The Secrets of Midwives

by Sally Hepworth

"With empathy and keen insight, Sally Hepworth delivers a page-turning novel about the complex, lovely, and even heartbreaking relationships between mothers and daughters.-Emily Gifin

Three generations of women
Secrets in the present and from the past
A captivating tale of life, loss, and love...

Neva Bradley, a third-generation midwife, is determined to keep the details surrounding her own pregnancy-including the identity of the baby's father- hidden from her family and co-workers for as long as possible. Her mother, Grace, finds it impossible to let this secret rest. The more Grace prods, the tighter Neva holds to her story, and the more the lifelong differences between private, quiet Neva and open, gregarious Grace strain their relationship. For Floss, Neva's grandmother and a retired midwife, Neva's situation thrusts her back sixty years in time to a secret that eerily mirrors her granddaughter's-one which, if revealed, will have life-changing consequences for them all. As Neva's pregnancy progresses and speculation makes it harder and harder to conceal the truth, Floss wonders if hiding her own truth is ultimately more harmful than telling it. Will these women reveal their secrets and deal with the inevitable consequences? Or are some secrets best kept hidden?

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Chick Lit, Book Club, Contemporary, Adult

336 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2015

About the author

Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, most recently Darling Girls. Sally’s novels have been called “darkly charming” and praised by authors Emily Giffin and Liane Moriarty as “totally absorbing” and “fiction at its finest.”

Sally's novels are available around the globe in English and have been translated into over 30 languages. She has sold over two million books worldwide.

Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia with her family.

Reviews

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secrets of Midwives is the fifth book by Sally Hepworth that I've read. After reading the first one a couple of years ago, I've gone back to catch up on the earlier ones. Although I can see great quality in the improvement of the author's writing, I daresay this might be my favorite one thus far. The story is well crafted and flows strongly. I found myself eagerly turning the pages, and I was quite sad when it ended. So, what's it about, you ask?

Three generations of women who are midwives: Floss, the grandmother. Grace, the mother. Neva, the daughter. Each chapter alternates between the three of them in modern day with a few flashbacks to the past. Floss is strong and independent, likes things the way they used to be, but has an open mind. Grace is a bit of a hippie and does things her own way, often causes discord in the family, and can't stand secrets. Neva is modern in her thoughts, a very respected midwife, and has found herself pregnant. But she won't tell anyone who the father is!

One of the strengths here is the diversity of the relationships between each woman, her husband or partner, her career, and the way in which she works. I admire all three but I believe Neva has her head screwed on properly, for lack of a better phrase. That said, I'm not 100% clear why she can't reveal the father, even when it does come out midway thru... but it is a good story, so I let that go. I also had a little struggle in the beginning for what is both a good and a bad reason. The novel is told in 1st person POV, and after the first chapter focusing on Neva, you hear her voice in your head as you read. When Grace takes over in the second chapter, and it's her voice in 1st person POV, it gets confusing... especially since it's 3 women and the same job. It took 6 chapters before I could let my mind accept the constant changing. Normally I love this approach... but in third person. I also think 1st person was necessary to develop proper intimacy, so it's just a matter of waiting out the time to settle in. Which I did!

To hear the stories of so many births and complications was incredible. I learned a lot too about childbirth, and I found myself squirming a few times. Not because of it being too visceral, but because I found myself thinking about what's actually happening during the process. So not fun! Then again, bodies can expand and contract, so there must be a fine balance there. A good way to build respect for humanity and what a mother goes thru. All the decisions about natural vs. drugs, position of the mother, position of the baby, who touches who first, etc. Wow! So much thought went into the voices and personalities as well as the realistic nature of a midwife's role. Kudos to the author.

After this one, I must now get to the last book (which is an earlier one) so that I am fully caught up on this amazing author's collection by the end of this year... that way I can jump right on when her next one releases in 2021.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCERPT: Patrick's face was pale. He stared at my stomach, and after a silent curse, I followed his stare. My hospital shirt was dry now, but it had become stiff, making my belly look, if anything, larger than it actually was. I assessed my options and found only one. I had to tell him. I was going to tell him sometime and there was no hiding it now. I may as well have screamed, Hello! There's a life growing inside me! Come and take a look!'
'You're pregnant.'
'Yes.'
For once, smooth-talking Patrick couldn't seem to find any words. 'Who's . . . who's the father?'
I sighed. 'This is awkward. I don't know how to say this, but . . . it's yours.'
Apart from his lips, Patrick's face didn't move an inch. 'It's mine?'
'Yes.'
'You're sure?'
'One hundred percent.'
He wandered over to the chair in the corner and sank into it. I watched, unspeaking, as he picked up a matchbook from the table and turned it over between two fingers. 'That's weird. Since we've never had sex.'
'Oh, right!' I forced a laugh. 'So it's not yours. Whew! That must be a relief.'
Patrick didn't laugh. I can't believe you're joking about this. Whose is it, Nev?'
I couldn't believe I was joking either. What was wrong with me? I should just tell him the truth. He wasn't Grace. He wouldn't fire questions at me or demand an answer. And the idea of sharing the burden - well, it was like a hot shower after a brisk swim at the beach. But something held me back. 'It's . . . mine.'
'And who else's?'
'Just mine.'

ABOUT 'THE SECRETS OF MIDWIVES': THE SECRETS OF MIDWIVES tells the story of three generations of women devoted to delivering new life into the world—and the secrets they keep that threaten to change their own lives forever. Neva Bradley, a third-generation midwife, is determined to keep the details surrounding her own pregnancy—including the identity of the baby’s father— hidden from her family and co-workers for as long as possible. Her mother, Grace, finds it impossible to let this secret rest. For Floss, Neva’s grandmother and a retired midwife, Neva’s situation thrusts her back 60 years in time to a secret that eerily mirrors her granddaughter’s—a secret which, if revealed, will have life-changing consequences for them all. Will these women reveal their secrets and deal with the inevitable consequences? Or are some secrets best kept hidden?

MY THOUGHTS: My first 5 star read in 2023! I read this in less than 24 hours. I loved it and couldn't put it down!

The Secrets of Midwives is an emotional read. I loved Floss's character from the outset. I wavered on Grace who, at times, comes across as cold and remote, while at other times she is warm and empathetic. Neva took a bit of understanding. But, despite her predicament, she is a warm, caring and loyal person.

The book is cleverly written, alternating between the perspectives of Floss, Grace and Neva. The midwifery background of the three characters covering many years has obviously been well researched. Although rather graphic in places, it's very realistic and I was fascinated.

The Secrets of Midwives is a book of multigenerational family relationships, of friendship, of secrets and the lies fabricated necessary to keep those secrets, of love and of loss. It is beautifully written.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#TheSecretsofMidwives #WaitomoDistrictLibrary

I: @sallyhepworth @macmillanaustralia

T: @SallyHepworth @MacmillanAus

#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #friendship #historicalfiction #romance #womensfiction

THE AUTHOR: Drawing on the good, the bad and the downright odd of human behaviour, Sally writes incisively about family, relationships and identity. Her domestic thriller novels are laced with quirky humour, sass and a darkly charming tone.

Sally's novels are available worldwide in English and have been translated into 20 languages.​

Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and three children and excels at burning toast.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Waitomo District Library for the copy of The Secrets of Midwives by Sally Hepworth for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
https://www.instagram.com/p/CoOtzvDLf...

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed read for me. While I enjoyed all the stories of childbirth, the women and their situations, I enjoyed some of the characters much less. A multigenerational novel of a family midwives, the story is told in alternate chapters by Flossie, Grace and Neva. Neva, I felt was somewhat easy to follow, her character was a bit thin and predictable, though she does have a secret that is not revealed until the end. Grace, her mother, I found extremely annoying, her character seemed to play much younger than her years. Flossie and her story I found the most interesting and hence she became the character I liked the most. Throw in a birthing center, headed by a much married but lecherous doctor and much of this seemed like an episode of ER.

So read for the birthing stories or the story and character of Flossie, but the story was much lighter than I expected. Good, but needed more depth.

ARC from NetGalley.

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read all of Sally Hepworth's books and if I had to rank them I would probably name this one my second favorite, right behind The Mother-in-Law. The Secrets of Midwiveshad all of the elements that I have enjoyed in her other novels such as characters who might be imperfect but are trying to get thru life the best they can and a plot that is predictable but you still enjoy the journey.

Neva Bradley, a third-generation midwife, is pregnant and determined to keep most of the details of the pregnancy including the baby's father a secret. Her mother, Grace, doesn't agree with Neva's decision to raise the baby on her own. And finally, Floss, mom to Grace, can't help but reflect on her past after learning her granddaughter, Neva, is having a baby. Is keeping a secret okay as long as you are trying to protect someone you love?

What I find really interesting about the author's novels is they normally don't feature any characters that I absolutely adore. With this book, I didn't really care for Neva but yet I still felt invested enough in her storyline. Floss had the most interesting background as she had a mysterious past although you could see fairly early on what direction the author was headed with it. I find the author's books to be really comforting, and this one is no exception. The characters feel familiar and seem like people you might know in real-life even if I wouldn't necessarily want to be friends with them. That might seem like a weird statement but more and more in books I am finding characters that are so over the top and written for shock value that it's hard to find the human aspect in them.

I enjoyed how much detail the author went into with regards to being a midwife. It was interesting and in my opinion I thought it was well-balanced in showing the pros and cons with delivering a baby using a midwife vs. a hospital birth.

Definitely recommend especially if you have enjoyed any of the author's other novels.

[Vivian Diaz · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5 ⭐️ This was veryyy different than what I’m used to from this author and I didn’t like it at all. It’s a women’s fiction about three generations of midwives. I really thought I would love it but the characters were so dull and uninteresting.

I also didn’t like how much focus there was on Patrick and Neva’s developing romance. I honestly didn’t care for it. He was too much of a player and his interest in her didn’t seem genuine to me. And Neva was kind of a pick me 🥴. I didn’t like her at all. She was a bit too judgy of other women she didn’t even know! Her pov irked me so much.

I much prefer this author’s thrillers. This was not it for me.

It’s only getting two stars because the secrets revealed were pretty interesting but other than that, this was so bland and I would not recommend it.

[Rebecca Moore · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eugh. You know when a main character 'hates presents' or 'doesn't like to be the centre of attention' and they wear it like a badge of honor and you just want to kill them for being so awful and dull? But then .... Of course ...They are also beautiful and all the men love them? Let's call it... 'The Bella problem'... Not since the linguistic trauma that was the Twilight saga have I read such a sappy, pathetic pile of shit. I love women. I work in women's health. I think the fact that women bring new humans into the world is incredible and I thought I was going to be reading something awesome and moving. It was THE WORST. It gets one star for the very mild enjoyment I got from Floss' flash back stories. That is all. Good day to you.

[Laura Kay Bolin · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.anovelreview.blogspot.com/...

I loved THE SECRETS OF MIDWIVES! This is a book you'll want to cuddle up on the couch and fall in love with. The novel is told in alternating voices of Neva, Grace and Floss. Each woman struggling to understand the others. I love books with alternating voices I feel it really allows each character to come alive for me and Hepworth did exactly this in her novel. I loved each of these women. Each of these characters have stories you are going to want to see how they come together or come to an end. The novel moves at a very nice pace just getting to know them and has a steady and slow build to the climax of the story--actually I would say there are really two climaxes! Floss has a life long secret and let me just tell you I was stunned! I mean really stunned! I never saw it coming. There was nothing about this book I didn't love. I could hardly put it down. A perfect weekend read!

You are not going to want to pass this novel up! Such a good good book I know you won't want to put this one down. THE SECRETS OF MIDWIVES will surely be one of my favorites this year. I am highly recommending!

[Crystal Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

rather enjoyed this novel about secrets and family, life and babies. I listened to the audio version told by narrator Alison Larkin. She did an excellent job giving each of the three points of view a unique voice. I listened all day as I completed various tasks around the house—I didn't get distracted. I recommend the audio version.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

While slightly Jerry Springer in nature, I did find this book to be an addictive read. I was not a big fan of the main protagonist, but the writing was good enough that that did no deter much of my enjoyment from the story. I thought that the glimpse into the world of midwives was very fascinating and I appreciated the authors attention to detail.

Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict: Buy ( for fans of Call the Midwife), Borrow (for everyone else).

Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Kathryn in FL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Family Secrets lead to misunderstandings and pain...

The publisher's blurb is quite enticing and the story certainly delivered. Ms. Hepworth is a preferred writer for me but this is my least favorite thus far. The story wasn't "bad". It was definitely well written and I liked how she married different components of each woman's insights, three generations of midwifes all experience the world a little differently as they struggle too varying degrees with the world's perceptions of how their profession operates. The stigma's of yesterday have faded but are not completely gone. This is certainly one prominent storyline.

Another story line focuses on yesterday, back when women in the depression knew their place, and it was always secondary. They were almost like children in some respects, to be seen and not heard, the grandmother managed to use this to her advantage.

The youngest, Neva, was the weakest link though she plays a prominent position shining light on the secrets of her mother and grandmother. Her reasons of secrecy just didn't ring true to me. I kept wondering why the father of her child who wasn't in the picture became the story of the century or so it seemed with her family and co-workers. What I found even more unrealistic was that absolutely no one realized she was pregnant until she was six months along.
Seriously? Her mother and grandmother, whom she sees often a couple times a month, are both midwifes and neither notices? Her coworkers at the maternity ward at the hospital are also midwifes and obstetricians and they don't notice until then either? That is simply ridiculous! Once that part was revealed midway through the book, I was exasperated. It really diminished the rest of the story.

At the conclusion, I personally didn't feel there was any obvious overriding moral, other than, 'don't keep secrets'.

I am compelled to add that I wished that I had read the story vs listening to the audio. I had a great deal of difficulty recognizing transitions between the three women because to me, they sounded a tad similar, and each one offered different story pieces that they are sharing from the past and present days. It was up to the reader to listen intently to note the shift in dialogue. Furthermore, on the audio, when the CD ended there was no announcement that that particular disc had ended. So nearly each time, I had started relistening to the CD for at least several minutes before realizing that the disc had completed. When you drive in heavy traffic, you don't always notice something has changed because you are more focused on avoiding getting hit on the most dangerous highway in the country (shout out to all I-4 drivers). So, listen while gardening or some other chore which has no hazards involved to enhance your listening experience!

[Chris St Laurent · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about three midwives a grand mother, mother and daughter. The daughter Neva is pregnant and won’t tell who the father of her baby is, the story kept me in suspense about this mystery until the end. There is drama, secrets, family strife. If you like the series Call the Midwife you’ll enjoy this, it is a bit fluffy but I enjoyed it.

[itsallaboutbooksandmacarons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book so quickly—I couldn't put it down! The writing was incredibly engaging, and the dual timeline structure added such a unique depth to the story. The book follows three generations of midwives, each with their own secrets and challenges, and I loved how the author wove their stories together. It was fascinating to see how each generation dealt with their own struggles while also being connected by the legacy of their work. The best part was how all the mysteries unfolded in the end. Every secret was revealed, every problem was resolved, and it left me with such a satisfying sense of closure. The characters felt so real, and their stories really stuck with me. It’s one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve finished, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good family saga with a bit of mystery and emotional depth.

In the photo, you'll see a Virgin Mimosa, a refreshing non-alcoholic drink made with orange juice and sparkling water. Here’s how it’s made:

1 cup of fresh orange juice
1/2 cup of sparkling water or club soda
Ice (optional)
Orange slices or mint for garnish
Mix the orange juice with the sparkling water, add ice if you’d like, and garnish with a slice of orange. It’s a simple, refreshing drink that’s perfect for enjoying with a great book.

I read this book with a group of friends online, in memory of our dear friend Lily, who passed away in December. I miss her so much. Every week, and many Fridays, Lily would post a book review with her husband, always paired with a cocktail, and we’d join in to share our thoughts. I’m continuing the tradition now, pairing my books with a cocktail just like she did, to honor her and keep that special ritual alive.

[Regina · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Secret of Midwives is a quick, easy read centred around three generations of women who are midwives. Neva, Grace and Floss. The chapters alternate between the three women.

As the title of the novel suggests, there are secrets. However, I figured out the secrets before the halfway mark, therefore tapping my feet impatiently waiting for them to come out.

I found the characters to be shallow, or rather I should say the exploration of the characters and their relationships to be shallow. I also found quite a bit of the novel to be a bit unrealistic in nature.

The Secret of Midwives passed some time for me, at the end of the day though it was a bit too light for my liking.

Oh and I found the cover to be misleading, it conjures an image of Call The Midwife, but it is far from Call The Midwife (the tv series anyway).

Thankyou to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.

[Suz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t love this nearly as much as her others
Full review to come

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars
A family story of three generations of midwives, Floss, her daughter Grace, and her daughter Neva. If you can accept the fact that a woman was able to conceal her pregnancy from everyone she knows, including her mother and grandmother who are also trained midwives, as is Neva, then that is the first hurdle. I found this somewhat unbelievable, when she is working with doctors and other midwives all the time. This is a story of secrets that are gradually revealed throughout the story which is told in alternating chapters from the three women’s points of view.
At least one, maybe more, of the secrets were pretty easy to guess. The emphasis on home births or birthing centres is very strong and doctors almost seemed to be the enemy. I found that made the narrative sound very preachy at times. While they are three strong women, I found I never particularly felt emotionally involved with any of them. For all that, this was a perfectly readable book, though it wasn’t one I would rave about and it never compelled me to keep reading. It was easy to put down, which is why it took me so long to read it. I would still be interested in reading another book by this author.

[Melodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family relationships, no matter how close are filled with potholes. When three generations of women in that family share a profession, the dynamics get even trickier. There have always been midwives. As time has marched on they have become more mainstream with advanced education and regulation, but still frequently get the side eye(largely the physician community).
From WWII to present day, the story follows a family of midwives as they deliver babies,live their lives, and each struggle with a life changing secret. All three women have a voice with alternating chapters, so the reader always has first person perspective.
This was an engaging comfy read, that I finished in a couple days.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 3 out of 5]

A warm hearted story of family, motherhood and midwifery, The Secrets of Midwives by Sally Hepworth features three generations of women - Neva, Grace, and Floss.

"I suppose you could say I was born to be a midwife. Three generations of women in my family had devoted their lies to bringing babies into the world; the work was in my blood. But my path wasn’t so obvious as that. I wasn’t my mother—a basket-wearing hippie who rejoiced in the magic of new, precious life. I wasn’t my grandmother—wise, no nonsense, with a strong belief in the power of natural birth. I didn’t even particularly like babies. No, for me, the decision to become a midwife had nothing to do with babies. And everything to do with mothers."

As the narrative unfolds from the alternating perspectives of each woman, it is revealed that they each hold a secret. Neva has successfully hidden her pregnancy for 30 weeks and now that she no longer can, refuses to divulge the identity of the father, her mother, Grace, is struggling both personally and professionally, and Floss, the family matriarch, is increasingly anxious about the repercussions for both her daughter and granddaughter, of a choice she made years before.

Though the plot is fairly predictable and lacks any real sense of depth, The Secrets of Midwives is an engaging read. The drama generated by the women's secrets is fairly low key, there is never really any doubt that things will work out, and their issues are resolved quite neatly by the end of the book.
I'm a sucker for birth stories so I particularly enjoyed the midwifery angle. I was a little worried that Hepworth may have had a 'natural birth' agenda but she presents a fairly balanced view that favours choice for the mother.

The characters are easy to relate to and generally believable. I thought the dynamics between the three women were well drawn, particularly between Neva and Grace whose relationship is loving but complicated, simply because they are very different people. Grace is probably the most nuanced of the three characters, but it was Floss, and her story, that I found most interesting.

An easy and amiable novel, I found The Secrets of Midwives to be a pleasant and satisfying read.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secrets of Midwives by Sally Hepworth.

I would like to start in thanking St. Martin's Press via Net Galley in allowing me to read and review this lovely, heartwarming, emotional book.

I have a close relationship to Midwives as my great gran was one, back in the day. I never met her. But growing up I was unaware we had anyone in our family who was a midwife, it was something I aimed myself to become.
However, my life went into a different direction, when I voiced my ambition I was told all kinds of stories about my great gran.

So reading this, I was entranced throughout.

I pictured it like Call the Midwives, but it was oh so different than that.

There was a lovely part I read in there where the Midwife said that she loved her job, of course for the babies, but the ending of a beautiful picture where the birth is over, Mum is hugging her baby and Father is asleep exhausted by her side! Typical Male I thought.

We have the uproar of Midwives where they are wanting, needing more recognition from Doctors. Doctors who thought they knew it all.

I do remember when Midwives always had to ask the Doctors about EVERYTHING and didn't seem to have any stretch in their enrollment, thank goodness things have changed.

Floss who was a midwife in the 1950's holds a secret, she's kept this from her daughter and now her granddaughter, its not a small secret either. You have to wait a long time before its revealed.

I kinda got Floss secret but there was more to come from other members in this lovely cast of a story.

It was a believable story except for the part of "who was the Daddy" but then again, I watch Jeremy Kyle!!!!


This is the very first book of Sally Hepworth's I have had the pleasure of reading, so I am going to now look and see what else she has written.

I think you will like this!

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three women, three generations, common interests, but mostly secrets.

Floss, Grace, and Neva are grandmother, mother, and daughter. They all are midwives, and they have secrets that they have held a short time, secrets they have held for their entire lives, and most importantly secrets that they do not want to have to reveal. The secrets are personal secrets and not secrets about midwifery. These secrets bring the characters close together but also far apart.

THE SECRETS OF MIDWIVES is a wonderful book addressing family relationships and how the delivering of babies is something so personal and intimate that a midwife can't help but become involved with her patients.

You will love the wonderful mix of characters. All the characters are loveable and all are characters you will want to get to know better, characters you will admire, and characters you will miss once the book has ended.​

Women's fiction fans won't want to stop reading THE SECRETS OF MIDWIVES for many reasons. The main reason being that you will find yourself bonding with every character and feeling as though you are sharing the pain and joy along with them.

If you are like me, you will have tears throughout the book as you become involved with the characters and enjoy the smooth, enjoyable, delightful writing style of Ms. Hepworth.

Don't miss reading THE SECRETS OF MIDWIVES. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is what I call pure chick lit. An enjoyable story. Predictable characters. Nothing to learn. Comfortable, unchallenging, easy.
Although I enjoyed the story, I have some concerns here, especially when it comes to the ethics of the characters and how that might be used to cast a disparaging view on midwives. Grace snooped in her daughter's medical records (Hello HIPAA violation and blatant disrespect for her daughter's privacy). She was consistently avoiding medical intervention and practiced without a license, which demonstrates a lot of ego and a potential to put her patients in harms way to protect that ego.
Neva's sexual exploits give one pause but then to say that she didn't use birth control because she had poly-cystic ovary disease and wasn't likely to get pregnant? What about STDs? And what about the men involved? She knows how to birth babies but nothing about women's health?
For these reasons I had to downgrade the story because much of it felt incredibly irresponsible.

[La Crosse County Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally published April 2015

The process by which we all come into this world is fascinating, mysterious, and somewhat magical. Giving birth and the occupation of midwifery is as old as time. In the past, there were women serving as midwives in villages and towns throughout the world, but their stories haven’t always been shared.

The Secret of Midwives by Sally Hepworth is a modern tale of midwifery involving three generations of women. Neva, Grace, and Floss share the occupation, but also have secrets that mothers and daughters sometimes hide for years. As the novel develops, the reader will see that being a midwife is more than just the delivery of a newborn baby. The relationship of the parents, their culture, their financial situation, and living conditions all are important in the life of the new family.

The secrets of this story are revealed a bit at a time, with each character speaking in her voice for each chapter. This weaves together the past and the present, developing each woman into a vivid, memorable person. Today, there are birthing centers, separate from hospitals in many cities. Neva works in one, but also has a relationship with the local hospital. She and her mother Grace experience the continuing issue and battle of midwife vs. obstetrician and home birth vs. hospital birth. The medical, ethical, and professional aspects of midwifery are an interesting part of this book too.

This page-turning novel is a story of life, loss, and love. Neva, Grace, and Floss are characters with depth, and the ending is a good one (with some unexpected twists).

See also:

For more stories and history on the practice of midwifery, check out the book Midwives by Chris Bohjalian, or the PBS DVD series Call the Midwife, based on the book by the same name. These titles and more can be found at a La Crosse County Library location in Bangor, Campbell, Holmen, Onalaska, or West Salem.

Find this book and other titles within our catalog.

[Clara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not care for this book. It started out with a few nice descriptions of birth and midwifery, which I liked, but quickly devolved into soap opera drama and unrealistic (to the many midwives that I know) hysterical behavior under pressured situations.

[Patricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you are a reader of literature, please skip this book. Extremely elementary conceptualization and prose. No doubt there is an audience for this book, but if you read Man Booker award authors, this book is a pass.

[HippieWitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tug the strings of your heart book
Highly recommended

[Melinda Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The secrets of midwives follows three generations of midwives as they hide from their secrets, from each other and determine the right time to come clean with their mysteries to one another.

Neva, the youngest of the trio of midwives, is a cold, removed character who is difficult to appreciate. She has a strange relationship with her mother, creating large distances between them and more often than not announcing her disdain at the choices her mother makes.

Grace, Neva’s mother, isn’t all that likeable either. She’s bossy, ignorant and pushy when it comes to her daughter. When Neva’s pregnancy is found out (how exactly two midwives weren’t able to tell that she was 7 months along is a bit of a stretch), Grace refuses to go along with Nevas “no father” idea, plotting and scheming trying to get to the bottom of the mystery, due to her own experiences being fatherless.

Floss is the matriarch of the family, who traveled over from London with infant Grace after her husband died in a farm accident. Now living with a woman, the rest of the family is unsure about the skeletons in Floss’s closet, but Lil, her partner, has had enough and wants Floss to come clean.

The most interesting story told in this book is Floss’s experience as a midwife in post-war London. Seeing her friend leave her studies to marry a charismatic farmer leads us down a dramatic tale of friendship, bravery, and mothers instinct. This is by far the best aspect of the novel, and is narrated well.

The secrets of midwives is passable as a contemporary love story, but there’s something missing from the characters, as it’s difficult to invest in their tales.

[Nat PlainJanetheBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful story *sigh*. And, for once, it had an ending that I adored! I absolutely loved it; felt natural, not rushed, and not cliche'. Bravo Sally, you won me over by the ending and it was only natural to award that final star. Where do I start? Loved each and every character in this story (even Marion :p), I've come to really enjoy separate chapters for characters because it really gives us readers a chance to bond with the characters. Of course this could also be a disaster if it wasn't done properly, say if there was a written vomit of too much backstory or the like about that character. But it was such a pleasure to read each character. Learning their personality traits and thought processes. There were a couple of twists that I didn't see coming, provoking the much desired verbal responses, "Oh wow!", "What the F-", "Get out of town." Those are the best storied, when you're so wrapped up in the characters lives, that you're reacting as if you're living the story with them. I held my breath with Grace's drama, I'm a rule follower, so can't say I felt at all comfortable with her actions, but I really loved being in the moments where all three were delivering babies. The description was excellent. I actually can't even think about anything critical to say about this one. I enjoyed it enough the breeze through it and not want it to end! Bummed I've almost read all of Sally's books now, I'm definitely a fan.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big Sally Hepworth fan--what could be ho-hum in lesser hands she injects with a ton of emotional weight and takes a storyline you might have read before to new heights (and depths). Three generations of midwives (daughter, mother, grandmother) are at the heart of this novel and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the actual midwifery part of the novel. What could've been plain or glossed over was done so well and really added emotional depth to the characters and narrative arc. I was fully into the three women's stories and although some turns are seen well in advance, I loved every minute of it.

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

The synopsis of this book made it sound promising, and I was excited to request it as part of a Goodreads giveaway. While the book was very easy to engage in, and was a very quick read, I was sorely disappointed in where the writer chose to go with this book.

I think ever since I've seen and read of Jennifer Worth's Call The Midwife, I've wanted to delve further into stories about midwives. Their stories, triumphs, tragedies, and their fight to be accepted and given the professionalism they deserve.

While this book did give us a few birthing stories, it was about generational midwives, the love interests in the story, the secrets the women held even from each other and this became more about what the story was about.

At this point, I became disinterested and breezed through the book. It wasn't complex enough, nor compelling. In the end, something I'd consider a "fluff" piece.

[Mimi · Rating 2 out of 5]

From the cover and the description, I was expecting a book about historical midwives. It is actually set in present-day Rhode Island. I also expected a book that was, well, more well written. The writing was not great, the characters unlikable and mostly cardboard reasons to discuss birth viewpionts, and the plot points were predictable. However, there were births and babies, so I finished :)

[Sharon Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book of Sally Hepworth's to read, and I love this author (thanks to Mix & Match Mama, Shay)! I couldn't put it down... read it in two days. That's a record for me. LOVED IT! Beautiful story. Up next: The Things We Keep by Sally Hepworth! I'm a fan!