World War II Fiction Talk

Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Zion Covenant Series by Brock and Bodie ThoeneBook 1: Vienna PreludeBook 2: Prague CounterpointBook 3: Munich SignatureBook 4: Jerusalem Interlude Book 5: Danzig PassageBook 6: Warsaw RequiemBook 7: London RefrainBook 8: Paris EncoreBook 9: Dunkirk CrescendoPlease note that some of these are links to audio books. Some of the series are only available in packages with others in the series.Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne BischofBook 1: Sons of Blackbird MountainBook 2: Daughters of Northern ShoresWaves of Mercy by Lynn AustinBook 1: Waves of MercyBook 2: Legacy of MercyTimber Ridge ReflectionsBook 1: From a DistanceBook 2: Beyond This MomentBook 3: Within My HeartMark of the Lion by Francine RiversBook 1: A Voice in the WindBook 2: An Echo in the DarknessBook 3: As Sure As the DawnSunrise at Normandy by Sarah SundinBook 1: The Sea Before UsBook 2: The Sky Above UsBook 3: The Land Beneath Us

There is so much good Christmas fiction out there this year, most of it in the form of novellas. We discuss some of the best that's been released.Love's Pure Light by Susanne Dietze, Shannon McNear, Janine Rosche, and Deborah RaneyBe transported to unique time periods as you follow a treasured family nativity set through four generations of the Shepherd family. Joy to the World by Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt, and Erica VetschIn Joy to the World, three popular authors come together to offer a heartwarming collection of holiday Regency romance. Based on lines from a beloved Christmas carol, these three novellas in one book have depth, faith, and satisfying stories all packed into the perfect length for readers to curl up and take a brief break from their holiday busyness.A Joyful Christmas by Cynthia Hickey, Liz Johnson, Vickie McDonough, Liz Tolsma, Carrie Turansky, and Erica VetschA Christmas Collection to Warm the HeartGrab a warm cup of tea and watch as romance is kindled and joy is restored to broken lives during six bygone era Christmas celebrations.Silver Bell Christmas by Jennifer Lynn CaryShe's learning to live again……He wants to leave the past behindTogether they might find love's second chance in their golden years.A Christmas Wish by Diana Lesire BrandmeyerShe vowed to marry for love. He promised his daughters a mother for Christmas. Time is running out for both of them.Check out Liz Tolsma's website for more information on her books. Happy reading!

Linda is an author, speaker, and history geek. She loves to write about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist with the Wright Museum of WWII, she is also a lecturer with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute through Granite State College. She was born a stone's throw from Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland and has lived in historic places all her life.Now located in central New Hampshire, her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors. She is active in her church where she serves as usher, choir member, and Bible study leader.Visit her website. You can purchase Murder at Madison Square Garden here. (affiliate link)Don't forget to visit Liz Tolsma's website. You can also purchase The Refrain Within here.

You can find out more about me and all of my books on my website. You can also preorder The Refrain Within, which is releasing on September 29, 2020. Please note that some of the links are affiliate links. Ashes: A WW2 historical fiction inspired by true events by Christopher de VinckA deeply touching novel about two young women whose differences, which once united them, will tear them apart forever, during Hitler’s Nazi occupation of Belgium and France. Based on true events.For fans of All The Light We Cannot See and Tattooist of Auschwitz. Belgium, July 1939: Simone Lyon is the daughter of a Belgium national hero, the famous General Joseph Lyon. Her best friend Hava Daniels, is the eldest daughter of a devout Jewish family. Despite growing up in different worlds, they are inseparable.But when, in the spring of 1940, Nazi planes and tanks begin bombing Brussels, their resilience and strength are tested. Hava and Simone find themselves caught in the advancing onslaught and are forced to flee.In an emotionally-charged race for survival, even the most harrowing horrors cannot break their bonds of love and friendship. The two teenage girls, will see their innocence fall, against the ugly backdrop of a war dictating that theirs was a friendship that should never have been.Buy the book here.The London Restoration by Rachel McMillanFrom author Rachel McMillan comes a richly researched historical romance that takes place in post-World War II London and features a strong female lead.Determined to save their marriage and the city they love, two people divided by World War II’s secrets rebuild their lives, their love, and their world.London, Fall 1945. Architectural historian Diana Somerville’s experience as a codebreaker at Bletchley Park and her knowledge of London’s churches intersect in MI6’s pursuit of a Russian agent named Eternity. Diana wants nothing more than to begin again with her husband Brent after their separation during the war, but her signing of the Official Secrets Act keeps him at a distance.Brent Somerville, professor of theology at King’s College, hopes aiding his wife with her church consultations will help him better understand why she disappeared when he needed her most. But he must find a way to reconcile his traumatic experiences as a stretcher bearer on the European front with her obvious lies about her wartime activities and whereabouts.Featuring a timeless love story bolstered by flashbacks and the excavation of a priceless Roman artifact, The London Restoration is a richly atmospheric look at post-war London as two people changed by war rebuild amidst the city’s reconstruction. Buy the book here.The Eleventh Hour by Michael PhillipsIn 1930s pre-war Prussia, Baron von Dortmann lives an idyllic life with his daughter Sabina. A devoted gardener and father, the Baron teaches his daughter powerful lessons about life, creation, and Gods love during treasured walks in the estate’s beautiful gardens.But Sabina is growing up, and the Baron's beloved Prussia is changing. Now a beautiful young woman, Sabina has caught the eye of a handsome young American, Matthew.Meanwhile, a cloud is gathering on the horizon as the Nazis seize power in neighboring Germany. As he strives to protect his family and follow his own moral compass, Baron von Dortmann will face heart-wrenching decisions, with only Gods guidance to light the way.Buy the book here.Shadow of the Sun by Marney BlomLetters were strictly forbidden. Weighing the consequences Menno continued to secret

Don't forget to check out my website and find information on all my books! And check out my YouTube channel where you can watch videos on people who worked in the resistance during WWII. The Enemy Between Us by Melinda Sue SanchezItaly, 1943As war tears her country apart, Franca Chessari’s sole focus is on supporting her family amid Nazi occupation. But when her parents, both high-ranking partisans, go missing, Franca is compelled to take action—even if it means crossing enemy lines to save those she loves.Peter Weimer is a German soldier forced into a war he abhors. When he can take no more of the Nazi atrocities he’s been forced to witness, he deserts the German army—a decision that brands him as an enemy.Franca and Peter were nothing more than two strangers from enemy countries, but when their paths collide amid the horrors of war, they are swept into an epic journey of chilling danger, unparalleled courage, and a sweeping passion that could cost them everything they have fought for.You can buy the book here. (affiliate link)Fragments of Light by Michele PhoenixAn impossible decision in the chaos of D-Day. Ripples that cascade seventy-five years into the present. And two lives transformed by the tenuous resolve to reach out of the darkness toward fragments of light. Cancer stole everything from Ceelie—her peace of mind, her self-image, perhaps even her twenty-three-year marriage to her college sweetheart, Nate. Without the support of Darlene, her quirky elderly friend, she may not have been able to endure so much loss.So when Darlene’s prognosis turns dire, Ceelie can’t refuse her seemingly impossible request—to find a WWII paratrooper named Cal, the father who disappeared when Darlene was an infant, leaving a lifetime of desolation in his wake.The search that begins in the farmlands of Missouri eventually leads Ceelie to a small town in Normandy, where she uncovers the harrowing tale of the hero who dropped off-target into occupied France.Alternating between Cal’s D-Day rescue by two young French sisters and Ceelie’s present-day journey through trial and heartbreak, Fragments of Light poses a timeless question: When life becomes unbearable, will you press toward the light or let the darkness win?You can buy the book here. (affiliate link)Don't forget to check out my website and find information on all my books!

Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of "Passion With a Purpose" underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. A lover of all things Irish, she enjoys writing close-knit Irish family sagas that evolve into 3-D love stories: the hero, the heroine, and the God that brings them together. Author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, Heart of San Francisco, Isle of Hope, and Silver Lining Ranch series, Julie was American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered over 21 Romance Writers of America and other awards. Voted #1 Romance Author in Family Fiction magazine's 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie's novels also made Family Fiction magazine's Best of 2015, Best of 2014, and "Essential Christian Romance Authors" 2017-20, as well as Booklist's 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction. Her independent novel A Light in the Window was an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Readers' Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner. Julie has also written a self-help workbook for writers entitled Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets. Contact Julie through her website and read excerpts from each of her books at www.julielessman.com.You can purchase A Wing and a Prayer here. This is an affiliate link. You can find out more about me and my books at my website. 

Show Notes for Episode 4 - July 2020 New ReleasesSome links may be affiliate links. I may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these.The Enemy Between Us by Melinda Sue SanchezItaly, 1943As war tears her country apart, Franca Chessari’s sole focus is on supporting her family amid Nazi occupation. But when her parents, both high-ranking partisans, go missing, Franca is compelled to take action—even if it means crossing enemy lines to save those she loves.Peter Weimer is a German soldier forced into a war he abhors. When he can take no more of the Nazi atrocities he’s been forced to witness, he deserts the German army—a decision that brands him as an enemy.Franca and Peter were nothing more than two strangers from enemy countries, but when their paths collide amid the horrors of war, they are swept into an epic journey of chilling danger, unparalleled courage, and a sweeping passion that could cost them everything they have fought for.You can buy the book here.Fragments of Light by Michele PhoenixAn impossible decision in the chaos of D-Day. Ripples that cascade seventy-five years into the present. And two lives transformed by the tenuous resolve to reach out of the darkness toward fragments of light. Cancer stole everything from Ceelie—her peace of mind, her self-image, perhaps even her twenty-three-year marriage to her college sweetheart, Nate. Without the support of Darlene, her quirky elderly friend, she may not have been able to endure so much loss.So when Darlene’s prognosis turns dire, Ceelie can’t refuse her seemingly impossible request—to find a WWII paratrooper named Cal, the father who disappeared when Darlene was an infant, leaving a lifetime of desolation in his wake.The search that begins in the farmlands of Missouri eventually leads Ceelie to a small town in Normandy, where she uncovers the harrowing tale of the hero who dropped off-target into occupied France.Alternating between Cal’s D-Day rescue by two young French sisters and Ceelie’s present-day journey through trial and heartbreak, Fragments of Light poses a timeless question: When life becomes unbearable, will you press toward the light or let the darkness win?You can buy the book here.Murder at Madison Square Garden by Linda Shenton MatchettThe dream of a lifetime becomes a nightmare.Photojournalist Theodora “Teddy” Schafer’s career has hit the skids thanks to rumors of plagiarism. With any luck, a photo spread with Charles Lindbergh at the America First Rally will salvage her reputation. After an attempted assassination of Lindbergh leaves another man dead, Teddy is left holding the gun. Literally. Can she prove her innocence before the police lock her up for a murder she didn’t commit?Private Investigator Ric Bogart wants nothing to do with women after his wife cleaned out their bank account and left him for another man, but he can’t ignore the feeling he’s supposed to help the scrappy, female reporter who is arrested for murder at the America First rally. Can he believe her claims of innocence and find the real killer without letting Teddy steal his heart?You can buy the book here.Don't forget to visit Liz Tolsma's website for all that is new from her.

In this episode, I review Lynn Austin's book, If I Were You, and Amanda Barratt's book, The White Rose Resists.If I Were You1950. In the wake of the war, Audrey Clarkson leaves her manor house in England for a fresh start in America with her young son. As a widowed war bride, Audrey needs the support of her American in-laws, whom she has never met. But she arrives to find that her longtime friend Eve Dawson has been impersonating her for the past four years. Unraveling this deception will force Audrey and Eve’s secrets—and the complicated history of their friendship—to the surface.1940. Eve and Audrey have been as different as two friends can be since the day they met at Wellingford Hall, where Eve’s mother served as a lady’s maid for Audrey’s mother. As young women, those differences become a polarizing force . . . until a greater threat—Nazi invasion—reunites them. With London facing relentless bombardment, Audrey and Eve join the fight as ambulance drivers, battling constant danger together. An American stationed in England brings dreams of a brighter future for Audrey, and the collapse of the class system gives Eve hope for a future with Audrey’s brother. But in the wake of devastating loss, both women must make life-altering decisions that will set in motion a web of lies and push them both to the breaking point long after the last bomb has fallen.This sweeping story transports readers to one of the most challenging eras of history to explore the deep, abiding power of faith and friendship to overcome more than we ever thought possible.Get your copy here.The White Rose ResistsInspired by the incredible true story of a group of ordinary men and women who dared to stand against evilThe ideal of a new Germany swept up Sophie Scholl in a maelstrom of patriotic fervor--that is, until she realized the truth behind Hitler's machinations for the fatherland. Now she and other students in Munich, the cradle of the Nazi government, have banded together to form a group to fight for the truth: the White Rose. Risking everything to print and distribute leaflets calling for Germans to rise up against the evil permeating their country, the White Rose treads a knife's edge of discovery by the Gestapo.Annalise Brandt came to the University of Munich to study art, not get involved with conspiracy. The daughter of an SS officer, she's been brought up to believe in the Führer's divinely appointed leadership. But the more she comes to know Sophie and her friends, the more she questions the Nazi propaganda.Soon Annalise joins their double life--students by day, resisters by night. And as the stakes increase, they're all forced to confront the deadly consequences meted out to any who dare to oppose the Reich.A gripping testament to courage, The White Rose Resists illuminates the sacrifice and conviction of an unlikely group of revolutionaries who refused to remain silent-no matter the cost.Get your copy here.And don't forget to visit Liz's website for all the information on her books.

If you love a good romance, high adventure, intelligent heroines who can hold their own, men to make your heart swoon and knees shake, then you're going to love J'nell's books. She joins us to talk about her most recent WWII release, The Socialite. To learn more about J'nell and her books and to find out how to purchase her books, you can visit her website.To learn more about Liz Tolsma and her books and to find out how to purchase them, please visit her website.

We talk about new WWII fiction releases in May and June 2020.Lynn Austin's new book is If I Were You. From bestselling and eight-time Christy Award–winning author Lynn Austin comes a remarkable novel of sisterhood and self-discovery set against the backdrop of WWII. Eve and Audrey come from different backgrounds, but their jobs as ambulance drivers during the London Blitz. They both suffer deep losses, and in 1950, they are both in America. When Audrey discovers that Eve has been impersonating her for four years, the must confront their pasts. This sweeping story transports readers to one of the most challenging eras of history to explore the deep, abiding power of faith and friendship to overcome more than we ever thought possible. Buy the book here. You can also read Lynn's interview here.Amanda Barratt's new book is The White Rose Resists. This is based on the true stories of Sophie Scholl and Annalise Brandt and their roles in this German resistance group that publishes and distributes pamphlets speaking against the Nazi regime, all at great cost to themselves. You can buy the book here. Murray Pura and Patrick E. Craig have stepped into the WWII genre with the first of their books in the Island series. Far on the Ringing Plains is book one and follows three friends, all men who were taught never to fight but who joined the Marines because they had to do something for the cause of freedom. The battle of Guadalcanal changes all of them. The book is available here.Linda Shenton Matchett has two new releases, The Mechanic and the MD and The Widow and the War Correspondent. In The Mechanic and the MD, Doris was a gangly teenager who would rather work on car engines than pursue feminine pastimes. She joins the Red Cross Motor Corps and confronts her past when Ron, the most popular boy in high school, shows up at the base in England. He bares his own scars. The book is for sale here.In The Widow and the War Correspondent, Cora is a war widow who works for the United Press in England as a cub reporter. Van, the senior reporter, isn't happy about being paired with Cora, because war is no place for a woman. Is he ever going to let her cover D-Day? You can pick up the book here. Lastly is Patty Smith Hall's book, Hearts in Hiding. Edie is an engineer who harbors a secret. She's the German daughter of a Nazi devotee. Beau has been in a Nazi POW camp. When he discovers a letter of Edie's in German, he wonders if she's truly the woman he's falling in love with or if she's a spy. Buy the book here.