The Stolen Marriage By: Diane Chamberlain

Book Description....

"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?"

Title: The Stolen Marriage
Author:  Diane Chamberlain
Publisher:  Martin's Press
Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean
Rating:  Four
Review:

"The Stolen Marriage" by Diane Chamberlain

My Thoughts....

Indeed this was quite a interesting gripping historical romance story that this author gives the reader.  We find Tess DeMello from Baltimore, Maryland around 1943 was once engaged to Vincent Russo [M.D.] but breaks off that engagement and marries a complete stranger named Henry Kraft who was from Hickory, North Carolina. Now, why did she choose a loveless marriage?  Whose marriage was stolen?  I liked how this author was able to weave the polio epidemic which was first being treated around that time into this story even making it even more interesting to read and in doing so bringing Tess's former fiance back into the picture.  This was quite a compelling historical fiction that you will have to pick up and see for yourself how well this author brings it all out to the reader.  Will this medical doctor and registered nurse be able to get back together again?  The story offers 'love, loss, race, marriage, secrets,  tragedy and redemption.'  This author does a wonderful job with the main character Tess giving the reader a roller coaster ride full with her emotions and thoughts along with her husband, Henry who was a well respected businessman but very secretive. I don't want to leave out Henry's mother Ruth and his sister Lucy who both had their own agendas in this well told story.  The story even had a little paranormal [conversing with the dead] with the Reverend Sam along with some other host of characters...Hattie, Honor, Adora, Zeke and Jilly and a host of other people in the town. Be ready for some twist and turns that you may not see coming along with a epilogue of ten years later. I was still left with a few questions however it was a enjoyable read, for  it was also a long captivating read that you will have to stay on top of it because there will be so much going on. to see if there will be a HEA.