Kelly Goshorn weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into inspiring stories of love, faith, and family set in America’s vibrant past. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, won the Director’s Choice Award for Adult/YA fiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in 2019 and earned recognition as both a Selah Award finalist in the Historical Romance category and as a Maggie Award Finalist for Inspirational Fiction.
In this interview, Kelly talks about how she based this novel off the real-world explosion of the R.B. Grover Shoe Factory in 1905.
FF: What inspired the story in your book?
A critical part of the plot for The Undercover Heiress of Brockton surrounds a little-known true event that occurred on March 20, 1905, when the steam boiler in the R.B. Grover Shoe Factory exploded. I saw a side-by-side picture of the building before and after the explosion, and the only thing left standing of the massive four-story building was its smokestack. I immediately thought everyone inside that building perished. But that wasn’t the case. Miraculously, only 58 of the 365 employees inside the factory at the time of the disaster died.
Needless to say, I was intrigued. I started learning about some of those who didn’t survive like Dora Clark who was beginning her first day of employment at the shoe factory, or Ray Cole who happened to be delivering water to the plant when disaster struck. Those tragedies coupled with the heroism of pinned employees selflessly working to free their colleagues, the fearless firemen of the Campello station who were first on the scene, or the brave priest from St. Margaret’s who raced into the inferno to rescue the injured captured my imagination and I knew their stories needed to be told.
FF: What can you tell us about the main characters in your book?
My heroine, Henrietta “Etta” Maxwell, is an eccentric heiress who masquerades as Henry Mason, a male reporter for the Brockton Enterprise—a fact that routinely puts a knot in Etta’s knickerbockers. She comes from privilege but has a heart for the downtrodden. Etta is smart and resourceful and inwardly battles with competing desires to have her own byline and to have a traditional family.
Leo Eriksson is a second-generation firefighter. His father and brothers are also firemen stationed together at the Campello firehouse, located on the same block as the ill-fated shoe factory. He is clever and authentic, with a strong, protective nature. Leo is immediately smitten with Etta but struggles to believe a woman of her station could build a future with a firefighter.
FF: Which character surprised you the most?
That’s a great question. I’d have to say it wouldn’t be one character, but a group of characters—Leo’s family. I love the camaraderie between Leo, his siblings, and their father, who they lovingly call “Pops.” These characters made their personalities stand out through witty banter, playful teasing, and their genuine concern for one another. Out of this cast of familial secondary characters, I’d have to say Gunnar, the middle brother, and the only married sibling, proved to be a steadfast rock for Leo and the one who gives Leo sound wisdom when it comes to winning Etta back.
FF: Why do you think storytelling is such a powerful way to share truth?
Jesus understood that for most people stories, not sermons, speak to the heart and soul of the listener. The power of fiction, especially Christian fiction, lies in its ability to present spiritual truths to readers in very non-threatening ways. Within the pages of a novel, the reader connects with the underlying themes of the story through relatable characters and engaging narratives, hopefully leading them to apply these truths in their own lives.
FF: What can readers expect from the rest of this series?
There are six books in the Enduring Hope series, and each is a stand-alone novel written by a different author. Enduring Hope examines different man-made disasters and how the characters overcome tragedy, fear, and hopelessness with faith, love, and fortitude. Some other storylines will include the Chinatown riots, a stampede at the Shiloh Baptist Church Convention, the clash of two ships in Halifax Harbor, the massacre at Wounded Knee, and the Hagenbeck-Wallace circus train collision.
FF: What kind of research did you do for this book?
Very early on, I found a copy of The History of the Brockton Relief Fund, printed a few years after the explosion. It proved to be a goldmine of information including a detailed account of the disaster, a list of victims, and donations made to the fund, as well as how the committee distributed the monies. I also relied heavily on primary sources from both local and national newspapers that I found through the assistance of the research librarian at the Brockton Library and by searching the Library of Congress files online. YouTube historians were a wonderful source of information on early twentieth century firefighting and arson investigation techniques, as well as vaudeville costumes, automobiles, and the history of Brockton, Massachusetts.
FF: What do you want readers to take away after reading your book?
Through Etta’s journey, I hope readers will become more comfortable with the unique person God has created them to be, to celebrate their distinct talents and gifts—quirks and all. I think this message can’t be overstated in a world that focuses too much on our physical appearance rather than our character, where not having the largest bank account or latest gadget can make you feel “less than,” or expressing our individual ideas and opinions can leave you feeling ostracized.
FF: What are the biggest challenges for you as an author writing historical novels?
Despite having a M.Ed. in History Education, finding accurate original source material can oftentimes be challenging. Sometimes information in newspaper articles, especially eyewitness accounts, vary and you have to dig a little deeper. For me, I often find locating good sources on 19th century medicine to be especially challenging. However, I love doing the research and this often leads to its own pitfalls when I discover fascinating, although irrelevant to my story material, and spend way too much time meandering down rabbit holes.
FF: What authors or books have inspired you as an author?
That is a tough question because there are so many to choose from. I think every journey we take through the pages leaves an indelible impression on our soul. My favorite stories are those that challenge me to live out my faith every day. I think the novel that stands out the most to me in this way is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. Her gritty retelling of the Book of Hosea is like nothing I’ve ever read before and only one of a couple books I’ve ever reread (so many books, so little time).
Since I primarily read historical fiction/romance, the authors in my genre whose stories captivate me and challenge me to be a better storyteller are Amanda Barratt, Cathy Gohlke, Karen Witemeyer, Tamara Alexander, Julie Lessman, Misty Beller, and Crystal Caudill.
FF: How has your faith or world view impacted the way you tell stories?
I’m usually unsure of what the underlying theme of the story will be as I sit down to write. As the story unfolds, the Lord directs the message, oftentimes teaching me valuable lessons with each new novel. I’m drawn to stories of self-acceptance, forgiveness, and redemption both in the novels I read and those I write. It is my deepest prayer that God will use my stories to bless, encourage, and entertain the body of Christ while continuously pointing the reader back to the truth of the gospel, and the redeeming work of the cross.
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The Undercover Heiress of Brockton
Enduring Hope #2
Kelly J. Goshorn
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Genres: Historical, Romance
Release August 1, 2025
Available Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, eBook
ASIN: B0DKG81PC2
ISBN-13: 979-8891511774
Book Summary:
Henrietta “Etta” Maxwell, heiress to the Maxwell fortune, is a hard-hitting investigative reporter for The Enterprise Daily. The catch? Etta must pen her columns under the nom de plume, Henry Mason—a fact that routinely puts a knot in her knickerbockers.
Leo Eriksson is a second-generation firefighter with a passion for rendering aid to those in need. When Leo discovers that Henry Mason is really Henrietta Maxwell, the fire department’s wealthy benefactress, he agrees to keep her identity secret.
After a sudden blast rocks the Grover Shoe Factory, Leo and Etta team up to determine if the explosion is related to a series of suspicious fires in the area. But sparks fly when Leo accuses Etta of negating the human side of the disaster in her determination to get a good story.
When an unnamed source reveals Etta’s secret identity to a rival reporter, she falsely accuses Leo of being the informant. As the truth comes to light, Etta must persuade Leo to give her a second chance or lose the only man she’s ever loved.
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