Clean Sweep: A Contemporary Christian Romance Novella

Clean Sweep: A Contemporary Christian Romance Novella (Dogwood Creek Matchmakers #6) Kindle Only

Clean Sweep (Buy Now)

Julie Arduini

Surrendered Scribe Media

127 pages

November 1, 2025

Sometimes the messiest moments lead to the most miraculous grace.

After a public breakup leaves Abbi Gearheart humiliated and heartbroken, she escapes to Dogwood Creek, Tennessee, hoping to rebuild her life far from the spotlight—and even farther from athletes. With her new cleaning business and the gentle encouragement of stained-glass artist Alicia Caruso and her matchmaking family, Abbi begins to find peace in the quiet rhythms of small-town life.

Seth Chamberlin is a beloved coach, teacher, and mentor at Dogwood Creek High. His faith runs deep, but so do the wounds from a strained relationship with his father. When he meets Abbi, he’s drawn to her strength and vulnerability, but she’s made it clear that friendship is all she’s willing to offer.

A powerful sermon on forgiveness challenges them both. For Abbi, to release the pain of betrayal, and for Seth, to seek reconciliation with the father he thought he’d lost. As they walk separate paths toward healing, could God be gently sweeping them toward something more?

A tender story of grace, second chances, and the kind of love that only grows when hearts surrender.

Small-town charm and rediscovered dreams are always in season in Dogwood Creek, Tennessee.

 Reviewers Comment:

Clean Sweep by Julie Arduini is a delightful story. Abbi Gearheart moves from Ohio to the Tennessee mountains, Dogwood Creek, where she starts a new cleaning business—Clean Sweep. How appropriate, a new town, new life, and new job, leaving behind her old job as marketing director for a minor league baseball team in Ohio. A job that demanded she be creative in all kinds of marketing ways, including wearing the costume of the mascot.  

 Seth Chamberlin, district athletic director, and teacher of history and economics at the local Dogwood Creek High School stops by the Caruso house to see a gifted student, Bella Caruso, about tutoring one of the football players being scouted by the pros but whose grades were suffering. But the Caruso house was one that he wanted to get in and out of fast, especially if the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers were holding a meeting there because the last time he ran into those ladies, they were way too interested in his dating life—way too interested. But on this day, Mrs. Alicia Caruso introduces him to Abbi Gearheart, her new housekeeper. He knows instantly who she is. The girl who made a very public spectacle of breaking up with her fiancé during a playoff game. And when he asked for her professional insight on a question about one of his players, Abbi gives Seth her poignant opinion about athletes who don’t study enough… Taken aback, now he’s not sure which was worse: running into Abbi or the matchmakers. It’s a short, but adorable, lively read, with quick-witted characters that will draw you into their lives and story and will not let you go until the end. This reviewer laughed and cried and thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommend. And be sure to check out books 1-5 in the Dogwood Matchmakers Series, all very delightful reads.    

Meet the Author                                        

Julie’s books are always winners. She is probably the most underrated author. Her storylines are well developed and characters are enjoyable”—Amazon review, Anchored Hearts.

 Julie writes small-town romances with Christian surrender issues and chocolate mentions. She’s the author of the Surrendering Hearts series (Anchored Hearts, Repairing Hearts) where the six Hart multiples discover their identity and try to find a love like their parents shared. Arduini has another romance series, Surrendering Time (Entrusted, Entangled, and Engaged).

 Her stand-alone romances include the Christian novella Match Made in Heaven and the inspirational novella, Restoring Christmas.

 Arduini also wrote a series with her daughter for tween and teen girls, as well as women of all ages. Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’ (You’re Beautiful, You’re Amazing, and You’re Brilliant).

They feature a chapter from a mentor’s journey, and then a chapter from the younger female, both believing the same lie about themselves. “This belongs in every church, school, and library.”—Amazon review.