Were young women more naive in 1929 when we first come across 18 year old Kathleen? Was society's convention so simple then that marriage (at any cost) was the golden opportunity for women? What made Kathleen think that she was a "modern" women? Making the wrong choice of man to marry as she had no choice was a bitter mistake. It's interesting to go back in time and read how the "modern" woman made such choices, made such mistakes and what the consequences were. I was born in the 40's, yes my life was simple back then, yes girls married at an earlier age and then by the time I was married came the "new, bra burning" woman. We've come a long way baby, but I don't know if today's female is any better off. Reading this book gave me pause to think. My daughters, both in their 50's are not like the mother in "Leave It To Beaver," however they weren't as naive as Kathleen either. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kathleen was a fabulous character and I loved getting to know her.
She is a throughly modern woman and for the time set of this read she really did step out from what is expected from the women of the day.

I loved this historical read. it is perfectly written and I was intrigued to see just how Kathleen would survive her ordeals and decisions.

I can't wait for a follow up..

This was an interesting read, a bit of a history lesson through the lens of one woman. After a silly mistake as a young girl, that led to a disastrous marriage, we follow Kathleen as she makes her way in life in the 1930-46 years. Life isn’t easy for a lot of people, and there are extra issues women face. The saga in the divorce case was an eye opener. The female characters in this book were diverse, but friendship and tenacity shone through. The ending was great, but a bit of a cliffhanger…maybe the potential for a sequel. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.