My Review
The story follows Tess DeMello who is a 23 year old girl living in Little Italy, Baltimore, MD. She has been madly in love with her boyfriend Vincent since they were teenagers. They are engaged to be married and their families are thrilled. Vincent has just completed his residency at John’s Hopkins and now he is Dr. Vincent Russo M.D. and Tess is preparing to graduate from nursing school. They are both preparing for their happily-ever-after!
How does Tess suddenly end up in Hickory, North Carolina? Whose marriage was stolen? Why does she marry a complete stranger? She is stuck in a loveless marriage and her life has taken a direction that she never wanted. Her new husband Henry is a wealthy man and his family has given Tess a very cold reception. They question her motives. Tess soon discovers that Henry has secrets of his own and while he is kind to her, they have no real marriage.
When a polio epidemic strikes Hickory, Tess finds herself questioning the choices she has made and tries to forgive herself for the events that caused her life to spin out of control. The end was a bit predictable, but an interesting and enjoyable book!
Book Description
From perennial bestseller Diane Chamberlain, a compelling new novel
In 1944, twenty-three-year-old Tess DeMello abruptly ends her engagement to the love of her life when she marries a mysterious stranger and moves to Hickory, North Carolina, a small town struggling with racial tension and the hardships imposed by World War II. Tess’s new husband, Henry Kraft, is a secretive man who often stays out all night, hides money from his new wife, and shows no interest in making love. Tess quickly realizes she’s trapped in a strange and loveless marriage with no way out.
The people of Hickory love and respect Henry and see Tess as an outsider, treating her with suspicion and disdain, especially after one of the town’s prominent citizens dies in a terrible accident and Tess is blamed. Tess suspects people are talking about her, plotting behind her back, and following her as she walks around town. What does everyone know about Henry that she does not? Feeling alone and adrift, Tess turns to the one person who seems to understand her, a local medium who gives her hope but seems to know more than he’s letting on.
When a sudden polio epidemic strikes the town, the townspeople band together to build a polio hospital. Tess, who has a nursing degree, bucks Henry’s wishes and begins to work at the hospital, finding meaning in nursing the young victims. Yet at home, Henry’s actions grow more alarming by the day. As Tess works to save the lives of her patients, can she untangle her husband’s mysterious behavior and save her own life?
Publication date is October 3, 2017
Arc provided through NG
Dressed To Read 
Would lovd to know if she eventually ended up with Vincent ….
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That would be a spoiler!! Major spoiler (Ha) …Have to read it to find out!
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🙂 Added to my reading list
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What a complete turnaround.. this begs for answers! Great review!
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Thanks Inge! Its a great read!
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Great review! Good to hear you were still able to enjoy this one despite the ending.
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Great review for what sounds like quite an interesting book. Glad that you enjoyed it despite the predictable end.
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Great review!! I have this one, but I need to read and review Little Fires Everywhere first 🙂 I’m reading it now and then this one is up next!! I can’t wait to read it, especially now!!
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Thanks Stephanie! I enjoyed it! I am reading Little Fires with my GR book club…not sure when the scheduled it for. How is Little Fires!! I’m excited for it! How are your classes? Everything going well?
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I’m so sorry, Holly! I just realized you answered my comment. For some reason it didn’t pop up on my feed! I LOVED Little Fires; I stayed up 2 nights in a row reading it to 3 am (and only sleeping 3 hrs) to finish it! It was a 5 star read for me ❤ I hope you and your book club love it!! I answered you about classes on the comment you left on my page, so I won't leave you a huge comment about that here too lol. Everything else is going ok, crazy is a better word!! My hubby broke a tooth over the weekend, so that was fun and of course, it would be on a holiday haha! My fibromyalgia has been flaring up and keeping me in lots of pain, but I'm used to it after almost 2 decades; still, it doesn't make the days any easier and makes everything else I have to do harder. But I will keep pushing on 🙂 I hope you are well!! 🙂
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I’ve only ever read one title by Diane Chamberlain (“Keeper of the light”). Your review has reminded me that I would like to read her again sooner rather than later.
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Thank you ! I want to read Keeper of Light!
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Diane chamberlain is one of my favourite authors and as soon as I get through my pile of books I will be ordering The Stolen Marriage.
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Yay! hoping you love it too!
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