it’s just fun to see how historic people saw and expressed themselves.
The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars. Rich in titles on English life and social history, this collection spans the world as…
I like to write characters and situations that readers relate to and find reassurance from. Laughter comes from shared experiences of frustration and mistakes, it reassures us that we are normal and not alone, giving us a big hug when feeling overwhelmed or down. I love the healing power of comedy and use it in all my work. Reading how other authors use comedy improves my writing and expands my viewpoint. I also perform comedy with a mixture of storytelling, standup, and belly dancing, I learn from the audience's reaction and feedback, which not only feeds into my novels but makes me feel like a million dollars.
Deliciously Scottish with sparky dialogue that had me laughing out loud.
The characters are all flawed, making mistakes I can identify with. I find relationships difficult at times, and this book was reassuringly familiar—like I wasn't "the only one". I also love the wee boy Bertie and his desperate need not to hurt anyone, a familiar feeling I could relate to, and found myself forgiving the "pushover” in me.
Life for Bertie seems to be moving at a pace that is rather out of his control. In Drummond Place gardens it seems that Olive has their future together all planned out. Meanwhile, upstairs at 44 Scotland Street, Bertie's father Stuart is powerless to stop over-bearing Irene and her motion for Bertie to travel to Aberdeen on a three-month secondment. And, further up in the New Town, while Bruce Anderson plots with old-school chums, love blossoms in Big Lou's Cafe.
Warm hearted, humorous and wonderfully wise, Love in the Time of Bertie offers philosophical insight as well as sartorial elegance.…
I grew up in the heart of Scotland addicted to visiting museums and exploring local stories and legends. Now as an adult I’m either to be found with my nose in a history book or out on an archaeological dig. I love to weave the lives of Scottish heroes such as Roberts Burns into books filled with fantasy and adventure for children, and to write spine-chilling tales for adults where supernatural creatures from Scottish myths lurk between the pages. I recently co-created a series of educational writing videos for school children to help them explore the history of their local area, and hopefully inspire the historical authors of the future!
Would you break the rules or break your promise? On the outskirts of Edinburgh, just before the outbreak of WW2, Charlie finds a starving German boy called Josef hiding in the woods near his home. Josef can’t speak English and is desperately afraid, especially of anyone in uniform. Charlie promises to help Josef find his Jewish relatives in the city. It’s a journey that will force them to face their fears, testing their new-found friendship, and Charlie’s promise, to the limit
This is a beautiful story full of heart and empathy, and a welcome reminder of the kindness of strangers and the innocence of childhood.
Would you break the rules or break your promise?
On the outskirts of Edinburgh, just before the outbreak of WW2, Charlie finds a starving German boy called Josef hiding in the woods near his home.
Josef can't speak English and is desperately afraid, especially of anyone in uniform.
Charlie promises to help Josef find his Jewish relatives in the city.
It's a journey that will force them to face their fears, testing their new-found friendship, and Charlie's promise, to the limit.
While one-off stories are fantastic, I love that children's series lets readers return to trusted characters. Series allow children to see a wider arc of character development and decision-making—often imperfect and in transition—when they are trying to figure out how to identify and connect with the world themselves. That shared experience over time is why I only write series myself—to let kids evolve alongside their favorite characters.
Most know VE Schwab for her YA Series, though she's also written some exemplary middle-grade books.
Her City of Ghosts series is one of my favorites, mainly because of the relationship between Cassidy and Jacob. I find there are few books for kids with great boy-girl friendships, and this one is made even better by the fact that poor Jacob is dead—or caught into the veil between life and death—or something.
Readers of the three books will learn why and travel deep into the spooky shadows of the most haunted cities in the world.
Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn't like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead . . . and enter the world of spirits. Her best friend is even a ghost.
So things are already pretty strange. But they're about to get much stranger.
When Cass's parents start hosting a TV show about the world's most haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, graveyards, castles, and secret passageways teem with restless phantoms. And when Cass meets a girl who shares her "gift,"…
