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Table of Contents
About The Book
Scottish newcomer Flora Craigie jumps from a moving train in 1905 to escape her abusive husband. Desperate to disappear, she claims a homestead on the beautiful but wild Alberta prairie, determined to create a new life for herself. She is astonished to find that her nearest neighbours are also female: a Welsh widow with three children; two American women raising chickens; and a Métis woman who supports herself by training wild horses.
While battling both the brutal environment and the local cynicism toward female farmers, the five women with their very different backgrounds struggle to find common ground. But when their homes are threatened with expropriation by a hostile government, they join forces to “fire the heather,” a Scottish term meaning to raise a ruckus. To complicate matters, there are signs that Flora’s violent husband is still hunting for her. And as the competition for free land along the new Canadian Pacific Railway line heats up, an unscrupulous land agent threatens not only Flora’s livelihood, but her very existence.
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster (April 1, 2025)
- Length: 384 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668058923
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Raves and Reviews
“Flora is a heroine to cheer for! She’s brave, dogged, stubborn, joyful, a pioneer in a beautiful and punishing land. I can’t remember when I’ve been more caught up in the fate of a character! And what’s so splendid is that it is full of fascinating historical detail which never showed itself off, being so beautifully integrated into the story.”
— IONA WHISHAW, best-selling author of the Lane Winslow series
“In Finding Flora, novelist Elinor Florence has given us a striking new Scottish-Canadian heroine — a young woman at once courageous, sympathetic, and vividly alive. After tumbling alone into a harsh, unforgiving world on the Alberta prairie, that young woman shows extraordinary mettle while battling hardship and injustice. When she emerges after a final twist, I for one found my eyes stinging with tears.”
— KEN MCGOOGAN, whose books include Flight of the Highlanders: The Making of Canada
“When we think of pioneers and homesteaders, women are normally relegated to the sidelines. Elinor Florence's new novel upends this narrative. You can't help but cheer for the resilient women of ‘Ladyville’, who are not only loveable characters but also reflect the grit, hardships, and societal tensions that helped shape Canada as we know it today. Finding Flora is an engaging and educational read, rich with shifting fortunes and trouble brewing at every turn.”
— ELLEN KEITH, award-winning author of The Dutch Wife
“I was swept away to the to the wild and wide-open spaces of Alberta, circa 1905, by the magic of Elinor Florence’s writing. I cheered for Flora every step of the way in this epic tale as big as the prairie sky.”
— LESLIE HOWARD, bestselling author of The Brideship Wife
“Historical fiction readers will love this fascinating, incredibly researched story of survival and courage honouring the strength and resilience of early female pioneers.”
— GENEVIEVE GRAHAM, #1 bestselling author of The Secret Keeper
“Elinor Florence has vividly captured a time in Canadian history when life for so many people was physically very hard and rigid demarcations separated both class and gender. The struggle of her female characters to forge a life for themselves against daunting odds grabs our sympathy and doesn’t let go until the totally satisfying ending. They are women I, for one, would love to hang out with.”
— MAUREEN JENNINGS, award-winning author of the Murdoch Mysteries books
“A gorgeously written and researched story of love and survival, following a plucky Scotswoman fleeing her abusive husband, and a powerfully diverse group of women homesteaders on the prairie in the early 1900s. You will fall in love with the prairies and this wonderful book”
— MAIA CARON, author of The Last Secret and Song of Batoche
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High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Finding Flora eBook 9781668058923
- Author Photo (jpg): Elinor Florence Photograph credit Kelsey Verboom(0.1 MB)
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