When the weather turns blustery, I know no better escape than with a book that takes me out of my element entirely. Lately I’ve been devouring historical fiction that transports me, if not to warmer climates, at least to another place and time.
I picked up Serena by Ron Rash because he’s one my favorite authors—his writing is eloquent and his language is steeped in history. He just blows me away. Needless to say, I was not disappointed in his latest offering. It takes place in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina just on the cusp of the Great Depression. Serena is the new bride of George Pemberton, a timber man who is making his fortune one tree at a time. The two are like-minded and greedy. They face adversaries in National Park planners who are trying to save the land they are logging, and in the young Rachel Harmon, the mother of George’s illegitimate son. Readers will pity these adversaries, as Serena and Pemberton are bloodthirsty and will stop at nothing to secure their success. You’ll want to pick up this riveting read to see who wins this battle!
I was inspired to check out The Outlander by Gil Adamson, and am oh so glad I did. This novel opens with a confession by Mary Boulton. She has just murdered her husband and is fleeing across the Canadian wilderness in 1903 with very few supplies. In hot pursuit are her dead husband John’s two vengeful brothers, who will stop at nothing to bring her to justice. Despite her crime, Mary is a sympathetic character. As Mary is chased into the American West, her escape becomes a test of survival and takes readers on an unforgettable journey. 
Also set in the early 1900s, The Seamstress of Hollywood Boulevard is yet another stirring historical that gave me an excuse to stay planted in my favorite chair under the warm body my lap-lovin’ cat. In Seamstress, 17-year-old Nell Platt gets married off to Jack, a rancher who is quickly disappointed in his new bride. While Nell is an excellent seamstress, she can’t cook a decent meal. Nell’s not so please with her new life either, in Nowhere ‘Ville, Kansas under constant scrutiny of her nosy mother-in-law. Despite the fact that she bears Jack two daughters, Nell saves her dimes by designing couture dresses for her neighbors, until she can run off to Hollywood, California where she designs for the stars of the new motion picture industry. Trouble follows her years later when Nell’s grown daughters appear on her doorstep and attempt to bribe her into getting them started in the film industry. Both heartbreaking and inspiring, this book is nearly impossible to put down and is chock full of details abuot the art of sewing. 
Here’s hoping you’ll want to read them all! ~Carol
Read it or Weep 