The Books That Stayed With Me: My Favorite Historical Fiction Reads of Summer (So Far!)

There’s something about summer that invites a different kind of reading. Maybe it’s the slower mornings, the warmth of the sun on your skin, or the way long evenings stretch just wide enough to hold a few extra chapters. For me, this season has always been a time to slip into stories that linger—books that nourish as much as they captivate.

My July Reading List: Bookish Escapes, Mysteries, and Motivation

There’s something about July that feels both slow and fleeting—the perfect balance of long sunny afternoons and lazy evenings that beg for a good book in hand. As a writer and lifelong reader, summer has always been a time to escape into new stories, explore unfamiliar places, and uncover hidden truths between the pages. This month, my reading list is a curated blend of genres and formats. From beachy women's fiction and historical adventures to motivational nonfiction and gripping suspense, each book has earned a spot for a different reason. Here’s a peek at what I’m reading in July—and why you might want to add these titles to your own summer stack.

Nonfiction That Reads Like Fiction: 4 Page-Turning Picks I Couldn’t Put Down

As a historical fiction author, research is part of my daily routine. I’m often buried in reference books, biographies, memoirs, and era-specific studies as I dig into the past to create immersive, emotionally resonant stories. But every now and then, I stumble across a nonfiction title that reads like a gripping novel—books that inform and entertain, with real-life characters, high stakes, and masterful storytelling.

Across the Wall: A Powerful Story of Love, Loyalty, and Divided Lives

Travel back in time to post-WWII Berlin with The Girl Behind the Wall by Mandy Robotham—a novel that blends history, heartbreak, and hope with remarkable skill.

Sipping Secrets and Stories: The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel

Few things pair better than a sweeping historical fiction novel and a glass of bubbly—especially when the story takes you straight to the vineyards of France during WWII.