The Reluctant Midwife audiobook

The Reluctant Midwife is a heartwarming and engaging novel by Patricia Harman, set in the same location and era as her fiction debut, The Midwife of Hope River.Penniless, homeless and the sole carer of her inexplicably catatonic ex-employer, Dr Isaac Blum, nurse Becky Myers is in desperate straits by the time she arrives in Hope River, rural West Virgina. It is the 1930's, times are tough for everyone, and with few options, Becky is forced to figure out a way to support herself and Blum. Harman effortlessly evokes the era in which The Reluctant Midwife is set. The focus is on the challenges of the Great Depression, in rural areas unemployment rose to around 80% leaving hundreds of thousands of people struggling to survive.With a little luck and hard work, Becky finds a way to eke out a living as the Depression ravages the country. Though initially forced to rely on the generosity of friends and neighbours, she delivers groceries, reluctantly assists the local midwife Patience Murphy, and becomes a part time staff nurse at a nearby Civilian Conservation Corps camp. Characterisation is a real strength of Harman's writing. Becky is not a saint, she can be uptight and prideful, she is often frustrated by Blum's non responsiveness and resents having to work as a midwife when the whole notion of childbirth horrifies her, however it is difficult to fault her drive to better her circumstances. I really enjoyed the way her hard edges softened over the course of the novel. Readers familiar with The Midwife of Hope River may remember Dr Blum as an arrogant and cold man. His unexplained catonia was precipitated by the death of his wife, and he is now a pitiful man but his silence also hides a secret.I loved reconnecting with Patience Murphy, Hope River's sole midwife, now married to the 'new' vet, Daniel Hester and the mother of a young son, but even more minor characters, like Nico and Captain Wolfe are well drawn and believable.The Reluctant Midwife is a captivating story of hardship, loss, friendship, and hope. Though its not necessary to have read The Midwife of Hope River to enjoy The Reluctant Midwife, I would recommend it, simply because it too is a wonderful story.

I’m always very, very hesitant when a book’s description boasts that fans of Whatever Book or This Show will love it—kind of like when a book’s description says a mixture of This Popular Book and That Popular Book. What can I say? I’m a skeptic.I’m a huge Call the Midwife fan. (Hint: it’s on Netflix, folks!). So when I read the description for The Reluctant Midwife, I laughed. Just because it says ‘midwife’ in the title doesn’t mean it’s going to satisfy my need while I wait for the next season to show up on Netflix, I thought.Well, kudos to whomever included that in the description, because it definitely hit the spot.Disclaimer: I did not read the first book in the Hope River series. I wanted to see how this particular book fared by itself. I’m pleased to say that if you would rather just read this one, you don’t need to read the first to understand what is going on. That being said, I can definitely see how reading the first one would help the reader understand various characters’ backgrounds. I plan on going back and reading the first.Speaking of characters, I loved them. Betsy is an incredibly real protagonist, who has very real, raw emotions while dealing with Dr. Blum (who, in the wake of his wife’s death, has become catatonic), her new impoverished situation, and figuring out who she wants to be. She experiences plenty of anger, gratitude, happiness, and frustration to make her a very relatable character.Patience, the midwife, is incredibly sweet and loving, and she’s the primary reason I’ll be reading the first book (she’s the star of that one). Her husband is cool, her son is adorable…I loved them. Even minor characters, like the grocer or the woman on the outskirts of town who Becky delivers groceries to, are important and multi-dimensional.I found the labor scenes simultaneously horrifying and page-turning. Whether the baby was blue, the mother was shrieking, or the midwives had to do something to keep mother or baby alive, I was transfixed. Naturally, I picture Becky as Jenny Lee aka Jessica Raine (but with an American accent, of course). The imagery is vivid—you can almost hear the grunts, moans, and pain of the women involved.I did have one gripe: it was very long, with quite a few dull parts in between. Those bits are slow and hard to read. I suppose that’s how life is, though. It’s not always exciting. The book definitely read more like a diary than a novel. Rather than the entries being split up by date, they were broken into small subheads.Overall, I loved this book and would definitely recommend it to those who are interested in historical fiction based in the 20’s and/or midwifery. I rated it a 4/5 on Goodreads. I received this book from TLC Book Tours and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Babies, folks helping each other, and a difficult, but wonderful era.Patience and Becky knew each other from years before and became reacquainted when Becky moved back to town with Dr. Blum who is now disabled.Patience is a midwife, and Becky is a nurse. Both women deliver babies together and share what they have food wise and material wise to make ends meet and to make it through the difficult times of The Depression. You will follow Patience, Becky, Dr. Blum, Patience's husband, and all of the other delightful town folks through their days.​THE RELUCTANT MIDWIFE is one of those books you won't want to put down because the characters are so wholesome and because the story is so homey and heartwarming. Patience and Becky are characters you would want for a friend.ENJOY if you read THE RELUCTANT MIDWIFE....any women's fiction fan will be hooked. You will want to crawl into the pages of the book, to be one of the characters, and to share in their lives. THE MIDWIFE OF HOPE RIVER is recommended before reading THE RELUCTANT MIDWIFE, but I am having no trouble​ with following the storyline even though I didn't read the first in the series. It is a marvelous read. 5/5This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.​

This is a book that once you turn the first page, you will not be able to put down. We are transported the 1930’s in American, and back to West Virginia, the Great Depression. West Virginia is at 80% unemployment, and nurse Becky Meyers finds herself homeless and also the caretaker of her former boss Dr. Isaac Blum. I felt myself walking in Becky’s shoes, looking at the bread lines, and having feelings of doubt as a baby is about to come into the world. I was holding to tooth brush as we brushed Dr. Blum’s teeth. I had a lot of admiration for this woman, and what a hard lot in life she had been given, but she rolled with the punches, and came out a winner.We also walk in Dr. Blum’s shoes, and sometimes, we wish we didn’t, such pain he kept locked up in his silence. What a blessing Hestor is to him, and even if he is stoic he seems to respond silently to help. I feel blessed to have never lived during the Great Depression, but the author has painted a picture of that time that will linger a long time with you. This is a book not to be missed!I received this book through Edelweiss and William Morrow Paperbacks, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Reluctant Midwife picks up about 5-ish years after The Midwife of Hope River, still in Union County, West Virginia. The story focuses on Nurse Becky Myers and her ex-boss, Dr. Isaac Blum. This book reads just fine as a standalone, but in my opinion it is much better if you've read the first book because the main characters from that story play major roles in this one and it is nice to have their backstory. Both Becky and Isaac were secondary characters in the first book. Becky Myers was previously a home health/public health nurse, but she left West Virginia to work with Dr. Isaac Blum when he moved his private practice up north. As The Reluctant Midwife begins, Dr. Blum has suffered a tragic event that has left him disabled; in the absence of anyone else to care for him, Becky has become Isaac's primary caregiver. Without an income from Dr. Blum's medical practice, they have lost everything. So they have moved back to West Virginia in hopes of starting over and finding some type of work or help or...something. Becky is just looking for something. When the story begins, Becky is a little bit frustrated and tired from all of her caregiving responsibilities and from the lack of resources they have. Becky is used to having a paycheck and a place to live, so being essentially homeless and broke is new for her. When she gets back to West Virginia, she has to rely on the goodness of neighbors to help her out, which is tough for her. So I think all of this makes it hard to get close to her in the first part of the book...or at least, she is a little tougher to love than Patience Murphy was (in the first book). Becky is able to find a little bit of work helping Patience out with midwifery duties since Patience is pregnant with lots of responsibilities, but Becky has always been uncomfortable with childbirth. (the "reluctant" midwife - get it?) Patience is a patient (*wink, wink*) teacher, though, and she has Becky doing a great job delivering babies on her own before too long. But this book is less about birthing and midwifery than the first one. Becky actually does all types of nursing duties. In addition to helping Patience out with local midwifery, Becky is actually able to secure a position with the local CCC (Civil Conservation Corps) as their Camp Nurse. While she is sometimes paid for her work delivering babies, she earns a steady income working for the CCC. This is a huge relief for Becky as she is primary breadwinner in the household with Dr. Blum unable to work. Here are some of my favorite things about this book: 1. Dr. Blum, while not my favorite character in the beginning of the book, makes this incredible transformation as a character throughout the story. I'm not only talking about his physical transformation, but I'm talking about his entire character development. By the end of the story, I love him as much as I love Daniel Hester, the vet, from the first book. So, so good. 2. Speaking of Daniel the vet: he and Patience the midwife have an enormous role in this story. This isn't one of those series where the previous main characters just happen to show up in one scene in the following books. Patience and Daniel are HUGE in this story. So if you have read the first book and love them, you'll be OVER THE MOON with the continuation of their story in this installment. If you haven't read the first book, what are you waiting for? They are absolutely delightful. Truly. I adore them both. 3. While I have a special interest in birthing and midwifery, it really does not take up as much of this book as you would think given the title. So I think this book has a much broader appeal to people that aren't as interested in, you know, birthing scenes. There are still some in here, but I think the overall nursing and medical portions of this book are largely situated on taking care of people with limited resources and/or away from a medical facility. Becky is "reluctant" because midwifery isn't her first choice of work in the nursing field. 4. I still love the Depression-era West Virginia setting. Very well done. 5. The journal entries. If you read it, then you know.This story is a great visual on just how difficult a time this particular part of the country had recuperating after the Stork Market crashed, during the height of the Great Depression. During the time that the Dust Bowl was occurring elsewhere. During FDR's New Deal (1933-1936). These characters are wonderful and they are perfect examples of what community looks like when it leans on one another and takes care of one another. I cannot say enough GOOD THINGS about this series. I love love love rereading these books. Total enjoyment. Audiobook Notes: The Reluctant Midwife audiobook had a different narrator than The Midwife of Hope River-I'm assuming they went with someone else because the character's point-of-view switched from one book to the next. Heather Henderson narrated this book and did a nice job as Becky. This is another one that I'm glad that I purchased thru Audible and will listen to again in the future. Title: The Reluctant Midwife by Patricia HarmanSeries: Hope River #2Narrated by: Heather HendersonPublisher: HarperAudioLength: 11 hours, 32 minutes, Unabridged

Becky Myers is used to hard work and a life filled with disappointment. She grew up with privilege as the daughter of a local physician in Vermont. She married a doctor before the Great War and continued to live in New England. Sadly, her husband was never quite the same after his return from the war and committed suicide shortly after his return home. Determined to start over, Becky received additional medical training and eventually settled in West Virginia as a nurse with the public health department. She then left West Virginia and moved to Virginia to become the nurse in the practice of a local physician. When that physician becomes catatonic and she has nowhere else to go, she and Dr. Blum return to Hope River, West Virginia. Becky thought that Virginia had been hit hard by the depression, but West Virginia and its residents are struggling. For the first time in her life, Becky is dependent upon the kindness of strangers to ensure she and Dr. Blum won't starve. The one thing that Hope River needs is another midwife since Becky's friend Patience is unable to meet the demands of the county. Unfortunately, midwifery is the last thing that Becky feels comfortable providing, but she soon realizes that she either provides this service or starves. First, let me say if you haven't read The Midwife of Hope River then you need to read it as soon as possible. Is it possible to understand the action in The Reluctant Midwife without reading The Midwife of Hope River first? Yes, it is, but simply trust me on this one and read The Midwife of Hope River first. Now that I have that out of the way, the second, and by far the most important thing is that I loved both of these books. I don't mean these books are nice, even though they are, or just that they are well written, and again they are . . . I mean that Ms. Harman has the ability to craft stories with characters that are so vivid and colorful that you'll want to know more about them. The action in both books is portrayed realistically and without any sugarcoating. Life in the early 1930s was hard for a large number of people across the United States. Unemployment was high and social services were all but unheard of in many areas. Even with the harsh, hardscrabble life for most of the people portrayed in both books, there is always an underlying sense of tenacity and hope. Becky gets to witness this first hand and quickly comes to realize that even though she and her former boss, Dr. Blum, may be experiencing difficulties, they are also blessed. Ms. Harman reintroduces the reader to many characters from The Midwife of Hope River, namely the midwife Patience, her husband the veterinarian Daniel Hester, their son Danny, the pharmacist and his wife, the grocer and his wife, the colored pastor and his wife, and more. The reader is also introduced to new characters like Captain Wolfe from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp, a few mafia men from Pennsylvania, the young worker-turned-medic from the CCC camp, and more. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt even makes a cameo appearance. There is suffering and death interspersed with joyous tales of survival and life.It was fascinating to read about Becky's transformation from this somewhat formal and privileged woman to one that becomes more relaxed, slightly more informal, and willing to do anything necessary to survive. Becky's change begins when she becomes the caretaker of her former boss, Dr. Blum. Her change continues as she becomes more relaxed and self-assured with her midwifery skills, and is completed when she eventually becomes the nurse and sole medical personnel at the CCC camp. Obviously I can't tell you everything about the book because then you won't need to read it. There are stories within stories in both The Midwife of Hope River and The Reluctant Midwife. Ms. Harman provides the reader with insight into the primary characters, Patience and Becky, by giving glimpses into their pasts as well as their present lives. Did I enjoy reading these books? Yes! I read both cover-to-cover with minimal interruptions or breaks. If you enjoy reading historical fiction, you'll definitely want to read these books. If you think you don't like historical fiction, trust me and read these books. I can only hope that there will be more stories from Hope River in the future.This review originally posted on March 4, 2015, at https://www.thebookdivasreads.com/201.... I received a digital review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review also found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...**I received a copy of this book from the publisher William Morrow via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The book has just been published** This is the second novel in the Hope River series following The Midwife of Hope River and I had not read the first one. I carefully researched before requesting this to ensure that I could read it as a stand alone and I was correct. That being said for those who have read the first story the character of Patience is still a key character in this story so those who want more of her will get it with this book. As is my tendency I am going to try to not discuss the plot but more of my thoughts on how the book made me feel. The highlight for me was the backdrop of when the story took place. Deep in the middle of the great depression I was fascinated with how people were struggling and surviving on little to no resources. The story spoke of the government programs in place to try to help with the unemployment rate and how communities attempted to help their own and how people would do almost anything to be able to put food on their table. This appealed to me even more than Becky's story. I also had a strange fascination with Blum. The question ever lingering as to if he will ever snap out of his inner prison. What were his feelings for Becky? He was probably my favorite character which is kind of funny as he had very few words to say. The dynamic between Blum and Becky was an interesting one. It is almost like in hos wordlessness that he was carefree temperament to Becky's uptight personality. Now this story is title The Reluctant Midwife so you know there will be some birthing scenes. As someone who has only every has fur babies I did find them a little disturbing. I don't know why but everything about child birth has always made me feel a little light headed so I did struggle with the passages that described it. Others may not. Also if I had to add a little critique I would say that a lot of the scenes were descriptively the same. I got a little sick of reading "mmmmmmmmmm" every time a mother had a contraction. There are other words/description to describe the pain. Ultimately this was a very interesting story. As previously mentioned the era in which it took place was what captured my attention the most. I do think I will go back to read the first story as the character of Patience was an interesting one and I can see how her story could be a great read

Lovers of TV’s Call the Midwife will enjoy this tale of a small-town American midwife’s assistant, reluctantly taking on the job when the Depression leaves her hopeless and almost homeless. The lives of people struggling on the edges of poverty are vividly portrayed, and there’s plenty of well-researched history, covering race relations, rejection of outsiders, mistrust of government programs, and the pursuit of medicine. Protagonist Becky is a doctor’s daughter and physician’s assistant. But the doctor she worked with has lost his mind, just as the world lost its financial safety-net. Now Becky cares for her employer as if he were a child, and cares for neighbor’s children and children-to-be. Meanwhile the Civilian Conservation Corps sets up camp, and a handsome stranger threatens to steal Becky’s heart.The story is enhanced by quotes from Nurse Becky's diary, lending a powerful sense of immediacy, soon paired with a touch of mystery. Details are convincing. Characters are pleasingly complex. And the dialog mostly rings true to life (though I have issues with some of the swear words which felt awkwardly modern).A recurring theme is the way we make assumptions – who can be trusted, who can be healed, who is worth caring for – and how easily all those assumptions can be wrong. In a world of poverty, trust is paramount. And in a world of broken trust, mercy might rule. A thin thread of faith reminds the characters that there’s something more to be trusted, beyond themselves, but the story works equally for readers of faith and readers just interested in an honest tale set in the world our grandparents knew.Disclosure: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't realize when I picked up this book that it was part of a series, but not to worry you didn't need to read The Midwife Of Hope River.This story takes place during the Great Depression in a small town in West Virginia. I've read a lot of books that take place during this time period, but West Virginia really was hit hard by the depression. As you see how hard the people worked and struggled to get by.It really is hard to imagine how they lived on so very little, and my heart ached for so many of them.Nurse Becky isn't quite the woman I expected her to be. She's a compassionate nurse, caring for her former boss because no one else will, including his family. She is a registered nurse, but she doesn't like delivering babies. That kind of struck me as odd, but it definitely allows her to fit the title of the book.I loved her relationship with Dr. Blum, which is really just odd, The story is told through snippets of patients or events, but not quite like a diary, except when Becky starts midwife duties, and then she sums up the deliveries. More important than those entries are the ones that Dr. Blum makes as he begins his recovery.These books have recommended to people that like the Call The Midwife series, and I definitely can say that is a good rec. It also lets you see how midwifes worked in the US.Most of all, this is a book that will really get your emotions in a twist. You will laugh and cry many times over while reading this book. This was a really well written novel that I read in one day.

This book is a good account of how people had to live during the Great Depression in West Virginia. I also enjoyed reading about the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) which I knew nothing about. An informative historical fiction.

I was captivated by The Reluctant Midwife: A Hope River Novel, which is set in rural West Virginia in the 1930's. I was immediately drawn to the mystery of why surgeon Dr. Blum suddenly became mute and remained so. Why would his nurse of over seven years, Becky Meyers, tote him from place to place, caring for him when they had only a professional relationship? Because of his nearly catatonic state, he had lost his medical practice and both lost their livelihood. I eagerly followed the trail of clues while the lives of Nurse Becky, Dr. Blum, and Patience Hester and her husband were woven together. Author Patricia Harmon's voice brought life to the unfolding drama. And I became one of the neighbors of the small rural community who kept tabs on everyone living in within its boundaries.You wouldn't need to have a particular interest in midwifery to be swept up by The Reluctant Midwife. Harman's descriptions of the Depression-era West Virginia countryside—the mountains, rivers and plants—provide a vivid backdrop for this narrative.The 1930's weren't so different from the challenges and hardships we face. The characters live during hard economic times that shake up the lives of folk from all walks of life. Natural disasters and drought have far-reaching impact on the livelihoods of families throughout the nation. There is racial strife. There are sacrifices by those serving in the armed forces. There are social implications for families of wounded warriors returning home with visible and unseen scars. Much of this certainly resonates today.The life of nurse Becky takes a twisted turn along her professional path, and the reader shares her trepidation and responses to the events around her. New government programs, like the Civilian Conservation Corps, are developed to stimulate the economy. Radio broadcasts bring news of Hitler in Germany and the Spanish Civil War. Women and African Americans are afforded less status by mainstream culture and have fewer job opportunities.There is a good deal of medical talk and details of home births. The Reluctant Midwife is rich in underlying themes as well, such as how the Dust Bowl affected agrarian life in America. During the Dust Bowl, farmers headed west to California where they found hope in more fertile valleys. These regions are now are drying up, just as our western states once again experience drought.Like the author, I am a baby boomer and many of my relatives shared stories of the Great Depression and their experiences with war. This novel helped me better understand what it was like for my father growing up in the 30's, as my grandfather was a small town country doctor. The historical context adds an important dimension to The Reluctant Midwife; however it is the craftsmanship of Harman's writing and her unique expression that is compelling. A broad audience will thoroughly enjoy this book.by Martha Meachamfor Story Circle Book Reviewsreviewing books by, for, and about women

I won't deny that my love of the BBC series Call the Midwife is what sparked my interest in The Reluctant Midwife, but the reality is that, except for the fact that midwifery is central to both stories, there really aren't many similarities. The TV show, while based on memoirs, is quintessentially English, and set in the 50s and (now) 60s. This novel is a decidedly American story, and takes place during the Great Depression. You might think that such a period would lead to a depressing story, but you'd be wrong. While Patricia Harman's characters do experience hardship and loss, the entire novel is imbued with so much hope and humor that at times it was difficult to mute the Annie soundtrack running through my brain while I was reading it. Which is not to imply that it's at all childish, because it's not. What this book is, is a very honest, human story about two couples who share the predisposition to be healers. The first is Becky and Isaac, although they're not really a couple in the romantic sense. The majority of the novel is written in first person, from Becky's perspective, so we come to know her best. There were times when all I wanted to do was tell her to stop being such a prude, and get her hands dirty, but that only means I was invested in her story. Isaac, on the other hand, is the now-mute doctor Becky once worked with, and now cares for, and while his presence is a bit murky at times, ultimately he becomes at least as real as his female counterpart, his quiet contrasting beautifully with her strength and forthrightness. The other couple, midwife Patience and her husband the local vet. This novel is actually a sequel to Harman's previous one, The Midwife of Hope River, in which told Patience's story. I haven't read the first book, but I didn't feel like I was missing key information, and I like that. I'm sure my enjoyment would only have been greater if had. While a story set in the 30's could easily be depressing and bleak, this book was neither. Instead, it showed us people who persevere in the face of hardship, and find solace in love and laughter. I liked that the author gave us a sense of place (Appalachia) without locking us into the landscape of a specific existing town, letting us fill in the blanks ourselves, and I really liked the way she gave us hints of the politics of the day, and of events outside the immediate environs of this tale. An oblique reference to the midwestern prairie, for example, reminds us that the Dust Bowl was a concurrent event. Populated by flawed, feeling, incredibly real people, this novel was a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting read. The resolution of Becky's relationship with Isaac was a bit predictable, but in no way reduced the integrity of the rest of the story. I'm eager to go back and read the first book in this series, and I'm equally excited to explore Harman's other work, which I hope includes another entry into this series.

Nurse Becky Myers and her former employer, Dr. Isaac Blum, travel back to their origins in a small West Virginia town. They are almost penniless and Blum bears the appearance of a mentally challenged individual who just stares and is totally dependent on Becky to feed, dress and change him on a daily basis. Her own marriage has fallen apart as her husband was obviously suffering from what we now know is PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, a violent aftermath of his war experiences. Later he finds comfort elsewhere and Becky is left with nothing.Add to this stark scenario the fact that it is the 1930s and the Great Depression in America is at its height when there are no jobs to be had and no food for daily sustenance. The people in Becky’s world survive by sharing the little they have and the bond that establishes is deeper than even family in many instances. Becky and Blum find a home in an old home abandoned by Becky’s friend Patience, who is now married and a practicing midwife. Becky herself is a nurse but dreads practicing childbirth outside of the accepted venue of a hospital and even then she’s not so fond of that part of nursing. She’s more comfortable assisting Patience as she used to do with Blum. But necessity will draw out her skills and her ability to do what she hated. This is the story of Becky and Blum, who represented a wounded America struggling to survive disaster on a daily basis. She will deliver children, medicate an asthmatic boy in crisis, set fractured bones and more. Every scene is exciting, tension-ridden, and laced with first uncertainty and then care and compassion. Healing is mental and emotional for all involved and even Blum occasionally comes out of his almost catatonic state.The government, in this devastating time, is providing jobs through the CCC or Civilian Conservation Corps. They establish camps to which the destitute draw, a motley lot whom Beverly will eventually nurse out of several disasters, including an horrific fire that almost destroys the camp’s buildings and homes of its employees.The Reluctant Midwife is another Hope River Mystery which immediately engages the reader and is almost impossible to put down. The town gives more than physical shelter to its residents, including some unsavory characters, and is more about opportunities for more than survival and includes some riveting secrets laced throughout the overriding medical plot. Very nicely crafted, Patricia Harman and strongly recommended!