A Winning Combination of Small-Town History and Sweet Romance
Martha Cade is a midwife in the town of Trinity in 1830s Pennsylvania. In a time when the traditional ways of medicine are constantly being questioned by new doctors fresh from medical school, Martha tries to balance her life's calling with the demands of her family. Recently reunited with her estranged seventeen-year-old daughter, Martha finds herself torn between guiding her child and allowing her to be an adult. And the town of Trinity itself is fraught with secrets: as a midwife, Martha knows which families are troubled, which wives are unhappy, and which husbands have crossed the line from discipline to abuse...
As Martha struggles with the conflicts of being a mother, a midwife, and a woman, she learns the greatest lessons of all--that hope can shine even in the darkest hours, and that faith has a way of making the impossible possible.
Delia is the author of fifteen historical novels who now devotes herself to writing inspirational historical romance. The mother of three grown children, she is a full-time high school teacher in southern New Jersey who spends her summers writing on Anna Maria Island in Florida.
4.5 stars This one was a little heavier fare than the first book, with the themes of family abuse, etc, etc. It is still excellently written and low on the romance factor, and Martha is such a dear character. This builds well on the events of book one; don't try to read them out of order.
I wish more books had this sort of depth of character and strong faith portrayed. Definitely recommended.
I won this book through Goodreads giveaways and was not required to leave a review.
Another enjoyable read from Delia Parr. A winter feel warms this book and makes it perfect for this time of year. Parr has a nice and easy flow to her writing style along with elegant descriptions not over-done. Trinity gives you that perfect small town feel where every-one knows every-one. She easily created a scene that I could envision Grace carrying Martha around through the streets. My only negative critique with this particular story were the heavy storylines that made up the pages. I was looking for a respite from some of the weight of the issues. It is a wonderful read though; and if you enjoy historical where romance is not the driving force of the story as much as I do; then I would certainly recommend this one. I will be revisiting Trinity again in the 3rd installment of Martha Cade's life!!
The Midwife's Choice is the second book in the A Home in Trinity series. I didn't read the first book and will admit to feeling like I missed out on some things when I started reading this one. Not enough to get me lost or confused, the author does a great job of summarizing when needed. But she has whet my appetite so I'll definitely be backtracking and reading The Midwife's Tale soon.
At the age of forty-two, Martha is not a typical heroine. She's hard-headed, opinionated and just a tad controlling. You might even say, set in her ways. But that's par for the course since she holds a unique position in the community. A midwife wields more power than any other woman and has even earned the respect of the menfolk. Her take-charge attitude is necessary in the birthing room but carries over into her personal life with varying degrees of success.
Like with the man who has been gently wooing her -- a childhood sweetheart, now widowed himself. The groundwork for that romance was laid out in The Midwife's Tale, and while there are some sweetly tender moments between Thomas and Martha in The Midwife's Choice, I wouldn't label it historical romance. There is hope by the last page, but a true happily ever after seems destined for book three.
Told strictly from Martha's point of view, this story deals with the changes in her world and the inevitable choices she must make as a result. Riveting stuff. From her struggles to recognize her daughter as a woman to her desire to fix things for friends and patients in need. Her heart is in the right place, but sometimes she is blinded by her own opinion.
Loved the bevy of memorable female secondary characters. A true sisterhood in the midst of a sobering subplot about wife abuse. Parr has done an exceptional job of staying true to the time period (which is infuriating at times) but brings around a satisfying resolution in the end that left me both exhilarated and giddy. Clever, clever women.
A rich, fascinating glimpse into the life of a 19th century midwife.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. in exchange for my honest review.
This sequel was every bit as lovely and thought provoking as the first book.
Martha has learned some hard lessons but when the time finally comes to put them to practice, it is very easy to slip into old habits and beliefs.
I loved that the lessons Martha learns in this book- humility, faith, judgment of character, trust in God's plans and provision, letting go, and embracing change, just to name a few- came about naturally, some in a rush and some over time. I particularly loved the way she realized that some of her burden hadn't been necessary and that she should have opened up to others, sharing her load with them; that her pride and independece wasn't worth the people and relationships she'd had to sacrifice, like with her children and love.
I was just as invested in each of the side stories and loved the clever resolutions at the end.
I have no complaints with the story; I gave it a 9 out of my personal taste. I would recommend it to fans of Lawana Blackwell's Gresham chronicles. It's not to the same tone or style, but I did notice a similar flavor.
What a wonderful story! I fell in love with Martha and the residents of Trinity in Delia Parr's first midwife book (The Midwife's Tale) and hated leaving Trinity when the story ended. It was, therefore, a delight to discover that The Midwife's Choice continues the story. Reading it was like coming home again, finding myself immersed in the lives of Martha and the others who make Trinity their home. If anything, this story was even more heartwarming than the previous one. I can hardly wait for the next book.
And for those of you Parr fans who've noticed that she includes a 'critter' in each of her story, not only do we get to see Bird again, but there's a new animal to love. I won't spoil the suspense by telling you any more.
In this book Martha, the district's midwife, is reunited with her daughter who had run away in the first book. But this came with a surprise guest who Victoria had been staying with in New York City. Victoria wants to go back with her to assist with their family's magazine business. It's not until the end of the book that we find out how that all worked out.
Also, in the first book, because Martha is a widow, and Thomas (the mayor and beau she broke up with about 25 years before) had expressed interest in courting and marrying her. We don't find out until the end of this book what her decision is. She's independent and wants to continue her midwife career, which is what broke them up so many years ago when he wasn't supportive.
Samuel (an old codger/ex-sailor) was losing his sight in the first book, and had taken in an orphan. In this book, he's lost his sight, so Martha tried to find a place or position for Samuel and a different family to adopt Will. We don't find out until the end what would come of that because they disappear when she "interferes".
This author is gifted in making you want to read "what happens next". Seems like every chapter has a scene with Martha opening a door or entering a house and there's either a surprise, shock or disaster as she enters. It was actually funny because it happened so often.
The theme of spousal abuse in the book was done fairly well. There were no explanations as the abuse was taking place, only the sight of the woman afterward. How so many rallied around her and the support she received immediately was impressive. Her decision to go back to him or leave him for fear of being killed was well done. He was a repentant bad guy who had the support of the reverend, and Martha felt the need to encourage the victim in what the scripture says about marriage, but had the good sense to watch him for sincerity.
I am so conflicted with this book. Part of me really liked the story, part of me was bothered by a few things portrayed oddly…
When they met on Sunday it was always called meeting, not church or church service. The church building was called meetinghouse. Completely different words were used for pregnancy, early labor and hard labor. I'd never heard of teeming, or forcing pain and grinding pain, or a groaning meal.
Martha's practice after a birth (or still birth) was to pray with the parents. After the still birth at the beginning of the book, she gathered with the parents, but the first paragraph in the "prayer" was talking to the dead baby. "Sweet angel boy, as you look down on us from above, you can see that you were much loved…etc". I've never known a person of faith to talk to a still born baby in a prayer.
The book never mentioned what kind of church it was, but there seemed to be only one in the town. If it was Quaker or Puritan, it wasn't mentioned, but it could account for the different wording
At one point Martha was actually described as a mediator between God and man. Yikes! I Timothy 2:5 would differ!
I thought the first book The Midwife's Tale was good, but also had some oddities. Those were a tad more glaring to me in this second book, probably because I was already aware of them.
I want to start off by saying that I really enjoyed this book. The storyline was great.
I have been trying since I began reading this series to determine the time era it is set in. I finally got some clues in this book but they left me more confused. These clues did not coincide with each other but are over 80 years apart. When I read a historical fiction book and I seen an historical inaccuracy, it bothers me a little.
I enjoyed this large print book, for that reason and because it educated me in the customs of the mid 1800’s regarding wife abuse. I loved the spiritual side of mid-wife Martha as she prayed over most everything and really cared for everyone in addition to their physical needs. I definitely want to read more books by this author. She is a very good writer.
I was so excited to get my hands on this sequel (and even more excited to hear from Bethany House that they are updating this book, to be re-released this winter, and there's even going to be a third!)!
It was every bit as lovely and thought provoking as the first book.
Martha has learned some hard lessons but when the time finally comes to put them to practice, it is very easy to slip into old habits and beliefs.
I loved that the lessons Martha learns in this book- humility, faith, judgment of character, trust in God's plans and provision, letting go, and embracing change, just to name a few- came about naturally, some in a rush and some over time. I particularly loved the way she realized that some of her burden hadn't been necessary and that she should have opened up to others, sharing her load with them; that her pride and independece wasn't worth the people and relationships she'd had to sacrifice, like with her children and love.
I was just as invested in each of the side stories and loved the clever resolutions at the end.
This second trip to the town of Trinity was filled with excitement, danger, and revelations. Moving ahead to January, 1831, Martha Cade is expecting her daughter to return home after a long absence, when she is called out to help an expectant mother she had never met before. When she arrives, this midwife quickly sees that all is not as it should be. Martha must make decisions that will affect the rest of the story and influence other lives as well.
The arrival of Martha's daughter Victoria and two other new characters add to the story of life in this small Pennsylvania town. We learn new facts about returning characters that surprise and add to the story. As in the previous book, Martha's profession as a midwife is explored further as more members of this community call on her help. This novel emphasizes what little power women had in making decisions and controlling their lives.
I can't believe I waited this long to return to Trinity, but this book had such an impact on me that I am heading straight to the final book in this trilogy.
I was very excited to read this book because it’s summary promised it was about the life of a midwife in the early 1800s. Having had 3 children myself with all the blessings of modern medicine I wanted to immerse myself in the trials of birthing of the past. So I was disappointed that the many plots presented in this book focused on nothing to do with pregnancy and midwifery at all. I also found where the author decided to part her chapters a little odd. I enjoyed it enough to stick it out through the end though.
I enjoyed the series. I really like how she develops some of the animals in her books. In some ways I like this book better than the first because of some new characters and development of some former characters. In other ways, not as much, the struggle with her daughter gets old. She's very controlling.
I really loved this book and hated to see it come to an end. This is book 2 in the At home at Trinity series. (Read in order ). This author truly touched me with her writing. I laughed, cried and cheered along with the characters!! You won’t be disappointed if you check this one out!!
Wonderful read I love the way Midwifery, the 19th Century, and a wholesome town (Trinity) is so vividly portrayed in this book. Suspenseful and accurate of the time period. I love the morals portrayed and the fact this is a Christian fiction read.
I enjoyed this one even more than the first. As a voracious reader, I’m not often truly surprised by the plot of books but really enjoyed that I did not predict how things would unfold. Very well written and engaging, with great characters and story!
Fast-paced, hard to put down. The author says "murmured" or "crooned" a little too many times, but other than that, I like her writing. Warning: They talk about battered wives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I thought that this was another great read by this author. I feel like I should re-read the 3rd one in the series that I read last yr around this time to get the full story in mind.
Deel 2 van de Trinity serie heb ik met plezier gelezen. Het verhaal vertelt over een dorpsgemeenschap die voor elkaar klaar staat. Aan het eind vindt er een verrassende wending plaats. Nu deel 3 nog!
There were so many unexpected twists! It’s a good thing I was listening to the audio version so I could keep sneaking in more when I didn’t have time to sit down and read.
A little while ago I was introduced to Delia Parr through book 1 of her "At Home in Trinity" series. When I was offered the chance to read book number 2, I hesitated.
I enjoyed the first of the series on first read but it didn't leave any discernible impact on my memory. I remembered the author and remember my dissatisfaction with the open ended nature of the narrative. I was a little stunned, to be honest, as I usually remember the high points of a book upon reflection and not my mixed reviews.
The pull to see what happened was strong enough that I found myself snuggled down with The Midwife's Choice this past week and what a ride!
Any reservations I had about this series flew out the window with the second installation and I know this is a plot I'll be reflecting on for some time to come.
The Midwife's Choice picks up the story of Widow Cade and the growing town of Trinity. Martha Cade's daughter has returned after an extended absence and Cade is sitting on a precipice as change permeates all layers of her life. With her future profession at risk, her community under change, her home gone and her family facing dispersal, thoughts regarding the future can no longer be pushed aside. Wisdom comes from the strangest places though as wealthy women, beautifully wonderful old sisters, salty sea dogs, orphans, and a mysterious woman all find their stories weaving together into the tapestry that is Trinity.
First off, I loved the characters in book 2. Personal favourites Fern and Ivy were given a far more prominent role to my great delight (these ladies are amazing and just shone in every scene for me). I found their plot dovetailed nicely into new character Nancy's providing multiple angles from which to observe the central issue.
I was also pleased to see further development for the characters of Wil and Samuel. The series strength really lies in the wonderful characters. Even though Widow Cade is the unifying main character giving readers their "inside" eyes into Trinity the depth and breadth of the many characters makes Trinity leap off the pages.
*Spoilers*
I don't usually post spoilers in these reviews as, I feel, they take away from the enjoyment of watching the plot unfold but for this one occasion I am making an exception. Two different storylines within The Midwife's Choice focus on the realities of domestic abuse. Not a topic often willingly included in your typical women's fiction in evangelical circles. That said, I was impressed with the sensitivity that Parr broached the subject and the honesty with which she portrayed it. I cried for the effects on poor Peter, I marvelled at the resources of the sisterhood. I felt Widow Cade's struggle to understand and find the courage to stand up for her patient. I was also impressed at how Parr naturally broached the temptation for weakeness behind false obedience in the church and the struggle of survivors to get away from these dangerous situations. It's books like this that include serious topics that help pave the way to honest and needed conversations.
*End Spoilers*
If you read book 1 and enjoyed it, you need to read book 2! This is a thoughtful, engaging, story that managed to hook me despite my prejudices and negative views going into page 1. Although darker that The Midwife's Tale, The Midwife's Choice balances that with depth, natural character development, and characters who come to life with each page.
5 out of 5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion through Nuts About Books. The opinions expressed are entirely my own
Once you read the first sentence you want to continue reading this book. I can't put these books down! Before I finished book 1, I bought book 2. I had to buy book 3 before I finished book 2! This is an amazing series that doesn't get boring or repetitive!