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When No One Else Will
Win a free print copy of this book!
9 days and 02:48:21
25 copies available
U.S. only
Based on the true story of an illegal women’s clinic at the center of a high-profile trial in 1940s Chicago and the nurse who risked her safety and freedom to work there, a thought-provoking, powerfully timely novel of courage, sisterhood, and women’s healthcare for readers of Kristin Hannah, Kerri Maher, and Audrey Blake.
In the fall of 1939, while Europe grapples with the outbreak of war, Mimi Lukas wages a private battle in her Chicago neighborhood. Her husband, Stan, once a promising White Sox player, has been sidelined by a broken leg. His hopes of returning to baseball are dwindling along with their savings. As Stan sinks into inertia, Mimi resolves to go back to nursing.
When a friend tells her of a women’s clinic in need of a nurse, Mimi hesitates. Such places are illegal and at odds with her religious upbringing. But Dr. Gabler’s office isn’t the dingy establishment Mimi envisioned. The space is clean, bright, and welcoming, the staff skillful. Patients are treated with dignity and compassion, even as they are sworn to secrecy about what happens within its walls.
The patients, too, are not who Mimi expected. Some are heartbreakingly young. Most are married, and many already have children. Police and state prosecutors are paid handsomely to turn a blind eye. As Mimi finds kinship with her colleagues and with an officer on retainer, she begins her own private reckoning between what is legal and what is necessary, no matter how painful or inconvenient.
But Mimi senses the tide turning against them. She knows, too, that soon she must decide how much she will risk to defend the ideals she’s come to embrace through hard-won experience . . .
Poignant and insightful, here is a story of courage and empathy, as timeless as it is timely.
In the fall of 1939, while Europe grapples with the outbreak of war, Mimi Lukas wages a private battle in her Chicago neighborhood. Her husband, Stan, once a promising White Sox player, has been sidelined by a broken leg. His hopes of returning to baseball are dwindling along with their savings. As Stan sinks into inertia, Mimi resolves to go back to nursing.
When a friend tells her of a women’s clinic in need of a nurse, Mimi hesitates. Such places are illegal and at odds with her religious upbringing. But Dr. Gabler’s office isn’t the dingy establishment Mimi envisioned. The space is clean, bright, and welcoming, the staff skillful. Patients are treated with dignity and compassion, even as they are sworn to secrecy about what happens within its walls.
The patients, too, are not who Mimi expected. Some are heartbreakingly young. Most are married, and many already have children. Police and state prosecutors are paid handsomely to turn a blind eye. As Mimi finds kinship with her colleagues and with an officer on retainer, she begins her own private reckoning between what is legal and what is necessary, no matter how painful or inconvenient.
But Mimi senses the tide turning against them. She knows, too, that soon she must decide how much she will risk to defend the ideals she’s come to embrace through hard-won experience . . .
Poignant and insightful, here is a story of courage and empathy, as timeless as it is timely.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2026
About the author
Amanda Skenandore
20 books2,451 followersAmanda Skenandore is an award-winning author of historical fiction and a registered nurse. Her books have been translated into multiple languages and garnered accolades from the American Library Association, Reader’s Digest, Silicon Valley Reads, and Apple Books. She is a 2024 Nevada Arts Council’s literary fellow. Amanda lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their pet turtle, Lenore.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
May 31, 2026
1939, Chicago. Mimi Lukas husband Stan was a White Sox player, when he breaks his leg and it ends his career. As her husband tries to come to terms with never playing the games he loves again, he switches off from what’s happening at home and is depressed. The couple have two children Junior and Penny and her mother-in-law Halina lives with them, their saving are almost gone and Mimi decides to go back to nursing.
Mimi has worked in over ten years, she gets fired from one hospital and bumps into an old friend Emily who mentions a women’s clinic in Loop needs a nurse. Dr. Gabler’s office isn't what Mimi was expecting, she thought it might be a private surgery and for wealthy patients. The clients come from all walks of life, they are treated with dignity and compassion, and post op care is provided but must never mention what happens here and it’s a secret.
America is still in the grips of the depression and with the threat of another war looming people are worried and many can’t afford another mouth to feed. Police and state prosecutors are paid handsomely to turn a blind eye and Mimi becomes friends with her colleagues and an officer on a retainer.
Mimi knows what she’s doing is helping desperate women and teenage girls and it's illegal, all they need is one person to report the clinic and it will all come crashing down and her secret will be revealed and her family will discover the truth and she doesn’t want to hurt them.
I received a copy of When No One Else Will by Amanda Skenandore from NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an unbiased review and all thoughts expressed are my own. Contraceptives in the 1930’s were expensive, hard to access, having an abortion was the last resort and the ladies had no other options.
Five stars from me and if you've read Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall I suggest considering No One Else Will by M. Skenandore. It’s not about deciding what’s right or wrong but about choices and women having rights over their own bodies.
Mimi has worked in over ten years, she gets fired from one hospital and bumps into an old friend Emily who mentions a women’s clinic in Loop needs a nurse. Dr. Gabler’s office isn't what Mimi was expecting, she thought it might be a private surgery and for wealthy patients. The clients come from all walks of life, they are treated with dignity and compassion, and post op care is provided but must never mention what happens here and it’s a secret.
America is still in the grips of the depression and with the threat of another war looming people are worried and many can’t afford another mouth to feed. Police and state prosecutors are paid handsomely to turn a blind eye and Mimi becomes friends with her colleagues and an officer on a retainer.
Mimi knows what she’s doing is helping desperate women and teenage girls and it's illegal, all they need is one person to report the clinic and it will all come crashing down and her secret will be revealed and her family will discover the truth and she doesn’t want to hurt them.
I received a copy of When No One Else Will by Amanda Skenandore from NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an unbiased review and all thoughts expressed are my own. Contraceptives in the 1930’s were expensive, hard to access, having an abortion was the last resort and the ladies had no other options.
Five stars from me and if you've read Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall I suggest considering No One Else Will by M. Skenandore. It’s not about deciding what’s right or wrong but about choices and women having rights over their own bodies.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
please excuse reviews and comments on my account. hacker is changing all of my original reviews and is using vile comments in friend reviews .
Review to come.
Review to come.
May 16, 2026
WHEN NO ONE ELSE WILL
By Amanda Skenandore
Narrated by Nicole Poole
Compassion, Risk, and Impossible Choices
Inspired by the true story of an illegal women’s clinic at the center of a landmark trial in 1940s Chicago, this compelling and timely historical novel follows Mimi, a nurse and mother who risks everything to care for women with nowhere else to turn.
Mimi is a compassionate yet conflicted character, torn between her religious beliefs, financial struggles, the demands of a husband wallowing in self-pity, and her growing empathy for the desperate women seeking help at the clinic. As she becomes more deeply involved, she risks not only her nursing career and freedom, but also her reputation, personal safety, and the stability of her family life.
Amanda Skenandore handles a controversial subject with honesty, compassion, and emotional depth, exploring the impossible choices many women faced during that era. The story raises difficult moral questions while remaining deeply human and character-driven.
Nicole Poole’s narration adds warmth and emotional nuance to Mimi’s journey. Combining both audio and ebook made the experience especially immersive and impactful.
Amanda Skenandore blends historical detail with emotionally driven storytelling. The prose feels heartfelt and engaging, with a strong focus on character development and the ethical dilemmas Mimi faces. The pacing allows the emotional weight of the story to build naturally, making it both compelling and reflective.
“…we must know our past to fully understand our present, navigate what lies ahead and build a better future.”
I’ve read one other book by Skenandore and enjoyed it, and this too is a well-written and compelling story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Highbridge Audio | RB Media for the eARC and ALC.
November 18, 2025
This book punched me right in the chest in the best way. I could feel every bit of the main character’s emotion, the fear, the frustration, the impossible choices, the quiet strength she did not even know she had. It captures that awful time in history when women basically needed a man’s signature just to exist, when society decided our only value was cooking meals and having babies.
The author shows exactly what women were up against, men with egos too big to let their wives work, families and churches telling them to stay small, and a legal system designed to crush them. And through all of that, you see these women trying to help each other, holding onto hope, carrying loss, and still showing up with compassion.
What I loved most is how real Mimi felt. Her inner turmoil is so raw you can almost hear her thinking. She is torn between what is “allowed” and what is actually right, and that battle is the heart of the story. The clinic, the patients, the danger, it all feels alive and incredibly human.
It is emotional, powerful, and honestly important. One of those books that stays with you because it shows how far we have come and how easily those rights could be taken again.
Absolutely worth reading.
#arc review
The author shows exactly what women were up against, men with egos too big to let their wives work, families and churches telling them to stay small, and a legal system designed to crush them. And through all of that, you see these women trying to help each other, holding onto hope, carrying loss, and still showing up with compassion.
What I loved most is how real Mimi felt. Her inner turmoil is so raw you can almost hear her thinking. She is torn between what is “allowed” and what is actually right, and that battle is the heart of the story. The clinic, the patients, the danger, it all feels alive and incredibly human.
It is emotional, powerful, and honestly important. One of those books that stays with you because it shows how far we have come and how easily those rights could be taken again.
Absolutely worth reading.
#arc review
November 19, 2025
An exceptional novel ! Very cleverly written, this novel deals with illegal abortions in the USA in the 1930's and 1940's. Based on the story of a real illegal clinic and the real persons who lead it, the reader gets numerous information about law, cases and the various social contexts in which women sought out the clinic. This is extremely interesting! Only Mimmy and her family are fictional characters.
What I particularly loved and appreciated in this novel, is the fact that nowhere in the book, one guesses the author's own opinion about abortion. The reader makes his/her own opinion. I found this very subtle and cleverly done. This is obviously a thought provoking topic, and the novel offers all kinds of reasons why a woman decides to have an abortion without allowing for any judgement.
There is more in the novel though which makes the story even more worthwhile: women's place in society, in the home hierarchy as well as at work. After years of suffering from the Depression, some women had to find a way to make the home work through work for instance, having fewer children.... A gripping, emotional, interesting and brilliant novel! Highly recommended!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
What I particularly loved and appreciated in this novel, is the fact that nowhere in the book, one guesses the author's own opinion about abortion. The reader makes his/her own opinion. I found this very subtle and cleverly done. This is obviously a thought provoking topic, and the novel offers all kinds of reasons why a woman decides to have an abortion without allowing for any judgement.
There is more in the novel though which makes the story even more worthwhile: women's place in society, in the home hierarchy as well as at work. After years of suffering from the Depression, some women had to find a way to make the home work through work for instance, having fewer children.... A gripping, emotional, interesting and brilliant novel! Highly recommended!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
April 21, 2026
When No One Else Will is compelling historical fiction set in Chicago is 1939. Mimi is a young wife and mother whose husband, a professional baseball player, is unable to work. Desperate to take care of her family, she takes a job as a nurse in a clinic that is not only illegal, it puts her at odds with her own convictions. Mimi was a fascinating character, swept up in a world she never imagined for herself, but always keeping her children at the forefront of her mind. I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher.
November 24, 2025
*I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve read plenty of historical fiction, and I was especially interested in this title because it’s a topic I haven't come across much before. The story centers on Mimi, a nurse, sister, and mother, who is at the heart of the abortion storyline without experiencing it herself. I liked how Skenandore chose a character who learns about the industry so we, the readers, can learn with her. However, I did think the emotions would hit harder if there were a 1st person narrator, rather than a 3rd person omniscient narrator.
As the storyline progresses, the web of characters slowly reveals different perspectives and reasons for assisting these women looking for help. No matter how you feel about abortion, I think the story is engrossing without being overtly political. The author’s note at the end explains how she wanted to provide a story about the pre-Roe v Wade era and the extensive research she put into the novel. I was surprised to learn many of the characters (not Mimi) were based on real people. Near the end, I found some of the events too convenient; too coincidental to be believable. Although most stem from history, Skenandore does admit she adjusted the timeline to benefit the novel. Mimi has a short-term job as a night nurse, and her duties were more detailed than I expected. Then I learned the author is a registered nurse. It’s fun to read about topics you know the writer genuinely knows and cares about.
Overall, I would recommend this title to fans of historical fiction, those with an interest in reproductive rights or sociology, and readers who like strong female characters.
I’ve read plenty of historical fiction, and I was especially interested in this title because it’s a topic I haven't come across much before. The story centers on Mimi, a nurse, sister, and mother, who is at the heart of the abortion storyline without experiencing it herself. I liked how Skenandore chose a character who learns about the industry so we, the readers, can learn with her. However, I did think the emotions would hit harder if there were a 1st person narrator, rather than a 3rd person omniscient narrator.
As the storyline progresses, the web of characters slowly reveals different perspectives and reasons for assisting these women looking for help. No matter how you feel about abortion, I think the story is engrossing without being overtly political. The author’s note at the end explains how she wanted to provide a story about the pre-Roe v Wade era and the extensive research she put into the novel. I was surprised to learn many of the characters (not Mimi) were based on real people. Near the end, I found some of the events too convenient; too coincidental to be believable. Although most stem from history, Skenandore does admit she adjusted the timeline to benefit the novel. Mimi has a short-term job as a night nurse, and her duties were more detailed than I expected. Then I learned the author is a registered nurse. It’s fun to read about topics you know the writer genuinely knows and cares about.
Overall, I would recommend this title to fans of historical fiction, those with an interest in reproductive rights or sociology, and readers who like strong female characters.
March 11, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️My review: I have read all of Skenandore's books. She is an amazing author no matter the setting of her novels. Her attention to historic facts and details, paired with her deep and realistic characters, make her books fascinating, suspenseful, and educational. This book was no different, although even more suspenseful than some of her others.
Mimi has to go back to working as a nurse in 1930's Chicago when her husband breaks his leg and is cut from the Chicago White Sox. She needs a job that pays well and isn't only night shifts. She is directed by a friend towards an office that seems too good to be true. It's a women's clinic where abortions are done. Mimi is horrified by this but they desperately need the money.
Over time, Mimi realizes the women who come there need help and in that time period help is hard to find. People are not always what they seem, and difficult choices abound. Mimi also creates relationships with the people in the office and those in the area who help them.
I read this book holding my breath at times. Mimi evolved into a brave, fierce woman who did what needed to be done, illegal or not. But it was stressful and illegal.
The majority of this book is based on a true clinic in Chicago in the 1930's and 40's. Many of Mimi's circle were real people and the consequences they faced actually occurred.
Another amazing book by Skenandore. I was immersed in the time period and in Mimi's life. This was a time and place where women were an afterthought but still had to run their families and survive. Having a choice about family, their bodies, and their futures is again a timely topic in this country. What happens when women loose autonomy and agency is devastating. This book spells it all out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advance digital copy. These opinions are my own.
Mimi has to go back to working as a nurse in 1930's Chicago when her husband breaks his leg and is cut from the Chicago White Sox. She needs a job that pays well and isn't only night shifts. She is directed by a friend towards an office that seems too good to be true. It's a women's clinic where abortions are done. Mimi is horrified by this but they desperately need the money.
Over time, Mimi realizes the women who come there need help and in that time period help is hard to find. People are not always what they seem, and difficult choices abound. Mimi also creates relationships with the people in the office and those in the area who help them.
I read this book holding my breath at times. Mimi evolved into a brave, fierce woman who did what needed to be done, illegal or not. But it was stressful and illegal.
The majority of this book is based on a true clinic in Chicago in the 1930's and 40's. Many of Mimi's circle were real people and the consequences they faced actually occurred.
Another amazing book by Skenandore. I was immersed in the time period and in Mimi's life. This was a time and place where women were an afterthought but still had to run their families and survive. Having a choice about family, their bodies, and their futures is again a timely topic in this country. What happens when women loose autonomy and agency is devastating. This book spells it all out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advance digital copy. These opinions are my own.
May 27, 2026
I love the title of this book! When no one else will put food on your table, what do you do? When no one else will help their neighbor, what do you do? When no one else will speak up for the marginalized, what are you willing to do?
There is a bridge that connects and links the past and the present, whereas this books clearly shows that connection. Of this country’s past and present. Have we developed as a nation to pull people into being greater collectively and not just individually.
Time period: and period of time in post Great Depression and beginning of World War II,
Our story does center around a true story about an illegal abortion clinic with a brave nurse at its center. The FMC Mimi, a nurse, married to an injured baseball player in Chicago must work for her family to have a roof over over their head and food on the table.
Amanda Skenandore writes a compelling story of strength and courage when life throws curveballs everywhere you turn. A mother or wife is the nucleus and stabilizing point of relationships or situations that seem turbulent. I’m amazed at the writing that centers around an actual trial and actual events taken place, even thought the FMC is fictious there are several women who worked when men couldn’t and challenged society’s laws and perceptions.
The author makes us sit in the regressive mindset that is prevalent even though technologically we are progressed. Banning anything has never worked for societies, it just creates a culture of fear and heavy policing and compliance.
Thanks to #NetGalley for providing the advanced audio version in exchange for an honest review.
#WhenNoOneElseWill #netgalley #historicalfiction
Rating: 4 stars
There is a bridge that connects and links the past and the present, whereas this books clearly shows that connection. Of this country’s past and present. Have we developed as a nation to pull people into being greater collectively and not just individually.
Time period: and period of time in post Great Depression and beginning of World War II,
Our story does center around a true story about an illegal abortion clinic with a brave nurse at its center. The FMC Mimi, a nurse, married to an injured baseball player in Chicago must work for her family to have a roof over over their head and food on the table.
Amanda Skenandore writes a compelling story of strength and courage when life throws curveballs everywhere you turn. A mother or wife is the nucleus and stabilizing point of relationships or situations that seem turbulent. I’m amazed at the writing that centers around an actual trial and actual events taken place, even thought the FMC is fictious there are several women who worked when men couldn’t and challenged society’s laws and perceptions.
The author makes us sit in the regressive mindset that is prevalent even though technologically we are progressed. Banning anything has never worked for societies, it just creates a culture of fear and heavy policing and compliance.
Thanks to #NetGalley for providing the advanced audio version in exchange for an honest review.
#WhenNoOneElseWill #netgalley #historicalfiction
Rating: 4 stars
May 27, 2026
"When No One Else Will" is a skillfully written and compelling historical novel by Amanda Skenandore. It was inspired by a real underground clinic in Chicago and includes the people who operated it. Knowing that the story was based on a real clinic and its staff added an additional emotional layer for this reader and gave me a needed insight into the legal system of the time.
Mimi Lukas, wife and mother to two young children, is navigating her own private war. Her husband, a baseball player, is sidelined with an injury, the savings account is vanishing, and the children are hungry. After having the newly purchased refrigerator repossessed, she decides to return to nursing and finds limited opportunities for her return. Much to her chagrin, finally she secures a job at a clinic, better known as an illegal woman's health center. Even though its services clashes with her personal and religious upbringing, she soon finds the clinic to be a clean, compassionate sanctuary where woman are treated as humans rather than an unsolvable problem. One can't help but appreciate the transformation of Mimi as she goes from a stay-at-home mother in the 1930's to a woman willing to risk her freedom to help others in a desperate situation. Along the way she encounters friendship, purpose and camaraderie among her fellow workers.
This book highlights the resilience of women and the harsh realities of the time. It is a timely reminder of how hardly our women's right are won and how often they are and continue to be threatened. Skenandore's book is thought provoking, very emotional, and a story that stays with you well after you have turned the final page.
Thanks to Book Browse for providing me with a free copy of this book for review and discussion.
Mimi Lukas, wife and mother to two young children, is navigating her own private war. Her husband, a baseball player, is sidelined with an injury, the savings account is vanishing, and the children are hungry. After having the newly purchased refrigerator repossessed, she decides to return to nursing and finds limited opportunities for her return. Much to her chagrin, finally she secures a job at a clinic, better known as an illegal woman's health center. Even though its services clashes with her personal and religious upbringing, she soon finds the clinic to be a clean, compassionate sanctuary where woman are treated as humans rather than an unsolvable problem. One can't help but appreciate the transformation of Mimi as she goes from a stay-at-home mother in the 1930's to a woman willing to risk her freedom to help others in a desperate situation. Along the way she encounters friendship, purpose and camaraderie among her fellow workers.
This book highlights the resilience of women and the harsh realities of the time. It is a timely reminder of how hardly our women's right are won and how often they are and continue to be threatened. Skenandore's book is thought provoking, very emotional, and a story that stays with you well after you have turned the final page.
Thanks to Book Browse for providing me with a free copy of this book for review and discussion.
May 19, 2026
4.5⭐️
I had the audiobook of this historical fiction read by Nicole Poole who adds to the enjoyment. I don’t think I’d have enjoyed reading as much as it’s slower paced.
It’s a new subject matter for me, I always like something different.
1939 Chicago Mimi’s world has collapsed around her following her husbands promising baseball career imploding following an injury. Stan is living in denial and inertia so Mimi is left to support the family. Mimi starts work in a women’s clinic.
I was drawn by the topic, but it’s the characters that sold it to me.
This is a slower paced very character driven story, it shows the moral dilemma, the need of the service, the risks, and the costs to the individuals involved. It’s a moving story. The author really drew me into their world and struggles. I really liked Mimi, who I admired, she held her family together at a time of crisis, she could see the need for the service they provided, my heart went out to her. I even warmed slightly to Mimi’s mother in law at the end. The letters from Mimi’s sister Jenny are especially moving.
WOW do read/ listen the authors notes they are eye opening.
It may be historical fiction but the topic still has pertinence in current times for some. Due to the subject matter this book might not be for everyone.
I had this book for free
I had the audiobook of this historical fiction read by Nicole Poole who adds to the enjoyment. I don’t think I’d have enjoyed reading as much as it’s slower paced.
It’s a new subject matter for me, I always like something different.
1939 Chicago Mimi’s world has collapsed around her following her husbands promising baseball career imploding following an injury. Stan is living in denial and inertia so Mimi is left to support the family. Mimi starts work in a women’s clinic.
I was drawn by the topic, but it’s the characters that sold it to me.
This is a slower paced very character driven story, it shows the moral dilemma, the need of the service, the risks, and the costs to the individuals involved. It’s a moving story. The author really drew me into their world and struggles. I really liked Mimi, who I admired, she held her family together at a time of crisis, she could see the need for the service they provided, my heart went out to her. I even warmed slightly to Mimi’s mother in law at the end. The letters from Mimi’s sister Jenny are especially moving.
WOW do read/ listen the authors notes they are eye opening.
It may be historical fiction but the topic still has pertinence in current times for some. Due to the subject matter this book might not be for everyone.
I had this book for free
May 27, 2026
This book made me sick. The first “procedure” aka killing a baby is described in such a no-big deal manner & I wanted to vomit. 🤮 & it brought tears to my eyes. THERE IS NO EXCUSE for killing an innocent unborn baby. Abortion is NOT healthcare…it’s murder. I cannot continue to read this book. I recommend Why the Sky is Blue by Susan Meissner. It’s sad because I’ve loved Amanda Skenandore’s other books & so that’s why I grabbed this one. I am no longer a fan if she can justify abortion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Amanda Skenandore’s When No One Else Will is a work of historical fiction that reveals itself, almost stealthily, to be rooted in fact—a revelation that arrives only at the novel’s conclusion, and one that retroactively deepens its moral gravity. Had this truth been foregrounded, the reader might enter the narrative with a heightened awareness of its stakes; yet there is also something fitting in Skenandore’s choice. Like the hidden world she depicts, the story’s veracity emerges from the shadows, insisting on recognition only after one has already borne witness.
At the center is Mimi Lucas, initially rendered with almost archetypal precision: a 1930s Chicago housewife, hemmed in by economic hardship, familial obligation, and the quiet suffocations of expectation. Her husband, once a White Sox player, is reduced by injury and inertia, his thwarted masculinity curdling into despondency. Around them press the demands of survival—two children to feed, a critical Polish mother-in-law whose presence sharpens every domestic tension. Skenandore sketches this milieu with a careful eye for both cultural specificity and emotional claustrophobia, making Mimi’s eventual departure from it feel less like rebellion than necessity.
The novel’s moral fulcrum arrives when Mimi, prompted by a friend, seeks employment at what she believes to be a medical clinic, only to discover it is an illegal abortion practice. Here, Skenandore resists simplification. Mimi’s decision to remain is neither impulsive nor ideologically driven; it is instead born of a fraught calculus in which maternal duty, economic desperation, and ethical unease collide. The courage required is not the dramatic heroism of grand gestures, but the quieter, more corrosive kind—the willingness to inhabit ambiguity, to act in ways that may never be publicly defended.
What follows is a gradual, deeply human transformation. Mimi’s initial misgivings yield not to indifference, but to empathy. Skenandore is particularly adept at illuminating the patients who pass through the clinic’s doors: women from disparate circumstances, each carrying her own story of fear, coercion, or necessity. These are not abstractions or symbols, but individuals rendered with dignity and specificity. The clinic, precarious and illicit, becomes paradoxically a site of care—one in which practitioners, themselves vulnerable to legal and social ruin, strive to provide safety where none officially exists.
It is in this tension that the novel finds its greatest power. The practitioners operate under constant threat, their work sustained through bribery and subterfuge, their reputations—and freedom—perpetually at risk. Skenandore does not romanticize this world; rather, she underscores the steep personal cost of participation. To be involved is to live in a state of vigilance, to accept that one’s moral choices may be judged harshly by a society unwilling to acknowledge the conditions that necessitate them. The eventual courtroom drama crystallizes these tensions, bringing into stark relief the dissonance between law and lived reality, between public condemnation and private desperation.
Yet what lingers most is the novel’s profound empathy—not only for the women seeking care, but for those who provide it. Caregivers here are neither saints nor villains; they are individuals navigating an impossible terrain, attempting, however imperfectly, to alleviate suffering. Skenandore invites the reader to consider the emotional toll of such work: the accumulation of stories, the weight of responsibility, the knowledge that compassion itself can be criminalized.
The historical setting inevitably resonates with contemporary debates, though the novel refrains from overt didacticism. Instead, it offers a more enduring insight: that the intersection of medicine, morality, and law has long been fraught, and that those who step into its most contested spaces do so at significant personal risk. The “high price” paid by Mimi and her colleagues is not merely legal or social, but existential—the cost of living with choices that defy easy categorization.
When No One Else Will ultimately succeeds not because it argues a position, but because it enlarges the reader’s capacity for understanding. By the time its true-story origins are revealed, one recognizes that the narrative has already accomplished something rare: it has made visible a hidden history of courage and care, and in doing so, it asks us to reconsider the boundaries of both.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review
At the center is Mimi Lucas, initially rendered with almost archetypal precision: a 1930s Chicago housewife, hemmed in by economic hardship, familial obligation, and the quiet suffocations of expectation. Her husband, once a White Sox player, is reduced by injury and inertia, his thwarted masculinity curdling into despondency. Around them press the demands of survival—two children to feed, a critical Polish mother-in-law whose presence sharpens every domestic tension. Skenandore sketches this milieu with a careful eye for both cultural specificity and emotional claustrophobia, making Mimi’s eventual departure from it feel less like rebellion than necessity.
The novel’s moral fulcrum arrives when Mimi, prompted by a friend, seeks employment at what she believes to be a medical clinic, only to discover it is an illegal abortion practice. Here, Skenandore resists simplification. Mimi’s decision to remain is neither impulsive nor ideologically driven; it is instead born of a fraught calculus in which maternal duty, economic desperation, and ethical unease collide. The courage required is not the dramatic heroism of grand gestures, but the quieter, more corrosive kind—the willingness to inhabit ambiguity, to act in ways that may never be publicly defended.
What follows is a gradual, deeply human transformation. Mimi’s initial misgivings yield not to indifference, but to empathy. Skenandore is particularly adept at illuminating the patients who pass through the clinic’s doors: women from disparate circumstances, each carrying her own story of fear, coercion, or necessity. These are not abstractions or symbols, but individuals rendered with dignity and specificity. The clinic, precarious and illicit, becomes paradoxically a site of care—one in which practitioners, themselves vulnerable to legal and social ruin, strive to provide safety where none officially exists.
It is in this tension that the novel finds its greatest power. The practitioners operate under constant threat, their work sustained through bribery and subterfuge, their reputations—and freedom—perpetually at risk. Skenandore does not romanticize this world; rather, she underscores the steep personal cost of participation. To be involved is to live in a state of vigilance, to accept that one’s moral choices may be judged harshly by a society unwilling to acknowledge the conditions that necessitate them. The eventual courtroom drama crystallizes these tensions, bringing into stark relief the dissonance between law and lived reality, between public condemnation and private desperation.
Yet what lingers most is the novel’s profound empathy—not only for the women seeking care, but for those who provide it. Caregivers here are neither saints nor villains; they are individuals navigating an impossible terrain, attempting, however imperfectly, to alleviate suffering. Skenandore invites the reader to consider the emotional toll of such work: the accumulation of stories, the weight of responsibility, the knowledge that compassion itself can be criminalized.
The historical setting inevitably resonates with contemporary debates, though the novel refrains from overt didacticism. Instead, it offers a more enduring insight: that the intersection of medicine, morality, and law has long been fraught, and that those who step into its most contested spaces do so at significant personal risk. The “high price” paid by Mimi and her colleagues is not merely legal or social, but existential—the cost of living with choices that defy easy categorization.
When No One Else Will ultimately succeeds not because it argues a position, but because it enlarges the reader’s capacity for understanding. By the time its true-story origins are revealed, one recognizes that the narrative has already accomplished something rare: it has made visible a hidden history of courage and care, and in doing so, it asks us to reconsider the boundaries of both.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
THIS WAS A REALLY TOUGH ONE TO READ…
Picture you’re living in Chicago in the late 1930’s. Your husband is on leave from being a famed baseball player… now with a broken leg, and most likely, a life changing event for his career. You are married with two young children. You WERE a nurse, before you were married with kids, but have not worked since. Now, your house is in trouble. Bills are not getting paid. Your husband seems to have given up hope. And you have many mouths to feed…
Her name is Mimi. She doesn’t know where else to turn, so starts looking for jobs in hospitals… but she hasn’t worked recently. It’s not going well.
Then she runs into an old friend who gives her a name. They’re looking for good nurses at a women’s clinic. Mimi kind of understands the meaning, but can she really do this? She IS religious. This goes against all her beliefs. But they are looking to take away everything she and her husband have built.
So she goes to meet with the people at the clinic… and decides to try it out. Short term. Then she’ll see.
It’s going well. She is making good money. BUT, at the same time it is scary.
But she’s also helping these women who have nowhere else to turn. And what they are doing is safe… as opposed to what they might do on their own…
And then the police come…. And everything changes. She cannot do this. She needs to leave…
This is NOT a story to read if you are looking for happy endings, butterflies, flowers and rainbows.
BUT, if you are interested in history, and life before Roe vs. Wade… as well as what is going on in real life right now, then please, give this book a chance! I have read this author before. And, this book is phenomenal!
I also just read that the author is a nurse! And that makes so much sense! (I am also a RN, so I can identify with many of the feelings in here… wanting to help these women, even though it may go against all that you are… but that primal need to care and help people.)
And I also realized at the end that this is actually based on a true story with a real life clinic, and many of the people featured in the book are real people! Sad and scary and heart-breaking… and yet, they were doing what they considered the right thing to do! And were penalized for it…
Again, difficult to get through at points, but what an eye-opening, phenomenal historical fiction story! Well done!
5 tear-stained, heart-breaking, breath-taking stars for me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. If this one does not gut punch you, I’m not sure what will.
#WhenNoOneElseWill by @AmandaSkenandore and narrated beautifully by @NicolePoole.
*** This has not been released yet! Please look 👀 for it on 5/26/26! ***
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and @HighBridgeAudio for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!
And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷
Picture you’re living in Chicago in the late 1930’s. Your husband is on leave from being a famed baseball player… now with a broken leg, and most likely, a life changing event for his career. You are married with two young children. You WERE a nurse, before you were married with kids, but have not worked since. Now, your house is in trouble. Bills are not getting paid. Your husband seems to have given up hope. And you have many mouths to feed…
Her name is Mimi. She doesn’t know where else to turn, so starts looking for jobs in hospitals… but she hasn’t worked recently. It’s not going well.
Then she runs into an old friend who gives her a name. They’re looking for good nurses at a women’s clinic. Mimi kind of understands the meaning, but can she really do this? She IS religious. This goes against all her beliefs. But they are looking to take away everything she and her husband have built.
So she goes to meet with the people at the clinic… and decides to try it out. Short term. Then she’ll see.
It’s going well. She is making good money. BUT, at the same time it is scary.
But she’s also helping these women who have nowhere else to turn. And what they are doing is safe… as opposed to what they might do on their own…
And then the police come…. And everything changes. She cannot do this. She needs to leave…
This is NOT a story to read if you are looking for happy endings, butterflies, flowers and rainbows.
BUT, if you are interested in history, and life before Roe vs. Wade… as well as what is going on in real life right now, then please, give this book a chance! I have read this author before. And, this book is phenomenal!
I also just read that the author is a nurse! And that makes so much sense! (I am also a RN, so I can identify with many of the feelings in here… wanting to help these women, even though it may go against all that you are… but that primal need to care and help people.)
And I also realized at the end that this is actually based on a true story with a real life clinic, and many of the people featured in the book are real people! Sad and scary and heart-breaking… and yet, they were doing what they considered the right thing to do! And were penalized for it…
Again, difficult to get through at points, but what an eye-opening, phenomenal historical fiction story! Well done!
5 tear-stained, heart-breaking, breath-taking stars for me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. If this one does not gut punch you, I’m not sure what will.
#WhenNoOneElseWill by @AmandaSkenandore and narrated beautifully by @NicolePoole.
*** This has not been released yet! Please look 👀 for it on 5/26/26! ***
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and @HighBridgeAudio for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!
And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A phenomenal, suspense filled read that makes you question your morals. 🗝️
Amanda Skenandore is a new-to-me author, and this is only the beginning of my journey into her work; I loved her writing style in When No One Else Will. The pacing was great, the book was not too long, and I could have read another 100 pages. I wanted to know more about Mimi's life after the book ended, so of course I had to phone my friend Google! 🤳🏾
There were several shocking elements of suspense in this historical fiction. The twists and turns made it so hard to put this book down! The storyline was intriguing, reeling me in while shit just kept on happening! Mimi and ’nem had the 1930s and 1940s lit post-Prohibition! I spent over 50% of this book with my mouth open wondering, "What on earth could happen next?" And the author just kept on giving us the goods! ☕
The laugh-out-loud moments were endless, making this a much more comfortable read considering the seriousness of the topics involved. The comedy was spot on, and I hope all of it makes the final cut, but I MUST point out one specific crack that had me rolling: when the narrator was talking about the doctor's hairpiece slipping back a few inches at the beginning of this story, I freaking lost it! At that point, I knew I was about to be taken on a ride and I was here for it! 😂
As a woman, of course, I am hard down on "my body, my choice" and this book really made me think about the internal conflicts women struggle with when facing the decision to keep or not keep a baby. There are so many schools of thought around this topic and the author did a great job of putting us in the minds of a few different camps. I loved how this book made me question my morals, integrity, and ethics; if I would do what no one else will... When you read it, there will be many opportunities to ask yourself the same question and not just as it relates to a woman's body. Some healthy discourse will come from this story and I love it!
It is also important to note that the author stuck as close to the real people as possible, which makes the story that much more valuable; it's exactly why historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to consume.
The Aftermath 🌷
When I finished the last page, I needed some time to process this book in its entirety; I really had to let it marinate. The story was done incredibly well and the book was phenomenal, so it absolutely deserved the full 5 stars. I read for the physical aftermath, and I still feel all the feels from this one days later!
This book is for the reader who wants to immerse themselves in topics that are controversial, the feminist looking for another reason to champion their cause, and someone who loves their historical fiction packed with suspense. 👌🏾
Publication Date: May 26, 2026
Thank you to Kensington, Amanda Skenandore, and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Amanda Skenandore is a new-to-me author, and this is only the beginning of my journey into her work; I loved her writing style in When No One Else Will. The pacing was great, the book was not too long, and I could have read another 100 pages. I wanted to know more about Mimi's life after the book ended, so of course I had to phone my friend Google! 🤳🏾
There were several shocking elements of suspense in this historical fiction. The twists and turns made it so hard to put this book down! The storyline was intriguing, reeling me in while shit just kept on happening! Mimi and ’nem had the 1930s and 1940s lit post-Prohibition! I spent over 50% of this book with my mouth open wondering, "What on earth could happen next?" And the author just kept on giving us the goods! ☕
The laugh-out-loud moments were endless, making this a much more comfortable read considering the seriousness of the topics involved. The comedy was spot on, and I hope all of it makes the final cut, but I MUST point out one specific crack that had me rolling: when the narrator was talking about the doctor's hairpiece slipping back a few inches at the beginning of this story, I freaking lost it! At that point, I knew I was about to be taken on a ride and I was here for it! 😂
As a woman, of course, I am hard down on "my body, my choice" and this book really made me think about the internal conflicts women struggle with when facing the decision to keep or not keep a baby. There are so many schools of thought around this topic and the author did a great job of putting us in the minds of a few different camps. I loved how this book made me question my morals, integrity, and ethics; if I would do what no one else will... When you read it, there will be many opportunities to ask yourself the same question and not just as it relates to a woman's body. Some healthy discourse will come from this story and I love it!
It is also important to note that the author stuck as close to the real people as possible, which makes the story that much more valuable; it's exactly why historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to consume.
The Aftermath 🌷
When I finished the last page, I needed some time to process this book in its entirety; I really had to let it marinate. The story was done incredibly well and the book was phenomenal, so it absolutely deserved the full 5 stars. I read for the physical aftermath, and I still feel all the feels from this one days later!
This book is for the reader who wants to immerse themselves in topics that are controversial, the feminist looking for another reason to champion their cause, and someone who loves their historical fiction packed with suspense. 👌🏾
Publication Date: May 26, 2026
Thank you to Kensington, Amanda Skenandore, and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 30, 2026
📖 What if the most controversial job in Chicago was also one of the most necessary?
When No One Else Will by Amanda Skenandore shines a light on a fascinating and often-overlooked chapter of American history.
Set in Depression-era Chicago, the story follows Mimi, a former nurse whose life has become increasingly difficult after her husband’s baseball career is cut short by an injury. With two children to support and bills piling up, she desperately needs work. Through a connection, she lands a nursing job at a clinic—only to discover that the clinic provides abortions.
One of the things that surprised me most about this novel was how different the clinic was from what I expected. Rather than a stereotypical back-alley operation, it was portrayed as a professional medical practice staffed by trained medical personnel. Even more fascinating, the clinic and the legal case surrounding it were inspired by real historical events.
Amanda Skenandore does what my favorite historical fiction authors do best: she uncovers a forgotten corner of history and makes it feel immediate and human. Many of the women who came to the clinic were living in poverty or facing incredibly difficult circumstances, and their stories added emotional depth and nuance to the novel. Some of those storylines were heartbreaking. 💔
I also appreciated how authentically the book felt rooted in its time period. It never felt like a modern story wearing a 1930s costume. Mimi’s internal thoughts, her views on marriage and motherhood, and even the way her husband’s depression affected their relationship all felt appropriate to the era. The writing almost reads as though it could have been written during the 1930s itself.
Historically, I found it especially interesting that the novel explores a time when abortion was illegal in many circumstances but had not yet become the politically charged issue it is today. The book approaches the subject through the lens of the people living through that moment in history, which made for a thought-provoking reading experience.
While the pacing dragged a bit in places, I found Mimi to be a likable protagonist and appreciated how immersive the story was overall. This is the kind of historical fiction that broadens your understanding of the past and encourages empathy for people facing impossible choices.
⭐️ 3.5/5 stars
If you enjoy historical fiction that uncovers lesser-known stories, especially those centered on women’s history, this one is worth picking up.
When No One Else Will by Amanda Skenandore shines a light on a fascinating and often-overlooked chapter of American history.
Set in Depression-era Chicago, the story follows Mimi, a former nurse whose life has become increasingly difficult after her husband’s baseball career is cut short by an injury. With two children to support and bills piling up, she desperately needs work. Through a connection, she lands a nursing job at a clinic—only to discover that the clinic provides abortions.
One of the things that surprised me most about this novel was how different the clinic was from what I expected. Rather than a stereotypical back-alley operation, it was portrayed as a professional medical practice staffed by trained medical personnel. Even more fascinating, the clinic and the legal case surrounding it were inspired by real historical events.
Amanda Skenandore does what my favorite historical fiction authors do best: she uncovers a forgotten corner of history and makes it feel immediate and human. Many of the women who came to the clinic were living in poverty or facing incredibly difficult circumstances, and their stories added emotional depth and nuance to the novel. Some of those storylines were heartbreaking. 💔
I also appreciated how authentically the book felt rooted in its time period. It never felt like a modern story wearing a 1930s costume. Mimi’s internal thoughts, her views on marriage and motherhood, and even the way her husband’s depression affected their relationship all felt appropriate to the era. The writing almost reads as though it could have been written during the 1930s itself.
Historically, I found it especially interesting that the novel explores a time when abortion was illegal in many circumstances but had not yet become the politically charged issue it is today. The book approaches the subject through the lens of the people living through that moment in history, which made for a thought-provoking reading experience.
While the pacing dragged a bit in places, I found Mimi to be a likable protagonist and appreciated how immersive the story was overall. This is the kind of historical fiction that broadens your understanding of the past and encourages empathy for people facing impossible choices.
⭐️ 3.5/5 stars
If you enjoy historical fiction that uncovers lesser-known stories, especially those centered on women’s history, this one is worth picking up.
Review of advance copy
This well written and well researched book is about an illegal abortion clinic in Chicago in the 1940s. It’s based on a real clinic of the time and most of the characters are based on real people. The book is thought provoking and even though it’s still a controversial subject, the author does a fantastic job of presenting the truth on both sides of the issue.
Mimi was trained as a nurse and is now the stay-at-home mom of two young children living with her husband and his mother in Chicago. Her husband had been a star baseball player but an injury ended his career. He keeps hoping for a comeback and refuses to look for any other type of work. She decides that she’ll have to go to work and even though she has training, hospitals are reluctant to hire married women because, of course, everyone at this time felt that women should stay at home with their families. After no luck finding a job, a friend tells her about a clinic that is hiring. When she finds out that the clinic performs illegal abortions, she doesn’t want to take the job because it goes against her religious beliefs. However, she soon realizes that she needs the job to keep her family from losing their home. As she becomes more involved and gets to know the women who are having abortions, she becomes much more understanding of their plight and their needs to end their pregnancies. As the police begin to crack down on illegal clinics, Mimi has to decide if it’s worth risking her family to keep her job and how far she’s willing to go to help women who are desperate for the clinic’s services.
This is a character driven book and it was interesting to see the way that Mimi changed throughout the book – from a stay-at-home mom to a woman willing to risk her freedom to help other women. From a woman who felt that she had no choices to a woman who realized that she had the freedom to help other women and that she was stronger than believed herself to be.
The author did an excellent job at presenting both sides of the controversial subject of abortion without coming down strong on one side of the other. This book is emotional, powerful and an honest look at an ethical dilemma that still faces many women today. It leaves the reader with a lot to think about on both sides of the abortion issue.
Mimi was trained as a nurse and is now the stay-at-home mom of two young children living with her husband and his mother in Chicago. Her husband had been a star baseball player but an injury ended his career. He keeps hoping for a comeback and refuses to look for any other type of work. She decides that she’ll have to go to work and even though she has training, hospitals are reluctant to hire married women because, of course, everyone at this time felt that women should stay at home with their families. After no luck finding a job, a friend tells her about a clinic that is hiring. When she finds out that the clinic performs illegal abortions, she doesn’t want to take the job because it goes against her religious beliefs. However, she soon realizes that she needs the job to keep her family from losing their home. As she becomes more involved and gets to know the women who are having abortions, she becomes much more understanding of their plight and their needs to end their pregnancies. As the police begin to crack down on illegal clinics, Mimi has to decide if it’s worth risking her family to keep her job and how far she’s willing to go to help women who are desperate for the clinic’s services.
This is a character driven book and it was interesting to see the way that Mimi changed throughout the book – from a stay-at-home mom to a woman willing to risk her freedom to help other women. From a woman who felt that she had no choices to a woman who realized that she had the freedom to help other women and that she was stronger than believed herself to be.
The author did an excellent job at presenting both sides of the controversial subject of abortion without coming down strong on one side of the other. This book is emotional, powerful and an honest look at an ethical dilemma that still faces many women today. It leaves the reader with a lot to think about on both sides of the abortion issue.
May 29, 2026
Fair warning: this novel deals explicitly with abortion rights, so keep that in mind before picking it up.
Amanda Skenandore hit a homer (pun intended) with this one. When No One Else Will tells the story of Mimi Lukas, a former nurse whose baseball-playing husband suffers a career-ending injury. To make matters worse, they are still struggling through the aftermath of the Great Depression, and money is tight.
As her husband Stan spirals while trying to come to terms with his new reality, Mimi does what she can with their dwindling savings. When their refrigerator is repossessed, she decides to find work—just until Stan gets back on his feet and figures out what comes next.
She lands a job at a hospital working the night shift, but it quickly becomes clear that Mimi is out of practice with her nursing skills. Struggling to balance the demands of work with life at home and caring for her children, she eventually loses the position. An old friend then tells her about a local clinic that is hiring. When Mimi arrives, she is shocked to learn the clinic performs illegal abortions. Though conflicted, her financial situation is dire, and with Stan contributing little, she reluctantly accepts the generous paycheck.
Over time, Mimi’s initial judgment begins to fade as she encounters women whose circumstances leave them desperate for help—women facing poverty, abusive husbands, rape, and impossible choices. What unsettles Mimi most, however, are the underhanded methods the office manager, Ada, uses to keep the clinic hidden from authorities. But life throws curveballs, and eventually Mimi must confront both her family and herself about the work she is doing.
Skenandore writes characters exceptionally well. Some you admire, some you want to shake sense into, but all of them feel layered and real. This cautionary tale is not a new one, and it powerfully reiterates that regardless of laws or bans, people will do what they must to survive and move forward. Mimi’s experience illustrates in very clear terms what happens when women lose the right to dictate their own medical decisions.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensingston Publishing, and author Amanda Skenandore for the advanced copy of the book. When No One Else Will is out now. All opinions are my own.
http://www.instagram.com/passionforprose
Amanda Skenandore hit a homer (pun intended) with this one. When No One Else Will tells the story of Mimi Lukas, a former nurse whose baseball-playing husband suffers a career-ending injury. To make matters worse, they are still struggling through the aftermath of the Great Depression, and money is tight.
As her husband Stan spirals while trying to come to terms with his new reality, Mimi does what she can with their dwindling savings. When their refrigerator is repossessed, she decides to find work—just until Stan gets back on his feet and figures out what comes next.
She lands a job at a hospital working the night shift, but it quickly becomes clear that Mimi is out of practice with her nursing skills. Struggling to balance the demands of work with life at home and caring for her children, she eventually loses the position. An old friend then tells her about a local clinic that is hiring. When Mimi arrives, she is shocked to learn the clinic performs illegal abortions. Though conflicted, her financial situation is dire, and with Stan contributing little, she reluctantly accepts the generous paycheck.
Over time, Mimi’s initial judgment begins to fade as she encounters women whose circumstances leave them desperate for help—women facing poverty, abusive husbands, rape, and impossible choices. What unsettles Mimi most, however, are the underhanded methods the office manager, Ada, uses to keep the clinic hidden from authorities. But life throws curveballs, and eventually Mimi must confront both her family and herself about the work she is doing.
Skenandore writes characters exceptionally well. Some you admire, some you want to shake sense into, but all of them feel layered and real. This cautionary tale is not a new one, and it powerfully reiterates that regardless of laws or bans, people will do what they must to survive and move forward. Mimi’s experience illustrates in very clear terms what happens when women lose the right to dictate their own medical decisions.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensingston Publishing, and author Amanda Skenandore for the advanced copy of the book. When No One Else Will is out now. All opinions are my own.
http://www.instagram.com/passionforprose
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5/5 stars
Thanks to Kensington Publishing for the ARC of When No One Else Will by Amanda Skenandore.
Thanks to NetGalley and Highbridge Audio for the ALC of When No One Else Will by Amanda Skenandore, narrated by Nicole Poole.
I read the description of this book and knew that I needed to read this story. In the times post the overturning of Roe, and the current pending Supreme Court decision regarding the ordering and mailing of abortion medication, this book feels timely to what life used to be like and may likely end up looking like again. I enjoy reading historical fiction, but only when the topic at the heart of the story is interesting to me, which this story was.
The story follows Mimi as she is facing extreme financial distress when her baseball star husband loses his job, and she re-enters the workforce in order to keep her family from losing their home. Her husband is refusing to admit he is struggling with his mental health and is refusing to accept that he is no longer a baseball star or the family’s breadwinner. Mimi ends up getting a job at a Women’s Clinic, and it not only opens her eyes to how incredibly wrong her expectations were, how inaccurate her thoughts were about the type of people that would frequent the clinic, and so much more.
I felt the story was paced well, incredibly well-written, and the characters were well-developed. I found myself almost instantly invested in the characters, especially Mimi, as she struggles to deal with her mean and judgmental mother-in-law, her judgmental church, and her aggravating husband. I would highly recommend this book, and I look forward to checking out more from this author.
The audiobook was beautifully narrated by Nicole Poole. The production quality was excellent, and the narrator’s ability to bring the characters off the page and into real life added to my enjoyment of the story. The narrator’s pacing and tone were befitting of the story, and Nicole Poole’s ability to express emotion with her voice was amazing. The ability to provide differing voices to the many characters portrayed in this book was impressive as well. I would highly recommend this audiobook and narrator.
Thanks to Kensington Publishing for the ARC of When No One Else Will by Amanda Skenandore.
Thanks to NetGalley and Highbridge Audio for the ALC of When No One Else Will by Amanda Skenandore, narrated by Nicole Poole.
I read the description of this book and knew that I needed to read this story. In the times post the overturning of Roe, and the current pending Supreme Court decision regarding the ordering and mailing of abortion medication, this book feels timely to what life used to be like and may likely end up looking like again. I enjoy reading historical fiction, but only when the topic at the heart of the story is interesting to me, which this story was.
The story follows Mimi as she is facing extreme financial distress when her baseball star husband loses his job, and she re-enters the workforce in order to keep her family from losing their home. Her husband is refusing to admit he is struggling with his mental health and is refusing to accept that he is no longer a baseball star or the family’s breadwinner. Mimi ends up getting a job at a Women’s Clinic, and it not only opens her eyes to how incredibly wrong her expectations were, how inaccurate her thoughts were about the type of people that would frequent the clinic, and so much more.
I felt the story was paced well, incredibly well-written, and the characters were well-developed. I found myself almost instantly invested in the characters, especially Mimi, as she struggles to deal with her mean and judgmental mother-in-law, her judgmental church, and her aggravating husband. I would highly recommend this book, and I look forward to checking out more from this author.
The audiobook was beautifully narrated by Nicole Poole. The production quality was excellent, and the narrator’s ability to bring the characters off the page and into real life added to my enjoyment of the story. The narrator’s pacing and tone were befitting of the story, and Nicole Poole’s ability to express emotion with her voice was amazing. The ability to provide differing voices to the many characters portrayed in this book was impressive as well. I would highly recommend this audiobook and narrator.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars
‘This is how we help people, by what we do here in the clinic. The rest we must leave…’
For Mimi, having her brand-new electric refrigerator repossessed was the tipping point. Clearly, not only was her husband’s injury going to prevent him from ever playing baseball again, but his despair had left him incapable of moving forward. Mimi must return to nursing in order to keep both the house and the debt collectors at bay. But who will hire a woman who has been absent from the workforce for a decade and must negotiate her schedule around two children?
So when a women’s clinic offers her a well-paid role, she feels she has little choice but to accept - despite her misgivings. Yet over time, the position she was once reluctant to fill becomes one she cannot imagine leaving. ‘Here, she doesn’t have to worry about being the perfect mother. She need only be herself and do her job well’.
Set in 1939 Chicago, in the lingering shadow of the Great Depression and on the uneasy brink of war, ‘When No One Else Will’ explores one of society’s most contentious and deeply personal issues through the story of a women’s clinic operating at the margins of legality. Amanda Skenandore handles the subject matter with remarkable restraint and compassion. There are no easy answers here, no simplistic morality, no obvious heroes or villains, simply women faced with impossible circumstances and deeply personal decisions.
The novel captures the era beautifully: the economic hardship, the limited opportunities available to women, and the quiet desperation underpinning so many lives.
What added an additional level of resonance was learning that the clinic itself, along with several characters and events, were inspired by reality. Even some of the shocking violence and acts of retribution towards the novel’s conclusion have their roots in history, which made those moments feel all the more confronting.
Thoughtful, compassionate and emotionally compelling, this is historical fiction that refuses easy judgement while remaining absorbing.
‘Iron bars aren’t the only thing that can cage people’.
‘This is how we help people, by what we do here in the clinic. The rest we must leave…’
For Mimi, having her brand-new electric refrigerator repossessed was the tipping point. Clearly, not only was her husband’s injury going to prevent him from ever playing baseball again, but his despair had left him incapable of moving forward. Mimi must return to nursing in order to keep both the house and the debt collectors at bay. But who will hire a woman who has been absent from the workforce for a decade and must negotiate her schedule around two children?
So when a women’s clinic offers her a well-paid role, she feels she has little choice but to accept - despite her misgivings. Yet over time, the position she was once reluctant to fill becomes one she cannot imagine leaving. ‘Here, she doesn’t have to worry about being the perfect mother. She need only be herself and do her job well’.
Set in 1939 Chicago, in the lingering shadow of the Great Depression and on the uneasy brink of war, ‘When No One Else Will’ explores one of society’s most contentious and deeply personal issues through the story of a women’s clinic operating at the margins of legality. Amanda Skenandore handles the subject matter with remarkable restraint and compassion. There are no easy answers here, no simplistic morality, no obvious heroes or villains, simply women faced with impossible circumstances and deeply personal decisions.
The novel captures the era beautifully: the economic hardship, the limited opportunities available to women, and the quiet desperation underpinning so many lives.
What added an additional level of resonance was learning that the clinic itself, along with several characters and events, were inspired by reality. Even some of the shocking violence and acts of retribution towards the novel’s conclusion have their roots in history, which made those moments feel all the more confronting.
Thoughtful, compassionate and emotionally compelling, this is historical fiction that refuses easy judgement while remaining absorbing.
‘Iron bars aren’t the only thing that can cage people’.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
WOW! Amanda Skenandore, the Author of “When No One Else Will” has written a powerful, emotional, memorable and captivating, Historical Fiction Novel. The Genres for this novel are: Historical Fiction Novel, Medical Fiction, Sociology Reference, Family Fiction, Sisterhood, and Fiction. In this well-written and highly researched novel, Amanda Skenandore vividly describes the landscape, plot, and the dramatic characters. The characters can be described as complex, complicated, flawed, determined, each with his/her set of problems. The timeline for this novel is set in between 1939 and the 1940’s. This is based on a true story.
The female protagonist, Mimi Lukas is forced to look for work, when her husband Stan, a famous Baseball player gets a broken leg. In Chicago, in 1939, while Europe is facing the War, it is financially difficult to survive.. Mimi’s refrigerator is repossessed, and she worries about her home and food for her children and her mother-in-law. Mimi has been a nurse and tries to go back to her occupation. She is given the opportunity to work in a women’s clinic, where illegal procedures are done. The office is warm and clean, but there are always threats. Mimi feels that women’s healthcare is important, and is deeply concerned about the women or children that come there. There are lawmakers, such as the police, who are paid to look away. The patients are treated compassionately, but it is emphasized that whatever happens in the office stays in the office.
As the political climate changes, there is a greater chance and danger of closing clinics down, and the participants facing criminal charges and time in jail. Mimi has formed a sisterhood with other nurses and doctors, as well as the women who had no where to go, when they were in trouble. I appreciate how the author discusses the war for fair health justice for women, and the courage that the health care workers had. I highly recommend this thought-provoking and memorable book to others.
The female protagonist, Mimi Lukas is forced to look for work, when her husband Stan, a famous Baseball player gets a broken leg. In Chicago, in 1939, while Europe is facing the War, it is financially difficult to survive.. Mimi’s refrigerator is repossessed, and she worries about her home and food for her children and her mother-in-law. Mimi has been a nurse and tries to go back to her occupation. She is given the opportunity to work in a women’s clinic, where illegal procedures are done. The office is warm and clean, but there are always threats. Mimi feels that women’s healthcare is important, and is deeply concerned about the women or children that come there. There are lawmakers, such as the police, who are paid to look away. The patients are treated compassionately, but it is emphasized that whatever happens in the office stays in the office.
As the political climate changes, there is a greater chance and danger of closing clinics down, and the participants facing criminal charges and time in jail. Mimi has formed a sisterhood with other nurses and doctors, as well as the women who had no where to go, when they were in trouble. I appreciate how the author discusses the war for fair health justice for women, and the courage that the health care workers had. I highly recommend this thought-provoking and memorable book to others.
May 26, 2026
There is so much packed into this story. It is emotional, thought-provoking, and sheds light on a difficult chapter of history by exploring illegal abortions in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s. I found it especially interesting reading the author’s note at the end and learning that this novel was inspired by a real underground clinic in the United States, including the people who operated it. Knowing there was real history behind the story added another layer of emotional depth and made the novel even more impactful . Through Mimi’s story, readers also gain insight into the legal system and the many social circumstances that led women to seek out the clinic. I found this aspect especially fascinating and appreciated how thoughtfully the author handled such a complex and sensitive subject.
This is very much a character-driven story, and I really enjoyed watching Mimi’s transformation throughout the book — from a stay-at-home mother to a woman willing to risk her freedom to help other women in desperate situations. Along the way, she finds friendship, purpose, and camaraderie, but also increasing danger as authorities become determined to shut down the illegal abortion clinic in which she works as a nurse. Mimi is faced with many difficult choices throughout the novel, and I often found myself wondering what I would have done in her position.
A cleverly written and compelling historical novel that highlights both the resilience of women and the harsh realities of the time. Amanda Skenandore has become an auto-read author for me, and this book continues her streak of incredible historical fiction rooted in fascinating medical realities and lesser-known history. Thought-provoking, emotional, and deeply immersive, this is a story that stayed with me long after I turned the final page.
Trigger warning: abortion.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing | Kensington for the ARC.
This is very much a character-driven story, and I really enjoyed watching Mimi’s transformation throughout the book — from a stay-at-home mother to a woman willing to risk her freedom to help other women in desperate situations. Along the way, she finds friendship, purpose, and camaraderie, but also increasing danger as authorities become determined to shut down the illegal abortion clinic in which she works as a nurse. Mimi is faced with many difficult choices throughout the novel, and I often found myself wondering what I would have done in her position.
A cleverly written and compelling historical novel that highlights both the resilience of women and the harsh realities of the time. Amanda Skenandore has become an auto-read author for me, and this book continues her streak of incredible historical fiction rooted in fascinating medical realities and lesser-known history. Thought-provoking, emotional, and deeply immersive, this is a story that stayed with me long after I turned the final page.
Trigger warning: abortion.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing | Kensington for the ARC.
March 2, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up!
A heartbreakingly beautiful look at courage and the "impossible" choices of 1930s women.
This book punched me right in the chest in the best way possible. Set against the backdrop of 1939 Chicago, it captures a suffocating era when a woman’s value was often reduced to her ability to cook meals and bear children—a time when society, the church, and even one’s own husband felt entitled to dictate a woman’s life.
The Story
Mimi Lukas is navigating a private war of her own. With her husband Stan’s baseball career sidelined by injury and their savings vanishing, Mimi decides to return to nursing. However, the job she finds is at Dr. Gabler’s clinic—an illegal women’s health center. Though it clashes with her religious upbringing, Mimi finds a clean, compassionate, and dignified sanctuary where women are finally treated as humans rather than problems to be solved.
What I Loved
The Emotional Depth: Mimi feels incredibly real. Her inner turmoil is raw and palpable; you can almost hear her thinking as she balances the "legal" against the "necessary."
The Historical Atmosphere: The author perfectly illustrates the systemic walls women were up against—the fragile male egos, the legal systems designed to crush autonomy, and the weight of "secrecy."
The Bond of Sisterhood: Amidst the danger and the frustration, the kinship Mimi finds with her colleagues and the quiet strength of the patients is the true heart of the story.
Final Thoughts
This is more than just a historical novel; it’s a timely reminder of how hard-won our rights are and how easily they can be threatened. It is poignant, insightful, and deeply human. Mimi’s journey from "staying small" to embracing her own moral compass stayed with me long after I turned the final page.
Absolutely worth the read. Thank you Netgalley!!!
A heartbreakingly beautiful look at courage and the "impossible" choices of 1930s women.
This book punched me right in the chest in the best way possible. Set against the backdrop of 1939 Chicago, it captures a suffocating era when a woman’s value was often reduced to her ability to cook meals and bear children—a time when society, the church, and even one’s own husband felt entitled to dictate a woman’s life.
The Story
Mimi Lukas is navigating a private war of her own. With her husband Stan’s baseball career sidelined by injury and their savings vanishing, Mimi decides to return to nursing. However, the job she finds is at Dr. Gabler’s clinic—an illegal women’s health center. Though it clashes with her religious upbringing, Mimi finds a clean, compassionate, and dignified sanctuary where women are finally treated as humans rather than problems to be solved.
What I Loved
The Emotional Depth: Mimi feels incredibly real. Her inner turmoil is raw and palpable; you can almost hear her thinking as she balances the "legal" against the "necessary."
The Historical Atmosphere: The author perfectly illustrates the systemic walls women were up against—the fragile male egos, the legal systems designed to crush autonomy, and the weight of "secrecy."
The Bond of Sisterhood: Amidst the danger and the frustration, the kinship Mimi finds with her colleagues and the quiet strength of the patients is the true heart of the story.
Final Thoughts
This is more than just a historical novel; it’s a timely reminder of how hard-won our rights are and how easily they can be threatened. It is poignant, insightful, and deeply human. Mimi’s journey from "staying small" to embracing her own moral compass stayed with me long after I turned the final page.
Absolutely worth the read. Thank you Netgalley!!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Have you ever started something only because you had to, only to realize you had built it up into something very different in your mind?
Mimi is a housewife and trained nurse, married to Stan, a baseball player in the 1930s. When Stan breaks his leg, their comfortable life quickly shifts, and Mimi has to return to work. After being out of the field for so long, she struggles to find a job, and when she finally does, she feels out of practice and unsure of her skills.
She ends up being referred to an abortion clinic, something she strongly questions. It is illegal and goes against what she believes. But the need to support her family ultimately outweighs her hesitation.
As Mimi settles into the job, she begins to better understand the women who come through the clinic. What once felt completely outside of her comfort zone becomes more complex. She forms connections, makes friends, gains perspective, and starts to see the reality behind the choices these women are making.
As time goes on, the work becomes more dangerous, and Mimi is faced with difficult decisions that could carry real consequences.
Mimi is a layered character, and her story really highlights what it meant to be a woman in the 1930s and early 1940s. There is the expectation to be a devoted wife and mother, but also the lean towards independence and the satisfaction of being able to provide.
Overall, this was a beautifully done story. It takes on a controversial topic and approaches it in a way that feels honest and filled with emotion. If you enjoy historical fiction that focuses on lesser told stories based on real life struggles, this is one worth picking up.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for the ability to read and review When No One Else Will as an ARC ebook.
Mimi is a housewife and trained nurse, married to Stan, a baseball player in the 1930s. When Stan breaks his leg, their comfortable life quickly shifts, and Mimi has to return to work. After being out of the field for so long, she struggles to find a job, and when she finally does, she feels out of practice and unsure of her skills.
She ends up being referred to an abortion clinic, something she strongly questions. It is illegal and goes against what she believes. But the need to support her family ultimately outweighs her hesitation.
As Mimi settles into the job, she begins to better understand the women who come through the clinic. What once felt completely outside of her comfort zone becomes more complex. She forms connections, makes friends, gains perspective, and starts to see the reality behind the choices these women are making.
As time goes on, the work becomes more dangerous, and Mimi is faced with difficult decisions that could carry real consequences.
Mimi is a layered character, and her story really highlights what it meant to be a woman in the 1930s and early 1940s. There is the expectation to be a devoted wife and mother, but also the lean towards independence and the satisfaction of being able to provide.
Overall, this was a beautifully done story. It takes on a controversial topic and approaches it in a way that feels honest and filled with emotion. If you enjoy historical fiction that focuses on lesser told stories based on real life struggles, this is one worth picking up.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for the ability to read and review When No One Else Will as an ARC ebook.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5⭐️
𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙉𝙤 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙀𝙡𝙨𝙚 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙡 is a historical fiction book with masterful storytelling. It takes us into the life of Mimi, a mother in Chicago in 1939. Her husband, Stan, once a promising White Sox player, has been sidelined by a broken leg and is languishing in depression. Their savings have dwindled and Mimi feels as though she has no other option but to take matters into her own hands and go back to nursing, despite her husband's protests.
After being unemployed for many years, her options are limited, but, after a few fits and starts, she finds herself faced with an opportunity to work at a clinic that provides illegal abortions. Without any other options to turn to, she accepts the position. But rather than a dingy establishment she envisioned for such a place, the space is clean, bright, and welcoming, and their patients cross every path of life and are lacking in other options. As she spends more time understanding her patients' plights, her feelings start to evolve and she comes to believe deeply in the work they are doing, despite the personal dangers to herself for being involved.
Skenadore really takes the reader on a journey, where I could feel the emotion, the indecision, the impossible choices, all the strength necessary, and the frustration at a broken and unfair system. She really does an amazing job capturing this place and time, where a women's rights were so limited and their choices were so difficult. Mimi's husband refuses to find work, doesn't approve of his wife working, but still expects food on the table- it's so maddening!
Mimi is such a compelling character, and this entire book is as fascinating as it is important. Highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for access to this eARC.
𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙉𝙤 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙀𝙡𝙨𝙚 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙡 is a historical fiction book with masterful storytelling. It takes us into the life of Mimi, a mother in Chicago in 1939. Her husband, Stan, once a promising White Sox player, has been sidelined by a broken leg and is languishing in depression. Their savings have dwindled and Mimi feels as though she has no other option but to take matters into her own hands and go back to nursing, despite her husband's protests.
After being unemployed for many years, her options are limited, but, after a few fits and starts, she finds herself faced with an opportunity to work at a clinic that provides illegal abortions. Without any other options to turn to, she accepts the position. But rather than a dingy establishment she envisioned for such a place, the space is clean, bright, and welcoming, and their patients cross every path of life and are lacking in other options. As she spends more time understanding her patients' plights, her feelings start to evolve and she comes to believe deeply in the work they are doing, despite the personal dangers to herself for being involved.
Skenadore really takes the reader on a journey, where I could feel the emotion, the indecision, the impossible choices, all the strength necessary, and the frustration at a broken and unfair system. She really does an amazing job capturing this place and time, where a women's rights were so limited and their choices were so difficult. Mimi's husband refuses to find work, doesn't approve of his wife working, but still expects food on the table- it's so maddening!
Mimi is such a compelling character, and this entire book is as fascinating as it is important. Highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for access to this eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Heartbreaking novel
This book was amazing. Set in the late 1930's-early 1940's, it was a time when women had no voice of their own beyond what their husbands or fathers decreed. No choices, no money of their own, merely possessions of men. Often those men were abusive or unloving, and women had no way to deal with them.
Of course this was long before abortion was legal. Women who either couldn't afford a child or for other reasons simply couldn't bear the responsibility were forced to find places for abortion. These places were frequently dirty and dangerous, staffed by quacks trying to make a quick buck at the expense of the woman.
When Mimi's husband Stan is out of his life's work as a professional baseball player, the family has run out of financial options. Mimi is a trained nurse, so she returns to working nights in a hospital to help ends meet. However, despite her husband being home all day and his mother living with them, Mimi still has to shoulder all the household responsibilities as well as working nights. This leads to a mistake that costs her the job, and she is desparate.
When a friend suggests that a clinic needs nurses, Mimi visits for an interview. Once she discovers what the clinic does, she has reservations but agrees to work there. This is the first decision leading to many others that eventually end in a historic trial involving Mimi and her co-workers at the clinic.
This book was an excellent portrayal of the morals of the time and what women experienced daily. I read the entire book in less than a day, kept reading to find out what happened. Highly recommend.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.
This book was amazing. Set in the late 1930's-early 1940's, it was a time when women had no voice of their own beyond what their husbands or fathers decreed. No choices, no money of their own, merely possessions of men. Often those men were abusive or unloving, and women had no way to deal with them.
Of course this was long before abortion was legal. Women who either couldn't afford a child or for other reasons simply couldn't bear the responsibility were forced to find places for abortion. These places were frequently dirty and dangerous, staffed by quacks trying to make a quick buck at the expense of the woman.
When Mimi's husband Stan is out of his life's work as a professional baseball player, the family has run out of financial options. Mimi is a trained nurse, so she returns to working nights in a hospital to help ends meet. However, despite her husband being home all day and his mother living with them, Mimi still has to shoulder all the household responsibilities as well as working nights. This leads to a mistake that costs her the job, and she is desparate.
When a friend suggests that a clinic needs nurses, Mimi visits for an interview. Once she discovers what the clinic does, she has reservations but agrees to work there. This is the first decision leading to many others that eventually end in a historic trial involving Mimi and her co-workers at the clinic.
This book was an excellent portrayal of the morals of the time and what women experienced daily. I read the entire book in less than a day, kept reading to find out what happened. Highly recommend.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars. As Amanda Skenandore says in her author’s note, “…we must know our past to fully understand our present, navigate what lies ahead, and build a better future.” I wholeheartedly agree. I feel this as I finish many historical fiction novels, including this one.
Taking place in Chicago in the 1940’s, Mimi is at a crossroads in her life as her once baseball star husband is seriously injured, ending his illustrious career. As he enters into a deep depression, Mimi realizes she must return to work as a nurse, a job she hasn’t held in a decade, to become the family breadwinner and help save them from financial ruin.
After struggling to find work, she discovers a nursing job in an illegal abortion clinic. While she struggles internally with her decision to take the job, she realizes she has little choice.
There she finds friendship and camaraderie but also problems as governing forces are determined to put an end to their illegal activities. Mimi has many choices to make throughout the book and I found myself wondering what I would have done in her situation as she made her decisions.
There is so much to this story. It is full of emotions and gives readers a better picture of what actually happened in history. So often we think of back alley hacks when it came to giving women an alternative to having a baby. While that, unfortunately, was a reality, there were real doctors and nurses in actual, sterilized clinics, also working with women in different circumstances to help them.
Amanda Skenandore is a new to me author and I will definitely keep an eye out for future books of hers. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
Taking place in Chicago in the 1940’s, Mimi is at a crossroads in her life as her once baseball star husband is seriously injured, ending his illustrious career. As he enters into a deep depression, Mimi realizes she must return to work as a nurse, a job she hasn’t held in a decade, to become the family breadwinner and help save them from financial ruin.
After struggling to find work, she discovers a nursing job in an illegal abortion clinic. While she struggles internally with her decision to take the job, she realizes she has little choice.
There she finds friendship and camaraderie but also problems as governing forces are determined to put an end to their illegal activities. Mimi has many choices to make throughout the book and I found myself wondering what I would have done in her situation as she made her decisions.
There is so much to this story. It is full of emotions and gives readers a better picture of what actually happened in history. So often we think of back alley hacks when it came to giving women an alternative to having a baby. While that, unfortunately, was a reality, there were real doctors and nurses in actual, sterilized clinics, also working with women in different circumstances to help them.
Amanda Skenandore is a new to me author and I will definitely keep an eye out for future books of hers. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
May 28, 2026
Devour this true story of nurses and an illegal women’s clinic at the center of a landmark trial in 1940s Chicago. This is a timely novel as this topic is even more important in the current times as there are states and areas that are once again placing women's healthcare under fire. Readers will be forced to see the humanity in such difficult topics with morality underpinning society's standards. Families, schools, churches, and the collective whole will push back at their clinic, which makes their efforts seem even more worthwhile as it helps reframe the narrative on the patient. As a reader who looks for women focused stories, this one also reminds us that not every family fit the "norm" during these times, from women working, to men being unemployable, and families who can't afford to feed another mouth. As Mimi, our main character, learns more about the clinic, she grows and changes realizing that her ideals were the collective and not from first-hand knowledge that will push her to question her convictions. While Mimi is a character, the setting and other facts are based on the trial.
For readers who enjoyed Looking For Jane by Marshall. Skenandore is a wonderful writer who helps reflect on women's stories that have not being the focus of other authors, reminding us that there are still stories to be shared for the collective readership to learn more about periods of time not taught in school or university.
Nicole Poole’s narration was the perfect tone for the time period. She kept me engaged and curious about the outcome of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Highbridge Audio | RB Media for the ALC. While my library does not have the audiobook, they do stock the printed editions and I will be sharing with my customers!
For readers who enjoyed Looking For Jane by Marshall. Skenandore is a wonderful writer who helps reflect on women's stories that have not being the focus of other authors, reminding us that there are still stories to be shared for the collective readership to learn more about periods of time not taught in school or university.
Nicole Poole’s narration was the perfect tone for the time period. She kept me engaged and curious about the outcome of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Highbridge Audio | RB Media for the ALC. While my library does not have the audiobook, they do stock the printed editions and I will be sharing with my customers!
May 31, 2026
Throughout modern history women have always had to juggle multiple, often conflicting directives at the same time: do what is right, do what is best for your children, do what your husband tells you to, do what God wants you to, do what the law requires, do what you need to survive, do what you need to thrive.
In When No One Else Will Mimi does what she must to keep her family fed and stable by taking a job at an illegal women’s clinic. Mimi struggles to shoulder the demands of a wife, a mother, and an upright citizen against her new work at the clinic only to eventually realize that she enjoys the independence paid work gives her, she cherishes the friendships made with her coworkers, and to her surprise sympathises deeply with the plights of her patients. Loosely based on a true story of a depression-era abortion clinic in Chicago this book expertly navigates the discussion of women’s reproductive autonomy while pulling you into a captivating story that had me turning pages late into the night.
I loved the side-themes of a struggling marriage and of the bonds of sisterhood, both of which touched my heart, though I will say I never fully warmed up to Mimi’s husband or mother-in-law. Late-depression Chicago vividly comes to life to the point where I could almost hear the crinkle of the radio and feel the sway of the L train.
This book actually reminds me a lot of the movie Barbie. Whether you hate Barbie or you love her, the movie was great. In this case, whether you’re pro-choice or pro-life, so long as you’re a historical fiction lover this book is for you.
In When No One Else Will Mimi does what she must to keep her family fed and stable by taking a job at an illegal women’s clinic. Mimi struggles to shoulder the demands of a wife, a mother, and an upright citizen against her new work at the clinic only to eventually realize that she enjoys the independence paid work gives her, she cherishes the friendships made with her coworkers, and to her surprise sympathises deeply with the plights of her patients. Loosely based on a true story of a depression-era abortion clinic in Chicago this book expertly navigates the discussion of women’s reproductive autonomy while pulling you into a captivating story that had me turning pages late into the night.
I loved the side-themes of a struggling marriage and of the bonds of sisterhood, both of which touched my heart, though I will say I never fully warmed up to Mimi’s husband or mother-in-law. Late-depression Chicago vividly comes to life to the point where I could almost hear the crinkle of the radio and feel the sway of the L train.
This book actually reminds me a lot of the movie Barbie. Whether you hate Barbie or you love her, the movie was great. In this case, whether you’re pro-choice or pro-life, so long as you’re a historical fiction lover this book is for you.
June 5, 2026
When No One Else Will is a powerful, emotional, and incredibly timely historical novel that stayed with me long after I finished reading.
Inspired by the true story of an illegal women's clinic in Chicago during the late 1930s, Amanda Skenandore crafts a story that is both historically rich and deeply human. Through the eyes of nurse Mimi Lukas, readers are given a compassionate and nuanced look at the difficult realities many women faced when seeking healthcare and support during a time when options were limited and often dangerous.
What struck me most was how relevant the story feels today. Despite being set nearly a century ago, many of the issues explored throughout the novel remain part of current conversations. There were several moments where I found myself with tears in my eyes because the story resonated so heavily. Skenandore does an exceptional job of focusing on the people behind the headlines, allowing readers to connect with the women, their circumstances, and the impossible decisions they faced.
The historical detail is well researched without ever feeling overwhelming, and the emotional depth of the characters keeps the pages turning. Mimi's personal journey is compelling, thoughtful, and filled with moral complexity, making her a protagonist I genuinely cared about from beginning to end.
This is a beautifully written novel about courage, compassion, empathy, and standing up for others when it matters most. Readers who enjoy historical fiction inspired by true events, strong female characters, and stories that spark meaningful reflection will find much to appreciate here.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Amanda Skenandore for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Inspired by the true story of an illegal women's clinic in Chicago during the late 1930s, Amanda Skenandore crafts a story that is both historically rich and deeply human. Through the eyes of nurse Mimi Lukas, readers are given a compassionate and nuanced look at the difficult realities many women faced when seeking healthcare and support during a time when options were limited and often dangerous.
What struck me most was how relevant the story feels today. Despite being set nearly a century ago, many of the issues explored throughout the novel remain part of current conversations. There were several moments where I found myself with tears in my eyes because the story resonated so heavily. Skenandore does an exceptional job of focusing on the people behind the headlines, allowing readers to connect with the women, their circumstances, and the impossible decisions they faced.
The historical detail is well researched without ever feeling overwhelming, and the emotional depth of the characters keeps the pages turning. Mimi's personal journey is compelling, thoughtful, and filled with moral complexity, making her a protagonist I genuinely cared about from beginning to end.
This is a beautifully written novel about courage, compassion, empathy, and standing up for others when it matters most. Readers who enjoy historical fiction inspired by true events, strong female characters, and stories that spark meaningful reflection will find much to appreciate here.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Amanda Skenandore for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
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