It's 1944 and Tess DeMello has her life planned. She is engaged to marry her first and only love when her doctor fiancé volunteers to go to Chicago to help out during an infantile paralysis epidemic. Tess has a one-night stand when Vincent extends his stay in Chicago and she soon realizes she is pregnant. Filled with shame and having nowhere to turn, she agrees to a loveless marriage to the stranger who is the father of her child. When Tess travels from Baltimore, Marland to Hickory, North Carolina, she discovers that her new husband has even more secrets than she does and isn't the man he seems to be. Tess is bored in her new role as a wife and has a difficult time adapting to her mother-in-law's expectations. She yearns to be reunited with her family and to confess all to Vincent. Would he have forgiven her? Will Henry grow to love her and his mother and sister accept her? http://pennyformythoughts-nona.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-stolen-marriage.html

Diane Chamberlain’s books are always something to anticipate and The Stolen Marriage is no different. I read books like this and sometimes I am amazed at how much our country has changed in less than 75 years, but also, how much it hasn’t. We still have racial tension, we still judge others for their decisions or their looks, and we most definitely still have questionable laws. Chamberlain’s latest digs into these issues in a wonderful story of strength and determination and what someone, or anyone, would do for love. Why does Tess leave her fiancé, a man she has loved all her life, to marry another in Hickory, a small southern town in North Carolina? And what exactly has she gotten herself into? A seemingly loveless marriage, with horrible in-laws to boot. Through all of this disappointment, a wonderful story emerges of resiliency and how far one will go for the ones they love. The Stolen Marriage is definitely a Must Read for your TBR.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was such a great story. I read it all the way through because I couldn't stop reading it. It's set in small town North Carolina during the 1940s. It has it all: joy, sorrow, betrayal, disappointment, and satisfaction, Splendid read.

Readers will be sucked in immediately by this story, which sort of begins in the middle.
Set for the most part in the North Carolina town of Hickory during the World War II years, as Lucy tries to make sense of her new husband and in-laws. Then we go back a few months to learn just how Lucy, who is from the Baltimore area, ends up married to Henry and living in Hickory.
This was a time that, especially in the South, that morals were strict and races didn't mix. And it was a time that polio was a real threat. Using a real story as a back drop, Chamberlain makes us love (and hate) her characters.
You just can't go wrong with a book with her name on the cover.

I enjoyed reading This book. Even though it is classified as fiction, you can't tell all the research that went into writing it. The research on the town and how it became known for its polio hospital is factual. The lives of the black people ad opposed to the white people is also true. There was segregation and it was against the law to be in a mixed marriage.
The characters portrayed in the story are realistic. You are able to feel what they are going through and feel empathy for them. I would definitely recommend this book.
5 Stars!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!! I loved the story, especially the historical parts of it, and enjoyed the little unexpected twists that it took. It is definitely a 5 star book for me, however, I will say that I did NOT like the way the prologue was written - all the author did was take a scene that occurs later in the book and present it first. It seemed too much of an attempt to "hook" the reader, but the regular story would have done that anyway. The prologue was unnecessary. That being said, I loved the epilogue and its way of giving the reader a little information on how things turned out. All in all, this was another good book by Diane Chamberlain!

I was unable to read much further past the rape scene that gets the girl pregnant. Yes, it is rape. When a woman is stumbling drunk, a man enters her room and kisses her and is told not to, and then forces himself onto her, it is RAPE. Being a 'best-selling' author is absolutely no excuse to write a book that perpetuates the myth that a woman asked for it. Quote from the book "I was...intoxicated," I said. "But he didn't force me." I wished I could blame Henry Kraft for what had happened. I only blamed myself." WOW, just wow. I would strongly suggest that this author read Jon Krakauer's book "Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town" - it would give some added perspective on what constitutes rape. Yes, I realize this book is set in the 1940’s and it is historical fiction, but the manner in which it is written is offensive to any woman who understands the definition of rape. I only got to 13% done as I refused to read on, though to be frank, the story was quite intriguing. Arguably, we are supposed to start getting the idea that this guy is rotten to the core - I get that. However, let’s have the main character understand that what happened was rape, was not her fault, and then the author’s story could still play out. It could have been done; it’s offensive that it is written this way. Please do let me know if the ending finally deals with the idea of rape and I will take back my review.

The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain will rank among my favorite titles from this talented author. A must read for fans of historical fiction, diversity, and American history. Chamberlain bring's Tess's story to life while shedding light on the south, the polio epidemic, and racism. Brilliant! A full review will appear on my blog October 3rd.

This book drew me in right away as it opens with an event that happens in the middle of the story and then takes you back to the beginning to explain how the characters got there. I just loved Tess, the main character. She is kind & capable, and you are rooting for her, even as she makes mistakes, big mistakes. The one fault I had with this story is the handling of the incident that led to her marriage. It felt like she was taken advantage of and then took the blame. On the other hand, social opinions have changed a lot and the author could certainly have been representing the event from the perspective of the times, the 1940s.
The book is set in the U.S., mostly North Carolina, during World War II, but is not really a "war story." The time contributes to a lot of the setting and events; rationing, men away at war, & women working, but it doesn't really focus on the events in the war. An interesting event the book does highlight is the polio outbreaks around that time. The author really did some great research on the period and the disease and it was super interesting. In the story, the outbreak serves to let us really see what Tess is made of and to allow some of the characters to move past the social constraints of the time.
Set mostly in the south, this story wouldn't be true to the times if it didn't examine race relations and racial tension to some degree. Early in the story a husband and wife, who we only hear about but never meet, lose their case in court and their interracial marriage, performed in a state where it is legal, is declared illegal in North Carolina and the couple face fines and jail time if they don't immediately leave the state for a more tolerant one. It reminded me of the Loving family case, years later, and gave me a sense of foreshadowing as the story unfolded. Overall a great story that kept me engaged all the way through (and gave me the ending that I wanted).

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. Thank you to Netgalley, to the author and to the publisher. Diane Chamberlain is one of my favorite authors, and this book did not disappoint me. A lot of controversial topics were touched on during this book, many of which were much more controversial during the second World war (time period of the book).
I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to friends...would probably consider it a 4.5 out of 5

Simply Amazing! A book totally deserving of the bestseller list and I really hope that it makes it there. At the forefront of our story is Italian-American Tess DeMello, living in Baltimore, a nursing student, Tess is engaged to her childhood friend, Vincent, a doctor that hopes to work in pediatrics and find a way to alleviate the polio epidemic. Vincent is sent to Chicago to continue his work and while away, Tess and her best friend take a trip to Washington D.C. It is there Tess meets Henry Kraft, a furniture factory owner from North Carolina. The two spend a drunken night together and agree that it was a mistake. Catholic raised Tess is horrified and deeply ashamed at how she has behaved but says nothing to her friend, her mother, or her fiancée. Of course, Tess soons realizes that she is pregnant and not wishing to hurt Vincent any further breaks the engagement and decides to leave Baltimore. Although she heads to North Carolina only to let Henry Kraft know that he has a child, Tess is shocked when he proposes marriage, but realizes that her options are limited and accepts. However, the local townspeople are less than thrilled of Tess' appearance and label her as a gold digging slut. Henry's mother and sister wholeheartedly agree. But when the polio epidemic begins to affect the townspeople's children, all citizens; both black and white will need to band together.

Chamberlain weaves the true tale of the Miracle at Hickory, with a heart wrenching tale of love, family, secrets,and segregation. After reading I found myself searching the internet to read further on how a polio hospital was built in the June of 44 in 54 hours! Imagine! The Stolen Marriage is very much a character driven novel and it always amazes me how DC always manages to invoke so much emotion in her readers. I truly felt how alone Tess was, the inner turmoil that rages in Henry, and even his downright horrible nasty mother, Ruth. Admittedly, I only had a little empathy for Ruth because she makes a delightful villian!

A book not to be missed!

This book was really hard to put down. Imagine making a mistake that changes your life completely. That is what happens in this book. Tess is on her dream path. She's about to become a nurse and marry her childhood sweetheart and then everything becomes totally derailed and she ends up married to a stranger and living in a small town where everyone sees her as an interloper and gold digger. She nearly dies in the prologue, so I guess we know that she will ultimately persevere. I really liked this book and I am grateful to the friend that turned me onto this author. This definitely gets my recommendation.

Nurse Tess DeMello is engaged to her childhood sweetheart and she cannot wait to marry him. He is the love of her life, the date for the wedding is set and she is eagerly waiting for him to return home from his work as a doctor, working voluntarily away from his home in Baltimore to help out with the raging polio epidemic up north. A night out with a friend changes her life forever and she travels south to Hickory to marry Henry Craft, her new love interest. Living with his family in their sumptuous home until their new house is built and furnished; Tess couldn’t have a more different lifestyle. She is not allowed to work, his family hate her and she is suddenly living a high society life with maids to attend to her. Her new husband is kind to her in company but is cold and distant when they are alone. She cannot fathom out what has gone wrong with her life. She is unhappy, homesick and bored. This is not the dream she had for herself. She desperately wants to get a job in nursing but the subject is taboo with her new family. It just isn’t possible. It isn’t fitting and it just won’t do.
Then that summer polio strikes her local area. A hospital is erected in less than three days and literally everybody is called on to pull together and help to get the hospital set up before patients arrive from all over the local area. The townsfolk pull together like at no other time. Donations are collected, the women set to and prepare food for the patients and there is a call for nurses to work at the hospital. At last Tess can follow her vocation and she is absolutely delighted although she knows her family are dead against it. She works tirelessly, gradually feeling more accepted and respected by the locals who had once scorned her. But Henry’s behaviour is becoming stranger and even more unpredictable. Tess knows he is keeping secrets from her. She senses danger and asks Henry to explain himself. When the truth is exposed, Tess once again comes to the rescue. Her loving and forgiving heart is filled with empathy and compassion.
‘The Stolen Marriage’ is set mainly in South Carolina towards the end of WW1. It has been meticulously researched because the story is based on true historical fact, with the characters based on the vivid imagination of the wonderful storyteller, Diane Chamberlain. I am a huge fan of hers and have read practically every novel she has written from the very beginning of her career. The hospital in Hickory was built in under three days and the facts about the raging polio epidemic is also based of true life, as is the attitude towards people of colour in the early 1940’s and 50’s. At that time the Iron Lung was used to help patients recover from Polio, if they were able to fight off the terrible disease. The vaccine was being introduced only eight years after the main story, during the time frame of the last few chapters of the novel. I love reading fact-driven fiction because, as well as the enjoyment from the fictional aspects of the book (the characters and other social events), I also learn about the past. Living in the UK as I do, I know relatively little about American history, especially social history. This story melted my heart. I loved Tess who was brave, kind and took responsibility for her actions. She was a true heroine and was easy to admire and come to care about. I loved the way the story was so satisfyingly rounded off at the end as well. I will definitely think about this novel way into the future.
I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher Macmillan, who ‘granted my wish’ to read this novel. In return I agreed to write an honest review and publicise the book before publication day. It’s a very well deserved 9/10 from me and also a highly recommended choice for you to read. I loved it.

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 still an interesting and enjoyable book.

In 1940′s Baltimore, neighbors Tess and Vincent are engaged -- and madly in love. The childhood sweethearts are counting down the days until their upcoming wedding, and their life is on track to be perfect. Vincent has just finished medical school and has decided to travel to Chicago to help with the polio epidemic before returning home to take a permanent position.

When Vincent’s temporary position in Chicago gets extended yet again, Tess’ best friend, Gina, convinces her to come along to Washington, DC for a weekend of fun. At their boarding house, they meet two charming men and engage in an evening of harmless flirting. Harmless, that is, until an inebriated Tess is helped to bed by the mysterious Henry Kraft. One thing leads to another, and Tess soon finds herself pregnant. Unsure how to tell the love of her life, Tess disappears to Hickory, North Carolina for a new life.

Let’s get one thing straight: Tess and Henry did not have sex. They did not “make love.” Henry raped her. Tess was absolutely out of her mind drunk, a state that, coincidentally, Henry is at least partially responsible for. Tess was in no state of mind to consent. She was also in no state of mind to say no. The absence of a “no” does not constitute a “yes.”

A brief list of things that do not disguise the fact that this was rape:

• Tess not wanting to use that word.
• Tess thinking it’s her fault.
• The fact that Tess got pregnant.
• Henry never wanting to touch Tess again.
• Tess and Henry getting married.
• My knowledge that nobody would have called this rape in the 1940s.

So, from the get-go, I had some problems with the premise of the book. Obviously, this wasn’t going to be a loving marriage. That much is clear not only from the way in which Tess finds herself pregnant but also from the vague warnings that Tess gets from Henry’s family the moment that she shows up.

From the beginning, it’s clear that Henry’s family absolutely despises Tess. This is understandable. She showed up out of nowhere, claiming that this filthy rich man fathered her baby. Henry’s just like, “Hey, let’s get married!” and the family has no idea what’s happening. They see Tess as an outsider. A gold digger. A tramp. I get it.

I also get, somewhat, at least, why Tess put up with it. She really has very little support in her daily life aside from Vincent and his family. Feeling like she couldn’t discuss her “indiscretion” with the family that the betrayed, she runs away. But couldn’t she have just taken money from Henry and left? When a guy you barely know proposes marriage, you don’t have to agree. And when his sister’s all like, “Um, you don’t know anything about Henry. He’s got so many secrets,” maybe you should re-evaluate your life choices.

I don’t fault Tess for getting pregnant. (As I said, in my mind at least, this was obviously rape.) I don’t fault her for freaking out and leaving town. But if she and Vincent were as close as she described and Vincent was as caring and loving and perfect as she described, could she not have told him what happened? Even if she was uncomfortable calling it rape, couldn’t she have said, “I had quite a lot to drink and next thing I knew I was having sex. I love you so much. I never meant to hurt you.”

I feel like I can’t get too much more into the plot without revealing some major plot twists, so I’m going to end my review here. I will say, though, that the pacing of the book felt a little off. The first half dragged for me (it took me five days to get through it) while I flew through the second half in a couple hours. The second half of the book made up for the first half, but it’s a shame that it takes so long to get to the good part.

<b>I received a free ARC of <i>The Stolen Marriage</i> from the publisher (via Netgalley) in exchange for my honest opinion.</b>

Loved it! I was totally absorbed in this story throughout the book. Most of the story was set in Hickory, North Carolina in the early 1940's while many men were fighting in World War II, polio was rampant, and racial tensions ran high. It was really interesting to me, as I live in North Carolina, to read about the polio epidemic and the role Hickory played in fighting it. I had been unaware. Henry Kraft, one of the main charactes, owns a furniture factory, and Hickory is still famous for its furniture.

Tess, through a series of circumstances, becomes trapped in a loveless marriage. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law detest her and her husband doesn't love her. There is no physical relationship in the marriage and Tess is stuck. The characters in the story are memorable: Tess, with her strength and determination; Hank Kraft, with his secrets; Mrs. Kraft, with her snobbishness and moralistic self-righteousness; Reverend Sam, with his ability to converse with the dead.

Many thanks to Diane Chamberlain and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Chamberlain is one of those authors who makes you feel like she really put in the effort on research in order to provide an in-depth experience. In this book she takes you back to the 1940s as the modern world melts away to reveal a time without cell phones or internet; yes that really existed once.

I’ve read quite a few of her books and have always enjoyed her finely detailed style which she kept going on this easy paced novel. I recommend you give yourself a good chunk of undisturbed time so you can truly sink into the world she has re-created.

Tess and Vincent are wonderful characters richly developed and their love story is the kind every little girl hopes to find. If only it had ended there. The next bit of the story was incredibly difficult to process as a woman simply because of how things were handled back then, the choices or lack thereof available to women from medical to legal to employment and everything in between. I was reminded all over again how grateful I am to live in the 21st century.

She provides a reminder how one night, one choice can completely change the course of your life and you should probably choose better friends, lol.

At first I truly did not like Henry, something about him came off cold and borderline abusive the way he was trying to order Tess around but later when you found out the true measure of his character? Chamberlain sure knows how to write complex characters.

Even her minor characters feel like a rich part of the story which later on makes even more sense when you understand where she’s been slowly taking you through this snapshot of history.

I adore her work and how she takes complicated social issues and makes them feel real.

Another amazing read from Diane chamberlain the description and attention to detail is second to none. I fell in love with tess. One mistake having such a dramatic impact on her life. I was willing it all to come right for her in the end. It was an era where there was stigmas against certain marriages. It was also interesting to hear about the polio hospitals and how a town can come together to fight for a common goal. Loved it

Diane Chamberlain's books always find a way to draw you into the lives and challenges of her characters. This book was no exception. Taking place in the mid '40s Tess' life has a different feel from what it would be like today. She finds herself in the midst of a scandal, when she leaves her fiancé, and marries a man that is basically a stranger to her. Moving away from the place that she loves, she finds it difficult to immerse herself into her new life and home. Her new family is not always welcoming and a series of tragic events leave her to find out what she is really made of.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone that likes historical fiction, women's fiction or drama books.

I Loved It!

Oh Tess...is such a great heroine, I will never forget her, she had such difficult decisions to make from one mistake in her young life, she has made a memory in my mind and I thank her creator Diane Chamberlain for that! And her best friend Gina was zero help to her bit at least an ear when she needed I guess, some friends can talk another friend into such lifetime mistakes! Tess's own mother, I was like What?!?! But in this time and a single mom herself but still she was so very bad to her daughter that, well she got exactly what she deserved if ya ask me, when she treats Tess the way she does at a certain time! What a good lesson to always think of how you treat your children!

Henry oh lord what do I say about Henry, well ya gotta learn a lot about Henry to form a correct "Feeling" because he and his family are a Mess...but I didnt think much of Henry for a very very LONG time and his sister Lucy and his mom Ruth.. well they are awful people especially to Tess, they felt above their own status of so many people but truly they were all captured in a time of such racial tension that it was the only way they knew to be, was that way.....to carry the racial insecurities they did. This story made me feel the hate of today even back then and then add our drug and alcohol addiction, we still have so many things to make right, we still make people feel so very badly and that then turns to Hate and that's a terrible thing!

I loved learning that this is set to the time of The Polio Epidemic, that info and the town of Hickory NC and what they did for so many people was amazingly beautiful! Some of these scenes of that sickness just touched my heart as my very own grandson has had to battle a new immune situation over the last year and what our family has been through just flooded me with emotions and for these people, well it all just brought me to tears....several times and to know that they just couldn't figure out the cause and then had the war going on all at the same time was like wow what History! I was really amazed at the history knowledge that this writer knew and finding all the different treatments, going through records and records to find the history I was amazed by Diane Chamberlain's ability to do all of that and still come through it all with such a hard to tell story!

Needless to say it has many many feels and it doesn't lack in the mystery department, when you are trying to figure it all out...you might think you have it then you think nah that's not it, its this and you trick your own mind over and over again trying to put two and two together, good luck because what all the hoopla ends up being...blew me away! I Loved it, I loved that I was shocked but I hated it for Tess, that in this stolen life of misery was she going to EVER get what she should get out of this life, her life that she gave to others so freely! People tend to forget to look for just the good in people sometimes and that's truly all it takes it being good and trust! Enjoy this book because I sure did. I am not telling you anything other than Read it, enjoy the history and the Great storytelling in a time of life that had to be so very hard to live in, then I wonder why we have not grown so much more...that Hate in our Life, should be obliterated forever! I thank Diane Chamberlain, St Martins Press and NetGalley for the chance to get this ebook in Advance for my honest review, because it is my pleasure to give it 5 Flaming Stars.....Read People, Read THIS and remember how hard life can be, how hard we can make life be!

AND I have one thing to say about Vincent....I hope everyone finds a Vincent in Life, I cried ugly tears for you and Tess, Vincent! <3