Best New Historical Fiction - September 2025
The Mad Wife by Meagan Church
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Release Date: September 30, 2025
Synopsis:
From bestselling author Meagan Church comes a haunting exploration of identity, motherhood, and the suffocating grip of societal expectations that will leave you questioning the lives we build―and the lies we live.
They called it hysteria. She called it survival.
Lulu Mayfield has spent the last five years molding herself into the perfect 1950s housewife. Despite the tragic memories that haunt her and the weight of exhausting expectations, she keeps her husband happy, her household running, and her gelatin salads the talk of the neighborhood. But after she gives birth to her second child, Lulu's carefully crafted life begins to unravel.
When a new neighbor, Bitsy, moves in, Lulu suspects that something darker lurks behind the woman's constant smile. As her fixation on Bitsy deepens, Lulu is drawn into a web of unsettling truths that threaten to expose the cracks in her own life. The more she uncovers about Bitsy, the more she questions everything she thought she knew―and soon, others begin questioning her sanity. But is Lulu truly losing her mind? Or is she on the verge of discovering a reality too terrifying to accept?
In the vein of The Bell Jar and The Hours, The Mad Wife weaves domestic drama with psychological suspense, so poignant and immersive, you won't want to put it down.
Why We Recommend It!
Set against the manicured lawns and suffocating expectations of 1950s suburbia, Meagan Church’s The Mad Wife is a chilling, poignant portrait of motherhood, identity, and the fragile line between survival and madness.
Every Bend in the River by Emerson Ford
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Release Date: September 29, 2025
Synopsis:
From bestselling author Emerson Ford comes an unforgettable true story of a woman who refuses to be tamed, set against the sweeping backdrop of the American Revolution. Perfect for readers of Where the Crawdads Sing, The Four Winds, and A Girl Called Samson.
Virginia, 1749. In the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Rosanna Waters is everything a proper lady shouldn’t be—barefoot in the forest, gripping tree roots on the muddy riverbank. She should be home helping with the wash. Instead, she’s defying her mother one time too many. The day Mama rides out to fetch her wayward daughter, her horse slips on a cliff edge and Rosanna learns that some wildness comes with a price too terrible to pay.
Now with her mother crippled and her family depending on her, Rosanna must abandon her wayward spirit. Then Callum Stewart arrives, a Scottish boy with hair like autumn fire. In him, Rosanna recognizes something that calls to the part of herself she’s trying so hard to bury, until war tears them apart.
As revolution engulfs the colonies, Rosanna has carved out a life in the unforgiving backcountry—eight children, a working farm, and a hard-won independence. But when the war arrives at her doorstep, threatening everything she's built and everyone she loves, Rosanna must decide how far she's willing to go to protect her family and—come face to face with the boy who stole her heart years ago.
From Emerson Ford comes an epic tale of a woman who refused to surrender—not to grief, not to the wilderness, and never to anyone who tried to break her spirit.
Why We Recommend It!
Sweeping from the rivers of Virginia to the battle-scarred frontiers of South Carolina, Every Bend in the River by Emerson Ford is an epic, true-to-life tale of love, resilience, and one woman’s unyielding fight for freedom and family during the American Revolution.
The Women of Oak Ridge by Michelle Shocklee
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
Release Date: September 9, 2025
Synopsis:
In the hills of Tennessee, two women work at a Manhattan Project site during World War II and uncover truths that irrevocably change their lives in this captivating new story from award-winning Southern fiction author Michelle Shocklee.
1944. Maebelle Willett arrives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, eager to begin her new government job and send money home to her impoverished family. She knows little about the work she will be doing, but she’s told it will help America win the war. Not all is what it seems, however. Though Oak Ridge employees are forbidden from discussing their jobs, Mae’s roommate begins sharing disturbing information, then disappears without a trace. Mae desperately attempts to find her but instead comes face-to-face with a life-altering revelation—one that comes at significant cost.
1979. Laurel Willet is a graduate student in Boston when she learns about the history of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where thousands unknowingly worked on the atomic bomb. Intrigued because she knows her Aunt Mae was employed there, Laurel decides to spend the summer with her aunt, hoping to add a family connection to her thesis research. But Mae adamantly refuses to talk about her time in the secret city. Mae’s friends, however, offer to share their experiences, propelling Laurel on her path to uncovering the truth about a missing woman. As Laurel works to put the pieces together, the hidden pain and guilt Mae has tried so hard to bury comes to light . . . with potentially disastrous consequences.
Standalone Southern historical fiction great for fans of Lisa Wingate, Donna Everhart, and Lynn AustinA compelling dual-timeline novel set during WWII and the 1970s about the weight of secrets and the power of forgivenessIncludes discussion questions for book groups
Why We Recommend It!
Rich with intrigue and heart, The Women of Oak Ridge by Michelle Shocklee illuminates the hidden sacrifices of the Manhattan Project through a dual-timeline tale of secrets, loss, and the redemptive power of truth and forgiveness.
A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig
Publisher: Pantheon
Release Date: September 2, 2025
Synopsis:
From the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of House of Roots and Ruin, comes an irresistible blend of dark fairytale and romantic fantasy set in the beautiful but brutal Canadian wilderness.
Like everyone else in the settlement of Mistaken, Greer Mackenzie is trapped. Founded by an ambitious Scottish lumber merchant, the tiny town on the edge of the American continent is blessed with rich natural resources that have made its people prosperous—but at a cost. The same woods that have lined the townsfolks’ pockets harbor dangerous beasts: wolves, bears, and the Bright-Eyeds—monsters beyond description who have rained utter destruction down on nearby settlements. But Mistaken’s founders made a deal with the mysterious Benevolence: the Warding Stones that surround the town will keep the Bright-Eyeds out—and the town’s citizens in. Anyone who spends a night within Mistaken’s borders belongs to it forever.
Greer, a mapmaker and eccentric dreamer, has always ached to explore the world outside, even though she knows she and her longtime love, Ellis Beaufort, will never see it. Until, on the day she and Ellis are meant to finally begin their lives together, Greer watches in horror as her beloved disappears beyond the Warding Stones, pursued by a monstrous creature. Swiftly realizing that the stories she was raised on might be more myth than fact, Greer figures out a way to escape Mistaken for the very first time. Determined to rescue Ellis, she begins a trek through the cold and pitiless wilderness. But Greer is being hunted, not only by the ruthless Bright-Eyeds but by the secret truths behind Mistaken’s founding, as well as her own origins.
Playfully drawing from Scottish folklore, Erin A. Craig’s adult debut is both a deeply atmospheric and profoundly romantic exploration of freedom versus security: a stunning celebration of one woman’s relentless bravery on a quest to reclaim her lost love—and claim her own future.
Why We Recommend It!
Lush, haunting, and romantic, A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig blends folklore and fantasy into a sweeping tale of danger, desire, and one woman’s relentless quest to defy fate and reclaim both her love and her freedom.
The Boy with the Jade by Charles Bush
Publisher: HTF Publishing
Release Date: September 16, 2025
Synopsis:
A young aristocrat's quest for identity amid love, loss, and betrayal in 18th-century China.
In the opulent world of 18th-century China, where wealth and power reign supreme, The Boy with the Jade unveils the poignant tale of Baoyu, heir to the illustrious Jia family. Born with a jade pendant in his mouth—a symbol of his destiny—Baoyu's life is one of luxury laced with darkness.
Amidst his family's splendor, Baoyu navigates complex relationships. He shares a deep, intellectual connection with his cousin Daiyu and engages in intense liaisons with Amber, his main maid. Yet, these bonds are marred by mistreatment, deception, and overwhelming societal pressures.
Baoyu's life spirals after a severe beating from his father, Amber's death, and Daiyu's illness. His spirit breaks, plunging him into despair and leading to the loss of his jade pendant. Fate deals another blow when he's duped into marrying Baochai on the day Daiyu dies. Seeking enlightenment, Baoyu turns to Taoist and Buddhist philosophies, finding guidance from mystical mentors who help him reclaim his jade and hope.
With expectations to excel at the Imperial Examination and continue his lineage, Baoyu is trapped by tradition. Craving freedom, he makes a bold escape, embarking on a transformative journey.
Drawing inspiration from Hong Lou Meng, Bush's novel weaves a rich narrative of love, grief, and self-discovery. The Boy with the Jade explores the intricate human quest for meaning, transcending both time and culture.
Why We Recommend It!
Sweeping through the splendor and sorrows of 18th-century China, Charles Bush’s The Boy with the Jade is a luminous tale of love, loss, and one young man’s search for freedom and meaning beyond the weight of family and fate.
