A Valley of Betrayal ~ by Tricia Goyer

Every once in a while I like to feature an author and their book, and today it's Tricia Goyer with her latest release, AValley of Betrayal.

I love historical fiction...done well, and this story pulled me into its images, sounds, scents, and textures. Sophie, a young American with romance in her heart and stars in her eyes, arrives in 1930s Spain and her journey is very different than she imagined. I became immersed in the story of the Spanish people--on both sides of the conflict--and the Americans and others who must make difficult choices as they struggle just to survive.

Tricia's research is impeccable and thorough. If you're aspiring to write historical fiction of any kind, you need to check this book out. Read it first to experience the story as a reader, and then go back and take notes.

A Valley of Betrayal brings to life a story not often told. At first I didn't know there was such a thing as the Spanish Civil War, nor did I know its impact on Europe afterwards. The book left me anticipating what comes next.

One of the challenges historical writers face is finding something "new" to write about. those of us who like to write historical novels should, like Tricia, keep our ears open for that something new. Chances are if it's new to us, it'll be new to someone else. Then we need to listen for the characters that emerge from history, and tell their stories. Right now I'm researching what I think will be a unique historical novel. I hope my research and storytelling are as well-crafted and thought-out as Tricia's work in A Valley of Betrayal.

The Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War series, I believe, will give readers the something new they're looking for. If you get the chance, pick this book up!