Book picks similar to
The Freedom Tree by James Watson


c20th
historical-fiction
spain-civil-war
spanish-civil-war

Reluctant Informer


Marion Kummerow - 2019
     Sabine always minded her own business, closing her eyes to the sinister events engulfing Germany. War is always ugly, and it's best to simply stay out of harm’s way. That changes the moment the Gestapo needs information from her. With her husband held captive, his very life depends on her willingness to cooperate in this evil enterprise. Soon, she’s thrust into the midst of the resistance, smuggling people out of Nazi Germany. Her task? Find the leader and hand him over to torture and certain death. If she does as she is asked, she betrays her own people. If she does not, her husband will be executed by Hitler's forces. Can she silence her conscience and save her husband? Read Reluctant Informer now - a WWII tale of love, courage, and impossible choices. Previously published as part of the USA Today Bestselling Anthology, The Darkest Hour – Tales of Resistance, this standalone novella will keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering what Sabine will do next.

Girl From the Docks


Catharine Dobbs - 2020
    Living near the docks in Liverpool with two other families under the same roof, money for rent is a constant struggle and food is scarce. Made even more difficult by a lecherous gambler who refuses to pay his share of the rent.When their father succumbs to the 1849 cholera epidemic that sweeps through Liverpool, the young orphan’s situation becomes even more perilous. They are forced to do whatever they can to make their share of the food and rent.Robert grew up in privileged circumstances. That all changes when his father dies suddenly, leaving his estate tied up for months in probate. Robert has no other option but to seek employment at a former competitor of his fathers. The same family that employs Verdie.Robert is overjoyed.But Verdie is blinded by the amorous attentions of the household's handsome son, Carson.Trouble ensues, for everyone.Robert, with limited resources and influence, rises to the challenge to defend Verdie’s honor. Will it be enough to stop Carson from pursuing her? Can Robert’s fledging love for Verdie prevail?“Girl From the Docks” and all Catharine Dobbs' novellas are wholesome Victorian Romances.

Defiance


Titia Bozuwa - 2017
     When the German war machine rolled over the Netherlands in May 1940, Titia Wetselaar Bozuwa was an eight-year-old girl living in the southern city of Breda. She wrote about her family’s endurance of that five-year Occupation in her memoir, In the Shadow of the Cathedral. In Defiance, her first work of fiction, she pays tribute to the many who defied the German Occupation. Challenging the expectations of Dutch society, Anna Smits enrolls as a medical student at Utrecht University. But in a country occupied by Nazi Germany, student life is not what Anna expected. Social clubs are closed; Jews are forbidden from attending schools; and in 1943, students are ordered to sign a declaration of loyalty to the occupying German government. Anna and her seven closest friends—the Group of Eight—refuse to sign. Inspired by a sermon about the Good Samaritan—a sermon that got the minister thrown into prison—the Group of Eight vows to help the victims of Hitler’s brutal regime. They hide Jews and provide them with fake IDs; they keep desperately needed medicines out of the hands of the Nazis; they raise funds for orphaned Jewish children. But as the war drags on and the Nazis’ hold tightens, the Group of Eight shrinks. The few that remain defiantly resist the ever-onerous Occupying force. But how can they fight the lawlessness with which the Germans shoot first and don’t bother with questions? How can they fight the devastating Hunger Winter of 1945? Anna clings to her beliefs and mission, aided by her remarkable grandmother, Baroness van Haersolte, as the country waits for liberation. But will they all survive that long?

The Claymore (Courtenay)


Brian Withecombe - 2014
    There he begins to learn the duties and responsibilities, together with the hardships, of a life at sea in one of His Majesty's ships. He is quickly introduced to the fight against slavery and privateers...and also how to kill in the name of the King. Ultimately commissioned as a Lieutenant, Courtenay is involved in the reverses of Toulon and Corsica, and in 1794 takes part in the major sea-battle known as the Glorious First of June. Also, he meets the first member of the family with whom he will have a feud during his career as a sea officer.

Bullets at Sunset


Alan David - 2016
     He rides into Bowie County to take over the ranch, hoping to leave his grim past behind him and find some sort of future for himself. But Jory soon discovers that taking over his uncle's path is no easy assignment. Land grabbing greed has overwhelmed the local ranchers, and Bowie County is rife with trouble. Jory's arrival brings things to a head and in no time at all, he finds himself up against Ben Sharkey – an expansionist rancher who is used to getting what he wants. But while the townsfolk lay the blame for recent troubles on Sharkey’s doorstep, Jory has suspicions about deeper undercurrents to the range war that threatens to erupt. Jory must get to the bottom of the mess amidst a quickly growing body count and in the face of mounting mortal perils. If Jory proves quick on the draw, he stands to find himself a sizeable homestead and a beautiful wife. But who amongst his friends can he depend upon? Will he end up losing everything that he holds dear? Bullets at Sunset is a classic western thriller – a captivating tale of gunslingers and cattle rustlers, of taciturn heroes and ruthless outlaws. Praise for Alan David ‘A classic of the genre’ - Tom Casey, bestselling author of Trade Off Alan David is a prolific writer of over 500 novels in a wide range of genres, from classic westerns, to historical thrillers. His other western novels include Fight or Die, Gun Hell, Gun Wages and Draw or Die.

Every Mother's Fear


Joanna Warrington - 2017
    PERFECT FOR FANS OF 'CALL THE MIDWIFE', Jodi Picoult, Katie Flynn, Nadine Dorries & Rosie Goodwin it's about TWO WOMEN CAUGHT UP IN A PHARMACEUTICAL DISASTER . . Sandy an aspiring model has a one-night stand with a journalist that results in pregnancy. Shunned by her family, she quietly checks herself into a maternity home to wait out her pregnancy and prepare to have the baby adopted. Rona and her husband have been trying for a baby for years, but Rona is unable to conceive. When Sandy delivers a child disabled by thalidomide, Rona commits a terrible crime and makes a life-changing decision that will have dramatic consequences.Meanwhile, Sandy’s journalist lover stumbles upon the scoop of a century. As he investigates corruption entrenched in the company that developed thalidomide, he is surprised to reconnect with Sandy. He and Sandy feel drawn to each other, but both will have to confront old wounds if they want to be together. An interesting slice of social history which will stir every emotion within you.

Rescued Love (Love on the Western Trail Book 2)


Linda Ford - 2021
    

Happy Day: A Novel


Elizabeth Downey - 2015
    But wait? Meriday, the slave girl “You want every slave to walk behind you and be a fart catcher. I could never be like that. Not ever.” – Hatred of slavery is the lifeblood that compels her. The story of her life’s journey from the plantation South to Chicago mesmerizes in its brutality and soothes by its exploration into the human spirit. The men she encounters along her odyssey: a field-hand slave forced to shed his Christian name and accept the one his masters give him in jest, a dwarf with a giant’s heart, a ship’s captain, and a black Union army sergeant; they are heroes of epic proportion.Santine – Fascinated by a photo of Meriday taken more than a hundred and fifty years before, she has an affiliation with it, but doesn’t understand why. She is comforted and frightened at the same time by her daily talks with the slave girl, now an angel, that she believes has taken her under wing. Accepting a challenge with an unbelievably large prize on the line, the Harvard bound high school senior from Chicago leads her all black inner-city chorus to Boston in competition against the elite Ivy League High Schools. By nobody’s reckoning were they ever supposed to be there, and by nobody’s reckoning could they ever compete for the win. And by her reckoning, there was never supposed to be a boy in in the faraway Massachusetts city.Grandma Brown – Meriday’s second great granddaughter and Santine’s eighty-year-old mentor who never saw a computer she didn’t love. Going to the chorus competition as a chaperone, she’s feisty and fearless as she steamrolls over obstacles. The Beantown prima donnas never saw her coming.This delightfully unusual story easily flows back and forth through history, from slave times to modern African American consciousness while touching on the spiritual theme of guardian angels and the protections they so lovingly provide. A powerful novel that touches all the emotional bells. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll fist pump till your arm tires. This is coming of age, contemporary and historical fiction, a page turner for the teen, young adult, mother, father, or grandparent reader who just enjoys a whopping good tale.Scroll to the top of the page and select the 'buy button' now.

Blood on the Bighorns


Carson McCloud - 2019
    First it took his mother, then his father, and now it threatens to end his own life as well. Merciless killer Kip Lane found Brett and his sweetheart, Allie, while they were out for an afternoon ride. Now Allie is missing and Brett lies at the bottom of a deep hole carrying three bullet holes. He’s got to escape and then rescue Allie from Kip’s clutches, but first he’s got to survive the cold lonesome night. Kip Lane isn’t Brett’s only concern though. There’s another man lurking behind the dashing outlaw. A dangerous man with money, powerful friends, and more than one gunfighter on his payroll. He aims to be the territory’s biggest rancher and Brett’s ranch is the key. Brett has a few allies he can count on. Gideon Sweeney and his daughter Lisa at the local Mormon settlement along with Red Elk, an old Crow medicine man, and Mourning Song, a beautiful Cheyenne woman with her own tragic history. Will it be enough to take back Brett’s heritage or will young Rawlins find his end beneath the guns of his enemies? Either way there will be Blood on the Bighorns.

Come Into My Cave


Linda Hardy - 2011
    Instead they live out of doors, only minimally protected from the elements, and must travel long and difficult distances each year to protect themselves against the vagaries of weather. As a consequence of the long treks each year these people fail to accumulate tools and treasurers to make their lives easier. Two young friends wish to change the migratory pattern of their people's lives by living through the winter which they call The Dark Times, instead of making the annual, long and hazardous journey southward.

Finding Kaden (The Finding Trilogy Book 1)


Jean Reinhardt - 2013
    He finds himself caught up in a world of abduction, conspiracy, exploitation and murder. Detective Jake Matthews must convince the young man's family that their son is dead in order to keep him alive. Meanwhile, six missing teenagers cause problems for a sinister organization led by a man who considers himself to be above the law. The story is set in 2038, when certain medical procedures have been developed, but not yet approved. Strange things occurring at a homeless boys shelter in Chicago change the lives of the Seager family forever. When so called friends become enemies and assailants turn into allies, it is difficult to know who to trust. This is the first book in the Finding Trilogy, a young adult fiction series.

Loving & Losing


Marion Reynolds - 2020
    But this is 1930s Ireland where they must fight against repressive laws and social attitudes.Harry has married his childhood sweetheart but finds his wife’s life and his marriage jeopardised by the strict laws of Church and State.As he struggles to become a writer, Joseph rejects the love of the girl next door. He goes to fight in the Spanish Civil War where he finds a different kind of love.Kathleen, an actress, has romantic ideas about going to Hollywood but a love affair threatens to ruin her life and shatter the happiness of her family.Mary becomes a teacher and forms some strong emotional bonds, but gossip and injustice may rob her of everything she holds dear.Can they overcome prejudice or must they bow to convention?

The Wretched Needle Worker


Iris Cole - 2021
    Her father was a monster.How could Vera have been so blind to what was right before her eyes?After the death of her kind and loving Papa, Vera’s home is claimed by ne’er do well Uncle Merritt, who drives the household with cruelty and deprivation. Working for her keep, the once privileged Vera is driven to skin and bone and dreads the harsh beatings that Merritt regularly delivers.Ralph, Papa’s loyal and brave stableboy, cannot bear to see Vera shrinking daily under the hand of Merritt. In an attempt protect her, he challenges Merritt and now, tossed to streets, must survive however he can.With the loss of Ralph, Vera’s soul aches, made worse as she watches her father’s elderly servants treated with cruel indignity. In a desperate bid to protect them from Uncle Merritt, his rage is fuelled, and Vera is delivered an ultimatum, causing her to flee from her home. With nowhere to go, Vera too, finds herself on the streets.As starvation threatens, it is only Ralph and her new friend, Maggie, that keep her alive. But when Maggie unexpectedly reveals the truth about Vera's Papa, Vera is plunged to new despair. Will the truth destroy her? Can she keep secrets for the rest of her life? Will she ever be able to make things right? And will she agree to Ralphs’s plan, even though it means she may lose him forever?For fans of Dilly Court and Historical Romance

The Crimson Gauntlet (The Long Fuse Book 3)


Jason Born - 2018
    Born gets the action humming swiftly and continues at a breakneck pace, while weaving in elements of devotion, loss, and greed along the journey. Amid the virgin forests of North America, civilizations collide. 1755 A.D. Following the defeat of Braddock and his army, the Western Wilderness has suddenly become deadlier than ever. French and Canadian troops patrol at-will. Tribal warriors strike every settlement and traveler within reach. Ephraim Weber, a young scout and trader, must return to the scene of the battle and perhaps beyond to recover Bess, his betrothed and the mother of his children. Successful or not, he then must rush to warn the remaining British campaigns. The French have a hold of their plans, knowing when and where to strike! Along the trail, death and destruction pursue Ephraim at every turn. Allies may prove to be foes. Former enemies may become friends. The tale reaches a crescendo on a single day of bloody battles that run to and from a string of erstwhile serene locales. The Crimson Gauntlet is a tale of adventure and woe. It is a yarn of explosive personalities, failures, and triumphs. The Crimson Gauntlet is for anyone who yearns to become a firsthand witness to the pangs that foretold the birth of a great nation.

Men of Bone


David Penny - 2021
    Reacting instinctively to protect a stranger, Thomas becomes their target. When the bonemen come to inflict punishment he is forced kill one of their number.As he leaves London in the company of Arthur, Prince of Wales, heir to the English throne, Thomas expects no grave consequences for his actions. It’s a mistake that might get both him and his companions killed.Sent to England by the Spanish Queen to watch over Catherine of Aragon on her marriage to Arthur, Thomas intends the duty to be short-lived. But he hasn’t reckoned on the bonemen, who are spreading their influence ever wider. As danger mounts, Thomas is no longer sure he is the man for the task but has no option but to fight, as he always has. For the innocent, for justice, and for his life.Politics and crime collide in Tudor England in a new series of adventures for Thomas Berrington. Join Thomas on his latest journey. Order The Bone Men now.