Rescuing Rose by Susan Pope Sloan

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1864 – Georgia/Kentucky

His army destroyed her livelihood. She represents the people he scorns. How can they reconcile their differences when the whole country is at war?

When the Union Army marches into Roswell, Georgia, and burns down the cotton mill where Rose Carrigan worked, not only is her livelihood destroyed but she’s also taken prisoner and shipped northward with the other workers. Only the unlikely kindness of one of her guards makes the trip bearable.

Union Captain Noah Griffin hates the part of his job that requires him to destroy the lives of innocent civilians, but at least he’s able to protect these women he’s been ordered to transport to Louisville, Kentucky. Especially the one whose quick wit and kindness draw him.

While they’re forced to wait in Marietta, two fugitives arrive to complicate matters between Rose and Noah. As Rose heads north and Noah returns to the battlefront, they each face fears and prejudices. With survival so tenuous, only faith can help them find love in the midst of so much tragedy.

Within These Walls of Sorrow by Amanda Barratt

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1941 – Poland

Zosia Lewandowska knows the brutal realities of war all too well. Within weeks of Germany’s invasion of her Polish homeland, she lost the man she loves. As ghetto walls rise and the occupiers tighten their grip on the city of Krakow, Zosia joins pharmacist Tadeusz Pankiewicz and his staff in the heart of the Krakow ghetto as they risk their lives to aid the Jewish people trapped by Nazi oppression.

Hania Silverman’s carefree girlhood is shattered as her family is forced into the ghetto. Struggling to survive in a world hemmed in by walls and rife with cruelty and despair, she encounters Zosia, her former neighbor, at the pharmacy. As deportation winnow the ghetto’s population and snatch those she holds dear, Hania’s natural resiliency is exhausted by reality.

Zodia and Hania’s lives intertwine as they face the griefs and fears thrust upon them by war, until one day, they are forced to make a desperate choice . . . one that will inexorably bind them together, even as they are torn apart.

Hearts of Steel by Elizabeth Camden

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1902 – New York

His steel empire has catapulted him to the top of the world, but loving her could cost him everything.

Maggie Molinaro survived a hardscrabble childhood in the downtrodden streets of Manhattan to become a successful businesswoman. After a decade of sacrifice, she now owns a celebrated ice cream company. But when she offends a corrupt banker, she unwittingly sets off a series of calamities that threaten to destroy her life’s work.

Liam Blackstone is a charismatic steel magnate committed to overhauling factory conditions for the steelworkers of America. Standing in his way is the same villain determined to ruin Maggie. What begins as a practical alliance to defeat a common enemy soon evolves into a romance between two wounded people determined to beat the odds.

A spiraling circle of treachery grows increasingly dangerous as Liam and Maggie risk their lives and fortunes for the good of the city. It will require all their wit and ingenuity to protect everything–and everyone–they hold dear.

Cobalt Skies by Pegg Thomas

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1867 – Missouri

Samuel Hickman volunteered to fight for his country and talked his younger brother into joining him. They’d ridden for honor and glory. The realities of war, however, convinced Hick to avoid people and their entanglements.

Susannah Piper lost everyone she loved in the war, her Confederate father and brothers, and even her Yankee husband. Left with only her thick Georgia drawl and a contrary mule, her sights are set on the state of Oregon—as far from the battlefields and prejudices as she can get.

But when Susannah arrives in desperation at Hick’s camp one dark night, even he can’t turn her away. He’s heading to Wyoming, not Oregon, but it’s in the right direction, and Susannah doesn’t plan on being left behind. The resulting clash of North and South may spark another type of civil war.

Never Beguile a Bodyguard by Regina Scott

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1825 – England

Ordered to guard, forbidden to love

When elite soldier Finn Huber was released from his duties to his king and crown prince to start a new life in Regency England, he never dreamed his first position would be bodyguard to a governess whose sweet nature calls to him. He fell for a lady he was guarding years ago, with devastating consequences. He learned the hard way that bodyguards must be vigilant, valiant, and in control, always. Loving who they guard is strictly forbidden.

Governess Abigail Winchester beguiles her charges with warm smiles and gentle words, but her composure is hard won. Someone knows about her connection to a family scandal and is bent on destroying her. How kind of her benefactress, Lady Belfort, to hire Finn to keep her safe as she hides at the lady’s country estate. He is everything a lady might admire, but she cannot give in to her growing feelings for him. Finn’s honor and her past can never be reconciled.

But Lady Belfort and her cat, Fortune, are renowned for making matches—in employment and in romance. With their help, Finn and Abigail must uncover who is threatening her and stop the villain before it’s too late. In the end, will honor or love prevail?

A Trail so Lonesome by Lacy Williams

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mid 1800s – Oregon trail

Spending five months eating trail dust wasn’t Leo Spencer’s first choice. Or his second. He’s not one to run away, but some situations can’t be fixed and his family—two brothers and a sister—needs to start over. Which is how he finds himself on a westbound wagon train.

Evangeline has a secret, one that has sent her on a journey across the plains on the Oregon Trail. When her father is badly hurt and she needs help, Leo is there. A deal is struck and the two unlikely friends form an alliance… that leads to more.

But Evangeline’s secret looms over her… and Leo’s family troubles are far from over.

The Heir’s Predicament by Lorri Dudley

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1831 – Antigua

He controls the answers to her past and future, but she threatens his inheritance and his heart.

Maggie Prescott may not know her real name, the circumstances of her birth, or her father’s identity, but based on a song her shipwrecked birthmother taught her before she died, Maggie’s certain the answers lie on the island of Antigua. Unbeknownst to her beloved adopted family, she sends her maid to finishing school in her stead and convinces her uncle, Captain Anthony Middleton, to sail her to the Leeward Islands. Time is of the essence to discover her heritage before the next family gathering exposes her duplicity.

Lord Samuel Fredrick Harcourt Granville was groomed to inherit the Cardon title and lands, but the possession of his father’s temper has put Samuel’s future in jeopardy. After discovering his fiancée cavorting with his so-called friend, the ensuing altercation lands Samuel in court before of the House of Lords. As an example, for all aristocratic sons to quell their hedonistic living, the House of Lords banishes Samuel to the island of Antigua until he can prove he’s worthy of his privileged birth.

On the island, Samuel works to rein in his temper and revive a dying sugar plantation. Still, his return to England and all his efforts are threatened when a mysterious woman breaks into his island home, claiming to be the true heiress of the sugar plantation. Guilt, resentment, and fresh yearnings sizzle under the island sun as Maggie’s search uncovers a much greater treasure than either of them expected.

Author Interview and Giveaway – The Secret Society of Salzburg – Renee Ryan

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Friendships, World War II, and Opera–What a combination! Welcome Renee Ryan to the Index with her newest release!

The Secret Society of Salzburg ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

The Secret Society of Salzburg

At first glance, Austrian opera singer Elsa Mayer-Braun has little in common with the young English typist she encounters on tour. Yet she and Hattie Featherstone forge an instant connection—and strike a dangerous alliance. Using their friendship as a cover, they form a secret society with a daring goal: to rescue as many Jews as possible from Nazi persecution.
 
Though the war’s outbreak threatens Elsa and Hattie’s network, their efforts attract the covert attention of the British government, offering more opportunities to thwart the Germans. But Elsa’s growing fame as Hitler’s favorite opera singer, coupled with her secret Jewish ancestry, make her both a weapon and a target—until her future, too, hangs in the balance.

Renee’s Website

renee ryan's website

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Questions about Renee’s Story

Did you include a real historical character or incident in your story?

In my research about British Immigration Policy during the interwar years, I stumbled upon the daring Cook sisters, Ida and Louise. These brave women orchestrated the rescue of 29 Jews from Nazi Germany in the 1930s. What drew me to their story was my indirect connection to the younger sister. Between 1936 and 1985, Ida wrote 112 romance novels as Mary Burchell for Mills and Boon, many of which were later reissued by my publisher Harlequin. Like the fictional Hattie and Vera, the Cook sisters were civil servants with a strong passion for opera. In fact, they first learned of the persecution of Jews through their association with Austrian conduction, Clemens Krauss, and his wife, Viorica Ursuleac. If you’re interested in finding out more about Ida and Louise Cook, I highly recommend Ida’s autobiography, We Followed Our Stars, which was reedited and expanded in 2008 as Safe Passage.

What research did you have to look up to make your character(s) authentic?

I wasn’t much of an opera fan before I wrote this book, which was a challenge since one of my two main heroines is an international opera star and the catalyst for the heroine’s first meeting. After spending hours watching video clips and learning about vocal control, I am a true devotee. I highly recommend any version of The Queen of the Night’s aria from the second act of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

My personal favorite rendition is by Diana Damrau from her performance with The Royal Opera. The Flower Duet from Lakmé by Delibes is another recently discovered gem. Check out Elīna Garanča & Olga Peretyatko’s performance.

Did you stumble upon anything in your research for this book that you thought was strange or surprising?

A particularly twisty path down a rabbit hole landed me at the gates of the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp. Located in northern Germany in the town of Bergen, the facility began its life as a prisoner of war camp during the second world war. The official opening date is somewhat in question. However, in 1943, a portion of the facility became an “exchange camp” where valuable Jewish inmates were held with the intention of exchanging them for German prisoners of war. Estimates claim that some 2500 Jews were released or exchanged between the summer of 1943 and December 1944, though it may have been more. By March of 1944, a portion of the facility was designated as a “recovery camp” and inmates too sick to work were brought there from other camps. With them came innumerable diseases. In November of that same year a section was dedicated solely to women and, sometime in the spring of 1945, both Margot and Anne Frank died at Bergen-Belson.

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Questions about Renee’s Reading

What Christian Historical Novel taught you something about the craft of writing because it was so well done? Tell us a bit about what it taught you.

Patti Callahan’s Once Upon a Wardrobe was a revelation on so many levels. Her voice soared off the page. I can pick up a Patty Callahan book, flip to any page and know she’s the author. What a master of word choice and staying true to your own style. She made me smile, sigh, and sob like a baby. My biggest takeaway as a writer was to remember when crafting my main characters that each one must have a unique way of thinking and original way of conveying those thoughts. I shouldn’t need a chapter header for the reader to know which character’s story arc I’m following.

Once Upon a Wardrobe

What Christian Historical Novel did you reread last, and why did you reread it?

I recently reread Francine Rivers’ Redeeming Love because of the recent movie. I last read the book over ten years ago. The story still holds up. The brokenness was at times painful to read, but also inspiring. I also reread the book of Hosea and was blown away with the truth that God never lets us go. Or, as I like to say, God is always faithful, even when we are not.

redeeming love

If your job was to sell one author’s historical fiction (besides your own) which author’s wares would you want to peddle? And which is your favorite by that author?

I always recommend Patti Callahan’s books. Once Upon a Wardrobe is my favorite, with Becoming Mrs. Lewis a close second. I’m a huge CS Lewis fan and she really brought him alive for me in both books. I would love to sit down and chat with him. Reading Patti’s books was the closest I’ll ever get and that’s okay with me. He came off quite likeable and very multi-dimensional.

becomingmrslewis

Renee is giving away either a paperback (USA Only) or an ebook (Internationals Entry welcome). Enter the Rafflecopter below!

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Mail-Order Bride Mommy by Linda Ford

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1890 – Montana

Matt Shannon lost his fiancé to a tragic accident. He does not want anything more to do with love and marriage. But he is now guardian to four-year-old Lindy. Desperate for a woman to mother the little girl, he arranges for a mail-order bride. The agreement is for convenience only, but Gwen’s kindness and good nature threaten his barred heart.

Gwen Humber is willing to do anything to guarantee herself a permanent home…even travel west for a marriage in name only. She’ll become mother to a little girl. She instantly loves the delightful child, but loving Matt is not part of the deal. Can she keep her heart under control?

Will love overcome their past pain?

Mark of Grace by Kimberley Woodhouse

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1907 – Arizona

When everything crumbles, her chance for a new beginning hangs in the balance.

Ruth Anniston survived an injury that left her physically scarred, broken, and angry at God. Now, she finds herself working behind the scenes as a kitchen and dining room supervisor at the El Tovar Hotel, hidden away from curious eyes and with little hope of finding love. When money begins to disappear from the hotel, Ruth’s entire livelihood is put at risk when she lands on the list of suspects.

Frank Henderson has at last succeeded in obtaining his dream job as head chef at the El Tovar. But competition in the kitchen is fierce, and one mistake could cost him his future. As the thefts at the hotel continue, and his affection for Ruth grows, Frank’s career–and his heart–are in jeopardy.

As tensions run high, Ruth and Frank must work together to save the El Tovar. They find themselves growing closer . . . but can their combined ingenuity overcome the odds against them?

Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz

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1715 – England/France/Scotland

Lady Blythe Hedley’s father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Lady Blythe awaits who will ultimately be crowned king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with the clothes on her back and her mistress in tow. He has his own problems–a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction in the wake of losing his father. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.

Drawn into a whirlwind of intrigue, shifting alliances, and ambitions, Lady Blythe must be careful whom she trusts. Her fortune, her future, and her very life are at stake. Those who appear to be adversaries may turn out to be allies–and those who pretend friendship may be enemies.

A Winter at the White Queen by Denise Weimer

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1910 – Florida

In the world of the wealthy, things are never quite as they appear.

Ellie Hastings is tired of playing social gatekeeper—and poor-relation companion—to her Gibson Girl of a cousin. But her aunt insists Ellie lift her nose out of her detective novel long enough to help gauge the eligibility of bachelors during the winter social season at Florida’s Hotel Belleview. She finds plenty that’s mysterious about the suave, aloof Philadelphia inventor, Lewis Thornton. Why does he keep sneaking around the hotel? Does he have a secret sweetheart? And what is his connection to the evasive Mr. Gaspachi, slated to perform at Washington’s Birthday Ball?

Ellie’s comical sleuthing ought to put Lewis out, but the diffident way her family treats her smashes a hole in his normal reserve. When Florence Hastings’s diamond necklace goes missing, Ellie’s keen mind threatens to uncover not only Lewis’s secrets, but give him back hope for love.

Truth and Honor by Carol Ashby

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128 – Italy

Is truth worth the price if it costs you everything?

For Tribune Glabrio, descended from three consuls of Rome and determined to be the fourth, commanding the troops policing Carthago appears ideal for hastening his political rise. Arriving from Rome with the secretly Christian Sartorus as his aide, Glabrio discovers the man he was to replace has vanished without a trace. Was the missing tribune too close to finding the counterfeiters Glabrio is now hunting? But no matter the cost, duty and honor require him to enforce Roman law.

Orphaned as a child and taken to live with her pagan grandfather, Martina met Jesus through her step-grandmother. Their faith was a well-kept secret, even from most of their family. With both grandparents now dead, her uncle helps Martina hide the faith he doesn’t share. But after a single dinner at her uncle’s, the new tribune is determined to get to know her. No matter what she does to discourage Glabrio, he won’t leave her alone. But if he discovers her faith, will it mean her death?

When Martina rescues Glabrio from the counterfeiter’s schemes, he learns the people who risked everything to save him share the faith that got his grandfather executed. Embracing that faith could cost him the future he planned on. As an officer of the empire, it’s his duty to reject it…but what if it’s true?

A Ransomed Grete by Chautona Havig

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1939 – Austria

What happens when you run from danger… and into a trap?

After the Anschluss, Austria becomes a place its citizens don’t recognize—especially its Jewish citizens. Whispers ripple through Jewish communities—whispers about a chalet where a woman protects Jewish children from discovery. She’ll keep them safe, fed, and far away from Nazis.

Parents are forced to make horrific decisions. Send their children away to safety, possibly never seeing them again, or keep their families together and risk their children’s lives?

Hans Hartmann arrives at the chalet with a chip on his shoulder and a little girl in tow. He found Grete waiting at the train station. Alone. But life at Chalet Versteck feels more ominous than the streets of Vienna. Children sometimes vanish, and before Hans can figure out what’s happening, a high-ranking officer appears—and is killed.

It’s a race to find out who killed the man and get himself (and probably that pesky Grete) out!

The Secret Society of Salzburg by Renee Ryan

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1933 – England

At first glance, Austrian opera singer Elsa Mayer-Braun has little in common with the young English typist she encounters on tour. Yet she and Hattie Featherstone forge an instant connection—and strike a dangerous alliance. Using their friendship as a cover, they form a secret society with a daring goal: to rescue as many Jews as possible from Nazi persecution.
 
Though the war’s outbreak threatens Elsa and Hattie’s network, their efforts attract the covert attention of the British government, offering more opportunities to thwart the Germans. But Elsa’s growing fame as Hitler’s favorite opera singer, coupled with her secret Jewish ancestry, make her both a weapon and a target—until her future, too, hangs in the balance.

Whirlwind by Dana McNeely

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857 BC – Israel

A king’s downfall and a love that transcends war

Spurned by potential suitors, Miriam travels to Jezreel to care for her cousin’s son. There, the precocious seven-year-old works his way into her heart. When Arameans swarm the land like locusts, Miriam focuses on the safety of her young ward but promises adventures beyond the city walls when the war ends.

Gershon, a quiet and kind vintner, is happily building a life for his wife, son, and aging parents. But when his wife dies during childbirth and war looms on the horizon, he must make a decision—will he take a new wife before his heart can mend?

Meanwhile, Dov, a young officer crosses paths with the “bird girl” he remembers from the past. That she is a beautiful woman matters not, as he is a career soldier. Unexpectedly charged with leading Ahab’s army against the Arameans, Dov anticipates death and defeat in Samaria, but when a prophet pledges victory, Dov vows to fight to the end.

When an unlikely victory brings freedom, a bright future seems imminent. Then one afternoon Miriam witnesses a tragedy and must flee with the boy to keep them both safe. With henchmen on their trail, will they find refuge—and her heart the home she’s longed for?

Scandalous by Tamara Leigh

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1350 – England

THE SWAN OF LEXETER

Lady Adelaide Soames of scandalous repute counts the days, months, and years until justice is served. At last, King Edward’s masked ball not only brings her face to face with the nobleman who ruined her sister but the sheriff she deems his accomplice. When she exposes the culprit, the resulting spectacle finds her teetering on the edge of the king’s mercy. And stunned when the sheriff who could have saved her sister offers a solution to the problem of a lady no longer welcome at court. Certain he expects her to reject what can only be a show of penance, she accepts. Then just like that, the scandalous Swan of Lexeter finds herself hopelessly ensnared and justice deferred. Yet there could be good in it. If she can put growing feelings for this man ahead of her desire for revenge.

THE SHERIFF OF WULFENSHIRE

Sheriff Percival D’Arci is diligent in enforcing the law upon Wulfenshire—though not always. Years ago, vexed at being awarded an office requiring more time than he could spare, with undue haste he investigated a lady’s assault on her sister’s guardian. And mistakenly gave greater weight to the testimony of a respected nobleman than a woman known for stirring trouble. Now, burdened by a tragedy he might have prevented, he is prepared to give Lady Adelaide her due—and even more when guilt collides with impulse and the penance he offers is not rejected. Might his resolve to bring to justice the nobleman who destroyed her sister ease her bitter heart? Or have they consigned each other to a life of discord? And how is he to keep the lady to whom he is increasingly drawn from taking matters into her own hands?

Prisoner by Camille Elliot

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Regency – England

Lady Wynwood’s team of aristocrat spies is shocked at the betrayal by one of their teammates and the kidnapping of a second. In a race against time, they must find the hiding place of the treasonous group that they call the Gentians in order to save one of their own.

However, they also face the threat of mysterious agendas within the secret government department, the Ramparts. The team is split apart by the Ramparts’ leaders, who seem overly interested in using the mysterious Root elixir for their own purposes.

While knowing that each day brings more suffering and torture for the prisoner, Lady Wynwood’s spies scramble to uncover any clues left behind as to where the Gentians have gone. But with their resources and abilities limited by the Ramparts, can they make it in time before the enemy accomplishes its perplexing goal?

All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes

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1807/1904 – Italy

When all of Venice is unmasked, one man’s identity remains a mystery . . .

1807
When a baby is discovered floating in a basket along the quiet canals of Venice, a guild of artisans takes him in and raises him as a son, skilled in each of their trades. Although the boy, Sebastien Trovato, has wrestled with questions of his origins, it isn’t until a woman washes ashore on his lagoon island that answers begin to emerge. In hunting down his story, Sebastien must make a choice that could alter not just his own future, but also that of the beloved floating city.

1904
Daniel Goodman is given a fresh start in life as the century turns. Hoping to redeem a past laden with regrets, he is sent on an assignment from California to Venice to procure and translate a rare book. There, he discovers a city of colliding hope and decay, much like his own life, and a mystery wrapped in the pages of that filigree-covered volume. With the help of Vittoria, a bookshop keeper, Daniel finds himself in a web of shadows, secrets, and discoveries carefully kept within the stones and canals of the ancient city . . . and in the mystery of the man whose story the book does not finish: Sebastien Trovato.

Love’s New Beginnings by Penny Zeller

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1869 – Wyoming

Where it all began…

Lydie Beauchamp recently moved with her aunts—sisters Myrtle and Fern—to the untamed Wyoming Territory. When a teaching position in nearby Willow Falls captures her attention, can she leave her aunts, one of whom just suffered a broken heart, and embark on this new adventure? Will she find the courage to persevere in the midst of challenges, one being a handsome challenge named Solomon Eliason?

Reverend Solomon Eliason has the goal of making a difference. Hired as the pastor of Willow Falls, he must convince the congregation that he is able to undertake the role of a reverend. When he’s nominated to be the adult in charge of the annual prank tradition at the school, he embraces the idea, thinking the new teacher will be a crotchety, elderly woman like his former teacher. What he doesn’t realize until it’s too late is that the teacher is far from crotchety and elderly.

When Lydie’s and Solomon’s paths cross in an unexpected way during the prank tradition at the Willow Falls school, can Solomon redeem himself in the eyes of the lovely new teacher?

Engaging Deception by Regina Jennings

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1890s – Missouri

A lively competition draws her into her rival’s blueprints–and maybe even his heart.

Olive Kentworth has spent her life hiding her interest in architecture, even though she pores over architectural books and sketches buildings. When she accepts a job on a home expansion, it’s only because her cousin Amos agrees to pose as the builder. To further hide her involvement, Olive takes a position as a nanny–not knowing that she’ll be working for her idol, Joplin’s leading architect, widower Maxfield Scott.

Maxfield is intrigued by his new nanny–she makes his home and his life bearable again. His work, on the other hand, is a disaster. An untrained builder is remodeling a completed project of his. What’s worse, Maxfield’s current client wants changes to his plans because of that builder’s work.

As the architectural one-upmanship heats up, Olive’s involvement becomes harder to hide. Will the relationship between her and Maxfield survive, or will they both miss out on building something for their future?

In Love’s Time by Kate Breslin

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1918 – Russia

At the height of World War I, two sweethearts face impossible odds in this powerful tale of courage, duty, and heartbreak.

In the summer of 1918, Captain Marcus Weatherford arrives in Russia on a secret mission, with a beautiful ballerina posing as his fiancée. He’s there to find the Romanov tsarina and her son and glean information about a plot to assassinate Lenin. As the danger intensifies, Marcus’s sense of duty battles with his desire to return home to Clare, the woman he truly loves, before it’s too late.

Military hospital orderly Clare Danner still suffers from Marcus’s betrayal after learning he’s engaged to another woman. Clare also fears losing her daughter, Daisy, to the heartless family who took her away once before. Only Marcus can provide the critical proof needed to save Daisy, but when an injury leaves him powerless to help, Clare’s fate–and the fate of the top-secret mission–hangs in the balance.

Author Interview and Giveaway – The Blackout Book Club – Amy Lynn Green

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What avid reader doesn’t love a book about books? Welcome Amy Lynn Green, once a lady who helped market my books and now writing her own!

The Blackout Book Club , , , , , , , , ,

The Blackout Book Club

In 1942, an impulsive promise to her brother before he goes off to the European front puts Avis Montgomery in the unlikely position of head librarian in small-town Maine. Though she has never been much of a reader, when wartime needs threaten to close the library, she invents a book club to keep its doors open. The women she convinces to attend the first meeting couldn’t be more different–a wealthy spinster determined to aid the war effort, an exhausted mother looking for a fresh start, and a determined young war worker.

At first, the struggles of the home front are all the club members have in common, but over time, the books they choose become more than an escape from the hardships of life and the fear of the U-boat battles that rage just past their shores. As the women face personal challenges and band together in the face of danger, they find they have more in common than they think. But when their growing friendships are tested by secrets of the past and present, they must decide whether depending on each other is worth the cost.

 Amy’s Website

Green_Amy

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Questions about Amy’s Story

 

Did any of the characters in this book “surprise” you?

Since I start writing with only a vague idea of what will happen next, the character of Louise Cavendish, heiress and owner of the library building, turned out much differently than I’d planned. Throughout the book, we see glimpses of her past that shaped who she is in the present, and the ideas that came to me suddenly helped me understand her and feel more sympathy toward this somewhat-difficult character. From her lost love to her desire to serve as a nurse in WWI and then in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918, her past was much more complicated than I’d realized at the start.

 

Which scene is your favorite, the one you never tired of working with? Give us a reason to look forward to it.

In chapter 27, my feisty Rosie the Riveter character, Ginny, talks herself into a pancake eating contest with a local man at a war benefit breakfast. It was one of the first scenes I wrote to understand who she was, and it still makes me laugh every time, although later in the writing process I added some devastating news to the end of the chapter that puts more of the plot into motion.

 

Did you include a real historical character or incident in your story?

There were many real WWII home front details I got to sneak into the story, but my favorite was this can’t-believe-it’s-real detail: the Hooligan Navy. That was the nickname for a ragtag group of civilian volunteers who were commissioned to patrol up and down the Atlantic Coast in borrowed yachts and other crafts on the lookout for U-boats. I included some of the actual comical hijinks that ensued, including a city slicker who almost had the crew radio in a German sub sighting, but found out that the “periscope” he’d seen was just a surfacing porpoise. They did have a few moments of heroism along the way that made it worth the effort, but the majority of the days were filled with tedium and sunburn.

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Questions about Amy’s Reading

What other Christian Historical Novels are similar to yours in setting or storyline?

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin has some overlap because of the theme of books bringing very different people together during wartime, though her book has a French Resistance plotline. And the cast of female characters with strong and varied personalities on the U.S. home front was inspired by one of my favorites of Lynn Austin, A Woman’s Place. I love and would highly recommend both of them!

untilleavesfallinparis

What Christian Historical Novel taught you something about the craft of writing because it was so well done? Tell us a bit about what it taught you.

I’ve learned so much from current Christian historical fiction authors, but for this one, I’m going to dive way back and say Saint Ben by John Fisher. You may never have heard of this one, but it was the first Christian fiction book I ever read, set in the 1950s, with a preteen pastor’s kid as the narrator. Not only did it resonate with me because of the exploration of questions of faith and doubt, but as a writer-in-training, on multiple re-reads I paid attention to the engaging voice, loveable characters, balance of humor and serious issues, and most of all, the way that Fisher raised questions for the readers to consider rather than preaching at them. It’s a brilliant story that still impacts me now, over fifteen years later.

What Christian Historical Novel are you most excited to read that hasn’t yet come out?

So many! But one high up on my list is All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes. Her stories are always full of light and hope, and this one has so many intriguing elements (bookstore, Venice setting, mystery plotline) that I can’t wait to read it once it releases.

all the lost places

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Holding the Line by Jennifer Delamere

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1881 – England

Can she find the strength to heal the wounds of her past–and open her heart again?

A widow at just thirty years of age, Rose Finlay is determined to put all ideas of marriage and family behind her and pursue an independent life. But when she notices a young woman about to be led astray by a roguish aristocrat, bitter memories from her past arise, and she feels compelled to intervene. The unintended consequences of her efforts will ultimately force Rose to reexamine her life in a new light.

As the guardian of his two widowed sisters’ financial and domestic affairs, John Milburn carries heavy responsibilities for a single man. But he’s faced with his biggest challenge when his headstrong niece falls prey to the attentions of a powerful man who could ruin both her and her family.

When Rose and John join forces to protect his niece, they put everything they hold dear–including their growing attraction–in jeopardy.

The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen

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1819 – England

Some guests have come for a holiday, others for hidden reasons of their own . . .

When their father’s death leaves them impoverished, Sarah Summers and her genteel sisters fear they will be forced to sell the house and separate to earn livelihoods as governesses or companions. Determined to stay together, Sarah convinces them to open their seaside home to guests to make ends meet and provide for their ailing mother. Instead of the elderly invalids they expect to receive, however, they find themselves hosting eligible gentlemen. Sarah is soon torn between a growing attraction to a mysterious Scottish widower and duty to her family.

Viola Summers wears a veil to cover her scar. When forced to choose between helping in her family’s new guest house and earning money to hire a maid to do her share, she chooses the latter. She reluctantly agrees to read to some of Sidmouth’s many invalids, preferring the company of a few elders with failing eyesight to the fashionable guests staying in their home. But when her first client turns out to be a wounded officer in his thirties, Viola soon wishes she had chosen differently. Her new situation exposes her scars–both visible and those hidden deep within–and her cloistered heart will never be the same.

Fortress of Snow by Melanie Dickerson

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1383 – England

Mazy dreams of independence. Sir Berenger longs to play the hero. But in each other, they may find the secret to happily ever after.

Mazelina of Wexcombe has always dreamed of traveling with her father to lands beyond the confining walls of their castle. But his sudden death deprives her of the future she imagined. Abandoned by her eldest brother, Mazy is soon forced to seek help from her beloved brother Sir John at the great estate of Strachleigh.

Her visit leads to a friendship with the dashing and noble Sir Berenger of Dericott. He has notions of rescuing a damsel in distress. But Mazy is brave enough to defend herself—and has proven that her skills in archery and knife throwing rival that of a knight’s. So when he is called away to Prussian lands, Sir Berenger looks to distinguish himself in battle.

When Sir Berenger returns, he and Mazy meet again on the streets of London, where she is making a living selling goods in the market. Meanwhile, he has been summoned by the king to receive a reward for his service. But the recognition comes with a price: He must marry a wealthy, titled widow to please the king. But when Mazy begins to suspect treachery, she embarks on a journey to the fortress of snow to warn the brave knight—and secure her own fairy-tale ending.

Stay With Me by Jody Hedlund

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1382/Time Travel – England

Sacrificing and dying to oneself is costly. But doing so brings new purpose and joy.

As a private investigator, Sybil Huxham has seen her fair share of strange occurrences. But nothing in her career has been more perplexing than the miracles she’s witnessed as a result of people drinking ancient holy water. When she discovers more of the rare holy water, she experiences strange overlaps with a nobleman in the Middle Ages who is languishing in a dungeon, accused of treason and condemned to die. To save his life, she finally crosses to the past completely.

Nicholas Worth has never met a woman quite like Sybil, and as the two run for their lives into the Weald, they find refuge among a community of outlaws. With both their reputations on the line, they have little choice but to marry. As they get to know each other, an undeniable attraction develops. But danger and disease chase after them, drawing ever closer. Will they be able to escape the threats? And will Sybil choose to stay with Nicholas in the past, or will she be ripped apart from him forever?

All She Ever Dreamed by Robin Lee Hatcher

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1898 – Idaho

A dream sometimes comes at great cost.

Betrothed in a sensible match, even if the man isn’t the love she’s always imagined, Sarah McNeal relies on the advice her late grandmother gave as well as her own common sense. Dreams of a mysterious European count who rides in and sweeps her off her feet arethe stuff of girlhood. And she’s a woman now. But when her fiancé’s older brother, Jeremiah, returns to Boulder Creek, he unknowingly awakens that discarded dream.

Nine years ago, Jeremiah West lost his wife and newborn son in an epidemic, and he’s been wandering ever since. A survivor of the Spanish-American War, he finally returns to Boulder Creek to settle on the farm he inherited from his father, an inheritance his younger brother still begrudges.

When a blizzard threatens Sarah’s life—and her reputation—Jeremiah is there to rescue her. But the pain of his past remains a stumbling block. Then fate brings Jeremiah and Sarah to a crossroads, and love demands a decision that will change the course of their lives.

What I Would Tell You by Liz Tolsma

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1941/Present – Greece

Determined to resist the invading Nazis, a Greek Jewish woman’s greatest dream has become her worst nightmare, and now she faces an impossible choice whose consequences echo across the generations.

1941–The pounding of Nazi boots on the streets of Salonika, Greece, reverberates in Mathilda Nissim’s ears, shaking her large community of Sephardic Jews to its core and altering her life forever. If only her people would rise up and resist their captors. At great risk to herself and those around her, she uses the small newspaper she publishes to call them to action, all to no avail. Her husband encourages her to trust God to watch over them, but God has once again deserted His people. Amid the chaos, Mathilda discovers she’s expecting a longed-for child. Still, nothing stops the occupiers’ noose from tightening around their necks, and she may have to resort to desperate measures to ensure her daughter’s survival.

2019–College student Tessa Payton and her cousin take a popular DNA heritage test only to discover they don’t share any common ancestors. In fact, the test reveals Tessa is a Greek Sephardic Jew. This revelation threatens her tenuous faith. Always the overlooked child in her family, she empties her savings account and jets off on a journey to Greece to discover where she belongs and which God demands her allegiance. The enchanting curator at the Jewish museum guides her as she navigates life in Thessaloniki, helps with her genealogical research, and loans her a fascinating journal written by a Jewish woman during WWII. Tessa’s search, however, may open old wounds and uncover long-hidden secrets that could fracture her family forever and leave her with more questions than when she started.

On My Honor by Patty Smith Hall

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Oregon – 1942

A Girl Scout Troop Joins the Battle of the Atlantic
 
Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.
 
Ginny Mathis was finished with nursing school and had no intention of staying rooted in the Outer Banks—then war broke out. With her father away, she feels duty-bound to stay and help her mother and younger sister. While working as a clerk for the Oregon Inlet ferry, naval officers ask Ginny and others to be watchful for German U-boats reportedly spotted in the area. So to help occupy her teenage sister, Ginny enlists the Girl Scout troop she leads to help watch for suspicious activity along the coast. 
 
Timothy Elliott is no stranger to death. As a British reporter working with the M-6, he’s numb to the losses of war after two years of fighting the Germans. Maybe that’s why he volunteered for this mission—to connect with an ex-German naval officer who stole the Furor’s battle plan for the Atlantic war. When the boat giving him passage to New York is bombed near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Tim is thrown from the boat and wakes up in the care of a group of young girls.
 
Ginny follows her sneaky sister on a clandestine mission and discovers the shipwreck victim. Ginny knows she must take charge, but is this man the enemy, or does he hold secrets that could turn the tide of the Battle of the Atlantic in the allies’ favor?

A Life Reclaimed by Olivia Rae

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1581 – England

A Scoundrel, A Spy, and A Secret. Will She Ever Learn the Truth?

Desperate to avoid a second loveless marriage, Anne Howell hides out in a cave on the Welsh coast. If she can get to England, she should be safe from her stepfather’s long-reaching hand. She thinks her prayers are answered when she rescues a shipwrecked sailor, Thomas Armstrong, who agrees to help her, claiming he has ties to Queen Elizabeth I. Though she fears he may be an accomplished liar, she has no choice but to trust him, especially when a secret from her past puts spies on her trail and threatens to destroy her future.

Years ago, Thomas Armstrong learned his real mother was executed in place of a dethroned queen. Determined to avenge her death, he sets out to find the cowardly monarch. But when his ship goes down in a storm leaving him broke and in debt, he fears his quest is finished – until he discovers that the woman who rescued him, Anne Howell, has a price on her head. All he has to do is turn her in and he’ll have the money he needs. But in helping Anne, he’s begun to lose his heart, and now he faces a devastating choice – avenge the past for his mother or follow his feelings to an uncertain future with Anne.

The Adventuress by Lori Bates Wright

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1870 – Kansas

Nathaniel Wolfe is wanted for murder.

Former Texas Ranger, Nathan Wolfe, bears an infamous reputation as the country’s most prolific gunslinger, El Lobo. Raised in a Spanish mission on the fringes of Cimarron, New Mexico, he knows what it’s like to be an outcast. He’s spent years carving out a name for himself, but someone’s out to destroy him. The only way to stop them is to joins forces with the Pinkerton Agency as an undercover priest. All goes as planned until he crosses paths with the spitfire daughter of Augas Jamison.

Jessa Jamison has a serious aversion to fast guns and is committed to nabbing the ruthless outlaw who killed her father. Certain she’s found an advocate in the tall cleric, she soon struggles with feelings of guilt brought on by her unfortunate attraction to the handsome stranger.

As they inch closer to the truth, they discover corruption in the territory runs deep, and no one is beyond suspicion. When the imposter strikes again, Nathan is captured at the scene of the crime. It’s to Jessa to listen to her heart and prove his innocence before it’s too late.

Betrayer by Camille Elliot

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Regency – England

Beleaguered spies

Lady Wynwood’s team of spies are trying to heal from the physical and mental wounds recently dealt to them. However, their investigation into Apothecary Jack’s mysterious group has turned up only a few strange, disjointed clues, and the dangerous Root elixir continues to circulate in the London underbelly. It is only a matter of time before the Root is sold to Napoleon, which would give him overwhelming dominance in the war.

Sudden threats

Then Laura, Lady Wynwood, is unexpectedly attacked by a man she had trusted. Although Phoebe and her household staff manage to protect her, her life is now in danger and she must go into hiding.

Dangerous mysteries

Laura uncovers more secrets kept by her late husband that shed illumination on his enigmatic mistress, Bianca. In the meantime, the team follows the trail of Laura’s attacker, which might enable them to capture Apothecary Jack or his compatriot, the pale-eyed man.

All the while, they are unaware that the hunters have become the hunted.

A Promise of Home by Kathryn Spurgeon

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1942 – Colorado

As WW2 heats up, many young men from Fremont’s hometown of Shawnee, Oklahoma enlist or get drafted. Word filters in about the wounded, the missing in action, and those who have died. Fremont Pope avoids the draft, but to do his part, he finds a job at an ammunition plant in Colorado while his wife, mission-minded Sibyl, agrees to the move, hoping to teach women what she’s learned.

They’re also glad to leave their cantankerous family behind in Oklahoma. And then their family follows them to Colorado. Of all things!

When they have to move again, Fremont’s boss offers an amazing promotion back east. Their other choice is to move to New Mexico for mission work. It’s a tough choice. Plunge ahead to a lucrative corporate job or help a small new church grow.

They yearn to go home, but where is home? What does God want them to do? Are they willing to give up their dreams and begin again?

The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green

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1942 – Maine

In 1942, an impulsive promise to her brother before he goes off to the European front puts Avis Montgomery in the unlikely position of head librarian in small-town Maine. Though she has never been much of a reader, when wartime needs threaten to close the library, she invents a book club to keep its doors open. The women she convinces to attend the first meeting couldn’t be more different–a wealthy spinster determined to aid the war effort, an exhausted mother looking for a fresh start, and a determined young war worker.

At first, the struggles of the home front are all the club members have in common, but over time, the books they choose become more than an escape from the hardships of life and the fear of the U-boat battles that rage just past their shores. As the women face personal challenges and band together in the face of danger, they find they have more in common than they think. But when their growing friendships are tested by secrets of the past and present, they must decide whether depending on each other is worth the cost.