Author: Diane Chamberlain
ISBN: 9781509884650
RRP: $29.99
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Copy: Courtesy of the Publisher
The silly season came and slapped me in the face, I am so far behind on EVERYTHING that there is just no way I am going to be able to get through all the December books in time to get readers feedback links. I am 3 days out from my holiday with no packing and no cleaning but now wrapping completed.
So, I have decided the best way to tackle the holiday season book club reads is to get a post up for readers to leave their feedback on and I will read and review separately. It helps ease the pressure on me and that is what I am in dire need of right now.
Diane Chamberlain is a bestselling author from North Carolina whose back catalogue tops 25 novels, and I have read a couple. I think they were both re-releases, though I didn’t know that at the time. The Stolen Marriage is a brand new story set in the small town of Hickory, North Carolina; a town where she is a stranger and an outsider and her new husband is loved and respected.
The Stolen Marriage is an historical fiction that is an emotionally captivating story filled with secrets, betrayals, prejudices and forgiveness.
Tess DeMello is a 23 year old nursing student who is engaged to the love of her life, until she abruptly ends it and marries Henry Kraft. This is intriguing enough to want to know what’s happened and discover the events that lead to a broken engagement in 1944.
The marriage to Henry Kraft is quick which means there is a lot the two don’t know about one another and Tess soon finds herself out of her depth in a new small town that loves her husband and is suspicious of her.
A polio outbreak rips through the town and sees the townspeople band together to build a polio hospital. Tess works at the hospital, against the wishes of her husband, and finds meaning in this new life as she treats the victims.
Life at home becomes ever more alarming as Tess is left trying to save her patients by day and work out what’s going on with her husband by night.
The reviews I have just checked out are predominantly positive with the view being that this was well researched and shines a light on some of the issues faced in wartime North Carolina.
The Stolen Marriage is first person narrated by Tess and I think that will give a deep insight into her mind and heart, hopefully it will still offer a complete picture of other characters in the novel.
I am really looking forward to reading this one, and sharing my views in a separate review. I am also looking forward to hearing what our readers think.
You can follow Diane Chamberlain on Facebook, Twitter and her Website.
Thanks to Pan MacMillan 10 of our Beauty and Lace club members will be reading and reviewing The Stolen Marriage so please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments below.
The Stolen Marriage is available now through Pan MacMillan, Booktopia, Angus & Robertson Bookworld and where all good books are sold.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
I usually avoid books written about this era, no real reason I just do, but this one may just change my way of thinking. I suppose I would normally look and think “another war novel blah, blah, blah”. It’s a nice change to read one that shows me that the mid 20th century is not just about war.
I’m not very knowledgeable about this time in history but this author obviously is. I almost felt like I was there with Tess, watching from the shadows.i highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a story of triumph. When life gives you lemons you make lemonade.
I just might have to check out more from this author.
Overall a very well written and captivating read.
Thank you to Beauty & Lace and Pan MacMillan for an advance copy for an honest review.