A Small Hotel by Suanne Laqueur

Of all the historical romance novels I've read, this is the first that has me holding my breath and happy crying over a lit cigarette and a Zippo lighter.

You are fully immersed in the character's development when reading this novel; you can see and feel what's occurring during the war, both internally and externally. I am truly baffled at how swept into this novel I found myself. If you have any interest in historical fiction and romance during this era, you must read this book.

It’s the summer of 1941. Europe is at war, but New York's Thousand Islands are at the height of the tourist season. Kennet Fiskare, son of a hotel proprietor, is having the summer of a lifetime, having fallen deeply in love with a Swedish-Brazilian guest named Astrid Virtanen. But the affair is cut short and the young lovers permanently parted, first by Astrid’s family obligations, then by America’s entry into the war.

The rigors of military life help dull his heartache, but when Kennet’s battalion reaches France, he is thrown into the crucible of front line combat. As his unit crosses Europe, from the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium to Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, Kennet falls into a different kind of love: the intense camaraderie between soldiers. It's a bond fierce yet fragile, vital yet expendable, here today and gone tomorrow. Sustained by his friendships, Kennet both witnesses and commits the unthinkable atrocities of warfare, altering his view of the world and himself. To the point where a second chance with Astrid in peacetime might be the most terrifying and consequential battle he’s ever fought.


With her signature blend of soul-stirring prose and emotional complexity, Laqueur takes readers on a journey through events that shape an American family’s weakest moments and finest hours. A Small Hotel illuminates the experience of ordinary people thrown into extraordinary circumstances, and their once-in-a-generation camaraderie, courage and resiliency. It’s a novel for the world, a heartbreaking, uplifting story of family, love and human endurance.

Pub Date 28 Sep 2021 

The French Baker's War by Michael Whatling

If you want an excuse to angry cry and experience having your heart ripped out, this novel is the one. Mothers, take heed, this is not an easy read if you are an empath or have an overactive imagination.

Buy it today!

Absence isn’t a hole. It’s a presence living inside you, eating its way out.

Occupied France, 1943. Returning home from the daily hunt for the rationed ingredients necessary to keep his family pâtisserie open, André Albert finds his four-year-old son in the street, his wife gone, and a Jewish escapee cowering behind the display case.

Without Mireille, the foundation of André’s world crumbles. He desperately searches for her, but finds more trouble than answers. Lives are further jeopardized when he agrees to hide Émilie, the escapee, and a Nazi officer shows up to investigate Mireille’s disappearance.

André will do anything to bring his wife home, catapulting him, their son, and Émilie on a perilous journey impeded by temptation, past trauma, and stunning revelations.

The French Baker’s War is as relevant today for its themes of duty to strangers and sacrifice for family.

Recommended for readers who enjoyed The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Book Thief, and The Nightingale.

Pub Date 14 Apr 2021 

The Spanish Daughter by Lorena Hughes

Curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and dive into the waters of this mysterious family! I learned so much reading this book and Ecuador is now on my travel list.

I did not correctly guess as I was reading and learning the characters who the murder was and who sent him; that reveal was amazing. I enjoyed the family dynamics and need this to be made into a telenovela!

Set against the lush backdrop of early twentieth-century Ecuador and inspired by the real-life history of the coastal town known as the birthplace of cacao, this captivating #OwnVoices novel from the award-winning author of The Sisters of Alameda Street tells the story of a resourceful young chocolatier who must impersonate a man in order to survive...


Puri inherited two things from her father: a passion for chocolate, and a cacao plantation located in Ecuador. After learning the art of chocolate-making from her grandmother, Puri opened a chocolate shop in her native Spain. But the Great War that devastated Europe has also ruined her business. Eager to learn more about the source of her beloved chocolate, Puri sets out across the ocean with her husband,
Cristóbal. But someone is angered by Puri’s claim to the plantation...

When a mercenary sent to murder her aboard the ship accidentally kills Cristóbal instead, Puri dons her husband’s clothes and assumes his identity, hoping to stay safe while she learns the truth. Though freed from the rules that women are expected to follow, Puri confronts other challenges at the plantation—newfound siblings, hidden affairs, and her father’s dark secrets. Then there are the dangers awakened by her attraction to an enigmatic man as she tries to learn the identity of an enemy who is still at large, threatening the future she is determined to claim...

Pub Date 28 Dec 2021

Undercurrent of Secrets by Rachel Scott McDaniel

I've only read a handful of Christian novels because I'm not religious, but oh my goodness this book is absolutely amazing and I recommend it to everyone; it's just the right amount of personal reflection without being preachy or converting folks like me.

I'm an Appalachian woman that lives on the Ohio River, four hours east of Louisville, and I was enamored with the dual timeline stories of Devyn and Hattie. I couldn't put this book down; just as I started suspecting that I knew what would happen next, the author threw me into a tailspin of shock and gasping. I really, really, want this novel to become a movie or TV series!

Buy it today! 

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.


As wedding coordinator for the 100-year-old steamboat The Belle of Louisville, Devyn Asbury takes pride in seeing others’ dreams come true, even though her engagement had sunk like a diamond ring to the bottom of the Ohio River. When the Belle becomes a finalist in the Timeless Wedding Venue contest, Devyn endeavors to secure the prestigious title with hopes to reclaim some of her professional dreams. What she hadn’t planned on was Chase Jones showing up with a mysterious photo from the 1920s.

A century earlier, Hattie Louis is as untamable as the rivers that raised her. As the adopted daughter of a steamboat captain, her duties range from the entertainment to cook. When strange incidents occur aboard the boat, Hattie’s determined to discover the truth. Even if that means getting under First Mate Jack Marshall’s handsome skin.

Two women, a century apart, are bound by a haunting secret aboard a legendary steamboat.

Pub Date 01 Sep 2021

A Light in the Window by Marion Kummerow

Marion's characters make you question humanity during times of war --internal conflicts of ethics, morality, survival instincts that are necessary, and the duplicitous nature of loving someone society is telling you not to.

Reading this reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Pretty Woman, if it was set in WWII Germany and I am so excited for the rest of this series!

 

Margarete stumbles out of the bombed-out house, the dust settling around her like snow. Mistaking her for the dead officer’s daughter, a guard rushes over to gently ask her if she is all right and whether there’s anything he can do to help her. She glances down at where the hated yellow star had once been, and with barely a pause, she replies “Yes”.

Berlin, 1941: Margarete Rosenbaum is working as a housemaid for a senior Nazi officer when his house is bombed, leaving her the only survivor. But when she’s mistaken for his daughter in the aftermath of the blast, Margarete knows she can make a bid for freedom…

Issued with temporary papers—and with the freedom of not being seen as Jewish—a few hours are all she needs to escape to relative safety. That is, until her former employer’s son, SS officer Wilhelm Huber, tracks her down.

But strangely he doesn’t reveal her true identity right away. Instead, he insists she comes and lives with him in Paris, and seems determined to keep her hidden. His only condition: she must continue to pretend to be his sister. Because whoever would suspect a Nazi girl of secretly being a Jew?

His plan seems impossible, and Margarete is terrified they might be found out, not to mention worried about what Wilhelm might want in return. But as the Nazis start rounding up Jews in Paris and the Résistance steps up its activities, putting everyone who opposes the regime in peril, she realizes staying hidden in plain sight may be her only chance of survival…

Can Margarete trust a Nazi officer with the only things she has left though… her safety, her life, even her heart?



Book Release Date 20 Jul 2021

City of Time and Magic by Paula Brackston

As a devoted fan of the Found Things series, Paula has really outdone herself on this installment! Mistress Flyte, Erasmus Balmoral, and the Visionary Society will have you sipping tea and fanning yourself in dismay. I truly needed a victorian fainting couch! Remember to not keep your mouth open for too long dearest, when you discover the truth about Mr. William J. Morris.

Buy it today!

Paula Brackston's City of Time and Magic is the next installment in the time-traveling Found Things Series.

City of Time and Magic sees Xanthe face her greatest challenges yet. She must choose from three treasures that sing to her; a beautiful writing slope, a mourning brooch of heartbreaking detail, and a gorgeous gem-set hat pin. All call her, but the wrong one could take her on a mission other than that which she must address first, and the stakes could not be higher. While her earlier mission to Regency England had been a success, the journey home resulted in Liam being taken from her, spirited away to another time and place. Xanthe must follow the treasure that will take her to him if he is not to be lost forever.

Xanthe is certain that Mistress Flyte has Liam and determined to find them both. But when she discovers Lydia Flyte has been tracking the actions of the Visionary Society, a group of ruthless and unscrupulous Spinners who have been selling their talents to a club of wealthy clients, Xanthe realizes her work as a Spinner must come before her personal wishes. The Visionary Society is highly dangerous and directly opposed to the creed of the Spinners. Their actions could have disastrous consequences as they alter the authentic order of things and change the future. Xanthe knows she must take on the Society. It will require the skills of all her friends, old and new, to attempt such a thing, and not all of them will survive the confrontation that follows.

Pub Date 16 Nov 2021 2021

The Paris Connection by Lorraine Brown

I know this just got published but I need to know what happens next!

I could relate to Hannah's relationships with her parents and the self-doubt her childhood gave her. I felt like she could be a friend that needs a serious pep talk and a reminder of how awesome she is. Walking around Paris with these characters made me so happy and I hope to one day visit in person and re-trace their steps. I may even book a train ticket!

Buy it here! 

When Hannah and her boyfriend, Simon, set out to Amsterdam, they’re confident that they’ll make it to his sister’s wedding in time. However, unbeknownst to them, their train is scheduled to divide in the middle of the night. And when it does, half of it continues the route to Amsterdam. And the other half—the one with Hannah in it—heads three hundred miles away, to Paris.

Left without her belongings or hope of reuniting with Simon, Hannah has no choice but to spend the day in Paris before the next train out. Worse than being stranded in a foreign city alone? Being stuck with Léo, the handsome but infuriating Frenchman who blames Hannah for his own unwanted delay. The series of mishaps that sends them traipsing through the City of Light is only further proof that Hannah’s day has gone from bad to worse. But as she takes in the glorious sights of the city—and spends more time with Léo—Hannah discovers that the unexpected detour might actually be leading her to the life she was always meant to live . . .

Pub Date 24 Aug 2021

The Gentleman's Daughter by Bianca Schwarz

I was SO excited for this second book in the series and it was more than I could have possibly asked for. How am I supposed to rave about this novel without giving spoilers! Sigh.

Listen, I was worried at first that my anxiety would be triggered like the first novel, but I only needed to remind myself to not hold my breath, because the twists and turns in this novel are AMAZING. The ending, oh my sweet goodness. I sat and devoured this book in five hours and I regret nothing. I'm coming prepared with snacks for the next book.

Bianca, you have my reading loyalty; you wrote the underlying issues of PTSD, trauma, and consent so well and I friggin' love you for that. I'm a survivor, and seriously, you nailed this book and I wish I could hug you.

Buy it here! 

Sir Henry, secret agent to the crown, must marry a lady above reproach to afford his illegitimate daughter entrance into society. After narrowly escaping marriage to a highborn bigot, he takes an assignment in Brighton, leading him to an abandoned abbey full of dark whispers, and a sinister secret society, the very one Henry has been investigating for three years.

Isabella is as beautiful as she is talented, but falling in love isn't part of her plans. She only wants to paint, forget her painful past, and keep her overbearing mother at bay. But gaining one's independence isn't easy for a woman in 1823, so Isabella embarks on a fake courtship with Sir Henry. Soon, love and a painting career no longer seem so utterly incompatible.

But when the man Isabella fears most kidnaps her, all appears lost. Realizing the kidnapper is part of the same organization he is investigating, Henry chases after them. Entrapped in a web of secrets, both Henry and Isabella must face old enemies, and fight for their happily ever after.

Be sure to also read the first book in the The Gentleman Spy Mysteries series, The Innkeeper's Daughter.

Pub Date 06 Jul 2021

The Bookseller's Secret by Michelle Gable

I've been enthralled by the works of Michelle Gable since she published "A Paris Apartment" and this one has even more of my heart because I'm an aspiring author whose day job is grant writing. I'm also from Northern Virginia and grew up cheering for the NFL Washingtons until I transplanted to West Virginia and Appalachia. Yeah yeah, I know this is a book of fiction, but finding yourself on the pages of one of your favorite authors is still really rad. Just let me have a moment to fan-girl, mmk?

(If you want to understand the above connection to the main characters, then read "The Bookseller's Secret".)

She tied historical fiction in with women's fiction for two subplots that aligned beautifully and had me whispering "Oh my God, what!?" so many times.

Exhibit A:

"We were always either on a peak of happiness or drowning in black waters of despair; our emotions were on no ordinary plane, we loved or we loathed, we laughed or we cried, we lived in a world of superlatives."




Buy it here! 

In 1942, London, Nancy Mitford is worried about more than air raids and German spies. Still recovering from a devastating loss, the once sparkling Bright Young Thing is estranged from her husband, her allowance has been cut, and she’s given up her writing career. On top of this, her five beautiful but infamous sisters continue making headlines with their controversial politics.

Eager for distraction and desperate for income, Nancy jumps at the chance to manage the Heywood Hill bookshop while the owner is away at war. Between the shop’s brisk business and the literary salons she hosts for her eccentric friends, Nancy’s life seems on the upswing. But when a mysterious French officer insists that she has a story to tell, Nancy must decide if picking up the pen again and revealing all is worth the price she might be forced to pay.

Eighty years later, Heywood Hill is abuzz with the hunt for a lost wartime manuscript written by Nancy Mitford. For one woman desperately in need of a change, the search will reveal not only a new side to Nancy, but an even more surprising link between the past and present…

Pub Date 17 Aug 2021

Happy Endings by Thien-Kim Lam

I love this novel for its intercultural couple that faces family pressure to follow in parental plans and the adversity that comes with daring to break out of those cultural roles and traditions. The entire novel I was hoping for recipes and was so excited to find them from the author! I'll be traveling to her website shortly for her subscription boxes, wink wink.

Buy it here! 

Trixie Nguyen is determined to make her sex toy business a success, proving to her traditional Vietnamese parents that she can succeed in a nontraditional career. She's made a fresh start in Washington DC, and her first pop-up event is going well—until she runs into the ex who dumped her. With a Post-it note.

The last person Andre Walker expected to see in his soul food restaurant was the woman he left behind in New Orleans. Their chemistry is still scorching, but he's desperately trying to save his family restaurant from gentrifying developers. The solution? Partnering with his ex to turn Mama Hazel’s into a vibrator pop-up shop for hungry and horny clients.

Thanks to their steamy truce, both businesses start to sizzle and their red-hot desire soon reignites deeper feelings. But when Trixie receives an incredible career opportunity, will pride ruin their second chance at happiness?

Pub Date 18 May 2021

The Nine by Gwen Strauss

I am really looking forward to purchasing this book so that I can see the illustrations of these women and again read their tenacious story of survival. The amount of strength they show and how they support one another is astounding.


My paternal ancestors lived in France during this war. I can't help but wonder how my great-grandparents survived this time period.



My maternal grandfather fought during this war as an American soldier. I'm going to go through his things with new eyes.

Buy it here!

The Nine follows the true story of the author’s great aunt Hélène Podliasky, who led a band of nine female resistance fighters as they escaped a German forced labor camp and made a ten-day journey across the front lines of WWII from Germany back to Paris.

The nine women were all under thirty when they joined the resistance. They smuggled arms through Europe, harbored parachuting agents, coordinated communications between regional sectors, trekked escape routes to Spain and hid Jewish children in scattered apartments. They were arrested by French police, interrogated and tortured by the Gestapo. They were subjected to a series of French prisons and deported to Germany. The group formed along the way, meeting at different points, in prison, in transit, and at Ravensbrück. By the time they were enslaved at the labor camp in Leipzig, they were a close-knit group of friends. During the final days of the war, forced onto a death march, the nine chose their moment and made a daring escape.

Drawing on incredible research, this powerful, heart-stopping narrative from Gwen Strauss is a moving tribute to the power of humanity and friendship in the darkest of times.

Pub Date 04 May 2021 

The Radio Operator by Ulla Lenze

Ulla’s writing style reminds me of Ernest Hemingway’s and I love historical fiction. Nonetheless, I found myself zoning out at times and having to rescan paragraphs. I didn’t connect with the novel.

Pub Date 04 May 2021 

Anchored Hearts by Priscilla Oliveras

I can't wait to travel again so that I can go roam Key West with this novel in hand. Shout out to the author for writing a small-town tropical romance.

Buy it here!

Award-winning photographer Alejandro Miranda hasn’t been home to Key West in years—not since he left to explore broader horizons with his papi’s warning “never to come back” echoing in his ears. He wouldn’t be heading there now if it wasn’t for an injury requiring months of recuperation. The drama of a prodigal son returning to his familia and their beloved Cuban restaurant is bad enough, but coming home to the island paradise also means coming face to face with the girl he left behind—the one who was supposed to be by his side all along . . .

Anamaría Navarro was shattered when Alejandro took off without her. Traveling the world was their plan, not just his. But after her father’s heart attack, there was no way she could leave—not even for the man she loved. Now ensconced in the family trade as a firefighter and paramedic, with a side hustle as a personal trainer, Anamaría is dismayed that just the sight of Alejandro is enough to rekindle the flame she’s worked years to put out. And as famillia meddling pushes them together, the heat of their attraction only climbs higher. Can they learn to trust again, before the Key West sun sets on their chance at happiness?
 

Pub Date 27 Apr 2021

The Paris Apartment by Kelly Bowen

I am dedicated to devouring every novel about the Paris apartment that was left untouched for 70 years, and this one is by far one of my favorites!

The number of times I caught myself breathless and wrapped up in the characters was astounding and by the end of the novel I was shouting, "Wait, but what about --?" Lo-and-behold, the author threw a curveball and gave me the ending I needed.

This historical fiction romance reminded me that the fights against fascism are still not over and many changes are still needed, for "If I am not fighting -- if I am not doing everything I am capable of -- then I am complicit in every atrocity that has happened and will continue to happen. This I know with every fiber of my being."

I'm buying this book and reading it again and again!

Buy it here! 

London, 2017: When Aurelia Leclaire inherits an opulent Paris apartment, she is shocked to discover her grandmother’s hidden secrets—including a treasure trove of famous art and couture gowns. One obscure painting leads her to Gabriel Seymour, a highly respected art restorer with his own mysterious past. Together they attempt to uncover the truths concealed within the apartment’s walls.

Paris, 1942: The Germans may occupy the City of Lights, but glamorous Estelle Allard flourishes in a world separate from the hardships of war. Yet when the Nazis come for her dearest friends, Estelle doesn’t hesitate to help them, no matter the cost. As she works against the forces intent on destroying those she holds dear, she can’t know that her actions will have ramifications for generations to come.

Set seventy-five years apart, against a perilous and a prosperous Paris, both Estelle and Lia must unearth hidden courage as they navigate the dangers of a changing world, altering history—and their family’s futures—forever.

Pub Date 20 Apr 2021