I find the books I’ve placed here interesting enough to highlight for you.
Some are for researching historical facts for my new novels; others are simply for enjoyment.
Literature
It’s not often that I come across a book so well written — not only in its sentences but also in its plot.
Although it’s a short story, it leaves a strong impression.
This story is available for free when you sign up for Caitlin Miller’s newsletter on her website.
The book is powerful, deeply moving, and beautifully written.
Highly recommended.
I definitely want to read more of Caitlin’s books.
Time Travel Books
I very much enjoyed all seven books in this series by Stephenia McGee.
They are more like novellas — short, sweet, and very well written.
Each book takes you on a journey to a different period in the past through time travel. The author weaves in plenty of humor while also exploring the deeper layers of relationships: between lovers, but also within families. At times, you genuinely wonder whether the characters will ever be able to return to their own timeline — and sometimes, they don’t.
That uncertainty keeps you on your reading toes, yet every story concludes with a beautiful and satisfying ending. I would definitely love to read more books by this author.
Historical Novels
To escape her guardian’s plans to marry her, Lady Charlotte Fairfax steals away to Montreal to locate Reid McCoy, a fur trader who owes her fiancé a debt for saving his life. Even though European women are forbidden from entering the interior, she is desperate to get to her fiancé deep within the northwestern wilderness.
Although the story was a bit lengthy at times, it completely held my attention and kept me turning the pages. I learned a great deal about the fur trade in northwest America in the early 1800s, which added real depth to the story. With plenty of plot twists and strong writing throughout, this book made for several very enjoyable, well-spent evenings of reading.
Ellie’s arrival in Texas as a mail-order bride — with eight siblings in tow — immediately sets the tone for a delightful and engaging story. It’s not at all what her future husband, Sam, had expected, which leads to plenty of misunderstandings and heartfelt moments.
The addition of a small mystery adds an extra layer to the story, turning the couple into amateur detectives and keeping the story moving.
I liked this story and especially loved learning about the Texas landscape and life on a ranch in the late 1800s.
Altogether, this was an entertaining, charming read that I enjoyed.
Jonas never wants to be a lawman again. Leaving Texas behind, he heads to Alaska to start over as a gold miner. Almost immediately after arriving, he finds himself in trouble when he steps in to defend the youngest of the Amos siblings. Injured, he needs hospital care, and the Amos twins take him in and look after him.
The characters in this story feel realistic. The Amos family is large, and each sibling has a distinct personality and backstory, which makes the relationships engaging and believable.
With Alaska only recently becoming part of the United States rather than Russia, law enforcement struggles to keep up with everything that’s happening, adding an interesting layer of tension to the story.
I always enjoy novels that are grounded in history, and this one did not disappoint. I learned a lot about Alaska’s past, which made the setting even more fascinating. Naomie did an excellent job weaving the storyline together and kept me wondering what would happen next.
Clean Romance
Let me start by saying this: Sherry Aab is an author I would happily read more from.
Yes, this book has a Hallmark-style setting, but what makes it work is how real everything feels. The situations and conversations are believable and could genuinely happen in real life. There’s no exaggerated drama or over-the-top plot twists — just realistic characters with their own personalities, moving through life in a natural way.
I enjoyed this book simply for the pleasure of reading it.
What matters a lot to me as a reader is the quality of the writing: whether the sentences flow well and whether everything that happens in the story makes sense. Overall, that was the case here. The only part that felt a bit overdone was the description of a party held for a guest at the resort where the two main characters are staying. Since this guest isn’t really described and doesn’t play a meaningful role in the story, that section felt less relevant.
That said, this was an enjoyable, well-written read, and I would definitely be interested in picking up another book by this author.
Indian Residential Schools
Vancouver Island History
This historical biography—based on the life of British Columbia pioneer John Muir—tells the amazing story of a family from Scotland who came out to Canada in the late 1840s to work as “consignee” labourers for the Hudson’s Bay Company.
This book is truly fascinating. Living on Vancouver Island myself, it was especially compelling to see the island’s history come alive through the eyes of one of the first pioneers. Reading an eyewitness account adds an extra layer of authenticity, and it has been incredibly helpful for my own work as a writer of historical novels, knowing that these facts were recorded firsthand.
If you’re interested in the history of Vancouver’s Island (as it was called), I highly recommend this book.
I may earn a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through a link on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Nettie Leeflang 