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The Sweet Blue Distance
A young midwife travels west to the New Mexico Territory to care for women in need and faces dangers more harrowing than the ones she’s fleeing in this epic tale of survival, redemption, and love from Sara Donati, the international bestselling author of the Wilderness series.
1857: In a bid to outrun her past, Carrie Ballentyne accepts a nursing position with a doctor in the New Mexico Territory. She knows the journey from New York to Santa Fe will not be easy, but she relishes the adventure. However, nothing could have prepared her for the wilderness she encounters. Its vastness and power are awe-inspiring, stunning in both beauty and brutality. To endure, she must learn to rely on her fellow travelers—and one enigmatic man in particular. As the small, tight-knit group tackles challenge after challenge, she feels her heart opening to this rugged land—and the people willing to risk so much for one another.
The trip west is only the beginning of Carrie’s challenges, though. In Santa Fe, she compassionately helps women bring new life into the world, making her beloved among new mothers. Soon, however, she realizes that her employer and his wife are keeping secrets from her, and she must ferret out the truth to protect their young daughter. But to save the little girl she’s come to cherish, Carrie will have to confront the demons in her own past—a feat that will take all of her bravery with the help of the man she’s grown to love and depend on above all others.
With its vivid descriptions of the breathtaking western landscape and its irresistible characters, The Sweet Blue Distance is the unforgettable story of one woman’s courage to heal herself, her family, and the women entrusted to her care.
1857: In a bid to outrun her past, Carrie Ballentyne accepts a nursing position with a doctor in the New Mexico Territory. She knows the journey from New York to Santa Fe will not be easy, but she relishes the adventure. However, nothing could have prepared her for the wilderness she encounters. Its vastness and power are awe-inspiring, stunning in both beauty and brutality. To endure, she must learn to rely on her fellow travelers—and one enigmatic man in particular. As the small, tight-knit group tackles challenge after challenge, she feels her heart opening to this rugged land—and the people willing to risk so much for one another.
The trip west is only the beginning of Carrie’s challenges, though. In Santa Fe, she compassionately helps women bring new life into the world, making her beloved among new mothers. Soon, however, she realizes that her employer and his wife are keeping secrets from her, and she must ferret out the truth to protect their young daughter. But to save the little girl she’s come to cherish, Carrie will have to confront the demons in her own past—a feat that will take all of her bravery with the help of the man she’s grown to love and depend on above all others.
With its vivid descriptions of the breathtaking western landscape and its irresistible characters, The Sweet Blue Distance is the unforgettable story of one woman’s courage to heal herself, her family, and the women entrusted to her care.
796 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2024
646 people are currently reading
17078 people want to read
About the author
Sara Donati
28 books3,349 followersWorking on the next novel in the Waverly Place series. Looking for more information? Visit the wilderness universe wiki. Register to comment and participate in giveaways.
Sara Donati is the pen name of Rosina Lippi, also here on Goodreads because she writes too. All book reviews you'll find under Rosina's name.
Sara Donati is the pen name of Rosina Lippi, also here on Goodreads because she writes too. All book reviews you'll find under Rosina's name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 477 reviews
December 1, 2023
“The Sweet Blue Distance” is exactly the big, juicy, page-turner you want in an 800 page historical romance. Sara Donati is a master of this form and her latest does not disappoint. She shifts the action from the Northeast of her earlier series to 1850s New Mexico Territory, where Carrie Ballantyne has taken a job as nurse-midwife to a doctor in Santa Fe. Carrie comes from the world of the Wilderness and Waverly Place books, where women are capable of anything and manage to find men who support them, something rare as hen’s teeth in those time periods. Often that man is of mixed race or another race altogether which gives Donati the opportunity to explore different cultures.
The first part of the novel covers Carrie and her brother Nathan’s journey from Manhattan to Santa Fe. It’s grueling, requiring trains, stagecoaches, steamboats, and finally a covered wagon. Every step of the way is an adventure for both Carrie and her curious, charming younger brother who introduces the shyer Carrie to a variety of fellow travelers. Has she met the romantic interest yet? Or will that happen in Santa Fe?
In the second part of “The Sweet Blue Distance” relishes Santa Fe and its people as Carrie grapples with challenges in the job she’s crossed the country to take. Donati weaves stories and discoveries into every page: we learn about the great diversity of people in town, their many languages and customs. Don’t be concerned about the pages of characters at the start of the book; Donati introduces them all in the most natural way, a way you won’t forget.
The final section is to tie things up in a satisfying way and put feelers out for what will happen in what I hope is the next book.
Carrie herself is a little stiff and over-serious but we see her begin to loosen up as she finds her way in Santa Fe. She’s an appealing hero, especially for her openness to other cultures and her willingness to explore her new world. Her male counterpart is very appealing and the lovemaking scenes are great.
We’ve seen fewer and fewer books about people heading west, perhaps because of the concern about representing colonialism, but Sara Donati takes it head on. Santa Fe has had colonialism coming at it from all directions—Americans, Mexicans, Spaniards, and tribes. Carrie’s background coming from a family consisting of white, black, and native people means that she’s open to the expectations and distinctions of those groups.
“The Sweet Blue Distance” is deeply researched and rich in adventure. What a treat for readers.
Many thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for a DRC of this adventure in exchange for an honest review.
The first part of the novel covers Carrie and her brother Nathan’s journey from Manhattan to Santa Fe. It’s grueling, requiring trains, stagecoaches, steamboats, and finally a covered wagon. Every step of the way is an adventure for both Carrie and her curious, charming younger brother who introduces the shyer Carrie to a variety of fellow travelers. Has she met the romantic interest yet? Or will that happen in Santa Fe?
In the second part of “The Sweet Blue Distance” relishes Santa Fe and its people as Carrie grapples with challenges in the job she’s crossed the country to take. Donati weaves stories and discoveries into every page: we learn about the great diversity of people in town, their many languages and customs. Don’t be concerned about the pages of characters at the start of the book; Donati introduces them all in the most natural way, a way you won’t forget.
The final section is to tie things up in a satisfying way and put feelers out for what will happen in what I hope is the next book.
Carrie herself is a little stiff and over-serious but we see her begin to loosen up as she finds her way in Santa Fe. She’s an appealing hero, especially for her openness to other cultures and her willingness to explore her new world. Her male counterpart is very appealing and the lovemaking scenes are great.
We’ve seen fewer and fewer books about people heading west, perhaps because of the concern about representing colonialism, but Sara Donati takes it head on. Santa Fe has had colonialism coming at it from all directions—Americans, Mexicans, Spaniards, and tribes. Carrie’s background coming from a family consisting of white, black, and native people means that she’s open to the expectations and distinctions of those groups.
“The Sweet Blue Distance” is deeply researched and rich in adventure. What a treat for readers.
Many thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for a DRC of this adventure in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2024
*4.5 stars*
It's been well over a decade since I've read a Sara Donati novel, and though her "Into the Wilderness" series is a 5-star favorite of mine, a LOT has changed about my reading tastes since then. So the question remains; would I still love Sara Donati in 2024? I'm thrilled to report that not only did I enjoy The Sweet Blue Distance, but I couldn't put it down.
The Sweet Blue Distance is an 800+ page behemoth of a book, but don't let that put you off. It flows beautifully. It's actually amazing how this author can make 800 pages read so well and with so much detail, all while keeping the readers' interest. The story is also loosely tied to the "Into the Wilderness" series, but you don't need any knowledge of the other story to read this one. For me, it was nice to have the call-backs to that series, like visiting old friends. It made me want to dust off my old paperbacks and give the series another re-read.
The novel is a slow burn, low steam historical American romance with a lot of character development and medical content. The female MC is a midwife, and we see her emotional and physical journey as a medical professional at a time when women working in medical fields weren't properly respected. I adored everything about this book, especially the complicated race relations and personal details that the author doesn't shy away from. I'm not an expert on the historical accuracy, but it all felt very real.
The romance is understated but beautiful. You have to wait a bit for the relationship to develop over time, but it was a lovely, drama-free romance that you can swoon over. This book is perfect for fans of this author's other series as well as Outlander enthusiasts. Personally, I adored it and it reignited my desire to explore this author's backlist.
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It's been well over a decade since I've read a Sara Donati novel, and though her "Into the Wilderness" series is a 5-star favorite of mine, a LOT has changed about my reading tastes since then. So the question remains; would I still love Sara Donati in 2024? I'm thrilled to report that not only did I enjoy The Sweet Blue Distance, but I couldn't put it down.
The Sweet Blue Distance is an 800+ page behemoth of a book, but don't let that put you off. It flows beautifully. It's actually amazing how this author can make 800 pages read so well and with so much detail, all while keeping the readers' interest. The story is also loosely tied to the "Into the Wilderness" series, but you don't need any knowledge of the other story to read this one. For me, it was nice to have the call-backs to that series, like visiting old friends. It made me want to dust off my old paperbacks and give the series another re-read.
The novel is a slow burn, low steam historical American romance with a lot of character development and medical content. The female MC is a midwife, and we see her emotional and physical journey as a medical professional at a time when women working in medical fields weren't properly respected. I adored everything about this book, especially the complicated race relations and personal details that the author doesn't shy away from. I'm not an expert on the historical accuracy, but it all felt very real.
The romance is understated but beautiful. You have to wait a bit for the relationship to develop over time, but it was a lovely, drama-free romance that you can swoon over. This book is perfect for fans of this author's other series as well as Outlander enthusiasts. Personally, I adored it and it reignited my desire to explore this author's backlist.
*~*Follow me on instagram for more reviews, book talk, and deals posts*~*
June 15, 2024
I can’t say why I kept reading past the halfway point of this VERY long, VERY detailed saga. Every time I was going to give up, something halfway interesting happened, sucking me back in. I skipped ahead a few times when things got boring yet complicated.
The last 100 pages were just utter ridiculousness and the ending- let’s just say the ending matched the rest of the book. 👎🏻
The last 100 pages were just utter ridiculousness and the ending- let’s just say the ending matched the rest of the book. 👎🏻
April 23, 2024
777 pages and that was how ended?
March 25, 2024
This was my first Sara Donati, and I wasn't sure what to expect. This review is going to focus on the structure of the book. If you already like Sara Donati's books, I think you'll probably like this one, based on what I've gathered. From first timer to first timer, here's what I wish I'd known before jumping in:
1. This book is LONG. It's got 71 chapters spread over 800+ pages, and begins with a list of characters that includes over 90 names, some of them repeats.
2. Although this is a romance in the sense that there is a central romantic relationship that ends in an HEA, the conflict of the book is not a romance conflict. We know pretty early on who Carrie is going to pursue, and there's never any real doubt that they will end up together.
3. Adding on to that, there's not really a central plot. Carrie is a midwife and nurse from New York who has decided to emigrate to New Mexico. The book just follows along as she travels from Baltimore to Santa Fe, using all of the means of transportation available: train, riverboat, wagon train, horse... the narrative momentum stops when she does, in Santa Fe ... with 50% (and 400 pages) of the book remaining.
4. There is a lot of historical research in the book. Maybe too much? I got the feeling that Donati did so much research that she wanted to include everything (see above, with just about every possible means of transportation included in the book). This means, though, that we get new plot threads and characters appearing up until very late in the text.
I liked reading this, don't get me wrong. I just prefer a tighter structure and a little more plot in my favorite books. If you are into long, well-researched books with tons of historical details and are fine with some slice of life events rather than a story arc, this is one for you.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
1. This book is LONG. It's got 71 chapters spread over 800+ pages, and begins with a list of characters that includes over 90 names, some of them repeats.
2. Although this is a romance in the sense that there is a central romantic relationship that ends in an HEA, the conflict of the book is not a romance conflict. We know pretty early on who Carrie is going to pursue, and there's never any real doubt that they will end up together.
3. Adding on to that, there's not really a central plot. Carrie is a midwife and nurse from New York who has decided to emigrate to New Mexico. The book just follows along as she travels from Baltimore to Santa Fe, using all of the means of transportation available: train, riverboat, wagon train, horse... the narrative momentum stops when she does, in Santa Fe ... with 50% (and 400 pages) of the book remaining.
4. There is a lot of historical research in the book. Maybe too much? I got the feeling that Donati did so much research that she wanted to include everything (see above, with just about every possible means of transportation included in the book). This means, though, that we get new plot threads and characters appearing up until very late in the text.
I liked reading this, don't get me wrong. I just prefer a tighter structure and a little more plot in my favorite books. If you are into long, well-researched books with tons of historical details and are fine with some slice of life events rather than a story arc, this is one for you.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
April 20, 2024
Carrie Ballentyne is bound for a long journey out West from Manhattan, New York to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to fill a position of mid-wife/nurse for Dr. Markham. In 1857 it’s a long, potentially dangerous journey by train, steamboat, stagecoach, and horseback, so her younger brother, Nathan is accompanying her. This time period there’s unrest, just years before the Civil War, and the viewpoints and challenges were highlighted. The situation at the Markham’s when Carrie arrives isn’t what she was expecting.
Carrie’s profession as a nurse was useful and she was good at handling whatever came her way. I admired her spirit; strong, steady, and determined to do the right thing in any situation! Her brother Nathan was a fun, positive presence adding a bit of humor in. So many wonderful and interesting characters, as well as a few I’d like to have chucked off a cliff! Loved Eli Ibarra! The romance was a slow burn and oh-so-lovely!
The Sweet Blue Distance was on the long side at 800 pages, but it didn’t feel long. It was a thoroughly exciting and engrossing story, and I loved every minute of it! I think I checked the percentage counter maybe twice, I was so into the story, just riding along with whatever was happening next! I need to check out Ms. Donati’s backlist!
I alternately read and listened to The Sweet Blue Distance, and I can recommend either version. Kate Reading was an excellent narrator, performing both female and male voices distinctly, as well as the many accents required. I would happily listen to any story narrated by her. I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.
Five stars all the way! A definite recommend!
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley and Blackstone Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Carrie’s profession as a nurse was useful and she was good at handling whatever came her way. I admired her spirit; strong, steady, and determined to do the right thing in any situation! Her brother Nathan was a fun, positive presence adding a bit of humor in. So many wonderful and interesting characters, as well as a few I’d like to have chucked off a cliff! Loved Eli Ibarra! The romance was a slow burn and oh-so-lovely!
The Sweet Blue Distance was on the long side at 800 pages, but it didn’t feel long. It was a thoroughly exciting and engrossing story, and I loved every minute of it! I think I checked the percentage counter maybe twice, I was so into the story, just riding along with whatever was happening next! I need to check out Ms. Donati’s backlist!
I alternately read and listened to The Sweet Blue Distance, and I can recommend either version. Kate Reading was an excellent narrator, performing both female and male voices distinctly, as well as the many accents required. I would happily listen to any story narrated by her. I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.
Five stars all the way! A definite recommend!
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley and Blackstone Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2024
Absolutely stellar historical fiction. Great story, marvelous characters, fine sense of time and place--everything I want when I read a book set in the past.
Donati is one of my favorite authors in this genre and she did not disappoint me here. My only quibble? I wanted the story to keep going; I wanted more! I did not want to say good-bye to these people.
I may write more, once the 'good book hangover' fades.
Donati is one of my favorite authors in this genre and she did not disappoint me here. My only quibble? I wanted the story to keep going; I wanted more! I did not want to say good-bye to these people.
I may write more, once the 'good book hangover' fades.
April 22, 2024
I read all sorts of different genres but my favorite with always be big, hefty, historical fiction sagas. I was a huge fan of Donati's "Wilderness" series. So when I saw she had published "The Sweet Blue Distance" and that is was a continuation of a sort of the "Wilderness" series I immediately ordered it. I was so excited to read about Carrie and get little snippets of characters I loved from the original series, especially Lily and Hannah. For the first half or so of this book, I was pretty happy with it. I enjoyed the characters and loved the adventure and action of traveling on the Santa Fe trail. The second half though, just kind of fell flat. I feel like we didn't get any descriptions of Santa Fe other than it was hot. I feel like we didn't really get to know any characters, not even the main ones. All of a sudden, everything just felt kind of shallow. Another thing that bothered me, was that this didn't really feel like a historical fiction story. The reason I love this genre is because I love being "transported " into another time period, whether good or bad. Reading this didn't make me feel this way. I felt very much that I was reading a 21st century woman's opinion during this era, and not actually experiencing it itself if that makes sense. I didn't hate it. But I didn't love it and wish I hadn't paid full price for a physical copy and had just bought the kindle version.
April 28, 2024
So So
I truly wanted to like this book, truly. It is so slow and so boring it took me forward to read. It is so tedious and so over written that it is painful to say the least. The story drags on for so long that you lose interest a don't care what happens.
I truly wanted to like this book, truly. It is so slow and so boring it took me forward to read. It is so tedious and so over written that it is painful to say the least. The story drags on for so long that you lose interest a don't care what happens.
April 2, 2024
PUB DAY REVIEW
Thank you #partners @berkleypub @librofm @blackstonepublishing for my #gifted copies. #berkleyig #penguinrandomhousepartner #berkleypartner
The Sweet Blue Distance
Sara Donati
📖 A young midwife braves the perilous journey west from New York City to Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory.
💭 The Sweet Blue Distance is stunner!! It's a grand, sweeping saga, melding a character driven historical fiction, a well-plotted mystery, with an epic love story. Meticulously researched and detailed, Donati brilliantly transports readers to the beautiful but unforgiving landscape of the West, and into the lives of these complex, three-dimensional characters.
Carrie is such an admirable protagonist; I just loved her! She's strong, wise, independent, good-natured, and not afraid to defy social norms. I loved the exploration of class, gender, and race through an 1800s lens, and really appreciate the way Donati approached Indigenous/Colonizer relations, with the utmost care and respect. The love story was really well done, and I especially enjoyed the cross-cultural components.
Though I'm not usually one to gravitate toward thick books, this never felt too long. The pacing is on point, and with never a dull moment, I was captivated from beginning to end. At its core, The Sweet Blue Distance is a story of courage, belonging, and love. I absolutely loved it!
🎧 The Sweet Blue Distance must've been a massive undertaking for narrator Kate Reading! At approximately 29 hours on audio, with a huge cast of characters with varying accents, Reading's performance is absolutely breathtaking! Complete and utter perfection! Such talent!
Historical fiction lovers who don't shy away from big books, you'll want to add this one to your TBR!
📌 Out now!
Thank you #partners @berkleypub @librofm @blackstonepublishing for my #gifted copies. #berkleyig #penguinrandomhousepartner #berkleypartner
The Sweet Blue Distance
Sara Donati
📖 A young midwife braves the perilous journey west from New York City to Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory.
💭 The Sweet Blue Distance is stunner!! It's a grand, sweeping saga, melding a character driven historical fiction, a well-plotted mystery, with an epic love story. Meticulously researched and detailed, Donati brilliantly transports readers to the beautiful but unforgiving landscape of the West, and into the lives of these complex, three-dimensional characters.
Carrie is such an admirable protagonist; I just loved her! She's strong, wise, independent, good-natured, and not afraid to defy social norms. I loved the exploration of class, gender, and race through an 1800s lens, and really appreciate the way Donati approached Indigenous/Colonizer relations, with the utmost care and respect. The love story was really well done, and I especially enjoyed the cross-cultural components.
Though I'm not usually one to gravitate toward thick books, this never felt too long. The pacing is on point, and with never a dull moment, I was captivated from beginning to end. At its core, The Sweet Blue Distance is a story of courage, belonging, and love. I absolutely loved it!
🎧 The Sweet Blue Distance must've been a massive undertaking for narrator Kate Reading! At approximately 29 hours on audio, with a huge cast of characters with varying accents, Reading's performance is absolutely breathtaking! Complete and utter perfection! Such talent!
Historical fiction lovers who don't shy away from big books, you'll want to add this one to your TBR!
📌 Out now!
March 22, 2024
I loved, loved, loved the Into the Wilderness series by Sara Donati so I was so excited to get this ARC. This book is a continuation but you do not have to have read the original series to read this book. This book takes place in the 1850s and it is the granddaughter of Elizabeth and Nathaniel from the original series. So Carrie Ballentyne takes a job as a midwife in the Santa Fe territory. It will be a long journey on the Santa Fe trail from New York. So the first part of the book is her journey with her brother and the rest of the book is her in Santa Fe. Santa Fe was a hotbed back then with Mexicans that lived there from when it was part of Mexico, the Indians that lived there, and of course all of the white people moving in. There is a romance with Eli who traveled with Carrie to Santa Fe and he lives in Santa Fe so that works out. I enjoyed Carrie's story and a lot happens with it being such a rough time and place. It is a very long book as that is what Sara Donati does but it was worth it.
-What he needed to figure out was what he would regret more: letting her go, or digging his heels in.
-"It was my choice to stay behind with you. There's nowhere else I'd want to be."
-She had learned, early in her training, that being calm and resolute was the only way to respond to the relentlessly negative.
-What he needed to figure out was what he would regret more: letting her go, or digging his heels in.
-"It was my choice to stay behind with you. There's nowhere else I'd want to be."
-She had learned, early in her training, that being calm and resolute was the only way to respond to the relentlessly negative.
April 10, 2024
I have read all of Sara Donati's Wilderness series and both of the Waverly Place novels, multiple times. As a bridge between the two, The Sweet Blue Distance is only fair, IMHO. It falls far short of the tight, detailed construction I associate with Donati's writing. The characters are far less developed than in her previous novels, especially the children. Compared to the Russo sisters in the Waverly Place novels, the child characters of Lulu and Beto in The Sweet Blue Distance are almost afterthoughts to the story. Her usually rich description of place and period is also missing here. Santa Fe honestly feels like a generic set piece that would fit almost any Hollywood western; there's nothing in its description that enables me to experience it. The various threads of the plot don't live up to their potential, and their resolutions are either held offstage or given a superficial and convenient ending, almost as though the author either ran out of ideas or got bored with writing the book. And truthfully, I got bored with reading it about halfway through.
Sooner or later, every author produces a book that just doesn't equal the sum of its parts, and this one is Ms. Donati's. She is a wonderful writer, and I hope she can bounce back from this one.
Sooner or later, every author produces a book that just doesn't equal the sum of its parts, and this one is Ms. Donati's. She is a wonderful writer, and I hope she can bounce back from this one.
January 9, 2024
Wonderful book. I will be buying this book for my private collection. (I have all of her other books). PS name should have stayed “Little Birds” … JMHO.
I will be recommending to my friends. Can definitely be read as a stand alone… but exciting to get a glimpse of Anna and Hannah and the rest of her family. I see a re-read of the first five in my near future. Thank you for letting me download this book.
I will be recommending to my friends. Can definitely be read as a stand alone… but exciting to get a glimpse of Anna and Hannah and the rest of her family. I see a re-read of the first five in my near future. Thank you for letting me download this book.
April 14, 2024
350 pages too long and too many references to the past that do nothing to advance the story.
May 9, 2024
First half of the book was great. Book was 800 pages and 400 pages too long...
October 16, 2025
3.5⭐️
Thank you @berkleypub for the finished copy ♡
I put this one off too long, intimidated by the sheer length of this tome. However I knew I wanted to read this story because it’s about my state (when it was still “the New Mexico territory”), and I love learning about midwifery.
I enjoyed how this felt nostalgic evoking shades of The Oregon Trail and the journey to the western frontier, as well as channeling Little House series from childhood.
An interesting nuance was the treatment of Mestizos (individuals who are half Native American and half of Spanish or other white descent), unequal and of lower social status.
Women of course were also lesser respected, regardless of education. Specific example: midwives held in lower regard than doctors. Unfortunately, not much has changed from then to present day on the latter point.
While clearly well-researched, I felt our main character had a bit too much “white savior” mentality as opposed to showing more of the implicit biases that we all have. I would have appreciated more nuance on how she was portrayed.
I also think this could have been shortened without losing any necessary plot.
Thank you @berkleypub for the finished copy ♡
I put this one off too long, intimidated by the sheer length of this tome. However I knew I wanted to read this story because it’s about my state (when it was still “the New Mexico territory”), and I love learning about midwifery.
I enjoyed how this felt nostalgic evoking shades of The Oregon Trail and the journey to the western frontier, as well as channeling Little House series from childhood.
An interesting nuance was the treatment of Mestizos (individuals who are half Native American and half of Spanish or other white descent), unequal and of lower social status.
Women of course were also lesser respected, regardless of education. Specific example: midwives held in lower regard than doctors. Unfortunately, not much has changed from then to present day on the latter point.
While clearly well-researched, I felt our main character had a bit too much “white savior” mentality as opposed to showing more of the implicit biases that we all have. I would have appreciated more nuance on how she was portrayed.
I also think this could have been shortened without losing any necessary plot.
July 25, 2024
This had me hooked from the very start with a strong female lead. It was very interesting learning about the New Mexico Territory in the 1850s. Unfortunately, the ending didn't really satisfy me, and I'm hoping the author continues with a series about Carrie and Eli. Until then, I can entertain myself reading the two series that led up to this book.
April 1, 2024
This epic historical fiction was beautifully written. It reminded me a bit of the show 1883. I love the journey, physical and mental that Carrie goes on. She travels a long and arduous way to New Mexico to become a nurse-midwife. It is quite shocking to think how not to long in the past it was such a dangerous journey to travel cross country but this book nails what it was like. I really loved everything about this one. If historical fiction during this time period is your jam then check this one out.
Huge thank you to #berkleypub and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
Huge thank you to #berkleypub and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
April 30, 2024
I love historical fiction and enjoyed her book Into the Wilderness.I liked this book, but it seems we need an editor. Why so long a description of her and her brother getting to Santa Fe and the dropping the character? Why so much detail of her worring about the problems with the Markhams? The historical references were interesting, but I agree with another reviewer. It seems like she wanted to include everything. Less is more, but I do think the narrative was compelling.
July 11, 2024
My kind of historical fiction, like a cross between Outlander and Call the Midwife! And at 750 pages it kept me going for a while. Hoping there will be a sequel. Now I'd better go and read some of the earlier books in the series.
October 18, 2024
3.75
The story starts off slow following Carrie’s Journey from New York to Santa Fe where she’s taken a position as a midwife during the 1850s. I enjoy historical fiction and this time period specifically so it wasn’t hard for me to get sucked into the storyline. My only complaint is that this was 777 pages with A LOT of information shoved into this book and a lot of it was repeated often in a already long book so it felt like too much information at times. Sara Donati certainly did her research which I appreciate but I’m wondering if this would have been better split into 2 books.
The story starts off slow following Carrie’s Journey from New York to Santa Fe where she’s taken a position as a midwife during the 1850s. I enjoy historical fiction and this time period specifically so it wasn’t hard for me to get sucked into the storyline. My only complaint is that this was 777 pages with A LOT of information shoved into this book and a lot of it was repeated often in a already long book so it felt like too much information at times. Sara Donati certainly did her research which I appreciate but I’m wondering if this would have been better split into 2 books.
September 16, 2024
Epic? Epically dull!! This book breaks the cardinal rule : don’t be boring. This book is freaking boooorrrring. The first half could be excised with no loss. The second half is a middling plot. I found it to be torture to get through.
The “plot” such as it is, is this: a midwife and nurse named Carrie gets a job offer from a doctor in Santa Fe. She travels to Santa Fe with her brother. She meets a guy named Eli on the way. Nothing interesting happens to Carrie on the way to Santa Fe and this takes the first half of the book. At one point there is a riverboat accident in a different boat than the one Carrie is on, and Carrie’s brother is missing for a bit but then he just shows up again and it’s like that didn’t even happen. A few women are rude during the travel. But one woman is nice. At another point Carrie separates from her brother to finish the journey faster on horseback with Eli and some other guys. Big deal. Boring.
She gets there and finds some mildly interesting plot lines with the doctor who she works for and the doctor’s wife. It’s too boring to even recount here but in a nutshell the doctor and his wife die and carrie married Eli and there are some unkind people in the town and she helps women have babies, and Carrie is temporarily made guardian of the daughter of the dead doctor. The book ends abruptly. There was never any plot to wrap up so no wrap up is needed. The end. 800 pages of boring. Imagine if you wrote a book detailing an entire year of your life. Everything you said and did and ate. But it was not a particularly eventful year. That’s what this book is like. The author values detail over plot development and character development. The characters were all flat except the few women who were rude. The main character Carrie was so flipping dull. Her love interest Eli was so flipping dull.
I would never recommend this book. I wish I hadn’t wasted my time with it. I only finished it because so many other people gave such good reviews. I must conclude that they are insane. I will avoid this author in future.
The “plot” such as it is, is this: a midwife and nurse named Carrie gets a job offer from a doctor in Santa Fe. She travels to Santa Fe with her brother. She meets a guy named Eli on the way. Nothing interesting happens to Carrie on the way to Santa Fe and this takes the first half of the book. At one point there is a riverboat accident in a different boat than the one Carrie is on, and Carrie’s brother is missing for a bit but then he just shows up again and it’s like that didn’t even happen. A few women are rude during the travel. But one woman is nice. At another point Carrie separates from her brother to finish the journey faster on horseback with Eli and some other guys. Big deal. Boring.
She gets there and finds some mildly interesting plot lines with the doctor who she works for and the doctor’s wife. It’s too boring to even recount here but in a nutshell the doctor and his wife die and carrie married Eli and there are some unkind people in the town and she helps women have babies, and Carrie is temporarily made guardian of the daughter of the dead doctor. The book ends abruptly. There was never any plot to wrap up so no wrap up is needed. The end. 800 pages of boring. Imagine if you wrote a book detailing an entire year of your life. Everything you said and did and ate. But it was not a particularly eventful year. That’s what this book is like. The author values detail over plot development and character development. The characters were all flat except the few women who were rude. The main character Carrie was so flipping dull. Her love interest Eli was so flipping dull.
I would never recommend this book. I wish I hadn’t wasted my time with it. I only finished it because so many other people gave such good reviews. I must conclude that they are insane. I will avoid this author in future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2024
Rated 4.68
In 2019-2020, I read Donati's series Into the Wilderness (6 books) and Gilded Hour (2 b00ks). I loved all of them. This is a new book that continues with some of the same characters. Donati is excellent in her research and tying all characters and activities together. Much is learned about the southwest and the people who live there. Carrie Ballentyne is a mid-wife who accepts the offer from MD in Santa Fe to join his practice and to work for two years as mid-wife in Santa Fe. As she and her brother travel across the country by rail, stage coach and horse and arrival in Santa Fe, many interesting stories develop: new friends for Carrie, an attractive Mestizo surveyor, Dr. Markham who hired her is not what he portrayed and his wife who was to be delivered has already done so. While this book is 800 pages, it held my attention the whole time. Characters well developed. I recommend all of the Donati books which educate you about the years 1792-1857 and all that is going on in America. Many threads left dangling. Can't wait for the next book.
In 1857 a young midwife braves the perilous journey west from New York City to Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory in this captivating epic from Sara Donati.
Carrie Ballentyne’s life was upended in 1845 when she had to leave the only home she’d ever known in the mountains of upstate New York. With her are her widowed mother and younger brother Nathan, but the separation from Bonner, Ballentyne, and Savard relatives weighs heavily. In time Carrie finds footing as a midwife and nurse, but she never feels at ease in the city. So when, a decade later, she receives an invitation from a doctor in Santa Fe to join him at his practice, she readily accepts.
The trip across the country is long and often dangerous, but she travels the last leg on horseback with men who have been hired to see her safely through the Native nations fighting the westward flood of colonizers. On that journey she makes friends who will be with her for her stay, Eva, a young widow; and Eli, an experienced surveyor. Once Carrie is established in Santa Fe, it becomes clear that her employer is not everything she was led to believe, and she is forced to face far more challenges and responsibilities than she anticipated. But she dedicates herself to the work and the women, providing health care, delivering babies, and earning the trust of her patients.
In the course of that first summer in New Mexico, determined to make a life for herself in a new kind of wilderness far beyond her imagination, Carrie finds friendship, support, and even love where she least expected.
In 2019-2020, I read Donati's series Into the Wilderness (6 books) and Gilded Hour (2 b00ks). I loved all of them. This is a new book that continues with some of the same characters. Donati is excellent in her research and tying all characters and activities together. Much is learned about the southwest and the people who live there. Carrie Ballentyne is a mid-wife who accepts the offer from MD in Santa Fe to join his practice and to work for two years as mid-wife in Santa Fe. As she and her brother travel across the country by rail, stage coach and horse and arrival in Santa Fe, many interesting stories develop: new friends for Carrie, an attractive Mestizo surveyor, Dr. Markham who hired her is not what he portrayed and his wife who was to be delivered has already done so. While this book is 800 pages, it held my attention the whole time. Characters well developed. I recommend all of the Donati books which educate you about the years 1792-1857 and all that is going on in America. Many threads left dangling. Can't wait for the next book.
In 1857 a young midwife braves the perilous journey west from New York City to Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory in this captivating epic from Sara Donati.
Carrie Ballentyne’s life was upended in 1845 when she had to leave the only home she’d ever known in the mountains of upstate New York. With her are her widowed mother and younger brother Nathan, but the separation from Bonner, Ballentyne, and Savard relatives weighs heavily. In time Carrie finds footing as a midwife and nurse, but she never feels at ease in the city. So when, a decade later, she receives an invitation from a doctor in Santa Fe to join him at his practice, she readily accepts.
The trip across the country is long and often dangerous, but she travels the last leg on horseback with men who have been hired to see her safely through the Native nations fighting the westward flood of colonizers. On that journey she makes friends who will be with her for her stay, Eva, a young widow; and Eli, an experienced surveyor. Once Carrie is established in Santa Fe, it becomes clear that her employer is not everything she was led to believe, and she is forced to face far more challenges and responsibilities than she anticipated. But she dedicates herself to the work and the women, providing health care, delivering babies, and earning the trust of her patients.
In the course of that first summer in New Mexico, determined to make a life for herself in a new kind of wilderness far beyond her imagination, Carrie finds friendship, support, and even love where she least expected.
April 18, 2024
I wish I could give it 6 stars!
I savored this long-awaited book from my favorite author, Sara Donati. I started the day it published 2 weeks ago, and purposefully read only a few chapters each day. I just didn’t want it to end because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters (especially the women), who felt like my own family. Just like all of Donati’s work, I expected I would learn new things about a part of history I wasn’t familiar with and I also expected to have new characters to admire and a great story line that would be just perfect for the setting. What was a delightful surprise was getting to reminisce and hear just a wee bit more about so many of the previous storylines and first characters in her Wilderness series and Waverly series, as well as revisiting some of the beloved locations from previous books, like the town of Paradise and the New Amsterdam Hospital. It honestly felt like I kept getting encore after encore at the best concert I’ve ever seen, yet for readers who hadn’t read the prior books, this information wouldn’t have detracted from enjoying this book which reads just fine as a stand alone as well.
Sara Donati’s no nonsense, independent and capable female heroines are so well done. They celebrate female friendships, respectful and healthy romantic relationships and just all around “goodness.” When I first fell in love with Donati’s writing I was looking for a new series and got the recommendation from an Outlander fan. Boy am I glad I was hooked from the start! I feel as though I am the one who has traveled through time as I’ve followed the great Bonner descendants through American history now, for several action-packed generations. I’m already imaging and anticipating the next book!
I savored this long-awaited book from my favorite author, Sara Donati. I started the day it published 2 weeks ago, and purposefully read only a few chapters each day. I just didn’t want it to end because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters (especially the women), who felt like my own family. Just like all of Donati’s work, I expected I would learn new things about a part of history I wasn’t familiar with and I also expected to have new characters to admire and a great story line that would be just perfect for the setting. What was a delightful surprise was getting to reminisce and hear just a wee bit more about so many of the previous storylines and first characters in her Wilderness series and Waverly series, as well as revisiting some of the beloved locations from previous books, like the town of Paradise and the New Amsterdam Hospital. It honestly felt like I kept getting encore after encore at the best concert I’ve ever seen, yet for readers who hadn’t read the prior books, this information wouldn’t have detracted from enjoying this book which reads just fine as a stand alone as well.
Sara Donati’s no nonsense, independent and capable female heroines are so well done. They celebrate female friendships, respectful and healthy romantic relationships and just all around “goodness.” When I first fell in love with Donati’s writing I was looking for a new series and got the recommendation from an Outlander fan. Boy am I glad I was hooked from the start! I feel as though I am the one who has traveled through time as I’ve followed the great Bonner descendants through American history now, for several action-packed generations. I’m already imaging and anticipating the next book!
May 17, 2025
3.75 rounded up. I found both the setting of this historical fiction piece fascinating because I had not read much about the pre-Civil War era and the Bleeding Kansas time period, along with a plotline during this time that focused on a very strong midwife. The story is character driven, incorporating characters who experience differently colonization as it affected Indigenous peoples in the west. I appreciate the glossary of Mexican Spanish words that have changed over the centuries from the Spanish we study and speak today. A book club could discuss the significance of the title. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
October 5, 2024
4.5⭐️
Little slow to start but ended up loving the character development, storyline, and timeline/setting. The ending was 🤨 after 750 pages I expected a definite ending to wrap it up but it seemed maybe the author is leaving it open to a sequel?
Little slow to start but ended up loving the character development, storyline, and timeline/setting. The ending was 🤨 after 750 pages I expected a definite ending to wrap it up but it seemed maybe the author is leaving it open to a sequel?
November 8, 2025
I listened to the audio book and I think for that reason I’m giving it a 3.5⭐️It’s the longest book I’ve listened to and found it hard to keep some of the character straight at times. I think I would have enjoyed reading the physical book more, but I did love the story!
July 13, 2025
3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Great setting and time period, well-developed characters. Lost points for being so very long without a whole lot of plot movement, then after all that the ending was anticlimactic.
Great setting and time period, well-developed characters. Lost points for being so very long without a whole lot of plot movement, then after all that the ending was anticlimactic.
May 5, 2024
very good, thoroughly enjoyed this addition to the wilderness world. readable as a standalone but would be a lot of names and family members to keep track of without reading the series it’s a spin off of, which is amazing. Start with Into The Wildnerness! 🌿
The first half of the book had a better pacing, the second half slowed down a bit for me. You can tell an immense amount of research went into it but she just wasn’t as solid on Santa Fe, it didn’t feel as fully realized.
Not sure what the title of the book is referencing.
The first half of the book had a better pacing, the second half slowed down a bit for me. You can tell an immense amount of research went into it but she just wasn’t as solid on Santa Fe, it didn’t feel as fully realized.
Not sure what the title of the book is referencing.
October 16, 2025
I really enjoyed this long sojourning tale that had me invested all 800 pages. A fascinating setting where I learned about the history of New Mexico during the 1850s paired with the strong female character, Carrie, who’s an amazing equestrian and a midwife!
**(very Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman vibes)
**(very Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman vibes)
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