I originally selected this book because of I absolutely love historical fiction - and this book did not disappoint on the historical front!

"The Engineer's Wife" tells the story of Emily Warren Roebling and her family's connection to the Brooklyn Bridge. The book is full of great historical details - and paints an honest picture of the struggles involved in building the bridge and the many lives lost in the process.

What surprised me was that this book also painted an honest picture of the women's suffrage movement and the impact that had on women and their families.

While I was ultimately very disappointed in Emily's final decision - I did appreciate learning about the human side of the movement and how it was often very difficult for a woman to stand up for her beliefs.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book - I really enjoyed this thoughtful piece of historical fiction!

I really wanted to like this book, and I kept reading long past the point where I usually stop if a book doesn’t really hold my attention. I got really bogged down in all of the engineering and construction details, and the book just didn’t flow well, in my opinion. I do appreciate being given the opportunity to read this title.

The subject of this book is really fascinating. It is all about the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge and the people who designed it and built it. This is an historical fiction book, so parts of the story are embellished, but many of the characters are true historical figures. I really learned a lot from this book and enjoyed discovering how the Brooklyn Bridge came to be. Thanks to the author, publisher, and netgalley for the chance to read and review this book!

This is a story about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. Emily Roebling was a vital part in the process and helped her husband, Washington, who is the leader of the project. She faces an uphill battle being a woman with such great responsibility in a time when women were not respected in this type of work.

This book is amazing! I love reading non-fiction accounts of engineering feats, and the building of the Brooklyn Bridge is no exception, But reading this historical fiction account, really brings out the human side, even though, yes, some is made up, but that's okay with me, because the point is, the engineering feat, and this one was so amazing. And the author did a great job describing how the bridge was built. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading about how bridges are built. I could not stop looking at photographs of the bridge as I was reading. Picturing the people building it. Thank you for this book, Ms. Wood!

Historical fiction based on actual women is a favorite genre of mine. This novel tells the story of Emily Warren and her Engineer Husband, “Wash” Roebling and their building of the Brooklyn Bridge. Starting as the Civil War is ending, Author Tracy Emerson Wood engages us with historical events including Women’s fashion trends, the invention of the hair pin, the Suffrage movement and protests and Tammany Hall incidents along with the building of the Brooklyn Bridge.. When Wash Roebling is afflicted with Caissons disease, Emily becomes the lead engineer on the project, The devastating effects of Wash’s disease, as well as the tragic accidents on the bridge project, take a toll on Emily and Wash’s marriage. We’re introduced to the delightful PT Barnum, his museum, the Hippodrome shows and other attractions of the time. This is a fascinating story about a remarkable woman and her incredible achievement. It moves along at a quick place thanks to a very skilled writer.
Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read this interesting story.

I really wanted to like this book. I have enjoyed other historical fiction centered on the women who have been overlooked in history. However, this one was too slow for me to get into.

I really struggled with how to rate this book. On one hand I thought that this historical fiction book was revealing a side of history that I had not yet known.
On the other hand, I really did NOT like the PT Barnum aspect and felt that it degraded from Mrs Emily Roeblings accomplishments.
I felt that the author thought that Ms. Roebling NEEDED to add a male "benefactor" to progress the story when I was much more interested in HER thoughts and feelings...not PT Barnums.
Also, I felt that the story was so long and oftentimes repeating of itself and the last half of the book was a slog to get through.
Overall, not my favorite historical fiction book.

Emily Roebling was the wife of Washington, "Wash", Roebling, the chief engineer on the Brooklyn Bridge project after his father's death. When her husband became ill from the effects of Caisson disease, Emily had to take on the day to day work of building this magnificent bridge. Emily had to fight the workers, her own husband sometimes and society as no one thought it appropriate that a woman take on any tasks outside of the home. The friendships she makes, the education she gives herself and the turmoil this project sometimes put her in is wonderfully told.
I knew very little about the Brooklyn Bridges building and nothing about Emily until I read this book.
Thank you NetGalley and Source book for the chance to learn about such a fascinating woman!

Based loosely on real life events of building a bridge with her husband and father-in-law when their presence and health prevented them from being there, pushing for a woman's right to vote when just wearing bloomers was considered scandalous, and falling in love with P.T. Barnum, this POV definitely was rocking the world of NYC. A novel historical fiction area that I haven't read before.

I loved this book. The author did an incredible job developing the characters and vividly described the era from the 1800s. I love historical fiction as I love learning something new as I read. And this book delivered! This is a true story about the engineering feat: building the Brooklyn Bridge. The author brought the main character to life for me. I never heard of Mrs Emily Warren Roebling until I read this book. This is a women we need to all know about. This is an amazing part of American history. she is a strong, intelligent woman of the 1800s doing what no other woman has ever done...
does a mans job in a mans world. The book is beautifully written and historical facts obviously researched and delivered a beautiful book. I couldn’t put it down! I would love people to read this book and learn about this brave woman’s contribution to America. She deserves recognition and this book serves to deliver just that! Colleges could choose tho
Is book when teaching about the great contributions made by women in our society. I would love to see this novel become a movie!

The Engineer’s Wife by Tracey Enerson Wood
Source: NetGalley and Sourcebook Landmark
Rating: 2½/5 stars


**MINI-REVIEW**

The Bottom Line: For me, this book boiled down to two things: 1) a great deal of whining and 2) some very slow sections that were difficult to get through. Despite these two things, I stuck with this book to the bitter end and while there are certainly some interesting and even entertaining bits, they just weren’t enough to balance out all the whining and the slow bits. I wanted to like Emily and have compassion for Wash, but both, with their general attitudes and demeanor made it hard to do so. I will say, I admire what Emily was able to accomplish: she had to teach herself the math and the principles of engineering in order to complete one of the most iconic projects in all of the US all while fighting the prejudices and laws (literally!) that often hampered her efforts. At the end of the day, I wanted to like this book so much more than I ultimately did. This is absolutely a story worth telling, but unfortunately, the presentation of this story isn’t quite up to snuff.

I loved the unusual setting and background of this historical fiction book. The building of the Brooklyn Bridge, the relationship between the engineer husband and his wife who must take over for her husband because of his illness. His dream becomes her, but who will be credited with the achievement? An achievement that is a testimony to the human spirit. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review,

A fascinating look at the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. A really fascinating and moving story.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I never knew the Brooklyn Bridge was built under the supervision of a woman. And it was interesting to see how Emily didn’t want to be put into the live that society dictated for woman and showed her intellect and strenght .

I did find the story to drag at times. The building scenes were long and at times slowed the tempo of the book.

This book detailed a subject that is not told often in historical fiction - the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. The story follows a bridge engineer, Wash Roebling, and his wife Emily as they experience the ups and downs of living in the Civil War era while trying to construct a bridge no one has seen before. The subject matter and historical components were very interesting; however, it was a bit difficult to connect with the characters and their personal stories. I would give it a strong 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Emily Roebling's husband's desire to build bridges knows no limits and sadly, his greatest bridge design will also be his biggest challenge. The construction of the Brooklyn Bridge contained obstacles no one could predict and also paved the way for construction and engineering methods used today. In a show of force to protect her husband's reputation, Emily runs messages from his bedside, studies engineering and learns to stand up to what has been a man's world. Even her days of fighting for women's suffrage could not prepare her for what she would face in a male-dominated world of engineering, construction and government. Her relationship with P.T. Barnum is one that bolsters and threatens to tear down her reputation and the completion of the very project she gave up much of her life to see built. Well written historical fiction in the "woman behind the great man" style that we all love so much. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #SourcebooksLandmark for a digital ARC of this book!

The Engineer' Wife by Tracey Enerson Wood follows the true story of Emily Warren Roebling's life as she supported her husband's drive to complete the Brooklyn Bridge. Designed by his father, Washington Roebling was appointed as chief engineer to complete the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. However, he became ill during the construction so his wife Emily Roebling took on his duties as much as she could in the 1870's.

This story is remarkable for women's rights, the Civil War, American architecture. Wood identifies the areas of fiction at the end of her book. The reader will enjoy how much of the story is actually true. Look for #TheEngineersWife on 4.7.2020.

THE ENGINEER'S WIFE
BY TRACEY ENERSON WOOD

I love historical fiction because I learn something new with each book I read in this genre. What I find confounding at times is when the author deviates from the facts and includes fictitious character's and narratives to make the storytelling more interesting. For instance we have all heard of P.T. Barnum who at the time this story takes place during the 1860's and 1870's was one of the richest men in the world or at least New York City. In the author's acknowledgements section she says that our fascinating heroine Emily Warren Roebling never had an emotional affair with P. T. Barnum. But woven throughout the story Emily is in love with P.T. Barnum and he with her. I think if a writer of historical fiction invents dialogue that never happened then that is acceptable. But personally, after reading just under 400 pages of a romance that never happened or even their friendship such as when Emily recruits P.T. Barnum's advice and help on public speaking when she has to address the board on the Brooklyn Bridge it feels like I have falsely believed an interesting anecdote of history that never happened I feel almost led astray for no good reason.

Emily Warren is introduced to Washington Roebling from her brother G.K. Warren during the civil war and they get married and have one child named John Roebling II after papa who is Washington's dad named John Roebling. To connect Brooklyn with Manhatten the Brooklyn Bridge needed to be built. It was John, Sr.'s idea but Emily's husband Washington designs it. It is mostly Emily's story about how she started out as a translator and messenger for her husband Washington who because he gets the crippling disease of Caisson's he is unable to make it to the job site while they are still constructing the Brooklyn end of the bridge.

Caisson's disease is brought on from being underwater in a basin type enclosure that has pressurized air pumped in through the bottom of the chamber that the men were in lowered to the hardest shelf of rock or granite that supports the bridge under water. Symptoms are headache, involuntary movement of the eyes and a stiffening of the muscles, joints and tissue. Because Wash couldn't be at the bridge he dictated to Emily instructions which she would pass on to the other engineer and the masons. Because women couldn't vote until 1920 they were expected to wear heavy corsets underneath their dresses which weighed them down in the water. Emily started wearing pantaloons but she was still disparaged by the other men since she was prohibited from going to law school and had no equal rights that the men enjoyed. This was a pretty interesting story that is based on fact but way too long and way too much medical and scientific and even technological details even from back then. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Publication Date: April 7, 2020

#NetGalley #TraceyEnersonWood #SourcebooksLandmarks #TheEngineer'sWife
THE ENGINEER'S WIFE
BY TRACEY ENERSON WOOD

I love historical fiction because I learn something new with each book I read in this genre. What I find confounding at times is when the author deviates from the facts and includes fictitious character's and narratives to make the storytelling more interesting. For instance we have all heard of P.T. Barnum who at the time this story takes place during the 1860's and 1870's was one of the richest men in the world or at least New York City. In the author's acknowledgements section she says that our fascinating heroine Emily Warren Roebling never had an emotional affair with P. T. Barnum. But woven throughout the story Emily is in love with P.T. Barnum and he with her. I think if a writer of historical fiction invents dialogue that never happened then that is acceptable. But personally, after reading just under 400 pages of a romance that never happened or even their friendship such as when Emily recruits P.T. Barnum's advice and help on public speaking when she has to address the board on the Brooklyn Bridge it feels like I have falsely believed an interesting anecdote of history that never happened I feel almost led astray for no good reason.

Emily Warren is introduced to Washington Roebling from her brother G.K. Warren during the civil war and they get married and have one child named John Roebling II after papa who is Washington's dad named John Roebling. To connect Brooklyn with Manhatten the Brooklyn Bridge needed to be built. It was John, Sr.'s idea but Emily's husband Washington designs it. It is mostly Emily's story about how she started out as a translator and messenger for her husband Washington who because he gets the crippling disease of Caisson's he is unable to make it to the job site while they are still constructing the Brooklyn end of the bridge.

Caisson's disease is brought on from being underwater in a basin type enclosure that has pressurized air pumped in through the bottom of the chamber that the men were in lowered to the hardest shelf of rock or granite that supports the bridge under water. Symptoms are headache, involuntary movement of the eyes and a stiffening of the muscles, joints and tissue. Because Wash couldn't be at the bridge he dictated to Emily instructions which she would pass on to the other engineer and the masons. Because women couldn't vote until 1920 they were expected to wear heavy corsets underneath their dresses which weighed them down in the water. Emily started wearing pantaloons but she was still disparaged by the other men since she was prohibited from going to law school and had no equal rights that the men enjoyed. This was a pretty interesting story that is based on fact but way too long and way too much medical and scientific and even technological details even from back then. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Publication Date: April 7, 2020

#NetGalley #TraceyEnersonWood #SourcebooksLandmarks #TheEngineer'sWife
THE ENGINEER'S WIFE
BY TRACEY ENERSON WOOD

I love historical fiction because I learn something new with each book I read in this genre. What I find confounding at times is when the author deviates from the facts and includes fictitious character's and narratives to make the storytelling more interesting. For instance we have all heard of P.T. Barnum who at the time this story takes place during the 1860's and 1870's was one of the richest men in the world or at least New York City. In the author's acknowledgements section she says that our fascinating heroine Emily Warren Roebling never had an emotional affair with P. T. Barnum. But woven throughout the story Emily is in love with P.T. Barnum and he with her. I think if a writer of historical fiction invents dialogue that never happened then that is acceptable. But personally, after reading just under 400 pages of a romance that never happened or even their friendship such as when Emily recruits P.T. Barnum's advice and help on public speaking when she has to address the board on the Brooklyn Bridge it feels like I have falsely believed an interesting anecdote of history that never happened I feel almost led astray for no good reason.

Emily Warren is introduced to Washington Roebling from her brother G.K. Warren during the civil war and they get married and have one child named John Roebling II after papa who is Washington's dad named John Roebling. To connect Brooklyn with Manhatten the Brooklyn Bridge needed to be built. It was John, Sr.'s idea but Emily's husband Washington designs it. It is mostly Emily's story about how she started out as a translator and messenger for her husband Washington who because he gets the crippling disease of Caisson's he is unable to make it to the job site while they are still constructing the Brooklyn end of the bridge.

Caisson's disease is brought on from being underwater in a basin type enclosure that has pressurized air pumped in through the bottom of the chamber that the men were in lowered to the hardest shelf of rock or granite that supports the bridge under water. Symptoms are headache, involuntary movement of the eyes and a stiffening of the muscles, joints and tissue. Because Wash couldn't be at the bridge he dictated to Emily instructions which she would pass on to the other engineer and the masons. Because women couldn't vote until 1920 they were expected to wear heavy corsets underneath their dresses which weighed them down in the water. Emily started wearing pantaloons but she was still disparaged by the other men since she was prohibited from going to law school and had no equal rights that the men enjoyed. This was a pretty interesting story that is based on fact but way too long and way too much medical and scientific and even technological details even from back then. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Publication Date: April 7, 2020

#NetGalley #TraceyEnersonWood #SourcebooksLandmarks #TheEngineer'sWife
THE ENGINEER'S WIFE
BY TRACEY ENERSON WOOD

I love historical fiction because I learn something new with each book I read in this genre. What I find confounding at times is when the author deviates from the facts and includes fictitious character's and narratives to make the storytelling more interesting. For instance we have all heard of P.T. Barnum who at the time this story takes place during the 1860's and 1870's was one of the richest men in the world or at least New York City. In the author's acknowledgements section she says that our fascinating heroine Emily Warren Roebling never had an emotional affair with P. T. Barnum. But woven throughout the story Emily is in love with P.T. Barnum and he with her. I think if a writer of historical fiction invents dialogue that never happened then that is acceptable. But personally, after reading just under 400 pages of a romance that never happened or even their friendship such as when Emily recruits P.T. Barnum's advice and help on public speaking when she has to address the board on the Brooklyn Bridge it feels like I have falsely believed an interesting anecdote of history that never happened I feel almost led astray for no good reason.

Emily Warren is introduced to Washington Roebling from her brother G.K. Warren during the civil war and they get married and have one child named John Roebling II after papa who is Washington's dad named John Roebling. To connect Brooklyn with Manhatten the Brooklyn Bridge needed to be built. It was John, Sr.'s idea but Emily's husband Washington designs it. It is mostly Emily's story about how she started out as a translator and messenger for her husband Washington who because he gets the crippling disease of Caisson's he is unable to make it to the job site while they are still constructing the Brooklyn end of the bridge.

Caisson's disease is brought on from being underwater in a basin type enclosure that has pressurized air pumped in through the bottom of the chamber that the men were in lowered to the hardest shelf of rock or granite that supports the bridge under water. Symptoms are headache, involuntary movement of the eyes and a stiffening of the muscles, joints and tissue. Because Wash couldn't be at the bridge he dictated to Emily instructions which she would pass on to the other engineer and the masons. Because women couldn't vote until 1920 they were expected to wear heavy corsets underneath their dresses which weighed them down in the water. Emily started wearing pantaloons but she was still disparaged by the other men since she was prohibited from going to law school and had no equal rights that the men enjoyed. This was a pretty interesting story that is based on fact but way too long and way too much medical and scientific and even technological details even from back then. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Publication Date: April 7, 2020

#NetGalley #TraceyEnersonWood #SourcebooksLandmarks #TheEngineer'sWife
THE ENGINEER'S WIFE
BY TRACEY ENERSON WOOD

I love historical fiction because I learn something new with each book I read in this genre. What I find confounding at times is when the author deviates from the facts and includes fictitious character's and narratives to make the storytelling more interesting. For instance we have all heard of P.T. Barnum who at the time this story takes place during the 1860's and 1870's was one of the richest men in the world or at least New York City. In the author's acknowledgements section she says that our fascinating heroine Emily Warren Roebling never had an emotional affair with P. T. Barnum. But woven throughout the story Emily is in love with P.T. Barnum and he with her. I think if a writer of historical fiction invents dialogue that never happened then that is acceptable. But personally, after reading just under 400 pages of a romance that never happened or even their friendship such as when Emily recruits P.T. Barnum's advice and help on public speaking when she has to address the board on the Brooklyn Bridge it feels like I have falsely believed an interesting anecdote of history that never happened I feel almost led astray for no good reason.

Emily Warren is introduced to Washington Roebling from her brother G.K. Warren during the civil war and they get married and have one child named John Roebling II after papa who is Washington's dad named John Roebling. To connect Brooklyn with Manhatten the Brooklyn Bridge needed to be built. It was John, Sr.'s idea but Emily's husband Washington designs it. It is mostly Emily's story about how she started out as a translator and messenger for her husband Washington who because he gets the crippling disease of Caisson's he is unable to make it to the job site while they are still constructing the Brooklyn end of the bridge.

Caisson's disease is brought on from being underwater in a basin type enclosure that has pressurized air pumped in through the bottom of the chamber that the men were in lowered to the hardest shelf of rock or granite that supports the bridge under water. Symptoms are headache, involuntary movement of the eyes and a stiffening of the muscles, joints and tissue. Because Wash couldn't be at the bridge he dictated to Emily instructions which she would pass on to the other engineer and the masons. Because women couldn't vote until 1920 they were expected to wear heavy corsets underneath their dresses which weighed them down in the water. Emily started wearing pantaloons but she was still disparaged by the other men since she was prohibited from going to law school and had no equal rights that the men enjoyed. This was a pretty interesting story that is based on fact but way too long and way too much medical and scientific and even technological details even from back then. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Publication Date: April 7, 2020

#NetGalley #TraceyEnersonWood #SourcebooksLandmarks #TheEngineer'sWife
THE ENGINEER'S WIFE
BY TRACEY ENERSON WOOD

I love historical fiction because I learn something new with each book I read in this genre. What I find confounding at times is when the author deviates from the facts and includes fictitious character's and narratives to make the storytelling more interesting. For instance we have all heard of P.T. Barnum who at the time this story takes place during the 1860's and 1870's was one of the richest men in the world or at least New York City. In the author's acknowledgements section she says that our fascinating heroine Emily Warren Roebling never had an emotional affair with P. T. Barnum. But woven throughout the story Emily is in love with P.T. Barnum and he with her. I think if a writer of historical fiction invents dialogue that never happened then that is acceptable. But personally, after reading just under 400 pages of a romance that never happened or even their friendship such as when Emily recruits P.T. Barnum's advice and help on public speaking when she has to address the board on the Brooklyn Bridge it feels like I have falsely believed an interesting anecdote of history that never happened I feel almost led astray for no good reason.

Emily Warren is introduced to Washington Roebling from her brother G.K. Warren during the civil war and they get married and have one child named John Roebling II after papa who is Washington's dad named John Roebling. To connect Brooklyn with Manhatten the Brooklyn Bridge needed to be built. It was John, Sr.'s idea but Emily's husband Washington designs it. It is mostly Emily's story about how she started out as a translator and messenger for her husband Washington who because he gets the crippling disease of Caisson's he is unable to make it to the job site while they are still constructing the Brooklyn end of the bridge.

Caisson's disease is brought on from being underwater in a basin type enclosure that has pressurized air pumped in through the bottom of the chamber that the men were in lowered to the hardest shelf of rock or granite that supports the bridge under water. Symptoms are headache, involuntary movement of the eyes and a stiffening of the muscles, joints and tissue. Because Wash couldn't be at the bridge he dictated to Emily instructions which she would pass on to the other engineer and the masons. Because women couldn't vote until 1920 they were expected to wear heavy corsets underneath their dresses which weighed them down in the water. Emily started wearing pantaloons but she was still disparaged by the other men since she was prohibited from going to law school and had no equal rights that the men enjoyed. This was a pretty interesting story that is based on fact but way too long and way too much medical and scientific and even technological details even from back then. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Publication Date: April 7, 2020

#NetGalley #TraceyEnersonWood #SourcebooksLandmarks #TheEngineer'sWife

I was blown away with this beautifully written piece of historical fiction. It felt truly transported to Brooklyn in the last half of the 1800's completely emerged in the culture and class distinction of that time period. I learned so much about the architect and building of the Brooklyn bridge and the imperative roll that Emily Warren Roeblings played in its completion. The factual elements were woven together seamlessly with historical accounts of Emily life and enhanced by creative liberates with the daily to do's of life.

This novel did have a strong political undercurrent and some fairly pointed comments about women who chose to stay in the home and aspire to raise families. Ultimately Emily won me over and I was beyond impressed with her drive, determination, attitude, and compassion. Congratulations to Tracey Emerson Wood on penning what I am sure will become a well loved classic.

4.2 stars for this poignant period piece. Rating of 14A due to sexual content.