Diane Chamberlain deiivers yet another emotional rollercoaster which I didn't want it to end but couldn't put it down.
Set during WW2 student nurse Tess Demello finds herself pregnant after a drunk encounter with a stranger. Not able to tell her fiance, a devout Catholic, the truth she leaves her hometown to confront the father of her unborn child and ask for financial support. To her surprise he proposes marriage which she accepts and tries hard to fit into his very wealthy family. His mother and sister are less than welcoming and she soon realises that they are not the only ones.
But what secrets is her husband keeping from her ? How can she survive this loveless marriage ? Did her fiance just let her go ?
Loved every word well deserved 5 stars

Diane Chamberlain is one of my favourite authors and I was delighted to receive a copy of The Stolen Marriage. I really love this book set in America during the Second World War. Tess a newly qualified nurse goes for a weekend away with her friend, after a few drinks too many she makes a mistake that alters the course of her life. An excellent historical novel. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

A very good novel which I read in a day and a half. I have a few books by Diane Chamberlain but this is the first 'period piece' I read from her. I would say that it was probably the best of the 3 or 4 books I read by her.

Tess is student nurse in Little Italy in Baltimore in 1943. She is engaged to her sweetheart and next door neighbour Vincent who is a young doctor. Then there is a polio outbreak in Chicago and Vincent goes to help but he does not come back as promised, as he sees this as an opportunity to do good and get some experience.

Frustrated and bored she goes with her best friend Gina to Washington where something happens that changed her life. Soon later she breaks her engagement to Vincent and marry Henry a wealthy young man who lives in Hickory, in North Carolina.

The story was quite interesting and included anything from the time to the war, polio epidemics and interracial marriages law. It is hard to judge some of the character's behaviour in book, it is easy to question Tess' decision but we need to see how a good Catholic girl in the 40s would have behaved. In this context, her behaviour is not that strange. The book is told in first person by Tess who has to live a life she did not really want and in a town which does not want her.

There is a variety of characters is Hickory as Henry is part of a well respected family, Tess meets the small town's elite but also some of the domestic staff who those days were mainly all blacks. And that time there are the only people she can talk to, especially the Reverend Sam, a man who says can connect to the spirit world. Luckily, the paranormal stuff is a minor part of the book as it could have easily become ridicolous, while her friendship with reverend Sam probably kept her sane.

Henry is the weird one. A nice guy who has made difficult choices but still he is capable of something that these days we could call date rape. But he has his own secrets that will be revealed at the end of the book.

Diane Chamberlain has written lots of books, so she is undoubtely a masterful storyteller. Also, given her background, she has a good grasp of human psychology that makes her books even more interesting, at least to those like me who are fascinated by human behaviour and interactions. Maybe not a book that I would remember for the rest of my life (I read about 100 books a year) but definitely a good read for a relaxed weekend.

This book pulls you in from the start and the main character Tess makes you think how easy it is to get into this situation. Definitely a page turner and also shows how far we have come society has advanced medically and socially.
This is a great read and would recommend it.

I am a big fan of Diane Chamberlain, and this one lived up to expectations. Set in 1944 in the southern states of America, it tells the story of Tess and Henry. Tess becomes pregnant after a one night stand, and when she goes to see Henry to ask for money to bring up her baby, he asks her to marry him. Although Henry is kind to her, he shows her no physical affection, and doesn't even consummate their marriage. Tess struggles to fit in until a polio hospital is built in the town, and she can put her nursing skills to good use. But then her former fiancé, whom she still loves, turns up to work at the hospital too. I really recommend this as a good read. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.

I absolutely loved this book! My usual book is a crime/thriller, however from the very first page right to the end I was enthralled. I read it over three days and could not put it down. It is set in the 1940's (an era I am absolutely besotted with) I went through every emotion with Tess and felt real sympathy for her. I actually felt I was with her on her journey, could not believe she experienced so much loss and sadness. I could not abide her mother in law, also loved the multi relationships which were highly forbidden then. I Would highly recommend this book and would not be surprised if it became a best seller. Well done to the author Susan Chamberlain and thank you to the Publishers and Net Galley for allowing me to read it.

I have read quite a few Diane Chamberlain novels, and found them forgettable. Although I enjoyed the first half and found the period feel and setting authentic, I lost interest from then on. Firstly, her way of writing is very plain and rather dull; secondly, she likes to take an issue and write a story around it - this means that the issue takes precedence over character development. Her characters are bland and just there to tell the story. This is a very prolific and popular author but there is not enough depth for me.

Wow! I wish I could give more than 5 stars.
Diane Chamberlain is a gifted story teller. From the first page the reader is captivated in this amazing story. The author skillfully weaves a tale incorporating historical fact relating to the polio hospital in Hickory with fiction of the characters.
The characters were engaging and I kept turning the pages long into the night to find out what happens to Tess. Happiness, sadness, empathy and history are all contained within the pages.
We are transported to Baltimore and North Carolina of the early 1940's and thank goodness for the invention of the polio vaccine.
I cannot recommend this author enough and look forward to reading many more of her books.

I enjoyed this novel. Being British and living in the UK all of my life, I am unaware of a lot American social history. Ms Chamberlain includes it, in the basis of this novel.

It is the story of Tess, Henry and Laurence, plus a host of good, believe supporting cast.

Tess and Laurence are childhood sweethearts. Laurence is a doctor and Tess is studying to be a nurse. However, when Laurence goes to work away for a while, Tess becomes isolated and low. She travels to Washington with a friend and meets Henry, which changes the plans of all of them.

I enjoyed how this novel developed and found myself groaning with annoyance, at some of the characters and the situations they got themselves into, which to me is the sign of a good story.

While I wouldn't say there were any twists, the story took directions that I didn't expect.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy to review.

From the first chapter I was totally engrossed with Tess and her life in 1940s America. One silly mistake and her dreams and plans totally ruined, how could she come back from this? Her story was wonderfully written each chapter leaving me wanting more. An excellent and easy 5 stars from me.