Summer is a time to catch up on your pleasure reading. The list of to-reads is, for many of us, endless; at the top of my list are often books framed by a historical context. (That lends itself to my history-buff side.) Whether you are or aren't, there are still a number of characters, situations and beautifully crafted works that will allow for enjoyable and insightful reading experiences. Below are 12 of my favorite historical fiction novels.

1. "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

The story of two seemingly distant characters slowly but beautifully collide over the course of a decade, spanning the years before and during World War II. Check out 12 of my favorite lines from the novel here.

2. "The Paris Wife" by Paula McLain

McLain draws us into the mind of Hadley Richardson, first wife of expatriate Ernest Hemingway. She is authoritative in voice as she carries us through the 1920s and beyond, through the relationships that try and test Hadley, and the somber tone with which she reflects on her past.

3. "Z: A Novel of Zela Fitzgerald" by Therese Anne Fowler

Similar to "The Paris Wife," Fowler explores the life and mind of F. Scott Fitzgerald's wife, Zelda. I recommend reading them one after the other, as events and characters overlap and it makes for an intriguing comparison between Zelda and Hadley's interpretations and stances.

4. "The Aviator's Wife" by Melanie Benjamin

See a pattern? In "The Aviator's Wife," we are introduced to Anne Morrow, wife to Charles Lindbergh. The intimacy with which we are given with these characters is powerful, and especially relatable for women. We are offered their (fictionalized) thoughts and opinions, and are able to connect with them through issues of relationships, children, and general life. It goes to show that time defies experience.

5. "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

In my eyes, a classic. Set in World War II-ravaged Germany, a young Liesel grows up stealing books and sharing them with loved ones. Among the peace she finds here, war comes close and looms over the novel and tiny town we are brought into. Evocative, emotional, excellent. Have tissues close: this one'll bring the tears.

6. "The Last Letter From Your Lover" by JoJo Moyes

I know I have never given much thought to the wealthy elite of 1960s London, by Moyes does so in a spectacular tangle of romances and decades. Stories of the past and present—2003—are intertwined within the chapters and helps further bridge the gap that is, really, not as wide as we'd like to believe.

7. "The Girl You Left Behind" by JoJo Moyes

Moyes employs a similar technique here, jumping between the early 20th and 21st centuries. Artwork and family in World War I-era France are at the center of the conflict, all of which translates into the 2000s. Fast paced and mysterious, you'll be up all night speeding through.

8. "Brooklyn" by Colm Tóibín

I saw the movie before reading the novel (usually a no-no for me), and was swept away by its beauty. Reading the book was equally as pleasing an experience. The emotions of a young girl being forced to move from all that she has known in rural Ireland, and into a small apartment in Brooklyn, New York, are all too tangible.

9. "The Major's Daughter" by J. P. Francis

Francis brings us to a world I was never aware of—German prisoners of war sent to a logging town in New Hampshire. This is a love-war story, quiet yet filled with enough action and emotion to keep the pages turning.

10. "Ellis Island" by Kate Kerrigan

The Great Depression serves as backdrop to this story of a young, married woman sent to the United States for work when trouble hits her and her husband in Ireland. Ellie faces homesickness and sadness akin to Eilis's of "Brooklyn"—akin to those challenges we all have faced in one way or another.

11. "City of Hope" by Kate Kerrigan

The sequel to "Ellis Island" begins with a startling event, and ends with a bittersweet tinge of hope. As Ellie moves between Ireland and the United States, she comes to terms with herself and the world and people circling around her.

12. "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah

I've barely made a dent into this novel, but I'm immediately recommending it. Kristin Hannah has a way with words, exploring the stories of sisters and families navigating the world destroyed by World War II. Her voice is captivating, and the story she is beginning to weave is enticing.