Finding Flora - by Elinor Florence (Paperback)

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." --front flap.

Book Synopsis

Instant #1 Bestseller

A rollicking historical novel set in turn-of-the-century Alberta about a young woman on the run from her abusive husband who uses a legal loophole to claim a homestead in the Wild West--perfect for fans of Outlawed and The Giver of Stars.

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.

Review Quotes

". . . the B.C.-based novelist draws on her own Scottish homesteading and Indigenous ancestors, as well as childhood growing up on a Saskatchewan farm, for a richly Canadian take."
-- Zoomer Book Club

"I was so glad to have a chance to read this novel and I can say with certainty that I do NOT have what it takes to be a strong female on the prairies like the women featured in this book!"
-- Beth's Book-Nook Blog

"Finding Flora is a story both refreshingly modern and full of old-fashioned storytelling charm, impressively detailed and impeccably researched, and a lyrical and luscious addition to the canon of Canadian historical fiction."
-- NATALIE JENNER, internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society, Bloomsbury Girls & Every Time We Say Goodbye

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

About the Author

Elinor Florence grew up on a Saskatchewan farm and earned degrees in English and journalism. She worked for newspapers in all four Western provinces, spent eight years writing for Reader's Digest Canada, and even published her own award-winning community newspaper. Her first novel, Bird's Eye View, was a national bestseller, while the second, Wildwood, was named one of Kobo's Hundred Most Popular Canadian Books of All Time. Finding Flora, an instant #1 national bestseller and a Heather's Pick, was inspired by her own Scottish homesteading and Indigenous ancestors. She is a member of the Métis Nation of British Columbia and makes her home in the mountain resort of Invermere.