Titans

*Starred Review* When Millicent Holloway gives birth to twins in 1880, she directs her husband to give one away. Because they are not his Millicent was pregnant when they married he does so, albeit reluctantly. Flash-forward 20 years, and the son, Nathan, is visited at his farm by a man who claims to be his father, offering the opportunity to join him in the family business. So begins Meacham's latest sweeping historical novel, set in pre-oil boom Texas. Nathan's twin, Samantha, was given to a ranching family in Fort Worth. She grows up wanting to be a paleontologist but puts aside her dreams of an education in favor of remaining on the family ranch, the land she loves. The two are brought together when their father, oil magnate Trevor Waverling, brings Nathan to Samantha's ranch to prospect for oil, without knowing Samantha's true identity. The finest historical fiction not only entertains but teaches readers something about an era not their own, and this novel offers a stellar crash course in Texas history. Meacham lovingly paints the lush and grassy farms that once existed before the industrial revolution and oil drilling changed the landscape forever. The novel has it all: a wide cast of characters, pitch-perfect period detail, romance, plenty of drama, and skeletons in the closet (literally). Saga fans will be swooning.--Vnuk, Rebecca Copyright 2016 Booklist