Five Must-Read Christian Historical Novels
By Deena Adams
Although I say historical novels aren’t my go-to reads, it’s funny that many of my top reads of all time are historical. So much so, that I had to leave off several of my favorites to keep the list at five. Those highlighted in this post are beyond amazing and everyone should read them! Click each book cover for the Amazon link.
If you have any suggestions to add to the list, be sure to drop them in the comments. (I may just have to list a couple of my other favorites in the comments.)
Everyone who makes a comment on this post by Tuesday, July 6, will be entered into a giveaway for the book of your choice from my shared list!
Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof
Two worlds collide when the circus comes to Victorian-era Virginia.
Raised amid the fame and mystique of the Big Top, Charlie Lionheart holds the audience in the palm of his hand. But while his act captivates thousands, it’s away from the spotlight where his true heart lies. Here he humbly cares for his pride of lions as if they were his brothers, a skill of bravery and strength that has prepared him for his most challenging feat yet—freeing an orphaned infant from the dark bondage of a sideshow. A trade so costly, it requires his life in exchange for hers, leaving him tarnished by the price of that choice.
As the circus tents are raised on the outskirts of Roanoke, nurse Ella Beckley arrives to tend to this Gypsy girl. All under the watchful eye of a guardian who not only bears a striking resemblance to the child, but who protects the baby with a love that wraps around Ella’s own tragic past, awakening a hope that goodness may yet reign. When their forbidden friendship deepens, Charlie dares to ask for her heart, bringing her behind the curtain of his secret world to reveal the sacrifice that gave hope to one little girl—boldly showing Ella that while her tattered faith is deeply scarred, the only marks that need be permanent are his own.
Healing Ruby by Jennifer H. Westall
First in the Healing Ruby series
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…”
Ruby Graves, a young girl in Depression-era Alabama, faces the hardships of poverty and loss with as much faith as she can muster. At only thirteen she’s already lost a younger brother, and now faces losing both her father and the boy who’s stealing her heart as well. Armed with her beloved Scriptures, she prays daily for their healing, only to have her tender faith shattered.
Through her pain, she’s able to connect with her long-lost Uncle Asa, whose mere presence at his brother’s funeral brings murmurs of a scandalous past involving her parents and a prominent local pastor. When Ruby discovers that one of Asa’s many secrets is an ability to heal, and that she may be next in line for the “gift,” she vows to find the faith that has eluded her so far–a faith that could mean never losing loved ones again.
But according to her father, faith and doubt can’t reside in the same heart, and doubt is Ruby’s constant companion. As she struggles to find the true meaning of faith, she’s opposed at every turn by the pastor who would see her family destroyed and a community that can’t see deeper than the color of one’s skin. Through her search for a faith that could move mountains and a true understanding of her gift, can Ruby trust in a God that may require the ultimate sacrifice?
A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers
First in the Mark of the Lion series (Graphic content dealing with first century gladiators)
“The city was silently bloating in the hot sun, rotting like the thousands of bodies that lay where they had fallen in street battles.” With this opening sentence, A Voice in the Wind transports readers back to Jerusalem during the first Jewish-Roman War, some seventy years after the death of Christ. Following the prides and passions of a group of Jews, Romans and Barbarians living at the time of the siege, the narrative is centered on an ill-fated romance between a steadfast slave girl, Hadassah, and Marcus, the brother of her owner and a handsome aristocrat.
After surviving the massacre of her family and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, Hadassah is captured and sold to a well-to-do merchant’s family. Brought to Rome, she is pressed into service as a personal slave to hedonistic Julia Valerian. Hadassah struggles to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and to treat her masters in a manner in keeping with His teachings, but she is forced to keep her religious identity a secret in order to survive.
Confused and alone, she has only her faith to cling to as she tries to subtly bring God into the lives of her captors. Reckless, impulsive, and villainous, Julia tries to undermine Hadassah at every turn. But Julia’s brother, Marcus, is a different sort altogether. Is it possible for a love between Hadassah and Marcus to flourish considering not only their differing stations in life, but also the gap between Hadassah’s unrelenting faith and Marcus’ lack of belief in anything?
Simultaneously, Atretes, a captured soldier from Germania, is forced to become a gladiator. This is the time of Rome’s decline and the decadence of a civilization on the verge of self-destruction serves as a powerful backdrop to the Barbarian’s struggle for survival in the arena.
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep. Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.
Then she meets Michael Hosea, a man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything. Michael obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.
But with her unexpected softening comes overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband’s pursuing love, terrified of the truth she no longer can deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael does…the One who will never let her go.
A powerful retelling of the story of Gomer and Hosea, Redeeming Love is a life-changing story of God’s unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love.
An Accidental Spy by Stephenia McGee
Captured and mistaken as a spy, can she unravel a conspiracy before her secrets cost a man his life?
Some secrets change the world…
Once a privileged heiress, Annabelle Ross is now struggling to hold her home and her life together through the devastation of the War Between the States. But with a forced marriage and a desolate future on the horizon, her hopes are beginning to dwindle. When she discovers an encrypted note on a dying soldier, she seizes the opportunity to use it to deliver a message of her own. Instead, she’s mistaken for a spy and captured. Now her only chance to escape is the handsome soldier in charge of discovering her secrets.
After his brother is captured by enemy soldiers, Matthew Daniels vows to rescue him at any cost. When a secret society offers him a chance for retribution, Matthew must decide between his loyalties and his convictions. To prove himself, he’ll have to first unmask the spirited spy holding the key to their plans or risk losing his brother forever.
★ An Accidental Spy is a 2020 rewrite of the previously published title Leveraging Lincoln (The Liberator Series book one)
★ Book one of three. The Accidental Spy series is an adventurous romantic trilogy following Annabelle Ross and Matthew Daniels. Please note these books must be read in order and that while each book has a complete storyline, the overall plot is completed throughout the trilogy.
Join the conversation. Which of the books on my list have you read? Did you like them? What would you add to the list?
Comment by July 6 for a chance to win your choice of one of the five.
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If you missed last week’s interview with Carol Ashby, find it here.
Deena Adams
As a Jesus girl for more than thirty years, Deena Adams understands how important hope is to daily life, which fuels her passion to inspire others through hope-filled fiction based on true to life stories. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and is a multi-award-winning writer, an active ACFW member, and ACFW Virginia president. Connect with Deena through her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
37 Comments
Deena Adams
Congratulations to Cherie J.! You’re the winner of one of the books on my list. Look for an email from me. 🙂
Thanks to everyone who read the post and commented. I hope you’ll continue to comment on future posts for more chances to win some great reads!
Karin Beery
What a great list! I’ve actually only read two of these — I’ll have to check out the other three.
Deena Adams
Thanks so much for reading and joining the conversation, Karin! Which two have you read?
Kelly Goshorn
Oh my, Redeeming Love is my all-time favorite book! I sob every time I read it like I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’ve also read and really enjoyed The Lady and Lion Heart. That is a fantastic read as well. I’ve added the others to my ever-growing TBR pile! LOL!
Deena Adams
Hi Kelly! I totally agree about Redeeming Love. I hope you’ll enjoy the other books when you get a chance to read them. Thanks so much for stopping by and joining the conversation!
Phyllis
Love the list, Deena! I love when you have these. I have only been back to reading CF for about 1-1/2 years so I have a huge backlist to read. CHF is my favorite so I go there every time! I read a contemporary here and there and do like some split time novels. I have read Redeeming Love and have all but Healing Ruby in my Kindle Library but that sounds like a good one, too. Since I love CHF, creating a list of 5 would be impossible! I do love Stephenia McGee and have read two of her books so far. I have The Accidental Spy series and love that you enjoyed it so much.
Two books I read last year that have stuck with me are Beneath a Golden Veil by Melanie Dobson and Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes. I am a huge fan of anything Pepper Basham writes and loved her Penned in Time series, also.
I will stop there! 😀
Deena Adams
Hi Phyllis. I’m so glad you enjoyed this post! I also loved Whose Waves These Are. I’ll have to check out the Melanie Dobson book. Thanks for the recommendation. And yes, choosing five was near impossible. If you haven’t read We Hope for Better Things by Erin Bartels, I highly recommend it! I really wanted to put it on my list but I had to include Francine Rivers’s books. Thanks for joining the conversation!
Donna
I haven’t read any of them. But A Voice In the Wind sounds especially intriguing. I’m really interested to read about the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70.
Deena Adams
Hi Donna. Yes, for some reason your comment posted twice so I just deleted the duplicate. Oh, if you love historical, you must put these books on your list! A Voice in the Wind was so spiritually challenging. The faith of the main character is amazing and convicting. Parts of it are hard to read because of the gruesome acts by the gladiators but it’s fascinating to read about what the early Christians went through. We don’t know what persecution is as believers today. Thanks for stopping by and joining the conversation!
Cindy Davis
I have read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers and heard of her other one as well, but have not heard of any of the others on your list. It’s funny because I also say I do not like Historical Fiction but have started really enjoying the Genre! A must-read is “Hope Between the Pages” by Pepper Basham. I second “The Moonlight School” by Suzanne Woods Fisher…I have so many I could add…
Deena Adams
Hope Between the Pages is definitely on my want to read list. And I’ll have to check out The Moonlight School. Thanks for the recommendations! And thanks for reading and joining the conversation. You’ll have to let me know if you try any of the books I suggested.
Cherie J
I love Francine Rivers! Lady and the Lionheart sounds great too!
Deena Adams
Lady and the Lionheart is phenomenal!! Thanks for stoppy by, Cherie!
Lynsay Forsyth
I have The Lady and the Lionheart sitting on my Nook. May just have to make that my next read.
Redeeming Love is one I hope to read soon.
Thanks for posting in the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction group on Facebook about this giveaway.
Deena Adams
Thanks for reading and joining the conversation, Lynsay! You definitely need to read Lady and the Lionheart ASAP! Let me know what you think when you’re finished.
Dave
These by Francine Rivers look so good.
Deena Adams
Dave, everything by Francine Rivers is amazing! And the other books are too. Thanks for stopping by!
Pegg Thomas
I’ve read “Redeeming Love” several times. Such a powerful book! Books I’d recommend:
Courting Morrow Little – Laura Frantz – Colonial America
The Deepest Sign – Naomi Musch – WWI American homefront
Widow of Gettysburg – Jocelyn Green – Civil War Era
The Captured Bride – Michelle Griep – Colonial America
A Light Unto My Path – Lynn Austen – Civil War Era
Deena Adams
Thanks so much for the recommendations, Pegg! I agree about Redeeming Love. Awesome book! Can’t wait for the movie! And thanks for stopping by. 😊
Mark Wainwright
“Moonlight School” by Suzanne Woods Fisher is on my reading list. The infusion of historical details into fiction captures my attention and holds my interest.
Deena Adams
Thanks for the recommendation, Mark! And for reading and engaging in conversation!
Sharon K Connell
Deena, if you haven’t already read Timeless Moments by Michelle Kidd, I highly recommend it. It’s a time slip story into the past and back again. I love historical romances with suspense, and this held my interest solidly. It starts off in modern times, but soon becomes a mystery with the appearance of a lady in what is obviously a garment from days gone by. I know the phrase, “couldn’t put it down,” is old, but with this book, it’s true. I loved it.
Deena Adams
Sounds wonderful, Sharon! Thanks so much for the recommendation. And thanks for reading and joining the conversation!
Teresa+Moyer
I have added them to my Amazon wish list
Deena Adams
Awesome, Teresa! Thanks for stopping by!
Margaret Holahan
Have read the Francine Rivers books….absolutely love her books! Was interested to read recently that she use to write racy romance books before she became a christian. Looking forward to reading the other recommendations.
Deena Adams
I’ve read that about Francine, too. I love when God transforms a person’s heart and uses them for His glory. Hope you enjoy the other recommendations when you get a chance to read them.
Steven Rogers
What a list! Francine Rivers is personal idol of mine and I think each of her books is a masterpiece. While I’m intrigued by all the titles, “Healing Ruby” seems particularly compelling to me. I’m fascinated by that period in American history.
Deena Adams
Hi Steven. Thanks for stopping by! Francine Rivers is definitely a master story teller! All her books are amazing. Healing Ruby was so intriguing to me. The storyline was a little different than my normal reads, with the miracle healing aspect, but I loved it. If you read it, I’d love to know what you think.
Deb Gorman
I’ve read the entire Mark of the Lion Series, by Rivers. Don’t usually read historical, but they grabbed me from the start.
Deena Adams
The Mark of the Lion series is at the top of my favorites list. I just loved Hadassah’s faith. So challenging and inspiring. Lady and the Lionheart is up there on the list too. Maybe you’ll try it one day. Thanks for reading and chiming in!
Patty
I have read The Lady and the Lionheart, and Redeeming Love.
I would definitely add anything by Lori Benton to your list, Burning Sky was her first release and I always recommend it to people.
Deena Adams
Thanks so much for the recommendation, Patty. I don’t think I’ve read any of Lori Benton’s books. I’ll definitely check her out.
Traci Winget
I have 2 new books to add to my list! An Accidental I Spy and Healing Ruby. The others were all amazing!
Deena Adams
I loved both of those series so much, Traci! Hope you will too. Thanks so much for joining the conversation.
Dave
These all sound like good reads, Deena. Thank you!
Deena Adams
My pleasure. Thanks for reading, Dave!