I had heard of the great Chicago Fire in my history class but I’d never heard of the little town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin. Their town was completely destroyed by fire. Liz Tolsma did a great job of telling the story of this little town and how it affected all there. Characters were fictionalized but brought to life among the pages. I grew to care about their situations and the overall outcome. I was also appalled by the selfishness of one particular character among all the tragedy. I wanted to know the overall outcome so it was a quick read for me. This was a wonderful installment in the A Day to Remember series. Highly recommend.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review.

“Disaster, though, rarely announces its arrival. Rather, it bursts through the door and refuses to leave until it has finished ravaging everything and everyone inside.”

This whole series by Barbour, A Day to Remember, is one of calling to remembrance great American disasters that many have never heard of. Liz Tolsma’s novel, When the Sky Burned, book six, is certainly an enlightening, faith-based, romantic and compelling story about the Peshtigo, WI fire of 1871.

When we first meet Mariah Randolph, she is a talented, aspiring painter in the small town of Peshtigo, painting the skies colored by the fires surrounding the village. No one is especially worried about the fires at this time, going about business as usual in the small railroad town.

Unfortunately, the bookkeeper for the railroad, Jay Franklin, is worried. But he is worried about discrepancies he is finding in the railroad’s books, and his boss, Hollis Stanford, accuses Jay of making mistakes and belittles him. Hollis is the son of the railroad owner and is engaged to a friend of Jay’s, Mariah. Unfortunately, the ugly side Hollis shows Jay is not what Mariah sees. She sees Hollis’s very wonderful six-year-old daughter who needs a mother and lofty promises of grandeur and art gallery showings.

Just as Jay begins to gather physical evidence against Hollis, the fire engulfs the town. The tragedy is unthinkable. I won’t describe it here, but it can be a little difficult to read. (Interestingly enough, this Peshtigo fire killed thousands in a town of only 7,000. This compared to the Great Chicago fire, which occurred the same night, but whose victims, though as precious, numbered only in the hundreds.)

The fire changes everything. Hollis’s true nature begins to emerge as he attempts to cover up his gambling debts and deceit and selfishness. Hollis’s daughter is sweet, but is beginning to have a change in personality as she undergoes all the trauma surrounding the fire. Mariah has suffered horribly, losing people near and dear to her, and losing the one ability she values as essential to her painting. Her faith teeters. “Why would God allow such misery to befall us all? Where was He on that terrible night? What did we do to deserve His judgment?”

Some characters in this book are so much less than they present themselves. Some surprised me in this regard. Some seem to rise from mediocre or average to far above by their choices. As Stanford, Sr., tells Jay, “It’s a daily choice that I make to walk with the Lord. Prayer and studying His Word help a great deal.”

I loved the character of Angelina. I felt so badly for her. Hollis barely knows her. “No matter what kind of person he is, every little girl deserves affection from the first man in her life.” I would amend this to say, every little girl *desires* the attention and affection of the first man in her life, whether he is a good man or not.

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.


Notable Quotables:

“I suppose if you shy away from doing what is right out of fear of the consequences, then you have lost your integrity and have compromised it for an easier path. By definition, integrity acts despite what might happen.”

“The path of righteousness is a narrow one, fraught with stumbling blocks and obstacles. God never promised it would be simple or would come without pain.”

“They were his friends, these numbers. His constant, always either right or wrong. There were no gray areas, no shades of black and white. No in between.”

“But she hadn’t brought her cares and sorrows to the one who understood. She hadn’t sought refuge or solace within her heavenly Father’s arms.”

“Don’t be sad, even though it’s hard not to be. Nanny says that Jesus is always with us. Like even when Papa has to go away. When Mama died. Sometimes I get afraid, but then I remember Jesus is next to me. I like that.”

My parents grew up in Wisconsin. My dad was born and raised on a dairy farm near Hayward. My mom's family moved to Green Bay from the mission field in the tropics when she was 12 or 13. Obviously Wisconsin has a special place in my heart.

I have enjoyed every one of the "A Day to Remember" series that I've read. When the Sky Burned is no exception. It's an event I knew nothing about, even with my parental ties to Wisconsin. To think that it occurred at the very same time the Great Chicago Fire did is rather mind-blowing.

When the Sky Burned is a moving story, and will remain with you long after you've finished reading it. It portrays how people react differently in the aftermath of great disaster. Some are selfish and only look after their own interests, while others reach out to help in any way they can those who've been impacted.

Mariah and Jay both lose so much, yet lean on God, and sacrificially put others before themselves.

"Even if He would have stripped away everyone and everything from her, she would still have Him. And that was enough."

If you enjoy historical fiction based on true events, with a touch of romance and a large dose of faith, you will definitely want to grab your own copy of When the Sky Burned!

I received a complimentary copy. These opinions are my own.

This takes place in Peshtigo, a very poor town in Wisconsin, on October 8, 1871. This is where one of the worst fires of all time happened, with so many killed and complete destruction of the entire town. Mariah was engaged to marry the wealthy son of the man who was building the railroad running through the area. There were secrets she was unaware of and then the fire happened. It took everything she had except her sister and her longtime friend Jay. A heartbreaking, intense story that makes it nearly impossible to put down. Beautifully told and very real. You will definitely be moved, and it will leave an impression.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and CelebrateLit book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#WhenTheSkyBurned #LizTolsma #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #BarbourFiction #ChristianHistoricalRomance

I have really enjoyed this series, introducing me to little known disasters. I like how Tolsma has woven a very good story around the facts of the devastating fire. Issues covered in this novel include recovering from grief and facing the effects of gambling addiction. The main theme is recovering from losing everything, from possessions to friends and including one's passion. Tolsma has done a good job of creating the characters. Some are brave and caring while others are selfish and self centered. We readers see how a disaster brings out the true character of people.

This is a good addition to a series that draws our attention to often overlooked disasters. Even though this fire was more deadly than the one in Chicago, that they happened at the same time means this fire is much less known. I appreciate Tolsma bringing it to our attention and explaining the facts about it in her Author's Notes. It reads well, the relationship aspects making the plot interesting and more pleasant than just reading the history of the disaster.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

The story begins with the forest fires raging near the town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin. Based on a true story with some fiction woven into it. The residents are left dealing with the sickness of smoke and the stress of the fire looming over their horizon. The story centers around Mariah’s future marriage to Hollis who is also her good friend’s boss. Unbeknownst to Mariah, her father was the one who made the deal with this sinister rich fellow revolving around debt and gambling. As time goes on, Mariah slowly realizes this may not be the man for her. Her best friend Jay is an accomplished bookkeeper and he finds himself in dangerous mystery numbers that don’t add up. He is intent on solving why there is money missing in the ledgers. Jay and Mariah end up helping each other and get the proof they need. It’s a tragic story for Mariah and she has to learn to lean on the everlasting arms of God. A nice ending for these two young people and they also become foster parents. There is so much more, but I’ll stop there and suggest you read this entertaining book over a nice cup of coffee. I received this e-book for free from Celebrate Lit Tour and the opinions I express are honest and my own

Wow. Liz Tolsma has written a gripping story about an event in Wisconsin history, that I do not think most people know about. Having lived for many years in Wisconsin, I never learned about the devastating fire in Peshtigo. Now, my husband has extended family who live in that area, and I really wish his grandmother were alive to ask her what she knew about the fire in that area. What a sad and horrific event, and this book gives the reader a glimpse of what the horrible tragedy might have been like for those who lived through it. I appreciate the historical details included in the story, while also appreciating the fictional elements in the story. Readers will ache for the losses that Mariah experiences in this story, and will admire the lessons that Mariah learns along the way, too. Jay is such a strong character as well, and I appreciate the strong moral character that he has to have throughout the plot as well. This is a well-written story with strong characters, excellent fictional plot, good historical details, and thought-provoking lessons to learn. I highly recommend this book to lovers of fiction and lovers of history.

I have enjoyed all of the books in A Day to Remember series. Though no one likes disasters, it is very interesting to read about them and how people survived and learned. Some of these books have been about disasters I knew about; some I had never heard of before. I have heard of the fire that destroyed Peshtigo, Wisconsin, but didn’t know much about it until I read When the Sky Burned.

There are two threads running through When the Sky Burned—the story about the fire, and the one about Hollis’s theft from his company. Having both threads intertwined kept the action moving and kept my attention on the story; I had a hard time putting it down!
The part of the story that described the fire was the most interesting to me, because I always enjoy learning about historical events and how they impacted people’s lives. I could hardly believe that there were fires springing up around Peshtigo, threatening the town, for weeks, and the people just stayed there and kept going about their daily lives! Rather different than the way things are done today. The fire which destroyed the town was described in some detail. Parts of that were rather horrific, although the author was careful about how graphic she got.
I figured out the outcome of the romance from the second chapter—but Liz Tolsma did well at keeping my interest in how it would work out. Adding a child into the story was a great touch; she was pretty cute! I had a lot of sympathy for Mariah in her blindness and questioning God about why she lost everything—what good could come out of such a horrible experience? I loved the scene, awhile after the fire, where Mariah realized that she could still trust God. The question is raised, “Why would God allow such a thing to happen?” While that question is not answered as well as it was in When the Flames Ravaged, Mariah did come to peace with her loss.
My favorite book in the series is still When the Flames Ravaged. I have enjoyed, and recommend, all of them, though. I really like the way this series brings little-known events to life, and how each of the various authors has pointed people to Jesus through the story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: Chapter 1: Kiss. Chapters 11-14: The fire, and terrible toll of human life; descriptions of several people dying. Chapter 20: Man beaten up. Chapter 22: Man threatens another’s life. Chapter 31: Man chokes another man. Chapter 32: Man beaten up, another man threatens to shoot someone. Chapters 32, 37: Kiss

Liz Tolsma has written a beautiful, poignant, deeply emotional story around the unimaginably difficult tragedy that consumed Peshtigo, WI in October of 1871. While I have enjoyed all the stories in Barbour's excellent A Day to Remember series, I think When the Sky Burned is one of the best. The story itself has some really good depth with well developed characters and a plot full of unpredictable twists and turns. Mariah is a beautiful character who faces deep tragedy with faith, determination and the help of her family and the very likeable "hero" Jay. The book is inspirational, suspenseful, interesting and full of hope. I really enjoy Liz Tolsma's writing and this story is one you won't want to miss.
Thank you to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read for my honest review.

Liz Tolsma's When the Sky Burned is the sixth and final installment from the multi author series, A Day to Remember. I was taken back in time to 1871 Wisconsin to a devastating fire destroying everything in its path. This danger brings together Mariah and Jay. The two are thrown together and have to learn to deal with having to overcome and find faith.


I am going to give When the Sky Burned a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean historical fiction based on true events and disasters. As always, I will be on the look out for more from Liz Tolsma in the near future.

I received a paperback copy of Liz Tolsma's When the Sky Burned from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Hard to read but impossible to put down. Mariah navigates a path that seems impossible after the tragic Peshtigo fire. Her trials caused by the fire are many, threatening to leave her depressed and without any ambition to continue on through the bleak life ahead of her. Jay must fight to see justice brought, but his efforts will likely end in failure now that the fire has destroyed his evidence. The true historic background of the fire has been well researched and brought to life by the author. The pain and devastation will have long lasting effects leaving hopelessness in its wake for the many lives affected. Can Mariah and Jay rise above the fire's damage as well as those who would attempt to control them while they work towards exposing the evil? Will they be able to join forces to not only bring justice but to restore hope in their hearts and that of the child they have both come to love?

Liz Tolsma's latest novel, When the Sky Burned, is filled with intrigue that captivates readers from the first page. The story unfolds in the small town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin as it is ravaged by a devastating fire. In the midst of the chaos, the protagonist Mariah, a painter, uncovers hidden secrets that threaten to destroy her future. As she navigates the challenges of her relationship with her fiancé, who seems distant and unaffectionate, Mariah also grapples with unexpected feelings for an old friend.

With every chapter, the tension in the story intensifies, leaving readers eager to uncover the truth. In this fast-paced narrative, readers are taken on a journey through the aftermath of historical events in Wisconsin on October 8, 1871. Tolsma skillfully portrays the challenges of loss and the haunting remnants of a shattered life, immersing readers in vivid descriptions of the tragedy. Emotional ash stirs while hearts yearn for a resolution to the dilemmas.

Throughout the story, the undercurrent of faith resonates like a melody, leaving readers inspired by the unwavering strength and resilience displayed by the characters in the face of adversity. Love truly covers a multitude of sins. Definitely a worthwhile read to add to your TBR pile. I received a complimentary copy from the author but was not required to leave a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have always heard about the Chicago fire, but never have I heard about this fire in Wisconsin which was more devastating and deathly than the Chicago fire.

I really enjoyed the characters which we have met. Mariah had a beautiful innocence to her who looked at the world with painters eyes. The tragedy she went through and her struggles and questions towards God felt raw, real and honest.

Jay was a strong and solid hero who everyone overlooked because he was always the quiet humble bookkeeper. The danger that threatened him in search of the truth kept this reader in suspense.

I really loved the ending though I was wondering if everyone will be able to get the happiness they deserve.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

I was unaware of the fire in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, that occurred at the same time as the Chicago fires in 1871. I could picture people trying to save their valuables while escaping a raging fire because I’ve seen it on TV. As I delved into this narrative, I experienced a range of emotions, including despair, hope, joy, and worry, all of which accompanied these remarkable characters.

Right now, we can see firsthand how devastating the fires in South and North Carolina are. We had previously witnessed the California wildfires. Amidst the chaos, this story follows one family as they try to unravel a mystery that will save their lives. It was intriguing to observe Jay's internal conflict as he sought evidence for both Mariah and him to survive. The fires made this project practically impossible to complete. Courage and the ability to create something beautiful from ashes, as well as faith, hope, forgiveness, and love, are major themes in this story.

We have all heard of the Great Chicago Fire, a conflagration that began on October 8, 1871, but few of us are likely to be familiar with the fire that consumed the village of Peshtigo in northeastern Wisconsin on that same day. Approximately three hundred people died in the Great Chicago Fire. Between twelve hundred and twenty-five hundred were killed in the Peshtigo fire. Exact numbers were impossible to ascertain as the extremely hot fires reduced many bodies to ash.

The fire in Peshtigo, Wisconsin is the focus of the latest addition to Barbour Publishing's A Day to Remember series. It is written by Liz Tolsma. While the main characters are fictional, the details of the disaster are well-researched and accurately yet sensitively described. Mariah Randolph suffers great loss during the fire, loss beyond material possessions, and even beyond loss of loved ones. The story becomes one of reconciling faith and the hope and joy found in choosing to see God's blessings even in times of hardship.

Seeds of this story were planted in the author's heart and mind years ago. Now, readers will be blessed with the fully mature product of those seeds. When the Sky Burned is a story whose encouragement will linger on for some time. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this novel from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Mariah Randolph loves to express herself with beautiful paintings. Her dream is to have her artwork put on display in museums. She believes her fiancé, Hollis Stanford when he promises to make that happen. The widower is the son of a railroad tycoon. He has a darling little girl, Angelina, that Mariah looks forward to being a mother to.
Jay Franklin, the railroad's bookkeeper discovers that something is wrong in the company finances. He realizes that Hollis is responsible. During a confrontation a devastating tornado of fire hits Peshtigo and everything changes for the survivors.
I received this book via NetGalley from Barbour Publishing. This is my own opinion. This is an intense story written by Liz Tolsma, which is based on the terrible fire that devastated Peshtigo, Wisconsin on October 8, 1871. The author has done a respectful crafting of the disaster without being horribly graphic. I could picture the scenes in my mind. It is certainly an edge of the seat read. I couldn't put it down. I have enjoyed this series very much for its historic significance along with heart pounding storytelling. Mariah and Jay are memorable characters.
This is a strong 5 for me.

This story is about a real fire that overtook the town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin im 1871. Mariah Randolph was an artist who lived with her parents in Peshtigo. Mariah was watching the smoke from the approaching fire as its colors changed and the smoke blew westward and she painted the scene.

Hollis Stanford, a wealthy businessman from Chicago whose father owned a railroad, came by the Randolph home to see Mariah and he praised her work and spoke of the home he was building for them in Chicago.

But Hollis had secrets, so did Mariah's father and the fire revealed them!

Devastation and destruction were all around Mariah and Jay. They could just give up or push through while in the Lord for His direction. They had to make a choice.

A truly sad account of such a horrific time in history. The story is so well written and captured my heart.

** “Nanny says that Jesus is always with us. … Sometimes I get afraid, but then I remember Jesus is next to me. I like that.” **

The Day to Remember historical disaster series continues with Liz Tolsma’s “When the Sky Burned,” the telling of the 1871 fire that completely devastated the town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin.

While Mariah Randolph awaits the day she can marry Hollis Stanford, whose family is big in the railroad industry, she develops her artistic abilities, painting landscapes. As fires surround Peshtigo, she begins a series of paintings that reveal the different stages of the fires, all while the town struggles to save their town from flying embers.

Jay Franklin, Mariah’s friend and bookkeeper at the railroad office, finds some issues with the book’s numbers. Money seems to be missing, and he has a suspect.

But on the night of Oct. 8, 1871, a horrific, tornado-like fire strikes the town, destroying everything and killing most of the town. As Mariah faces incredible loss, including her sight, and Jay loses the theft’s proof, the two rely on each for support and help in overcoming their devastations.

Tolsma does an incredible job of fictionalizing a very real, very horrific event. She allows the reader to feel the stress and trauma of the event, as well as creating some both wonderful and horrible characters. She also fills the book with several great themes, like it’s sometimes hard to maintain righteousness (“The path of righteousness is a narrow one, fraught with stumbling blocks and obstacles. God never promised it would be simple or would come without pain”); Jesus is always with us, providing for our needs; “Through everything, God had remained faithful, even in the losses”; and disaster rarely announces its arrival, it just bursts in and ravages everything.

Fans of historical fiction and inspirational stories, especially about brave women, will enjoy “When the Sky Burned,” which is due out March 1.

Five stars out of five.

Barbour Fiction provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

The Peshtigo fires are a part of history I didn’t know about. I love learning about new things and Liz Tolsma put me right into the setting. I could feel the hot summer and smell the smoky burning air. I could feel the fear and terror during the fires. I enjoyed Mariah’s character growth and I appreciated that her life didn’t have an easy fix eyesight restoration type ending but instead she found a way to do what she loved still. Jay was a good character but honestly he was the one character I wish we had more from. He felt a bit flat to me. All in all I really liked this one. I read it quickly and learned a lot.