I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Reluctant Midwife Series: Hope River #2 Also in this series: Once a Midwife
Published by William Morrow on March 3, 2015
Genres: Historical Fiction
Pages: 432
Format: Paperback
Source: the publisher
The Depression forces Nurse Becky to return to Hope River in hopes of employment. Her companion is Dr Isaac Blum, a once vibrant doctor, now catatonic due to loss in his own life. The economic downturn prevents many from seeking medical aid from doctors and hospitals. Becky's return is a godsend. Still uncomfortable in delivering babies, Becky still relies upon midwife Patience Murphy to bring life into the world.
Yet when Patience becomes bedridden due to pregnancy, Becky is called to stand in for her to keep safe the women and children of Hope River. This isn't the only challenge she is forced to face; caring for Dr. Blum, her employer brings its own set of challenges. They've both lost hope in the world; finding her passion in this struggling community is their only salvation.
- Series: Hope River (Book 2)
- Paperback: 432 pages
- Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (March 3, 2015)
- ISBN-13: 978-0062358240
- Source: Publisher
The Depression forces Nurse Becky to return to Hope River in hopes of employment. Her companion is Dr Isaac Blum, a once vibrant doctor, now catatonic due to loss in his own life. The economic downturn prevents many from seeking medical aid from doctors and hospitals. Becky’s return is a godsend. Still uncomfortable in delivering babies, Becky still relies upon midwife Patience Murphy to bring life into the world.
Yet when Patience becomes bedridden due to pregnancy, Becky is called to stand in for her to keep safe the women and children of Hope River. This isn’t the only challenge she is forced to face; caring for Dr. Blum, her employer brings its own set of challenges. They’ve both lost hope in the world; finding her passion in this struggling community is their only salvation.
Leave it to Patricia Harman to get me out of a book funk! The book club I lead read and discussed the first book in this series, The Midwife of Hope River. I was completely enamored by the setting, the characters, and the trials and tribulations they were forced to endure. In this second book in the series, I was delighted to view the world from Becky’s point of view. As Dr. Blum’s surgical assistant, she had a vastly different outlook on medical treatment than that of her friend and midwife, Patience. That said, the challenging economic downturn forces her to rethink medical treatment as she knew it, instead coming up with more rudimentary and basic treatments for everyday illness.
The journey not only influences and effects Becky’s career, but her own identity. Once an employee at a successful medical practice, she’s now forced to survive on the goodwill and compassion of others. A completely rewarding and uplifting read, Harman reminds us all to embrace the seemingly insignificant gifts in our life. It was incredibly inspiring to follow each of the characters on their journey to understand and accept a life that may veer off than what was expected. Highly, highly recommended.
3 Responses to Review: The Reluctant Midwife (A Hope River Novel) by Patricia Harman