historical fiction Archives - Over The River PR

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.

“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

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.

To help celebrate the publication of THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES, we are hosting a prepub virtual book tour during the month of May with this stellar list of book influencers who will post reviews, features, and giveaways. We hope you will follow along!

Thursday, May 1 BOOKPHILE BELLE

Thursday, May 1 – WHAT IS THAT BOOK ABOUT

Friday, May 2 WE BREAK FOR BOOKS

Monday, May 5 WE LOVE BIG BOOKS AND WE CANNOT LIE

Tuesday, May 6 SUZY APPROVED BOOK REVIEWS

Tuesday, May 6 BOOKS WRITING AND MORE

Wednesday, May 7 KATIE NEEDS A BIGGER BOOKSHELF

Thursday, May 8 LIT BY LILLI

Thursday, May 8 MATZAH BOOK SOUP

Friday, May 9 SECRET READING LIFE

Saturday, May 10 CASSIE’S BOOK REVIEWS

Monday, May 12 NISSA THE BOOKWORM

Tuesday, May 13 CAROL DOSCHER READER

Wednesday, May 14 DANISH MUSTARD READS

Thursday, May 15 SUBAKKA BOOKSTUFF

Friday, May 16 WUTHERING VINES

Monday, May 19 NURSE BOOKIE

Tuesday, May 20 BOOKS AND COFFEE MX

Wednesday, May 21 LEXIJAVA

Wednesday, May 21 MELANN ROSENTHAL

Thursday, May 22 WBTB REVIEWS

Friday, May 23 LOVE MY BOOKS 2020

Tuesday, May 27 GLORIANA WONG

Tuesday, May 27 MEG’S BOOK CLUB

Wednesday, May 28 MY BURSTING BOOK BAG

Thursday, May 29 ANDREA C. LOWRY READS

Friday, May 30 BOOK OBSESSION’S LINDA

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Summer Virtual Tour for DAUGHTER OF FIRE by Sofia Robleda

For a young woman coming of age in sixteenth-century Guatemala, safeguarding her people’s legacy is a dangerous pursuit in a mystical, empowering, and richly imagined historical novel.

“DAUGHTER OF FIRE is a gorgeous, gripping tale of one young woman’s struggle to find herself amid the terrors of colonialism and the desperate need to uphold the heritage of her people, bound up in her love for her mother.” – Booklist

“Gorgeous and atmospheric. A unique and compelling point of view. Legit one of my favorite books of all time.” – Xiran Jay Zhao, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Iron Widow

“A captivating odyssey of a novel from start to finish—Robleda vividly brings to life the world of sixteenth-century Guatemala, immersing you in Catalina’s brave fight to preserve her people’s history against all odds. Beautifully imagined, intimate, lush, evocatively written, DAUGHTER OF FIRE has firmly secured its place among my all-time favorites, narrated by a fresh and much-needed voice in historical fiction.” – Mariely Lares, Sunday Times bestselling author of Sun of Blood and Ruin

When Mexican writer Sofia Robleda embarked on a personal ancestral search, she discovered the history of an ancient Mayan sacred text with stories that were so enlightening, she knew she had to write about it. The result is DAUGHTER OF FIRE (Amazon Crossing; August 1, 2024), a moving and beautifully written historical fiction novel about a girl named Catalina, born in the 1530s to an Indigenous Guatemalan mother and a Spanish colonizer father.

The Popol Vuh is a little-known sacred text with invaluable insight into the Maya way of life before colonization, including their myths and stories and the history of the Kʼicheʼ people of Guatemala. The stories were mostly passed down orally, until around 1550, when they were written down in secret, by anonymous K’iche’ authors. But after the Spanish conquest of the Maya, missionaries and colonists destroyed many documents, and the original sacred text was lost. Only a translated copy made by a friar in the 18^th century remains.

“I grew up in Cancun, surrounded by the ancient Mayan culture, but when I found out I had Indigenous blood, I started studying our pre-Columbian history in a lot more detail,” explains Robleda. “When I read how many documents were destroyed, I had a visceral reaction. I couldn’t stop crying over this great loss to our heritage. But the Popol Vuh survived. Its story possessed me. I felt I’d gone out to look for my roots, and they’d taken a hold of me. The result was this novel, and I’m ecstatic that DAUGHTER OF FIRE will be published this summer.”

Catalina de Cerrato is being raised by her widowed father, Don Alonso, in 1551 Guatemala, scarcely thirty years since the Spanish invasion. A ruling member of the oppressive Spanish hierarchy, Don Alonso holds sway over the newly relegated lower class of Indigenous communities. Fiercely independent, Catalina struggles to honor her father and her late mother, a Maya noblewoman to whom Catalina made a vow that only she can keep: preserve the lost sacred text of the Popol Vuh, the treasured and now forbidden history of the K’iche’ people.

Urged on by her mother’s spirit voice and possessing the gift of committing the invaluable stories to memory, Catalina embarks on a secret and transcendent quest to rewrite them. Through ancient pyramids, Spanish villas, and caves of masked devils, she finds an ally in the captivating Juan de Rojas, a lord whose rule was compromised by the invasion. But as their love and trust unfold, and Don Alonso’s tyranny escalates, Catalina must confront her conflicted blood heritage―and its secrets―once and for all if she’s to follow her dangerous quest to its historic end.

DAUGHTER OF FIRE is an engrossing story about loyalty and prejudice, love and oppression, and embracing one’s identity. It’s a must-read for Summer 2024!

To help celebrate the release this new novel, we are hosting a virtual book tour with this wonderful list of book influencers who will post reviews, features, and giveaways. We hope you will follow along:

Monday, July 22 Jess N Books AND Amber Shelf

Tuesday, July 23 Tomes and Textiles AND Lauren’s Book Vibes

Wednesday, July 24 Totahly Booked

Thursday, July 25 Kera’s Always Reading

Friday, July 26 WBTB Book Reviews

Sunday, July 28 Purrfect Pages

Monday, July 29 Lit Wit Wine Dine

Tuesday, July 30 Angela Reads Books

Wednesday, July 31 Sue The Bookie

Thursday, August 1 Meg’s Book Club AND Love My Books 2020

Friday, August 2 Karen’s Library

Saturday, August 3 Books On My Mind

Sunday, August 4 Marisol Reads Books

Monday, August 5 Spookish Mommy

Tuesday, August 6 Mabel Journals

Wednesday, August 7 Bookalong

Thursday, August 8 Sarah And Her Bookshelves

Friday, August 9 Linda’s Book Obsession AND Michelle Loves Books

Saturday, August 10 Books and Coffee MX

Sunday, August 11 Secret Reading Life

Monday, August 12 We Love Big Books And We Cannot Lie

Tuesday, August 13 Books with Bethany

Wednesday, August 14 Paperbacks N Frybread

Thursday, August 15 – Lexijava

Friday, August 16 Subakka Bookstuff

By otrpr

July Virtual Tour For New Historical Fiction THE CURSE OF THE FLORES WOMEN by Angélica Lopes, Translated by Zoë Perry

In this haunting novel about the enduring bonds of womanhood, a young girl weaves together the truth behind her family history and the secrets that resonate through generations.

“With each page, Alice’s role as the guardian of an important piece of Brazilian folk art, itself a feminist symbol, becomes more clear. Lopes…makes it clear that sisterhood is integral to survival.” ―Booklist

Angélica Lopes is a celebrated script writer, journalist and YA author from Rio de Janeiro, who got her start writing Brazilian soap operas that attracted millions of viewers daily. THE CURSE OF THE FLORES WOMEN is her first adult novel, a beautifully written tale about women activists in the early 1910s in the fictional town of Bom Retiro, Brazil and in modern times in Rio de Janeiro. Foreign rights have already been sold to France, Italy, Poland, Turkey and Portugal, and now with the help of the talented translator, Zoë Perry, Amazon Crossing will publish it for the first time in English on July 1, 2024.

“I wanted to set the fictional story of the lacemakers in a period when the debate around women’s issues and their achievements was just beginning,” Angélica explains. “I also wanted to tell a story about the unity of women in the face of domestic violence. I wanted a story of women coming together, not in conflict or working against each other. I am overjoyed that it will now reach an English speaking audience.”

Eighteen-year-old Alice Ribeiro is constantly fighting―against the status quo, female oppression in Brazil, and even her own mother. But when a family veil is passed down to her, and she discovers it hides a secret coded tale of domestic violence that happened 100 years before, she is compelled to uncover the hidden history of the women in her family while also fighting for the rights of all womankind.

Seven generations ago, the small town of Bom Retiro shunned the Flores women because of a “curse” that rendered them unlucky in love. With no men on the horizon to take care of them, the women learned the art of lacemaking to build lives of their own. But their peace was soon threatened by forces beyond any woman’s control.

As Alice begins piecing together the tapestry that is her history, she discovers revelations about the past, connections to the present, and a resilience in her blood that will carry her toward the future her ancestors strove for. Filled with an eclectic cast of female characters, a colorful setting marked by feuding families and a ruling oligarch, and generational secrets, THE CURSE OF THE FLORES WOMEN is historical fiction at its best.

To celebrate the publication of this new release, we are hosting a virtual book tour with this fantastic lineup of book influencers. We hope you will follow along:

Monday, July 1 – Dive Into A Good Book AND Lauren’s Book Vibes

Tuesday, July 2 – Tomes And Textiles AND Jess N Books

Wednesday, July 3 – Amber Shelf

Thursday, July 4 – Kera’s Always Reading

Friday, July 5 – Linda’s Book Obsession AND Mabel Journals

Sunday, July 7 – Booking With Janelle AND Lit Wit Wine Dine

Monday, July 8 – Armed With a Book

Tuesday, July 9 – Sarah And Her Bookshelves

Wednesday, July 10 – Reading With Nicole

Thursday, July 11 – What’s Better Than A Book

Friday, July 12 – Books With Bethany

Saturday, July 13 – Books and Coffee MX AND Marisol Reads Books

Sunday, July 14 – Purrfect Pages

Monday, July 15 – Angela Reads Books

Tuesday, July 16 – Bathtub Bookworm

Wednesday, July 17 – We Love Big Books And We Cannot Lie

Thursday, July 18 – Spookish Mommy

Friday, July 19 – Sue The Bookie

Saturday, July 20 – Melann Rosenthal AND Meg’s Book Club

Sunday, July 21 – Subakka Bookstuff

Monday, July 22 – Love My Books 2020

Tuesday, July 23 – Paperbacks N Frybread

Wednesday, July 24 – Bookalong

Thursday, July 25 – Bookapotamus

Friday, July 26 – Suzy Approved Book Reviews AND What Is That Book About

Saturday, July 27 – Bookish Spren

Sunday, July 28 – Secret Reading Life

Monday, July 29 – Book Things With Brit

Tuesday, July 30 – Gloriana Wong

Wednesday, July 31 – We Break For Books

By otrpr Leave a Comment

March Virtual Tour for THE DEVIL AND MRS. DAVENPORT by Paulette Kennedy

The bestselling author of The Witch of Tin Mountain and Parting the Veil mines the subtle horrors of 1950s America in a gripping novel about a woman under pressure―from the living and the dead.

“With a mystery that steadily builds, this gothic novel masterfully captures the horrors and sexism of 1950s suburbia. A bewitching page-turner with author Kennedy’s signature: a strong heroine who cleverly navigates twist after twist.” —Booklist

“Shirley Jackson fans will appreciate this novel with a distinct vintage vibe; readers of gothic and supernatural titles will be drawn in by the book’s feminist empowerment narrative.” —Library Journal

“This story of a 1950s housewife who can suddenly see and receive messages from the dead is so fascinating and compelling that it will be hard to put down. Loretta’s growing abilities and the cracking facade of her life are so well described. The author expertly begins to pull the curtain from Loretta’s marriage and show the truth—her husband is not perfect, and is, in fact, abusive. The combination of a bad marriage and explosive new psychic abilities makes this book shine… This is a satisfying mix of historical mystery and paranormal fiction that fans of those genres will enjoy. Highly recommended.” —Historical Novels Review

Paulette Kennedy‘s latest domestic gothic novel THE DEVIL AND MRS. DAVENPORT focuses on Loretta Davenport, a housewife who develops psychic abilities after recovering from a virus (Lake Union; March 5, 2024). With the creation of an intriguing twist on the traditional 50’s homemaker and a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Kennedy skillfully weaves the theme of self discovery with the important message that we must honor who we are so we can better love those around us. If you’re a fan of Shirley Jackson, Daphne du Maurier and historical fiction, this novel is a must read.

The first day of autumn brought the fever, and with the fever came the voices.

Missouri, 1955. Loretta Davenport has led an isolated life as a young mother and a wife to Pete, an ambitious assistant professor at a Bible college. They’re the picture of domestic tranquility until a local girl is murdered and Loretta begins receiving messages from beyond. Pete dismisses them as delusions of a fevered female imagination. Loretta knows they’re real―and frightening.

Defying Pete’s demands, Loretta finds an encouraging supporter in parapsychologist Dr. Curtis Hansen. He sees a woman with a rare gift, more blessing than curse. With Dr. Hansen’s help, Loretta’s life opens up to an empowering new purpose. But for Pete, the God-fearing image he’s worked so hard to cultivate is under threat. No longer in control of his dutiful wife, he sees the Devil at work.

As Loretta’s powers grow stronger and the pleading spirits beckon, Pete is determined to deliver his wife from evil. To solve the mysteries of the dead, Loretta must first save herself.

THE DEVIL AND MRS. DAVENPORT is a compulsive read full of unforgettable characters, classic gothic components, and page-turning suspense.

Here’s the stellar schedule of bloggers who will post reviews, features, and giveaways. We hope you will follow along:

Friday, March 1 – Purrfect Pages

Saturday, March 2 – Stacy 40 Pages

Sunday, March 3 – Kera’s Always Reading

Monday, March 4 – Steph on a Shelf

Tuesday, March 5 – Gwendalyn Books

Wednesday, March 6 – Hooked By Books

Thursday, March 7 – Amy’s Book Nook

Friday, March 8 – We Love Big Books And We Cannot Lie

Saturday, March 9 – Reading with Mel Ann Rosenthal

Saturday, March 9 – What Is That Book About

Sunday, March 10 – Mabel Journals

Monday, March 11 – Dive Into A Good Book

Monday, March 11 – Linda’s Book Obsession

Tuesday, March 12 – Love My Books 2020

Wednesday, March 13 – Lilacs and Literature

Thursday, March 14 – Nurse Bookie

Friday, March 15 – Reading with Nicole

Saturday, March 16 – Books Arevida

Sunday, March 17 – Dreams of Manderley

Monday, March 18 – It’s Bibliotherapy

Tuesday, March 19 – Bookapotamus

Wednesday, March 20 – Secret Reading Life

Thursday, March 21 – Bookalong

Friday, March 22 – Library of Bookish

Sunday, March 24 – Read Review Coffee

Monday, March 25 – Danish Mustard Reads

Tuesday, March 26 – Sarah and Her Bookshelves

Wednesday, March 27 – Lexijava

Thursday, March 28 – Gloriana Wong

Thursday, March 28 – Well Read Traveler

Friday, March 29 – We Break For Books

Sunday, March 31 – Subakka Bookstuff

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

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.**

To help celebrate the publication of THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES, we are hosting a prepub virtual book tour during the month of May with this stellar list of book influencers who will post reviews, features, and giveaways. We hope you will follow along!

Summer Virtual Tour for DAUGHTER OF FIRE by Sofia Robleda

July Virtual Tour For New Historical Fiction THE CURSE OF THE FLORES WOMEN by Angélica Lopes, Translated by Zoë Perry

In this haunting novel about the enduring bonds of womanhood, a young girl weaves together the truth behind her family history and the secrets that resonate through generations.

To celebrate the publication of this new release, we are hosting a virtual book tour with this fantastic lineup of book influencers. We hope you will follow along:

March Virtual Tour for THE DEVIL AND MRS. DAVENPORT by Paulette Kennedy

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