The Lumber Baron’s Wife
In 1873 New York, Hannah Wagner is suffering from an unimaginable loss. All three of her children died after their father, a doctor, took two of them to visit a sick child he was treating, not knowing the child had diphtheria. Frozen in grief, Hannah cannot see a way forward. When her husband is offered the position of doctor in a Michigan lumber town, she goes reluctantly, not wanting to leave her children’s graves. Then she slowly becomes friends with reckless and impulsive Kate Abernathy, the lumber baron’s wife. Kate has problems of her own—a scandalous past and an abusive husband. Hannah and Kate build a friendship, but then one day Kate simply vanishes.
In the present time, Ashley Gilbert is also moving to Michigan for her husband’s job. She does not want to give up her career as a Philadelphia historian but agrees to help David follow his dreams. Then, while house hunting, Ashley falls in love with a unique home built in the 19th century for a doctor and his wife. Then she discovers the nearby Abernathy mansion and finds a career, and a mystery, of her own.
This is a story of strong women facing heartbreaking situations. There are themes of grief, loss, God’s comfort, and starting over. The environmental damage inflicted by the 19th-century lumber barons in Michigan is brought to light, and the serious subject of spousal abuse is portrayed through Kate and her husband. The 19th-century timeline is the strongest and most compelling, but the present-day timeline is effective for drawing some parallels and making discoveries. The relationship between Hannah and Kate shows how friends can help heal us, and the way Kate’s mystery is solved is compelling.
I would recommend this book to all fans of Christian historical fiction.
