Sometimes, a book comes along, that you know you will like, but then find yourself wishing you could dive into the book and just share a cry or hug with a character. The moment I picked up The Midwife of Hope River, I couldn’t put it down. Although this is a work of fiction, Patricia Harman is a real midwife and her book is full of passion, three dimensional characters, and a lot of heart.
The heroine of our novel is Patience Murphy, a women with a lot of secrets, a fragile ego, and a passionate desire to help those around her even though this was never the life she imagined having. Set in the Depression in the South, Patience finds herself the only white midwife in the Appalachia area after her mentor and dear friend passes away suddenly. It’s the last thing that Patience wants, since she’s on the lamb from the law and lives alone off in the country. It draws a lot of attention and even the eye of the local veterinarian. But even with her trepidations, it’s a position that needs to be filled, despite the town having a doctor.
The book is written from Patience’s point of view, offering a look at, who I believe to be, the silent heroes of the time life and what a lot of families had to endure during such a trying time of American History. It was becoming a fine line between women going to the hospitals and delivering their children at home right before the Depression hit, but once it did, more families, rich and poor, had to have their children at home. Throughout these different deliveries, some that will make you cheer, other that will catch your heart in your throat, Patience weaves a story of the time period, while slowly peeling away and revealing bits of her past and what has led her to become a midwife.
Alongside Patience, we endure poverty, pain, heartache, a brush with the Ku Klux Klan, prejudice, and even love. We learn that a birth can be a passionate dance between two people very much in love or that sometimes, there are other plans for that precious baby and everything in between.
If you’re looking for a wonderful book to read in between the holiday craziness, filled with passion and wit, then why not pick up a copy of Patricia Harman’s The Midwife of Hope River and indulge yourself in some great reading.
Connect
You can connect with Patrica Harman on her website
Buy It
You can purchase The Midwife of Hope River on Barnes & Noble starting at $8.89 or Amazon starting at $8.89
