Book Recommendation - The Codebreaker's Daughter

 

Amy Lynn Green is a relatively new voice in the genre of WWII fiction, but I've found she's one I need to be following. I picked up a copy of her debut a few years back and it was one of my top reads of the year that year. This year's release will have a similar standing. This one is strongly character driven, focusing on the mother/daughter dynamic between Dinah and Lillian, but still has some pretty strong plot points. In order to fully develop the dichotomy between the mother and daughter, there is also a secondary timeline during WWI when we see some of Lillian's history, which I loved. Here's a bit about the book:

Dinah Kendall’s role in the US capital for the Office of Strategic Services is far from the thrilling espionage career she dreamed of. Instead of covert missions, she crafts rumors aimed at undermining Axis morale while trying to live up to the expectations of her demanding mother, Lillian. Yet, as Dinah navigates her duties, she uncovers a startling revelation: Lillian was once a codebreaker during the Great War alongside some of the nation’s most brilliant minds. The deeper Dinah dives into her mother’s journal, the more the secrets of the past come to light—including the heavy cost of high-stakes codebreaking.

Just when Dinah begins to excel in her new position, she is implicated in a series of suspicious activities that cause others to question her loyalty. As she navigates a web of intrigue, she must piece together the truth in time to confront the shadowy threat that could compromise the impending D-Day invasion.

One thing I love with historical fiction is finding what elements of the story are based in fact. The author has listed several in her "author's note" at the end of the book, but her website also has a "history" section that goes into greater detail. A few items that I found fascinating:

- William and Elizabeth Freidman truly existed and were a married couple of genius codebreakers. They are minor characters in both timelines of this novel, but I love that they were actual people and their contributions were factual!

- Many of the elements of George Fabyan's Riverbank from the WWI timeline were factual, including some of the sights and events.

- Though Dinah was a fictional character, the job she holds at the beginning of the book to help screen the OSS agents was an actual role 

There were several others that were intriguing but may give away some of the story line, so I would recommend checking both the author's note and her website after you've read the story to see for yourself! This book will release June 17, 2025. Be sure to check it out if you enjoy historical fiction! For more information, check out the following links:

Amy Lynn Green's website: https://www.amygreenbooks.com/

Amy Lynn Green's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/amygreenbooks

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7564564282

Book Recommendation - Of Silver and Secrets

 

If you enjoy historical stories with a dash of romance and a great deal of mystery, you should look no further than Michelle Griep. Of Silver and Secrets is the second book in the Time's Lost Treasure series, but can easily be read on its own. I think I enjoyed this book a bit more than the first, though the mystery story line was more pronounced in the first book. This one read a bit more like women's fiction, which is also a genre I greatly enjoy. If you enjoy any of these genres, this is one I think you'd like. Here's a bit about the book:

In 1889 England, Eva Inman finds herself overwhelmed with responsibility. Haunted by guilt over her parents' deaths, Eva struggles to care for her blind sister and manage her family's crumbling estate. With the threat of overdue taxes looming, Eva's situation grows dire until an ancient silver ring is unearthed on her property. Despite local superstitions warning against disturbing the supposedly cursed acres, Eva's need for funds forces her to consider the potential of more buried relics. She turns to Bram Webb, a Cambridge professor of Roman antiquities, for help—only to be reminded of a past she would rather forget.

Bram Webb is under immense pressure to find proof of a legendary Christian Roman settlement in an attempt to conceal his uncle's deteriorating memory from the Trinity College disciplinary board and save both of their jobs. When Eva steps into Bram's office, old sparks fly, rekindling memories that are both fond and painful. The excavation is fraught with challenges from the start, and as Eva and Bram work together with time running out, they must confront their pasts, face the growing attraction between them, and decide whether their love is strong enough to overcome the buried truths that threaten to tear them apart.

Award-winning author Michelle Griep transports you to Victorian-era England with a gripping romance.

This book releases June 3, 2025 wherever books are sold. Be sure to check it out! For more information, check out the following links:

Michelle Griep's website: https://michellegriep.com/

Michelle Griep's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/michellegriep

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7550006290

Book Recommendation - A Lesson in Propriety

 

When it comes to historical fiction, Jen Turano is my big go-to author when I need a laugh. Though her books are never completely "light and fluffy" (there is always a deeper issue or drama included in the characters' lives), but there is always a strong element of humor that give her books a lighter feel. This book is no different in that regard. With some strong female characters, a fun menagerie of animals and a few different mysteries, this went so much deeper than just a historical romance. Here's a bit about the book:

With her father dead, her fortune stolen, and her fiancé casting her aside, Miss Drusilla Merriweather’s privileged life has been upended. She is left with only one option: to provide for her family by opening a finishing school in the allegedly haunted castle she’s inherited from her eccentric aunt. However, her plan is immediately threatened by unscrupulous developers keen on claiming the coveted estate for themselves, by any means necessary.

Mr. Rhenick Wittenbecker, a dashing architect with a tendency to charm his way out of trouble, is convinced he can protect Drusilla but is challenged by her fierce independence. Yet when strange occurrences–walking suits of armor and unexpected ghostly visitors–arise within castle grounds, Drusilla must decide whether to risk her family’s safety and her school on the gallant architect who seems to have found his way into her heart.

In this entrancing series starter, Turano presents a tale of laugh-out-loud adventure, swoon-worthy romance, and delightful mischief in the Gilded Age.

This is the first book in the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies series. I can't wait to see what comes next from this fun cast of characters! A Lesson in Propriety releases May 20, 2025 wherever books are sold. Be sure to pre-order your copy now! For more information, check out the following links:

Jen Turano's website: https://jenturano.com/

Jen Turano's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor

Baker Bookhouse order link: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/618535

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7469848263

Book Recommendation - The Meet Cute Manuscript

 

Kim Duffy has published several historical fiction novels under the name Kimberly Duffy, in the Christian fiction realm. She recently has branched out to contemporary rom-com in the general market sphere (though still a clean read). Having thoroughly enjoyed her historicals, and being a lover of rom-coms myself, I was super excited to see how she crossed over into this genre. Making her main character an author of historical regency-era romance novels helped ease that transition. I love when authors write about about authors, particularly when they are quirky (and Frankie Brown/Georgina Justice is indeed quirky!) Here's a bit about the book:

American Georgina Justice is a modern literary Midas—everything she writes turns to gold. But after a disastrous public breakup with New York’s most attractive trust-fund darling leaves her unable to write, her agent sends her to England to rediscover her inner romantic.

The last thing Georgina expects to find is Graham Michael Phips-Harington, Viscount Rosebury—a brooding, emotionally repressed engineer who spends his free time building trebuchets and trying to preserve his crumbling Georgian manor.

At first glance, they couldn’t be more different. She’s a shoe-obsessed idealist with a flair for Regency etiquette; he’s a practical, old-money noble who would rather protect the past than relive it. Not to mention the Rosebury curse, which promises only heartache.

But fate (and Graham’s sister, Eleanor) seem to have other plans. And it’s writing a story neither one of them could have plotted on their own.

Following the author on social media and having met her at a recent book signing, she tells of how/why she switched genres. Her historical novels often have a "heavier" feel with deep topics and great redemption. Having had a couple of terrible years in her personal life, she needed to get out of the "heavy" and dabble in more light-hearted banter and heavier on the romance element, so what better way to do that than with a rom-com? And so the Meet-Cute Manuscript was born! This is the first in the Love on the Page series and will be followed by 2 more books and a novella, if all goes according to plan. And this switch did the trick for her personally - it brought the smiles to her own face (as well as mine), and I expect it will bring a smile to yours as well!

This book will be released April 22, 2025, wherever books are sold. Be sure to check it out!

For additional information, check out the following links:

Kimberly Duffy's website: https://kimberlyduffy.com/

Kimberly Duffy's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/authorkimberlyduffy/

My full 4-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7447189456

Book Recommendation - Uneasy Street

 

Becky Wade is one of the many fantastic contemporary romance authors in the Christian fiction community. Her current series, Sons of Scandal, follows the 3 sons of retired pro football player Felix Camden. Because of Felix's affairs, all of his children were considered sons of scandal. This series touched on each one (as well as his ex-wife Fiona, whose story thread stretches through each book). Uneasy Street is the 3rd and final story and is about Max, whose mother was the housekeeper for the Camden family. Here's a bit about the book:

Once upon a time Max Cirillo and Sloane Madison were close friends and business partners. But when their business relationship imploded, so did the friendship.

Now, four years later, Max is a rich CEO. Sloane’s a not-so-rich etiquette expert who returns to Maine to serve as her niece’s temporary guardian and help the girl search for her birth father. Sloane and her niece move into a darling garage apartment but Sloane’s joy in their accommodations soon turns to horror when she realizes their apartment belongs to Max. Thanks to an unbreakable lease, she’s stuck living right next door to him.

Max pulled strings to bring Sloane into his orbit because he needs closure on what went wrong between them. Quickly, though, his scheming comes back to bite him. The world might view him as a cold-hearted rake, but this one woman has dangerous power over his emotions.

They’ll have no choice but to confront their history—and the undeniable spark between them—while living side by side on uneasy street.

Discover witty humor, rich emotion, banter, and charm within the pages of this sweet enemies-to-lovers romance!

About the author:

During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She’s been a fan of all things romantic ever since.

Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas.  It was during her years abroad that Becky’s passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances for the general market, put her career on hold for many years to care for her kids, then eventually returned to writing. She loves penning sweet contemporary romances laced with sizzling chemistry, mystery, faith, banter, and humor. Her twelve novels and five novellas have been recognized with a Carol Award, INSPY awards, and a spot in the Christy Award Hall of Fame.

When she’s not at her computer, you’ll find her power-walking her neighborhood, driving carpool, eating chocolate, doing yoga, or admiring her Cavalier spaniel.

Uneasy Street releases February 14, 2025 wherever books are sold. For more information, check out the following links:

Becky Wade's website: https://www.facebook.com/authorbeckywade

Becky Wade's Facebook page: https://beckywade.com/home/

My full 4-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7244085660

Book Recommendation - Some Like it Scot

 

Any time I'm looking for a light-hearted, but still deep story, I know I need not look any further than Pepper Basham. I absolutely adored her recent Skymar series and so when I saw her next book took place in Scotland, I knew I wanted to snatch it up, so I jumped at a chance to read an early copy. And it did not disappoint! Here's a bit about the book:

An American travel writer who has never found a place to belong and a reclusive Scot with a surprising secret find a shocking connection when she enters a Highlands manor house that has been turned into a three-week long Edwardian experience.

Katie Campbell has traveled her entire life. As the daughter of an army chaplain, changing homes--or even countries--was commonplace, so when her wild childhood storytelling turned into a lucrative career as a travel writer, she thought she'd found her perfect match. But as she's nearly thirty with no real place to settle down, she's starting to wonder where "home" actually is. Her own family hadn't felt like home since her sister's death left them all limping through life.

When a lengthy project in Scotland promises to not only give her travel fodder for months but also a shot at a coveted editing position, she accepts and is sent to spend three weeks in the newly created Craighill House, a Scottish home redesigned to offer guests an Edwardian experience. But her entrance to Craighill introduces her to a quirky group of characters and a surly Scot who is helping refurbish the magnificent woodwork of the estate house.

As Katie attempts to live "Edwardian," she learns that all that glitters does not a comfortable lifestyle make . . . and surly Scots may turn out to be dashing and creative uncles raising their orphaned nephews. When a few escapades from the Downton era lead Katie on hunts for mermaids and dragons or to a fireside chat with a family who has grown stronger through tragedy, Katie begins to wonder if "home" looks a whole lot like rolling green hills, magnificent braighs, and a few extra "ayes" thrown in for good measure. But can her world-traveling lifestyle fit in with a Scot whose heart is double-knotted to home?

This book had it all - laugh-out-loud moments, character growth and development like no other, a sweet romance, found family, a boy and his dog, and a lovely Scottish brogue to boot! This one definitely has potential to be my favorite read of the year! This book releases April 8, 2025, wherever books are sold. Be sure to check it out!

For more information, check out the following links:

Pepper Basham's website: https://pepperdbasham.com/

Pepper Basham's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/pepperbasham/

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7197671089

Book Recommendation - The Voice We Find

 

Nicole Deese is a newer voice in the realm of contemporary Christian stories, but she's on my short list of auto-read authors and authors whose backlist I plan to complete this year. Her current series is the Fog Harbor series. Fog Harbor is a fictional publishing house and the books take on views of various elements of publishing, in a minor sense (it's what ties the series together). This book looks at audio book production, which is the avenue through which our main characters meet. Here's a bit about the book:

Sophie Wilder returns home to California with nothing more than a failed Broadway career and a geriatric cat. Stuck working at the family winery with her egotistical brother and desperate for a way to revive her acting dreams, she takes a side gig as an audiobook narrator with Fog Harbor Books. But getting mixed up in the life of her reluctant sound engineer was never a part of her plans.

August Tate is still reeling from taking guardianship of his teen sister. Determined to find a solution to her degenerative hearing loss and to prevent his private recording studio from going under, he agrees to produce audiobooks part-time. When Sophie breathes new life into his creativity and forms an unexpected bond with his sister, rooted in their common faith, he must confront the reasons he turned away from his own.

Bestselling and award-winning author Nicole Deese weaves an emotionally charged romance rich in the complexities of love and family.

Though I thoroughly enjoyed Sophie's and August's stories, I enjoyed the story as a whole even more. I loved the element brought by Gabby and the deaf community at large. I loved the friendships with Chip and with Dana. I loved the way Natalie came out of her shell with Sophie and how she blossomed towards the end. This story is definitely a redemptive tale as well as being a love story and was thoroughly enjoyable in its own right. This book releases April 15, 2025 wherever books are sold. Be sure to check it out! For more information, check out the following links:

Nicole Deese's website: https://www.nicoledeese.com/

Nicole Deese's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledeeseauthor

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7259414701