Historical Fiction

Bookouture Blog Tour for The Lost Husband by Shari J. Ryan

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I’m here today as part of the blog tour for The Lost Husband by Shari J. Ryan. This was a WWII, historical fiction novel about a woman who survives Auschwitz and is sure she saw her dead husband, wearing a Nazi uniform. She won’t give up hope that he is alive.

Here’s the scoop:

Auschwitz, 1945. The gates are flung open. Prisoners flee for their lives. But as Celina stumbles toward safety, a man in a German uniform seizes her arm. She knows it’s impossible… but he looks just like her husband.

Celina has given up hope of ever leaving Auschwitz. Only memories of her beloved husband Noah keep her sane—her childhood sweetheart, her protector, once her entire world. If she allows herself to remember that he was killed, she knows she’ll be lost too…

Now, as the Soviets liberate the camp, Celina screams when a man in a German uniform grabs her. But the familiar green and gold sparkling in his eyes steals her breath. He looks exactly like Noah. But it can’t be him. Not here, not in this uniform…

As a Soviet officer hauls him away, Celina can’t let him go without making absolutely sure. Did her husband somehow survive the war, disguised as a German soldier?

To find the truth, she must follow as the Germans—now prisoners themselves—are marched away through the snowy forests of Poland. Staying hidden, and staying alive, will prove almost impossible.

But if it’s really Noah—and he’s still the good man Celina fell in love with—can she find a way to rescue him before she loses him all over again?

An inspiring, heartbreaking World War Two novel which celebrates the strength of human spirit and the power of love in the darkest of times. Perfect for fans of The Midwife of Auschwitz, The Choice and The Nightingale.

Here’s a little bit about Shari herself:

Shari J. Ryan is a USA Today Bestselling Historical Fiction writer. Her desire to write stories revolving Jewish livelihood during World War II stems from being a descendant of two Holocaust survivors. After the passing of Shari’s grandmother, she pursued an active interest in learning more about the inherited stories she yearned to understand better.

Shortly after earning a bachelors degree from Johnson & Wales University, Shari began her career as a graphic artist and freelance writer. She then found her passion for writing books in 2012. In 2016, Shari began writing her first Historical Fiction novel, Last Words , a story about a lifelong journey through the eyes of a Holocaust survivor, and Shari quickly found a new passion to share untold World War II stories within a fictional setting. In 2023 she also began exploring her first foray into the world of gripping, twisty psychological thrillers.

Shari is a lifelong New England girl who lives to make people laugh. She is happily married with two wonderful sons and a spunky Australian Shepard, who fits right in with the family.

Thank you for my copy of this engaging story and for having me as part of the tour!

Like Snow Before Sun by Marianne Rabalais Sulser

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Coming out June 9 is a beautifully written piece of historical fiction from Atmosphere Press: Like Snow Before Sun.

Marianna Rabalais Sulser tells the story of Jeanne LeJeune, a young woman who is part French, part Mi’kmaw, in 1700s Nova Scotia. I did not know much about Nova Scotia and Acadia during the time of the French and Indian War, and it was so interesting to read of how the people tried to not take sides and just live their lives, only to be turned upon by the British and displaced to other areas against their choice. This is a piece of history I did not know about and it was so interesting to read Jeanne’s story against this backdrop.

Beautifully written, with a story that highlights the upheaval at that time for Acadians, Like Snow Before Sun is highly recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction and stories of strong women.

Thank you to my friends at Books Forward for my copy to review!

Here’s the scoop:

INSPIRED BY TRUE STORIES

Which will you sacrifice-the father that raised you, or the nation you adore?

Acadia, 1755. Jeanne LeJeune has always lived between worlds-the fierce daughter of a French merchant and a Mi’kmaw woman, she is torn between the quiet rhythms of village life and the wild heartbeats of her mother’s people. But when her father is seized by English soldiers, her fragile peace shatters.

To win his freedom, Jeanne agrees to guide an English officer through the wilds of Nova Scotia-a choice that entangles her in the coming storm of war. What begins as a wary alliance soon becomes a journey fraught with danger, betrayal, and passion.

As the drums of conflict echo through the untamed heart of the forest, Jeanne must face an impossible choice: betray her heart to save her father or risk everything for the nation who shaped her soul.

Lush, romantic, and unflinching, Like Snow Before Sun captures a love tested by loyalty, loss, and the devastating cost of survival.

Here’s a bit about Marianna from her website: https://www.mariannesulser.com/about-the-author/

The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin

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I love Melanie Benjamin’s novels but I truly adored this book! I love anything to do with the royals and it was so interesting to have a book that is largely written from the viewpoint of the Queen Mother. And it involves that crass Wallis Simpson who stole the heart of a king! So fun to read about the characters as they are all real people.

I highly recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction related to the royals from not too long ago!

Thank you for my copy!

Here’s the scoop:

Description

A scandalous affair. A power struggle for the throne. A sensational rivalry between an English queen and an American social climber. In this electrifying novel, the New York Times bestselling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue tells the story of the Abdication of Edward VIII—and the two women at the center of it all.

“As deliciously dishy as an English cream tea and the royal gossip whispered over it!”—Kate Quinn, author of The Astral Library

Feuding Windsor brothers and their wives—some things, it seems, never change. The Windsor Affair recreates the cataclysmic events that nearly toppled the monarchy and incited the power struggle between Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and Wallis Simpson. Told from the perspective of both women, the novel propels readers into the fabulous world of the debonair Prince of Wales, café society of the 1930s, and the glittering private lives of the Windsors. The first novel to be dedicated to this infamous rivalry, The Windsor Affair brings us all the gossip and intrigue between the two very different—yet perhaps more similar than they would admit—wives of royals.

As Queen, Elizabeth would become the symbol of British pluck and courage during World War II and remain a British institution the rest of her long life. Wallis would be forever forced to enact the World’s Greatest Love Story even after it sours, as she goes from being admired to vilified and, ultimately, pitied. Against the backdrop of the Abdication Crisis, World War II, coronations, funerals, births, and deaths, these two women maintain a biting, sharp-tongued feud—until age and the long arm of history bring about a kind of understanding. For the last communication between these bitter rivals was a simple, surprising message: “In friendship, Elizabeth.”

Bookouture Blog Tour for The Girl with Two Names by Imogen Matthews

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Today I’m posting about a new historical fiction novel, centered on WWII: The Girl with Two Names by Imogen Matthews.

This was an engaging read – I always love reading about the Resistance because it forces me to ask myself if I could ever be that brave. There is some romance/love interest built in, but the story, in my opinion, is driven by the war experience. Stories like this always remind me of how much people were (are) willing to sacrifice to stand up for what they believed in, even if it meant death.

I haven’t read this author before, but I would look for her again!

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy and for having me as part of the tour.

Here’s the scoop:

She smooths her light blue coat with trembling hands as a man approaches. ‘Felix?’ he says, and she nods. ‘We weren’t expecting a girl.’ He smiles, but panic grips her throat at what he says next. ‘Whoever you are, you’ve been betrayed…’

1943, Nazi-occupied Holland. Turning up her collar against the wind, Trix prepares for her rendezvous. Hidden in the bottom of her bag are coded instructions from the British Special Operations Executive and a silk handkerchief, secretly printed with a map of her next meeting point. She knows working for the Dutch resistance is dangerous, but she must put her past behind her and become someone new… someone brave.

Trix’s friends think she’s a secretary – they can never know the truth. Living a double life is desperately lonely, but the longer she goes under her alias, Felix, the more comfortable she becomes with this new version of herself: one who will stand up for what is right, and fight for those who can’t. That is, until the warm brown eyes of a pilot from her past spark hope for a life after the war.

But when she’s ambushed and imprisoned by German soldiers posing as men from the Dutch resistance, Trix must lean on everything she’s learnt if she’s going to survive and grasp her chance at love. These soldiers see her as just a woman. But is that her greatest weapon? In war, often it’s those we underestimate the most who have the power to change everything…

Inspired by a remarkable true story, The Girl with Two Names is a totally heartbreaking and emotional World War Two novel of bravery, sacrifice and the power of hope in dark times. Perfect for fans of Heather Morris, Kristin Hannah and Fiona Valpy.

About the author:

Imogen Matthews is an Oxford-based, award-winning author and journalist with an interest in forgotten stories from WW2 Holland. Imogen was born in Rijswijk, Holland, to a Dutch mother and English father who moved the family to England when Imogen was very young. All her life, she listened to her mother’s stories about her life in Holland, in particular the hardships she faced during the Hunger Winter in 1944-5, which has had a profound impact on her writing.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0GN9G684Xsocial (NOT affiliated with BBNB)

Bookouture Blog Tour for The Lady at the Lodging House by Natalie Meg Evans

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I’m so happy to take part in the tour for this historical fiction/WWII novel, which is book 3 of the Wartime Boarding House series by Natalie Meg Evans: The Lady at the Boarding House. This installment focuses on Betony, the wealthy socialite who is living with her friends in London and trying to make her way on her own financially, though her past life has left her with very few skills. Even though Betony is the main character, the other major characters, Grace and Jess, play key roles in the story. As I read each book in the series, I like it even more than the one before – I think this is because each one brings a further depth to the main characters and their trials and tribulations. Okay, I’ll say it: this was my favorite in the series so far!

Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour.

Here’s the scoop:

The Lady at the Lodging House

The Wartime Lodging House Book 3

Natalie Meg Evans

London, 1940. In a Mayfair townhouse behind a wide front door, three women must bond together to make it through the war – no matter their differences.

A world away from the wealth and comfort of her family home, lord’s daughter BetonyStyles has come to love her new life at a London lodging house with Grace and Jess. Selling her beautiful gowns to pay for her rent and rations for the other girls, Betony is determined to do her bit.

By day she works in the factory sewing much-needed uniforms for the Women’s Air Force. At night, air raid sirens blaze – but Betony and the other girls do all they can to help in the hardest hit neighbourhoods, rescuing a precious newborn from the rubble. And she’s head over heels with her beau, brave Canadian pilot Winter Macpherson.

But her father believes duty to her family should come before her duty for her country. He demands she give up playing games and come home once and for all.

To stand up to her father and follow her own path, Betony needs Grace and Jess more than ever. But when Winter disappears, her heart shatters. Together, can the lodging house girls give each other hope even in the darkest times?

A completely unputdownable historical novel, perfect for fans of Jean Grainger, Lisa Wingate and Diney Costeloe. Your heart will break at this beautiful story of love, friendship and courage.

About the Author:

Natalie Meg Evans has been an art student, actor, PR copywriter, book-keeper and bar tender but always wanted to write. A USA Today best-seller and RITA nominee, she is author of four published novels which follow the fortunes of strong-minded women during the 1930s and 40s. Fashion, manners and art are the glass through which her characters’ lives are viewed. Each novel is laced with passion, romance and desire. Mystery is never far away.

An avid absorber of history – for her sixth birthday she got a toy Arthurian castle with plastic knights – Natalie views historical fiction as theatre for the imagination. Her novels delve behind the scenes of a prestige industry: high fashion, millinery, theatre, wine making. Rich arenas for love and conflict. Most at home in the English countryside, Natalie lives in rural Suffolk. She has one son.

Bookouture Blog Tour for The Secret Sewing Society by Siobhan Curham

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I’m shouting it out today for this interesting historical novel that goes from present day to Ukraine during WWII and two cousins using their skills with the needle to fight back against occupation. This was a lengthy read, but intriguing, and I was captured by the story of Zirka, Perla, and Ana, Zirka’s granddaughter. I don’t read many stories that take place in the Ukraine, and it was interesting to learn about needlework at the same time.

Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!

Here’s the scoop:

As enemy soldiers march in the streets, the Needles of Freedom embroider by candlelight beneath the faded gold sign of an old dressmaker’s store. Will their secret messages help win the war?

Occupied Ukraine, 1940. Zirka has been sewing ever since she was a little girl. But now, every stitch contains a spark of rebellion. Together with her cousin Perla, as war rages around them they sew vital secret messages for the resistance into embroidered shirts.

Every night, Zirka leaves to meet with her fiancé in secret and Perla pours her heart out into her diary. Nobody else knows that Perla is living under false papers. If the two women are caught, or betrayed, it would mean certain death…

Lviv, 2022. As Ana gazes around at the peeling wallpaper, she hopes this little shop will bring her closer to the memory of her grandmother Zirka. After Ana’s mother suddenly refused to see or speak to Zirka decades ago, Ana has been desperate to find out what terrible secret tore them apart.

A diary hidden in a long-forgotten kitchen drawer tells of a secret sewing society vital to the war effort long ago. Ana knows she must continue her grandmother’s legacy of resistance now another war has come to her beloved country. But she’s no closer to finding the truth about her own family… and when she does, will she learn that some wartime secrets are too dangerous to uncover?

The Secret Sewing Society is a sweeping, heartbreaking tale about a devastating family mystery, a doomed love affair, and generations of women coming together against the odds. Fans of Evie Woods, Fiona Valpy and The Keeper of Happy Endings will be utterly swept away.

What readers are saying about Siobhan Curham:

‘Unforgettable… pulls on the heart strings… had me glued to the pages… left me breathless…dug deep into my heart… absolutely loved… 5 glorious stars… I loved this story so much.’ Cindy L Spear, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Totally gripping… I adored… mesmerizing and I didn’t want it to end… a page-turner that will capture your heart.’ Christian Bookaholic, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘From the very first page of this book, I was stunned, mesmerised… knock the wind out of you! I’m so sad it’s over. I could have read another sixty chapters… fantastic.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Warning: do not begin this book if you have food cooking or housework to do! Your food will burn and your house will stay dirty, because you will not be able to put it down!…The best historical fiction… Brilliant.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Had me on the edge of my seat… Plus wiping tears from my eyes… captured my heart—hook, line and sinker… A must-read.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Hooked… Iwant more… Captivating… A storyline you won’t forget. I would read this book over and over again.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Kept me awake… I just couldn’t stop reading… This book will really stay with you after you finish reading it.’ DianeLikesToRead, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow. This book is one I will remember…. gripping… I choked up… Beautiful… I loved every moment.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Siobhan Curham is an award-winning author, ghost writer, editor and writing coach. She has also written for many newspapers, magazines and websites, including The Guardian, Breathe magazine, Cosmopolitan, Writers’ Forum, DatingAdvice.com, and Spirit & Destiny. Siobhan has been a guest on various radio and TV shows, including Woman’s Hour, BBC News, GMTV and BBC Breakfast. And she has spoken at businesses, schools, universities and literary festivals around the world, including the BBC, Hay Festival, Cheltenham Festival, Bath Festival, Ilkley Festival, London Book Fair and Sharjah Reading Festival.

My Favorite Reads of 2025!

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It’s time for my yearly post of what were my favorite books of the year! (And how do you like that AI image I created. Read any of those? LOL!)

Here – in no particular order – are the books that I just did not want to end this year (interestingly, all can be considered Historical Fiction):

Finding Flora by Elinor Florence

Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renée Rosen

The Harvey Girls by Juliette Fay

The Guest in Room 120 by Sarah Ackerman

The Last Assignment by Erika Robuck

and my favorite read of the year…..

Skylark by Paula McLain

I read many good books, but these ones were super memorable to me. I hope you enjoy them if you choose to check them out! (all were gotten through Net Galley)

Happy Reading in 2026!

Blog Tour for Murder on a Frosty Night by Verity Bright

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I do love this series and this installment was a fun one to read while we were dealing with frosty weather ourselves, here in New England. Number 24 in the series, and yet the plots never get boring!

Here’s the scoop:

Wrapping presents and singing at midnight mass on a frosty night… Lady Swift is determined to enjoy Christmas at home this year, until another body turns up!

Winter 1925. Eleanor and Hugh are decking the halls for their first married Christmas together when butler Clifford arrives with a mysterious telegram. A lucrative case awaits their new detective agency… but in the most remote county in England. The note insists they must be there by midnight to accept the job.

After a snowy journey, they arrive at the tiny hamlet of Yorelow to find their client, Osmund Unwin, dead in the churchyard as midnight mass ends. They realise they are now in the absurd situation of having to solve the murder of their client – who they never met – to solve a case they know nothing about and officially never accepted!

There is very little festive goodwill to go around, as it seems half the village had a grudge against the rich man. Was it one of the Frisham sisters, owners of the tavern and rumoured to be in a love triangle with Unwin? Or perhaps his maid, who never had a nice thing to say about him?

When another body is found in the ruins of the castle overlooking the town, Eleanor is baffled. Clearly there’s more to this nightmare before Christmas than the gang first thought…

A totally unputdownable historical murder mystery set in an English village at Christmas, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Catherine Coles!

About the Author:

Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.

Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!

Skylark by Paula McLain

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Paula McLain is one of my favorite authors and her new novel did not disappoint. Coming out in January, it tells two stories of Paris, one from the 1600’s and one from WWII, and two sets of characters that work to resist the ones who try to take their freedoms away.

Here’s the scoop:

The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife weaves a mesmerizing tale of Paris above and below—where a woman’s quest for artistic freedom in 1664 intertwines with a doctor’s dangerous mission during the German occupation in the 1940s, revealing a story of courage and resistance that transcends time.

1664: Alouette Voland is the daughter of a master dyer at the famed Gobelin Tapestry Works, who secretly dreams of escaping her circumstances and creating her own masterpiece. When her father is unjustly imprisoned, Alouette’s efforts to save him lead to her own confinement in the notorious Salpêtrière asylum, where thousands of women are held captive and cruelly treated. But within its grim walls, she discovers a small group of brave allies, and the possibility of a life bigger than she ever imagined.

1939: Kristof Larson is a medical student beginning his psychiatric residency in Paris, whose neighbors on the Rue de Gobelins are a Jewish family who have fled Poland. When Nazi forces descend on the city, Kristof becomes their only hope for survival, even as his work as a doctor is jeopardized.

A spellbinding and transportive look at a side of Paris known to very few—the underground city that is a mirror reflection of the glories above—Paula McLain’s unforgettable new novel chronicles two parallel journeys of defiance and rescue that connect in ways both surprising and deeply moving.

About the Author:

Paula McLain is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels, including The Paris Wife, Circling the Sun, and Love and Ruin, as well as two collections of poetry and a memoir. Her work has been published in over thirty-five countries, and featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Town & Country, Real Simple, and elsewhere.

Such a beautifully written story and so engaging! Definitely one of my top reads this year.

Thank you for my copy!

Kelly Rimmer’s The Story Keeper

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I’m WAY early on this one since it releases in July 2026, but I’ve recently had the opportunity (through Net Galley) to listen to the audiobook on this title. I love Kelly Rimmer’s writing and this was a family epic – focusing on a house in Australia and the family that lived there through the years. There’s a story within a story here, too.

Here’s the scoop:

“Kelly Rimmer is at her most skillful here… An emotional, haunting tale.” —Julia Kelly, internationally bestselling author of The Dressmakers of London

In the aftermath of a tumultuous year, Fiona Winslow finds solace in the decaying grandeur of Wurimbirra, the rambling family estate she once called home. Intent on restoring it, she discovers the keys to more than just the dilapidated mansion—beneath the crumbling plaster and dust are secrets that have been buried for a generation.

When a curious book, The Midnight Estate, catches her attention in her late uncle’s library, Fiona is plunged into a tale that mirrors her own—a story of love, loss and betrayal. But as the lines between fiction and reality blur, Fiona must ask herself: Is the true mystery the one hidden within the walls of her ancestral home, or is it within the pages of a book that chose her as much as she chose it?

Told in a dual narrative and set against the Gothic backdrop of Wurimbirra, Kelly Rimmer, bestselling author of The Things We Cannot Say, weaves an intricate and compelling tale, inviting readers into the heart of a family’s deepest secrets with an absorbing book-within-a-book mystery.

“Kelly Rimmer always delivers a poignant story with real characters who lodge themselves in your heart.” —New York Times bestselling author Madeline Martin

Siho Ellsmore as the narrator does an excellent job of providing the nuances needed for each character, as well as the different accents.

You can pre-order this mesmerizing title now for next summer’s release.