Cover Reveal of Aflame

Cover Reveal of Aflame

by | Oct 16, 2025 | Announcements, Book News, Books, Cover Designs, Fantasy

It’s Time!

For Another Cover Reveal!!

I know, I know, we just had one of these two weeks ago. But who’s really going to complain about another peek at a new cover?? I know I wouldn’t!

And I’m so excited to share more about the second book in my romantasy series. Aflame is set 150 years after Awakened, but don’t worry—Arden and Seidon are still alive and well and recognized the world over as the best-ever “power couple.” 😉

And something EXTRA fun for you…if you pre-order from my site, you’ll get an insta-download of the first chapter of Aflame! You also have the option of ebook, regular paperback, or printed-edge paperback. (Be sure you’re logged in when you order…that’s the only way the site knows who you are, to provide that download.)

Let’s meet…

Valkyrja (Kyrja)

Kyrja (pronounced keer-yuh or keer-ee-uh) is the youngest daughter of King Isidor of Fjordlandi. The extra daughter. Not the heir, not the spare. She is, as her older sister likes to say, “pretty but useless,” with a magic so much weaker than the rest of her family that it’s laughable. She can never best her siblings in their regular sparring … because why? She’d rather use her power over snow and ice to make the people smile with her crystal artwork and volunteer at the free clinic and numb children’s arms before their inoculations. But when tragedy strikes and Kyrja finds herself thrust into more responsibility than she ever wanted, she has to step up…and in doing so, learns how deep the corruption in Fjordlandi runs. But what can she, pretty and useless, do about it?

A rebel only when it comes to learning the holy Words…

Nikanor (Nik)

In Fjordlandi, the magical Blessed rule, the Fjorders are the aristocratic class with all the power, and the common people, the farmers—called thanes—are, well, nothing. Nothing but breeding stock. Nik has always wanted more than he’s been allotted as a thane, not in terms of land or things, but education. With the help of a local clergyman, he’s educated himself in hiding, studying the law and the holy Words of the Giver. But when his father, leader of a rebel group, summons him to the capital city, Nik has no idea that his life is on a collision course with Princess Valkyrja’s—nor that there are secrets kept within the country’s largest volcano that will threaten to burn all of Fjordlandi to the ground.

From within the volcano…

Daemon

For years uncountable, Daemon has lived in Fjordlandi’s biggest, ever-active volcano, sentenced here for rebellion. But when he was tossed into Helviti’s throat, he didn’t burn up. He…turned. Turned into something the world had never seen before, into a creature of fire and lava, able to summon those magma flows with his will. Daemon, the old king had hissed at him–the dark answer to the Blessed, dubbed the Cursed. So Daemon the Cursed he will be. And though he has quietly kept the volcano in his fist these many years, helped along with the others like him that have been tossed into the lava lake from time to time, something has changed. Something new is happening Above. And Daemon isn’t going to let it pass him by.

An evocative setting

Fjordlandi

In a post-cataclysmic Earth many thousands of years in the future, technology and gift from God have combined to create power over the elements that is called “magic.” In what used to be Scandinavia, this magic is specifically geared toward snow and ice, and Fjordlandi is known as the land of the ice wielders. With cities open to the elements, the aristocratic Fjorders have become immune to the cold, and emotion is considered a weakness that will melt one’s protective ice…but in the sheltered greenhouse domes where the thanes live, blood still runs hot–and so does a festering revolution. For centuries, the thanes have been crushed under the ice-cold boot of the magically Blessed. But the time has come for them to set their whole land Aflame.

Roseanna’s next

Fantasy Romance

In a world of fire and ice, an underestimated princess, a faith-filled commoner, and an unknown power burning with resentment must join forces to bring long-awaited justice to Fjordlandi—a kingdom too long held captive to the ice, ready to be set Aflame.

 

Ready? Here it is!
The cover of Aflame!

What do you think??

I LOVE how this turned out! The beautiful drawing of Kyrja comes to us courtesy of the amazing Caroline Smith of Caroline Calligraphie (one of my P&P ladies). I added a background with the fire/lava elements (because, um, only having snow on the cover of a book called Aflame might be confusing, LOL), combined it with some rising sparks, I did a dual Awakening mark this time so we can see both the marks of the Blessed and the Cursed (uneven simply so there’s no weird line, they shift behind her), and then of course had the title in a fun gild to coordinate with Awakened.

AND…this one will also have printed edges!! (You have the option to pre-order with or without them, since I have a few readers who prefer to put their own art on the edges.) Here’s a peek at what those will look like!

Pre-Order Now!

The Official Description

In a land of fire and ice, love is considered a weakness.

Princess Valkyrja has always been deemed “pretty and useless” by her family, who rule the kingdom of Fjordlandi. Though she has the same magical Blessing over ice and snow as her brother, sister, and father, she can never seem to use it for the brute-force ruling they require, choosing instead to make art that makes her people smile. But when a horrific attack shakes their whole world, she has to step up…and find a strength she didn’t know she had.

Nikanor has lived his life under the greenhouse domes, a commoner with no opportunities to do things he most desires—to study the Words or the law, to be something other than a farmer. When he and his best friend follow his father to the capital, he hopes only for a nice holiday. Instead, the attack throws him into the path of a princess, and his world is never the same.

But the Blessed aren’t the only ones with magic in Fjordlandi. There are others already Awakened in the volcano, those called the Cursed, with lava in their veins and rebellion in their hearts. And once the fires of revolution ignite, they won’t stop until all of Fjordlandi is Aflame.

It’s Release Day! The Christmas Book Flood

It’s Release Day! The Christmas Book Flood

by | Oct 7, 2025 | Announcements, Book News, Books

Welcome to the Launch Day Celebration
for The Christmas Book Flood!

It’s been a long time since I’ve had a story only coming out in digital formats–and the first time that those digital formats include both eBook and audio. This was my first of two contracted novellas for Tyndale, and can I just say that this is also the first time I got to write a Christmas story during the Christmas season??? That was pretty sweet! I finished this last January, sitting on the couch beside my Christmas tree. Ahhhh.

So what is The Christmas Book Flood about? It’s a friends-to-more historical romance set in Iceland of 1944…the year the Jolabokflod tradition began! I go not only inside this Allied-occupied island nation (this Scandinavian country was occupied by the Allies instead of the Nazis!), but into a (fictional) publishing house as they’re putting the very first Book Flood together. Both my heroine, Tatiana, and my hero, Anders, work for this publishing house and are in a frenzy to get the mountain of orders out on time…made all the more hectic because Tatiana is hosting her niece for Christmas this year, and she’s determined to bring joy to the heart of this precious girl who is devastated to be away from home.

Turns out Icelandic Christmas traditions are very unique too! Scroll down to get a peek at the differences you’ll encounter in this story!

Live DUAL Event!

I ended up cancelling my live event for The Collector of Burned Books due to travel, surgery, and then a month-long migraine that didn’t go away until I was again out of town for vacation…so tonight we’ll have a BIG celebration for BOTH The Collector of Burned Books and The Christmas Book Flood! Though these two books are both standalones, they are thematically linked by books (deliberate choice, yes!), and I think we’ll have fun talking about them both.

So join me for a Facebook Live video tonight, Tuesday October 7, at 7 pm Eastern! (You can watch it afterward too, and I’ll try to answer any questions in the comments!)

  • Behind the scenes of both books
  • Fun facts
  • What’s coming next
Visit Roseanna M. White on Facebook

The Christmas Book Flood focuses on Tatiana and Anders

First, a quick note on Icelandic names.

Iceland still maintains the ancient Viking naming tradition, which is that each individual’s surname is their father’s name with a suffix. Girls get name + dottir (daughter) and men get name + son. So while two sisters would have the same surname and two brothers would as well, a brother and sister would actually have different surnames (different suffixes, anyway), and they do NOT have the same last name as their own parents!

Because of this, unlike with most other countries, they don’t call each other by any sort of honorific (Mr. or Miss) most of the time. They just use first names. =)

So let’s meet my heroine and hero!

First we have Tatiana. Tatiana moved from her fishing village several years ago to work for her uncle in Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavik at a publishing company called The Story Society (based on a mashup of actual Iceland publisher names–isn’t that fun?). Though she’s just her uncle’s secretary officially, she has a secret no one at the company knows. That she’s also the author of one of the books the Story Society has just released, written under a male pen name. And her editor, the man who’s become such a good friend through their shared correspondence over the many months of edits, is none other than the Story Society’s star–Anders.

Anders is an editor for the company, yes, but he’s also an acclaimed writer and artist, publishing a series of books for children that retell the traditional Icelandic sagas in a way that’s appropriate for young readers. Though he’s lived all his life in Reykjavik, Anders is from a family of fishermen who don’t quite know what to make of his scholarly self. He’s always felt like a disappointment to his family, like the odd duck that baffles and infuriates them, especially his many strapping brothers, who so embody the paradigm of Nordic heroes that Anders is always left feeling like an unhero in comparison. But at the Story Society, he has found his people. And maybe, just maybe he can finally find a way to get the attention of the publisher’s beautiful niece.

~*~

Tatiana is eager to welcome her niece, Elea, to the city for the weeks leading up to Christmas, while her sister is on bed-rest in the final weeks of a much-longed-for pregnancy and her brother-in-law is recuperating from a U-boat attack on his fishing vessel. But the Book Bulletin that all of Iceland’s publishers have worked together to put out–a catalogue that has gone out to every household in Iceland, promoting books as Christmas gifts this year, since paper is one of the few things not rationed–has been a little too successful. How is she supposed to find the time to do her job and give Elea the Christmas she deserves?

Turns out, it’s going to take some teamwork, on both counts. And maybe a little Christmas miracle…

Icelandic Christmas Traditions!

There are so many fun traditions unique to Iceland, and I had a ton of fun diving into them is this story!

For starters, instead of Santa Claus, they have the Yule Lads–13 brothers who are a sort of ogre-elf, who each trek down from their mountain home in the days leading up to Christmas, to leave gifts in children’s shoes in exchange for goodies like yogurt, cookies, candles, and meat. Elea arrives in the city frustrated that her aunt actually expects her to play along with this childish tradition, but through the Yule Lads, they bring some joy back into the season.

And something you might not know…Iceland doesn’t have many trees and NO native pines. So Christmas trees? Nope! Not traditionally a part of their festivities…or at least, not like you might think. They certainly weren’t immune to the allure, but since real trees weren’t to be had, they used their well-established ingenuity and craftsmanship to make their own. But not like the artificial trees we would recognize. No, they used things like metal hangers and dowel rods to create a “tree” with branches, draped them with juniper or other evergreens, and decorated them. By 1944, some pine trees were being imported for Christmas, but it was considered a luxury.

What’s your traditional dinner for Christmas? In Iceland, their big meal is shared on Christmas Eve, and gifts are exchanged afterward. Families will then attend Midnight Mass (the country is officially Lutheran) to welcome the arrival of our Savior. But that meal? Not turkey or ham! Those aren’t readily available in Iceland either. No, their traditional meal is skate. Various kinds of fish and lamb are their main meats.

They still love cookies though! Sugar and flour were both rationed during the war, of course, but families would save up their stores to make a few special things, including cookies and leaf bread–a thin-rolled dough cut in decorative designs and then deep-fried in fat (usually sheep fat at this period).

And of course…The Christmas Book Flood!

My favorite Icelandic Christmas tradition, though, is the one whose origin I’m writing about in this story. Jolabokflod has taken the book world by storm in recent years, so it’s quite likely you’ve seen something about it.

In short, it’s the tradition of giving books as Christmas gifts (again, opened on Christmas Eve after dinner) and then staying up until you leave for church reading your book and drinking hot chocolate. I mean…COME ON. Best. Tradition. Ever!

Of course, when it began in 1944, that hot chocolate was unlikely–chocolate and sugar were both seriously rationed. But I do approve of the addition. 😉 Paper, however, was not rationed, which meant that books were a logical and affordable choice of gift during the war. 

And they were well received! Iceland, even today, boasts more readers per capita than any other country, putting Americans to shame. Which is no surprise, because they’ve long been known as “a storytelling people.” Families will tell each other stories over dinner and in the evenings, often about their day (but told as a complete tale with beginning, middle, and end), but also the old sagas of the Viking heroes, often with tragic ends. (I read some of these as research, guys, and oh my gracious, LOL. Definitely that sort of story that always ends in death to everyone, hence why Anders has to make them kid-friendly. And Odin makes frequent cameos!)

What a splendid gift to books and book lovers! With her customarily reverent research, Roseanna M. White weaves a tale destined to reach deep into the hearts of word-lovers everywhere. Igniting a passion for the power of the written word, White shines a spotlight on an oft-overlooked snapshot of history and blazons a light on a little-known tradition with her confident and binge-worthy prose. White’s in-depth characterization and deft exploration of family dynamics are underscored by a spotlight highlighting a unique community easily transporting readers to an island of perseverance…and books. Destined to find its way onto every “keeper shelf” The Christmas Book Flood will be revisited by readers every Christmas…time and time again.

Rachel McMillan

bestselling author of The Mozart Code

Giveaway

US entrants, enter to win bookish Christmas ornaments and few (unshown) stocking stuffer style goodies,
PLUS a gift-wrapped book of your choice from my shop for you to give to a loved one this Christmas, signed to them!
(Yes, this can totally be a gift to you, signed to you, LOL. Put it under your own tree. I won’t judge.)

International entrants, enter to win a copy of any of my books, shipped from your usual online retailer.

(If the above entry form is not working, check it out here.

Cover Reveal of Aflame

Cover Reveal of The Spy Keeper of Marseille

by | Oct 2, 2025 | Announcements, Book News, Books, Cover Designs

It’s Time!

For Another Cover Reveal!!

It’s no secret. Cover reveals are some of my favorite things. And the whole cover design process is a delight to me. (Yeah, I know. I’m a cover designer. This is to be expected, LOL.) 

And one thing I’m loving about working with Tyndale is that they often give me options. As in, they send two covers, with their favorite noted and why, but make it clear if I prefer the other, my opinion counts. That’s lovely.

As with The Collector of Burned Books, I absolutely agreed with their favorite, though in this case, I requested some minor changes to the lighting of the sky, which they quickly did. Now–chef’s kiss! I love it!

But of course, before I share, let me share with you a bit about the book and characters. =D

A woman unlike any other in France…

Zelie Bellarose

Zelie (pronounced zee-lee) is not what anyone would expect. As the wife of a late military officer and mother of two young children, everyone thinks she ought to be spending the war waiting in lines for food and tending her children. But Zelie, with her sharp mind and penchant for organization, isn’t ready to give up the fight after the Nazi invasion. She wants to give her children a France worth growing up in, so she’s been working with another military officer on building France’s largest intelligence network, Alliance.

She never expected to be put in charge of it. But when her superior is arrested, it falls to Zelie to keep Alliance running…and make sure that, at all costs, they keep Britain’s MI6 fed with information.

More than just another musician…

Marcel Laurent

Though a concert pianist at the pinnacle of his career before the war, Marcel couldn’t let his brother and cousins have all the glory. He’d enlisted, joining France’s forces at the Maginot Line…only to end up a POW for over a year. Now Marcel finds himsef released on a prisoner exchange, apparently at the behest of a wealthy industrialist with ties with the fledgling Resistance, brought back to France for one purpose–to be Alliance’s liaison to the arts sector. As the leader of a new youth orchestra, Marcel is able to travel through both free and occupies zones and even send out live messages on their weekly radio program.

He’s happy to do whatever he can for his country. Especially if it means bringing a smile to the lovely face of la patronne–a woman he knows is out of his league, but to whom he’s inexplicably drawn.

An evocative setting

Marseille, 1941

This beautiful Mediterranean city on France’s southern coast was technically in the dubiously-dubbed “Free France,” supposedly outside the Nazis’ control…but that didn’t keep Nazi soldiers and agents from roaming freely to oversee all the French officials and track down the Resistance proving to be a thorn in their side.

Both Marcel’s and Zelie’s families are from the region, so it’s a natural place for Zelie to set up operations; Marseille is the most diverse city in France thanks to its once-bustling seaport, now closed because of the war. Surrounded by rich farmlands and the famed flower fields of Provence, the city still has much to offer…and Alliance is determined to take advantage of it/

Roseanna’s next

World War II Romance

This high-stakes, fast-paced story is based on the real-life adventures of Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, the historical female head of Alliance, France’s largest intelligence network during the war. Her many escapades and close scrapes provided ample inspiration for my fictional Zelie, and Marcel, too, is a mash-up of several historical figures!

Ready? Here it is!
The cover of The Spy Keeper of Marseille!

What do you think??

I LOVE this cover! The gorgeous villa along the coast of the Med, the colors, the back view of Zelie, briefcase in hand yet stylish pumps and hat on…this fits the story and character to a T! In the story, they use a couple different villas as their base of operations, donated to the cause by the families who owned them for Alliance’s use. Airdrops were also an important part of the network’s work, so having the planes up there is perfect too.

Pre-Order Now!

The Official Description

Few would suspect a young widow and mother of two small children of being a spy.
Fewer still would believe she leads the largest intelligence operation in France.

Marseille, France, 1941. Zelie Bellerose never fit the mold of an army officer’s wife. She was too passionate in her convictions, too indifferent to societal expectations. After her husband is killed in the war, Zelie focuses on securing a brighter future for her children, hoping to help free her country from the Nazi regime by joining the Resistance. She is soon one of the most trusted operatives in Alliance, and when their leader is imprisoned, she takes command, hiding her identity from all but a few. With enemies closing in, Zelie must earn the trust of her network and prove herself to those who doubt a woman’s place at the helm of the France’s largest spy ring.

Marcel Laurent was a renowned concert pianist before joining the French army and being sent to a POW camp. Freed in a prisoner exchange by a wealthy businessman with ties to the Resistance, Marcel agrees to spy for Alliance by conducting a youth orchestra, gathering intelligence from patrons who are loose-lipped Nazi sympathizers. Marcel’s weekly radio broadcasts introducing the orchestra’s performances give him the perfect cover to send coded messages over the airwaves.

As Zelie and Marcel grow closer through their shared love of music, she begins to rely on him. But betrayal from within Alliance puts everything they’ve fought for at risk. When a double agent infiltrates their ranks and the two are captured, their bond faces its greatest test . . . and any misstep could jeopardize not only Alliance but the very outcome of the war.

It’s Release Day! The Collector of Burned Books

It’s Release Day! The Collector of Burned Books

by | Jul 14, 2025 | Announcements, Book News, Books

Welcome to the Launch Day Celebration
for The Collector of Burned Books!

I’ve written a lot of historical romances at this point. Many of them were set during the Great War. One, Yesterday’s Tides, was both WWI and WW2. And as I was writing that one, despite having once said, “World War 2 is way too modern for me, thank you very much, I don’t think I’ll ever write anything set later than the 1920s,” I found I really enjoyed that 1940s line. And in typical me fashion, the more I researched for it, the more story ideas I began to have.

And so, today I am SO EXCITED to welcome my first solely 1940s book into the world! The Collector of Burned Books is set from June 1940 – January 1941 (with an epilogue that’s later), and GUYS…I love this book so much.

It’s partly the Parisian setting.

It’s partly the fact that it is ALL about libraries and books and how freedom of thought is intrinsically linked to freedom.

It’s partly the love story.

It’s partly the path this book has taken me on. If you read my post last week on “The Dangers of Dehumanizing,” then you know that this book led me to a new publisher, and while I loved my decade with Bethany House, my experience thus far with Tyndale has been AMAZING too.

And mostly…it’s just this story. A story I love so much. A story that made me ask hard questions. A story that let me write a love letter to the education I enjoyed in my college days, all about dialectic and free-thinking. A story that is far more apropos than I’d thought it would be. A story that is resonating so much with early readers, which just makes me all warm and grateful.

What Early Readers Are Saying

Publishers Weekly

Propulsively plotted and richly detailed, the narrative depicts how dangerous it can be under fascism to entertain ideas deemed “different”—and how deeply necessary. The result is a captivating historical romance and a resonant ode to the power of literature in dark times.

Starred review from booklist

Brilliantly written . . . [The Collector of Burned Books] captures the volatile intersection of art, academia, and authoritarian control, with the spark of unexpected romance bringing warmth to an unforgettable novel.

Live Event…Eventually. 😉

This week I’m at a writer’s conference with questionable wifi…and next week I’m having surgery. So we’re scheduling the Facebook Live video TWO WEEKS from now on Tuesday, July 29, at 7 pm Eastern! (You can watch it afterward too, and I’ll try to answer any questions in the comments!)

  • Behind the scenes
  • Fun facts
  • Short author reading
  • What’s coming next

Mark your calendars!!!

Visit Roseanna M. White on Facebook

Courage, honor, and sacrifice born of great love overflow the pages of The Collector of Burned Books.  Rarely have I read a book with such perfect tension.  Meticulously researched, intellectually and spiritually stimulating, compelling and beautifully written, Roseanna White has written a book I could not put down, one I will not forget.

Cathy Gohlke

Christy Award Hall of Fame author

About The Collector of Burned Books

In this gripping World War II historical about the power of words, two people form an unlikely friendship amid the Nazi occupation in Paris and fight to preserve the truth that enemies of freedom long to destroy.

Paris, 1940. Ever since the Nazi Party began burning books, German writers exiled for their opinions or heritage have been taking up residence in Paris. There they opened a library meant to celebrate the freedom of ideas and gathered every book on the banned list . . . and even incognito versions of the forbidden books that were smuggled back into Germany.

For the last six years, Corinne Bastien has been reading those books and making that library a second home. But when the German army takes possession of Paris, she loses access to the library and all the secrets she’d hidden there. Secrets the Allies will need if they have any hope of liberating the city she calls home.

Christian Bauer may be German, but he never wanted anything to do with the Nazi Party―he is a professor, one who’s done his best to protect his family as well as the books that were a threat to Nazi ideals. But when Goebbels sends him to Paris to handle the “relocation” of France’s libraries, he’s forced into an army uniform and given a rank he doesn’t want. In Paris, he tries to protect whoever and whatever he can from the madness of the Party and preserve the ideas that Germans will need again when that madness is over, and maybe find a lost piece of his heart.

With her signature blend of page-turning storytelling, fascinating historical details, and enduring themes, Roseanna M. White draws readers into the dark days after Paris falls to Nazi occupation. Corinne and Christian shine in their undaunted determination to preserve books threatened by a regime that seeks to extinguish truth. The Collector of Burned Books is a stirring and inspiring tribute to the powerful bond between literature and freedom.

Amanda Barratt

Christy Award-winning author of The Warsaw Sisters and Within These Walls of Sorrow

A Book MADE for Book Clubs!

And I’ve got a Book Club Kit to prove it! 😉 In this kit you’ll find:

  • About the author
  • Letter from me, just for book clubs
  • Q&A with me, with answers to some of the most common questions about this book
  • Recipe for a classic French baguette
  • Discussion questions
  • Burned Books reading list
  • Article, “Who Are We Canceling?”
  • Meet the characters
  • A designed page for notes and questions

Interested in having me Zoom with your book club?
I’m always happy to join you! Just email me at roseannamwhite@gmail.com to set up a date!

Download Your Printable Book Club Kit

The Collector of Burned Books is a heart-pounding historical that kept me riveted from beginning to end. Roseanna White, a brilliant storyteller, weaves together a gripping plot about the many dangers of distributing prohibited books during the Nazi regime. As her cast of heroic characters secretly fight for freedom, they risk their lives to spread the truth and protect those they love. The Collector of Burned Books should be read by every lover of a life-changing book!

Melanie Dobson

award-winning author of Chateau of Secrets and The Curator’s Daughter

Giveaway

US entrants, enter to win a signed copy of The Collector of Burned Books
(or another book of your choice) + a $25 gift card to my shop!

International entrants, enter to win a copy of the book sent from your preferred retailer!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Title Reveal for My Next WWII Novel!

Title Reveal for My Next WWII Novel!

by | Jun 26, 2025 | Announcements, Book News, Books

For My Next

WW2 Historical Romance!

I’ve never actually done a title reveal before. Why? Not sure, except that generally I start talking about my stories as I’m writing them, and I rarely have a final title at that stage, and if I do…well then, I just talk about them, LOL.

In the case of this book, my second full-length WW2 romance coming from Tyndale, I had pitched it with the title The Face of Deception and just kept talking about it with that title as I began writing it and was sharing some fun stuff as I wrote the first draft.

But my editor emailed a few weeks ago to start the official title selection discussion, and she pointed out what I’d been thinking too: that we don’t want another Deception in a title so soon after An Honorable Deception. (Why did I even pitch it with that title, when I knew that Imposters would have that word in it?? No idea, LOL.)

And so, the conversation began about what would work for this story.

We knew we wanted to keep a similar rhythm and setup to both The Collector of Burned Books and the Christmas novella coming this fall, The Christmas Book Flood.

We knew we wanted to hint at Zelie’s role as head of France’s largest intelligence network during the war.

We toyed with an idea like A Woman of Intelligence, but that’s already in use for a book, and other variations, like A Lady of Intelligence, are too similar.

So my editor decided to play with the idea of a “spymaster,” which is what Zelie, based on the real-life Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, most assuredly was.

Spy Master, though, is masculine. And it’s a big deal that this is a traditionally masculine role, being filled by a woman. HUGE part of the plot (and of Marie-Madeleine’s struggles and victories throughout the war). Spy Mistress…could give the wrong impression, LOL, and make readers think I’m writing about a spy’s, ahem, special lady. Which I’m not.

But editor Elizabeth had a stroke of genius. She wrote to me, “What about ‘Spy Keeper‘?” and I went, “YYYYYEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!” I absolutely LOVE that phrase!

And so, we used that as our noun and then picked an ending to ground you in the setting. Are you ready?? Here it is!

The Spy Keeper of Marseille

(This is not a real cover, just an image I made to display the title…inspired by a similar one Tyndale has made for my Christmas novella, as a placeholder, LOL.)

Isn’t it a fun title?? The other funny thing was that I’d been spelling the town very inconsistently, LOL. Sometimes Marseilles (with an S on the end) and sometimes Marseille (no S). Historically, both have been used, and we had a bit of a back-and-forth as to which was “more correct” at that point in history…but eventually we decided to go with what’s standard today, which is no S.

I’d originally, before doing my research, ha ha, intended to set the book in Paris, like The Collector of Burned Books, but that just didn’t fit the actual history I’m delving into. Which means I got to learn about this beautiful port town, which was historically the most diverse French city. It worked perfectly for the setting of both my intelligence agency, Alliance (real thing, based first in Vichy, then, Pau, and then Marseille) and for the orchestra my hero conducts.

Now…wanna know more about the story? Here are just a few tidbits!

The Characters

Zelie & Marcel

Zelie Bellarose is a widow with two kids (aged 6 and 9), whose late husband was military. Through those contacts, she was the first recruit of another military officer who decided, even before the war began, that France needed an intelligence agency to counter the Nazis. Zelie, based on the real-life Fourcade, became the head of the whole group, called “la patronne” (the boss). Zelie is beautiful, charming, and cunning…but also insecure after a rocky marriage and being constantly underestimated by the men she worked with.

Marcel Laurent grew up in a solidly middle-class family, but his love and talent for music, especially piano, opened doors for him. He was an acclaimed concert pianist before the war…then a POW for a year after his regiment (under Zelie’s husband) was captured defending the Maginot Line. When a patron arranges for his release from the German camp, he has no idea why…until he meets Zelie and realizes he’s been hand-selected to be her intelligence network’s liaison to the arts. His job is now to recruit agents all throughout the arts sector, who can listen to conversations of their German patrons and pass along anything they learn. But at heart, he’s just a musician himself…a musician who knows the power music has on the soul.

The Shooting Star

I don’t often come up with lines of dialogue before I start actually writing, but as I was brainstorming this story to turn in my synopsis, this line popped into my head–and it became the guiding force as I developed the characters. Shooting stars appear several times in the book, and I am soooooo hoping one ends up on the final cover! (We’re still months away from cover design, so we’ll see, LOL.)

Love Note…

In the course of the story, Marcel starts leaving notes for Zelie, but in code. This one is her (and my, LOL) favorite. To his shooting star, with a Morse code message, signed with his callsign. ❤️​❤️​❤️​

And that’s all I’m gonna share right now! 😉 But I hope you’re as excited as I am to have an official title for this one. Keep your eyes peeled for a cover reveal in a couple months, at which point it’ll be up for pre-order in my shop. But for now…let’s just be excited about my awesome editor’s brilliant title idea!

The Spy Keeper

of Marseille

A Thrilling Historical Romance set in France of 1941-42

Coming Summer 2026!

It’s Release Day! Awakened

It’s Release Day! Awakened

by | Jun 3, 2025 | Announcements, Book News, Books, Fantasy

Welcome to the Launch Day Celebration
for Awakened!

It’s here, it’s here, it’s finally here!!!

I am so, SO excited to celebrate the release of my FIRST (but not last!) romantasy. Awakened came to me on a beach vacation and gave me first a delightful week of world-building and dreaming while there, then countless hours of fun as I wrote the book between other projects, just because I had to.

It’s a story that consumed me in a way few books have done. A story that kept growing and expanding into a whole world, filled with origin stories, spin-offs, and new things to discover. It’s a story with a big-big romance that I hope makes you swoon as much as it did me.

Of course, this book is DIFFERENT. Nearly everything I’ve written is either historical or at least with a historical thread. Awakened, however, is pure fantasy-romance. I absolutely understand that not all my historical romance readers are going to want to dive into a fantasy world. And yet…I’d of course love it if you gave it a try. So I wanted to share some responses from other early readers who don’t often turn to fantasy but fell in love with Arden and Seidon’s story. =)

What Early Readers Are Saying

Even when they don’t usually read fantasy…

Halee Porter

Adventure, suspense, romance, and spirituality – Awakened is one of the BEST books I’ve read by one of my favorite authors, Roseanna M. White. There’s such beauty in every aspect of the book’s plot and its characters. In a mystical world surrounded by magical beings, you get a real love story filled with depth and conviction. I couldn’t put the book down and was sad to see the end of the story.

Shaleen Howard

This is a beautiful love story full of excitement, peril, stunning settings, themes that are relatable and touch your heart, and of course, there are mermaids! The realistic world and characters were creatively woven together with fantastic elements to provide a truly thrilling and immersive read. I loved every bit of this book and highly recommend!

Margaret N.

I am always amazed when an author is able to create a whole new world that makes sense to me in the speculative fiction/fantasy genre. I quickly fell in love with the characters and the world White has created. If you enjoy a good story with great characters, spiritual insights that apply to any age, and the fun of imagining swimming with a mermaid or riding an eagle, I think you’ll really enjoy this book!

Bethany Aich

Everything White writes is amazing, but I was interested to see if she could pull it off in a different genre. Boy howdy, did she. Awakened may be her debut fantasy, but it was riveting from first to last. There were some things I predicted and a lot I didn’t. I loved the world and the main characters and the magic system: basically, if it was in here, I loved it.

Laura Heagy

While fantasy fiction is not my usual go-to genre, Awakened proved to be the exception to my rule. Roseanna brings a brand new world to life through her amazing imagination and brilliant writing skills while not sacrificing the depth of her characters or the substance of her story. I was captured at the beginning of the story and captivated until the end. If you are one to hesitate where fantasy fiction is concerned, let Awakened take you on a fantastic voyage. Come on in… the water’s fine.

Candice W.

Awakened was an amazing romance in a fantasy setting! It has everything we love about Roseanna’s historical books (mystery, suspense, faith, intrigue, plot twists, character growth and development) just set in a wonderful world Roseanna created herself. I highly recommend reading this book to take you on a journey of romance and imagination – like all good books do!

Danielle Grandinetti

Roseanna M. White’s new romantasy highlights her quintessential ability to immerse the reader into a whole new world—whether historical or fantastical—and craft her tales with heart-touching romance and faith arcs. Whether you’re new to romantasy (like me) or it’s already a favorite genre, you won’t want to miss Awakened. I loved it!

Caroline Smith

(My illustrator!)
Awakened is a breathtaking new fantasy novel by Roseanna M. White. Following the diverging journeys of two sisters as they navigate self-discovery and the Lord’s purpose for their lives was both captivating and deeply moving. There were moments that made me laugh aloud and others that brought me to tears. Roseanna’s prose is as beautiful as ever, and her faith is woven seamlessly into this new genre—an inspiring and humble debut in fantasy for her. If you’re not sure about fantasy, but love Roseanna, I promise, you will not be disappointed!

A Reader

I loved this book. It grabbed me from the beginning and I could not put it down. I am new to the fantasy genre. This book has so much happening. The characters are amazing and you will be cheering for them and will be tuning the pages quickly to see what happens. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

Live Event!

Join me for a Facebook Live video NEXT Tuesday, June 10, at 7 pm Eastern! (You can watch it afterward too, and I’ll try to answer any questions in the comments!)

  • Behind the scenes
  • Fun facts
  • Short author reading
  • What’s coming next
Visit Roseanna M. White on Facebook

The speculative fiction bug has been awakened in prolific author Roseanna White, and her fantasy debut does not disappoint! With a refreshing and imaginative spin on mermaid lore, Awakened offers a richly woven tale of love and loyalty in the collision of two vibrant worlds. White’s masterful storytelling and vivid world-building will draw readers into an epic adventure that explores the depths of sacrifice and the power of unity. A thoroughly enjoyable and captivating read—I eagerly await her next foray into the fantasy genre!

Jill Williamson

Christy Award-winning Blood of Kings author

Awakened 

Where sea and land meet, two worlds clash in a fury of wind and waves.

Arden Bleu has always known that her stepsister, Jade, was destined for great things. In a world where beauty follows magic, she has no doubt that their upcoming Awakening Ceremony will reveal that gorgeous Jade is far more than a mere mortal. But when Jade is kidnapped by a mysterious sect of mer on the eve of the newly-returned king’s ball, Arden will do anything to save her sister. Even face down the man she’s always dreaded meeting because of the power he holds over her family, the man to whom her father swore loyalty long before she was born. The Sea King.

Seidon, the Sea King of Daryatla, has grown only more powerful as the centuries have gone by, but lifetime after lifetime has failed to give him what he most yearns for: a family. He knows that it will take a woman of extraordinary power to match him enough to create a child, and no such woman seems to exist…until he feels her magic calling to his one day in the water. And when Arden Bleu, daughter of his most trusted official, arrives to tell him about her missing stepsister, he knows this Jade, with a new magic so coveted that the mer would risk war with his kingdom to steal her away, may be the one he’s waited centuries for. But how can he and the determined Arden ever hope to find one young woman trapped beneath the waves? Perhaps the Great Golden Sea Hawk who has guarded the sisters all their lives holds the key.

In a world on the brink of war between the mer and the land-dwellers, friendship, faith, and love demand the ultimate sacrifice as both kingdoms seek to unlock the prophesied magic waiting to spring forth: the magic of wind and sky. To the mer, it would mean the freedom to return to the land. To Seidon’s court, it would mean safety from every storm. But how can any human hand wield the wind?

Sand meets sea and Disney’s The Little Mermaid meets Robin McKinley’s beloved classic The Blue Sword in this beautifully written and wonderfully original YA science fantasy. Seidon and Arden stole my heart and Roseanna White’s gorgeous world-building, imbued with rich spiritual themes and symbolism, enthralled me from start to finish. Highly recommend!

J. J. Fischer

award-winning author of The Nightingale Trilogy, The Soul Mark Duology, and Regency & Regicide

Bonus Content that comes with Awakened

If you order Awakened before June 17, 2025, you don’t just get the book.
You get some bonuses too!

(If you order straight from me, you’ll get this automatically; if you ordered elsewhere, just email me the purchase confirmation/receipt at roseannamwhite@gmail.com with a subject line of “Awakened Pre-Order”)

  • ALL print copies from my shop will have printed edges!
  • Free short story, Captivated, in either PDF or epub (after June 10, this will be purchasable for 99¢)
  • Bonus story, Foretold…once I finish writing it. 😉 (I thought this would be a novella, but um…it might be longer than that.) Ebook format is the bonus.
  • An early peek at the world of Book 2, Aflame, including character art and descriptions and the first two chapters.

Roseanna White combines technology and fantasy to create a compelling world in Awakened. I enjoyed the unique take on mermaids, magic, and cultures. The characters were well crafted and relatable, and the blend of everyday faith she brought to the story felt natural. I could not put the book down!

Morgan L. Busse

award-winning author of the Ravenwood Saga and the Nordic Wars

More from the world of Awakened

There’s So Much to Explore!

Imagine a world thousands of years in the future, where the Lord has tarried in His return…

Explore More!

Awakened is an unforgettable journey filled with magic and heart-pounding heroism. This  fantasy masterpiece grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go. With richly imagined worlds, fully developed and interesting characters, and twists that will leave you breathless, this is the kind of book that reminds me why I fell in love with fantasy in the first place.

Tabitha M. Corvin

author of the Beyond Wonderland trilogy

Giveaway

US entrants, enter to win a print version of Awakened with printed edges
(or another book of your choice) + a $25 gift card to my shop!

International entrants, enter to win an ebook!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wow, what a riveting read! Much-loved Historical author Roseanna White plunges into the fantasy genre with aplomb! Awakened takes a deep dive into intricate family and kingdom dynamics that had me on the edge of my seat. This story has it all—sisters who champion each other, a swoony hero, and a strong heroine! I loved this book and could not stop thinking about it long after the last tail—er, page!

Ronie Kendig

award-winning author of the Droseran Saga

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