I loved the unique setting--depression-era San Francisco. The pacing seemed a bit of--too slow in some and too fast in others. Overall a good read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

With great storytelling ability, Trueblood tells a tale full of heart and emotion. I was completely enthralled by the story from beginning to end.
I loved the story and I felt as if I was living it myself. Very enjoyable read that I won’t forget for a long time!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this book in exchange for an honest review! I loved this book!

Across a Broken Shore is coming-of-age historical fiction novel set in San Francisco in the 1930's. We follow Willa who is from a strict Irish Catholic family and parents that expect her to go to the covent and become a nun since she has completed school. Willa intends to follow her family's expectations, but deep in her heart, she wants to go into medicine and secretly pours over medical books and journals in her spare time.

We get to know Willa and her family quite well throughout the book. It is well-written and the historical facts about the building of the Golden Gate Bridge and homelessness during the Great Depression are interwoven providing a clear understanding of the setting. Trueblood's attention to detail is quite good.

Willa has a chance meeting with a female physician when her brother is injured that will turn her life upside down. She gains a new perspective and has big choices and lessons ahead. I thought I knew exactly where this book was headed and there is a turn that was very unexpected that sends the story into a completely different direction. I loved it and loved how the story wrapped up. It's a great read!

I enjoyed Across a Broken Shore! I was intrigued by the book due to both the setting and the story line. I love San Francisco and found the details about the building of the Golden Gate Bridge interesting.

Willa was such an interesting character. She definitely had a dilemma on her hands. as she figured out if she should stay true to her calling in the medical field or is she should stay true to her parent's wishes. I appreciated that she struggled with the lies she was telling. I thought she was more relate-able as she struggled with the lies. I would have been frustrated if she didn't struggle with all the lies.

While occasionally I felt like a turn in the story seemed a little unrealistic, I definitely enjoyed this story and would recommend it. I will now be looking for more books from this author!

Loved the historical characters and story. Very few books engage the reader to see a character so thorough as Willa and the struggles of family guilt vs her calling as a doctor. It is nice to be reminded of how far we have come and how much farther we need to go to deal with expectations of others and society.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Across a Broken Shore by Amy Trueblood was heartbreakingly, beautiful.
“The last thing eighteen-year-old Wilhelmina “Willa” MacCarthy wants is to be a nun. It’s 1936, and as the only daughter amongst four sons, her Irish–Catholic family is counting on her to take her vows—but Willa’s found another calling. Each day she sneaks away to help Doctor Katherine Winston in her medical clinic in San Francisco’s Richmond District.
Keeping secrets from her family only becomes more complicated when Willa agrees to help the doctor at a field hospital near the new bridge being built over the Golden Gate. Willa thinks she can handle her new chaotic life, but as she draws closer to a dashing young ironworker and risks grow at the bridge, she discovers that hiding from what she truly wants may be her biggest lie of all."
Amy Trueblood has made history come alive in this breathtaking book. I truly felt transported to 1936 San Francisco; from the streets of the city to the construction site of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Willa’s struggle between pleasing her parents by becoming a nun or pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor was extremely relatable. She quickly becomes a character that you absolutely love. Her character development in this book is what I wish all characters have. You see her find her strength, voice and fight for what she wants in every chapter.
I smiled, gasped, cried and cheered the entire time I was reading this book. This book is what every historical fiction book should be like. It stayed true to the history all while painting a new perspective of these characters lives and dreams. I would recommend this book to any historical fiction fan.

Willa wants to be a nurse, but her family wants her to be a nun. I loved the idea behind this book as soon as I read it and I could hardly put it down from the time I started reading it. Set on the west coast in the late 1930's, Amy Trueblood's writing is alive with the bustle of city life, the bustle of daily life, and budding romance. More than anything though, I just loved Willa. This being said, the book was quite fluffy and not much action, but there is a ton of heart and feeling.

This book is wonderful!! It is well written and grabs you on the first page. If you like historical fiction, you will love this book. I highly recommend it.. Thank you North Star Editions via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Willa MacCarthy fights an internal battle between her family’s expectation that she becomes a nun and her interest in becoming a doctor. The setting is 1936 in San Francisco during the building of the Golden Gate Bridge. Willa meets a woman doctor, Katherine Winston and starts working for her in secret from her family. She finds herself helping Dr. Winston at the clinic that handles accidents during the building of the bridge. She meets Sam Butler, an iron worker on the bridge and he assists her with attempts to help the homeless population as well as those injured while building the bridge. Willa starts to realize her true calling for medicine and feelings for Sam as her double life becomes more difficult by the day. The story is based on the life of real woman doctor during this time period – it is well researched and compelling. Those interested in reading stories of strong women that shaped this country will love the book.

I don't know what to say. This book was beautiful and awe-inspiring. With the main theme of reaching for your dreams and the expectations of others, this book will resonate with many.
The characters! They were amazing and developed extremely well. Their emotions come across on the page and so do their hopes and dreams.
I normally don't mention plot as much, but this one was very interesting. Across a Broken Shore is set during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Another major part of the story is the introduction of women physicians. They and their struggles were portrayed very well.
Trigger warning: this is a book about medicine and some parts get a bit bloody. Nothing is graphic, but situations are described.
(I would also recommend you to go read Amy Trueblood's debut novel, Nothing but Sky.)
Rating; 5 Stars
Content: 2 Stars
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book about a young woman defying her family's expectations and pursuing a career in medicine instead of going to the convent to become a nun. Willa is a feisty heroine and the Depression-era setting is an interesting one, even if the desperation of that time doesn't always cut through. The building of the Golden Gate Bridge and the dangers the men faced on it are well researched and described, as is the prejudice women doctors experienced.

At times I felt Willa's thoughts were repetitive and I got a little tired of hearing her bang on about how disappointed her family would be if she didn't go to the convent, and how she owed it to them because it was her fault her sister died before she had a chance to live. But that's actually realistic, because who doesn't go over painful things in one's head over and over again?

As owners of a pub, Willa's family - large as it was - didn't not appear to be suffering as much from the depression as others, like the people living in the Hooverville camp near the beach. I felt the book could have delved more deeply into the hardships of the Depression; there was never any real sense of desperation from any of the characters, even those living in the camp whose circumstances were desperate. Perhaps Willa could see it, empathize with it, but not really understand it.

Overall, I enjoyed this one and would recommend it to anyone who likes historical settings and female characters bucking the expectations of the time.

Thanks NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this in advance.

Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I am not familiar with this author and couldn't remember even what it was about when I started reading it. My attention was caught by the cover and the synopsis was interesting enough to request this title, but I forgot about it until given a copy. I am glad I had the chance to read it. I was immediately drawn into the story from the very first page. I found the story of Willa, a young 18 year old girl in San Francisco raised from a young age to be a nun, to be so interesting. Early on in the story, we learn that Willa is questioning a life as a nun just as her parents are finalizing her entry into the convent. Willa has a strong interest in medicine and while helping aid her brother during an injury to his hand, she meets Katherine, a female doctor who invites Willa to return and work as her assistant. I loved the historical references woven in this novel around women in medicine, life in early San Francisco, and the building of the Golden Gate Bridge. Willa and her family were all interesting and likable characters that I enjoyed reading about. There is a lot of internal dialogue over her desire to follow her passion with medicine or joining the convent to please her parents and lessen the guilt she feels over her past. It sometimes felt a little redundant, but overall an enjoyable and likable story that I would recommend to others.

This was a good read, however it wasn't the best.

The description made me want to read it, but I knew I wasn't getting a very -at edge of the seat- plot. The writing was allright, and the characters left me wanting a little bit more. I enjoyed it overall.

3.5/5 **

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

After reading the synopsis, I was really excited to receive a copy of Across a Broken Shore! A mix of history, religion, and a woman trying to find her place in the world was such a draw for me. I haven't read a lot of historical fiction recently, so I enjoyed the chance to jump into the 1930s and what San Francisco would have been like at the time.

Love the History
I'm a huge fan of history, and the building of the Golden Gate Bridge was such a massive moment in San Francisco's history that I was really excited to read a fictional story of what it might have been like. I loved getting to watch Willa learn about medicine and then use it to help those working on the bridge. It was wonderful to read about this part of history through the eyes of such a strong young woman.

Good Protagonist
Willa was a wonderful protagonist to follow in this story. It was great to watch her figure out how to balance her family's needs with her own and her relationship with the different members of her family. As the only daughter, she has a lot of roles to fill, and it's difficult for her to figure out how to voice her wants. I also loved that she was interested in medicine; women fighting against the social norms is always so wonderful to read about, especially when that fight is not a physical one. Finding a strong female who challenges the social norms through her studies was wonderful.

I Question the Romance
Ok, this is what really confused me about the book. If Willa's family is so incredibly Catholic that they are basically forcing her to become a nun, there is absolutely zero chance they would be ok with her relationship with a Protestant man. While I appreciate that this relationship in general is part of her struggle, I really don't think it needed the extra step of Sam being a Protestant. Even if she doesn't become a nun, I doubt her family would ever accept Sam. I think it would have been enough for him to be in Willa's life; him being a Protestant felt like overkill.

I enjoyed this novel and thought it was a good story. I've recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction or about a character finding their voice. Across a Broken Shore doesn't come out until November, but I know I'll be rereading it before then to get another little taste of history!

this book was okay I didnt really finish it historical fiction is hard for me to get into I did read 50%

Historical fiction set in San Francisco. A headstrong young girl must decide on whether to follow her heart or obey her family. Perfectly evokes the era in which it is set. A gorgeous read.

Willa is a young lady destined to enter the convent when she becomes of age. This is tradition. Her parents have always prepared her for this. However, Willa is not so sure she is meant to follow this path. She likes to fix people. Indeed, she sneaks medical books into the house and reads them until her eyes bleed. When Willa meets Dr. Winston, one of the only female physicians of San Francisco, she realizes she might be able to accomplish her dreams. Under Dr. Winston's tutelage, Willa learns there might be another life for her than going to the convent. But engaging in a medical career would break Willa's parents' hearts... The young lady faces her biggest dillema ever, and needs to choose between her heart and reason. 

The plot of this book is really interesting ! Reading about Willa's dillema, in a world where litterally everyone else wants to make choices for her was completely captivating. Her heart is torn between pleasing her family, who wants her off to the convent, and her passion for medicine.

The first half of the book is really slow paced, and we get to know Willa, and the various aspects of her life. This is much needed, and I enjoyed reading the little things that make her happy, and simply, her life, her relationship with her brothers, the doctor... It was really nice. It showed how Willa is a brave character. If you keep in mind that this is set in the 1930's, it's even more impressive. Getting the same respect as a man for a job was even harder for women then than now, and it sometimes wear down on Willa. Yet she keeps going, no matter how hard she doubts. All this set during the construction of the Golden Gate bridge made me pretty happy !

Dr. Winston is an absolute mother figure, and even though she was not my favorite character of the book (that place is for Paddy, Willa's best brother haha), she comes a close second with her words of wisdom. She is here for Willa, when her mother isn't strong enough to care about her, and I love her for it.

My only issue with the book is the amount of kindness EVERYONE seems to have. Willa is facing a dillema but the whole town seems to stick their nose in her business by telling her what a great doctor (or apprentice) she is... So much positivity got annoying in the long term, and made me a little sick of it. I mean, no one grovels at doctors' feet, every time they go there, no matter how good they are.

The ending also left me a little unsatisfied (except for the HUGE plot twist that had me shed a tear). It was too easy, and I expected more after having followed Willa through her moral journey. 

Other than that, I had a good time reading this, and if you like historical fiction, this is a great pick for you ! San Francisco during the 1930's is lovely to read about !

Thank you NetGalley and North Star Editions for providing me with an e-arc !

An enjoyable story with a strong female character in a time when women rarely had a voice or a choice in life beyond wife and mother. I loved the detail given to the settings and people.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wilhelmina has a burning desire within her to become a doctor. She reads and studies Greys Anatomy fervently, absorbing all she learns. She knows that it is just a dream. For many generations the woman of the MacCarthy family have become nuns at the Catholic convent. She knows that to choose anything else would devastate her parents. Of course there is that solemn promise she made when she was twelve. The day she accidentally pushed her mom. Her mom was eight months pregnant with her sister. The shove sent her mother down the stairs where she suffered a miscarriage.
Her love for medicine is just a dream. She will enter a convent.
When her brother Paddy severs two fingers and her and her brother Nick take him to the local doctor, she is thrilled to meet Dr. Winston. Dr. Katherine Winston. She may not recognize it yet, but Willa's life is about to change.
Placed in the year 1936, the story takes place during the building of the Golden Gate Bridge. It is a historical time. It is also a time that very few women were doctors. Less than 5% were in university.
Great story, with some awesome history. Strong characters.
Excellent!

This is such a wonderful story! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. I love, love, love historical fiction and this book has it all. I love the fact that this book provides us with two strong and memorable women in Willa and Dr. Winston. Willa's character is developed beautifully! When a book gives me the feels as much as this one did, it instantly becomes a favorite in my book.