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The Heart of the Midwife

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This was an entertaining set of four novellas written by established Christian fiction authors. My favorite story of the bunch was the first one written by Cynthia Hickey. In fact, reading that one story as a full length novel instead of a novella would have been even more enjoyable, I'm sure.

I also enjoyed the last story written by Marilyn Turk as it was set in New Orleans with snippets of superstitious folklore. While I personally don't believe in superstitions, it was interesting to read the things that people believed would keep evil spirits away.

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.

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Four beautifully written novellas about midwives and their roots and bravery. Heartwarming. Courageous. Historical. A joy to read. Five stars.

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Four novellas in one book. Set in the late 1800’s this book gives a glimpse of early midwives and their desire to care for women and children who were often overlooked because of their social economic status. Am enjoyable read.

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The Heart of the Midwife is a collection of four historical stories. These stories include:
Love Charm by Cynthia Hickey
Love’s Rebirth by Darlene Franklin
If Not For Grace by Patty Smith Hall
Between Two Worlds by Marilyn Turk
I enjoyed all four of these stories. My favorite would be Love Charm by Cynthia Hickey. I give the collection four stars.

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This is a delightful book of four novellas set in the late 1800’s. It is about four women and their lives as midwives. Along the way, they each encounter struggles to be accepted by the community. From working with the hill people in Missouri, to the city slums, to meeting up with socialites and voo doo believers, there are many obstacles that come their way.

Along the way, they find special help that makes a big difference in their lives.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

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What a lovely way to spend a few hours! Four wonderful stories set in the 1800’s, all featuring the call of women to help women. In those days, trained doctors knew very little if anything about childbirth, making the midwife a vital part of the birth process as well as in the care for the new mother and infant.

In the west where life is so different, or is it .... to the city where poverty and even a voodoo queen, life forces these trained midwives to stretch themselves to be ready to help those in need. From a one room cabin where charms are believed to help in the birth, to the single mother there to help anyone who is in need, their mission doesn’t change, even for those who work in the oldest profession known to women.

I thoroughly enjoyed all four of these novellas. These heroines were strong, stood up for themselves and their patients and brought change into the lives of those around them. This ARC was received through Barbour Publishing and NetGalley. The impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.

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I honestly had a tough time getting through these short stories. The females in every story were very proud/prideful.. Trying to overcorrect for how people saw them as working women. It got really annoying to me how they didn't seem to listen to anyone else. Especially not the men in the stories..The stories jumped around alot too, didn't seem to flow as well. Especially the first two. I did think it was fun learning about midwifery in the 1800s since I have always been interested in that. It was fun to think about what situations might encourage a women of importance to take on that career.

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A certain candy promoted itself as "two mints in one." The Heart of the Midwife can top that claim because it is four hits in one book. Four separate historical stories, each with a midwife for the main character, have been combined to produce a polished product which delivers an engaging read. Although the settings are vastly different in each story (the Ozark Mountains, Colorado, New York City, or New Orleans), all offer enlightening insight into the challenges, professional as well as societal, which midwives faced. And how uplifting to find that these midwives relied on their faith to see them through those challenges. I was especially intrigued with Marilyn Turk's story set in New Orleans, a city I've visited a number of times, which contained fascinating historical tidbits about the Crescent City.

I received a copy of this book in e-book form from the publisher via netgalley but was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

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Heart-felt, endearing stories of four women who have felt called to be a mid-wife. All of these ladies come from different backgrounds and deal with a different set of circumstances to get their jobs done . Each must bring awareness to the community, help them get past their prejudices to help the suffering women and the conditions they live in.

All of these mid-wives are willing to fight with all they have to give the women in their care the best, hoping to ensure that mom and baby got the care they need to live through the birthing process. I liked how the men in these stories came aware of the need and are eventually willing to help in the fight.

I liked reading about these strong female leads and their compassionate, leading men. At first, the men do not understand the drive of their lady loves have but then seeing them in action, they get it. I enjoyed learning about how mid-wives are viewed in Ozark Mountains, 1868, 1868 Denver, 1871, N.Y. City, 1889, and New Orleans, 1890 and what these women went through to do their jobs. It was eye opening. We have come a long way to get to what mid-wives offer today.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

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This anthology with four tales set in the late 1800’s gives a glimpse of early midwives and their desire to care for women and children who were often overlooked because of their social economic status. Each heroine faced challenges from prejudices, peril, superstitions and threats on their lives.

Phoebe Hudson in Love Charm knew the life of luxury and being a socialite but had a burning desire to assist the women in the Ozarks. The challenges with mountain folk, superstitions and two families in a feud gave way to delightful tale.

Love’s Rebirth midwife Maia cared for the women in a mining camp despite their status. Dr.Strahan came to find a new start to the camp. Their interaction and faith made this a story showing the power of God’s love for all.

If Not for Grace explored the sacrifices Grace made working in the low tenements of New York. Patrick was a blessing in disguise when he reconnected with Grace after years of separation.

Midwife Camille in Between Two Worlds gave way to one strong and determined young lady who had flexibility and tenacity to work in the French Quarter in New Orleans. She faced a lot of rebuttal from some residents and especially the Queen of superstitions. Camille’s faith and persistence gave way to a touching story.

This historical collection should appeal to women who enjoy history of women making a difference for others.

I received a complimentary ARC e-copy of this book from NetGalley and Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to write a review. I have given my own opinion.

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Four capturing novellas involving the life of being a midwife in the 19th century was awesome to me! I not only learned some new to me details of midwifery but also more about the lifestyles and adventures in that time period. Each story is unique and original.
I highly recommend this to women of any age.

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The Heart of the Midwife
4 Historical Stories
by Darlene Franklin; Patty Smith Hall; Cynthia Hickey; Marilyn Turk
Barbour Publishing, Inc.
You Like Them
Barbour Books
Christian | Romance
Pub Date 01 Oct 2020 | Archive Date 01 Dec 2020

I liked each of the stories very much. I usually do not read short stories but this was quite the treat. When you don't have time to read much it felt relaxing to just read one story. Thanks to Barbour and NetGalley for the ARC. I really liked this Christian Romance.

5 star

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I loved each of these stories. These midwives were strong characters who advocated for women. There was romance as well. The stories we’re heartwarming and sometimes emotional.
Many thanks to Barbour Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Midwifery was borne out of the necessity of poor women to still have care when birthing. The first midwives were often local women determined to take care of the women in their communities. These women faced opposition from doctors and hospitals but still managed to give care where it was desperately needed.

The authors of THE HEART OF THE MIDWIFE have written short novellas that provide excellent examples of the hardships faced in the early 1800's by midwives and their patients. The stories are heartwarming and include romantic settings that will satisfy the most emotional among us. I rated each story a 5 star "sigh" for the feelings I had at the end of each. A really great read that I'd recommend to any reader, no matter the genre.

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The Heart Of The Midwife is a delightful collection of four Christian novellas that will warm your heart. They are all set at the end of the nineteenth century.
The themes are all similar as young women attempt to bring babies into the world. They meet various opposition from pompous men to aging women practicing voodoo. The love for the poor shines through as the young women become the eyes and ears, the hands and feet of Jesus. Faith is strong as God is able to guide us and protect us from our fears.
This is a positively charming quartet of tales.
Love’s Charm by Cynthia Hickey is an absolutely charming tale. I found the setting very reminiscent of Walnut Grove in Little House On The Prairie. The community pulls together and is warm and welcoming. There is some match making as the new midwife enters the small community, as well as some opposition for a young, unmarried midwife. The whole story is light-hearted and positively delightful.
Love’s Rebirth by Darlene Franklin is a powerful tale about our faithful God and about taking care of widows and orphans. The midwife in the tale has a heart for the working girls who fall pregnant. She oversees their care when others frown on them. There are battles to be fought that seem impossible and can only be overcome by prayer. The battle is not ours but The Lord’s. We are also reminded that we are all adopted into His family.
If Not For Grace by Patty Smith Hall is set among the slums of New York City following a couple of caring midwives. They set aside their safety and their wealth to become Jesus to a hurting world as they tend to the marginalised in society. The midwives are frowned upon by those in power but they are brave and dedicated as they try to not only save lives but lift the vulnerable out of poverty. The characters are warm and welcoming with their love and hearts for others.
Between Two Worlds by Marilyn Turk is a delightful tale set in New Orleans. Here, a new midwife finds herself up against a traditional midwife who practices voodoo. God’s love conquers all. Faith in Him to protect and to guide is strong. All the characters are wonderfully drawn. They are warm and welcoming. The leading lady is a breath of fresh air with her kind heart and her no nonsense attitude.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

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I was drawn to this book because I'm a huge Call the Midwife fan so the idea of a book telling the stories of four midwives was right up my alley. I've also long been a fan of these 4-in-1 novella collections. Each of the four stories takes place in the late 1800s, ranging from the 1860s to the 1890s. The stories are set across the country from Colorado to New York to New Orleans to Massachusetts. Each of the midwives faces their own unique struggles as they try to help their patients. They face old superstitions, a vodoo queen, corrupt landlords, and brothel owners attempting to control their practice, among other issues.

Overall, I'd say this was an okay book. It wasn't terrible, but it certainly wasn't my favorite. Unfortunately, I almost didn't finish this book as there were some parts that seemed to drag on and couldn't keep my attention. Yet at the same time, parts of the book felt like they like flew by too quickly. This tended to happen when it came to wrapping up the relationship between the leading lady and leading man.Understandably, these are novellas so I do get the author had less pages to convey the story, but it sometimes felt unbalanced. I'm sure there are plenty of people who will highly enjoy this book. Personally, it wasn't really for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and I'm leaving an honest and voluntary review.

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I loved this anthology of four entertaining, heartwarming stories featuring four courageous, devoted midwives in the late 1800s all with a common goal—to practice and preserve their profession in spite of prejudice, danger, personal struggles, social injustice, greed, and superstition. In each story, there is also a hero advocating and/or protecting the midwife and lending a sweet romantic element to the narrative. Each story is unique reflecting the distinct style of each gifted storyteller. The characters in all the stories are well-crafted and believable. Inspiring spiritual truths are sprinkled throughout each story. The settings are diverse aptly mirroring the society in which the characters live. I am a big fan of anthologies, and this is one of the best I have ever read, and I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book in e-book form from the publisher via netgalley but was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

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This book contains four different stories about courageous midwives. I personally like that it included multiple stories it adds a different element to the whole book. I would recommend this book to anyone, but I especially would recommend this if you’re in the maternal specialty of nursing or midwifery.

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I did not know what to expect with this selection of novellas. Birth holds both good and bad memories for me and I have heard the horror stories of birthing in the far past. I was pleasantly surprised by each story. I even could stomach the final story that had Voodoo elements.
I cannot summarize each story adequately but each has a young woman who is fighting against societal norms to provide care to pregnant women when doctors of that time often did not. Whether a teacher, a doctor, or politician, the male protagonists play a strong part in the journey of the midwives, who are quote strong and stubborn on their own.

The writing styles were wonderful and I almost wouldn't know each one was written by someone different. The styles flowed so well. I would definitely recommend this collection.

I received an ARC via Netgalley but i freely gove my honest review.

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The Heart of the Midwife is four stories in one book authored by Darlene Franklin, Patty Smith Hall, Cynthia Hickey and Marilyn Turk depicting life for midwives and the struggles they face, especially if they are single. The midwives are all distrusted in some way in each story. Can they redeem themselves and their profession? Will they all find love along the way?
I enjoyed this book very much. All of the stories are new and unique to their individual author. The characters feel like real people and the stories seem like they could really happen and not just a fictional work. I give this book 5 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

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