historical fiction Archives - Over The River PR

Virtual Book Tour: Nov. 24 – Jan. 9 for THE WONDROUS LIFE AND LOVES OF NELLA CARTER by Brionni Nwosu

“This debut is a testament to the strength of light in dark times, and the necessity of hope. Well-developed characters and a strong sense of place throughout history draw the reader in to the very end.” —Booklist, starred review

“The Wondrous Lives and Loves of Nella Carter is unlike any novel I’ve ever read—and I say that with the utmost praise. Brionni Nwosu is a truly gifted storyteller and I can’t wait to read what she writes next.” —Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Good for You

“A deft tale of love, loss, and reinvention, Nella Carter will have readers eagerly turning pages to the very end. A stunningly lovely debut!” —Nicole Glover, author of The Conductors

An unforgettable novel about eternal life, epic love, and the impossible hope that we’re still worth saving.

In THE WONDROUS LIFE AND LOVES OF NELLA CARTER (Lake Union Publishing; December 1, 2025), debut novelist Brionni Nwosu has penned an exquisite portrait of a young woman at the crossroads of life and death who embarks on an extraordinary journey across time.

Nwosu, a writer, educator and creative who lives in Nashville, poses the question: if Death gave you forever, would you still find reasons to believe in humanity? “This book gave me the opportunity to explore history through the eyes of a formerly enslaved woman—not through her trauma, but through her triumphs, her travels, and her unyielding hope, explains Nwosu. “I’ve always loved speculative stories that cross time and space, but rarely saw a Black woman like Nella at the center. With this book, I wanted to change that.”

Born enslaved in eighteenth-century Georgia, Nella Carter still believes in the will to survive amid the most untenable of conditions, in the glory of life, and in the ultimate goodness of the human race. When Nella strikes a deal with Death to prove humanity’s worth, she’s granted immortality – but across continents, centuries, lovers, and lifetimes, she must decide whether the human heart is resilient enough to be worth saving, or too fragile to survive.

With each new incarnation, Nella records the joys and losses, and the friendships and heartbreaks, throughout her lifetimes. When she meets handsome and passionate professor Sebastian Moore―the first man to whom she has ever revealed her secrets―Nella yearns for the mortality that escapes her. She can’t bear to leave this love behind.

As Death keeps watch, has Nella’s journey come to an end? Or is a new one just beginning?

With hauntingly breathtaking travels from Savannah, New Orleans, Paris, and London to New York, Montgomery, and Buenos Aires, combined with spellbinding prose, Brionni Nwosu weaves a dazzling tale about beauty, hope, endurance, and endless loves. Fans of Tia Williams’ A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, V.E. Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Esi Edugyan’s Washington Black, and Erin Crosby Eckstine’s Junie will delight in THE WONDROUS LIFE AND LOVES OF NELLA CARTER.

To celebrate the publication of THE WONDROUS LIFE AND LOVES OF NELLA CARTER, we are hosting a virtual book tour with this stellar list of book influencers who will post reviews, features, and giveaways. We hope you will follow along!

Monday, November 24 – STACY 40 PAGES

Monday, December 1 – THE READING BLACK GIRLS & SUBAKKA BOOKSTUFF

Tuesday, December 2 – KERA’S ALWAYS READING & DIVE INTO A GOOD BOOK

Wednesday, December 3 – THE BOOK COVER LOVER & CASSIE’S BOOKS REVIEWS

Thursday, December 4 – BOOKS AND BIEWERS & CANDICE READS

Friday, December 5 – WE BREAK FOR BOOKS & BOOKIN IT WITH AHTIYA

Saturday, December 6 – PURRFECT PAGES

Sunday, December 7 – STOREYBOOK REVIEWS & BLACK BIRACIAL AND BOOKISH

Monday, December 8 – MARY MARY LIBRARY & MEOWSKINS BOOKSKINS

Tuesday, December 9 – LOVE MY DANE DOLLY & SARAH’S BOOKISH REVIEWS

Wednesday, December 10 – NURSE BOOKIE & A NOVEL ACCOUNT

Thursday, December 11 – DANISH MUSTARD READS & SECRET READING LIFE

Friday, December 12 – ENJOYING BOOKS AGAIN & RED REVIEWS 4 YOU

Monday, December 15 – DEA’S BOOKSHELF & BELLE BOOK CORNER

Tuesday, December 16 – BOOKS AND COFFEE MX

Wednesday, December 17 – THE UNWINED

Thursday, December 18 – LIBRARY OF BOOKISH

Friday, December 19 – JEN’S TOWERING TBR & A BLUE BOX FULL OF BOOKS

Monday, December 29 – SAM KWIATOWSKI

Tuesday, December 30 – TAMMY READS 62

Wednesday, December 31 – NISSA THE BOOKWORM

Monday, January 5 – JOURNAL OF JAIDA

Tuesday, January 6 – KIM READS AND READS & LEXIJAVA

Wednesday, January 7 – BOOK DRAGON 217 & CAROL DOSCHER READER

Thursday, January 8 – BOOKS, WRITING AND MORE & READING ON THE BRINK

Friday, January 9 – REBEKAH DOLMAT & MELANN ROSENTHAL

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September Virtual Tour: Maria La Divina by Jerome Charyn

“As he did in The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson, Charyn here reimagines the life of a complex and talented woman, this time the diva of divas, Maria Callas…A bravura performance that hits all the right notes and is sure to delight opera devotees and fans of strong women characters.” – Library Journal, starred review

“In the spirited biographical novel MARIA LA DIVINA, the allure of an opera legend is rendered with humanizing grit.” – Foreword Reviews

“Everyone in Callas’ world is drawn in depth, while this vivid portrait of the diva is compelling and dramatic without being idealistically flattering. An excellent choice for biographical fiction and opera fans.” – Booklist

“Charyn elicits sympathy for his complex lead through nuanced character work, and he manages to channel the excitement of Callas’s performances. This is a marvel.” – Publishers Weekly

“A deftly crafted work of historical biographical fiction, MARIA LA DIVINA once again showcases author Jerome Charyn as a novelist of extraordinary literary ability.” –Midwest Book Review

“Charyn impressively covers events, places, and people (even an older Winston Churchill) with a solid pace that never stalls…The complex genius of the Divine Diva will stay with any reader of this work.” – Historical Novels Review

Maria Callas, called La Divina, is widely recognized as the greatest diva who ever lived. In his new novel, MARIA LA DIVINA (Bellevue Literary Press; September 16, 2025), Jerome Charyn’s Callas springs to life as the headstrong, mercurial, and charismatic artist who captivated generations of fans, thrilling audiences with her brilliant performances and defiant personality.

Callas was one of the first divas to come from an impoverished background. As an outsider, she was shunned by the Italian opera houses, but through sheer force of will and the power and range of her voice, she broke through the invisible wall to sing at La Scala and headline at the Metropolitan Opera, forging an unforgettable career. Adored by celebrities and statesmen, the notable and notorious alike, her every movement was shadowed by both music critics and gossip columnists—until, having lost her voice, she died alone in an opulent, mausoleum-like Paris apartment.

In Charyn’s inimitable style, MARIA LA DIVINA humanizes the celebrated diva, revealing the mythical artist as a woman who survived hunger, war, and loneliness to reach the heights of acclaim.

To celebrate the release of MARIA LA DIVINA, we are hosting a pub week virtual book tour from September 14 – 22 featuring this stellar list of book influencers. Follow along for features, reviews, excerpts, and GIVEAWAYS:

Sunday, September 14 Suzy Approved Book Reviews

Sunday, September 14 Lexijava

Monday, September 15 We Love Big Books And We Cannot Lie

Monday, September 15 Books and Coffee MX

Tuesday, September 16 Nurse Bookie

Tuesday, September 16 What Is That Book About

Wednesday, September 17 Cassie’s Book Reviews

Wednesday, September 17 Nissa The Bookworm

Thursday, September 18 Sarah’s Bookish Reviews

Thursday, September 18 We Break For Books

Friday, September 19 Rozier Reads And Wine

Friday, September 19 Karen’s Library

Saturday, September 20 Kim Reads and Reads

Saturday, September 20 Red Reviews 4 You

Monday, September 22 The Maddie Hatter

Monday, September 22 Storeybook Reviews

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September Virtual Tour: THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS by Simon Tolkien

“In epic fashion worthy of his namesake, Tolkien crafts a remarkable novel of an American boy swept up by love and circumstance and cast into the crucible of the Spanish Civil War. Intense, vivid, and moving.” ―Mark Sullivan, bestselling author of Beneath a Scarlet Sky and All the Glimmering Stars

“Tolkien includes real-life events and people to anchor the story. Through detailed descriptions of place and of Theo’s evolving perspective, Tolkien crystallizes the horrors of war, the toll it takes on those in the middle of it, and the importance of finding a place that feels like home.” ―Booklist

An American boy with impossible dreams is thrust into the cauldron of the Spanish Civil War in this arresting and thrilling historical coming-of-age epic and sequel to The Palace at the End of the Sea.

Critically acclaimed author Simon Tolkien, grandson of literary legend J.R.R. Tolkien, continues the beautifully written historical saga and coming of age story of Theo Sterling he began with The Palace At The End Of The Sea (Lake Union | June 1, 2025) with the second installment in this two-part series, THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS (Lake Union | September 16, 2025).

About this duology, Simon explains: “The kernel of the idea for Theo Sterling’s story came to me a long time ago when I read an article about the Abraham Lincoln Brigade – Americans who volunteered in the last years of the 1930s to fight for the democratically elected Spanish Republic, that was under attack from the Spanish army supported by Hitler and Mussolini. Thousands of them from many different walks of life – university graduates and mill hands, teachers and truck drivers, even a governor’s son – crossed the sea without any previous experience of soldiering and risked their lives to fight for their ideals; many never came back. I was astonished by their courage and sacrifice, and I thought that their story would make a wonderful subject for a novel.”

THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS is a remarkable story of belief and disillusionment, of hope and loss, and what is left of a man when his ideals are stripped away; it’s historical fiction at its best.

Barcelona 1936. Theo helps the Anarchist workers defeat the army that is trying to overthrow the democratically elected government, and he is reunited with his true love, Maria. But all too soon, his joy turns to terror as the Anarchists turn on him, led by a rival for Maria’s affection.

Lucky to escape with his life, Theo returns to England to study at Oxford. But his heart is in Spain, now torn apart by a bloody civil war, and he is quick to abandon his new life when his old schoolmate Esmond offers him the chance to fight the Fascists. He is unprepared for the nightmare of war that crushes his spirit and his hope until, back in Barcelona, Theo is confronted with a final terrible choice that will define his life forever.

As Theo’s tumultuous coming-of-age journey reaches its end, can his dream to change the world―so far from home―still hold true?

With a careful eye for historical detail and masterful storytelling, Tolkien completes the stunning and immersive coming of age story of Theo Sterling with THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS.

To celebrate the release of THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS, we are hosting a virtual book tour starting in September through the beginning of October featuring this outstanding list of book influencers. Follow along for features, reviews, excerpts, and GIVEAWAYS!

Tuesday, September 2 Books and Coffee MX

Wednesday, September 3 Dive Into A Good Book

Thursday, September 4 Love My Books 2020

Friday, September 5 Nissa The Bookworm

Monday, September 8 Cassie’s Book Reviews

Monday, September 8 What Is That Book About

Tuesday, September 9 The Maddie Hatter

Wednesday, September 10 Lexijava

Thursday, September 11 Gwnedalyn Books

Friday, September 12 Book Girl Brown Reviews

Sunday, September 14 Subakka Bookstuff

Monday, September 15 Armed With A Book

Tuesday, September 16 Enjoying Books Again

Wednesday, September 17 Sarah’s Bookish Reviews

Thursday, September 18 Suzy Approved Book Reviews

Friday, September 19 Linda’s Book Obsession

Monday, September 22 Athena Noone Asked You

Tuesday, September 23 Gloriana Wong

Wednesday, September 24 Danish Mustard Reads

Thursday, September 25 WBTB Book Reviews

Friday, September 26 Karen’s Library

Monday, September 29 Rebekah Dolmat

Tuesday, September 30 Kim Reads And Reads

Wednesday, October 1 Books and Biewers

Thursday, October 2 Book Notions

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June Virtual Tour for THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA by Simon Tolkien!

A young man comes of age and crosses continents in search of an identity—and a cause—at the dawn of the Spanish Civil War in a thrilling, timely, and emotional historical saga.

Critically acclaimed author Simon Tolkien, grandson of literary legend J.R.R. Tolkien, will captivate readers with the release of his new historical saga, THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA (Lake Union | June 1, 2025). The first installment in a two-part series, the novel introduces us to Theo Sterling, a young man who comes of age and crosses continents in search of an identity―and a cause―at the dawn of the Spanish Civil War. As Theo engages with political and religious beliefs, including Capitalism, Communism, Anarchism, Fascism, and Catholicism, this sweeping novel examines the effect they have on him and his ultimate disillusionment with their promises. Rich in details and beautifully told by the talented Simon Tolkien, THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA is historical fiction at its best.

Theo’s story continues with THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS, which will be released on September 16, 2025 (Lake Union).

“Through intense research over many years,” Tolkien explains, “I have tried to bring the vanished world of America, England and Spain in the 1930s to life – a time that shares many similarities with the troubled world we live in today. I believe in the value of historical fiction. The past is another country just as rich as ours, and I want to bring it to life.”

New York City, 1929. Young Theo Sterling’s world begins to unravel as the Great Depression exerts its icy grip. He finds it hard to relate to his parents: His father, a Jewish self-made businessman, refuses to give up on the American dream, and his mother, a refugee from religious persecution in Mexico, holds fast to her Catholic faith. When disaster strikes the family, Theo must learn who he is. A charismatic school friend and a firebrand girl inspire him to believe he can fight Fascism and change the world, but each rebellion comes at a higher price, forcing Theo to question these ideologies too.

From New York’s Lower East Side to an English boarding school to an Andalusian village in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Theo’s harrowing journey from boy to man is set against a backdrop of societies torn apart from within, teetering on the edge of a terrible war to which Theo is compulsively drawn like a moth to a flame.

With historical depth and compelling storytelling, Tolkien weaves a stunning tale about how hope, courage, loss and disillusionment affect the formation of one’s character. Fans of historical fiction and literary fiction will devour THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA.

To celebrate the publication of THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA, we are hosting a virtual book tour throughout the month of June featuring this fantastic group of book influencers that will feature reviews, spotlights, excerpts and giveaways!

Sunday, June 1 Purrfect Pages

Monday, June 2 Books Coffee MX

Tuesday, June 3 Dive Into A Good Book

Wednesday, June 4 Bookalong

Thursday, June 5 Suzy Approved Book Reviews

Friday, June 6 Wuthering Vines

Monday, June 9 We Love Big Books And We Cannot Lie

Tuesday, June 10 Cassie’s Book Reviews

Wednesday, June 11 Lexijava

Thursday, June 12 Subakka Bookstuff

Friday, June 13 Sarah’s Bookish Reviews

Monday, June 16 Gym Girl Reads

Tuesday, June 17 The Maddie Hatter

Wednesday, June 18 Dana Mustard Reads

Thursday, June 19 Briana and Her Books

Friday, June 20 What Is That Book About

Friday, June 20 Linda’s Book Obsession

Sunday, June 22 Nissa The Bookworm

Monday, June 23 Bailey’s Book Recs

Tuesday, June 24 Book Girl Brown Reviews

Wednesday, June 25 Rebekah Dolmat Reads

Thursday, June 26 Gloriana Wong

Friday, June 27 Kim Reads and Reads

Sunday, June 29 Karen’s Library

Monday, June 30 Enjoying Books Again

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May Virtual Book Tour THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES by Shirley Russak Wachtel

**From the author of A Castle in Brooklyn comes an epic novel spanning decades about the broken bonds of family, memories of war, and redemption and hope in the face of heartbreaking loss.**

Advance Praise for The Baker of Lost Memories:

“The Baker of Lost Memories is a compelling family drama, slow-boiling its way to redemption and second chances.” ―Foreword Reviews

“A poignant story of the power of memory and family, Wachtel’s narrative moves easily through time and from mother to daughter.” – Library Journal

Fans of generational stories by Lynda Cohen Loigman (The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, The Matchmaker’s Gift), Jennifer Rosner (The Yellow Bird Sings) and Georgia Hunter (We Are The Lucky Ones) will devour Shirley Russak Wachtel’s new moving family saga, THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES (June 1, 2025; Little A). Wachtel is the critically acclaimed author of A Castle In Brooklyn, and she is back with another unforgettable novel that explores generational trauma, the complex relationships between immigrant parents and American-born children, resilience and redemption. THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES is a beautifully written poignant historical novel set in Brooklyn in the 1960s and 70s.

“The stories I write are about families,” Wachtel explains. “When I wrote A Castle In Brooklyn, I wanted to explore the traumatic effects of the Holocaust on survivors trying to build a new life in the United States. With THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES, I focus on the quiet reverberations of loss in the second generation. Family is the nucleus of life’s experience.”

It can take a lifetime to turn painful memories of the past into hope for the future.

Growing up in 1960s Brooklyn, Lena wants to be a baker just like her mother was back in Poland prior to World War II. But questions about those days, and about a sister Lena never even knew, are ignored with solemn silence. It’s as if everything her parents left behind was a subject never to be broached.

The one person in whom Lena can confide is her best friend, Pearl. When she suddenly disappears from Lena’s life, Lena forges ahead: college, love and marriage with a wonderful man, the dream of owning a bakery becoming a reality, and the hope that someday Pearl will return to share in Lena’s happiness―and to be there for her during the unexpected losses to come.

Only when Lena discovers the depth of her parents’ anguish, and a startling truth about her own past, can they rebuild a family and overcome the heart-wrenching memories that have torn them apart.