Dr. Joshua McClain is heading west but first stops in Hillsdale, Michigan, to break the marriage contract his late mother arranged between him and Katie Clark. Years ago, Katie left him behind in Charleston after the tragic death of her mother. But after a train crash, he comes face-to-face with Dr. Kathleen Clark, his childhood friend all grown up. When Josh shows up in town, claiming they’re … they’re betrothed, Katie refuses to consider an arranged marriage. She’ll marry for love or not at all. Besides, he’s headed for Kansas Territory; her practice is here in Hillsdale. Then why are they both finding it hard to break their betrothal and say goodbye?
more
I enjoyed the story and I’m glad I haven’t read other reviews before I read it.
I found it relaxing with an interesting plot. The dialogues between the characters are entertaining.
Story Fine, Medicine Wrong
I enjoy a good historical romance, and I found the romance aspect of this book to be thoroughly enjoyable. The author pulled you right into the story with a dramatic train crash, which is how the hero and heroine meet again after having known each other as children. They’re both from the south, but she now lives in Michigan. This is an important way-stop for him before he heads out to Kansas where he has a position as a physician. There’s just the nasty little business to clear up about a betrothal set up between their fathers before the hero can move on to his new post. Unfortunately, the heroine has no clue about this marriage contract, and some of their first interactions are quite funny because of this. There was also some good humor at the beginning because the hero, as a victim of the train wreck, makes a very bad patient, as most doctors and nurses do! I can say that because I am an RN.
I like the way that the hero was very supportive of the heroine. She is unique in that she is a doctor in the 1850s Michigan. As such, she is not universally respected or even viewed as a knowledgeable person. When he sees her in action dealing with the train wreck, he sees her as the consummate professional that she is and respects that. But no matter what, in the beginning, he wants nothing more than to break the betrothal and has in fact come to Michigan to help get her on his side about this. As you might imagine, it doesn’t quite turn out that way.
The only true issue I had with this book is that the medical aspect was just wrong in many places, especially everything having to do with infection. At the time that book is supposed to have taken place, germ theory as we know it did not exist (Pasteur didn’t begin modern experimentation on it until the 1860s); the “miasma” theory of transmission of disease was still in play (disease caused by bad air), as it was until the 1880s (when Koch extended Pasteur’s work and that became more accepted). As a nurse, having this kind of historical inaccuracy drives me crazy. As I often see with historical books that contain social and scientific topics, historical medicine is shown inaccurately in this book; I don’t know why authors do this—give modern sensibilities and insights to people who would not have had them. Perhaps they think it makes their characters smarter to know of things a decade or more before anyone else did. For instance, the author frequently mentions the use of carbolic acid as a way to prevent infection, especially in surgeries. This book takes place in the late 1850s, and the use of the then sewer cleaner carbolic acid was not suggested even empirically for surgeries until 1863. It wasn’t scientifically tested until 1865 by Joseph Lister, and he didn’t publish his studies until 1867. (Even then, there was not universal acceptance of his practice by surgeons; America at the time was particularly resistant to the idea.) This information is freely available on the internet (not just my nursing texts), so I don’t know why authors don’t take advantage of finding out historical truth for their historical novels. I also know for certain that hand washing and the use of towels as portrayed in this book would not have happened either in the late 1850s. At least the author got the fact right that the heroine could have studied at the women’s Pennsylvania medical school mentioned in the book (as it was established in 1850), even if she didn’t get the name of the college correct (what it was called back then).
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
The challenges were interesting.
This book was a bit hard to read based on how the author has it formatted and I am hoping this was not the final copy it needs some work. The story itself was good it is a faith-based story about two doctors Joshua and Kathleen who had been friends when younger. Now they are meeting up again when Joshua comes to town claiming that Kathleen is his betrothed. Decisions had to be made was she going west with Joshua? Can an arranged work when Kathleen wants to marry only for love? The challenges were interesting, the characters were a delight, and it was an entertaining read. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.