The best historical fiction for women features strong characters you root for in harrowing circumstances. These books range from romantic to feminist storylines, all set in different periods to teach you something along the way.
Based on my reading experiences of 100+ books per year, here you’ll find the most immersive books I’ve read by women about women in history. Let’s get literary!
List of the Best Historical Fiction for Women
TOP 3 PICKS
Lilac Girls: This harrowing World War II book about women is one of my all-time favorite books.
My Brilliant Friend: This #1 New York Times best book of the 21st century about two female friends growing up after World War II in Naples, Italy is my favorite book of all time.
The Nightingale: This Reese’s Book Club pick about sisters during World War II in France is widely considered to be Kristin Hannah’s best book.
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
- The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes
- A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
- My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
- The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict
- Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
- The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
- Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
- The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Women by Kristin Hannah
METHODOLOGY
There is no shortage of reads for women set in another time and place, so I aimed to be really specific about curating my genre book list of the best historical fiction books for women. Here’s the criteria I used:
- Female author
- Strong female protagonist(s)
- Written about a different time period
- The historical setting is crucial to the plot
- Books I read and rated ★★★★☆ or ★★★★★
Reviews of My Favorite Women’s Historical Fiction With Strong Female Characters
Historical fiction is a book genre where the story is set in the past. It aims to provide an engaging fictional narrative while offering insights into the historical context, events, settings, and figures of the time.
Notable historical fiction writers include Toni Morrison, Kristin Hannah, and Elena Ferrante.
Learn more about my favorites of theirs to add to your list below.
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Beloved focuses on a former slave named Sethe and follows her struggles to reclaim her life after escaping slavery. Haunted by the ghost of her deceased daughter, she faces emotional and psychological turmoil.
When a young woman named Beloved appears, Sethe believes she is the reincarnation of her lost child.
This offers the backdrop for an exploration of trauma, memory, motherhood, and the legacy of slavery. At its core, it’s about how one woman continues to be enslaved in her thoughts, emotions, and actions even after she is freed.
As with all of Morrison’s novels, it’s both difficult and profound to read at the same time. Morrison is always worth reading, and this is one of her best works.
Reading Tip: Toni Morrison writes poetically, which can present challenges for literal readers. I recommend reading alongside a summary/analysis and/or watching the movie adaptation.
Related Post: Quotes from Beloved
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones & the Six is one of the best Taylor Jenkins Reid books, as well as one of the most unique books I have ever read. Loosely based on the band Fleetwood Mac and told entirely in documentary format through interviews, it’s the story of a 1970s rock band focused on the lead singer, the enigmatic Daisy Jones.
From how the band got together to “the good years” and their ultimate demise, you likely won’t be surprised to learn there’s lots of sex, drugs, and rock and roll in this book.
The unique format and meticulous attention to detail make this book and its characters feel alive. It even includes a full set of album lyrics, through which you can all but hear lead singer Daisy Jones crooning to the lead male vocalist, Billie, a la Stevie Nicks. I read it both in print and audio and enjoyed both experiences!
Tip: The Amazon Prime TV series adaptation is also exceptional.
Related Post: Review of Daisy Jones & The Six | Taylor Jenkins Reid Books in Order
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
In The Four Winds, the Great Depression hits, and Elsa Wolcott is left alone to fight for the land she loves or head west to California with her children in search of a better life.
The choice comes with consequences. The land itself challenges them just as much as the state of the economy.
It’s a gripping tale of motherhood and the struggle to survive and thrive when everything is working against you. You’ll learn about the social and political climate of the time as you anxiously wait to see what becomes of their treacherous journey.
Reading Tip: I recommend the audiobook format of this book, as it is read by beloved narrator Julia Whelan, who is known for injecting emotion and suspense.
The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes
The Giver of Stars chronicles the treacherous journies of three women who become known as the traveling Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky in Depression-era America.
A book for book lovers, it’s both educational and entertaining. It also has really strong female leads for whom you cheer.
A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams
A Hundred Summers is by an author like Kristin Hannah and follows the story of Lily, a young woman drawn into a complicated web of love and betrayal with her former fiancé, Nick, and his new wife, who happens to be Lily’s estranged best friend.
If that’s not a juicy enough start for you, the tension builds to a devastating hurricane — literally and figuratively. This is one dramatic book! Read it if you’ like ‘re intrigued by salacious stories about “frenemies.”
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Lessons in Chemistry is a great book for moms. It tells the story of the unforgettable character of Elizabeth Zott, a strong, self-assured, self-educated woman who becomes a chemist at a male-dominated research institute. Life soon leaves her a single, jobless mother.
She reluctantly and unexpectedly becomes the star of a hit cooking show on TV, where she intermingles her love of science and challenges women to change the status quo.
It’s one of the most popular books in recent years for very good reason. Zott is a sensation you can’t help but root for, quirkiness and all!
Tip: The AppleTV+ adaptation is also exceptional.
Related Post: Lessons in Chemistry Book Club Questions
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Lilac Girls centers on women known as “Ravensbruck Rabbits,” who are captive in a concentration camp, and American heroine Caroline Ferraday, who breathes life and hope into an extremely grim tale.
The narrative completely shocked me to my core. It’s both well-researched and beautifully told by one of the best historical fiction authors. If you like learning about real-life female heroines, put the Lilac Girls historical fiction book series at the top of your list.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
My Brilliant Friend begins the My Brilliant Friend series of four books that follow two naturally smart young girls, Lenu and Lila, as they grow up.
Lenu is quiet, reserved, and bookish. Lila is impulsive, strong-willed, and rebellious. As they age, their similarities and differences begin to push them together and pull them apart, particularly amidst a vibrant neighborhood of characters that influence their lives.
No one develops characters or themes more beautifully than Ferrante does here. Her most extraordinary skills are getting you to feel real feelings about the characters and then twisting and turning those feelings back and forth. The result is an utterly immersive literary experience.
Reading Tip: I recommend the print or ebook version because it contains an index of the many families and characters in the neighborhood. There are a lot, and they are all important. Otherwise, take notes.
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie reimagines the real-life disappearance of one of the most famous female writers in history at a time when women were suppressed.
Post World War I, in December 1926, writer Agatha Christie went missing. A pond with tire tracks nearby finds her empty car and fur coat, and her unfaithful husband Archie struggles not to be implicated.
She remained missing for eleven days as an unprecedented manhunt ensued. Then, she re-emerged with amnesia about the entire event.
I quickly became spellbound by the tale and the clues that dripped throughout it. It’s also one of the most unique historical fiction for women because it incorporates elements of a thriller.
Related Post: The Mystery of Mrs. Christie Summary
Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
Next Year in Havana is a suspenseful novel in which a modern-day woman travels to Cuba, where she uncovers her family’s secrets, including a love affair during the Cuban revolution in 1958, when the family was forced to flee.
It’s the rare kind of historical fiction book that’s both educational and unputdownable.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The Nightingale is a gripping story of two adult sisters. First, in a quaint town, Vianne and her daughter Sophie are forced to shelter a Nazi soldier in their home. This puts her life at constant risk as life’s necessities dwindle.
Meanwhile, Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, a rebel and a spitfire, meets and quickly falls in love with the partisan Gaetan. But after Gaetan betrays her, she joins the underground resistance, continually facing dangerous decisions.
What happens as this novel progresses will touch your heart and shock your conscience as you turn the pages. The Nightingale is universally beloved for very good reason. It’s a must-read.
Reading Tip: I recommend reading this book in print or digital format. I found the audiobook to be dry and switched over.
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
Practical Magic begins the Practical Magic series of four books that tell the story of generations of the magical Owens women of Massachusetts, from the Salem witch trials to the present. At the core is the love curse that has plagued their family for generations.
These books are an oxymoron: they are both beautiful and tragic, as is life. They captured the hearts of readers for decades. They’re especially great for autumn reading and/or fans of literary fiction.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Secret Life of Bees follows Lily Owens, a young white girl raised by an abusive father, and her housekeeper, Rosaleen. After an incident with racist locals, Lily and Rosaleen run away. They seek refuge with three Black beekeepers who live on a honey farm.
Lily comes of age as she learns about the art of beekeeping and uncovers secrets about her biological mother.
It’s the ultimate story of “found family” set against the backdrop of Civil Rights. It’s a heartwarming tale that’s remained popular with readers over time.
Fun Fact: Find this book on the Gilmore Girls reading list.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is the most epic Hollywood glam story of an aging actress’s salacious life and seven marriages.
She enlists an unknown magazine reporter and divulges all of her secrets and love affairs from the 1950s to the present. You’ll gasp as a major twist is revealed early on, and the twists keep coming as fast as the juicy details.
This popular book makes you turn the pages faster than a tabloid in the grocery checkout line. The author perfectly explores every aspect of Evelyn Hugo’s complex, flawed character, from seductive to endearing. The result is one of the most memorable characters I’ve read in literature.
The Women by Kristin Hannah is a bestselling historical fiction book that focuses on the stories of women in America and abroad during the Vietnam War era. It covers just about every significant issue surrounding the War through the eyes of Frankie, a duty-driven young American woman enlists as a nurse.
There, the realities of war are more horrific than she could have imagined. Back in America, however, not only was she not deemed a hero, but she was also discarded and mistreated as a veteran. This affects her physical, mental, and emotional health and demands a reckoning.
The reader walks away with both a comprehensive understanding of the controversial nature of this War and also a profound respect for the women (and men) who served in it.
Reading Tip: I recommend the audiobook format of this book, as it is read by beloved narrator Julia Whelan, who is known for injecting emotion and suspense.
Related Post: The Women Book Club Questions
Recap
TOP 3 HISTORICAL FICTION FOR WOMEN
Take a literary journey back in time and get started with my favorite bestsellers:
remember, it’s a good day to read a book. – jules
girl! you have great taste! love your posts!
Thank you! You made my day!! 🙂