The Stolen Marriage

It is 1944. Pregnant, alone, and riddled with guilt, twenty-three-year-old Tess DeMello abruptly gives up her budding career as a nurse and ends her engagement to the love of her life, unable to live a lie. Instead, she turns to the baby’s father for help and agrees to marry him, moving to the small, rural town of Hickory, North Carolina. Tess’s new husband, Henry Kraft, is a secretive man who often stays out all night, hides money from his new wife, and shows her no affection. Tess quickly realizes she’s trapped in a strange and loveless marriage with no way out.

The people of Hickory love and respect Henry but see Tess as an outsider, treating her with suspicion and disdain. When one of the town’s golden girls dies in a terrible accident, everyone holds Tess responsible. But Henry keeps his secrets even closer now, though it seems that everyone knows something about him that Tess does not.

When a sudden polio epidemic strikes Hickory, the townspeople band together to build a polio hospital. Tess knows she is needed and defies Henry’s wishes to begin working at there. Through this work, she begins to find purpose and meaning. Yet at home, Henry’s actions grow more alarming by the day. As Tess works to save the lives of her patients, can she untangle the truth behind her husband’s mysterious behavior and find the love—and the life—she was meant to have?

Diane Chamberlain is one of the best in my opinion!  This is the 8th book by her that I have read and it may very well be my favorite.  The story is so well crafted and paced so perfectly.  It was one of those books that I couldn't wait to finish, but at the same time did not want it to be over.  The choice that Tess had to make was heartbreaking and I felt so connected to her throughout the whole novel.  I enjoyed reading about the polio clinic and was so saddened that this took so many lives.  I don't want to say much more, other than pick up this book, you won't be sorry.  I have already recommended it to several friends and they are loved it just as much as I did!  

  

* I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *