Tag: historcal fiction

Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb: A Royally Marvelous Read

July 15, 2019

I’ll never forget the first time I met Grace Kelly. I was in the fourth grade and had to read about a historical figure for school. My mother brought me to our local public library—my favorite place—and steered me towards the biography aisle of the children’s section. (The fact that this shelf existed was eye-opening; … More Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb: A Royally Marvelous Read

The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner: Read It and Get Ready to Love It

March 14, 2019

Beautiful. Heart-wrenching. Eye-opening. Timely. Unforgettable. I’ve used all of these words when describing Susan Meissner’s forthcoming novel, The Last Year of the War, but there are two I can’t stress enough: read it. The Last Year of the War is the story of Elise Sontag, a typical American teenager who has spent her entire life … More The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner: Read It and Get Ready to Love It

The Wartime Sisters by Lynda Cohen Loigman: Your Next Favorite Read

January 18, 2019

It’s hard to express how much I love finding a new favorite author. A few years ago, when I read Lynda Cohen Loigman’s The Two-Family House, I was immediately smitten with her richly drawn characters, her exploration of complex family dynamics, and her ability to construct the vivid sense of time and place I love … More The Wartime Sisters by Lynda Cohen Loigman: Your Next Favorite Read

Fall in Love with Paula McLain’s Love and Ruin

August 14, 2018

Seven years ago, I fell in madly in love with Paula McLain’s The Paris Wife. It was exquisitely written, stocked with complicated and memorable characters, and it tapped into the first marriage of my literary main squeeze, Ernest Hemingway. I loved McLain’s rich blend of history and imagination and how it resulted in a gorgeous … More Fall in Love with Paula McLain’s Love and Ruin

Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb: A Gorgeous Read Any Time of Year

January 30, 2018

Confession time: I’ve had a hard time letting go of Christmas this year. I still have a few lingering holiday decorations hanging up that I’m now calling “winter flair” and I’m deeply mourning the end of my Candy Cane Milanos. (How will I ever wait another ELEVEN MONTHS for them to come back?!) I love … More Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb: A Gorgeous Read Any Time of Year

Wickwythe Hall by Judithe Little: Love, Loss, and the Anguish of War

October 1, 2017

There’s a reason why World War II-era historical fiction is so popular, and why it’s my very favorite. Timeless tales of heroism, tragedy, heartbreak, and love are stories that always leave a mark on me, and Judithe Little’s debut novel, Wickwythe Hall, undoubtedly has. Wickwythe Hall introduces us to three unforgettable characters, brought together by … More Wickwythe Hall by Judithe Little: Love, Loss, and the Anguish of War

Cocoa Beach–And Why I’m a MAJOR Beatriz Williams Fangirl

July 26, 2017

I fangirl over a lot of things. Sprinkles Cupcakes, for instance. Jamie Fraser in a kilt. The four sacred Hollywood Chrises. My beagle on a random Monday afternoon when he gives me this look and makes me putty in his paws. Bottom line, when I love something, I go all in, and if you’ve been … More Cocoa Beach–And Why I’m a MAJOR Beatriz Williams Fangirl

Hadley and Ernest Forever: Why I’ll Always Love The Paris Wife

July 20, 2017

There’s a line in A Moveable Feast that has always stayed with me. Written at the end of his life about his early years in Paris, Hemingway reflects on his first marriage to Hadley Richardson, saying, “When I saw my wife again standing by the tracks as the train came in by the piled logs … More Hadley and Ernest Forever: Why I’ll Always Love The Paris Wife

The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor: Lose Yourself in This Historically Good Read

July 10, 2017

I can’t say that I’ve ever given a lot of thought to postage stamps. Over the years, I’ve collected a few commemoratives adorned with my favorite movie icons and writers, and every holiday season, I load up on adorable Christmas designs (ideally with Snoopy on them) for my mass mailing of yuletide greetings. In general, … More The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor: Lose Yourself in This Historically Good Read