The New York Times “88 Books for Summer” list has chosen books across genres to be enjoyed over the summer months. The historical fiction category selected novels that remind us that people have been making horrible mistakes since the beginning of time (but the stories also contain love, joy, and triumph too!).
THE PROPHET’S WIFE by Libbie Grant (William Morrow) is a sweeping, lyrical tale of historical fiction that tells the unbelievable story of the early days of the Mormon church through the eyes of the woman who saw it all. When Emma Hale marries an itinerant treasure hunter named Joseph Smith in rural Pennsylvania, she has no idea she’s committing herself not just to a self-confident young man but to a religious movement. Its rapid growth will be met with horrific violence on the Illinois frontier — and with a fierce struggle for power within its own ranks. The novel probes the emotional maelstrom that engulfs this guileless woman as she watches her husband evolve from a charismatic small-town preacher into the embattled leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Libbie Grant has been passionate about American history—especially the early days of the Mormon Church—from a young age. She was raised in the Latter-day Saint faith and has deep roots in Mormon culture, though she is no longer a practicing member. Under her pen name, Olivia Hawker, she is a Washington Post bestselling author and a finalist for the Washington State Book Award and the WILLA Literary Award for Historical Fiction. She lives in the San Juan Islands with her husband, Paul. Libbie Grant is represented by Carolyn Forde.
For the full list, please visit: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/27/books/review/new-historical-fiction.html