Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green is a terrific historical fiction book of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. The story starts with Stephen Townsend, a POW of the Civil War, and his two daughters. Meg and Sylvia help manage their family bookstore. The story turned out to be more of mystery than I expected, which kept the pages turning. Throughout the book the Brontë sisters are mentioned, which is perfect timing as I am rereading Jane Eyre and listening to Romancing Miss Brontë. The book begins with this quote...

”To all those who feel wounded by loss and pain. May God bring you beauty from ashes. The strength, if strength we have, is certainly never in our own selves; it is given us.” —Charlotte Brontë

The books has great historical information of the times and the tragic fire, suspense, hope, and romance.

God can bring beauty out of ashes!
"To provide for those who grieve...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes." Isaiah 61:3

Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House.

4.25⭐️

This book felt a little slow going for me but that could have been because I’ve been busy getting ready for my daughter’s wedding and it took me several days to read. I did enjoy the story of Meg and Nate and the Great Fire of Chicago. The area I live in is still rebuilding after Hurricane Michael so I could really relate to the rebuilding of Chicago and what they went through. I felt like I learned a lot of history from that time. This is a great, clean Christian romance and I’m looking forward to the next book!

Veiled in Smoke is an intriguing work of historical fiction set in 1871 Chicago. Those who are familiar with Chicago history will recognize this as the year of the Great Chicago Fire, and that is a major event in this story. As sisters Meg and Sylvie Townsend struggle to make ends meet with their family bookshop, they also try to deal with their traumatized father, a Civil War veteran. In the aftermath of the chaos of the Chicago Fire, their father is accused of murder, and is committed to an insane asylum. With the help of an intrepid newspaper reporter, will the sisters be able to find the real killer? Filled with a wealth of historical details and the interwoven themes of redemption and mercy, the plot is compelling from the start. This book, the first in the author's Windy City Saga, would be an excellent addition to any inspirational historical fiction collection.

"Veiled in Smoke " by Joselyn Green is the first in the Windy City Saga series. Stephen Townsend is a POW of the Civil War. Stephen has a bad case of post traumatic stress and struggles to come to grip with the horrible events He saw. He suffers with nightmares and anxiety. It is sad to see how traumatic the war was on him. The book shows the Great Chicago fire. The people involved had to run for their safety. It was very difficult to survive the bad fire. Also those that survived struggled to get their lives back including housing, work , safety after the fire. The book is so well written and researched. The reader will feel like they have lived through the difficulties of the fire. I commend Joselyn for a well written book. She has received the Christy award and a gold medal from the Military Writers of America.Thank you to the publisher , the author and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. I hope the book is very successful.

3.5/5⭐️

I struggled a bit with this one. While the story and writing were fine, I found it a bit too drawn out and thought it could have been tightened up.

The story takes place around the Great Fire of Chicago and has a two-pronged plot line, a murder mystery and one family’s struggle to keep their faith through the aftermath of the murder and fire. While the murder mystery was fairly transparent, I found the family’s struggles and interactions, while sometimes annoying and tiresome, also quite compelling and moving.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BethanyHouse for providing me with the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

The Great Chicago Fire was quite a moment in American history. Almost a third of the rapidly growing city burnt down, destroying over 17,000 buildings. With a city in ruins, thousands upon thousands were left homeless. What did they do? Rebuild. Fast. Veiled in Smoke tells a story of a family in this very setting. I learned quite a bit of history reading this book. I also have to say that Jocelyn Green handled the topic of PTSD better than any book I’ve ever read. Good, biblically accurate, spiritual lessons were interwoven throughout the story and didn’t sounding preachy. As for areas of improvement, I found the book to be a little on the slow side. I also found the romance, while not necessarily the focus of the story, failed to capture my interest. That being said, I’d recommend this book to historical fiction fans.

I've always been a fan of Jocelyn Green's stories because she is such a phenomenal storyteller!!! (Yes all the exclamation points were necessary ;) So when I started reading Veiled in Smoke I was immediately captivated by her imagery. She painted the scenes with such amazing strokes of brilliance that I could almost smell the smoke of the Great Fire of Chicago and see its devastation.

The characters were well-developed and beautifully flawed. And can I just say that Stephen's journey brought tears to my eyes on SO many occasions. His war-shattered heart made me root for his wellness. (BTW I love that Jocelyn tackles sensitive subjects like PTSD with delicate grace.)

And now let me gush over Nate! His cleverness balanced with his tenderness made him a hero to be celebrated! I love that his thirst for the truth never overran his reasoning. He was fair, loyal, and all things swoony.

I also loved the sisters, Meg and Slyvie. Their sibling relationship was authentic and beautiful. It was moving to experience their young hearts be strengthened through the difficult trial. Their characters were literally forged through FIRE!

All in all this story was poignant, exceptional, and will forever be in my heart. Well done, Jocelyn Green.

Persevering in the face of tragedy:
An interesting yet somewhat depressing tale. It tragically deals with the fire that destroyed much of Chicago
as well as PTSD and the terrible treatment of those with mental health issues. However it also highlights the resiliency of the residents and how many were able to persevere by relying on their faith. It was a reminder that when all seems hopeless God is there, He cares and intervenes on our behalf.
Whilst I enjoyed the elements of mystery and intrigue; I generally found it slow going and tedious and felt it was overly long at 416 pages.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

....I’m not afraid of storms, for the One who made the sea is in my boat with me. - Meg’s mother

The opportunity to learn more about little known historical events is one I greatly appreciate. Once again this author does not disappoint, weaving a story around the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that puts the reader right in the middle of this horrific conflagration. The refining of the various characters was incredible to follow as they all strove to become better versions of themselves. The resilience of the survivors as they immediately start to rebuild portraying a tapestry of hope that never dies, the entrepreneurship of the young and the faith that all things could be new was woven throughout this fabulous novel.

Meg, Sylvie and Stephen own the Corner Books & More - a wonderful shop filled with books of all ages. While Stephen repairs the rare books, Meg spends her time painting scenes from the old masters. Will Stephen’s unfortunate war-time memories from his tenure in Andersonville change the course of this life as well as that of his daughters? PTSD is real and I appreciated the sensitivity the author used when writing how this can affect a lifeWill the Great Fire permanently scar this family?

‘The story isn’t over yet - we never know what the next chapter holds. God is working and things are happening even when it’s not written on the page right in front of us - Meg

I received an ARC through Baker Publishing Group and NetGalley. The comments, impressions and 5 star rating are my own and were in no way solicited.

A must-read if you like authentic historical fiction! When I picked up my first Jocelyn Green book, I was hooked. I proceeded to read all the books she has written. I love her stories and frequently find myself googling the history she writes about after I finish her books. Veiled in Smoke grabbed my attention and never let go. Her real portrayal of the awful Chicago fire practically had me looking over my shoulder ready to run. The story of Meg & Sylvie Townsend and their civil war veteran & Andersonville prison camp survivor father Stephen is both heartbreaking and hopeful. I learned that what we now call posttraumatic stress disorder, was historically known as soldier's heart in veterans of the American Civil War. Author Jocelyn Green excels at research and storytelling, making every story she writes very interesting and meaningful. As I read about Meg's burn injuries and the slow and painful partial healing to her hands, my right hand and wrist are healing from 1st and 2nd-degree burns from a scary kitchen grease fire. I decided you really don't need to experience what the characters experience to love the story! Meg had to adjust to a new normal. She recalled her mother's prayer "There is beauty in the imperfect too. You are a God who uses broken vessels. You are not afraid of human limitations or scars." All of the Townsends are each on their own difficult journey learning about what matters most: faith, family, and friends. I highly recommend Veiled in Smoke for all historical fiction lovers and for all who enjoy a great story. And stay tuned at the end for the Author's Note with further information on the true history found in this book. I love this part and am so glad she includes it at the end of her stories.

What a sensory treat for the readers! From the opening chapter, Jocelyn Green took her readers into the smoke and flames and allowed them to emerge from the ashes by the end of the story. Green does a fabulous job at allowing readers to grasp the horror of the Great Chicago Fire on a personal level. I really enjoy the mystery aspect that intermingled with the rebuilding of each individual character's lives. From forgiveness and PTSD, Green sprinkles in elements that are even popular today to empathize with a number of different readers. Romance occurs between two sets of characters, but it really wasn't overwhelming. I didn't feel like it was the guiding force for the story Green needed to tell. Instead, it was the reconstruction of lives and hearts. I really enjoyed spending time with this story, and I can't wait to see what book number two in this sage entails. Fans of Elizabeth Camden or Green's other works should pick up this novel.


I received a complimentary copy of Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

The Great Chicago Fire

The great Chicago Fire of 1872 changed the lives of many people. It destroyed over 17,000 buildings killing 300 and leaving 100,000 homeless.

This is the story of one family, the Townsend family, and how their lives changed after the fire. It is also a mystery because there is the murder of a family friend of whom Mr. Townsend is accused during the fire.

The daughter's Meg and Sylvia must find a way to solve the murder and prove her father innocent. Nate a friendly reporter they meet during the fire helps them solve the mystery.

The devastation of the fire and how the people of Chicago dealt with it and rebuilt is amazing. Life goes on long after great catastrophes are long forgotten.

I love reading about these times in history that impacted so many and are now lost from memory. I loved the characters, the book was well written and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Jocelyn Green, Bethany House Publishers, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of the book.

What an exciting story!!! A very clean, but exciting story of two sisters and their father who is struggling with his survival of Andersonville prison camp during the civil war..Nate, a reporter from the newspaper, enters their life and he finds he is deeply attracted to Meg, the oldest sister. The younger sister, Sylvie, meets the young and handsome nephew of their family friend, but is he everything he seems? The great fire of Chicago, a murder, a lost will, all comes together in this tale of mystery, with a love story entertwined. Great writing makes for a fantastic story that keeps you guessing until the very end!!!

VEILED IN SMOKE is the first novel in The Windy City Saga by JOCELYN GREEN, and I am really looking forward to the next books in the series. The story takes place at the time of the Great Fire of Chicago, and is one of both loss and restoration. It is a gripping story of two sisters, who, against all odds,
fight for justice for their father, a veteran of the Civil War, whose experiences in the war and in a POW camp have affected him very badly and who has been charged with murder and placed in an insane asylum.
In spite of the heaviness of the theme, there is a strong message of hope. The author gets us involved with the characters as we see their faith in God being tested and refined by what they go through.
It is a book that I cannot recommend highly enough, for the exciting story, well researched history, great characters and strong Christian message.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

This book was received as an ARC from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was really intense and it got very deep and spiritual at parts too. My heart was hurt, broken and warm all at the same time. PTSD and mental illness is a topic that runs very strong in my heart and this was the definition of banning together and doing whatever it takes to save your family. Meg and Sylvie will stop at nothing to rescue their father and prove his innocence and save their family once and for all. Sisterly love and family bond is what it takes to save the family. This was a really powerful book that everyone in some way shape or form will connect with this book.

We will consider adding this title to our Christian Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.