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As we look forward to 2024, look back on the centuries before with six Christian historical novels!
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Are you looking for some new reads to kick off the new year? I like to have some good books on my shelf this time of year, when life has slowed down a bit (maybe?) and the weather outside is conducive to warm fires and mugs of good coffee. So let’s see what we can do about filling up your bookshelf!
I am thrilled to partner with five outstanding Christian historical fiction authors to offer you a book giveaway exploring a variety of stories in the last several centuries, from pre-Reformation Italy to the mysterious colony at Roanoke, from the verge of the American Revolution to the Old West, from twentieth-century Canada to the home front of WWII to the turn of the twenty-first century.
Enter for your chance to win six Christian historical novels highlighting five centuries of faith and courage:
- Heretics of Piedmont by D. J. Speckhals (set in 1458)
- Elinor by Shannon McNear (set in 1587)
- Preacher on the Run by Jayna Baas (set in 1771)
- Trouble in Dry Springs by Kristina Hall (set in 1866)
- No Ocean Too Wide by Carrie Turansky (set in 1909)
- Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes (set in 1944–2001)
First-place winner will receive signed paperback copies (US mailing address only), and second-place winner will receive e-book copies.
The giveaway begins on January 8, and the winner will be announced on January 23. All entrants will receive a list of historical fiction recommendations from the participating authors. By entering this giveaway, you’ll receive emails from the participating authors and may also receive reminders from the giveaway service, KingSumo. (Those reminders don’t come from me, and you can unsubscribe from them after the giveaway.)
You can get bonus entry points by following authors’ online platforms or sharing the giveaway with a friend!
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Here’s a look at the books in the giveaway (please note: I haven’t necessarily read all of these prolific authors’ other works).
Heretics of Piedmont by D. J. Speckhals
I love the lesser-known stories of history, and this book fits the bill: Bible-believing Christians before the Reformation. In 1458, novice monk Andreas de Bonomo is sent on a mission to infiltrate an ancient Christian sect flourishing in the Italian Alps…and finds himself in the center of a conflict between the mighty medieval Church and the primitive Christians of the valleys.
Content warnings: violence, martyrdom, romance (mild)
Elinor by Shannon McNear
Shannon McNear portrays history with vivid authenticity. In 1587, Elinor White Dare sails from England to the new colony at Roanoke, and McNear gives us a glimpse of what could have happened when the colony at Roanoke disappeared into the shadows of history. (Sensitive readers might want to beware of some realistic violence and Indian customs.)
Content warnings: violence (including semi-graphic death), mentions of nudity among Native Americans, romance (moderate)
Preacher on the Run by Jayna Baas
If you love fiction with engaging characters, fascinating history, and strong Christian themes, this story is for you. (If I do say so myself). It’s 1771, and former circuit rider Robert Boothe has spent the last four years leading the tyrant-hating Regulators against North Carolina’s corrupt British government. He’ll do whatever it takes to protect his church—and his wife and daughter. But when Colonel Charles Drake arrives in town, Robert becomes the governor’s next target.
Content warnings: violence, romance (mild) between a married couple
Trouble in Dry Springs by Kristina Hall
Although labeled as women’s Christian fiction because of its intended audience, this book is squarely in old-fashioned western territory, but with plenty of faith woven in along the way. Eliza McCoslin exchanges war-torn Mississippi for Dry Springs, Texas, where Jesse Carrigan is seeking a place to start the ranch he's dreamed of. But Eliza’s brother is up to no good, and someone is after Jesse’s old army colonel. The title says it all!
Content warnings: violence, alcohol, romance (mild)
No Ocean Too Wide by Carrie Turansky
Warning: This one ends on a cliffhanger! If you read this book, you will definitely want to read the sequel, No Journey Too Far. Between 1869 and 1939, more than 100,000 poor British children were sent across the ocean to Canada with the promise of a better life. Lady’s maid Laura McAlister and lawyer Andrew Frasier team up to search for Laura’s three siblings, who have been taken from their mother and emigrated to Canada.
Content warnings: abuse and neglect of children, brief mention of rape, romance (mild)
Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes
The lyrical storytelling in this book is only one reason I find it such a beautiful tale. In the wake of WWII, a grieving fisherman submits a poem to a local newspaper. Decades later, Annie Bliss goes home to help the man who once helped her. But what greets her is a mystery: a wall of heavy boxes hiding in his home and the memory of stone ruins on a nearby island.
Content warnings: romance (moderate), death and grief
(Also note that some of this author’s other novels include Catholicism.)
Have fun entering and sharing, and enjoy finding new authors and reading the historical fiction recommendations you’ll receive at the end of the giveaway!
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Happy reading!
Jayna Baas is the author of Preacher on the Run. She is a member of ACFW and The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network. Sign up for her newsletter and receive a free short story here.