Birth Road is historical fiction based on a true story. It is the story of the author’s grandmother Helen and covers the years from 1921 to 1946. It covers Helen’s struggles through poverty of the depression and then a husband that goes off to fight in WWII. The chapters are short but worked extremely well in the telling of Helen’s story.

Michelle Wamboldt did a masterful job in the retelling of her grandmother’s story. She gives you just enough to keep you wanting for more with each chapter.

Thank you to #netgalley and #nimbuspublishing for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

A beautiful story. I'm a sucker for a map in a book, so I loved the start before I'd even read a word. I enjoyed the style of the book, and - as another reviewer has pointed out - the fact there wasn't a forced happy ending, but still one which was satisfying.

I loved this book, and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and themes surrounding motherhood.

Thank you to NetGally and Nimbus Publishing for the advanced copy.

This book was fantastic - Helen's story drew me in from the start. Because of the story itself and the way it was told, this was one of the few books recently I started reading and did not put down until I finished later the same day. Unlike many books in the same genre, there was no fakey "happy ending" where everything came up roses, but a realistic, satisfying conclusion, made even more poignant when reading that it was based on a real person and her real story.

This is the true coming of age tale of the author’s grandmother, Helen, who was born in the 1920s and lived in small towns I. Nova Scotia and for a period of time in the city of Boston. Helen grows up in a broken home with a drunk and absent father, and a mother she doesn’t really get along with. She struggles with inevitable life events during this time period including poverty during the depression and her husband fighting in WWII. The story is written in short chapters, hush I think supports the desire to keep reading and find out what is going to happen next. I wasn’t sure while I was reading if it was a true story or complete fiction, but after reading the author’s note I was pleasantly surprised that it was based on a true story of her grandmother. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for people who enjoy historical fiction, as well as books set in Canada.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this great book!