I’ve always liked reading historical fiction and this one is not an exception. This was such a beautiful book that mirrors history. You could totally see that the author thoroughly researched the topics she’s talking about (Golden Gate Bridge and the misogyny to female doctors back then). The character development on this one is on point! The ending was not my favorite though - it felt rushed somehow.

ps: i adore reading the author’s note ‘cause i saw a glimpse of how she wrote the book.

I gave this a real go and even after I finished it I didn't seem to care. It was like it had had no effect on me at all.

Willa is the only daughter in a very Catholic household. Her four brothers come and go as they please, and help out in the bar their father owns. But eighteen year old Willa is heading to the convent to be a nun and her parents are very protective of her. Unfortunately, Willa doesn't really want to join the convent, she wants to be a doctor. When her brother cuts his hand and she takes him to the local doctor, who happens to be a woman, the pieces start to fall into place for Willa to make her seemingly impossible dream a reality.

I enjoyed reading this book very much. It was interesting and well written and thought out. The characters were engaging and the descriptions of the Golden Gate Bridge under construction were especially fascinating.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author Amy Trueblood, and the publisher North Star Editions for the opportunity to read and enjoy this book. This is my honest opinion and I strongly recommend this novel.

Hmm. I feel very conflicted about this novel. On the one hand, I enjoyed the writing and worldbuilding. On the other, the characters felt flat compared to other historical fiction I've read, and I wish the plot was more structured and less meandering. I'd recommend this to anyone with an interest in this period of history, but I wouldn't consider it a "must-read" work.

*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

This is my second Amy Trueblood book, and I was definitely not disappointed. I've really enjoyed her work and look forward to anything else she writes in the future. I really appreciate the research that goes into her writing, for one thing. She manages to weave the story and the history together seamlessly. Her characters are well developed and distinct. She allows them to grow and develop quite naturally.

Right from the start, I liked Willa (18). A constant battle waged within her between the desire to be a dutiful daughter and the desire to control her own life. She was smart and headstrong with a thirst for knowledge and a propensity to help others. I adored Sam (20). He was such a hard worker in his own right, and he took on a lot of responsibility to look after others, like Benny, Simon, and Maeve. I loved how he not only wasn't intimidated by Willa's intelligence, but he encouraged her more than almost anyone else. I really liked them together.

Willa's brothers were especially fun to watch as they changed from overbearing protectors, there to ensure that Willa fulfills her destiny to be come a nun, to some of her biggest supporters. I had a more difficult time with her parents, mostly her mother, because of the pressure they exerted on Willa to enter the convent. But I have to view her with compassion in light of the things she went through. Much of the conflict within the MacCarthy family was rooted in an accident that had happened six years before the story started. There was a lot of grief and guilt. Trueblood successfully made it a believable part of the story and influence in their lives.

Dr. Katherine Winston was exactly the inspiration and mentor Willa needed. She was very similar to Willa in her stubbornness, work ethic, and intelligence. She supported, challenged, encouraged, and taught. One of my favorite characters in the book.

Note: A little bit of mild swearing. Medical trauma.

It's hard to imagine having to give up your dreams for the future because of a promise you made as a teenager. This is exactly what has happened to Willa MacCarthy. After a tragic accident affected her family, Willa promised herself that she would become a nun in order to bring happiness to her parents. However, what she really wants to be is a doctor. After reading medical books for years and keeping her real passion in hiding, circumstances cause her to cross paths with Dr. Katherine Winston. Before she knows it, Willa finds herself telling lies to her family members so she can secretly assist Dr. Winston at her San Francisco clinic and at the field hospital next to the fledgling Golden Gate Bridge that is being constructed. Along the way, Willa must decide if she should continue to pursue her true life's calling or sacrifice everything to placate her family's desires.

I loved the setting of this book since it made me think of another book that I had read set during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Any book that features strong willed and independent women is another plus for me too. It's always a pleasure to see how women in the past fought against gender stereotypes and pursued careers that were traditionally held by men. On the flip side, I was also amazed by the sacrifice of the nuns. They really had to give up everything! I know I couldn't do it. I wish there could have been another way to end the book, but I can see why the author ended it the way she did. I am looking forward to future books written by this author. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Across a Broken Shore.

This book was great. I truly loved the female lead character and the storyline where she forges her own path despite expectations set upon her. I had no expectations for this book, I requested it based on the description and it delivered. The storyline is beautiful and heartwarming and the writing will prompt me to read other books written by this author. If you want a good story with a strong female lead who doesn’t bend to society, this is it!

This was a lovely book that shows what determination and courage is about. Willa MacCarthy had her future laid out by her Irish Catholic family and certainly becoming a doctor was not in their p[ans. It is 1936 in San Francisco when women in medicine were relatively an unknown thing. Willa's parents desire was for their daughter to enter the convent something this poor girl did not desire.

After meeting and working for a female doctor, Willa is even more convinced where her future should lie. Pushed by her family and her brothers, Willa is forced into a place where she find out whether she can become independent while still maintaining the love and closeness of family.

This was a well done YA book and well worth the read.
Thank you to Amy Trueblood, and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

I absolutely loved this book. For some reason, I tend to forget how much I love historical fiction. Something about it always draws me in and broadens my thoughts. I am a huge fan of it and am always in awe of the time period I am reading about. This one did not disappoint at all. I definitely hold this book up there with Ruta Sepetys’ books. I couldn’t put this baby down. Amy Trueblood did an amazing job describing the 1930’s. I felt like I was there. And I loved all of the characters in this book.

We follow Willa, who is the youngest daughter of 5 and the only girl. Her family is Irish-Catholic and is so proud of Willa because she is destined to become a nun. During this time it was an honor to have one of your daughters go to the convent. The only problem is, that Willa doesn’t really want this for her life. She is doing it because she feels that it is her duty to her family, but it is not her true passion and she doesn’t have the heart to tell them that. Her true passion is medicine. But during this time a woman was looked down upon for studying medicine and becoming a doctor. Because of her closest brother, they happen to meet the new doctor of the town, who happens to be a woman. After much convincing and lying, Willa decides to assist this doctor until it is time for her to go to the convent. This is such an amazing story about what women had to go through during this time and how they overcame it. During all this, we also get to see the San Francisco bridge being built. I learned so much about it and it fascinated me. After reading I wanted to go to San Fransico just to talk over the Golden Gate Bridge.

This story will always stick with me and so will these characters. I was so sad when it was over. If you love historical fiction then I know you will love this book!!!

Fun fact. I decided to go back to college to get my degree and work with a publishing company. Anyways, in my history class this term, my essay topic will be on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Willa has had her life planned out for her: to join the church and become a nun. Then a chance encounter with a woman doctor gives her the opportunity of a lifetime, to change her dismal, unwanted future in pursuit of medicine. But 1930s in San Francisco is not a world that will deal kindly with her dreams--especially where her strict Catholic family is involved.

Every day, she faces a decision of how far she is willing to take her deceit in order to pursue her dreams. The building of the Golden Gate Bridge brings opportunity for many struggling to find work. But it can be dangerous too. Given the chance to learn on the field, Willa meets Sam. But being drawn to him just means another complication--another lie--in her already complicated life.

Overall, I enjoyed this book well enough. I loved the setting and the history. However, I was a little disappointed in Willa--mainly because of her lying and her excuses for how it was all right that she was lying; even her friends encouraged her to continue with the lies because she was doing good in the world by working in medicine. Also, how religion and faith were treated as a burden. The glorification of a doctor whose "only faith was medicine" bothered me, as well as one character's flippant remark "I don't care about religion." Willa's relationships were built upon a very sandy foundation, and I don't feel she truly conquered any of her struggles.

Other notes: There is some mild language and some graphic/blood situations including injuries, pregnancies, and abortion.

I was given a review copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

1930’s San Francisco is alive and booming in ACROSS A BROKEN SHORE! This is such an encouraging read for young girls who dream big. They can follow Willa’s story as she breaks through gender barriers to become a female doctor in an era when men dominated the field. The plot is beautifully woven and if you close your eyes you can picture the Golden Gate Bridge and the characters of this story working to create a whole new world.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book so much! I got a little frustrating with the main character at times, but hey, it happens. I enjoyed all of the San Francisco history with the Golden Gate Bridge as well. I would definitely recommend this book!

Across a Broken Shore is a beautiful coming of age story set against a 1930s San Francisco backdrop.

Willa McCarthy is the youngest of five siblings in a devout Irish Catholic family. In secret, she scours medical textbooks and dreams of practicing medicine during a time when the notion of female doctors is essentially inconceivable. In reality, she is destined to join the convent to become a nun in less than six months, which was a promise that she made to her parents a long time ago. Only her best friend Cara knows how Willa really feels about joining the convent.

One evening, an accident at the pub leads to one of her brothers requiring medical treatment. Willa takes her brother to the nearest physician who happens to be a female. Immediately, Dr. Katherine Winston recognizes Willa’s talent for medicine and takes Willa under her wing. Willa feels like she finally has purpose in her life, but she is torn with the following choices: make her family happy or follow her own dreams.

This was a beautifully written story that heavily focused on familial relationships. Additionally, it was amazing to watch both Willa and Dr. Winston stand by their principles during a time where women were not taken seriously in medicine or science. Overall, a great read.

Plunge the heights and the depths.
This is set at the time when the Golden Gate bridge was being built, and in the depression. Willa is an Irish Catholic girl. Something I know a little bit about. Most of us girls in parochial school loved the nuns who were our teachers, and we even thought of becoming one. Willa had made a promise to enter the convent, but she found her real calling when her brother cut his fingers off and she took him to a doctor - a woman doctor. Years back she had found a medical book and secretly memorized it. So in helping the doctor with her brothers hand, the doctor began to see the promise and skill in Willa. She returned and worked with the him in secret, all while the deadline for her to go the the Convent loomed. In this time she also met Sam, another changing influence on her life. Told with passion for her calling, deep pain in events in her life and glimpses of happiness from doing what God created her to do. Very real all the way through. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen. Excellent read. Great cover!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
#NetGalley #AcrossABrokenShore

It's rare that a Historical Fiction book hits my radar and intrigues me and it's even rarer that it lands a good rating. But, I've just conceded that Trueblood is my go to author for the genre and that's that. I loved that we had a main character into sciences and medicine and we got to see the struggles for women in that time occupying those jobs. I love that this book was focused on Willa and her internal struggle. There's not action, it's very character driven and at this time, this was something I was really looking for.

“Thank you for recognizing all the beauty and intelligence in my child I was too broken to see. While I can never properly show you my gratitude, I hope you know that I will be eternally indebted to you for helping my daughter find her voice.”

Characters:

Willa- I’ve noticed that I tend to dislike characters who are people pleasers allow themselves to be bullied and pushed into things by their families. This is probably because I am a people pleaser at heart and I hate seeing that trait in others. So that alone made it hard for me to like Willa. She was a well written, strong female character. But, I let me own personal feelings cloud my opinion her a little.

Plot:

I did enjoy the historical setting of this book. I read a lot of historical fiction that tends to be set in Europe or New York City, so this was a good change of pace. Honestly, what I enjoyed more than anything in the book was the look at San Francisco and the building of the Golden Gate Bridge.

I enjoyed the medical and scientific aspects of the book and liked that. Willa had to be taught how to do things, her capabilities were realistic, she didn’t just suddenly know how to set a broken bone or stitch someone up.

Although it was heart wrenching, I do think the death in the story was a smart choice as it helped to move the characters along and helped Willa in her growth.

My opinion:

This book is strongly character driven and although the story itself was beautiful and well written, I did find that it was a bit repetitive. The majority of the book was Willa debating whether she should do what she wants or do what her parents want.

I think it is easy to introduce that and then move on with the story. I don’t need chapter after chapter of her debating. I think a lot of that could have been edited out and it still would have been impactful to the story.

I did enjoy the tidbits of historical information that you pick up along the way. For example, I didn’t know that when the Golden Gate was being built many of the citizens of San Francisco put up their own houses as collateral to help with funding for the bridge.

This story reminded me a lot of the show Call the Midwife. It is about a group of women after WWII who are midwives and travel around London delivering babies but this is the only type of medicine that they are able to practice.

Would I recommend? Why or why not?

I would recommend this book. It’s not the best historical fiction I’ve ever read but it was good.

I’ve always loved a good historical fiction novel, and Across A Broken Shore swept me away. I found the historical elements about the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge and medical practices of the time fascinating, but it’s Willa’s story woven throughout that really makes it worth your time.

Everyone knows about expectations — self-imposed or not — which makes Willa all the more relatable. Amy Trueblood’s prose is warm and inviting, and her character building is strong, particularly with her main characters. I look forward to reading more from Amy in the future.

4.5 stars

This story has a strong protagonist and is set in a historical fiction world. I love the elements of historical fiction, science and medicine and the character development! I'm looking forward to reading other books by this author.

I'm a huge fan of historical fiction and I've wanted to read this one ever since I saw it on a list for the top 25 historical fiction of 2019. Let me just say this one definitely lived up to my expectations and I highly recommend this to all lovers of the genre.

What I loved about this book:

1. I loved that the author made sure we saw the situation from all view points.

2. I loved that the main character was a female interested in a field that wasn't typical of the time period. She also has to decide to follow her dreams or follow the path her parents have chosen for her.

3. I loved how the character grew throughout the book. While she has moments of triumphs and also makes mistakes, she is one of my favorite characters I've read. She's so real and easily relatable.

I really enjoyed this book it was so different from others I have read, being set in San Francisco made it more interesting for me having visited the city many years ago and still have fond memories of it.
The story kept me interested and I wanted to find out what happened so I read as much as I could to finish it.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.