Historical Fiction Book Reviews

A richly imagined family legacy set against the backdrop of a perpetually changing world, The Remembering: Of Leather and Stone by Charles Paul Collins blends fact and fiction into a compelling American saga.

Remarkable in scope, emotion, and timeliness, this fact-based novel depicts the shifting tides of American society as it moved through the horrors of the Civil War, the violent battles for labor rights across the country, disruptive technological revolutions, and the growing pains of a nation still wrestling with its racial and cultural identities, all through the lens of the author’s own family. Told through fabricated journal entries […]

A captivating piece of ancient historical fiction, The Book Binder by C.A. Cordova is an unpredictable plunge into deception, decadence, and the dangerous power of knowledge.

In a world where women are forbidden from higher education or the wealth of literature, young Aria is a rebellious exception – a polyglot and a sponge for knowledge, thanks to her father, the bookbinder. When she saves the son of the pharaoh’s life with her hidden talents, she is quickly adopted into his cadre as an aegis – a highly respected mistress, as well as a secret spy. However, hunting down the heart […]

Exploring and expanding the already rich world of Jane Austen and her unforgettable cast of characters, Pride and Perjury: Twelve Short Stories inspired by Pride and Prejudice by Alice McVeigh is a freshly imagined collection of blushing stories from the lives of the Bingleys, Darcys, Bennets and more. From sisterly scheming and lovestruck lads come courting to golden-tongued gossip and eminently polite betrayals, these narrative offerings are classic examples of Regency romance.

“One Good Sonnet” is a particularly charming tale, detailing the obsessive devotion of one Paul Perkins Esq. – a suitor for Miss Jane Bennet. Brimming with sharp banter […]

The divisive tragedy of war pulls a fearless fighter from the vineyard to the front lines in Her Own War by Debra Borchert, a gripping and lyrical work of historical fiction.

A French pastoral romance and a wartime thriller, this novel begins with slow world-building and character development, giving readers a probing look into Genevieve’s community and the indomitable strength of her spirit. As the Republicans of Napoleonic France concentrate their power and turn their eyes to wider conquest, Genevieve’s tight-knit wine-growing community in the Loire Valley grows frustrated with endless wars and the burden of unfair taxation.

When a […]