historical fiction
In 1939 Georgia, far removed from the war brewing overseas, Cora Cain’s world feels small—and shrinking. There, she runs The Brunswick, her family’s once-grand hotel, which is now struggling as the town’s general store. When Thomas Watkins arrives seeking work and solace after his mother’s death, a connection sparks between them. Through Thomas, Cora glimpses a life beyond obligation and her war hero father’s unpredictable moods.
But everything changes when Cora’s asked to turn The Brunswick into a sanctuary for Jewish refugee children fleeing Nazi persecution. As Cora and Thomas prepare for the children’s arrival, they struggle to confront their pasts—and the prejudice of their neighbors—as their fragile hope is put to the test.
Meanwhile in Vienna, ten-year-old Charlotte is offered refuge in America. But even with the horrors she sees around her, Charlotte wonders how her parents could possibly send her away.
As war’s shadow begins to reach small-town Georgia, each person must face what love demands and decide what they must hold on to and of what they must let go.
Inspired by true events, Callie Murray weaves a sweeping and heartfelt tale of courage, romance, and the extraordinary choices that define us.
As my husband and I were introduced to the world of foster care, I began to consider the healing love from a wider community that often fills the gaps when parents are unable—something we had experienced to a degree ourselves.
I wanted to move the hearts of others towards that healing (and how that might overflow into supporting vulnerable children through foster care or adoption), and I knew that nothing could move a heart quite like a good book.
So, inspired by true people and events, I wrote THE BRUNSWICK with the character-driven interiority and banter I enjoy about modern-day rom-coms but with the immersive details and timeless themes I love in historical fiction. I hope this is a book that will resonate with book clubs and spread by word-of-mouth for years to come for the emotional journeys taken by both its characters and its readers.
- Callie