When Secrets Bloom Reviewed by the Historical Novel Society

This week brought news I have been quietly hoping for since my latest novel When Secrets Bloom first found its readers: a review from the Historical Novel Society. Penned by Williamaye Jones, the review is available on their website and is published in their print magazine Historical Novel Review HNR Issue 115 (February 2026).

The Historical Novel Society is no casual reviewer. Founded in the United Kingdom in 1997, it emerged at a time when historical fiction was widely considered unfashionable, even marginal. What began as a small, determined effort to advocate for the genre grew into an international authority that champions historical fiction with rigor, discernment, as well as deep respect for both history and storytelling.

For an author, being selected for an HNS review is not a given because many books do not pass the initial selection stage. That When Secrets Bloom was chosen and then engaged with thoughtfully is an honor I do not take lightly.

“Furstenberg’s greatest strength lies in atmosphere and interiority. The city feels watchful and claustrophobic, its streets alive with rumor and threat, and Kate’s first-person voice carries the weight of experience, memory, and suppressed defiance. Her knowledge—earned through necessity and shaped by past violence—makes her a compelling guide through a world where women’s authority is constantly undermined.”
(Williamaye Jones, review of When Secrets Bloom for the Historical Novel Society)

What made my heart sing was not simply the verdict, but the care with which the reviewer read the novel. The review highlights elements that matter deeply to me as a historical writer: atmosphere, moral tension, and the way private lives intersect with larger forces of fear, faith, and power. The reviewer grasped what the novel is truly concerned with beneath its surface—how secrecy can wound, protect, and ultimately transform.

I’d like to mark this moment with gratitude. The Historical Novel Society is an organization I have long respected and I am honored that they deemed When Secrets Bloom worthy of their attention. I’d especially like to thank Williamaye Jones for taking time to read and review my book.