Spring is here, and so is an exciting lineup of historical fiction! Whether it’s daring spies, fierce women defying expectations, or secrets buried beneath decades of change, this spring’s most anticipated historical fiction titles promise to sweep you off your feet and straight into history.
The Secrets of Flowers by Sally Page (Out Now!)
A year after her husband’s death, Emma is searching for purpose. She quits her job and takes up work at a local garden center, where she finds herself drawn to her boss’s talk on the Titanic. Intrigued, she begins researching the ship’s forgotten florist, uncovering the story of a stewardess whose life eerily parallels her own. As past and present intertwine, Emma embarks on a journey of healing, discovery, and unexpected connections. With lyrical prose and a touch of mystery, The Secrets of Flowers is a poignant novel about loss, resilience, and the stories that bloom from history.
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Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (4/8)
Readers could not stop talking about Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, and this spring, she returns with Happy Land. Set in the Appalachian hills, the Kingdom of the Happy Land once thrived—a self-sustained community built by formerly enslaved men and women inspired by African royalty. In the present day, Nikki is summoned by her grandmother to North Carolina, only to uncover a shocking family legacy that ties her to Queen Luella, the ruler of this lost kingdom. As Nikki learns the history of her ancestors, she realizes the land they stand on holds more than just memories—it holds a fight for justice and reclamation.
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The Mademoiselle Alliance by Natasha Lester (4/8)
As war looms over Europe, Frenchwoman Marie-Madeleine Fourcade is drawn into a world of espionage, secrecy, and sacrifice. A daring aviator and intelligence agent, she is recruited to lead Alliance, the only resistance network in Nazi-occupied France run by a woman. Navigating a treacherous double life while separated from her children and the man she loves, she risks everything for her country. Based on the true story of a forgotten heroine, Lester’s novel is a riveting tale of courage, espionage, and defiance against tyranny.
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Six Days in Bombay by Alka Joshi (4/15)
From the bestselling author of The Henna Artist comes a mesmerizing tale of mystery, art, and identity. Sona, an Anglo-Indian nurse, finds herself entangled in a web of secrets when a renowned painter dies under suspicious circumstances in her care. A cryptic note and four paintings left behind send her on a journey across Europe—from Prague to Paris—to uncover the truth. As she pieces together the enigmatic artist’s past, Sona also begins to unravel her own identity. This novel combines historical intrigue with a deeply personal quest, making it a must-read for fans of art-infused mysteries and rich, atmospheric storytelling.
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The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick (4/15)
In a newly developed suburban community in 1960s Virginia, four women form an unlikely book club that changes their lives forever. As they read The Feminine Mystique, Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte begin to question their seemingly perfect lives and the roles imposed upon them. What begins as a casual gathering transforms into a journey of self-discovery, defiance, and sisterhood. A stirring portrait of the early days of the women’s liberation movement, this novel is a must-read for those who love stories of female empowerment and camaraderie.
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Zeal by Morgan Jenkins (4/22)
This sweeping novel spans over 150 years, weaving together the fates of two star-crossed lovers, Harrison and Tirzah, and their descendants. Set in the Reconstruction-era South, Harrison, a newly freed man, embarks on a painful search for his beloved, while Tirzah, now a teacher, faces an impossible choice between security and love. Their stories reverberate through generations, culminating in present-day Harlem, where a love letter discovered at an engagement party threatens to unravel long-buried secrets. Jerkins masterfully explores love, loss, and the power of ancestry.
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Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner (5/6)
Sisters Henrietta and Charlotte Stevenson long for adventure beyond their quiet Massachusetts life. When an unexpected opportunity arises, they embark on a transatlantic voyage to England, where they seek out Jane Austen’s last surviving sibling, Admiral Sir Francis Austen. Their journey aboard the S.S. China is filled with intrigue, a secret mission, and an impromptu Dickensian performance led by none other than Louisa May Alcott. Once in Portsmouth, they uncover a controversial piece of Austen’s legacy, setting off a legal battle across two continents. Brimming with wit, history, and literary charm, this novel is a must-read for Austen lovers and fans of spirited heroines.
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The Manual for Good Wives by Lola Jaye (5/6)
To the world, Adeline Copplefield is a paragon of Victorian womanhood, writing a weekly advice column on how to be the perfect wife. But Adeline is a fraud. She is neither an English lady nor a devoted wife—she is a Black woman born in Africa who has spent years passing as someone she is not. Now on trial in London, with society eager to see her downfall, Adeline is ready to tell her story. A powerful exploration of race, identity, and survival, Jaye’s novel is a compelling reimagining of historical narratives that have long been silenced.
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My Name Is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende (5/6)
Emilia del Valle is born into scandal in 1866 San Francisco, the daughter of an Irish nun and a Chilean aristocrat. Raised by a devoted stepfather, Emilia grows into a fierce and independent young woman, secretly publishing pulp fiction under a male pseudonym. As her ambitions grow, she ventures into journalism, ultimately traveling to Chile to cover its brewing civil war—only to find herself entangled in a deeper mystery surrounding her birth.
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The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris (5/20)
When Celia wakes up drugged and imprisoned in an underground cell, she realizes she’s been “shanghaied” into forced labor. As a half-Chinese woman passing as white, she’s no stranger to survival, but escaping the Shanghai Tunnels will test her like never before. Unraveling the events that led to her abduction—working as a maid for a corrupt mayor, uncovering a goldminers’ massacre, and discovering a child in peril—Celia must find a way back to those she loves. Rich in historical detail, McMorris delivers a gripping, emotionally charged novel of resilience and justice.
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