'Pilgrim's Progress' is a very important Christian work that can be considered a historical novel in a sense. It has been available in free digital versions. It's an allegory that follows the journey of a Christian pilgrim and has had a profound influence on Christian thought and literature over the centuries.
Yes, 'The Robe' by Lloyd C. Douglas is a great one. It gives a vivid picture of the time of Jesus and is relatively easy to read for beginners. It can introduce you to the genre quite well.
'Jane Eyre' by Charlotte Bronte, while not strictly a Christian romance novel in the purest sense, has strong Christian undertones. It's a classic that is set in a historical period and has a romantic plot. You can find free versions of it in places like Project Gutenberg. Another one is 'Christy' by Catherine Marshall. It tells the story of a young woman in a historical Appalachian setting with a focus on her spiritual journey and a budding romance. It is often available for free in some e - book libraries.
The 'Katie Weldon Series' by Robin Jones Gunn has elements of Christian faith and historical context. While not always free, it's sometimes available at no cost on websites that offer free e - books. It tells the story of Katie's journey through college and her relationships, set against a backdrop of the times.
You can try some public libraries. Many libraries have a wide selection of Christian historical novels that you can borrow for free. Also, some websites like Project Gutenberg offer a large number of free e - books, and there might be Christian historical novels among them.
One characteristic is the strong presence of Christian values and teachings. These stories often center around events from the Bible or the history of the Christian Church. For example, they might depict the lives of saints or the spread of Christianity in different regions.
There are also some independent author websites. Many Christian historical novel authors are happy to offer their works for free or at a very low cost on their own sites as a way to gain readership. You can search for these by using search engines and typing in relevant keywords like 'Christian historical novels by independent authors'.
Some Christian - based websites also offer free e - books. For example, certain church - affiliated websites or Christian literature promotion platforms may have historical Christian romance novels available for free download. You can search for these websites using relevant keywords in your search engine.
You can try websites like Project Gutenberg. It has a large collection of free e - books, including some Christian historical romance novels. Some of these works are in the public domain and are freely available for download.
There's also 'Redeeming Love' by Francine Rivers. Sometimes it can be found for free on certain websites. It's a retelling of the story of Hosea set in the 1850s California Gold Rush, with a strong Christian message and a beautiful love story.