Historical
ForeWord Review - Under the Pong Pong Tree
January/15/2016 04:43 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
The Japanese invasion of Singapore sets the backdrop for this World War II saga of loyalty, love, and the promise of liberation. Levey delves into the brutality of foreign occupation from a woman’s perspective, allowing a candid portrayal of a victim to emerge from the pages of this gritty chronicle. The novel humanizes the experiences by providing frank and unpleasant details in prose that is sensitive, knowledgeable, and empathetic, covering intriguing topics across an extensive time line.
ForeWord Review - A Banner of Love
November/12/2015 03:44 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
This touching story of interracial marriage in 1950s Greenwich Village reaches across the decades to inspire and educate. Garner depicts a nation still experiencing extreme social inequality, a period fraught with struggle and frustration for the African American community. Realistic and deeply moving, every scene reflects a true and abiding love established on the solid foundation of friendship, built meticulously with patience and tenderness.
ForeWord Review - The Highlander's Bride
October/09/2015 01:11 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
A staged fourteenth-century marriage turns into abiding love in this beautiful romance. Forester weaves a simple plot into a gorgeous tapestry. Strong characterization and superb description create a distinctive sense of time and place.
ForeWord Review - Black
September/29/2015 04:29 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Set in nineteenth-century America prior to the Civil War, this well-researched novel depicts the horror of slavery and the violence of revolt in a heady mix of bloody realism and heroic romance. Vassar portrays Nat Turner’s literate son in his passionate quest for freedom and equality, a moving, revelatory, and disturbing narrative. This is the first book of a promising series.
ForeWord Review - The Lost Heiress
September/14/2015 12:30 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
A missing heiress raised in Monaco travels to Yorkshire, England, to claim her legacy in this Edwardian novel. White presents a common historical situation, infusing the plot with vigor through the use of strong evocative passages and detailed characterization. Abduction, intrigue, and a priceless artifact add just the right amount of mystery to raise the temperature of this otherwise cool tale to a comfortable warm.
ForeWord Review - The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen
August/20/2015 01:03 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
A skillful portrayal of an early nineteenth-century literary icon takes this historical romance on an imaginative journey of the soul. Collins Hemingway reinvents the life of Jane Austen, imagining the course of events if she had met the man of her dreams. Pondering, polite, and reflective, this heartfelt novel delves into the hypothetical in a stylistic tribute that evokes the genteel atmosphere of the period.
ForeWord Review - The Road at St. Liseau
August/10/2015 06:16 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Set in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, this romantic spy thriller plumbs the depths of despair and scales the heights of joy in a riveting depiction of sacrifice and love. Becker’s novel presents a familiar scenario—a young nurse instills the will to live in a critically injured American army captain. Heartbreaking and graphic, the atrocities of warfare make an ugly appearance, informing the twenty-first century of a brutal past that cannot be forgotten.
ForeWord Review - A Veil of Fog and Flames
July/01/2015 09:13 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Danger thrusts two vulnerable adolescents into the mire and mayhem of 1851 San Francisco in this coming-of-age novel. Beninger delves into the anguish and turmoil associated with maturing in an environment that drives unprepared young souls into a brutal world more suitable for jaded adults. Defying established convention and resisting social pressure to conform is part of any generation’s awakening, and these mid-nineteenth-century American teenagers are no exception.
ForeWord Blog - Western Romances
June/03/2015 10:20 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
The American West of the 1800s was a harsh test, subjecting a person’s mind and body to psychological and physical rigors far removed from our coddled, contemporary world. Often romanticized, the old Wild West is a vibrant setting for colorful characters toughing it out in a rugged, treacherous environment. Lawless and lethal, this period in American history propels the plots for countless movies and books, from spine-tingling entertainment to beloved classics. Expansion westward following the Civil War took many lives, leaving grief and desolation in its wake, yet passion flourishes on a precarious ledge and attracts loyal fans of the genre.
ForeWord Blog - Regency Romances
May/06/2015 09:12 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Consider that novels set in Regency England (1811-1820) feature a privileged world among royalty, where material needs are determined by birthright and romance flourishes in clandestine environments. Much has changed since the days of Jane Austen, whose prim and proper courtships dragged on for hundreds of pages with no one giving it up. Today, daring exploits and push-the-envelope stylistic devices fill their pages with all the drama and tension typical of mainstream America. No writer is required to adhere to the stifling rules established by the time in which Austen penned her world-renowned words.
Impressions - Ana Leigh
May/02/2015 09:29 PM Filed: Impressions
Celebrate the life and career of an extraordinary historical romance novelist:
Ana Leigh (October 19, 1929 - April 12, 2015)
I met Ana in the early nineties and had the opportunity to interview her three times for articles that appeared in several publications. I remember her wit and sense of humor, down-to-earth comments that may not have been intended for the public, but what struck me as remarkable was her ability to find a spark, a burning passion that enabled her to create stories for future generations.
When I asked what lessons we can learn from those who tamed the Old West, she answered more than my question. She explained why some succeed and others fail.
“I think one of the outstanding things about the West and the people who chose to help settle the West had to be their courage. Those were admirable qualities that perhaps we need a little bit more of in today’s world, to really believe in what you’re doing instead of going through the motions, to put your life on the line to do it. There’s not enough of that today. And I think that’s why we have so many problems in the world. We don’t learn how to really depend upon each other. Those Westerners, those early Westerners, had to depend upon one another for survival. Technology, of course, is a great thing, but at the same time it’s not good for people when they are so dependent upon their technology that they can’t function without it. We really are missing something. These early people who packed up what they could in a little tiny covered wagon lived with what they could take along until they got themselves settled. They will always be my heroes because without them we wouldn’t be the nation we are today.”
ForeWord Review - Tracks
April/22/2015 02:36 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Monetary success and the American dream remain elusive, intangible concepts in this story of resilient immigrants facing cultural discrimination. Spanning a period of seventy-seven years, McLinden’s novel is a realistic yet inspiring account of industrious people seeking happiness and security in a stratified society. Opening in 1900 in the New Mexico Territory, with strategic stops on the way to 1977, every chapter packs a powerful punch or an uplifting message.
ForeWord Review - When the Song of the Angels Is Stilled
April/13/2015 04:17 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
This innovative adaptation pits Sherlock Holmes against the baby-farming industry in nineteenth-century England. As Sherlock investigates the ritualistic murders of helpless infants, he struggles with conflicting emotions of young love. Coyle remains true to her predecessor’s style, but stays within her own boundaries as she allows Sherlock’s girlfriend to tell the story. Narrated from this inquisitive heroine’s viewpoint and told in retrospect, the novel explores aspects of Sherlock’s personality that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle may have neglected to reveal in his original series.
ForeWord Review - Beloved Enemy
February/09/2015 04:55 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
A bilingual woman in the British Women’s Army sneaks into Germany during World War II to seduce Karl von Richter, a Nazi intelligence colonel, and ultimately falls in love with her enemy. In a gripping story that spans twenty years, beginning in 1942, this courageous heroine, a hired assassin, sacrifices her safety and well-being to carry out her assignment. The book follows her psychological adjustment and relationships thereafter. The prose is filled with period detail, enhancing the sense of place in war-torn Europe.
ForeWord Review - Bridal Veil
October/26/2014 11:48 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
A fairy tale wedding takes a turn into nineteenth-century America in this time-travel romance that questions the very definition of marriage. Though critics may label this novel as yet another Cinderella tale with a heroic rescuer waiting in the wings, the plot does not proceed along a typical path. Wright’s empathetic book is a captivating mix of feminist outrage and philosophical soul-searching, a simple story with profound meaning.
ForeWord Review - Tangled Roots
September/16/2014 02:42 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Childhood companions in the early twentieth century grow to love each other amid the turmoil of racist upheaval and sexist restrictions in a touching story of abiding loyalty. Martin presents two intelligent women faced with intolerable choices that will curtail their future together. Deeply engrossing and quite beautiful, this post-Civil War romance will enthrall an audience seeking diversity in a subgenre often immersed in stereotypes.
ForeWord Review - With Every Breath
September/03/2014 12:47 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Dedication and sacrifice bring former academic rivals together in this medical drama set in an 1891 Washington, D.C. hospital. Camden reveals the terrifying impact of tuberculosis during a time when treatments were experimental. A death sentence for most, the disease ravaged the U.S. population leaving pain and grief in its wake, a scenario described in explicit detail throughout this empathetic historical romance.
ForeWord Review - A Time to Pay
August/26/2014 04:56 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Dirty money takes an intriguing cast of characters from heaven to hell and back in this fast-paced historical thriller. A bag of stolen diamonds is the catalyst in a 1960s escapade that brings out the best and worst in fallible protagonists as they travel across Europe at the height of the Cold War. Woods has a gift for developing his main characters to a high degree, skillfully blending introspection, description, and action to depict vibrant personalities.
ForeWord Review - The Necklace
August/19/2014 12:18 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
This dramatic and emotional novel, rich in historical detail, explores star-crossed lovers. Different cultures meet in an awkward yet touching relationship destined for heartbreak at the hands of a society that subjugates women. The first in a planned series, Valverde’s book opens in the ancient city of Kyoto, Japan, in 1890.
ForeWord Review - Smoke Dreams
July/17/2014 12:04 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
A haunted mansion with an intelligent personality propels this eerie tale set in New Mexico. Willerton teeters on the brink of historical and horror fiction, creating an eye-opening escapade for the uninitiated. The Comanche kidnapping of a ten-year-old boy in 1870 is the catalyst for this terrifying yet strangely poignant story of a family’s undying zest for living.
ForeWord Review - Ambrosius Aureliani
June/26/2014 04:42 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Narrated by Merlinus, better known simply as Merlin, this work is the first in a proposed four-book series, set in the fifth century as the Roman Empire is collapsing. Mintz knows his material to a fine point and presents his novel much like an animated professor, gracing his pages with meticulous historical detail. Inspired by the medieval mystique of King Arthur, this tale has all the attributes of a prolonged saga with treacherous battles and territorial disputes.
ForeWord Review - Jefferson Davis
June/10/2014 12:05 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
A famous gray ghost emerges from this realistic dramatization in a convincing portrayal of Jefferson Davis. Maring focuses on the life of a controversial figure often perceived as an enemy of the United States. Jefferson was an educated man, a Southern gentleman who later became known as the president of the Confederacy. Though few would award hero status to this outspoken politician, most will find his background fascinating in this fictionalized account of his early years.
ForeWord Review - A Meeting of Clans
June/06/2014 04:29 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Travel fourteen thousand years into the past in this realistic depiction of primitive society. Faced with risky choices, a bonded group of humans must cope with the discovery that they are not alone when they encounter another clan. This unsettling realization is the catalyst for an unforgettable adventure. Nervous and wary, they learn to accept their now humbled status. Powerful and evocative, Rollins reveals a distant world where humans are motivated by the basic need to survive.
ForeWord Review - The Whip
April/22/2014 09:14 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
A skillful blend of fact and fiction, Kondazian’s incredible story of a courageous nineteenth-century heroine dramatizes actual events in the life of Charlotte “Charley” Parkhurst (1812-1879), a stagecoach driver for Wells Fargo. This pioneering woman chose to live as a man, combating old-school tradition and unhealthy stereotypes. Riveting and action propelled, this award-winning title showcases the best and the worst of America as our country began to transition into a progressive society founded on fairness and equality.
ForeWord Review - The Roses Underneath
March/11/2014 01:05 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
During the aftermath of World War II in devastated Germany, a resilient woman struggles to reunite with her family while helping a special division of the American military, also known as the Monuments Men, retrieve looted art treasures and return precious works to their original owners. Yetman opens her story in August 1945 and turns this piece of history into a Sherlock Holmes-type investigation, involving a stash of artwork, threats, interrogations, and prolonged disappearances.
ForeWord Review - The Third Terrace of Purgatory
February/10/2014 09:09 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
The stressful world of Manhattan advertising, characterized by the unrelenting pressure to succeed, grounds this first installment of Barker’s trilogy. The story opens in 1959, yet the contemporary tone lends an excellent plot a sense of timelessness difficult to achieve in a historical novel. Realistic and chilling in its examination of human behavior, this fascinating page-turner will attract a diverse audience looking for a psychological thriller that extends the boundaries of genre fiction, while ignoring the industry’s tendency to place a book within a designated niche.
ForeWord Review - Golden Dreams of Borneo
October/22/2013 04:55 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Spanning more than one hundred years from 1800 to 1918, the drive to succeed on a gold-rich island is the motivating force behind multiple characters in this admirable undertaking by Ling. Lush narrative, intellectual conversation, and emotional introspection convey the experience of this exotic locale. Sarawak is the focus, a northwest section of Borneo governed by a family known as the White Rajahs from 1841 to 1946.
ForeWord Review - More Than Words
October/16/2013 04:53 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Set in the Amana Colonies in 1885, the atmosphere of a secluded rural community comes to life, a confining and smothering place for the intellectual and ambitious. Miller gives the modern reader a revealing look at a talented heroine’s desire to express herself in a time when a woman’s words must remain curbed to the pages of her own journal. This is the story of a writer seeking a sense of self beyond limited notions of family and expected position in society.
ForeWord Review - A Palace in Peking
October/09/2013 12:24 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Zee’s novel features the creative development of an intelligent woman-child juxtaposed with growing political tensions in the Orient during the 1930s. The story is a flashback that spans the course of this heroine’s coming of age, gradually leading to an abiding friendship and, eventually, a romantic interlude. An unusual mix of sophisticated realism and emotional interplay transforms the process of maturing into an evocative and colorful narrative experience.
ForeWord Review - Past the Last Island
August/01/2013 10:40 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
In this fascinating return to the beginning of society, Rollins depicts a place and time in which modern humans perish, a raw and natural existence on desolate terrain fourteen thousand years ago in the South Pacific. Steeped in mysticism and superstition, the story delves into primal fear, spiritual awakening, and sensory enlightenment. A poignant reminder of the power of love and an exploration of the collective unconscious.
ForeWord Review - A Race to Splendor
July/26/2013 10:50 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Commemorating the 105th anniversary of the catastrophic earthquake that hit San Francisco on April 18, 1906, Ware’s novel focuses on an architect involved in rebuilding two competing hotels after the tragedy. A heroine ahead of her time in education and ambition, she is an inspiration to every twenty-first-century woman. This fascinating story is a penetrating look at what it takes to survive and what it means to succeed in a city that has literally crumbled.
ForeWord Review - Hassie Calhoun
July/19/2013 10:04 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
A gripping story about an aspiring singer in 1960s Las Vegas, this poignant novel is a down-to-earth, rather than idealistic glimpse of a vulnerable young woman learning how to succeed… and how to stop trusting people. Guided by financial and emotional need, the heroine’s interaction with an abusive hotel manager keeps her dependent, succumbing to his advances in a misguided attempt to sustain herself in an aggressive business. Depicted with realism and tenderness.
ForeWord Review - The Last Rendezvous
July/15/2013 10:15 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
A gifted poet and actress experiences the joy and pain of romantic passion in this fictionalized account of Marceline Desbordes-Valmore’s life. Researched like a biography, the book exposes her innermost thoughts, much like the pages of a diary. A woman ahead of her time in nineteenth-century France, Marceline is an early feminist with the courage to distance herself from the confines of a restricted society to pursue the dictates of her heart and soul. Translated from the French by Willard Wood.
ForeWord Review - Dosha
July/09/2013 11:52 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
The Soviet dressage team in Leningrad drafts a gypsy equestrian woman and gives her elevated status as a star, yet her only desire is to defect. Edgy, entertaining, and filled with political stratagem, Meyer’s riveting novel balances realism, action-intrigue, and romance.
ForeWord Review - Unmentionables
July/01/2013 09:47 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Greene brings together two enthralling love stories in this enlightening look at the hidden elements of our past. He integrates a fascinating, behind-the-scenes glimpse of gay romance set during the American Civil War with a complex relationship between an abolitionist and a Confederate. This is superb historical fiction presented from a contemporary angle.
ForeWord Review - Shame the Devil
June/28/2013 11:39 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Brenegan presents a fictionalized account of outspoken, nineteenth-century feminist Fanny Fern. A hard-hitting journalist who delivered her statements on a variety of controversial topics in a blunt, unrestrained manner, Fern garnered intense criticism and lavish praise. An insightful piece of interpretive history, this book is recommended for leisurely as well as scholarly pursuit.
ForeWord Review - Mephisto Aria
June/27/2013 10:13 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
A talented opera singer discovers a secret side to her father in a diary he kept during World War II. While investigating his suicide, she finds passion with a beautiful Russian woman, a vocalist and defector on the run. Filled with outstanding attention to 1940s detail alongside a contemporary setting, this work presents two distinct love stories.
ForeWord Review - The Five O'Clock Follies
June/20/2013 09:10 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
An independent female correspondent in devastated Saigon faces skepticism and overt sexism from competitive men during the Vietnam War. This fictional exposé by a seasoned journalist is recommended for those who have participated in similar war-torn environments.
ForeWord Review - A Deadly Affection
June/10/2013 09:56 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
A gifted psychiatrist with a troubled past must clear a patient charged with murdering another physician. Set in New York in 1907, this mystery reveals the resistance to women in an emerging male-dominated profession.
ForeWord Review - The Silver Lotus
June/06/2013 10:06 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Two culturally diverse lovers do business on the developing Northern California coast. This literary masterpiece is an exceptional portrayal of an early feminist struggling with an oppressive society near the turn of the twentieth century.
ForeWord Review - Lawman's Dilemma
May/28/2013 02:38 PM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Enjoy this action-oriented trek into the American Wild West as a lawman restores order to ravaged towns. With a story light on romance and heavy on action, emphasis remains on the marshal’s attempts to find the bad guy and bring him to justice.
ForeWord Review - Journey to Oxford
May/21/2013 09:52 AM Filed: ForeWord Reviews
Set during the tumultuous 1800s, this is the story of a gifted apprentice doctor and his forbidden relationship with a Native American teenager who remains faithfully at his side. Vibrant characters come to life in a situation we can only imagine in our contemporary society of advanced medicine and high technology. A love for the ages.