“If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.”
If you loved The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, you’re far from alone – it’s one of the most acclaimed historical fiction novels, lauded for its emotional depth, female empowerment and powerful storyline set during the Second World War. Whether it was the tale of sisterhood, the resilience of women during wartime or the vivid depiction of life in occupied France that captured your heart, you may be on the hunt for books with similar themes. Thankfully, the world of historical fiction is full of moving stories that echo the courage, survival and heartbreak found in Kristin Hannah’s bestseller. From stories about women’s roles in World War II to books about family, love and survival, join us at What We Reading as we explore the best historical books like The Nightingale!
All The Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr
First up on our list of books like The Nightingale is Anthony Doerr’s beloved bestseller, All the Light We Cannot See. Set during World War II, it follows two unforgettable characters on opposite sides of the conflict. Marie-Laure LeBlanc, a blind French girl, escapes Nazi-occupied Paris with her father, who carries a valuable gem from the Museum of Natural History. They take refuge in the coastal town of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure must navigate her blindness while protecting the jewel from Nazi forces.
On the other side of the war, Werner Pfennig, a German orphan with a talent for radios, is conscripted into the Hitler Youth. His skills led him to a special unit tasked with tracking resistance broadcasts, ultimately leading him to Saint-Malo. As their lives converge, the story explores resilience, hope and survival in the darkest times.
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The Island Of Sea Women – Lisa See
Nominated for Readers’ Favourite Historical Fiction in the Goodreads Choice Awards, Lisa See’s The Island of Sea Women is another beautifully illustrated story of female empowerment similar to The Nightingale. Set on the Korean island of Jeju, the story follows Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls from extraordinarily different backgrounds. Over the decades spanning the Japanese colonisation in the 1930s through to the present day, Mi-ja and Young-sook developed the closest of bonds working the seas as a part of their all-female diving collective.
Mi-ja is the daughter of a Japanese collaborator, forever marking her, whereas Young-sook was born into a long line of haenyeo, set to inherit the diving team from her mother when she passes. After hundreds of dives and years of friendship, forces outside of their control soon threaten to push their relationship to new extremes.
The Orphan’s Tale – Pam Jenoff
The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff is a heart-wrenching historical fiction novel perfect for readers who loved The Nightingale. Set during the Second World War, the story tells the story of two women who form an unlikely friendship in the face of unimaginable dangers. Noa, a young Dutch girl, is expelled from her family after falling pregnant by a Nazi soldier. Forced to give up her baby, she finds sanctuary with a travelling circus after happening upon a boxcar full of Jewish infants heading for a concentration camp and rescuing them.
At the circus, she encounters Astrid, a Jewish aerialist in hiding after the Nazis tear her family apart. As the two women train together to perform daring acrobatics, their bond grows stronger. But, secrets and a looming threat of discovery soon threaten to put their survival at risk.
Resistance Women – Jennifer Chiaverini
Set during the rise of the Nazi regime, Resistance Women tells the story of three courageous women who join the German resistance to fight back against Hitler’s totalitarian rule. Mildred Fish, an American student in Germany, marries her academic sweetheart and remains in Berlin as the Nazis seize power.
Together with her close friends – Greta, a German literature student, and Sara, a young Jewish woman facing increasing persecution – they risk everything to oppose the growing tyranny. As the women distribute anti-Nazi pamphlets, gather intelligence and carry out daring acts of defiance, they face grave dangers that test their strength, loyalty and love. Brimming with historical detail and emotional depth, Resistance Women highlights the bravery of ordinary individuals who dared to resist extraordinary evil.
The Light Over London – Julia Kelly
In the present day, Cara Hargraves discovers an old journal while working on an estate clearance. The diary recounts the experiences of Louise Keene, a young woman who defied social expectations in 1941 by leaving her sleepy village in Cornwall to join the women’s branch of the British army. As a gunner girl in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, Louise experiences the challenges and heartbreak of wartime, including a forbidden romance with a dashing RAF pilot.
Determined to uncover Louise’s story, Cara sets out on her own journey of self-discovery. With richly detailed wartime settings and themes of resilience, love and the bravery to defy the odds, The Light Over London is one of the best books like The Nightingale for anyone looking for another inspiring tale featuring dual narratives and strong female characters.
The Alice Network – Kate Quinn
In 1915, Eve Gardiner, a young British woman is recruited into the Alice Network, an all-female spy ring operating in German-occupied France. As a spy, Eve is tasked with infiltrating high society to gather vital intelligence. But her mission is brought to a crashing halt when she is betrayed, forcing Eve to start picking up the pieces of her shattered life.
In 1947, Charlotte ‘Charlie’ St. Clair, a young American woman, embarks on a quest to find her cousin, who disappeared during the war. She crosses paths with Eve, and the pair set out on a perilous journey to settle old scores and uncover the truth. Similar to The Nightingale, Kate Quinn’s gripping historical fiction novel explores espionage, resilience and wartime intrigue through emotional depth and inspiring female characters.
The Paris Library – Janet Skeslien Charles
The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles is a heartfelt historical fiction novel that is sure to resonate with fans of The Nightingale. Set during World War II and in the 1980s, the story follows the intertwined lives of two women – one a librarian in Paris during the war, and the other a young girl in Montana decades later.
Odile Souchet, a librarian at the American Library in Paris, is caught in the chaos of Nazi occupation. As the library becomes a hideout for the French Resistance, Odile is forced to balance her love for books with the harsh realities of war. In the 1980s, Lily, a lonely teenager in Montana, befriends her reclusive neighbour, Odile. A Lily uncovers the secrets of Odile’s past, the novel reveals the powerful bonds of friendship, loyalty and the unspoken strengths of those who lived through wartime.
Home Front – Kristin Hannah
Another one of the best Kristin Hannah novels as well as one of the best books like The Nightingale, Home Front explores the impact of the Second World War on the lives of ordinary American families, focusing on a woman’s personal journey of courage, sacrifice and survival. Jolene Zarkades, a dedicated wife and mother of two, finds herself unexpectedly enlisted as a nurse in the Army. As she confronts the brutal realities of war in Europe, her life at home begins to unravel.
Her husband, Michael, struggles to understand the changes in Jolene as she grapples with the trauma of war whilst attempting to maintain her role as both mother and wife. With its emotionally charged narrative and multilayered characters, Home Front is a tale of balancing family and duty and highlights both the sacrifices made by women on the home front and the lingering imprint of war on their lives.
From Sand And Ash – Amy Harmon
As children, Eva Rosselli and Angelo Bianco were raised like a family but were divided by both circumstances and faith. As the years go by, the two find themselves falling in love. Yet, when the church calls to Angelo, he chooses the priesthood over his love for Eva. A decade later, Angelo is a Catholic priest and Eva finds herself with nowhere else to turn. With the Gestapo closing in, Angelo hides Eva in the walls of a convent, where Eva discovers she is one of many Jews being sheltered by the Catholic Church.
With the world at war and so many in need, Angelo and Eva face trial after trial, choice after choice until fate and fortune finally collide, leaving them with the most impossible decision of all. Like The Nightingale, Amy Harmon’s From Sand and Ash is a poignant historical fiction novel all about love, courage and the moral dilemmas raised during wartime.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
