February 2024 MBR The Historical Fiction Shelf

The Historical Fiction Shelf

The Excitements
CJ Wray
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063337480, $19.99, PB, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Excitements-Novel-CJ-Wray/dp/0063337487

Synopsis: "The Excitements" by novelist C. J. Wray introduces the Williamso=
n sisters, Britain's most treasured World War II veterans. Now in their lat=
e nineties, Josephine and Penny are in huge demand, popping up at commemora=
tive events and history festivals all over the country. Despite their age, =
they're still in great form -- perfectly put together, sprightly and sparky=
, and always in search of their next "excitement."

This time it's a trip to Paris to receive the Legion d'honneur for their pa=
rt in the liberation of France. And as always, they will be accompanied by =
their devoted great-nephew, Archie.

Keen historian Archie has always been given to understand that his great au=
nts had relatively minor roles in the Women's Royal Navy and the First Aid =
Nursing Yeomanry, but that's only half the story. Both sisters are hiding f=
ar more than the usual "official secrets". There's a reason sweet Auntie Pe=
nny can dispatch a would-be mugger with an umbrella.

This trip to Paris is not what it seems either. Scandal and crime have alwa=
ys quietly trailed the Williamson sisters, even in the decades after the wa=
r. Now armed with new information about an old adversary, these much decora=
ted (but admittedly ancient) veterans variously intend to settle scores, av=
enge lost friends, and pull off one last, daring heist before the curtain f=
inally comes down on their illustrious careers.

Critique: An impressively original, deftly crafted, and a thoroughly fun re=
ad from start to finish, "The Excitements" by C. J. Wray will have a very s=
pecial appeal to fans of 20th Century historical fiction. While available f=
or personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), "The E=
xcitements" will prove to be an enduringly popular pick for community libra=
ry collections. It should be noted for librarians that "The Excitements" th=
at there is also a large print, library binding edition (Thorndike Press, 9=
798885799232, $36.99, 596pp) as well.

Editorial Note: C. J. Wray is the pseudonym of Christine Manby, an author w=
ith more than forty books to her name. (www.harpercollins.com/blogs/authors=
/cj-wray-2023118511306)

Brighter Than Her Fears
Lisa Ard
https://www.authorlisaard.com
Creative James Media
www.creativejamesmedia.com
9781956183146, $18.99 PB, $5.99 Kindle, 356pp

https://www.amazon.com/Brighter-Than-Her-Fears-Lisa/dp/1956183140

Historical fiction readers interested in stories of post-Civil-War America =
in general and the changing status of women who rose to new power in the wa=
r's aftermath, in particular, will find this story of thirty-year-old Alice=
 Harris (who marries a war veteran much older than herself) to be compellin=
g, bringing these times and issues to life.

The setting is Asheville, decades after the war. There, Alice reflects on h=
er life possibilities and future: "At thirty years old, I'd long since aban=
doned the idea of marriage. The War had ended when I was thirteen and with =
battlefields turned to cemeteries, the marriage prospects in the South had =
dimmed considerably. I didn't favor the title spinster, but I valued my ind=
ependence. Especially now, as it slipped from my grasp."

A hastily arranged marriage may feel like her only (and last) option, but i=
n fact it opens the doors to new opportunities that Alice grasps as times c=
hange and she comes to realize the real lasting impact of the Civil War: "T=
he War ripped families apart in more ways than one."

From how women manage their households and lives to shifting priorities in =
both that lead Alice in unexpected directions, Lisa Ard captures the times =
and their impact on women's lives with an astute combination of historical =
analysis and social inspection. These draw readers into the families and co=
nnections that ultimately change America.

As Alice is drawn into contradictory ideals, support systems, and evolving =
business and political special interests, such as the railroad's developmen=
t, the process of discovering her husband's family's secrets leads to new a=
venues of choice that she never saw coming.

As a novelist Lisa Ard is skilled at capturing the sights, senses, and conf=
licts of the Civil War era. Through Alice's educated eyes and newfound real=
izations, issues of women's freedoms and repression come to light, with the=
 backdrop of shifting family relationships cementing all with a lively sens=
e of purpose and possibility.

Libraries and readers seeking historical novels of American history that fe=
ature proactive women in the throes of personal and political transformatio=
n will find Brighter Than Her Fears a gripping story of a woman who faces b=
oth a lonely future and one more connected and powerful than she'd ever ima=
gined. It's especially highly recommended for women who would absorb post-C=
ivil War lives from a different perspective.

Isla Vulnerable
Ivan Luiz Hernandez with Victoria Petelin
Wise Ink Creative Publishing
https://www.wiseink.com
9781634895927, $24.95, HC, 392pp

https://www.amazon.com/Isla-Vulnerable-Based-Story-Turned/dp/1634895924

Synopsis: Victor wasn't supposed to be anything more than a farmer. But whe=
n he is suddenly orphaned, one of Cuba's most esteemed judges adopts him at=
 the pivotal moment in history when Fidel Castro is overthrowing President =
Fulgencio Batista and taking control of the island.

When Castro raids his adoptive family's estate and arrests his father, Vict=
or narrowly escapes by concealing his identity and fleeing to the US. Deter=
mined to rescue his father and liberate his homeland, Victor accepts an unc=
onventional, deadly deal with the CIA that exposes him to some of the most =
sensational moments in US history.

In a whirlwind twist of events, he reunites with a childhood crush, Sarita =
Rodriguez, whose newfound fame as an actress in New York puts their opposit=
e lives through unimaginable danger.

A cinematic piece first written as a screenplay, Isla Vulnerable delivers t=
he edge-of-your-seat pacing of Jack Ryan with telenovela-style high-stakes =
drama, perfect for fans of historical and political thrillers, internationa=
l spy mysteries, biographies and documentaries, government conspiracies, an=
d romantic suspense.

Critique: Although a work of fiction, "Isla Vulnerable: by Ivan Luiz Hernan=
dez (with the assistance of Victoria Petelin) is the product of 18 years of=
 research and interviews, sharing the journey of a poor farm boy named Vict=
or Gomez, who transforms into a US spy while falling for the very public Sa=
rita Rodriguez at the height of the Cuban revolution. A deftly crafted and =
inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "Isla Vulnerable" will ho=
ld a very special interest for fans of political/historical thrillers, inte=
rnational spy mysteries, and governmental conspiracies. While a very highly=
 recommended pick for personal and community library collections, it should=
 be noted that "Isla Vulnerable" is also readily available in a digital boo=
k format (Kindle, $4.99) as well.

Editorial Note: Ivan Luiz Hernandez (https://ivanluizhernandez.com) is a wr=
iter, business consultant, and entrepreneur dedicated to bringing unique st=
ories and ideas to life. The son of a former US spy, Ivan always felt his f=
amily was different. The unusual events he experienced as a child inspired =
him to finally tell his family's riveting story, which he has created in hi=
s debut novel, "Isla Vulnerable".

Belfield: A Novel
Joan Aleshire
Green Writers Press
https://greenwriterspress.com
9798988382072, $21.95, PB, 224pp

https://www.amazon.com/Belfield-Novel-Joan-Aleshire/dp/B0CDR3BCD7

Synopsis: Although a work of fiction, "Belfield" by Joan Alehsire is based =
on an historical incident in the life of Charles Willson Peale, who was an =
Early American painter, a Revolutionary War veteran, an inventor, a museum =
founder, and a farmer.

Although he opposed slavery publicly, Peale accepted an enslaved family int=
o his household as payment for a debt. He freed the husband and wife after =
a few years, but held their son, Moses Williams, until he was 26, and taugh=
t him to be a profile cutter, working in his Philadelphia natural history m=
useum.

In imagining the Peale family's life on an 18th-century farm, "Belfield" ex=
plores ethics and inclusion: the contradictions at the heart of 18th-centur=
y America..

Critique: Inherently fascinating, deftly crafted, historically accurate in =
background details, "Belfield" by Joan Aleshire and published by Green Writ=
ers Press is a thoughtful and thought-provoking read from start to finish -=
- and one that is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, com=
munity, and college/university library Historical Fiction collections.

Editorial Note: Joan Aleshire (https://poets.org/poet/joan-aleshire) grew u=
p in a large extended family, hearing stories about their Peale ancestors. =
She began to read and write stories, plays, and poems. Joan graduated from =
independent schools, and from Harvard/Radcliffe in 1960. She studied film a=
nd Russian, married, worked on a therapeutic farm in Vermont, and had a dau=
ghter. She received an MFA from Goddard College in 1980, became Interim Dir=
ector of the Warren Wilson MFA Program, and was on the poetry faculty from =
1983 to 2013.

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