Pages

Fiction Hideaway

Find your fiction reading here

Main Menu

You are here: Home / Archives for Historical

Featured Book: Through Forests and Mountains by Margaret Walker

By Fiction Hideaway Curator

They were ‘our most beautiful days’ said the women who fought with the Yugoslav Partisans during World War 2, but I’ve sometimes wondered what the men thought about them – or rather, one man in particular.

Anton Marković didn’t believe in a girl with a gun, nor did he agree with Tito’s insistence on the importance of women in the fight against fascism. A mechanical man, he saved his attention for the battlefield, until the day that Mara shot her first fascist and his heart went to war on multiple fronts.

For in her past is an ex-lover so ruthless that he will exploit anything to stay on her trail, even Winston Churchill and the German Enigma machine. Can Anton save her from this single brilliant fascist?

Nowhere was World War 2 as brutal as in Yugoslavia but, from the anguish of a nation, emerged the most successful resistance movement in occupied Europe.

‘A heroic story, reflecting superb understanding of the history’ – Reedsy Discovery UK.

Buy Through Forests and Mountains Here

Margaret Walker’s Website
Follow Margaret Walker on Facebook
Margaret Walker’s GoodReads Profile

The Essence of Nathan Biddle by J. William Lewis

By Fiction Hideaway Curator

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.

[Read more…] about The Essence of Nathan Biddle by J. William Lewis

Featured Book: They Called Him Marvin: A History of Love, War and Family by Roger Stark

By Fiction Hideaway Curator

They were the fathers we never knew, the uncles we never met, the friends who never returned, the heroes we can never repay. They gave us our world. And those simple sounds of freedom we hear today are their voices speaking to us across the years.” Bill Clinton

Such a man was 1st Lt Dean Harold Sherman, B-29 Airplane Commander.

“They Called Him Marvin” is a history. A history of war and of family. A history of the collision of the raging politics of a global war, young love, patriotism, sacred family commitments, duty and the horrors and tragedies, the catastrophe that war is.

A reviewer explains: “I am a fan of historical fiction and this story did not disappoint. It was sweet, tragic, personal, and moving. Gradually and almost imperceptibly, the story of two wartime sweethearts begins circling the drain of a tragedy you know is coming. The book begins with the ending, but by the time you get there you have convinced yourself that it can’t possibly be the case. I enjoyed every moment, even the ones that left me in tears.
The letters between Connie and Dean provided a fascinating glimpse into wartime life. Reading the experiences of people both at home and abroad was very engaging. I found myself eagerly awaiting the next letter, right along with the young couple!
Lastly, the book left me with an overwhelming acknowledgement of the universal trauma and tragedy of war. The Sherman’s are not the only family we meet in the book and the weaving together of several different narratives added a depth to the story that’s hard to put into words.
I definitely encourage anyone to read this book, especially if historical novels are not something you typically read. This is a story about people and you won’t want it to end.

Buy They Called Him Marvin: A History of Love, War and Family by Roger Stark Here

Roger Stark’s Website
Roger Stark’s GoodReads Profile

Angel of Mercy by Melina Druga

By Fiction Hideaway Curator

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.

[Read more…] about Angel of Mercy by Melina Druga

Flowers by Night by Lucy May Lennox

By Fiction Hideaway Curator

Flowers by Night by Lucy May Lennox

Japan, 1825: Low-ranking samurai Uchida Tomonosuke is a devotee of the way of manly love, but he has never pledged himself to another man. Until one day he accidentally crosses paths with Ichi, a beautiful blind masseur who challenges everything he thought he knew about love between men.

Ichi is independent and confident, but his blindness means he is considered a non-person in the rigid social hierarchy. Tomonosuke is torn between his passion for this elegant young man, and the expectations of his rank. Not to mention his obligation to his unhappy wife, Okyo. But when betrayal and natural disasters strike, it is Ichi who holds the key to saving Tomonosuke’s life.

This vivid, meticulously researched novel depicts unconventional lives during the first half of the 19th century in Edo–the city that would become Tokyo. Step into a world in which the gay-straight binary doesn’t exist, where androgyny in both men and women is celebrated. This thoroughly researched historical novel presents a realistic, deeply moving view of samurai, geisha, Japanese culture, and disability. It’s also a steamy, explicit gay love story that knowingly bends the m-m romance genre.

[Read more…] about Flowers by Night by Lucy May Lennox

The Scarlet Forest: A Tale of Robin Hood by A. E. Chandler

By Fiction Hideaway Curator

You are invited underneath the great greenwood tree to hear how a young man became a hero, and a hero became a legend. When Robin takes a shortcut through Sherwood Forest, the path he chooses leads not to Nottingham’s archery contest, but to a life on the run from the law. Unable now to become a knight, and joined by his childhood friends, Robin Hood leads the most infamous outlaw band ever to evade the king and his sheriff.

Blending true history with new stories, popular inaccuracies, and some almost forgotten medieval legends, The Scarlet Forest: A Tale of Robin Hood brings a new life to the greenwood, which here feels as fresh as it does traditional. With an academic background in medieval English studies, A. E. Chandler captivates with this unique and nuanced reinterpretation of Robin Hood’s struggles and adventures. The forest is waiting.

This expanded second edition contains additional bonus material, including a translation of one of only five surviving medieval Robin Hood “ballads.”

Targeted Age Group:: Adult and Teen

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
At four years old, I first saw the Disney movie of Robin Hood, and since then he has been one of my heroes. I read Howard Pyle’s The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, which is still my favourite novel, in grade five. In grade eight, I researched the real Robin Hood for a self-directed projects class. That was when I developed a lasting passion for history that resulted in my novel The Scarlet Forest: A Tale of Robin Hood, and a Medieval Studies MA from the University of Nottingham.


[Read more…] about The Scarlet Forest: A Tale of Robin Hood by A. E. Chandler

Deceit and Discipline by Cherry Redde

By Fiction Hideaway Curator

A fine lady must pose as a mere snip of a housemaid to carry off a bold diamond heist. The catch? Her humble disguise exposes her to the harsh law of domestic discipline. This fast-paced Victorian historical crime novel moves from the infamous bordellos of London to the perverse practices of an isolated manor house full of eccentrics.

Targeted Age Group:: adults

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
Who isn't fascinated by a bold heist carried off by a spunky anti-heroine? Sometimes, crime does pay… in diamonds.

[Read more…] about Deceit and Discipline by Cherry Redde

The Heart of a Hussar by Griffin Brady

By Fiction Hideaway Curator

The Heart of a Hussar by Griffin Brady

Exploiting Muscovy’s Time of Troubles, Poland has invaded the chaotic country. Twenty-two-year-old Jacek Dąbrowski is an honorable, ferocious warrior in a company of winged hussars—an unrivaled, lethal cavalry. When his lieutenant dies in battle, Jacek is promoted to replace him, against the wishes of his superior, Mateusz, who now has more reason to eliminate him.

Jacek dedicates his life to gaining the king’s recognition and manor lands of his own. Consequently, he closely guards his heart, avoiding lasting romantic entanglements. Unscathed on the battlefield, undefeated in tournaments, and adored by women eager to share his bed, Jacek has never lost at anything he sets out to conquer. So when he charges toward his goals, he believes nothing stands in his way.

Upon his return from battle, Jacek deviates from his ordinarily unemotional mindset and rescues enemy siblings, fifteen-year-old Oliwia and her younger brother, Filip, from their devastated Muscovite village. His act of mercy sets into motion unstoppable consequences that ripple through his well-ordered life for years to come—and causes him to irretrievably lose his heart.

Oliwia has her own single-minded drive: to protect her young brother. Her determination and self-sacrifice lead her to adopt a new country, a new religion, and a new way of life. But it’s not the first time the resilient beauty has had to remake herself, for she is not what she appears to be.

As Jacek battles the Muscovites and Tatars threatening Poland’s borders for months at a time, Oliwia is groomed for a purpose concealed from her. All the while, Mateusz’s treachery and a mysterious enemy looming on the horizon threaten to destroy everything Jacek holds dear.

[Read more…] about The Heart of a Hussar by Griffin Brady

Sergeant Stubby In The Great War by Melissa Pilgrim

By Fiction Hideaway Curator

Sergeant Stubby In The Great War by Melissa Pilgrim

When a little stray puppy befriends a soldier named Robert Conroy training to go to war in 1917, he starts out on an amazing journey as the private teaches him all he needs to know to become a U.S. Army soldier too. After sneaking him on board a ship heading to Europe, the two best friends fight side-by-side in what soon becomes the biggest war the world has ever seen!

The little dog, affectionately named “Stubby” because of his stout tail, learns to bravely confront all the brand new warfare devices he encounters including tanks, machine guns, planes, and mustard gas as he proudly serves his country in the First World War and becomes a true American war hero.

This well-researched historical fiction novella makes reading about history fun for readers both young and old(er). It’s an entertaining way to introduce young readers to all the “firsts” of World War I as they experience it all through the eyes of this real little dog who served in it so bravely.

There is a historical facts sheet at the end to let readers know which parts of the story were taken from real places, events, and battles and which parts were fictionalized (to keep the storyline moving at an interesting pace).

NOTE: A Lesson Plan and Glossary of terms related to the time period are available for FREE on the book’s website to accompany this book in a classroom setting.

[Read more…] about Sergeant Stubby In The Great War by Melissa Pilgrim

Dear Margaret, by Pamela Ackerson

By Fiction Hideaway Curator

Dear Margaret, by Pamela Ackerson

It was Paradise–Until nightmares and horror reigned.
Dear Margaret,

The whole world had gone bonkers. Two friends try to keep each other grounded by writing letters to each other during WWII. They found a common ground, a way to keep each other sane in an insane world.

From mundane daily chores to life threatening events, these letters from two pen pals take the reader on a journey into the past, a past where nightmares came true, and when hatred reigned.

A time in history that we should never, ever forget.

[Read more…] about Dear Margaret, by Pamela Ackerson