Readworthy by BookBub This Month’s Best New Historical Fiction ---------------------------------- The Library of Leaving by Emily Dunlay A librarian reckons with her past in this ‘carefully crafted historical puzzle’ (<i>Kirkus Reviews</i>) - When Helen, an American expat in Switzerland, receives a package from an ex-lover, she must confront the choices she made during World War I - “A top-notch escape into an alluring era” (Matthew Pearl, author of <i>The Dante Club</i>) - “Holds its own against the masters of the literary espionage novel, as intricate in its cat-and-mouse intrigue as any le Carré thriller” (<i>Booklist</i> starred review) Media Praise: Parade, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/8533?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-library-of-leaving-by-emily-dun... Library of Forbidden Books by Mario Escobar In Nazi Germany, a brave librarian risks everything to protect banned books - Can Helene collect and hide the books targeted for public burning by Hitler’s regime? - The <i>USA Today</i> bestselling author of <i>Auschwitz Lullaby</i> “crafts a beautiful story about the power of literature to resist oppression” (Vanessa Miller) - A powerful novel inspired by true events Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/8575?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/library-of-forbidden-books-by-mario... The Oxford Guide to Scandal & Lies by Kate Westbury After World War II, two Oxford students are recruited as secret agents for the Crown - A “cracking good” read (<i>Kirkus Reviews</i>) set in 1950s England - Undergraduates Gin and Sidney must unite for a common goal: find the dangerous informant hiding at their university - “Ginevra and Sidney are some of the most likable characters I’ve met in a long time” (Kristen Perrin, author of the <i>Castle Knoll Files</i> series) Media Praise: Indie Next List, Library Reads, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, BookPage Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/8457?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-oxford-guide-to-scandal-lies-by... The Barman of the Ritz by Philippe Collin As Nazis gather around him, a bartender in Paris hides a deadly secret - In 1940, Frank Meier must keep his Jewish identity hidden — while rooting out intel that could keep him and his loved ones alive - Inspired by a true story, “this satisfying novel honors the memory of Meier and other brave Parisians who opposed Nazi rule” (<i>Publishers Weekly</i>) - A “riveting account” that “conjures the escalating tension, perils, and absurdities of the world at war from inside the Ritz Hotel” (<i>Booklist</i> starred review) Media Praise: The New Yorker, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Elle, Bloomberg Businessweek, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/8492?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-barman-of-the-ritz-by-philippe-... The Woman Who Had Everything by Stephen Greco During one fateful summer in Italy, Elizabeth Taylor finds her legacy transformed - In 1967, Elizabeth’s fame reaches new heights — but behind the scenes, everything is falling apart… - Discover the life of an international icon in this “richly atmospheric” biographical novel (Kim van Alkemade) - From an author whose books are “fascinating and effervescent” (Natalie Jenner) Media Praise: Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/8504?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-woman-who-had-everything-by-ste... The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman September’s Read with Jenna pick is ‘enrapturing, illuminating, and slyly relevant’ (<i>Booklist</i>) - The beloved author of <i>Practical Magic</i> and <i>The World That We Knew</i> “proves she’s still capable of magic” (<i>Publishers Weekly</i>) - In 1950s Massachusetts, college students Ava and Lauren are drawn into a secret organization of witches — and find their bond tested as they confront the group’s legacy - “I loved watching these characters fight for every hard-won moment of love and redemption. Utterly spellbinding” (Leigh Bardugo) Media Praise: TODAY Book Club/Read with Jenna, Book of the Month, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, People, Vanity Fair, The Boston Globe, Smart Bitches Trashy Books, Reactor, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/8459?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-witches-of-cambridge-by-alice-h... Agrippa by Robert Harris Ancient Rome comes to vivid life in this page-turner that’s ‘rich with historical detail’ (<i>BookPage</i>) - One of the most anticipated books of the year, according to <i>The New York Times</i> - While writing his memoirs, Agrippa reflects on his long, life-changing friendship with Octavius, Caesar’s cunning nephew who became Empreror Augustus - “You’re transported into the period, the room, and the intrigue. I gobbled up its nearly 400 pages in no time” (<i>Irish Independent</i>) Media Praise: The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Guardian, The Times, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, BookPage Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/8361?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/agrippa-by-robert-harris-2026-04-21... The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon A dazzling high-seas adventure inspired by 16th-century Irish folklore - The <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Frozen River</i> pens a “heroic, exciting, and stormy voyage” (<i>Kirkus Reviews</i>) - Follow Grace O’Malley through her epic transformation from a chieftain’s dutiful daughter to a fearless sea captain - “Bold and daring, it’s a thrill-a-minute adventure with an absolute badass at the helm” (<i>Real Simple</i>) Media Praise: Book of the Month, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, Real Simple, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/8362?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-pirate-queen-by-ariel-lawhon?gr... Fallen for France by Elizabeth Letts ‘Prepare to be swept away’ (Susan Meissner) by this dazzling World War I tale - A Moroccan boy, a young French woman, and a hardened Englishman find their lives transformed by one incredible horse - A #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author “explores the connections we can forge unexpectedly with animals and one another, against all odds” (Kim Michele Richardson) - Take it from Helen Simonson: ‘“It’s richly immersive and a splendid read. I could not put it down” Media Praise: Booklist, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/8360?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/fallen-for-france-by-elizabeth-lett... The Chinese Lady by Bo Wang ‘Wang’s fresh voice offers a glimpse into a forgotten woman of history’ (<i>Library Journal</i>) - In 1834, Afong Moy is put on display as part of a cruel live exhibit of the first known Chinese woman in the United States - Follow Afong’s journey from New York to San Francisco as she fights to define her own story in this “exceptional” and “exquisitely written” novel (Jennifer Chiaverini) based on true events - “Poignant and luminous… I will be recommending this phenomenal debut to everyone” (Marjan Kamali, author of <i>The Lion Women of Tehran</i>) Media Praise: Library Journal, Booklist, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/8503?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-chinese-lady-by-bo-wang?granted... The Lost Perfumes of Paris by Christine Wells ‘As impeccably crafted as a Dior gown… Pure reading bliss’ (<i>Library Journal</i>) - To follow in her legendary late mother’s footsteps, Elodie sets out to win a highly competitive perfume contest — but betrayal and sabotage will threaten her dreams… - Rave reviews from Kerri Maher, Stephanie Marie Thornton, and Natasha Lester, who calls it “a glorious showstopper of a novel” - “Wells excels at bringing mid 20th-century Paris to life” (<i>Booklist</i>) Media Praise: People, Library Journal, Booklist Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/8502?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-lost-perfumes-of-paris-by-chris... ---------------------------------- Discover more Readworthy recommendations: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/collections/best-new-historical-fiction-b... ---------------------------------- You are receiving this Historical Fiction email because [email protected] is signed up for updates highlighting the best new releases in your categories. If you'd like to change the Readworthy emails you receive, you can update your categories here: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/settings/categories?granted_at=2026-09-14.... Purchases through our links may earn us a commission. If you'd like to update the retailer links included in Readworthy emails, you can update your format and retailer preferences here: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/settings/reading-preferences?granted_at=2.... If you don't want to receive any Readworthy emails, you can unsubscribe here: https://www.bookbub.com/settings/email-subscriptions/readworthy?granted_at=2... ---------------------------------- BookBub · 1 Broadway 14th floor · Cambridge, MA 02142 · United States