Opening thoughts: I think, one of the coolest things about historical-fiction novels—romantic or otherwise—are the real-life places, things, and events of the time period that the author chooses. They truly put into perspective how different things used to be. We don’t travel everywhere by horse or Model-T. Our marriages aren’t arranged by our parents (ok, maybe not as much as they used to be). And another big difference that I wish was still a thing: communication through letters. Whenever I hear a story from history about two people meeting and becoming best friends (or even falling in love!) I turn into a hopeless romantic very quickly. So, that’s why I’m so excited to feature The Letter Tree & A Noble Groom in this week’s post. Beneath the synopsis are some cool tidbits that authors, Rachel Fordham & Jody Hedlund, shared in the “Author's Note" section in the backs of their books about the research they did for their stories.
The Letter Tree - Buffalo, NY, 1924. Laura Bradshaw adores stories happily ever afters. But since her mother died seven years ago, the Bradshaw Shoe Company heiress has been as good as locked away in a tower. Her overbearing father cares little for her dreams, throwing himself instead into his tireless take-down of hsi competitor, the Campbell Shoe Company. However, Laura has been gifted with a reprieve: a mysterious friend with whom she’s been exchanging letters. As heir to the Campbell Shoe Company, Isaac Campbell is a sought-after bachelor who has never felt an inkling of desire for the women who constantly bat their eyes at him. His thoughts are consumed by an oak tree in the Buffalo Zoo—or rather, the mystery woman he exchanges letters with courtesy of the tree. She’s been one of Isaac’s only joys in a life consumed by his father’s tireless hatred of Bradshaw. A hatred that Isaac is coming to realize, may affect him more personally than he ever imagined. When Laura’s father orchestrates a match between her and an important business owner, she resolves to pursue her only chance at freedom. But Isaac believes their story isn’t bound for a tragic ending. He’s certain there’s more to the Bradshaw-Campbell feud than meets the eye. And he won’t stop digging until he uncovers the truth that might bridge the divide between him and the woman whose words have captured his heart.
From the Author’s Note: The Letter Tree takes place in 1920s Buffalo, New York, which means that author Rachel Fordham had the chance to feature cool places like: the Buffalo Zoo, Delaware Park, The Quarry Gardens, and Niagara Falls. When it came to the zoo, the author chose animals that her children loved seeing when her and her family lived in Buffalo. The elephant that is featured on the cover is inspired by a real elephant named Big Frank that lived in the zoo in the 1920s. Fordham also shared that she got the idea for the Bradshaw/Campbell shoe factory feud from the Adidas/Puma feud (a.k.a. The Dassler brothers’ feud) that took place in Germany. If you like to find out more about Rachel’s Fordham’s book The Letter Tree, or even the research she did for it, check out The Letter Tree at the Cross Reference Library.
A Noble Groom - Annalisa Werner’s hope for a fairy-tale love is over. Her husband failed her in every way, and now his death has left her with few options to save the family farm. She needs a plentiful harvest. That, and a husband to help bring it in. Someone strong, dependable. That’ll be enough. A marriage for love…that’s something she’s given up on. So her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find Annalisa a groom. Then a man appears: Carl Richards, from their home country of Germany, and a former schoolteacher—or so he says. He’s looking for work and will serve on the farm until her husband arrives. With time running out, she accepts Carl’s help, but there’s more to this man than he’s admitting. He’s also gentle, kind, charming—unlike any man she’s ever known. But even as his shining light into the darkness of Annalisa’s heart, she knows her true groom may arrive any day.
From the Author’s Note: To go along with Annalisa and Carl’s love story, Jody Hedlund took inspiration from the German immigration of 1880s Michigan. Hedlund shared the following in her notes that I find pretty interesting, “The German community in A Noble Groom immigrated from Saxony, Germany to Sanilac County, Michigan, and formed Colonial Saxonia…Spurred on by the prospect of owning their own land and becoming prosperous—something they could never have in the Old Country—the German immigrants began the arduous task of clearing the land for farming…While I took liberty with the dates and details of the particular German community for the sake of my story, it was my hope to bring to life the essence of an immigrant community, the rigors of farming, and the struggles of the early settlers.” Hedlund included references to typhoid fever, the Red Cross, and the Great Fire of 1881. I totally recommend that you check out this book. And if you’re not a huge fan of romance novels, don’t worry. Hedlund makes up for that through great references to history and through good story-telling.
Final Thoughts: In my opinion, I truly believe that the authors care about, and have respect for the time periods they’re writing about. I loved how interesting their characters were, and how they didn't have generic personalities. You really do feel like you're stepping into the 1800s and 1900s. I really enjoyed sharing the “Author’s Notes” with you, and I hope that they make you want to check out these books even more because of it.