Historical Fiction | Prepub Alert, May 2025 Titles

This month's historical novels include a Jane Austen–inspired tale from Natalie Jenner, a World War II story set on Martha's Vineyard by Martha Hall Kelly, and a matriarch's tale of land and legacy in the Lowcountry of South Carolina from Mary Alice Monroe.

Jenner, Natalie. Austen at Sea. St. Martin’s. May 2025. ISBN 9781250349590. 320p. $29. HISTORICAL FICTION

Bestselling Jenner (The Jane Austen Society) returns with another Jane Austen–inspired tale. In 1865 Boston, sisters Charlotte and Henrietta Stevenson, both fans of Austen, correspond with Sir Francis, Jane’s last surviving sibling. He invites the Stevensons and a pair of brothers who are rare book dealers to visit him in England, launching them on a life-changing journey. With a 100K-copy first printing.

Kelly, Martha Hall. The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club. Ballantine. May 2025. ISBN 9780593354919. 336p. $30. HISTORICAL FICTION

Bestselling Kelly (The Golden Doves) offers a World War II story about teenage sisters Cadence and Briar Smith. In 1942, the U.S. Army arrives on Martha’s Vineyard, and Briar spots German U-boats lurking offshore. The girls find escape and community in a book club, which could make Cadence’s writing dreams come true—and change the course of the war.

Monroe, Mary Alice. Where the Rivers Merge. Morrow. May 2025. ISBN 9780063249424. 352p. $30. HISTORICAL FICTION

In 1908, young Eliza revels in the fields and wildlife at Mayfield, her family’s estate in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. While those idyllic days don’t last, Eliza becomes the matriarch of the family and must make difficult decisions to protect her family legacy and the land she loves. Bestselling Monroe’s (The Summer of Lost and Found) latest receives a 150K-copy first printing.

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