pickAll the trappings of a romance novel, a grieving widowed wife crosses path with a well-known artist, Ian while trying to escape in a tiny town. With her nursing skills, she helps deliver a baby in town but loses the mom during labor. After promising to raise the baby, Wren, Tess finds herself immersing herself into the community and dancing her way out of grief from loss & possibly falling head over heels for Ian, too.
pick4/5 - Really enjoyed this historical fiction, very well written. Inspired by the life of Martha Ballard, this book is set in Hallowell, a small town in Maine, in 1789, during a long cold winter. Through Martha, midwife and healer, we get to know the inhabitants, their secrets, the hidden politics of the town. The book begins with a body discovered in the icy river, a man allegedly accused of the brutal rape of a woman.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ an absolute page turner of historical fiction and the lives of women during the 1700s. Riveting!
Thank you, my friends: 51,000 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews on Goodreads . Is it time to discover (or rediscover) the novel about a home birth, a midwife on trial, and a young girl coming of age in Vermont that first introduced my work to so many of you? @DoubledayBooks
pick4.75⭐️ I can see why so many readers love this book. I really, really liked this book and I really connected with Martha and her family, especially her husband. Loved the strong sense of history that the book places the reader in and Martha‘s story really helps with that. It was my favourite book for July. #2025 #fiction #biographical #historicalfiction
pick4 Stars • The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon is a historical mystery set in 1789 Maine, following midwife Martha Ballard. When a man‘s body is found frozen in the river, Martha investigates, uncovering a scandal involving rape and betrayal. Balancing her role as a healer and truth-seeker, she challenges powerful men in her town. The novel blends suspense, historical detail, and Martha‘s fierce resilience.
#TheFrozenRiver #ArielLawhon #Bookish
pickThis is not a novel I might have picked up for myself, but when a colleague/friend recommended it, I was all in. It's definitely intriguing as you follow along through this journey with Martha Ballard. Everything about her and her family leads to questions and a good amount of satisfying answers at the end. #32-2025
pickI thoroughly enjoyed this book. It‘s a compelling and beautifully written story. I‘d never heard of Martha Ballard before reading The Frozen River, but all I can say is what a woman! There are some great peripheral characters and it has an atmospheric setting. It‘s very much a page turner and I can highly recommend it.
pickThis was hand sold to me by a bookseller when I told her I like good historical fiction but am tired of WWII and dual timelines. While this post Revolutionary War story centers around a midwife, it's the story of a family, a town, sexual assault, power, and home. Great characters, a compelling plot, and a beautifully written setting made this book a 5-star read for me. June #Bookspin @TheAromaofBooks
