Historical Fiction Book Club Books
Reading with friends is always fun! Discussing a book and its characters can potentially enhance our understanding of the author's work, and connecting over a shared love of literature is a great way to build lasting friendships. I'm a big believer in book clubs and urge you to join one if you've not already! Book clubs provide a platform for meaningful discussions and insights and foster community and friendship among their members. And when it comes to book clubs, one genre that always sparks lively discussions is historical fiction. Whether you're a history buff or enjoy a good tale, historical fiction can transport us to different eras and immerse us in captivating stories. Here are my suggestions for the best historical fiction book club books to make your next book club meeting one to remember.
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The Unmaking of June Farrow
Adrienne Young
This beautiful time travel novel will surely have your book club talking. With a steamy (mostly closed-door) romance, family secrets, and tons of mystery, The Unmaking of June Farrow is a fan favorite. Yet, some story elements are confusing, so there will be plenty of discourse about story structure, character development, and overall plot. Read my full review here!
The Briar Club
Kate Quinn
Tell your book club to forget what they know about Kate Quinn when you suggest The Briar Club. A departure from her WWII historical fiction, The Briar Club has all the elements you love about Quinn's work with a slightly unorthodox storytelling format. Told in multiple interconnected short stories, The Briar Club features polarizing characters and plot lines in a richly woven tapestry you expect from Quinn.
River Sing Me Home
Eleanor Shearer
Every mother needs to read this story; for that reason alone, River Sing Me Home should be on every book club's list. Told from the perspective of a runaway slave in search of her children who were sold without her consent, this book takes readers on a journey of pain, suffering, grief, loss, and joy. You'll feel every emotion while reading this book, which should make for great discussion. Diversify your book club's reading with this incredible black-authored book.
Take My Hand
Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Every book club should read at least one powerful social justice story. Let this be yours! Take My Hand is the story of a young black nurse who encounters unimaginable atrocities in 1970s Alabama. Every person who reads this book will be stirred by the real-life events captured in this phenomenal black-authored book. It truly is a MUST-read novel.
The Winter Orphans
Kristin Beck
Fans of The Nightingale will appreciate Beck's The Winter Orphans. With multiple characters ranging in age, this multi-POV WWII resistance novel has something for everyone. Featuring nursing representation, childcare/education representation, and a powerful sister story, The Winter Orphans will surely please even the most discerning readers. And with lots of great cold weather scenes, it's a perfect winter book club selection. Read my full review here!
Long Gone, Come Home
Monica Chenault-Kilgore
Relationships are complicated, no doubt about that. The marriage in this novel is no exception. Long Gone, Come Home is the story of one woman's love for a man who struggles to fulfill his role as provider and protector. With lots of juicy twists and turns and an insightful portrayal of 1930s Black culture in the Midwest, this great black-authored book will have everyone talking.
I Was Anastasia
Ariel Lawhon
Undoubtedly, Ariel Lawhon is talented, but this book will test even her most devoted fans. Told in a unique dual POV format, I Was Anastasia will leave everyone guessing until the last lines. With polarizing characters and an intriguing mystery, this book will foster much discussion.
The House of Eve
Sadeqa Johnson
One of a few great women's rights books on this list, The House of Eve, features two very different storylines that showcase how class and poverty impacted the choices of young Black women in 1950s America. With two unique voices (told from first and third-person perspectives), this story will likely draw a line right down the center of your book club.
The Goddess of Warsaw
Lisa Barr
WWII Resistance meets Classic Hollywood in this thrilling dual-timeline historical fiction. With a strong emphasis on the Holocaust and life in the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw, The Goddess of Warsaw is an inspirational story of one woman's fight to save her culture and her people. This fierce female main character's morally grey actions will undoubtedly create lots of conversation, as will the incredible ending.
Angels of the Resistance
Noelle Salazar
If your book club loves books with non-stop action, then Angels of the Resistance will surely please. This story of two young Dutch sisters who join the anti-Nazi resistance is so action-packed you won't be able to put it down. And though the characters are young, the adult themes of the book help keep adult readers engaged. Read my full review here!
What the Wind Knows
Amy Harmon
Time travel never hurt so good! What the Wind Knows is a beautiful historical romance novel that gives readers a glimpse into the lives of Irish citizens during the early days of the Irish Civil War. Steeped in history, culture, and folklore, this novel combines romance and history in a way that will leave everyone talking.
The Woman with the Cure
Lynn Cullen
Historical fiction that spotlights lesser-known women in history always makes for good conversation. The Woman with the Cure is precisely that! Based on the true story of a woman who helped discover the cure for polio while fighting the patriarchy, this book has all the elements of a great book club book.
Husbands and Lovers
Beatriz Williams
Though it sometimes reads more like a contemporary romance, the historical storyline in Husbands and Lovers will stimulate lots of discussion. With themes of infidelity and miscommunication, this novel by beloved author Beatriz Williams will have your book club talking for hours.
The Second Life of Mirielle West
Amanda Skenandore
Did you know there were Leper colonies in 20th-century America? If not, then The Second Life of Mirielle West should be your next book club read! This book has so much to offer: little-known history, unusual characters, emotional storylines, and medical marvels. It's sure to please any book club, especially those with members in the medical field.
The Last Twelve Miles
Erika Robuck
This thrilling Prohibition-era novel features a showdown of good vs. bad that will get pulses pumping and sides drawn. Pirates, rum running, and two real women on both sides of the law make The Last Twelve Miles an excellent choice for a summertime book club selection.
In the Shadow of the Greenbrier
Emily Matchar
Secrets abound in this post-WWII exploration of life in a small town where the local hotel looms large. What happened years ago that has everyone on edge? In the Shadow of the Greenbrier explores the choices we make and the lasting impact they can have on our lives and the lives of those we love.
All You Have to Do is Call
Kerri Maher
This is controversial but necessary reading for any book club looking to explore the early abortion movement in the US. All You Have to Do Is Call is the type of book you and your fellow readers will discuss for months afterward.
A Shadow in Moscow
Katherine Reay
This mother/daughter spy story is full of twists and turns you and your book club won't see coming! A Shadow in Moscow is a dual timeline, dual POV story set in WWII Vienna and early Cold War Moscow. It's a fast-paced historical thriller you can't put down. Read my full review here!
Only the Beautiful
Susan Meissner
Secrets and lies make this incredible story of two women's experiences with eugenics unforgettable. Told in two timelines, Only the Beautiful tells the little-known story of one of America's dark secrets. There will be much to discuss after this powerful historical fiction.
Strangers in the Night
Heather Webb
Get to know Old Blue Eyes like you've never known him before! Strangers in the Night is the steamy (door ajar) love story of Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, two of Classic Hollywood's most famous members. While a fictionalized account, there's much truth in the pages. This intense love affair will have folks choosing sides for sure!
The Trouble with You
Ellen Feldman
The Trouble with You is a moving account of a widow's fresh start in post-WWII NYC. While raising her young daughter, she must choose between the woman she wants to be and the woman she thinks she needs to be. The book is a quiet exploration of grief and self-discovery that many will find relatable.
The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard
Natasha Lester
Take a trip back to 1970s New York in The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard, an intergenerational family drama full of glitz, glamour, betrayal, and passion. Three generations collide in this fierce family saga that fashion lovers won't want to put down.
Our Little World
Karen Winn
In the 1980s, a young girl goes missing in a small suburban New Jersey town. Meanwhile, two sisters' once unbreakable bond is fractured, possibly beyond repair. Envy and jealousy run amuck in this powerful sister story that readers won't soon forget. Our Little World is more of a nostalgic domestic thriller, but historical fiction fans will enjoy it all the same! Read my full review here!
The Good Left Undone
Adriana Trigiani
A family drama rooted in the past life of a beloved matriarch, The Good Left Undone explores the lasting impact of war and tragic loss. Beautifully written, this tender love story will sweep your book club members off their feet. Read my full review here!
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