Prospects of a Woman by Wendy Voorsanger is an intriguing story of Elisabeth's first three years in the wilds of California circa 1850. She has arrived there with her new husband, Nate to find her father, who has run away from his family somewhat earlier. What she expects to find, she has no idea, but locating him begins her disillusion with life. Through thick and thin she persists, wearing the one dress she own, mining gold next to her husband until things start happening in her life. She never looks back, except at the family she has left behind. She continues her correspondence with her friend, Louisa May Alcott, with nothing more than grand fiction, unwilling to share the downward turn her life had taken. It is a harrowing picture of a time in history when anything was possible.

Elisabeth is a stalwart character who allows nothing to keep her down. Through her travels she meets other women who support her and love her. She does some things that are outside her character, but she has to survive, and survive she does. She goes through multiple careers in the short time we know her, always learning, always striving. There is not really a plot; it is more of a slice of live novel with many mini-plots and subplots along the way. There are men, all with flaws of their own. Some she loves, most she does not, but they help her along her way. This is an astounding time in California history, unfair to early Californios but supremely fair to women, if they are smart enough to take advantage. It was an exciting story. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of Prospects of a Woman by Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #prospectsofawoman

Elizabeth has married Nate and they have struck out for California. They want to find Elizabeth’s father and create a new life. However, it does not magically happen the way Elizabeth expects. Nate does not turn out to be the man she thought he was and Elizabeth must rely on her own intellect to survive.

You talk about a book I wanted to throw across the room…THIS IS IT! I was so frustrated with Elizabeth on so many levels. And the repetition by the author! It was repeated multiple times about Elizabeth not liking ants. And apparently, Elizabeth is sex craved…another fact mentioned multiple times!

If you like westerns you may enjoy this one. However, this story fell a little short for me. And I hate to post a bad review. I hate to damage an author’s hard work based on my opinion. And this is only my opinion.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I got so much more. We travel to California during the gold rush days with Elizabeth a young married woman from Massachusetts. I never write a spoiler review, but I will tell you that by the time I read "the end" I was in awe of the strength of this young woman. She suffers mightily trying to make a life in the gold fields of California. The supporting cast of characters are vital, interesting people. You will get some history along with this story of independence. Ms Voorsanger did her research and I think she gave us an incredible story of self reliance.

As a native Californian, one of my favorite historical periods is the gold rush so I should have loved this book, which was truly both interesting and evocative. Unfortunately it had a fatal flaw -- I found Elisabeth Parker to be deeply, deeply unlikeable. An unlikable protagonist doesn't always ruin a book for me, but it sure did ruin this one. Elisabeth was so repellent that I found myself avoiding picking the book up and actually had a hard time getting through it.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC copy for my review.

i always really enjoy reading this type of book, it may be my favorite time period. The characters were great and I really enjoyed going through this book.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NeNetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t learn much beyond the basics about the California Gold Rush, so I was intrigued by Prospecte of a Woman and how it tied into the women’s experience during that event and dealing with the limitations placed on her in society in general.

Voorsanger really seems to know her stuff, as her prose engrossed me in the time period. I like how she was able to illustrate the contrast between the more reserved, traditional expectations of women in Boston and the whole new world of options that opened up for women like Elisabeth out West, like having her own business and being able to divorce her husband. And while she’s not always the most likable protagonist, she is believable for the time period and the story.

I also really enjoyed Elisabeth’s relationship with Louisa May Alcott, and while I would have liked her to have gotten some page time or at least seen her responses to Elisabeth’s letters, I still enjoyed that sense of seeing Elisabeth have a more personal connection with someone we know today as a famous author, especially set in a time prior to her writing Little Women.

This is a great book highlighting a woman finding a way to thrive in a man’s world, and a great testament to how far we’ve come. If you love historical fiction, I think you’ll enjoy this one.

Set in the 1850's during the California Gold Rush, Prospects of a Woman is the story of Elizabeth and her struggle to survive in a man's world. After realizing that her marriage to Nate is going nowhere, Elizabeth strives to make it on her own. I loved this book! I was quickly pulled into the story by the descriptive writing. Wendy Voorsanger is a DEBUT author to watch! I can't wait to read her next book!

The Gold Rush was one of my favorite parts of learning California history in the 4th grade. I've spent time in gold rush country and I love the Northern California area. So a book about a woman, set in that time period? Sign me up!

Elisabeth marries Nate, a man she barely knows to escape a life of poverty and despair in Massachusetts. Arriving in California, she discovers that life isn't any easier there. Her marriage isn't a happy one, because her husband, Nate, is a closeted gay man and she turns to another for affection. Working the claim they inherited from her father, the two struggle to make a living as well as a life.

What I enjoyed most about Prospects of a Woman was California's progressive views about the roles of women and Elisabeth's understanding of the options she had there. She could own her own business. She could divorce her husband. She could make her own decisions.

Elisabeth isn't an inherently likeable woman. But, her tenacity is to be admired. She writes letters to her friend, Louisa May Alcott, but while the letters give more insight into Elisabeth, we never see Louisa's responses, which would have given the story an added depth.

Elisabeth Parker goes to California dreaming of striking it rich in the gold mines. What they found was Elisabeth's father running of to be with his Native American bride and Elisabeth pretty much on her own know a man's world. I loved this book for teaching me that I don't have it all that bad as a woman. Don't get me wrong, there is still plenty of work to be done but I can hope that my granddaughter has it better than I did.

Elizabeth Parker goes to California with her husband during the Gold Rush. Women have opportunities that they can not experience in other states. Elizabeth makes the best of these with several other ladies.

This story did not go as I would have thought, it surprised me several times. A truly enjoyable read!

I received a copy of this book by Netgalley. My opinions are my own, and it was not necessary to leave a positive review.

I couldn't get enough of this book full of twists and turns and i was hooked from the start and the cover reflects the book.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

Is it possible to like a book but not like the main character? That's my reaction to this book. I admired Elizabeth's grit, tenacity, and ambition, I just didn't like her. Prospects of a Woman depicts gen life of a New England woman who made a bad marriage and emigrated to California. She faces hard truths about her father and husband. Elizabeth reinvented herself several times. I just did not care for her character. My favorite was Nandy who's story should be a separate book, in my opinion. It's good historical fiction about the strong women who made California their home.

I requested this book to NetGalley, thinking it was a romance. In fact, I consider it a non-romance.


Elisabeth Parker is a young woman who escapes poverty and parental abandonment, getting married and traveling to California, in the middle of the gold rush.


What she finds is more unloving and more poverty, but also an entrepreneurial spirit that had the perfect California environment in 1849, which gave women rights that were forbidden to them in the rest of the world, such as the right to independent property of her husband or divorce.

An absolutely fascinating fact that I was unaware of. Its aim was to attract women to new territory for Americans who were stripping Indians and Californians of their lands.


Wendy Voorsanger is absolutely masterful in the development of the characters, in the way she involves us in the wild environment of California then and who lived in it. It is impossible not to feel involved in that crazy search for gold and the desperate ways of survival that many had to resort to.


It is, to this day, the best book on the gold rush period I read. But it is also a book about desire, the will to win as life's adversities and the capacity for personal reinvention in the face of disaster.


Great book.

I really, really enjoyed this book! It's the kind of story where I finish feeling like I grew up so much with our main character, Elisabeth. I loved the history and the feminism, and I found Nate’s character really interesting. I would love a book from his point of view!