Peek into an aged journal that links the adventurous lives of four courageous midwives. Wisconsin farmer, widow, mother, and midwife Adele Marley is too busy for a smitten, unwavering banker. To survive in love and life, Polly Schultz must rise above her fears on the Oregon Trail. Christiana is in a battle to prove to one man that she can be both a wife and a midwife. Her confidence shaken, Kendra Silverstone needs confirmation of God’s hand in her life and love. How will God work to give these women the direction they need?
Reviewer: Fashionta
One family, one book, one profession and four women. This collection of four stories follows these women as they find love in the midst of their troubles and heartaches.
A Mother’s Cry
Adele is content in life until the local banker Jeremy decides to interfere in her life and the results are explosive as two adults who are set in the ways fall in love. The first book sets the background and the journal, which was created by her mother and gives advice about midwifery. I like the concept that was introduced and becomes a common thread. This topic seems to be taboo among Christian books and I can’t remember, in all my years of reading, books that heavily mention midwifery.
The Midwife’s Apprentice
Set in pioneering times, this story follows from the previous one with Polly, an adopted child of the heroine from the previous story. I thought we would of seen the end to her journey as this takes place a few months after the previous one. Instead, we get another interesting story as the author uses historical events to bring the story to life. But once again the common thread is troubles surrounding the heroine placing her in much the same situation and coping with new ones because of the author’s use of these historical events. I like the tie-in with the important historical events as the pioneer era was an important part of American history.
Birth of a Dream
Taking place during the Exposition in Oregon, this places the story timeline sometime in 1905. While not officially considered a World’s Fair, this event marking the 100 year anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition touted new inventions and technology to nearly 1.6 million visitors. In this story, we get more of a male perspective on midwifery as the heroine’s father is involved in putting together the grand exhibition.
Labor of Love
I see this book as a climax of the journeys featured in this collection of stories. It's set in present time but it is hard not to draw comparisons and see how things are not that different for midwives of today. One again, like the previous story, we see male opinion but this time in the form of fellow medical professionals. This story highlights the modern troubles that haven’t changed for midwives. Heartbreak has featured in each of these stories (except the third which has a slightly different focus) but this story is the strongest and the one most people will be able to empathize with.
I have to give this collection four stars. These are stories for adults. Teenaged girls won’t be interested in the theme of midwifery in general. But it great to see a collection that works together well because the family tree has been worked out.
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Review Courtesy Of: Net Galley
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