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.
Once a Midwife by Patricia Harman Series:
Also in this series: The Reluctant Midwife
Published by HarperCollins on November 6, 2018
Genres: Family Life, Fiction, General, Historical, Medical
Pages: 512
Format: Paperback
Source: the publisher
Patience Hester has been a trusted midwife for the women of Hope River for years. Just as the small community begins to recover from the Great Depression, the country goes to war. Usually able to separate herself from what is going on in the rest of the world, the political beliefs of her husband, Daniel, forces her to confront her own beliefs.
Daniel fought in the Great War. As a young soldier, his experiences have forced him to change his position on war. His refusal to sign up for the draft leave him, and in turn his family, vulnerable to the attacks from those who firmly believe in fighting for one's country.
Hope River is no longer the quiet, remote town it once was. Completely immersed in the current state of the world, Patience must gather strength to face the added challenges that this involvement brings.
I adored reuniting with Patience. I’ve come to love her character and her stories of delivering the children of Hope River. This particular novel had vastly more influence from the outside world than previous titles in the series. I mourned for the quiet innocence of the small town, and quickly realized that this is likely the very thing that citizens of our country faced when we entered the second war. Everyone’s life was altered in some manner, whether or not they had a direct connection or involvement in the war.
I grew frustrated at times with Patience’s lack of understanding of what her husband was enduring. Rather than think about how he is affected by the war, she instead is concerned about what others must think of it. If her husband’s belief are strong enough for him to allow his family to be torn apart, shouldn’t that stand for something?
The author did an outstanding job of weaving in the social and cultural changes the world was enduring. From race relations to interracial marriages to the treatment of prisoners of war in our own country, Harman effortlessly immersed the reader in our quickly (and not so quickly) evolving country.
If you haven’t experienced the world of Hope River yet, I do encourage you to start from the beginning. The character development and growth is truly outstanding. The characters have quickly made a place in my heart; I can’t wait to read what comes next!
