4.5
The Nature of Fragile Things may just be my favorite Susan Meissner book to date. I’ve read all of her compelling and entertaining books, so that says a lot! In this one, she brought the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 alive and how it not only devastated the entire city, but how it brought some unlikely women together.

I loved that this started out with a mail-order bride situation. That concept still amazes me – it’s akin to today’s “swipe right” online dating that would be bound by law when they meet in person. The circumstances around Sophie’s arrival and quick marriage to Martin leaves much to the imagination, however, like all good stories, the answers are unraveled slowly but surely.

Meissner has a knack for bringing the surroundings of her character’s to life and this one is no exception. The ash in the air, the smells, the hunger and the ever-present sense of death jumped off the page. Sophie found her strength during this time as she was responsible for her self-imposed mute step-daughter, an unlikely new friend and a newborn infant. Together they put together the mysterious puzzle of Martin and found a way to move forward. There were some great twists that I didn’t see coming which were amplified by the sections in the book that featured Sophie being interviewed by a detective.

This book covered an American natural disaster that I knew nothing about before reading this. I learned in the author’s note that by today’s standards, this earthquake would’ve been rated as a 7.9 on the Richter scale. Of course, the book focuses on much more than the earthquake – motherhood, friendship, honesty and love are at the heart of the story.

I have to admit, I started The Nature of Fragile Things with apprehension because the last few historical fiction books I've read disappointed me a lot. While I did feel the beginning to be a little slow to build, it truly took off by the end of the first quarter and I felt like I was reading a thriller/mystery/historical fiction hybrid. Sophie, a recent Irish immigrant, was desperate to escape the squalid tenements of NYC when she answered an ad from a recent widower seeking a wife and mother for his daughter. After a cross-country journey to San Francisco, Sophie found settling into life on the West coast with a daughter she has come to love and an emotionally aloof husband who travels a lot. Then, after a pregnant stranger shows up on her doorstep and the 1906 earthquake strikes the great city of San Francisco, things are thrown into chaos.

For the entire beginning of this book, I had no idea where it was going. I was vaguely looking forward to a fictional account of the 1906 earthquake, an event that terrifies and fascinates me (and that brings back memories from a childhood fave, Paperquake by Kathryn Reiss). Meissner juxtaposes Sophie's narrative with an interrogation transcript with a US Marshal. You know something will happen, hence the interview, but what?? While Meissner's writing was good, it was her organization and story formatting that really shine in this novel. I often read mystery/thrillers and historical fiction but I rarely experience both at the same time and I also rarely find myself surprised by the twists and turns. Though I wasn't totally blindsided, I enjoyed the building of suspense and totally got blown away by the downfall and ride of the novel. And though the ending was a little to cute and easy, it also felt right and the epilogue brought it full circle. Maybe this was closer to a 4-star read but it wowed me enough to be rounded up by the end.

This was an intense and quick read that checks many boxes for historical fiction and mystery/thriller fans!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

Get ready historical fiction fans, you won't want to miss this one when it publishes on February 2nd!

Thank you to @uplitreads and @soozmeissner for the #gifted copy of this great read. The Nature of Fragile Things follows immigrant Sophie Whalen as she adjusts to life as a wife and stepmother in San Francisco in the early 1900's.

Sophie's life is upended literally and figuratively when the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 hits, her house is destroyed, and she learns her husband isn't necessarily who she thought he was.

I highly recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction, strong female friendships, and a side helping of mystery. I finished the book in two days, so it's clear I was a fan!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was really fun to read about a time and a place in history that I have not read about before. I loved how all of the secrets were revealed and how there were some unexpected twists to the story. These twists kept me highly engrossed in the story and kept me wanting to keep reading to find out more.

This book is definitely one I would recommend to fans of historical fiction.

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for an advanced copy of The Nature of Fragile Things.

Where do I even start in my love for this book?

Sophie, an Irish immigrant in NYC is so desperate to get out of her tenement that she agrees to be a mail order bride for a man in San Francisco with a 5 year old daughter. While she's happy and well taken care of and loves her new daughter, something just seems off with her husband's behavior. On the night before the 1906 San Francisco earthquake hidden ties to two other women emerge, how will this discovery change their lives?

Susan Meissner's beautiful writing is the star of this novel. I loved the characters and how vividly she wrote about the earthquake aftermath. I loved reading about the friendship that emerges between these women. I liked the mix of the Marshall's notes in with the story as a way to allude to more and the one twist at the end.

While this wasn't as historical of a historical fiction and was more women's fiction I ABSOLUTELY loved this book! Another fabulous 5 star book from Susan Meissner.

I received a gifted galley of THE NATURE OF FRAGILE THINGS by Susan Meissner for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

THE NATURE OF FRAGILE THINGS begins with a marriage of convenience. Sophie is an Irish immigrant living in poverty in New York who answers an ad from Martin, a businessman in San Francisco who wants a wife and a mother for his daughter. Sophie has longed to be a mother, so she agrees and within a day she meets Martin and marries him, and together with his daughter Kat move into a new home.

Married life isn’t entirely what Sophie expected. Martin is very closed off about himself and travels even more than expected. Kat is traumatized by the death of her mother and hardly ever speaks, but Sophie comfortably falls into the role of mother. A year into their life together, her world is shaken in more ways than one. A knock at the door brings shocking news followed quickly by the big earthquake of 1906.

Growing up in California, I was aware of the big earthquake in San Francisco’s past and the devastation that it caused along with the subsequent fires, but I didn’t know a lot of details. This book did a lot to bring the life of the refugees from that earthquake to light. The book also has a few mysteries that play out and keep the reader reading to find out the answers. These are well done to slowly dole out details and bring things to a satisfying conclusion.

While there are solid plot elements, I think that the characters are the real strength of the book. As we learn more about the characters and Sophie’s backstory especially, the author does a fantastic job explaining where they are coming from and why they do what they do. There is a lot of focus on the women in the novel and the bonds between mother and child and between friends.

While it deals with some difficult subjects (abuse, infidelity, violence and of course the devastation of the earthquake), it really is an uplifting read and one that I would recommend. This was my first Susan Meissner read, but I have added more of her novels to my TBR! I highly recommend this to the historical fiction fans!

Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “The Nature of Fragile Things” by Susan Meissner, Berkley Publishing, February 2, 2021
Wow! Susan Meissner, the author of “The Nature of Fragile Things” has written an exhilarating, intriguing, captivating, and memorable novel. The genre for this novel is Historical Fiction. The timeline for this story is set during the destructive Earthquake in San Francisco in 1906. The story goes both to the past and future when it pertains to the characters and events. Susan Meissner vividly describes the events, characters, landscape, and plots of the story. I appreciate the historical research that the author has done regarding this time in history. Susan Meissner describes are dramatic characters as flawed, secretive, complex, and complicated. One of my favorite themes in this story is how there is a ‘sisterhood” of women who are trusting and courageous. Just like the devastating earthquake that demolishes much of San Francisco, there are deadly secrets, dangerous betrayals. and mysterious deaths.

Sophie Whalen, the protagonist in this story is an Irish immigrant that jumps at the opportunity to marry a widowed man with a young daughter from an advertisement that he placed in the newspaper. Sophie has no illusions about love with this man but is drawn to his young mute daughter. Her husband is not obviously who he says that he is, and Sophie gets the opportunity to meet two of his other current wives. The background of these meetings happens during the earthquake.

I found myself so immersed in this story that I couldn’t put this book down. It is such a memorable and thought-provoking novel that I highly recommend it to other readers! Kudos to Susan Meissner for writing such an exemplary novel about a historical tragedy.

Ding. Ding. Ding. We have another winning historical fiction title from Susan Meissner. This new release is set in the time of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. I looked forward to reading this one as I have not encountered many books featuring this historic event. Our main character is an Irish immigrant named Sophie. She has just arrived in San Francisco to marry a man who advertised for a new wife and mother for his little girl Kat. The man Sophie meets is lacking in feeling and warmth, but provides the creature comforts she needs. And she has little Kat to lavish love on. She is content. Then the day of the earthquake cracks the ground and her life into pieces. Her greatest concern is Kat. There are many questions to be answered. Interspersed throughout is the transcript of Sophie's interview with a U.S. Marshall more than six months after the earthquake. What has happened to Martin? Why is Sophie being interrogated? Meissner does a masterful job with pacing. Sometimes the transcript will prompt a question in the mind of the reader which is answered in the next section of the narrative. Others pop up early and are answered with a big reveal that comes much later. I was enthralled and will be remembering this one all year.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

A novel of immense scope, The Nature of Fragile Things takes place in the early 20th century and includes history, romance, intrigue and parental love.

The story drew me in immediately - opening with a courtroom scene in 1906. Susan Meissner does a beautiful job unfolding the narrative from here, with some courtroom scenes appearing periodically throughout the novel - just enough to add to the mystery and to bring everything together.

I loved the character of Sophie and found her Irish background to be credible in both her language and behavior. She is a strong woman who had to overcome tremendous heartache and hardship. Her relationship with Kat is so sweet and is a part of the story that I really enjoyed. To show that love can triumph over evil and that Kat could rise from her sad upbringing and an indifferent father, was heartwarming.

There are also beautiful friendships and relationships in this novel. An unlikely but believable bond between Belinda and Sophie, the understanding Sophie forms with Candace, even Sophie’s superficial friendship with Libby - they are all convincing because of Meissner’s storytelling and character development.

This is a beautiful story with unforgettable characters. The great San Francisco earthquake also plays a part in the events and adds to the intrigue and mystery.

I loved this book and highly recommend it! Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I will read anything Susan Meissner puts out .The Nature of Fragile Things is one I would consider history-light because even though it is a historical fiction book about a historical event, this book focuses mostly on the story of the women in this book. I really didn't know much about the earthquake that happened in 1905 in San Francisco, and maybe I needed a bit more from the history aspect, but I absolutely loved this book. It felt so different than what Susan has done in the past. Her ability to weave these women and their complex storylines together blew me away. Love Susan!

Susan Meissner has written a well-researched novel about the effects of the San Francisco earthquake. Sophie Wilson is a Young Irish immigrant who answers an ad for a mail order bride and so travels from New York to San Francisco to marry a new husband. At first things seem fine, but Sophie's new husband starts to exhibit strange behavior and Sophie becomes disillusioned with her marriage even while forming strong attachment's to Frank's daughter Kat. Then one day a strange woman shows up at Sophie's door and a series of events lead to an unusual friendship between the women.
I would recommend this for fans of historical fiction. The characters are remarkable as the women exhibit great strength.

This historical fiction book grabbed me and I couldn’t put it down. The historical details and the elements of suspense compelled me to keep reading.

It was interesting to hear details about life in San Francisco in the early 1900’s. I was fascinated to learn about the chaos and destruction surrounding the San Francisco earthquake in 1906. The pandemonium and disorder is real and some parts of the story are told in disturbing detail.

I especially enjoyed that the book features strong women who take charge of their own destiny. The main character, Sophie does what she needs to ensure the survival of the people she cares about.

There is a suspenseful twist in this book that I don’t want to give away in my review.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to historical fiction lovers. 4.5/5

What a book! So many twists and turns and couldn't put it down parts. Sophie is an Irish immigrant living in New York City and is so desparate to get out that she answers a mail-order bride ad from a man, Martin, in San Francisco who is a widower with a five year old daughter. Sophie travels out west and begins her life with Martin. She grows fond of his daughter, Kat, and enjoys her life there except when Martin is away so much for his job. Sophie begins getting unsettled by some of Martin's behavior and begins to question some things. The day before the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, a woman knocks on Sophie's door and everything changes. This book was excellent and shows what strong women can accomplish together.

This was such a beautifully told story of an Irish immigrant who moves from New York to California in search of a better life, only to discover her husband and her new life are not what they seem. Things take a sudden turn for the worse when the historic San Francisco earthquake of 1906 hits. Now, Sophie Whalen must draw on her inner resources to shepherd those she cares for to safety.

I loved learning more about the San Francisco earthquake and was mesmerized by the vastness of its chaos and destruction. Sophie is one of the best characters I’ve met recently in historical fiction. She was warm and smart, tough and loving. I was rooting for Sophie and her “found family” all way! And her backstory will make you love her even more.

I also enjoyed the strong female friendships and resiliency that played a key role in this very character-driven story. Each woman had their own story and heartaches, but they were able to bond closely and care for and draw strength from one another.

This was my first Susan Meissner novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. While some parts in the middle slowed down a bit for me, the historical aspects were vivid and well researched. Also, I have kind of a love/hate relationship with epilogues in novels. Frequently, they seem to be unnecessary or wrap things up too neatly. I’m happy to say this one felt right and worked for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing.

Beleaguered by two years of abominable conditions at both her work and tenement apartment, Irish immigrant to New York City Sophie Whalen finds escape when widower Martin Hocking places an ad for a mail-order bride. As soon as she disembarks from the train to San Francisco, Martin whisks her to City Hall for a quick civil ceremony with a stranger to witness the proceedings.

Though handsome and generous, Martin remains aloof, but Sophie finds joy in her stepdaughter Kat who has hardly spoken since her mother died. The two form a close bond, and Kat begins healing, even starting to talk. Though her relationship with Martin is far from ideal, Sophie develops a comfortable routine.

Her sense of security, however, is shaken when a heavily pregnant Belinda Bigelow arrives on the doorstep looking for her husband, James. Belinda unknowingly carries information that changes both their lives and Kat’s forever.

Belinda, though, happened to arrive on April 17, 1906, the night before a devastating earthquake battered San Francisco. Before they can address the shocking revelations uncovered through Belinda’s appearance, they must survive the earthquake and its aftermath.

I thought The Nature of Fragile Things was fabulous, and I couldn’t put it down. The book is framed by transcripts of an interview between Sophie and federal marshal Ambrose Logan which both provide context and suspenseful foreshadowing, indicating that Sophie has as many secrets as her distant husband, Martin. The mysterious motivations and past actions of these characters providing a driving force for the story.

Susan Meissner does a fabulous job depicting the 1906 earthquake, its impact, and the relief efforts. The details are compelling and impeccable and give such a sense of the natural and man-made conditions working against the firefighters, as well as the disparate effects for rich and poor.

However, the heart of the book is the relationships between the women that develop out of tragedy. Over and over they choose loyalty and self-sacrifice over self-interest. Sophie, in particular, a character with a particularly tragic past, inspires with her strength of character, her intelligence, and her determination.

Beautifully told story of an Irish woman who immigrated to the USA to get away from her past, only to find herself caught up in another situation that she didn’t expect.

Sophie moves to New York and settles in a tenement and a factory job after leaving her mother in Ireland. Unhappy with her life there, she answers an ad in the paper for a wife and mother to come and live in California. Thinking she has nothing to lose, she answers it and he picks her. She moves to be with him and falls in love with his 5 year old daughter, who has seen her share of heartache in her short life, having been told that her mother was dead. One day a very pregnant lady turns up at their door while her husband is away on business, looking for a friend of her husband’s, only to find out that the friend is in fact her husband. Together they put the pieces together and try to put their lives back together-without him.
Brilliant historical fiction of the earth quake and fires that took place that destroyed the town.

Sophie Whalen moved from NYC to San Francisco to change her life and boy did it! Sophie Whalen answered a newspaper add for a widower who needed a companion and someone to help him with his daughter as they mourned the loss of a wife and mother. All isn't what it seems and then things take a turn when San Francisco suffers an earthquake and subsequent fire that will alter Sophie's life.

My favorite historical fiction reads teach me about a point in history that I am unfamiliar with while reading a great story with characters that I am interested in and a plot that keeps me reading to the last sentence. Sophie was a fantastic character to follow and I was rooting for her from the beginning. The twists and turns in the plot happened at just the right time and the conclusion satisfied me to no end!

I can vaguely remember hearing about this particular earthquake and the devastating effects that it had on this city and beyond. It was so interesting to read this book with the 2021 perspective and how easily someone could disappear in 1906, especially amid a tragic and debilitating event. I had to remind myself often of how different finding someone during this type of event in 1906 is from the here and now.

I have read quite a few of Susan Meissner's books and they have all been so enjoyable. I think there are two or three of her historical fiction novels that I need to read and would love to prioritize reading them soon.

I've been able to count on Susan Meissner for many years to provide stories with great depth and feeling, wonderful characters and spellbinding story-lines. This one was no different in that regard. Covering the massive earthquake in San Francisco in 1906, she's placed her fictional characters into a "what if this happened during the quake" story? As is her standard, the story was well-written, drawing in the reader from the very first page. There were several mysteries abounding and I never saw the twists and turns coming. The ending, particularly the epilogue, was quite satisfying.

This was a heavily character-driven story, which turned out amazing, but as a person who enjoys more plot-driven story lines, there were points where the story dragged for me. If you enjoy character-driven plot-lines, though, this one would be up your alley. Since many who follow my reviews know that I generally only read Christian fiction (which is how this author started, but this one is mainstream/general fiction), I'll add that there are a handful of the "less offensive" swear words included (probably fewer than 10), a couple of times that God's name is taken in vain, and some un-detailed, but open-door bedroom scenes. If any of these bother you, I wanted to bring attention to it. This one also felt a bit heavier and darker than the author's earlier works. It seemed to weigh heavily on me at times. While some would consider that to be a sign of a good book, I prefer mine to not have that heaviness to them, which is why I rated this at 4 stars rather than 5. While the story-line was stellar and the characters were fascinating, and the writing was superb, I just couldn't quite shake the heaviness that accompanied large sections of this book. All in all, I would still recommend it though.

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

A riveting historical fiction novel centered around the 1906 earthquake in San Fransisco. The story follows Sophie, an Irish immigrant, who is looking for a new start in life.
This story is filled with illuminating details and interesting plot twists that take your breath away. The author's skillful prose lets readers glean into the atmosphere surrounding the earthquake in San Fransisco and the subsequent devastating fires that ravage the area.
As the story progresses to its culmination point, the reader learns more and more about the central characters in the story. The secrets are masterfully unveiled all throughout the duration of the narrative.
This is ultimately a story about motherhood, love, friendship, resilience, and solidarity. I enjoyed reading this novel, and I was engaged from start to finish. I highly recommend this novel to all the fans of suspenseful historical fiction novels that are filled with believable characters.

This was my first Susan Meissner novel and I thoroughly enjoyed her writing, the characters, and the plot. This is historical fiction at it's best - well researched and full of historical and geographical details that make you feel as if you're living in the same time period (in this case, 1906).

Meissner's descriptions of San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area after the earthquake and fires of 1906 were so vivid, I could see it all in my head. She created not only the image of a city and people in turmoil, but also the smells and sounds. I adore when an author goes into the small details, such as the layout of a home, the meals prepared, or the sights scene on a carriage ride. Meissner did an excellent job incorporating this level of detail into her story.

The author brought that same level of detail to her characters. They were likeable (except the ones not meant to be!) and relatable but flawed and so very human. I felt like I understood and was rooting for Sophie, even before I knew her full story. She was a great protagonist - resourceful, caring, supportive, and willing to do whatever it took to protect her loved ones.

The unlikely friendship of the adult women and Sophie's commitment to Kat were what really made this book for me. I appreciated the historical aspects, but the relationships were the foundation of the story. The relationships were what endured, even though each person faced their own painful problems before and after the earthquake.

A great historical fiction read that I highly recommend!