Five Books Worth Reading: Inspirational Fiction (Historical)

Looking for some warmhearted stories this weekend? Look no further! We've compiled a list of five books worth reading in the Inspirational Fiction genre. (If you read no others, read these.)

To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer
Karen Witemeyer is one of the big up-and-coming names in the genre of Christian Fiction. One of the reasons I enjoy her books so much is their historical settings on the Texas frontier. To Win Her Heart doubles down on some of my favorite things by featuring a librarian as the main character. Eden Spencer runs the town’s lending library when Levi Grant arrives to take up the post of blacksmith. While at first they don’t seem to have anything in common, Eden and Levi will help each other overcome painful events in their pasts.

Christy by Catherine Marshall
In Catherine Marshall’s Christy, nineteen year old Christy Huddleston leaves her home to travel to the small town, Cutter Gap, located deep in the heart of the Smoky Mountains to become their schoolteacher. There, Christy faces nearly insurmountable odds and ends up learning more about herself and the world around her. Through it all she relies on her unwavering faith as support through difficult times.

The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen
A different setting, Julie Klassen’s The Girl in the Gatehouse is set during the English Regency period. If you’re a fan of Jane Austen, this is a great book to read as there are a number of parallels between the protagonist, Miss Mariah Aubrey, and the characters in Austen’s work. Following a scandal, Miss Aubrey hides away in the gatehouse on the edge of the property of a distant relative. Captain Matthew Bryant, newly returned from the war is immediately intrigued by this mysterious resident.

Second Chance Brides by Vickie McDonough
Second Chance Brides is actually the second book in Vickie McDonough’s “Texas Boardinghouse Brides” trilogy. After both being jilted in an ill-conceived mail order bride contest, Shannon O’Neil and Leah Bennett must pick themselves up from their bootstraps. They both have reasons for not wanting to return to their homes, so they set their minds determinedly to start new lives in Lookout, Texas.

Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke
The list wouldn’t be complete without Janette Oke. I want to suggest When Calls the Heart or Where Courage Calls from her Canadian West series, if only because I’m very much a fan of the Hallmark Channel’s television adaptation. But when it comes to an author as prolific and influential as Janette Oke (she’s written over 70 novels), I have to pick her first. It started with 1979’s Love Comes Softly. Marty is travelling West with her husband when an accident strips her of her future. It is her faith and determination that helps her overcome what seems like impossible difficulties.

I hope this helps you decide on some great reads! Let me know if you have others you think are worthy.

~Meredith T.