First let me say that I love Diane Chamberlain's books and this was no exception. Tess and Vincent grew up next door to each other and had plans to marry. When Vincent leaves Baltimore to help with a polio epidemic, the weeks stretch to months. Tess and her best friend travel to DC for a weekend and Tess makes a terrible mistake that leads to a pregnancy. From that point, her life takes a turn that she didn't expect. She moves to Hickory, North Carolina with her new husband, a man she doesn't know well. Living in his mother's home is hard for Tess, as she's not accepted by either his family or the town as a whole. When a polio epidemic strikes, the whole town bands together to build a hospital for polio victims. From the prologue that drew me in, to Chamberlain's notes at the end, this was a great story that kept me turning the pages as fast as I could to see how it would all resolve.

Another great novel by Chamberlaine. She always does such a great job with her characters. You can tell she puts thought into every single one and truly has an idea of who they are and why. Even the characters you don't like you end feeling like you understand them.

The plot is engrossing and fans of historical fiction as well as contemporary fiction will be pleased. You can tell she did a lot of research to make sure the storylines involving Polio are solid and truthful to the time. This subplot is really interesting and incredibly well done.

Overall really wonderful book.

It's 1944 and Tess DeMello is all alone and pregnant in a town she knows nothing about and in a life, she doesn't want to be living. She's left behind the comfort and safety of her beloved Baltimore for the small town judgment of Hickory, North Carolina in order to build the best life she can imagine for the illegitimate child she is carrying. Without the man she's loved almost all her life and the career she's always dreamed of, everything she thought she would have has now slipped through her grasp.

In this new release from best-seller Diane Chamberlain, The Stolen Marriage, the heartbreak and pain of World World II is beautifully captured. The character development is deeply detailed and the prose is so engaging, it will take the reader back in time.

This novel is a definite page turner. Chamberlain fans will surely not be disappointed with her truly engaging way of bringing emotion and intensity to the story. It is easy to fall in love and sympathize with Tess, but over time, the reader will feel the pain of the villain and build a connection with him as well. There is a dynamic story line, in true Chamberlain fashion, but this novel touches on the most basic human emotions in a way that is fresh and new to her repertoire.

I really liked this. Received the ARC by invite at Netgalley from the publisher, and I actually put off reading it because I wasn't sure it was my thing. I should have known better. I've read other books by Diane Chamberlain, and I approached those the same way, and ended up really liking them as well.

Tess is a very likeable character - I was rooting for her! I figured Henry had a secret, but I never guessed what it was. In fact I guessed something completely different. The mother and sister are nightmares, and it is a bit predictable in the "small town snooty women hate the main character til she steadfastly proves herself worthy" way.

All in all, a great book. I would class this as a vacation book, a summer book, an airplane read.

I probably have read all of Diane Chamberlain's books, and this one did not disappoint. A very fast paced book, with some twists throughout. I also enjoyed some of the factual history.

3.5 stars. The Stolen Marriage is historical fiction with a mystery/romance element, set in North Carolina during WWII. In Brooklyn, 1944, Tess DeMello is deeply in love with her fiancé Vincent, a doctor working out of town. But Vincent keeps extending his trip and Tess is getting perturbed, so one weekend she and her bestie Gina take an overnight trip to New York City to see the sights.

They go out to dinner with a couple of guys staying at the same place, Tess drinks far too much, and she and one of the guys end up sleeping together (it falls just short of date rape, IMO, but they're both very drunk). When Tess winds up pregnant, she writes a letter to Vincent breaking off their engagement and disappears from his life. She finds the guy, Henry Kraft, in Hickory, North Carolina, to ask him for money to go live somewhere new. Henry, who is from a wealthy family, unexpectedly offers to marry Tess, and she agrees.

Life in Hickory is difficult for Tess: Henry is kind but standoffish, and inexplicably hardly touches her again; they're living with his resentful mother and spoiled, hateful sister; and all the socialites in town hate her for stealing Henry away from the lovely girl who expected to marry him. Plus Tess has completed her schooling and wants to become a registered nurse, but Henry and his mother are appalled at the idea of her working.

When a terrible polio outbreak hits Hickory, it changes life for Tess and everyone in the town. The townspeople come together to set up a hospital within just 54 hours from when it was first publicly proposed. Tess finds several doors unexpectedly opening to her as a result, including that her nursing training may finally be put to use ... but there's a lot more.

Diane Chamberlain did a lot of research for The Stolen Marriage, and the polio outbreak and near-miraculous creation of a polio hospital there are based on actual history. Here's one account with pictures, and here's another more detailed written account. This subplot about the polio epidemic and the polio hospital in Hickory was the most interesting part of the book for me.

The rest is a serviceable though rather soap opera-ish historical fiction novel, with a romance subplot and a mystery. I had a few issues with it: The writing is competent but very straightforward, and the characters are pretty one-dimensional. There's a spiritualism subplot that I never warmed to; while I am of the "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio" camp and I think that spirits of those who've died can and occasionally do visit the living, I'm also strongly of the opinion that anyone who is a practicing spiritualist (i.e., one who contacts the dead for other people, usually for money, though that's not the case here) is almost certainly a fraud. There's also some moral relativism of the end-justifies-the-means type in the later part of the book that didn't sit well with me.

Still, it was an interesting story, and it does do a good job weaving in issues of the time, like the role of women and discrimination against blacks and other minorities (Tess is of Italian descent). I think it will appeal to readers who like light and somewhat romantic historical fiction.

I enjoyed this book. By the description on netgalley, it appeared I was getting a psychological thriller - saving lives while she tries to save her own? Feeling like she's being followed? This book didn't have any hint of thriller to it. There was a mystery to it, that was painfully obvious, but that was it.

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Stacy Dibble's review Aug 24, 2017 · edit
it was amazing

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for my review. I am a huge fan of Diane Chamberlain's novels so I was excited to be able to review The Stolen Marriage. At 23, Tess DeMello has her life mapped out. She is going to marry her fiancé, live close to her family and friends and become a nurse. A string of bad decisions blows up in Tess's face, and she find herself married to someone else, Henry Kraft-the golden boy of Hickory, North Carolina's most influential family. To say there are growing pains in this young marriage, would be a gross understatement. The Krafts think Tess is a gold digger, Henry's ex has turned the town against against her and Henry wants to squash her plans to finish her nursing degree.

When Hickory becomes the site of a polio clinic and Tess decides to go to work as a nurse, the bonds of this fragile marriage are tested in ways only an accomplished writer like Diane Chamberlain can manage. This story had great suspense and many twists. I also thought the storyline about the early treatment of polio was interesting. A terrific read!

I always enjoy Diane Chamberlain's books. But I especially loved this one.
The story had a lot of meat to it.
It was educational and entertaining.
Could not put it down, one those books that will stay with me for a long time.

Another great story from Diane. I have read a few of her novels now and this one was exceptional. I could not put it down and was kept enthralled waiting to find out the next development in the story. Great characters and a well developed story. Thank you for an intriguing read.

I found this to be an engaging story, with a few plot surprises and a satisfying ending.
However, I do think the description of the book here on netgalley is misleading. I didn't find this to be an edge-of-my-seat suspense novel about the mysterious husband so much as an examination of choices and communication and the ways that people care for and protect each other.
Still a good read! But don't go into it thinking that it's the latest in suspense/thrillers .... at least, not in my opinion.

Another descriptive novel, this time taking place in Baltimore MD and North Carolina. Love & devotion to family, religion and love. Weighing heavy on her decision for her future and what should be considered her only option, Tess makes hers. As a reader I love that I am reminded of life in this age. Not just historical facts but social issues. A outstanding read. Only disappointment is that I have now wait for Diane Chamberlain's next work, since I have read them all. 5 extra large stars.

This book has it all - love, betrayal, secrecy and history . It takes place in 1944 when young Tess finds herself pregnant and too ashamed to tell her fiancee that she has cheated on him. She contacts the baby's father to ask for help and is amazed when he asks her to marry him. Very soon after she finds that she has made a terrible mistake even though her new husband is very rich and provides well for her, there is no love between them and Tess longs for her old life and her childhood boyfriend. She lives with Oliver Kraft and his mother and sister in a mansion, which has been in the family for generations, along with their thriving business. Slowly Tess realizes that there is something else going on, a family secret which involves Oliver and a long time worker and friend. Then tragedy hits the family and It seems like the whole small town of Hickory, North Carolina, is despising Tess. She was taking her nursing exams when she discovered she was pregnant and now Oliver does not want her to continue working, but in 1944 an unexpected epidemic hits the nation - polio, and a hospital has to be built to help the huge influx of patients. This is where the story takes a turn and keeps you reading late into the night. I thoroughly recommend this book and thank the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC for my review.

I loved this book - I read a lot, and sometimes while I find the stories enjoyable as I am reading them, they are not exactly memorable for me. I will definitely remember this one, and it is probably one of the best books I have read this year (definitely in the top 5)!

It is set in the 1940's, and the war is a backdrop but definitely not a focus of the story and the characters mention rationing, travel being difficult, etc. Due to a chain of unfortunate events that she is determined to make the best of, Tess breaks off her engagement to her fiance, who is also a close family friend, to marry a virtual stranger and move from the only home she has known to Hickory, NC. She is forced to give up the various pieces of her identity as she tries to fit in with others in her new world - give up her burgeoning nursing career, her religion, and tone down her Italian ethnicity. Tess risks losing herself completely, and the life she has worked toward building for herself.

While I was reading it, I felt like something was "off" - I was not quite sure what was going on with some of the characters, or even why. There are undercurrents within the interactions of the supporting characters that add to the mystery of the story - it had me not wanting to put it down, and I read late into the night!

This is an interesting look into the polio epidemic, which is something I know a bit about, but not much in depth. This is also a glimpse into societal differences (i.e rich vs. poor, race, religion, etc.) and some characters who fight to maintain the status quo, while others take more open-minded approach. Definitely 5 stars in my eyes!

The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain is the story of Teresa “Tess” DeMello and how one night’s mistakes leads her life on a different plan than the one she had planned. The story opens in June 1944 where Tess is married to Henry and his mother, Ruth, his sister, Lucy, and most of the town of Hickory dislike her. Lucy asks her for a favor, suspicious but wanting to connect with her sister-in-law, Tess agrees. It ends in a horrific event where the reader is left wondering their fate as the story rewinds to August 1943. Tess is a nursing student and engaged to Vincent Russo, a childhood sweetheart and doctor. While Vincent is in Chicago helping with a polio epidemic, Tess and her best friend, Gina, take a trip to Washington DC. There Tess meets Henry Kraft, a businessman from Hickory, North Carolina. After dinner with too many drinks, the two have a sex which leads to a pregnancy and a dilemma for Tess. She finds Henry and he suggests marriage. She agrees, leaving everyone behind with a false story for her sudden marriage. Once in Hickory, she is met with hostility and strange events. Once a polio epidemic occurs in Hickory, Tess is able to throw herself into helping the sick while she discovers her husband has terrible secrets. Will she be able to leave her marriage and this town?
The Stolen Marriage is a fast paced story with the backbone of a real life polio epidemic in Hickory, North Carolina and the amazing efforts the community took to help the sick. The story was wonderful with heartache and tears. There was one chapter that had me in tears. I was able to read this book in a few hours as I could not put it down. There were twists and turns, questions that I asked myself as I read. I highly recommend The Stolen Marriage. It is a story of secrets, betrayals, prejudices and the power of forgiveness.

The Stolen Marriage
will be available October 3, 2017
in hardcover and eBook

A Stolen Marriage
By Diane Chamberlain

5 Stars !  A great read, with engaging protagonists.
Set in a 1940's back drop, a spellbinding ride from the beginning to the end.

I received this ARC through Netgalley for a honest review.

Another five star read by Diane Chamberlain. A solid, interesting story with three-dimensional characters. I liked the setting and the fact that the people of Hickory really did build, staff and get a hospital up and running in fifty-four hours. Wow! That's impressive. I really liked Tess and was rooting for her to find happiness after everything she'd been through. Chamberlain has a way of making you feel part of instead of simply reading a book. I loved it!

4.5 stars (rounded to 5 stars)

This is my third Diane Chamberlain novel, and I have to say she writes fiction as well as anyone I’ve read. I could easily get in a rut and read several Chamberlain stories in a row. It’s been about a year since I read my last one; it won’t take nearly that long for me to read my next.

The story is set in the mid 1940s, first in Baltimore, then in the town of Hickory, North Carolina. Tess DeMello had a good thing going. She had a wonderful fiancé, a budding career, a loving mother, her church, and a hometown she loved. Then she made a mistake that would change things forever. Stolen Marriage is a compelling story about regrets, deception, heartache, strength, and redemption. It is also a powerful tale of prejudice, privilege of the rich, forbidden love, fierce loyalty, and the pulling together of a community to save many lives.

Stolen Marriage is written in first person from Tess’s perspective. Ms. Chamberlain does a stellar job in developing Tess and letting us in on the roller coaster ride of her thoughts and emotions. For many reasons Tess is not welcome in Hickory. I admired the way she didn’t wallow in the circumstances of her own making, but forged on, doing everything she could to make the best of a bad situation. The tale is full of intriguing characters. Tess’s new husband, Henry Kraft is a well-respected businessman, but his actions are curious and his motives are not clear. Henry’s mother Ruth and his sister Lucy have their own agendas, and they do not include having Tess as a member of the family. We also are introduced to Reverend Sam and a bit of paranormal imagery. Then there is sweet Hattie and Honor, Zeke and little Jilly amongst an array of other townspeople.

Playing a large part in the story is the hospital for polio victims set up in Hickory in an astounding 54 hours when the emergent need arose. Much of this section is based on fact and is clearly well researched. Learning about the way the epidemic was handled back then was fascinating. It was a nice change to read and learn about a crisis other than the war from that time period.

The plot turns in the story were well done. I thought I had things figured out on several occasions, but the twists kept coming. The ending was very satisfying, and I appreciated the epilogue, which takes place ten years later.

I found Stolen Marriage to be very inspiring. This gets a lot of points in my book. The only thing keeping it from a full 5 stars is that I wish Vincent had been more fleshed out. I didn’t feel I knew enough about him and his history with Tess to fully feel their relationship.

Overall, Stolen Marriage was a captivating read. Kudos to Ms. Chamberlain for being able to write such a quality book so far into her career (and without a co-author, lol). This novel is highly recommended for everyone. I look forward to reading many more of Ms. Chamberlain’s novels.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press for inviting me to read an ARC through Net Galley. Opinions expressed are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was such a complex story. I was blown away by the issues the author wrote about. All of them extremely controversial for the 1940s and she brilliantly told each one in a heartfelt way. We start with Tess. Engaged to her childhood sweetheart and ready to become a nurse. Then she ends up making a drunken mistake and ended up pregnant by a man she just met. He comes up with the idea they need to get married. She agreed, but had no idea he was hiding a secret. Each chapter made me more curious about these characters. Very well done.

That night with Henry Kraft was all I could think about, and each time it filled my mind, I felt the same nausea I’d fought all that morning.

The Stolen Marriage begins with a tragedy, and takes us back to the start- a change of direction in young Italian Tess DeMello’s love life. Sworn to marry her beloved childhood sweetheart, Vincent Russo, there is nothing she wants more. Close and destined for each other their entire lives, both are deeply connected to each other’s families. Studying to be a nurse, Vincent a doctor- the dream is to share a future together in medicine. When Vincent leaves Tess, promising only to be gone for a short time, doubt enters her mind. Could he be seeing someone else? Just how long should a woman wait and keep her faith? With doubts creeping in, when her friend Gina talks her into a weekend away in Washington, her wild friend encourages her into letting loose, and it will change the future she and Vincent had intricately planned.

Shamed into a marriage of necessity, she becomes Henry Kraft’s wife. A wealthy, successful prominent ‘catch’ to the people in his community, his own family had plans of their own for their noble son. Tess is a life-crasher of sorts, and Henry is full of his own secrets, the night they shared is now eclipsed by his cold withdrawal. He promises rto take care of her, she’ll want for nothing, one day they’ll have their own home, so just be respectful of ‘mother’ and accept he has a busy life. He seems to be a good man, if disinterested in her. Occupied with his furniture business, leaving Tess alone night after night, shunned by her sister-in-law, the society ladies and her Henry’s mother- she knows she will need more to fill her life. But Henry is controlling, no wife of his will ever work, though Tess still burns to see part of her life dream fulfilled, that of nurse.

With her humble origins, and her Italian blood the community finds her ethnicity vile, that their southern son would chose such a creature boils the blood of many, and the women won’t let her forget that she will never fit in. She is nothing but a usurper! A marriage thief! She feels much more comfortable with ‘the help’. Everyone knows you don’t mingle with the help! Tess feels an affinity for the maid, and this is 1944 when the race divide was wide. This is not how either Henry nor Tess’s lives were meant to unfold. Both need each other, her reasons are open, impossible to hide but Henry would risk too much in revealing his reasoning. It’s vital Tess remains in the dark. Is he as self-sacrificing as he seems? Or does Tess serve a purpose she has yet to learn?

When a polio epidemic reaches the people of Hickory, North Carolina- Henry can’t deny Tess’s skills to those in desperate need. But the past will rear it’s ugly head, in suffering and loss- the truth will out. Love can’t be denied, and sometimes you have to burn the bridges of your present, watch your life turn to ash before you can meet your destiny.

The beauty of this novel is the emotional mess Tess makes, how one misstep can change your entire life. As she struggles to make the best of her unwanted situation, she finds herself torn- attacked from all sides (community, her new family) and with Henry turning away from her, she must search herself to discover her strength and decide on the life she wants. She carries with her the regret of having betrayed her first love, and his family. Nothing happens as you expect. I spent a lot of time wondering what Henry was caught up in, why he was so closed off. The accident in the beginning was a shock, and the story that followed was heart-breaking. People hurt others sometimes to get what they want in life, some could say necessary evil, others may not be so forgiving. These characters are true to life, faced with complicated choices, messy and burdened by expectations. This is a lesson in what happens when you manipulate your loved ones, rather than just letting nature take it’s course. Love where and who you will, in a perfect world it wouldn’t be so dangerous. Expectations can beat the life out of our children, can destroy their chances at happiness.

The only certainty in any life is that you will get where you’re going, but there will be many forks in the road, many diversions. Life isn’t usually as you imagined it would be and you may ask yourself ‘how did I get to this place’. It’s the beauty and horror for us all, the what ifs, the lack of guarantees, the unknown. I found this novel engaging, terribly sad, hopeful and unique. A love story and yet an un-love story too. You have to read it to understand.

Publication Date: October 3, 2017

St. Martin's Press