Fiction Friday

It is time for Fiction Friday, where I share a fiction book that I have loved. This week’s book is The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry.

Almost two years ago, I started sharing a fiction book that I loved on Fridays on Instagram. It has been a fun way to highlight some of my favorite fiction books.

A few of the books I share for Fiction Friday are new releases, but the majority of the books I share are backlist titles. That means they will be readily available at your local library or used bookstore.

I thought it would be fun to start sharing Fiction Friday books, not only on Instagram, but here on From Our Bookshelf, too.

I wanted my First Fiction Friday book to be perfect for summer, so we are starting with The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry was published in 2023. It is a WWII historical fiction book that is different from most WWII historical fiction books.

This book takes you to 1939 England, where children were evacuated to the countryside to keep them safe from the bombs hitting London during WWII. It was called Operation Pied Piper. 

Hazel and her sister Flora are sent to the countryside to keep them safe. Hazel tells Flora stories to comfort her and help her feel less homesick.

You then fast-forward to 1959 London, where Hazel is working at a rare bookstore when she comes across a book full of stories that are her own. She comes across a book about Whisperwood, but Whisperwood is only known to Hazel and her sister.

Hazel embarks on a journey to discover how her stories ended up in a book by an American author.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea was a five star read for me. It is part history and part mystery. It is about family, love, war, endurance and more.

Patti Callahan Henry took a historical event and made it charming and enchanting.

Have you read The Secret Book of Flora Lea?