My next book, A Whole New Plan, releases May 26, 2026. This is the fourth book in the Best-laid Plans Series, and the third teacher’s story.
A wounded Pinkerton agent. A cautious pastor. When danger threatens, only their faith along with God’s perfect plan, can show them the way forward.
California, 1870. Pastor William Baker built his life on steady faith and safe choices, but the arrival of Lydia Spencer upends everything. Independent, outspoken, and hiding a limp from a recent injury, Lydia is unlike any woman he’s ever known. And she has no interest in church—or in sharing her secrets.
What Will doesn’t realize is that Lydia is a Pinkerton detective, undercover as a schoolteacher while tracking a dangerous crime boss. She’s determined to protect her friends in Washton… even if it means keeping her distance from the kind, steadfast pastor who sees too much.
When strange thefts strike the ranch and a frightened boy appears with ties to their past, Will and Lydia are thrown together in a search for truth—and find themselves fighting not only for justice, but for a future neither had planned.
Full of faith, mystery, and romance, A Whole New Plan weaves a story of healing hearts, unexpected love, and God’s perfect design.
A Whole New Plan hits these tropes
There’s a little bit for everyone in this story:
💕 Romance Tropes
- Slow Burn Romance
- Opposites Attract
- Pretend Engagement / Fake Relationship
- Out of My League
- Forced Proximity
- Protector Hero
🔍 Mystery/Adventure Tropes
- Pinkerton Agent / Lady Detective
- Small-Town Mystery
- Undercover Investigation
- Secrets & Hidden Identity
Sometimes God’s best plan is the one we never expected.
The Best-laid Plans Series
I’m excited that there are now four books in the series. Here are the books in order of how they have been released. Note that No Plan at All is not one of the teacher stories.
Three young women. One new beginning. A journey of faith, friendship, and unexpected love.
It’s 1869 and three young women travel to Sacramento, California, ready to begin new lives as teachers in the rural one-room schoolhouses of the West. But the plans they carefully laid soon give way to something far greater. As God gently redirects their paths, each woman discovers lessons in friendship, faith, and trust—and encounters the most surprising gift of all: love.
They weren’t searching for it.
They never expected it.
But they may just find everything their hearts truly need.
Timeline Order
There has been a bit of confusion about the order of the four books. No Plan at All is a prequel, set two years before book one. This was a side-story from a character from the first book (Sarah, the woman who left Luke), but Amazon doesn’t allow using 0 or .5 and labels them based on the order released.
Here are the books in my Best-laid Plans Series in the actual timeline order.
- .5 – No Plan at All (prequel) – Sarah and Alex
- 1 – When Plans Go Awry – Olivia and Luke
- 2 – A Slight Change of Plans – Jenny and Ren
- 3 – A Whole New Plan – Lydia and Will (pre-order link coming soon!)
There are many other stories in my brain, including the next two teachers. Stay tuned for more!