Fiction Friday: New Releases in Christian Fiction

 

October 2025 New Releases
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website:

Biblical:
Rescued Heart: The Story of Sarah by Angela Hunt -- A master of biblical research, Angela Hunt delivers a series starter that transports readers to the Old Testament world of Sarah and Abraham, making this novel a perfect read for those who love Francine Rivers, Mesu Andrews, Connilyn Cossette, and Jill Eileen Smith. (Biblical/Historical from Bethany House) 

Leading Philippi by Jenifer Jennings -- In the raging sea of fear, Epaphroditus finds his faith. (Biblical/Historical, Independently Published)

    Contemporary Romance:
The Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter -- She inherits the bookshop of her dreams . . . But she has to run it with the ex she vowed never to speak with again. (Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing [Thomas Nelson]) 

Trying to Save Christmas by Dawn Kinzer -- A new teacher trying to save Christmas for a grieving student and his guardian brother risks losing her heart to them both. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published) 

A Heart to Protect by Judith McNees -- Can two grieving hearts find healing with each other…and God? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published) 

Christmas in Granite Harbor by Candice Sue Patterson -- Small-town traditions, a Maine Coon, and a decades-old mystery knit hearts together this Christmas. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published) 

Who Stirs Up the Sea by Deborah Raney -- So many secrets between them. But when the truth comes out, will it drive them apart? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published) 

Two Hearts, One Piano by Catherine Richmond -- Ten years ago, rock star Alan Wolfe trashed Maren's life. Now his brother is on her doorstep, asking about the baby. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published) Cozy Mystery:
Troubled Truffles by Leslie Lantrip -- Ruby Starr breathes a sigh of relief that all is well in the whimsical town of Iris Cove, but while making a routine bakery delivery, she's shocked to discover a dead body inside the new bookshop. She assures everyone that she will never again be involved in sleuthing, but with clues all around, will her inquisitive mind be able to comply? (Cozy Mystery from Trilogy Christian Publishing) 

The Last Scam by Jean Rezab -- Courtney’s lifelong dream is finally within her grasp, but when a guest turns up dead during the inn’s very first week, her perfect plans turn into chaos. (Cozy Mystery, Independently Published) General Contemporary:
Tangled Roots by Jessica Brodie -- When newspaper editor Tiff Steadman's ex-convict brother returns seeking reconciliation, she must choose between protecting the respectable life she's built and risking everything to embrace the messy grace of family forgiveness. (General Contemporary from Valor Publishing Group) 

The Bridge by Shanna Hatfield -- The fate of strangers intertwines when a man contemplating suicide commandeers a bridge on Christmas Eve, forcing everyone into an unexpected detour from their holiday plans. (General Contemporary, Independently Published) 

Every Life Treasured by Hannah Hood Lucero, Aubrey Reiss Taylor, and Jennifer Q. Hunt – Three Novellas about the value of life. (General Contemporary, Independently Published) 

The Song Awakens by Linda Sammaritan -- One moment of temptation. Years of separation. How much of the truth does she dare to confess? (General Contemporary/Women’s Fiction from Winged Publications) General Historical:
To Outwit Them All by Peggy Wirgau -- Inspired by a true story, "To Outwit Them All" is told from the perspective of the only woman in George Washington's Revolutionary group of citizen spies known as the Culper Ring. (General Historical from Iron Stream Media)

    Historical Romance:
A Heart To Treasure by Dienece Darling -- The vicar’s son and the draper’s daughter have fought against all odds to be together, but with less than a fortnight to their wedding day, a coming storm will shatter everything. (Historical Romance, Independently Published) 

A Very English Christmas by Marguerite Gray, Carole Lehr Johnson, and Carrie Turansky -- Celebrate the Season with three timeless tales inspired by Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Beatrix Potter. (Historical Romance, Independently Published) 

Love on the Horizon by Penny Zeller -- Return to Horizon, Idaho, for Timothy Shepherdson's story and meet newcomer, Mags, in this tender romance that reminds us that God is the author of new beginnings. (Historical Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)

   Military Suspense:
Tick, Tick, Tick … Boom by Felicia Ferguson -- With her marriage to clinical psychologist Matt in shambles, Army CID Officer Gabby Carmichael wakes up to a bomb threat. They reluctantly work together to find the bomber, but as pressure mounts, which will explode first? The bomb or their marriage? (Military Suspense from Salt & Light Publishing)

    Novella (Romance):
Christmas on the Islands by Annette M. Irby -- Washington Island Christmas series novellas all in one place! Visit Puget Sound and the Salish Sea islands in this series of holiday novellas! Enjoy getting to know new characters, with some cameo visits from previous friends. Here you'll find heart-warming scenes, layered family dynamics, romance, and hope in Jesus. (Romance Novella from Prism Effect Publishing) 

A Christmas Inheritance by Myra Johnson, Delia Latham, and Tanya Stowe -- Three Christmas stories in one! "His Christmas Refuge:" He came home to leave it all behind. She's convinced he'll run again. "A Montana Christmas Promise:" He gave everything to the land. She came only to let it go. "The Prodigal Preacher's Christmas Homecoming:" A story of redemption, brotherhood, and love reborn under the gentle hand of grace. (Romance Novella, Independently Published)

    Romantic Suspense:
Mistletoe and Malice by Lori DeJong -- He’s sworn to protect her life … but guarding his heart may be his biggest challenge. (Romantic Suspense from Scrivenings Press) 

Fatal Past by Sarah Hamaker -- When a pediatrician foils an attempted child abduction, she’s thrust into a dangerous game in which she must rely on the help of her former boyfriend to stay alive. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published) 

Defending You by Robin Patchen -- She stumbled onto a deadly secret, and the man she once wronged is the only one who can keep her alive. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published) 

Texas Christmas Cover-Up by Terri Reed -- A widowed FBI profiler must turn to her ex, a commanding Police Chief to protect her child and solve a cold case. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin]) Speculative Fiction/Fantasy:
Dust and Ashes by Demi Griffin -- Even mistakes and failures were folded into the king's plan! (Speculative Fiction/Fantasy, Independently Published)   

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month: 

Unexpected by Kimberly Keagan -- The heirs of Denwall Department Stores find unexpected love In the glittering era of the Gilded Age. (Historical Romance) 

Where Secrets End by Rebecca Lake -- One man’s obsession. One woman’s past. One chance to survive. (Romantic Suspense) 

But There Were Signs by Georgia Curtis Ling -- When one of their own is found dead, four pastors’ wives–turned amateur sleuths are playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with a suspected killer in Appalachia. (Contemporary Suspense) 

The Dreamer by Jenny Marcelene -- To the Ends is an international adventure series helping children ages 6-10 cultivate a biblical worldview and spark prayer for the nations. (Children’s/Middle Grade Chapter Book) 

Escaping the Wilderness by Carrie Stuart Parks -- On the run through the mountains— with only each other to trust. (Romantic Suspense) 

The Realm: The Awakening Begins by K Ross -- In a world where dreams are more real than not, and harsh realities collide with visions of eternity, only one god can rule. (Supernatural Suspense)

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Janalyn Voight

When Mail Took Weeks and 

Coffee Was Gold: Life in the Old West

By Janalyn Voigt, Guest Author

Ever wish you could time-travel to the Old West? I used to imagine it as a land of wide skies, brave hearts, and the kind of adventure that makes your pulse quicken. But as I dug into the real history while writing the Montana Gold western romance series, I discovered life back then was a mix of grit, gumption, and just enough grace to keep going.

Let’s set the scene.

No Amazon Prime, No Problem?

In the 1880s Montana Territory, a letter could take weeks to arrive—if it made it at all. Roads were dusty (or muddy) tracks. Stagecoaches bounced over ruts, stopping at waystations where you might be greeted with strong coffee and stronger opinions. If you wanted fabric for a new dress or parts for your plow, you sent away to a catalog and waited. Patience wasn't just a virtue—it was survival.

I’ve always admired the kind of woman who could manage a homestead, cook over an open fire, keep

her family clothed and fed, and still have the backbone to fight for what’s right. Women like that inspired characters such as America Reed, the resourceful heroine of Hills of Nevermore (Book 1 in the Montana Gold series). America flees a troubled past and finds herself in a rough gold rush town, facing the wild unknown without the certainty of God’s love. Shane Hayes, a blue-eyed circuit preacher with more gumption than caution, makes it his mission to set her straight.

The Gold Rush That Wasn't Quite

Speaking of gold, Montana's gold rush didn’t exactly play out like a Hollywood western. Sure, there were strikes like the one at Alder Gulch in the 1860s and stampedes of hopeful miners, but few struck it rich. Most ended up laboring to get by—or else moved on to the next big rumor of gold. The sense of transience this brought made the region volatile, but also full of opportunity for those brave (or desperate) enough to grab it.

I used that tension in Cheyenne Sunrise (Book 2), where a widow and a half-Cheyenne trail guide find themselves thrown together on a journey north. The unsettled land mirrors their own emotional landscapes—rugged, unpredictable, but with breathtaking beauty and unexpected grace.

Real Love in a Harsh Land

Romance might not be the first thing you associate with frontier life, but love stories were written every day—in shared hardships, small acts of kindness, and the kind of loyalty born from struggle. I like to think my stories echo those quiet, enduring romances. They remind us that even in hard times—maybe especially in hard times—people hold onto hope.

Take Stagecoach to Liberty (Book 3). Imagine traveling through mountain passes with strangers, only to discover one of them might hold the key to your past—and your future. Talk about a surprise. I wove real details about stagecoach travel into the story, from the grueling pace to the ever-present danger of bandits, breakdowns, and other perils.

Why I Keep Writing About the West

I write western historical romance not just for the swoon-worthy cowboys (though let’s be honest—they

don’t hurt). I write it because there’s something timeless about the resilience, faith, and community of the Wild West.

If that’s the kind of story you like too, I invite you to saddle up and ride into the pages of Montana Gold. Each book blends historical truth with heartfelt romance and just enough danger to keep you turning the pages.

Thanks to Linda Matchett for letting me stop by History, Hope, & Happily Ever After. It’s a joy to connect with readers who love history as much as I do!

Happy trails,
Janalyn Voigt
Let's connect: www.janalynvoigt.com

Purchase link:  https://janalynvoigt.com/bookstore/

Wartime Wednesday: Filipina Resistance Member Florence Finch

Wartime Wednesday: Florence Finch, 

Filipina Resistance Member

During World War II, hundreds of thousands of people worked behind the scenes and underground; some while remaining in plain view. Florence Ebersole Smith Finch was one of those people. She was born on October 11, 1915 to an American father and Filipina mother in Santiago. Her childhood was “disruptive,” as one source put it, when her father married her mother, but later made a common-law wife of his stepdaughter. He passed away when Florence was twelve.

As an adult, she obtained a job working as a stenographer at the Intelligence Headquarters in Manila where she met her US Navy husband Charles Smith. They married in 1941, then he was transferred to Correigor where he was killed while manning the deck of a ship. Florence did not receive news of his death until May 1942. By this time the Philippines had fallen to the Japanese.

She managed to convince authorities she was Filipino and went to work at the Japanese-run Philippine

Liquid Fuel Distribution Union. She used her position to transfer ration coupons to resistance workers. This diverted supplies from the Japanese. According to the US Coast Guard website, she also arranged acts of sabotage against the occupying forces. When she found out that her boss, Lt. Col. Englehart had been captured, and he and his fellow prisoners-of-war were being badly treated, she began to smuggle food and medicine to them.

It is unknown how the Japanese discovered her activities, but she was arrested in October 1944. Imprisoned in a tiny cell, only two-by-four foot squared, she was repeatedly tortured. However, this stalwart woman refused to reveal her compatriots. According to the Coast Guard, she was given a “sham trial” and sentenced to three years of hard labor in the Women’s Correctional Institution in Mandaluong outside of Manilla.

The US First Cavalry arrived in Manila on February 3, 1945, and Florence was liberated a week later. After five months of captivity, she was less than eighty pounds. She decided to move to New York to be with her aunt and arrived in May 1945 where she enlisted in the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve because as she said, “to avenge the death of my husband.” She subsequently met and married American army veteran Bob Finch with whom she had two children.

After her Coast Guard superiors found out about her work with the resistance, she was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon. In 1947, she received the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the U.S, from President Truman. She passed away December 8, 2016 at the age of 101.

________________

The American World War II Home Front in 29 Objects:

Unlike Europe the American mainland escaped physical devastation during World War II as it was not subjected to full-scale invasions. However, that didn’t mean the United States wasn’t impacted by the war. The ramifications of large economic, cultural, and societal changes forced Americans to reconsider entrenched beliefs and traditions.

Artifacts collected from across the nation tell the stories of the American people whose lives were shaped by this second “war to end all wars,” World War II.

Purchase link: https://books2read.com/u/47pLxR


Photo Credits:
Florence Finch enlistment photo: By U.S. Coast Guard - The Long Blue Line: SN1 Florence Finch, Public Domain.
Florence Finch, courtesy of US Coast Guard
Map of Philippines: Google

Sources:
https://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/bookreview/the-indomitable-florence-finch-the-untold-story-of-a-war-widow-turned-resistance-fighter-and-savior-of-american-pows
https://msmagazine.com/2020/09/02/seven-indomitable-women-of-world-war-ii/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Finch
https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Notable-People/All/Article/1854611/florence-ebersole-smith-finch-uscgr/

Talkshow Thursday: Building Hearts with Julie Arduini

Building Hearts & Book Covers 

by Julie Arduini

Surrendering Hearts is my current small-town romance series, spotlighting the Hart siblings as they navigate identity, faith, and the pursuit of a love as enduring as their parents'. The journey begins with Anchored Hearts, Jordyn’s story, followed by Ryan’s in Repairing Hearts. Now, it’s Evan’s turn to take center stage in Building Hearts. Each installment explores a unique surrender, an emotional or spiritual struggle, ultimately resolved through Christian principles. In Building Hearts, Evan Hart, third of six siblings, has long watched his brothers and sisters shine. Determined to carve out his own success, he pitches a home improvement reality show that finally puts his family in the spotlight—and himself in charge.

But just as things begin to fall into place, the network throws him a curveball: a co-producer named Shea Madden, whose presence challenges Evan in ways he never expected. Building Hearts has been an absolute joy to write. It blends a compelling co-worker romance, a revenge-driven antagonist, and deeply realistic Hart family subplots that tug at the heart.

Evan longs to feel like he belongs, while Shea wrestles with forgiveness and finding her place. If you’ve ever known a middle child, you’ll recognize the quiet ache of wanting to be seen. Evan embodies that struggle in a way that’s both tender and true.

One of my favorite aspects of the Surrendering Hearts series is designing the covers. Each one features

a subtle spotlight effect in the background, symbolizing the Hart siblings’ celebrity status as the first six born full-term without selective reduction.

The character placement is never random. Jordyn, the eldest, commands the cover with a dominant presence. She’s not only the lead of the first book, but the emotional anchor of the entire family.

Evan’s cover tells a different story. As the middle sibling, he often feels overlooked. His image is intentionally cropped and smaller, reflecting his internal narrative of invisibility. It’s a quiet but powerful visual metaphor.

At the bottom of each cover, I include a scene or object that ties directly to the story. For Building Hearts, it’s a pile of rocks set against a woodsy backdrop overlooking a lake, and it’s exactly how I envisioned Ryan’s property. That setting plays a major role in the book, and I’m thrilled with how it came together.

The series is set in the breathtaking Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York, with Ryan’s home perched above Seneca Lake. It’s a place of beauty, healing, and transformation, just like the series, including Building Hearts.

About Building Hearts:

Can one reality show rebuild a home and two hearts?

Evan Hart has always felt the odd one out in a family of thriving siblings. When his reality show pitch is greenlit and he's named co-producer, Evan sees a chance to finally belong within his family and the world watching them. Building with the Harts promises new beginnings and second chances until the network adds a wildcard: Shea Madden, a brooding co-producer with secrets of her own.

Shea Madden walked away from reality TV after a contestant's public humiliation led to tragedy, and she took the fall. The Renovation Channel offers her a shot at redemption with a show built on authenticity and hope. Working alongside insecure but earnest Evan Hart begins to heal old wounds until Shea's past resurfaces, threatening her future, the show's success, and the Hart family.

In this clean and wholesome small-town romance, Book 3 of 6 in the Surrendering Hearts series, featuring the Christian surrender issues of belonging, grief, and forgiveness, discover how faith, trust, and unexpected love can rise from the rubble.

Purchase link: https://amzn.to/41KuXhr

About Julie:

Julie Arduini writes small-town romances featuring Christian surrender themes and chocolate mentions. She’s the author of the series SURRENDERING HEARTS (Anchored Hearts, Repairing Hearts, +four more). Her other romance series is SURRENDERING TIME (Entrusted, Entangled, Engaged). She also co-wrote a YA/Women’s Fiction series with her daughter, SURRENDERING STINKIN’ THINKIN’ (You’re Beautiful, You’re Amazing, You’re Brilliant). Her stand-alone romances include MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN and RESTORING CHRISTMAS. In 2025 she joins Leah Atwood, Robin Bayne, JoAnn Durgin, and Dawn Kinzer with the small-town romance series Dogwood Creek Matchmakers. Julie maintains a blog at http://www.juliearduini.com and https://substack.com/@juliearduini1. She resides in Ohio with her husband and daughter. Learn more by visiting her at http://linktr.ee/JulieArduini.

Wartime Wednesday: Army Slang

Wartime Wednesday: Army Slang

Every generation has its slang, and World War II was no exception. Soldiers had especially creative terms. Here are just a few:

Food: 

• Albatross: Chicken
• Armored Cow: Canned Milk
• Army Strawberries: Prunes
• Battery Acid: Coffee
• Black Strap: Coffee
• Boodle: Candy, cake, ice-cream, etc.
• Duff: Any edible sweet
• Goldfish: Salmon
• North Dakota Rice: Hot Cereal
• Punk: Bread
• Salve: Butter
• Sammy: Syrup

Equipment:

• Ack-Ack: Machine Gun
• Army Banjo: Shovel
• Barker: Heavy Artillery Gun
• Boudier: Squad Tent
• Cans: Headphones
• Cosmolines: Artillery
• Deadlined: Vehicle laid up for repair
• Ether: Radio Telephone
• Flash Gun: Machine Gun used for Training
• Flying Boxcar: A Bomber
• Frog Sticker: Bayonet

People:

• Yellow Legs: Cavalryman
• Yard Bird: New Recruit
• Windjammer: Bugler
• Weather Krock: Meteorologist
• Three Striper: Sergeant
• Third Grader: Staff Sergeant
• Static Bender: Radio Operator
• Shack Man: Married man
• Runner: Messenger
• Red Leg: Artilleryman
• Peep Sight: Expert Gunner

Which of these have you heard before?

___________________

The American World War II Home Front in 29 Objects

Unlike Europe the American mainland escaped physical devastation during World War II as it was not subjected to full-scale invasions. However, that didn’t mean the United States wasn’t impacted by the war. The ramifications of large economic, cultural, and societal changes forced Americans to reconsider entrenched beliefs and traditions.

Artifacts collected from across the nation tell the stories of the American people whose lives were shaped by this second “war to end all wars,” World War II.

Purchase link: https://books2read.com/u/47pLxR

Photo Credits: 

Platter of Chicken: Pixabay/Bernard Post

Jeep: Pixabay/Melk Hagelslag

Radio: Wright Museum Archives

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Aubrey Taylor

Talkshow Thursday: 

Welcome Back, Aubrey Taylor

The original German versions of our most well-loved fairy tales often end tragically, unlike the retellings we are used to. Happily Ever After isn’t my forte either, and as an author of German-perspective World War II fiction, there is only so much happiness one can scrounge up by the last years of the war, with hunger, devastation, disillusionment, and hundreds of thousands of German men in POW camps.

My novella Schneewittchen combines elements of the German fairy tale we know as Snow White with elements of more modern retellings. Then, it brings the story to Germany in 1944.

Snow White is a story about a girl with a pure heart who has been driven into the forest by terrible circumstances. In my version, Gerda Gatzke is sent from East Prussia, where the war draws ever nearer to her doorstep, to a smallholding in rural Bavaria, far away from the front. Her task? To provide help to six brothers and their ailing mother.

A threat on Gerda’s life soon causes her charges to become her protectors.

As the oldest of seven boys, Thomas Jodl is already away from home, serving his country. He has heard

of Gerda’s sweet spirit through his mother’s letters, and it is no surprise that he has already begun to fall in love with her. She, in turn, has heard about Thomas’s strength and kindness—and secretly adores the ever-present photo of him on the mantle.

One wonders what causes the hero and heroine of a fairy tale to fall in love (and often get married) so quickly. It is understandable, coming from modern readers, but it is also worth noting that quick marriages were not uncommon in wartime. People knew they were not guaranteed tomorrow. Though Thomas was not directly involved in combat, Gerda had every reason to believe that he would be taken as a prisoner of war eventually.

German POWs had different trajectories based on a multitude of factors. Most of the men who were taken into captivity on the Eastern Front (Russia) did not make it home. On the other hand, many who came to America were treated well, and some even moved to America after their release.

The Allies also made efforts to separate regular soldiers from those deemed to be unrepentant “Nazis,” and often, SS men were treated more harshly than members of the German Army, no questions asked.

Though Thomas bore a “blood group” tattoo under his arm indicating that he was a member of the SS, his character was evident, and there was no doubt about his innocence when it came to the atrocities for which the Germans were being accused. As a POW, he spent time in the USA and was then sent to England to help with rebuilding.

When Thomas and Gerda finally get their Happily Ever After, it doesn’t look like the sparkling endings we see in fairy tale movies. Rather, it is true to life. I hope that it reminds readers that finding happiness (or rather, joy, which has far greater value) is a choice, especially when everything around you has fallen apart. Thomas says:

[Gerda] shakes her head. “I’m all right, Thomas. What I went through was difficult, but what others went through was so much worse. If my experience makes me more sensitive to those around me, then it was absolutely worth it.”

Drawing her close with my free arm, I breathe a prayer and thank God for the woman He’s given me. If other people learn to love the way my Gerda does, there will be hope for us all.

__________________

Schneewittchen: A Retelling of the Snow White Story Set in WWII Germany

Gerda Gatzke is unsure whether life on a Bavarian homestead with six boys and an ailing woman is right for her, but she is determined to get away from her stepmother, and from the war that draws ever closer to her doorstep.

With little more than the clothes on her back and a treasured family heirloom, she arrives at the disheveled smallholding only to discover that she is no safer there than she was at home. The boys who were initially her charges soon become her protectors.

With his mother’s illness growing worse and his family in danger, Thomas Jodl determines to return home for the first time in five years. His heart is warmed by the kind-hearted young woman who has come to care for his mother and six brothers.

Thomas does not hesitate to place himself in danger, but when the threat neutralized, a new question arises: what will become of any of them once the war is lost?

Schneewittchen is one of four novellas in A Worthy Love: A Collection of Historical Fairytale Retellings, Part of Fairy Tale Frenzy from Beyond the Bookery. A Worthy Love also includes stories from Aliana Jane, Liz Chapman, and Rebecca Lange.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3I9i35T

About Aubrey

Aubrey Reiss Taylor unites a fascination for history with a passion for redemption, creating a unique brand of gritty, honest wartime sagas, written from the German perspective. She is the mother of three, and married to her best friend Brian. When she’s not writing or taking care of home and family, she enjoys making music, dancing, reading, and spending time with friends.

Connect!
Website: www.aubreytaylorbooks.com
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/o3k4f2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aubreytaylorbooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aubreytaylorbooks/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/54029024.Aubrey_Reiss_Taylor
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Aubrey-Taylor/author/B0973KWXV8

Photo credits:

Author and book images: Courtesy of Aubrey Taylor

Soldiers on Motorcycle: Pixabay/Istvan Karoly Bocs

Prison Camp: Courtesy Kansas State Historical Society

Traveling Tuesday: Casablanca During WWII

Traveling Tuesday: Casablanca During WWII

Most of us have watched Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid trade barbs and suspicions in the 1942 movie Casablanca, but what was Morocco’s largest city really like during the war? How much of the film was accurate and how much was speculation?

Casablanca (literally “white house”) is located on the Atlantic Coast in the central western part of Morocco, a country slightly larger than California. A French protectorate in 1939, Morocco was under the control of Vichy France during until after the success of the Allies in North Africa in the fall of 1942. Intriguingly, Northern Morocco declared itself neutral during the war. Southern Morocco was loyal to the Vichy regime.

Many Europeans fled to Morocco prior to the war but ended up living in poverty. The Jewish population was crammed into crowded areas known as mellahs (Arabic for salt or saline area). By 1940, laws were implemented by Vichy France that prohibited Jews from certain professions. As a result, nearly 8,000 unsuccessfully attempted to flee to the US or Palestine, instead, being sent to detention and labor camps.

As the largest port in North Africa, Casablanca was of great strategic importance. After the Allied

victory became a key part of the Allies’ supply lines. By all reports, the city was a major center of espionage and intelligence. America’s Office of Strategic Services and Britain’s Special Operations Executive had more than a few agents stationed in Casablanca. Singer-spy Josephine Baker often arranged her tours to pass through the city.

In addition to spies, including double agents, codebreakers set up residence, working to decipher the encrypted radio traffic. Diplomats from both Allied and Axis powers also remained in the city making backroom deals. Several reports indicate Casablanca was a major hub for the French Resistance active in collecting intelligence and helping refugees escape Europe’s holocaust.

With a population of nearly 500,000, Casablanca was bustling and bursting at the seams. In many ways, life for the rich and well-to-do didn’t change with the arrival of the war. Bars and restaurants, much like “Rick’s Café Américain,” continued to provide liquor and entertainment, as well as a location to exchange information. However, as described in Meredith Hinsley’s Destination Casablanca “danger lurked just below the surface various factions, including diplomats, military figures, and spies, converged to pursue their agendas.”

Apparently, Hollywood got it right.

________________________

The American World War II Home Front in 29 Objects

Unlike Europe the American mainland escaped physical devastation during World War II as it was not subjected to full-scale invasions. However, that didn’t mean the United States wasn’t impacted by the war. The ramifications of large economic, cultural, and societal changes forced Americans to reconsider entrenched beliefs and traditions.

Artifacts collected from across the nation tell the stories of the American people whose lives were shaped by this second “war to end all wars,” World War II.

Purchase link: https://books2read.com/u/47pLxR

Photo Credits:

Casablanca Movie Poster: By Bill Gold - https://www.hometheaterseattle.com/Casablanca-1942-Movie-Poster_p_160.html, Public Domain.

Casablanca Port: Pixabay/Amajou Abdou

Casablanca Mosque: Pixabay/Thiago Assana