World War II had a significant impact on a countless number of regular people all over the globe. Most of those individual stories have been lost to us . . . at least in this life. That reality can make historical fiction even more compelling, as it can help us imagine what life might’ve been like or tell a fuller story inspired by a surviving remnant of history. Fictional stories set in a time like the 1930s and 40s can increase our empathy for the real people who endured severe trials that real people and inspire us with stories of heroes standing against deep darkness.

On this list, you’ll find Christy Award Winners like The Medallion and Secrets She Kept, the bestselling If I Were You (over 100,000 copies sold), and other WWII-era historical fiction novels that move the heart. Wrestle with these tales of the past and be uplifted by a strength that perseveres in pain, a hope fulfilled in the power of faith, and the illumination of a bleak world when love is expressed for one another.

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