Tag: Elizabeth Camden

Who are your favourite historical fiction authors and why

Bookish Question #349 | Who are your favourite historical fiction authors and why?

I am so glad this question is phrased as a plural, because that means I can have more than one favourite historical fiction author.

There’s no way I could choose just one!

So I have chosen five. I’ve also chosen a favourite book I think you should start with if you haven’t read their work before.

Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden’s novels are mostly set in the USA during the Gilded Age. I enjoy Elizabeth Camden’s novels because she tends to write intelligent heroines who can think for themselves, and who often have an unusual career for the time.

If you haven’t read any of Elizabeth Camden’s novels, I recommend With Every Breath, in which the characters are trying to find the cure for tuberculosis.

Christine Dillon

Christine Dillon’s first published books were contemporary Christian fiction, starting with Grace in Strange Disguise. She’s now moved to Biblical fiction, which is what she started writing. I love her books because of their depth in terms of plot, character, and Christian principles.

If you haven’t read any of Christine Dillon’s books, I recommend Plagues and Papyrus, a unique take on the familiar story of the ten plagues of Egypt.

Gabrielle Meyer

Gabrielle Meyer is a prolific author who is probably best known for her many Love Inspired titles or her American Brides series. But I discovered her through the absolutely brilliant Timeless series, featuring women who live in two (or three) times at once …

This is a series that’s best read in order, so you will want to start with When the Day Comes.

Carolyn Miller

I have always had a soft spot for Regency Romance (blame Georgette Heyer!), but there were many years where it was difficult to find any good Christian titles. There are a lot more choices now, but Carolyn Miller remains my favourite because her novels have a strong Christian thread.

If you haven’t read any of Carolyn’s Christian Regency Romances, I recommend starting at the beginning with The Ellusive Miss Ellison, the first in her A Legacy of Grace series.

Roseanna M White

Finally, I have always had a fascination for codes and investigations, so I’ve loved all Roseanna M White’s spy and cypher stories, especially The Number of Love, the first in her Codebreakers series.

However, my latest favourite Roseanna M White series is A Beautiful Disguise, the first in her Imposters series.

What about you? Who is your favourite historical fiction author, and why?

No one knew better than Giovanni Rinaldi that it was possible to switch courses in life. It wasn’t easy, but it was possible.

Book Review | While the City Sleeps by Elizabeth Camden

For the last two years, New York Police Department Lieutenant Jonathan Birch has been escorting dentist Dr. Katherine Schnieder to the nearest subway station when her shift ends at midnight, even though that isn’t part of his official duties. Katherine would like to take the relationship further but has no idea how Lt. Birch feels.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that there is something undeniably attractive about a man who can cook.

Give him the ability to bake flawless focaccia or chocolate biscotti and … well, I’m sold on Jonathan and can see why Katherine is so taken with him. Meanwhile, she enjoys her work as a dentist, treating those who would not be able to afford care from New York’s more mainstream dentists. Their personal and professional lives coincide when Katherine realises one of her recent late-night patients might have been involved in a bomb attack, so she contacts Jonathan … an action which has consequences.

One of the things I like most about Elizabeth Camden’s novels is her ability to create intelligent female characters and place them in a story in a way that feels both progressive and entirely natural. Dentist Dr. Katherine Schneider is no exception. But the novel isn’t all about dentistry (great news for the squeamish). It’s more a historical romantic suspense that takes two not-quite-ordinary people and gives them a gripping story.

If I had to find fault with While the City Sleeps, it would be that Nonna’s secret recipe for chocolate biscoti remains a secret …

One of the things I like best about historical fiction is the opportunity to learn something new—like the fact Dr. Edgar Parker really did legally change his given name to “Painless” in order to win a lawsuit. Dr. Parker was decades ahead of his time in hiring dentist who reflected the diversity of his customer base—including female and Black dentists. I also appreciated the way he kept his prices affordable (because everyone deserves decent dental care), and kept his clinics open beyond  the normal nine-to-five to give working people the chance to receive treatment.

I didn’t especially enjoy Elizabeth Camden’s last series (I didn’t even read the final book), but While the City Sleeps takes us back to what I most like about her work: her ability to weave a fascinating novel around real-life history, and to inject that with a strong yet understated Christian element.

Recommended for fans of Christian historical fiction, especially those featuring women in non-traditional occupations.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

Find Elizabeth Camden online at:

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About While the City Sleeps

Cover image - While the City Sleeps by Elizabeth CamdenAmid the hushed city, two hearts must navigate danger and deception, bound by a love that outshines the stars.

Katherine Schneider’s life as a dentist in 1913 New York is upended when a patient reveals details of a deadly plot while under the influence of laughing gas. As she is plunged into danger, she seeks help from the dashing Lieutenant Jonathan Birch, a police officer she has long admired from afar.

Jonathan has harbored powerful feelings toward Katherine for years but never acted on them, knowing his dark history is something she could never abide. Now, with her safety on the line, he works alongside her through the nights as they unravel the criminal conspiracy that threatens her . . . even as he keeps his deepest secrets hidden at all costs.

Find While the City Sleeps online at:

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First Line Friday

First Line Friday #324 | While the City Sleeps by Elizabeth Camden

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I am a big fan of Elizabeth Camden’s novels—I love the way she can weave real-life history and a solid Christian arc into her stories and make them unputdownable. While the City Sleeps is the first in her new Women of Midtown series, set in 1913 New York. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

People were rarely in a good mood while in a dentist’s chair, but Dr. Katherine Schneider’s patient was singing.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

 

About While the City Sleeps

Cover image - While the City Sleeps by Elizabeth CamdenAmid the hushed city, two hearts must navigate danger and deception, bound by a love that outshines the stars.

Katherine Schneider’s life as a dentist in 1913 New York is upended when a patient reveals details of a deadly plot while under the influence of laughing gas. As she is plunged into danger, she seeks help from the dashing Lieutenant Jonathan Birch, a police officer she has long admired from afar.

Jonathan has harbored powerful feelings toward Katherine for years but never acted on them, knowing his dark history is something she could never abide. Now, with her safety on the line, he works alongside her through the nights as they unravel the criminal conspiracy that threatens her . . . even as he keeps his deepest secrets hidden at all costs.

Find While the City Sleeps online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

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Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

Book Review | Written on the Wind (Blackstone Legacy #2) by Elizabeth Camden

Twenty-eight-year-old Natalia Blackstone is an unusual woman for her time.

She is a banker in her father’s bank, responsible for financing the building of the Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia. Her main contact is Count Dimitri Sokolov, but he hasn’t responded to her last telegram.

When Dimitri reports witnessing an illegal massacre, he is stripped of his title and estates and sentenced to seven years in a Siberian prison. He realises he has to escape and find his way to the USA, where Natalia can help him make the truth about the massacre known. That’s obviously a tragedy, but I didn’t understand enough of the politics to see why this was so important to the Americans.

As a result, I didn’t find Written on the Wind as compelling as some of Elizabeth Camden’s other novels, despite the backdrop of the Trans-Siberians Railroad and the Russian setting. That’s a shame, because I’d been looking forward to Natalia’s story and to meeting Count Dimitri.

I think part of the problem was the friends-to-more plot.

Natalia and Dimitri had been corresponding for three years before they met, and their relationship had progressed from business to personal. It therefore seemed natural that they’d like each other when they finally met in person, but the whole thing seemed too easy.

That’s not typical for novels by Elizabeth Camden, who usually manages to write stories with unique with original settings and issues. That uniqueness is one of the strengths of her stories. The building of the railroad and the Boxer Rebellion was unique, but that was the backdrop, the device to get Dimitri to the USA, not the central story.

However, I did enjoy the banter between Natalia and Dimitri, especially their different views on matters of culture and literature. The dialogue between them was a definite strength.

The other strength was one common to all Elizabeth Camden novels: the nuggets of truth hidden in the narrative and dialogue, particularly regarding the differences between Russia and the USA. These differences were often amusingly shown through Natalia and Dimitri’s views on literature:

Novels should be written on an epic scale to explore and celebrate the depth of human suffering.

(I think this basically explains why I didn’t enjoy Tolstoy.)

Written on the Wind is the second book in The Blackstone Legacy series but can easily be read as a standalone novel.

Thanks to Baker Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook review.

About Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

Find Elizabeth Camden online at:

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About Written on the Wind

He carries a dangerous secret, but can he survive long enough to expose it?

Count Dimitri Sokolov has been charged with overseeing construction of the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway, but during this work, he witnesses an appalling crime, the truth of which threatens the Russian monarchy. In an effort to silence him, the czar has stripped Dimitri of his title, his lands, and his freedom . . . but Dimitri has one asset the czar knows nothing about: his deep and abiding friendship with Natalia Blackstone.

Natalia is the lead analyst for her father’s New York banking empire and manages their investment in the Trans-Siberian Railway. Her bond with Dimitri has flourished despite the miles between them, but when Dimitri goes unexpectedly missing, she sets the wheels in motion to find him. Once they join forces, they embark on a dangerous quest in which one wrong move could destroy them both.

From the steppes of Russia to the corridors of power in Washington, Dimitri and Natalia will fight against all odds to save the railroad while exposing the truth. Can their newfound love survive the ordeal?

Find Written on the Wind online at:

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The two of you are very different, but people of good character can disagree and still be admirable.

Book Review | Carved in Stone (Blackstone Legacy #1) by Elizabeth Camden

Irish lawyer Patrick O’Neill is representing thug-turned-author Mick Malone to ensure Malone’s memoir is published. The Blackstone family don’t want the memoir published, because it will discuss the kidnapping and murder of three-year-old William Blackstone.

Widow Gwen Blackstone Kellermann lives in the grounds of Blackstone College, the university her father founded. But the university replies on substantial donations from the family bank, and her uncle is threatening to stop funding unless Gwen can stop the memoir’s publication.

I’ve always enjoyed the way Elizabeth Camden has been able to take lesser-known historical events and turn them into fascinating and unique novels.

Her novels usually manage to engage me from the first page, but this one took a little longer to get going. Initially, it looked like being a fairly standard rich “old-money” meets poor immigrant Irish … something I’ve read before.

But the story changed at around the one-quarter mark when we (and Patrick) realise Mick Malone’s memoir isn’t the point. Yes, the story is an opposites-attract romance. Instead, the backdrop is the upcoming creation of US Steel, a merger which formed the world’s largest corporation, controlling around two-thirds of US steel production. It’s also about what really happened to William Blackstone.

Carved in Stone by Elizabeth Camden is yet another brilliant Christian historical romance from one of the top writers in the genre. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on X

Once I understood what the story was about, I was hooked. The combination of excellent characters, romance, mystery, and suspense made it hard for me to stop reading (so I didn’t).

The story took several unexpected plot turns, and it delivered on all of them.

Elizabeth Camden’s previous novels have shone light into seemingly boring topics such as geography, public health, and food safety. Carved in Stone is set against high finance, big corporations, and labour unions. It also touches on the all-too-current scientific problem of vaccines (and funding), and how what looks like an instant miracle cure is actually the product of years (or decades) of hard work.

Carved in Stone is the first book in Elizabeth Camden’s new Blackstone Legacy series, and I’m looking forward to seeing which of Gwen’s many cousins is the focus of the next novel. This is a must-read for Elizabeth Camden fans, and recommended for anyone who likes historical accuracy in their historical fiction.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

Find Elizabeth Camden online at:

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About Carved in Stone

Her gilded world holds a deeply hidden secret.

After years of tragedy, Gwen Kellerman now lives a quiet life as a botanist at an idyllic New York college. She largely ignores her status as heiress to the infamous Blackstone dynasty and hopes to keep her family’s heartbreak and scandal behind her.

Patrick O’Neill survived a hardscrabble youth to become a lawyer for the downtrodden Irish immigrants in his community. He’s proud of his work, even though he struggles to afford his ramshackle law office. All that changes when he accepts a case that is sure to emphasize the Blackstones’ legacy of greed and corruption by resurrecting a thirty-year-old mystery.

Little does Patrick suspect that the Blackstones will launch their most sympathetic family member to derail him. Gwen is tasked with getting Patrick to drop the case, but the old mystery takes a shocking twist neither of them saw coming. Now, as they navigate a burgeoning attraction and growing danger, Patrick and Gwen will be forced to decide if the risk to the life they’ve always held dear is worth the reward.

You can find Carved in Stone online at:

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Luke wouldn't let an inconvenient attraction stand in the way of a lifelong grudge.

Book Review | The Prince of Spies (Hope and Glory #3) by Elizabeth Camden

The Prince of Spies is a twist on the Romeo and Juliet story, complete with feuding families and threats of poison.

When Luke Delacroix helps a lady save a dog, he is immediately intrigued and wants to get to know her better. Unfortunately, she is Marianne Magruder, from the Magruder family who have been Delacroix enemies for decades. She’s the adopted daughter of Congressman Clyde Magruder, who Luke wants removed from office because of his history of favouring his own business interests over the public good. (In this case, “public good” means not producing food that kills people.)

Luke volunteers for medical trials intended to determine if the food additives Magruder and others use are safe. The men become known as the Poison Squad, which is based on real-life research conducted by Dr Wiley, the man responsible for the establishment of the US Food & Drug Administration in 1906. It is thanks to Dr Wiley and his Poison Squad that we now understand what preservatives are safe for use in food, and in what quantities.

That’s the kind of historical factoid which fascinates me and is the element that raises Elizabeth Camden’s novels into the must-read category for me. Anyway, back to the story …

Marianne is attracted to Luke, enough to go behind her father’s back when he forbids her to see Luke again.

But she’s fiercely loyal to her father and the Magruder family, despite Luke’s accusations. As the story goes on, it becomes apparent that she’ll have to choose between her family and Luke (although historical record, as well as the fact this is a romance novel, makes her choice obvious). This doesn’t detract from the plot – if anything, it strengthens it as I wonder how the author is going to achieve the impossible.

The Prince of Spies is the third novel in Elizabeth Camden’s Hope and Glory series. I suspect it’s the final one, as the Delacroix siblings are now all married. however, it’s definitely a cast of characters I’d like to read more about, for the historical context, for the brilliant writing, and for the characters themselves.

The Prince of Spies by Elizabeth Camden by is a must-read for fans of Christian historical romance, or those historical fiction fans who enjoy a good story based around real-life events. #BookReview Share on X

This is definitely a must-read for fans of Christian historical romance, or those historical fiction fans who enjoy a good story based around real-life events. Recommended.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

Find Elizabeth Camden online at:

Website | Facebook

About The Prince of Spies

Luke Delacroix has the reputation of a charming man-about-town in Gilded Age Washington, DC. In reality, he is secretly carrying out an ambitious agenda in Congress. His current mission is to thwart the reelection of Congressman Clyde Magruder, his only real enemy in the world.

But trouble begins when Luke meets Marianne Magruder, the congressman’s only daughter, whose job as a government photographer gives her unprecedented access to sites throughout the city. Luke is captivated by Marianne’s quick wit and alluring charm, leading them both into a dangerous gamble to reconcile their feelings for each other with Luke’s driving passion for vital reforms in Congress.

Can their newfound love survive a political firestorm, or will three generations of family rivalry drive them apart forever?

Find The Prince of Spies online at:

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We can't control the seasons in our lives, only how we respond to them.

Book Review | A Gilded Lady (Hope & Glory #2) by Elizabeth Camden

I almost didn’t read this novel, and that would have been my loss because it was excellent. I didn’t find the monochrome cover particularly appealing, and I’m somewhat tired of reading about the lifestyles of the privileged in the Gilded Age (the 1890’s aka the late Victorian era).

So what interested me about A Gilded Lady?

Simple. Caroline Delacroix is the secretary to the First Lady of the United States, and the promise of a glimpse inside the White House of 1900 was enough to hook me. I have been consistently impressed with Elizabeth Camden’s ability to weave a compelling romance around a combination of a little-known historical fact and a heroine with an unusual occupation.

And I was not disappointed.

Caroline works for Ida Garfield, a First Lady with a temper who suffered from epilepsy and probably depression, a result of losing both her daughters. Caroline basically runs her life, organising social events from a simple morning tea to an inaguration ball. She will do anything to maintain her role because her twin brother, Luke, has been jailed in Cuba for treason, and Caroline believes a presidential pardon is his only hope.

Life is not made easier by Nathaniel Trask, the new White House head of security, appointed after the assassination of the king of Italy. (Those familiar with US history will see the irony, as they will know what happens.) Caroline is attracted to him, but obviously can’t do anything about that without giving up on her brother.

So what did I like about A Guilded Lady?

I liked the inside look at the historical White House (I was less impressed by the cost of Ida McKinley’s ball dress—$8,000 is astronomical now. How much was it in 1900?) I liked Caroline, who was a lot more intelligent and practical than the heroines in most Guilded Age novels I’ve read. I liked the compelling yet understated developing relationship between Caroline and Nathaniel, and the equally compelling yet understated faith aspect.

In fact, I enjoyed the novel so much I then bought and read The Spice King, the first novel in the Hope and Glory series (and one I had discounted because of the uninteresting monochrome cover). It was equally enjoyable, although there are probably advantages in reading The Spice King first …

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

Find Elizabeth Camden online at:

Website | Facebook

About A Gilded Lady


Caroline Delacroix is at the pinnacle of Washington high society in her role as secretary to the first lady of the United States. But beneath the facade of her beauty, glamorous wardrobe, and dazzling personality, she’s hiding a terrible secret. If she cannot untangle a web of foreign espionage, her brother will face execution for treason.

Nathaniel Trask is the newly appointed head of the president’s Secret Service team. He is immediately suspicious of Caroline despite his overwhelming attraction to her quick wit and undeniable charm. Desperate to keep the president protected, Nathaniel must battle to keep his focus fully on his job as the threat to the president rises.

Amid the glamorous pageantry of Gilded Age Washington, DC, Caroline and Nathaniel will face adventure, danger, and heartbreak in a race against time that will span the continent and the depth of human emotion.

Find A Gilded Lady online at:

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Read the introduction to A Gilded Lady below:

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 143 | A Gilded Lady by Elizabeth Camden

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from A Guilded Lady by Elizabeth Camden, the second book in her Hope and Glory series. Here’s the first line of Chapter One:

There was no such thing as a typical day at the White House, but Caroline Delacroix's morning took a particularly difficult turn the moment she walked into her private office.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About A Gilded Lady

Caroline Delacroix is at the pinnacle of Washington high society in her role as secretary to the first lady of the United States. But beneath the facade of her beauty, glamorous wardrobe, and dazzling personality, she’s hiding a terrible secret. If she cannot untangle a web of foreign espionage, her brother will face execution for treason.

Nathaniel Trask is the newly appointed head of the president’s Secret Service team. He is immediately suspicious of Caroline despite his overwhelming attraction to her quick wit and undeniable charm. Desperate to keep the president protected, Nathaniel must battle to keep his focus fully on his job as the threat to the president rises.

Amid the glamorous pageantry of Gilded Age Washington, DC, Caroline and Nathaniel will face adventure, danger, and heartbreak in a race against time that will span the continent and the depth of human emotion.

Find A Gilded Lady online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

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Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

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#ThrowbackThursday | With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden

It’s Throwback Thursday! That means it’s time for me to revisit a review of an older book I enjoyed. Today I’m resharing my review of With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden, one of my favourite Christian historical romance authors. I especially love the way she weaves real-life historical events into her stories.

Elizabeth Camden has done it again

Elizabeth Camden is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. She’s won well-deserved RITA and Christy awards with her previous novels, and she just keeps getting better.

Kate Norton lost her chance to go to college in 1879 when Trevor McDonough won the scholarship they were both competing for. She has worked as a statistician at the census bureau since then, but is now offered a new opportunity working for Dr T M Kendall at Washington Memorial Hospital, analysing data and predicting trends in health. She is shocked to find Dr Kendall is her high school nemesis, but soon finds there is more to him than she knew.

Trevor is attempting to find a cure for tuberculosis, an infectious and misunderstood disease.

He’s convinced that rest, good diet and sunshine are key, but a series of malicious newspaper articles bring the project under scrutiny, and he and Kate have to work together.

I thought everything about With Every Breath was excellent—the characters (especially the brilliant but socially awkward Trevor), the plot, and especially the writing, which was a masterful exercise in restraint in the way so much was happening beneath the text. With Every Breath is Christian fiction, although the faith elements are understated.

The information around tuberculosis gate a poignant and bittersweet note to With Every Breath, because I knew Dr Kendall wasn’t going to discover the cure. My great-grandfather, a postman, died of pulmonary tuberculosis and exhaustion on Christmas Day 1925, and Her Daughter’s Dream by Francine Rivers (and based on her family history) featured a character suffering from the disease in the early 1950’s. Reading this made me thankful for the men and women like Kate and Trevor who have dedicated their lives to finding cures for horrible diseases over the years. Recommended.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

Find Elizabeth Camden online at:

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About With Every Breath

In the shadow of the nation’s capital, Kate Livingston’s respectable life as a government worker is disrupted by an encounter with the insufferable Trevor McDonough, the one man she’d hoped never to see again. A Harvard-trained physician, Trevor never showed the tiniest flicker of interest in Kate, and business is the only reason he has sought her out now.

Despite her misgivings, Kate agrees to Trevor’s risky proposal to join him in his work to find a cure for tuberculosis. As Kate begins to unlock the mysteries of Trevor’s past, his hidden depths fascinate her. However, a shadowy enemy lies in wait and Trevor’s closely guarded secrets are darker than she ever suspected.

As revelations from the past threaten to destroy their careers, their dreams, and even their lives, Trevor and Kate find themselves in a painfully impossible situation. With everything to lose, they must find the strength to trust that hope and love can prevail over all.

Find With Every Breath online at:

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Read the introduction to With Every Breath below:

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It isn't us who are on trial, it is science itself. And I am confident we will win.

Book Review | A Daring Venture by Elizabeth Camden

It’s Throwback Thursday! Today I’m sharing my review of A Daring Venture by Elizabeth Camden. She is one of my favourite historical romance authors because I love the way she finds fascinating scraps of history to share about—like the fight for clean water in the growing cities of Golden Age America. It’s not the typical background to a romance novel, but it works!
This review first appeared at Australasian Christian Writers in June 2018.

Rosaline Werner lost both her parents to cholera when she was just ten years old. The loss changed her life, but eighteen years later she’s back in America, working as a biochemist fighting to eradicate waterborne diseases including typhoid. She’s convinced the answer is to chemically treat the city’s supply of drinking water with chlorine, but not everyone agrees.

Nicholas Drake is a plumber, and a commissioner of the State Water Board of New York, responsible for ensuring the citizens have access to clean water. But he can’t see that adding poison to water is the solution—he prefers the tried-and-true method of filtering the water.

It’s a great set-up: two people who want the same thing.

Two people with noble reasons. But two people who fundamentally disagree on the best process, to the point where their factions are fighting it out in court. It’s a plot that isn’t going to allow for compromise. Rosaline will win, or Nicholas will win. Unless Rosaline can convince Nicholas to change his mind …

It’s also a unique concept for a novel. Plumbing. Water. Dams. Chlorination. Filtration. Most of us in developed countries take safe drinking water for granted, and it’s hard to believe that it’s only been a little over a century since the idea was mooted, accepted, and popularised. Elizabeth Camden is known for taking little-known and intriguing historical factoids and turning them into compelling historical novels with plenty of romance and more than a little suspense.

The one possible fault with A Daring Venture is that while Elizabeth Camden’s earlier novels were definitely Christian, this (and the previous novel in this Empire State series, A Dangerous Legacy) do not have any overtly Christian content. But nor are they general market titles, with all that implies. Perhaps it’s that the faith element is woven in so subtly that it’s not noticeable.

And in some ways, it shouldn’t be. A Daring Venture isn’t a faith-based story. It’s the story of clean, disease-free water, and some of the people who helped change our world for the better by fighting for what was right. Which, if you think about it, is the outworking of the Christian faith.

A Daring Venture is an excellent novel with a unique premise.

Recommended for fans of historical fiction, especially romances and novels with a basis in historical fact. I hope there will be a sequel, because I want to see more of Nicholas and his growing family.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

Find Elizabeth Camden online at:

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About A Daring Venture

As a biochemist in early 1900s New York, Doctor Rosalind Werner has dedicated her life to the crusade against waterborne diseases. She is at the forefront of a groundbreaking technology that will change the way water is delivered to every household in the city–but only if she can get people to believe in her work.

Newly appointed Commissioner of Water for New York, Nicholas Drake is highly skeptical of Rosalind and her team’s techniques. When a brewing court case throws him into direct confrontation with her, he is surprised by his reaction to the lovely scientist.

While Rosalind and Nick wage a private war against their own attraction, they stand firmly on opposite sides of a battle that will impact far more than just their own lives. As the controversy grows more public and inflammatory and Rosalind becomes the target of an unknown enemy, the odds stacked against these two rivals swiftly grow more insurmountable with every passing day.

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