Among the Poppies by J’nell Ciesielski

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1915 – France

The ideal lady wears lace, speaks quietly, and never—under any circumstances—fixes an automobile. But Gwyn Ruthers has never cared two snaps about being the ideal lady. With the war to end all wars exploding across the English Channel, she leaves behind her restrictive life as a chauffer’s daughter to serve in an all-female ambulance unit in France. She’s not about to let her social status or gender prevent her from serving her country. Not even a handsome captain can distract her from her mission. Most of the time.

Captain William Crawford wouldn’t wish the ravages of war on any man, much less the captivating woman who insists on driving into battle instead of staying safely at home. He can’t deny that the troops need more medical help, but not when it puts innocent women in danger. How can he lead his men against the Jerries while worrying about Gwyn’s safety?

Bound together by circumstances, Gwyn and William can’t stop the love growing between them. Can their relationship survive, or will it become another casualty of war?

Adoration by Olivia Rae

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1199 – France

A Deathbed Confession Forces A Wedding…

Sir Darrin de Longue is desperate to get his lands back from Lady Faith de Sainte-Marie, the woman who betrayed him and may have had a hand in his father’s murder. But when King Richard discloses a secret on his deathbed–that Lady Faith is the king’s daughter–and then issues an ultimatum, Darrin has no choice but to obey. In order to reclaim his lands, he must marry Lady Faith and get her with child in a year’s time.

Without Love, She’ll Remain a Wife In Name Only

Left on a doorstep as a babe, Lady Faith has always been grateful for the home she was provided. Since childhood, she has loved the rowdy and bold Sir Darrin, but cannot be a true wife to the bitter, angry man whom she has wed. In order to gain his trust and love, she vows to find the truth about his father’s murder. But when she stumbles upon some dark and deadly secrets, will she be able to prove her innocence–and his–to erase the past and win Darrin’s heart?

The Lost Castle by Kristy Cambron

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French Revolution/World War II/Present Day – France

Broken-down walls and crumbling stones seemed to possess a secret language all their own.

What stories would they tell, if she finally listened?

Ellie Carver arrives at her grandmother’s bedside expecting to find her silently slipping away. Instead, the beloved woman begins speaking. Of a secret past and castle ruins forgotten by time. Of a hidden chapel that served as a rendezvous for the French Resistance in World War II. Of lost love and deep regret . . .

Each piece that unlocks the story seems to unlock part of Ellie too—where she came from and who she is becoming. But her grandmother is quickly disappearing into the shadows of Alzheimer’s and Ellie must act fast if she wants to uncover the truth of her family’s history. Drawn by the mystery surrounding The Sleeping Beauty—a castle so named for Charles Perrault’s beloved fairy tale—Ellie embarks on a journey to France’s Loire Valley in hopes that she can unearth its secrets before time silences them forever.

Bridging the past to the present in three time periods—the French Revolution, World War II, and present day—The Lost Castle is a story of loves won and lost, of battles waged in the hearts of men, and of an enchanted castle that stood witness to it all, inspiring a legacy of faith through the generations.

With Each New Dawn by Gail Kittleson

With Each New Dawn

1943 – London/France

American RAF widow Kate Isaacs leaves war-torn London to parachute into southern France and aid the French Resistance. Her alliance with grieving Basque shepherd-turned-Resistance fighter Domingo Ibarra brings both sorrow and relief as she discovers her familial roots, along with second chances.

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Soar Like Eagles by Terri Wangard

soarlikeeagles Soar Like Eagles

1944 – England/France

Carol becomes a Red Cross doughnut girl, serving GIs and boosting their morale. Convinced wartime romances are doomed to disappointment, she attempts to avoid entanglements. She didn’t plan on Chet, the navigator who tempts her to throw caution to the wind.

Chet’s father and brothers always belittled him. As a squadron lead navigator, he longs to prove them wrong. He’s already been offered a terrific job with PanAm after the war. First he must survive his combat tour. Will he even have a future?

The Lost Generation by Erica Marie Hogan

lostgeneration The Lost Generation

1914 – England, Canada, America, France

On August 5, 1914, the world changed forever. For John and Beth Young, the happiness they finally achieved was snatched out from under them. For Emma Cote, her husband Jared would do his duty, despite her feelings. For Christy Simmons, an uncertain future with the boy she loved. The lives of six people from across the British Empire to America were changed forever. When John, Jared, and Will find themselves thrust together in France and Emma and Christy decide to seek out their missing husbands, the lives of these three families intertwine in ways none of them could possibly have imagined. Working together in a field hospital, Emma and Christy learn to rely on and protect each other. Lost together in a strange forest and cut off from their unit, the three soldiers run and hide. But the further they go, the more they realize the chances of all of them surviving the war unscathed are nonexistent.

Lucifer’s Harvest by Mel Starr

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1370 – England/France

King Charles of France has announced that he is confiscating Aquitaine, and Prince Edward has sent for knights and men at arms from England to assist him in opposing the French king. Lord Gilbert Talbot is required to provide five knights, twelve squires, and twenty archers and men at arms, and wishes his surgeon “ Hugh de Singleton“ to travel with the party, while Hugh’s wife Kate will oversee the castle. Among the party will be Sir Simon Trillowe, Hugh’s old nemesis and Kate’s former suitor, who had once set fire to Hugh’s house. After a brawl on the streets of Oxford Sir Simon had nearly lost an ear; Hugh had sewn it back on but it had healed crooked, and Simon blamed Hugh for the disfigurement. Finding himself in the same party, Hugh resolves not to turn his back on the knight“ but it is Sir Simon who should not have turned his back.

Saving The Marquise’s Granddaughter by Carrie Fancett Pagels

savingthemarguisesgranddaughter Saving The Marquise’s Granddaughter

1745 – France

In a land fraught with religious strife, they must break the barriers between status and faith to forge a fresh future in a new world… After her Huguenot father is arrested, aristocrat Suzanne Richelieu escapes Versailles. Handsome German peasant, Johan Rousch, risks his life to bring her to the safety of his family’s farm in the Palatinate duchy, but when Suzanne’s brother and the French army arrive with a warning that they plan to burn the area, she and Johan are forced to flee. With no money or options, both become indentured servants in exchange for safe passage to Philadelphia. Suzanne falls gravely ill aboard ship and marries Johan, only to survive with no memory of the wedding—a reality made worse when Johan spots the “priest” who married them working as a surveyor and later in Quaker cleric garb. Are their wedding vows valid? When Suzanne’s former fiancé arrives in port, planning to abduct her, Johan must save her again—but can he do so before Suzanne is lost to him forever?

Chasing The Butterfly by Jayme Mansfield

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1931 – France

From a vineyard in the south of France to the sophisticated city of Paris, Ella Moreau searches for the hope and love she lost as a young girl when her mother abandoned the family. Through a series of secret paintings, her art becomes the substitute for lost love—the metaphor of her life. But when her paintings are discovered, the intentions of those she loves are revealed.

The Fragment by Davis Bunn

thefragment The Fragment

1923 – France

In the newest high-stakes historical thriller from master storyteller Davis Bunn, skepticism vies with faith amid the grit and grandeur of post-World-War-I Europe.

It’s 1923, and a resilient Paris is starting to recover from the ravages of World War I and the Spanish Flu Epidemic. Enter young Muriel Ross, an amateur American photographer tasked with documenting the antiques that her employer, U.S. Senator Tom Bryan, has traveled to France in order to acquire. Although she’s exhilarated to have escaped her parents and the confines of their stifling Virginia home, Muriel has lingering questions about why the senator has chosen her for this grand adventure. Nevertheless, she blossoms in her new surroundings, soaking up Parisian culture and capturing the sights and sounds of Paris on her camera.

But events take a dangerous turn when she discovers that the senator is on a mission far more momentous—and potentially deadly—than a mere shopping trip. At the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Senator Bryan asks Muriel to photograph an astonishing artifact: a piece of the True Cross, discovered by Empress Helena—a historical figure familiar to readers of The Pilgrim. When rumors surface that another fragment has been unearthed, Muriel becomes enmeshed in a covert international alliance dedicated to authenticating the fragment—and protecting it from those who will stop at nothing to steal and discredit it.

A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

arefugeathighlandhall A Refuge at Highland Hall

1915 – England, France

The Great War shakes the world of a spirited young woman and the brave British pilot she loves, taking her from London to her family’s magnificent country estate, and sending him into the war-torn skies over France.

Penny Ramsey has always considered Highland Hall her home, but when Britain becomes involved in World War One she travels to London to assist her sister Kate with the eight orphan children she and her husband Jon have taken into their home. Doing her part for the war effort takes priority over Penny’s dreams of romance until she meets Alex Goodwin, a Royal Naval Air Service pilot in training.

Alex is determined to prove his worth and do his part to defend his country. Knowing he is heading off for the dangerous assignment of chasing Zeppelins across the front line in France, he feels it’s unwise to form any romantic attachments. But he can’t help admiring the pretty, warmhearted Penny and wondering what it would be like to find her waiting when he returns home from the war.

As Penny writes to Alex, their friendship blossoms, and she becomes his tie to home and normalcy as he faces the hardships war. But being an RNAS pilot means confronting the enemy, and the fallout form those experiences push Alex beyond Penny’s reach. Can God mend the brokenness left by the losses of war? Will faith and forgiveness bring them together again?

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My Brother’s Crown by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

mybrotherscrown My Brother’s Crown

Split Time – France and Virginia

France, 1685. Catherine Gillet knows her brother, Jules, wants to protect her from the sinister threats of the French crown. But Jules is involved in a potentially deadly enterprise, one connected with an encoded document. When his actions put the whole family at risk, will Catherine find a way to save them?

Virginia, present day. Renee Talbot, a direct descendant of Catherine’s, is fascinated by the document that’s been part of her family legacy for more than three centuries. Certain its pages hold hidden secrets, she takes a closer look—and makes a shocking discovery. But when memories of a childhood trauma are rekindled, she’s forced to seek answers of a different kind. Inspired by the faith and bravery of Catherine, can Renee find the truth and face her deepest fears at last?

The Thornbearer by Pepper Basham

The Thornbearer

1915 – At Sea, France

From the decks of the ill-fated Lusitania to the smoke-filled trenches of France, Ashleigh must choose between the forgiveness of her past, life in the present, and a Savior who can rescue her from them all.

When her fiancé leaves her eight months before their wedding, the unexpected blow ignites a battalion of insecurities stemming from her father’s intimate betrayal. Her worst fears are confirmed – who could ever love a soiled woman?

In an attempt to escape the shame and disappointment of her past, Ashleigh boards the ill-fated Lusitania to cross the war-torn waters of Europe. Much to her dismay, she isn’t traveling alone.

Sam Miller is always making up for his best friend’s mistakes. Determined to help Ashleigh, he offers his compassion and protection as she ventures across a perilous sea. With the faint hope of renewing his lost love for Ashleigh’s sister, Sam never expects to find the woman of his dreams in his best friend’s former fiancé and his own childhood companion.

As they travel across the Atlantic, neither is prepared for the life-altering and heart-breaking journey of their friendship.

When the truth of Ashleigh’s past explodes in the middle of war and Sam rejects her, Ashleigh must decide if God is enough – or if the double weight of her betrayal and past will crush her life forever.

The Reluctant Enemy by Naomi Rawlings

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1805 – France

The only thing more dangerous than helping the enemy might be finding love…

When Lord Gregory Halston’s older brother is captured in Napoleonic France, Gregory devises a plan to free him. He’s rather good at making plans and following through with them. That’s one reason he’s the most sought-after man of business in London. The trouble is, his plan doesn’t quite go . . . as planned.

When Danielle Belanger happens upon a group of Englishmen camped secretly in the woods, she has every reason to turn her back on them. She could be tried as a traitor for helping them, and her brother is dead thanks to England’s terrifying navy. Yet something compels her to aid the band of needy men.

As they travel toward the coast, neither Danielle nor Gregory can stop the forbidden feelings swirling between them. But with war tearing their two countries apart, can two people with differing loyalties find a way to be together?

*Previously published as Falling for the Enemy

Hope Rising by Stacy Henrie

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1918 – France

In France at the height of World War I, American nurse Evelyn Gray is no stranger to suffering. She’s helped save the life of many a soldier, but when she learns her betrothed has been killed, her own heart may be broken beyond repair. Summoning all her strength, Evelyn is determined to carry on-not just for herself and her country, but for her unborn child.

Corporal Joel Campbell dreams of the day the war is over and he can return home and start a family. When a brutal battle injury puts that hope in jeopardy, Joel is lost to despair . . . until he meets Evelyn. Beautiful, compassionate, and in need of help, she makes an unconventional proposal that could save their lives-or ruin them irrevocably. Now, amidst the terror and turmoil of the Western Front, these two lost souls will have to put their faith in love to find the miracle they’ve been looking for.

Protected by the Warrior by Barbara Phinney

Protected by the Warrior

1068 – France

When Clara became a midwife, she vowed to preserve life above all. She’ll keep that vow, even if it means defying a Norman baron by hiding a Saxon slave and her child. Yet when the ruthless lord threatens Clara’s village—and her life—she’s forced to rely on another Norman to keep her safe. Kenneth D’Entremont is a soldier, one who takes lives instead of healing them. Clara despairs of finding any common ground with him. But when he begins guarding her, she learns to see him in a new light. His care and compassion make her feel safe…even loved. Can she bring herself to put her secrets, and her heart, under the protection of the warrior?

In Perfect Time by Sarah Sundin

In Perfect Time

1944 – Europe

Bold, sophisticated, and flirtatious, Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, leaving men pining in airfields all across Europe. So how can ruggedly handsome C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper be all but immune to her considerable charms? In fact, he seems to do everything he can to avoid her. Still, as they cross the skies between Italy and southern France, evacuating the wounded and delivering paratroopers and supplies, every beat of their hearts draws them closer to where they don’t want to go. Can they confront the fears and misunderstandings in their pasts?

Chateau of Secrets by Melanie Dobson

Chateau of Secrets

1940 – France

A courageous young noblewoman risks her life to hide French resistance fighters; seventy years later, her granddaughter visits the family’s abandoned chateau and uncovers shocking secrets from the past. Gisèle Duchant guards a secret that could cost her life. Tunnels snake through the hill under her family’s medieval chateau in Normandy. Now, with Hitler’s army bearing down, her brother and several friends are hiding in the tunnels, resisting the German occupation of France. But when German soldiers take over the family’s château, Gisèle is forced to host them as well—while harboring the resistance fighters right below their feet. Taking in a Jewish friend’s baby, she convinces the Nazis that it is her child, ultimately risking everything for the future of the child. When the German officers begin to suspect her deception, an unlikely hero rescues both her and the child. A present day story weaves through the past one as Chloe Sauver, Gisèle’s granddaughter, arrives in Normandy. After calling off her engagement with a political candidate, Chloe pays a visit to the chateau to escape publicity and work with a documentary filmmaker, Riley, who has uncovered a fascinating story about Jews serving in Hitler’s army. Riley wants to research Chloe’s family history and the lives that were saved in the tunnels under their house in Normandy. Chloe is floored—her family isn’t Jewish, for one thing, and she doesn’t know anything about tunnels or the history of the house. But as she begins to explore the dark and winding passageways beneath the chateau, nothing can prepare her for the shock of what she and Riley discover… With emotion and intrigue, Melanie Dobson brings World War II France to life in this beautiful novel about war, family, sacrifice, and the secrets of the past.

The Widow’s Secret by Naomi Rawlings

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1795 – France

She needs a new beginning, but what if starting again costs more than she can bear?

With five children to care for, Brigitte Dubois struggles to find a way to support herself in order to keep her children out of the dangerous criminal underworld of her late husband’s family. When her father-in-law forces her hand, she’s sent to a farm on the outskirts of Abbeville, France, where she needs to gather information on a former soldier who may have played a role in her husband’s death.

Jean Paul Belanger knows firsthand the suffering that hunger and starvation can bring. That’s why he’s back on his family farm, working to feed the town’s hungry—and avoiding thinking about his past. He knows God has forgiven him for past wrongs, but forgiving himself has proven harder than he thought. When a beautiful, auburn-haired woman appears asking for a job, she and her children prove just the distraction he needs.

Digging up Jean Paul’s secrets isn’t easy. He offers food to all who need it, insists on helping her and the children, disarms her with his kind heart and caring ways—and won’t say a word about his past. But her father-in-law is growing impatient, and if she doesn’t find a way to appease him, the price might be greater than she and Jean Paul can afford to pay.

*Previously published as The Soldier’s Secrets

Defy the Night by Heather Munn

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1941 – France

In the midst of war, one teenager is determined to make a difference. If no one will do anything, she’ll have to do it herself. In 1941 France is still “free.” But fifteen-year-old Magali is frustrated by the cruel irony of pretending life is normal when food is rationed, new clothes are a rarity, and most of her friends are refugees. And now the government is actually helping the Nazis. Someone has got to do something, but it seems like no one has the guts—until Paquerette arrives. Smuggling refugee children is Paquerette’s job. And she asks Magali to help. Working with Paquerette is scary and exhausting, but Magali never doubts that it is the right thing to do. Until her brash actions put those she loves in danger.

Farichild’s Lady by Roseanna White

Fairchild’s Lady (Culper Ring Series)

1789 – France

This bonus romantic novella is set in the intervening years between Ring of Secrets and Whispers from the Shadows by Roseanna M. White. In 1789 General Isaac Fairchild travels across the Channel on a very special assignment. After surviving the American Revolution, he is now gathering information on life at King Louis XVI’s court. But he must also locate a countess and her grown daughter and escort them back to England before revolution explodes in France. He knows danger is in the task set before him, but when he meets the beautiful Julienne, a new peril beckons him deeper into the intrigue of Versailles.

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Grave Consequences by Lisa T Bergren

Grave Consequences (Grand Tour Series)

1910s – Europe

The Powerful, Epic Romance Continues

For Cora Kensington, the journey of a lifetime takes unexpected twists. And her future—her very life—depends on the decisions she’ll make at each crossroad. As her European tour with her newfound family takes her through Austria, France, and Italy, an unseen enemy trails close behind. Meanwhile, a forbidden love continues to claim her heart, putting everyone’s plans in danger.

And as Cora stays one step ahead of it all, what might need the most protection is her own heart, torn between the dramatic pursuit of a dashing Frenchman and a man who has been quietly staking claim to her affections all along. Love has dangers all its own. She must escape the bonds of the past and discover the faith to make the right choices, as each one has grave consequences.

Glamorous Illusions by Lisa Bergren

Glamorous Illusions (Grand Tour Series)

1913 – Montana/England/France

When Cora Kensington learns she is the illegitimate daughter of a copper king, her life changes forever. Even as she explores Europe with her new family, she discovers that the most valuable journey is within. The first book in the Grand Tour series takes you from the farms of Montana through England and France on an adventure of forgiveness, spiritual awakening, and self-discovery.

Flame of Resistance by Tracy Groot

Flame of Resistance

World War II – France

Years of Nazi occupation have stolen much from Brigitte Durand. Family. Freedom. Hope for a future, especially for a woman with a past like hers. But that changes the day American fighter pilot Tom Jaeger is shot down over occupied France. Picked up by the Resistance, Tom becomes the linchpin in their plan to infiltrate a Germans-only brothel and get critical intel out through Brigitte, a prostitute rumored to be sympathetic to the Allied cause.

D-day looms and everyone knows that invasion is imminent. But so is treachery, and the life of one American pilot unexpectedly jeopardizes everything. He becomes more important than the mission to a man who cannot bear to lose another agent and to a woman who is more than just a prostitute, who finally realizes that her actions could change the course of history.

The Lady’s Refuge by Naomi Rawlings

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1794 – France

Can two people in need of hope find it in the darkest of times?

Isabelle La Rouchecauld wants nothing more than to be safe. A revolution has torn her country apart, costing her not just her home, but also her family. Giving up on the hope she can ever be safe in her beloved France, she resolves to travel to England, but her aristocratic upbringing makes the journey dangerous. When soldiers discover her in the woods near the English Channel, she has little chance of survival.

Michel Belanger has every reason to hate aristocrats. They flaunted money and threw extravagant balls while people across France suffered and starved. But when he discovers an aristocratic woman left for dead in the woods, he finds himself torn. With the French Revolution raging, harboring someone from the aristocracy means danger for both himself and his ailing mother. But his conscience won’t let him leave the woman behind.

As Isabelle heals from her attack, she and Michel discover that though they come from clashing worlds, their differences are no match for the feelings growing between them. But the violence of the revolution lurks even in the scenic countryside, and soon Isabelle and Michel will need to decide how much they mean to each other, and how much they are willing to sacrifice for a future together…

An unforgettable story of redemption, faith, and the powerful strength of God’s love.

Previeously published as Sanctuary for a Lady.

Baroness by Susan May Warren

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1923 – France

What could they possibly want when they already have everything?

Two daughters of fortune have been handed all the makings for storybook happily-ever-afters. The only problem is, they don’t want to live fairy-tale lives. But when forced to decide, will they really be able to abandon lives of ease and luxury for the love and adventure that beckons? Coming of age in the turbulent Roaring Twenties, each woman sets out to find romance—on her own terms. But at what cost will she find her happy ending?

Look to the East by Maureen Lang

looktotheeast Look to the East (The Great War)

World War I – France

At the dawn of the First World War, the French provincial village of Briecourt is isolated from the battles, but the century-old feud between the Toussaints and the de Colvilles still rages in the streets. When the German army sweeps in to occupy the town, families on both sides of the feud must work together to protect stragglers caught behind enemy lines.

Julitte Toussaint may have been adopted from a faraway island, but she feels the scorn of the de Colvilles as much as anyone born a Toussaint. So when she falls in love with one of the stragglers—a wealthy and handsome Belgian entrepreneur—she knows she’s playing with fire. Charles Lassone hides in the cellar of the Briecourt church, safe from the Germans for the moment. But if he’s discovered, it will bring danger to the entire village and could cost Charles his life.

How Huge the Night by Heather Munn

How Huge the Night

WWII – France

Fifteen-year-old Julien Losier just wants to fit in. But after his family moves to a small village in central France in hopes of outrunning the Nazis, he is suddenly faced with bigger challenges than the taunting of local teens.

Nina Krenkel left her country to obey her father’s dying command: Take your brother and leave Austria. Burn your papers. Tell no one you are Jews. Alone and on the run, she arrives in Tanieux, France, dangerously ill and in despair.

Thrown together by the chaos of war, Julien begins to feel the terrible weight of the looming conflict and Nina fights to survive. As France falls to the Nazis, Julien struggles with doing what is right, even if it is not enough-and wonders whether or not he really can save Nina from almost certain death.

Based on the true story of the town of Le Chambon-the only French town honored by Israel for rescuing Jews from the Holocaust-How Huge the Night is a compelling, coming-of-age drama that will keep teens turning the pages as it teaches them about a fascinating period of history and inspires them to think more deeply about their everyday choices.

A Prisoner of Versailles by Golden Keyes Parsons

aprisonerofversailles A Prisoner of Versailles

17th Century – France

LAVISH and LUXURIOUS VERSAILLES. King Louis XIV’s burgeoning palace is the place to be—and be seen. And the last place on earth Madeleine wants to be.
She’s trapped there as a PAMPERED PRISONER. If she stays in France, she’ll be forced to deny her faith. By escaping the King’s long arm, she may find FREEDOM—but it will cost her everything she holds dear.
Madeleine will need COURAGE, HOPE and total FAITH in God to outmaneuver the Sun King and reach her true destiny—and LOVE—in another country.

Love’s First Light by Jamie Carie

Love’s First Light

1789 – France

Christophé, the Count of St. Laurent, has lost his entire family to the blood-soaked French Revolution and must flee to an ancient castle along the southern border of France to survive. But the medieval city of Carcassonne proves more than a hiding place. Here Christophé meets the beautiful widow Scarlett, a complex and lionhearted woman suddenly taken by the undercover aristocrat’s passion for astronomy and its influence upon his faith. Although their acquaintance begins brightly enough, when the Count learns that Scarlett is related to the man who murdered his family, he turns from love and chooses revenge. Heaven only knows what it might take for Christophé to love again, to love his enemy, and to love unconditionally.

The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin by Douglas Bond

The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin

16th Century – France

Set amidst the backdrop of the scholarship and humanism of renaissance France, and its love of luxury, power, and decadence, this fast-paced biographical novel on John Calvin is told from the perspective of a rival whose envy escalates to violent intrigue and shameless betrayal. The Betrayal is the tale of the private war of one man who was determined to sell all for a convoluted allegiance to the King of France and the jealous Doctors of the Sorbonne, even if it cost him his own soul. Get set for royal intrigue, desperate escapes, violent martyrdom, hazard-all romance and loss, high-risk debate, and sword-point confession in this tale, one that is at last a story of how God uses the humility and unflinching faithfulness of one man to break down the barrenness and bitterness of another—all accomplished by grace alone.

In the Shadow of the Sun King by Golden Keyes Parsons

In the Shadow of the Sun King

17th Century – France

Seventeenth century France is an unsafe time to be a Huguenot. By order of King Louis XIV, all French Protestants must immediately convert or face imprisonment—or death. The king’s dragoons ferret out the nonconformists, pillaging villages and destroying homesteads.

When the king’s soldiers descend on the Clavell estate, the family’s fate hangs in the balance. Quickly, quietly, they send their two sons into hiding, trusting that the young age of their daughter will guarantee her protection. But the dragoons will not be dissuaded; they hold the manor hostage looking for clues of their guilt or innocence. However, Madeleine Clavell, the lady of the manor, holds a secret—one possible chance to save the family. She and the king share a past.
Once a beautiful young lady in the French court whom Louis loved, Madeleine travels to Versailles to plead for mercy from the fickle king, hoping to regain his favor and save her family. It’s a gamble, but she is left with no other choice. Madeleine soon faces an agonizing decision—one that changes her family forever.

Daughter of Silk by Linda Chaikin

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1600s – France

Pursuing the family name as the finest silk producer in Lyon, the young Huguenot Rachelle Dushane-Macquinet is thrilled to accompany her famous couturier Grandmere to Paris, there to create a silk trousseau for the Royal Princess Marguerite Valois. The Court is magnificent; its regent, Catherine de Medici, deceptively charming … and the circumstances, darker than Rachelle could possibly imagine. At a time in history when the tortures of the Bastille and the fiery stake are an almost casual consequence in France, a scourge of recrimination is moving fast and furious against the Huguenots—and as the Queen Mother’s political intrigues weave a web of deception around her, Rachelle finds herself in imminent danger. Hope rests in warning the handsome Marquis Fabien de Vendome of the wicked plot against his kin. But to do so, Rachelle must follow a perilous course.

Tuesday’s Child by Linda Chaikin

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1940 – France

In the summer of 1940, with France on the verge of surrender to Germany, Valli Chattaine, a star in the Paris Ballet Company, must escape Paris and return home to French Morocco. A French Foreign Legionnaire, hired by her family, attempts to get her safely out of Paris. Marc Durell, an adventurous and capable soldier, also brings Valli a secret letter from her older sister, Gisele. But in going home, Valli falls into a maze of dark deceptions and dangers. Through it all she comes to a deeper understanding of God’s grace, which is so much greater than her own. His grace helps to bring her and her family beyond devastating circumstances in Casablanca and is equally present in her own romance with the charismatic Legionnaire.

Triumph of the Soul by Michael R. Joens

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WWII – Europe

During World War II, Billy Hochreiter, an American fighter pilot, navigates the dangerous skies over Europe and finds love with the beautiful Colette, at the same time a handsome German pilot defends his homeland and dreams of life with the mysterious Olga.