Anonymous wrote:The magnificent lives of Marjorie Post.

OP here - just started this today. Thank you!

But it's only the 2nd response and there are 3 pages of responses! Thank you all, I promise to read each synopsis and plan 2025 accordingly. Many of the suggestions I've added to my To be read list!

Colleen McCullough First Man In Rome series

Anything by Judith Merkle Riley

Egyptian: Mika Waltari

Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift set in 1924 in England.

The Women by Kristin Hannah was great (very female centered and is about the Vietnam war and aftermath).

Also I second the City of Girls recommendation.

I liked The Other Einstein and The Paris Wife for stories about the wives of famous figures

City of Girls

Also anything by Philippa Gregory if you like old history (she wrote The Other Boleyn Girl and many others)

And I second The Historian. It is LONG but good.

Paulette Jiles writes civil war fiction based around Texas.
She hasn't written that many books, maybe 10 total. Her most well known book is "News of the World" which was made into a movie starring Tom Hanks.

Sharon Kay Penman

Blood of flowers

Wrapping up Eleanore of Avignon now, about a midwife and herbalist living through the Black Death of the 1340s. Leisurely paced? but an enjoyable immersion into the Middle Ages with a lot period detail.

If you like women as main characters, I would read "The Plantagenent and Tudor Novels" by Philippa Gregory: https://www.philippagregory.com/novels-reading-order

I plowed through these several years ago!

Reading West with Giraffes right now and its excellent.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/west-with-giraffes-lynda-rutledge/1137065395?ean=9781542023344

The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Koppel

Anything by Gary Jennings - Aztec, Raptor, the Journeyer - are outstanding.