Gift Ideas for Avid Readers of Inspirational Historical Fiction

Do you need gift ideas for an avid reader of inspirational historical fiction? These three treats will fit the bill!

An Hour Unspent

Rosanna White’s latest book in the Shadows Over England series tells Barclay Pearce’s story. We’ve met his two ‘sisters’ Rosemarie and Willa in A Name Unknown and A Song Unheard. Now we learn more about the remarkable young man who brought the ‘family’ together. Barclay has a new assignment from the mysterious V—do everything he can to help clock maker and inventor Cecil Manning finish the designs for a synchronization machine that will allow gunners to shoot between airplane propellers.

The country counts on his ability to use his unique skill set to gain an advantage in the war against Germany. But as Barclay’s relationship to his heavenly Father deepens, he finds he has no stomach for dishonesty. He tries to approach this new assignment with an honesty that he believes will honor God—even if it gets him in hot water with the ones he works for.

Evelina Manning arrives home one afternoon to find her fiancé has enlisted in the war and wants to break their engagement. Even worse, a handsome young man who seeks audience with her father witnesses the entire episode. Evelina can’t decide which is worse, getting jilted or dealing with her mother’s anger over the broken relationship. When the mysterious young man shows up again, Evelina feels instant kinship with him and quickly forms a friendship.

Sometimes she’s not sure if she’s drawn to him as a man, or just longs to have a joyful family—the kind of family Barclay has. Although his family does seem a little odd at times. Barclay and Evelina navigate faith, family, and the dangers of living in a war zone as they grow closer to each other and to the one who longs to be their heavenly Father. History buffs will love the skillful way White weaves history and faith into her stories.

If you want a unique gift for an avid reader of historical fiction, you can’t go wrong with one of Rosanna White’s books!

Caught by Surprise

Temperance Flowerdew gets snatched off the streets of New York, drugged, and stuffed in a coffin. When she awakes, hours later, she overhears her captors talking about her fate over the clickity-clack of train wheels. Something has gone terribly wrong.

Ever since her parents’ deaths, her circumstances have gone from bad to worse. Since the return of her best friend, Gilbert Cavendish, to New York City’s social scene a few months ago, Temperance realized she’d lost a part of herself. In setting out to discover herself again, she’d obviously taken a wrong turn. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be nailed in a coffin arguing with her captors.

Gilbert Cavendish (the second son of a British earl) has his life figured out. His trusty secretary schedules his every move, and he spends his time efficiently making money. All that gets thrown out the door when Fanny Flowerdew comes to his home to beg that he take the next train to Chicago to rescue her kidnapped daughter, Miss Clementine Flowerdew.

Always the gentleman, Gilbert agrees to step in during Mr. Flowerdew’s absence. A quick trip to Chicago should set all to rights and then he can return to business as usual.

Only nothing goes as planned. He finds Temperance, not Clementine, in Chicago. When Clementine’s aunt discovers the two of them together unchaperoned, Gilbert knows he’ll have to offer for Temperance’s hand. The only problem? She doesn’t seem inclined to accept his offer. He thinks friendship would make the perfect foundation for a happy marriage.

With the help of his friends, Harrison Sinclair and Asher Rutherford, Gilbert sets out to convince Temperance that they’d make the perfect couple. And time seems to slip out of control, because someone wants her…or him…dead.

Praise for Jen Turano

Jen Turano does it again with another fast-paced romp through the Golden-Age of New York. Readers will feel as breathless as a dashing damsel wearing a corset and a bustle as they follow the twists and turns of Temperance and Gilbert’s story. Well-developed characters and witty dialogue round out the story. Readers of Turano’s other wallflower tales will enjoy this final edition of the series.

If you’ve never read one of Jen Turano’s books, ask to borrow one if you end up buying one (or ten) as a gift for someone who loves historical inspirational fiction!

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A Legacy of Mercy

Lynn Austin does what few writers can do—create a sequel that’s better than the first book. Waves of Mercy, the lyrical first book in the series, chronicles the lives of Geesje de Jonge, one of the first settlers  in Holland, MI, and Anna Nicholson, the daughter of wealthy Chicago residents. Legacy of Mercy picks up where the first book left off, with Anna back in Chicago trying to reconcile the outward life of a socialite with the inner life of a Christian.

Anna struggles to make sense of the Bible and how she can live out her faith in a society that seems to shun it. Geesje struggles with her new houseguest, a troubled young woman who recently immigrated from Holland along with her curmudgeonly grandfather.

Despite her adoptive parents’ trepidation, Anna hires Pinkerton agents to help her find out more about her birth parents. Unfortunately, as she digs deeper, it appears that someone wants to tarnish her good name. As a good daughter, she struggles between wanting to know about her birth parents and wanting to honor the parents who raised her in their loving home.

Austin keeps the reader entranced with letters between Geesje and Anna, first person accounts of those who knew Anna’s birth mother,and narration from Geesje and Anna. When it seems as if all hope is lost—Austin skillfully shows how mercy and grace have the power to change even the hardest hearts.

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Any of these three books would make the perfect gift for avid readers of historical inspirational fiction. Check out these other posts that have book reviews for inspirational fiction.

I received advanced electronic copies of these books through an arrangement with NetGalley and the books’ publishers in exchange for an honest review on NetGalley. All opinions belong to me (and I only review books on my site that I really love).