historical fiction

The Essence of Nathan Biddle by J. William Lewis

Protagonist Kit Biddle is a rising prep school senior who finds himself tangled in a web of spiritual quandaries and intellectual absurdities. Kit’s angst is compounded by a unique psychological burden he is forced to carry: his intelligent but unstable Uncle Nat has committed an unspeakable act on what, according to the Uncle’s deranged account, were direct orders from God.

An intelligent, clever, and captivating tale, The Essence of Nathan Biddle soars in the spaces that exist between despair and hope, darkness and light, love and loss. Beautifully written, profoundly moving, and resplendent with characters destined to remain with you long after the last page is turned, The Essence of Nathan Biddle is unforgettable.

The Shipyard Man by Ann Streetman

By Book Lovers Magazine

The Shipyard Man by Ann Streetman

The late summer Sunday morning in 1905 appeared to be as boring as ever for Mary Johns Leonard until a stranger slid into the pew in front of her and her daughter Callie.
When the prayer ended, Mary stole a glance at the stranger before turning to the right page in the hymnal. She began to sing. The tenor voice of the stranger singing Love Devine All Loves Excelling was the most beautiful male voice she had ever heard. Could he be a professional singer passing through?

Mary’s eyes strayed to his broad shoulders more than once during the sermon. The collar on his shirt was clean, but frayed. Surely no traveling performer would have such a frayed collar. His straight black hair was clean but a bit too long at the nape of his neck. Working too hard to stop for a haircut?

The next day Mary looked up from the counter in her pappa’s general store to see the stranger. By the time he left, she knew he had grown up in Oregon where he worked at a sawmill and later helped build ships. A shipyard man. Clearly not like anyone she had ever known. A very interesting stranger.

Come along with Mary and Bill in their rocky journey of learning more about themselves and each other.

Angel of Mercy by Melina Druga

By Book Lovers Magazine

Angel of Mercy by Melina Druga

She had her entire life planned until the Great War began and everything changed.

April 1914. Barrie, Ontario. Hettie Steward is feisty, educated, ambitious and stubborn. Her fiancé, Geoffrey Bartlette, the love of her life since childhood, has been a patient man. He waited while she attended nursing school and worked a year, but now it is time to wed. While Hettie is thrilled to be starting her life with Geoffrey, she laments that marriage means sacrificing her beloved nursing career, and domestic life brings her nothing but drudgery and boredom.

When the Great War begins a few months into their marriage, Geoffrey enlists and persuades Hettie to join the Canadian Army Nursing Service and follow him overseas. After all, everyone says the war will be short, and it will be their opportunity to have a proper honeymoon. Returning to work is exactly what Hettie was craving, and she eager accepts.

The war, however, does not end quickly. Soon tragedy strikes, proving true the old adage “be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.” Geoffrey is killed at the Second Battle of Ypres, and Hettie is faced with a choice. Return home or stay in Europe and continue nursing? Moreover, will she discover the person she is meant to be now that her life has been steered onto a new path?

Angel of Mercy is the first in a trilogy following Hettie and her family as they navigate the challenges and heartbreak World War 1 brings. Each novel is a standalone story.

Also available: Those Left Behind, the home front story. Adjustment Year, the homecoming story.