The Stolen Marriage: A Novel

Love the fact that this book entwined real events with fictional characters. And the twist, and turns will keeps you on the edge of your seat! Read this book in 3 days, and I’m a slow reader. Needless to say, I got nothing done at home!

After reading Diane Chamberlain's last book, Necessary Lies,I went on a reading frenzy of old Chamberlain books. I loved her writing so much that she went straight to the top of my list of favorite authors. So you can imagine how much I was looking forward to this new book. I wish I could say that The Stolen Marriage stole my heart, but, unfortunately, it was a disappointment instead. The story seemed contrived, and I never warmed up to the main character, Tess. She was raped, but Chamberlain never called it that. And I hated all the bad decisions that Tess made after that. Sorry, just wasn't my cup of tea.

Chamberlain's The Stolen Marriage has a lot going for it but it could be slow getting there, at times.  Tess DeMello will soon wed her childhood best friend, Vincent, when she decides to take a trip to Washington, DC with one of her friends.  There, she meets a wealthy furniture salesman from Hickory, North Carolina named Henry.  After an evening of too much drinking, Henry gets Tess pregnant.  Shamed by her strong Catholic faith and fearing that her fiancée will not accept her, she travels to North Carolina to ask for financial help from Henry.  He proposes that she marry him instead of raising the child alone.  She agrees but she soon finds that Henry, and her new in-laws, keep a lot of secrets from her.  

This book has a lot of things going on.  There is the end of World War II, the polio epidemic and race relations in the American South.  While all of these make for great background stories, there were too many moving parts in this book.  It felt like an imitation of Forrest Gump.  The story could move a bit slow, at times, too.  The ending paid off but I wish that the author had gotten there a bit quicker.  I also wish there was more about Hickory, North Carolina in this book.  One thing that I love about southern fiction is the way that the author is so often able to describe southern life so vividly that you feel as if you are there, living in that city, in that time period.  But I live less than three hours from Hickory and even I didn't feel connected to it.  I grew up in the DC area and I did not feel any connection to Baltimore girl, Tess.  The place and time that Chamberlain described felt unrealistic and... just off.  

My complaints about the time and place setting aside, this was an enjoyable book.  Tess DeMello was a likeable character.  Actually, all of the characters were likeable.  There were no true villains in this novel, which was very different.  While Tess's mother-in-law, Ruth, could be cold-hearted and greedy, reasons for her actions were obvious.  Henry's sister, Lucy, seemed, at first, to be meaner than Ruth but she was revealed to have a soft heart, in the end. There really wasn't anybody in this book to hate.  This may be agreeable to some readers and disagreeable to others.  I believed that this book was a mystery when I read about it but it really was more in the category of women's fiction or historical fiction.  I think readers who enjoy historical fiction with a lot going on, where the author does not settle on one important historical topic, would enjoy this book.   

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in order to write an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I’m not sure “The Stolen Marriage” is an accurate title. It should be called, “The Discarded Marriage” because it was the shame and weakness of the protagonist that caused the destruction of her hoped-for future. If only she had trusted that even her worst transgressions could be forgiven by loved ones, she could have prevented all this trouble.

Baltimore, Maryland in the 1940s. Women were expected to “save themselves for marriage” and the repercussions of not doing so, or at least being caught not doing so, were severe. Still, I found it hard to believe that a mother who previously had a close relationship with her daughter would react so cruelly.

Rural South Carolina in the 1940s. Not a comfortable place to be unless you’re white, well off, male, Christian, straight and detest interracial mingling. This story depicts the lives of people not in this privileged category, and some of the problems they faced.
However, compared to the historical facts, it seemed a bit sugarcoated. In many ways, life was actually much worse in that time and place for many people. The terrible consequences of being caught breaking social rules were hinted at, and the desperate attempts to hide these secrets were depicted, but the brutal realities of the possible consequences were not adequately portrayed.
There was one exception. The heartbreaking toll of the polio epidemic was fairly well described. This is the part of the book that I liked the most. The author seems to have researched this historic event well and includes many interesting facts.
Although I enjoyed reading this, it never seemed realistic to me. It was fun to read but gave me the impression of a Disney version of the truth. I prefer more realism even if it is disturbing. I also have mixed feelings about books that combine historical facts with fantasy, unless the author makes clear which is which. That said, it was an enjoyable read, and kept my attention throughout, and the descriptions of the polio epidemic were enlightening.

Note: I received an advance copy of the ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Diane Chamberlain is one of my favorite authors and she has done it again with The Stolen Marriage. More historical fiction than what I am used to by Chamberlain, but still a character driven drama in her usual style.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Tess and loved how she evolved as a woman and became a leader in a time when women were not leaders in our country. Her story was engaging and evoked plenty of different emotions. I kept reading well past my bedtime to find out how this one ended.

No major twists and turns, but all around good story telling in a character driven family drama set in the 1940’s. I would highly recommend to anyone who likes historical fiction or domestic dramas. This is an amazing story of love, secrets, family, betrayal, forgiveness and strength.

Diane Chamberlain has written a compelling novel with her usual beautiful writing style and entrancing, immersive narratives, as well as a carefully crafted plot and strong, well-developed characters. Also, being the history junkie that I am, I really appreciated the meticulous research Chamberlain did while writing the true events that take place in the book. While it is dated during WWII, the actual events of the novel aren’t focused on the war. Instead, that era plays a huge part in the social and cultural events in the book—interracial relations, Jim Crow laws in North Carolina, women’s rights, class differences, the polio epidemic, and the polio hospital built in just 54 hours in Hickory, NC.

The Stolen Marriage is such a captivating story of love, marriage, secrets, betrayal, grief, tragedy, racism, class, forgiveness, and redemption that you will not want to put it down! I not only felt completely transported to another place and time while reading the book but felt as if I were fully involved with the character’s lives since Chamberlain did such an excellent job making them feel so vibrant and life-like! This was such a fantastic book, and I cannot recommend it highly enough!

It is the summer of 1943 in Little Italy, Baltimore when readers first meet Tess Demello and her fiancé Vincent Russo. Tess is a strong, vibrant young woman who is madly in love with Vince and has her entire future planned around not only their lives together as husband and wife but her ambition of being a nurse since she only needs to take the RN licensing exam to fulfill her dream. Vince is a doctor who has just finished his residency at Johns Hopkins, and he plans to open his own pediatrics’ office with Tess working by his side. It seems like they have the perfect love story and the perfect life mapped out until things completely unravel.

Shocking her family and Vince, Tess ends their engagement after Vince has been in Chicago for months volunteering during the polio outbreak. During his time away, she grows insecure, nervous, and aggravated at their lack of contact and even questions if Vince really wants to marry her. Instead, while on an impromptu girl’s weekend to Washington D.C., she meets another man, wealthy Henry Kraft, owner of Kraft Furniture in Hickory, N.C. Tess suddenly becomes Mrs. Henry Kraft.

When Tess and Hank are married, his mother, Ruth, and sister, Lucy, are horrified that Hank has married “beneath” him or married at all since he was expected to marry another woman—is this the “stolen marriage” then? Has Tess stolen Hank from another woman and if so, why did he not tell her? Plus, they not only believe Tess to be unsuitable since she is Catholic, Italian, and working class but along with the rest of the town, they’re suspicious of Tess’s motives in marrying Hank and act like she’s a gold digger. Everyone she meets treats her with utter contempt except for the hired help and a medium who becomes her friend. It’s horrible to see wonderful, kind Tess treated so awfully, especially knowing that it was in part because of her ethnicity and religion that she was treated so horribly. Chamberlain really does make you look at racism and prejudice and question how far we’ve really come in 70 years…it really isn’t that far when you watch the news and see what is going on every single day.

The biggest shock is Tess’s marriage. Tess quickly discovers her marriage is a sham and although Hank is kind to her, he has no desire to touch her, is very distant, keeps secrets, and rarely comes home at night. I certainly had my own ideas about what Hank’s secrets were, why he wouldn’t touch his wife, and where he was at night, and wow, was I wrong!! When all the reasons were revealed, I was shocked! It was a wonderful plot twist in a story already full of interesting twists and turns!

Still, Tess is left in misery and abject loneliness wondering about the horrible mistake that she made coming to Hickory, especially after one tragedy after another happens and she is blamed. Where she was held in contempt by the townspeople before, she is now openly despised by many. It was very difficult seeing the high-spirited, strong compassionate Tess from the beginning of the book so lost and lonely. You know she is a fighter, but you feel that spark go out of her for a while, and Chamberlain is so good at making you feel the character’s emotions that I sobbed with Tess when she faced each tragedy.

What I loved and admired is that even though Tess is faced with adversity, that she never lets go of her pride and determination or forgets her passionate calling to be a nurse despite Hank and his mother’s objections. When the polio outbreak happens and the community comes together to build the hospital in town to save lives, Tess faces down Hank’s objections to be a nurse at the hospital with an iron will. While doing what she is most passionate about, Tess rediscovers herself, saves lives, finds friendship, and most of all discovers peace and forgiveness.

The Stolen Marriage ends on the notes of much-deserved happiness, redemption, and love finally gotten right. Chamberlain has written a wonderful novel that even though it has its imperfections, including some predictable parts of the plot, they are few and in between. Of all her books that I’ve read, I believe this is the most beautiful one. It’s raw in places. Real. Stunning with its presentation of grief and genuine emotions. I loved that there was an epilogue that tells where the characters are 10 years in the future since I didn’t want the book to end! I can’t wait to read Chamberlain’s next book since I know it will be simply superb!

**I was given an ARC copy by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.**

As part of the NetGalley community, I often have an opportunity to read books before they are released to the public.  My family will tell you this:  Diane Chamberlain is one of my favorite authors. When I saw this book, The Stolen Marriage, available, I was very excited to read it even though I'm not always a big fan of historical fiction.  I knew that if there was a time when I'd like that genre, the book would have to be written by Ms. Chamberlain! 

The Stolen Marriage is a story is set in the 1940's in Baltimore, Maryland.  The storyline itself revolves around three major issues of the era: an out-of-wedlock pregnancy, the laws prohibiting interracial marriage, and the epidemic of infantile paralysis known as polio.

Tess and Vincent have grown up in the same neighborhood and are slated to be married and their families are thrilled. Vincent has become a medical doctor and Tess is studying to be a nurse. when Vincent leaves town to volunteer in Chicago, Tess begins to question whether or not Vincent will come back for her.  She goes out with a friend one night, drinks too much, and ends up pregnant, which causes her to cancel her engagement to Vincent.  Furniture man, Hank Kraft marries her and moves to her Hickory, North Carolina where she alone and unhappy. Hank has no desire to be with Tess even though he made her pregnant.  Hank also has a lot of secrets and even worse, his family does not welcome Tess.  They believe she has stolen the marriage that Hank was slated to have with a local woman. 

The Stolen Marriage is a compelling story about heartache, regrets and deception, as well as a story about strength, and redemption. Diane Chamberlain is an excellent author and I enjoyed the development of the characters and the flow of the story.  Ms. Chamberlain's tightly-woven plot kept me turning pages from beginning to end!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in exchange for my review.  I would like to thank St Martin's Press for allowing me the opportunity to participate, read and review this book. My views are my own and are in no way influenced by anyone else!

Title: The Stolen Marriage
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Publisher: Martin's Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:

"The Stolen Marriage" by Diane Chamberlain

My Thoughts....

Indeed this was quite a interesting gripping historical romance story that this author gives the reader. We find Tess DeMello from Baltimore, Maryland around 1943 was once engaged to Vincent Russo [M.D.] but breaks off that engagement and marries a complete stranger named Henry Kraft who was from Hickory, North Carolina. Now, why did she choose a loveless marriage? Whose marriage was stolen? I liked how this author was able to weave the polio epidemic which was first being treated around that time into this story even making it even more interesting to read and in doing so bringing Tess's former fiance back into the picture. This was quite a compelling historical fiction that you will have to pick up and see for yourself how well this author brings it all out to the reader. Will this medical doctor and registered nurse be able to get back together again? The story offers 'love, loss, race, marriage, secrets, tragedy and redemption.' This author does a wonderful job with the main character Tess giving the reader a roller coaster ride full with her emotions and thoughts along with her husband, Henry who was a well respected businessman but very secretive. I don't want to leave out Henry's mother Ruth and his sister Lucy who both had their own agendas in this well told story. The story even had a little paranormal [conversing with the dead] with the Reverend Sam along with some other host of characters...Hattie, Honor, Adora, Zeke and Jilly and a host of other people in the town. Be ready for some twist and turns that you may not see coming along with a epilogue of ten years later. I was still left with a few questions however it was a enjoyable read, for it was also a long captivating read that you will have to stay on top of it because there will be so much going on. to see if there will be a HEA.

A heart-wrenching and engaging historical novel of mistakes, secrets, love and forgiveness.

SUMMARY
One mistake and Tess DeMello’s life is changed forever. It’s 1944 and 23 year old Tess is now pregnant alone and riddled with guilt. She abruptly gives up her budding career as a nurse, ends the engagement to the love of her life, and turns to the baby’s father for help. She agrees to marry him, and move to the small town of Hickory, North Carolina. After their marriage, Tess‘s new husband Henry Kraft becomes secretive and frequently stays out all night. Tess quickly realizes she’s trapped in a strange and loveless marriage with no way out. When the polio epidemic strikes Hickory, the townspeople band together to build a polio hospital. Despite Henry’s and his mother’s prohibition against it, Tess goes to work at the polio hospital. It is there that she finds purpose and meaning to her life once again. As she tirelessly works to save her patients lives, she also unravels the truth behind Henry’s mysterious behavior.

REVIEW
My favorite part of this book was the strength, honesty and emotion brought out through Tess’s character. You always knew what she was thinking and feeling. I really appreciated the strength she showed in keeping the baby even though she knew her engagement would be over. She never once blamed Henry for that faithful night she got pregnant. She could have easily claimed that he took advantage of her that night, when she had to much to drink, which he did. The resulting story is a touching chronicle of Tess’s dark time in a small southern town, being despised by the community as well as her own sister- and mother-in-law. And then things only get worse.

The many fibers of the story are securely woven together to make a magnificent read. The writing was rich and rewarding and weighted with gut-wrenching choices and decisions. My favorite character besides Tess, was the compassionate medium Reverend Sam and his skeleton. DIANE CHAMBERLIN weaves a riveting tale with her fast-paced heart-wrenching story. It’s beautifully written and richly enjoyable. The Audible version with Susan Bennett’s narration made the story come to life.

THE STOLEN MARRIAGE by bestselling author Diane Chamberlain is a historical fiction novel set in the 1940's in America during the Second World War. The story opens first in Baltimore and then later in the town of Hickory, North Carolina. I have to admit I normally shy away from historical fiction, but I went out on a limb, and decided to try something different, and I really enjoyed it.

Tess DeMello, the protagonist in this novel, makes a mistake that will ultimately alter the course of her life forever.

It’s 1944 and 23- year -old Tess is now pregnant and all alone. She gives up her career as a nurse, and ends her engagement to Vincent, a doctor, her soulmate. Tess agrees to marry the baby’s father, Henry and move to the small town of Hickory, North Carolina. Tess is not welcome in Hickory. She is regarded as an outsider.

But soon after their marriage, Tess‘s new husband changes and starts staying out late and become distant. Tess soon realises she’s stuck in a strange and loveless marriage with no way out. When the polio epidemic strikes Hickory, the people group together to build a polio hospital. Against her husband’s wishes, Tess goes to work at the polio hospital. It is there that she finds purpose and meaning to her life once again. Not only does she work to save her patients’ lives, she also discovers the truth behind Henry’s strange behaviour.

Stolen Marriage is written in first person from Tess’s perspective. The characters were well developed and the story read more like a drama, with life’s lessons laying out on a canvas.

A novel of mistakes and their consequences.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for my digital copy.

I absolutely loved this novel. I loved all the historical elements the novel held in it, the twists and turns, the characters and I especially loved how Tess tried to maintain who she was, with all the excitement that was happening in her world. Right from the beginning, the novel took off and it continued right to the very end, there was never a lull. Rich in the history, laden with fantastic characters and situated in an area where favoritism happened on many levels.

The year was 1944 and 23-year-old Tess went on a trip with her best friend, Gina. Once they reached their destination, the plans had been changed and the two friends, headed out for dinner. Tess and Gina had quite the night, Tess’s behavior was unlike her normal studious, conscious self. Tess finds herself pregnant, her fiancé, Vincent is not the father. That one-night out has changed everything.

Locating the father of her baby, Tess agrees to marry him as that would be the proper thing to do for her baby. Vincent is no longer in the picture but Tess thinks of him constantly. Immediately, Tess seems to forget what her needs are and as Henry starts to take control of the situation, I am fearful of what might occur. Tess feels she can fit into his rich, strict family but when we meet Henry’s mother and the rest of the community, I think Tess has bitten off more than she can chew. Tess has a big heart and I loved how she didn’t fall into her role but rather she tried to maintain who she was and she saw individuals for who they were. Their marriage is strange, his family is unusual, the only people I, myself, feel comfortable with, are working in the kitchen and I think Tess feels this too. When polio hits the region, Tess feels the need to do her part and when she stood up strong, I was cheering for her.

The novel is filled with wonderful emotional moments: there were times that I was smiling, laughing, angry, frustrated and yes, times where tears were escaping from my eyes. Where would this novel end as Tess battles her way through Hickory? Excellent historical fiction novel that I highly recommend.

Tess DeMello had known Vincent all her life and was looking forward to their upcoming marriage – she’d loved him for so long the wait seemed interminable. But when Vincent was working away from their home town of Little Italy for months on end, Tess and Gina, Tess’ best friend, went away for a weekend. That time away changed Tess’ life forever.

When Tess married Henry Kraft, the shock was felt all through the small town of Hickory, North Carolina. Having to move into Henry’s home with his mother Ruth and sister Lucy was especially hard for Tess, but she was determined to make friends with her new in-laws. But it wasn’t to happen – she was an outcast and as the weeks moved forward, Tess felt more alone and lonely than she’d ever felt in her life. Her husband was kind to her – but he was more like a brother than a husband. What was Tess to do? Had she made the worst mistake of her life?

Polio had been prevalent for some time, but hadn’t yet affected the town of Hickory. So when it suddenly arrived, Tess’ nursing degree came to the fore. Against her husband’s wishes, Tess began working at the new hospital which was erected seemingly overnight in and by the community. Tess felt a measure of peace within herself; felt her confidence return – caring for patients who desperately needed it was her life…

But what was happening with Henry? Why were his actions so strange? His fondness for Tess would change to anger in a heartbeat – the sadness she saw in his eyes was disconcerting. Could she find out what was happening, as well as sort her own life out? Her loveless marriage was tearing at her daily…

The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain is amazing! Set in 1944, the prejudices were heartrending. The segregation of the black community and the white; the deeply buried secrets; the emotion! All kept me captivated long into the night! (Just as well it was New Year’s Eve!) And to read at the end of the novel that the small town of Hickory did do exactly that back in 1944 – the community banded together and built, outfitted and staffed a polio hospital in the space of fifty-four hours. Quite an amazing accomplishment. The author blended her fiction around this fact, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommended.

I started a neighborhood book club a little over two years ago, ad the first book we read was Diane Chamberlain’s Necessary Lies, and it was a great choice: it was set in a small Southern town fifty or so years ago, it included social issues (mental illness, forced sterilizations, the “appropriate” role of women in marriage) and it was filled with characters who stayed with the reader long after the last page is read. It also had the added EEEK! factor that occurs when you find out the story was based on the reality of forced sterilizations and racism. So, with all that, I was happy to receive a copy of Ms. Chamberlain’s new book Stolen Marriage, from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This story is also set primarily in a small town in the South, 50+ years ago. The protagonist, Tess DeMello, ends her engagement to a man she loves dearly, marries a stranger, and moves to Hickory, North Carolina. Hickory is a small town struggling with racial tension and the hardships imposed by World War II. Tess finds out her new husband, an extremely successful furniture manufacturer, is quite mysterious: he often stays out all night, hides money, and is totally uninterested in any physical contact with his new wife. Tess feels trapped and desperately wants out of the unhappy situation: “I hadn’t been happy in so long, I doubted a new house was going to fix what was wrong with me.”

The people of Hickory love and respect her husband, and see her as an outsider. When Tess is blamed for the death of a prominent citizen in an accident, she is treated with scorn and derision. She begins to feel like she is being followed, and is totally unhappy. The town is a classic racist town, reflected in Tess’s feeling that “…it was crazy that any state in the country allowed colored and white to get married in the first place. It only created problems for everyone.”

When a sudden polio epidemic strikes the town, the townspeople band together and build a polio hospital in just a few days. Tess begins to work at the hospital, finding a rewarding sense of identity in caring for the young victims. But the whole mess with her husband and his horrific mother and sister continues to make her life the opposite of what she dreamed for herself as a married woman.

This will be a good choice for book clubs, with the issues of women’s rights and roles in their marriages, interracial marriage, medical ethics (as an epidemic breaks out among people of all races and religions), honesty and trust. It is an easy read, but has a lot of depth. I read it a week ago, and keep thinking about the town, the people, the situation…so it’s an easy five stars for me…and a good choice for our book club, still going strong.

And the true story of a town that built a hospital from the ground up in just a few days in order to deal with the polio epidemic is awesome!

Diane Chamberlain is a gifted storyteller. Her writing keeps you on your toes, turning the pages, to find out what happens next. She effortlessly breathes life into the time period, setting and characters.
The Stolen Marriage is a well-written and well-researched novel.
We are transported back to 1944 when 23 year old nursing student, Tess DeMello, suddenly ends her engagement to the love of her life, leaves her home in Little Italy and marries a mysterious stranger. Tess's new husband, Henry Kraft, is a wealthy and secretive man who shows no interest in Tess whatsoever.
Having to move to Henry's hometown in Hickory, North Carolina, the townspeople adore Henry but are determined to hate Tess. She must live with her vicious Mother In Law and despicable Sister In Law until their new home is built. Tess is heartbroken, lonely and bored. She is determined to take her final nursing exams to become a Registered Nurse. Met with great resistance from Henry and his family (a woman of their means is not allowed to work) he finally gives in allowing Tess to pursue her dream. Henry has his own personal agenda for marrying Tess which is revealed through the story.
When a polio outbreak occurs the people of Hickory build a hospital. This helps Tess to reignite her purpose and passion.
Betrayal, secrets, heartbreak and finally understanding and forgiveness make this story flow.
The many twists and turns in the plot involve the polio epidemic, WWII, racial tensions and forbidden love.
Wonderfully Compelling Historical Fiction

By Melissa Amster

Believe it or not, I have never read a Diane Chamberlain novel. I kept hearing amazing reviews for The Stolen Marriage, so I was expecting it to be good when I finally got around to reading it. However, it went above and beyond anything I was expecting. I could not put it down and could not stop thinking about it when I had to get back to real life.

Diane writes her characters so beautifully and genuinely. It was very easy to get into the story right away and the momentum kept up throughout the novel. I could visualize people and places like they were right in front of me. I could even hear their voices! Diane kept me guessing as to what would happen next (aside from what takes place in the prologue) and there were a lot of interesting surprises. I also didn’t know how truly horrible the polio epidemic was. I knew it was bad, but this really emphasized what people were dealing with and all the tragedies that came from it.

I can’t emphasize enough what a fantastic novel this is; one you all need to get your hands on! I definitely want to read more of Diane’s novels, now that I know what she is capable of. I’ll just have to find a way to fit them into my queue more often!

Dream movie cast:
Tess: Vanessa Marano
Vincent: Michael Zegen (he popped into my head after seeing The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.)
Henry: Max Thieriot
Reverend Sam: Morgan Freeman
Honor: Lupita Nyong'o
Lucy: Chloë Grace Moretz
Violet: Lily James
Byron Dare: Christopher McDonald
Hattie: Letitia Wright

My first Diane Chamberlain novel and I truly enjoy every page of it.

When I was growing up the word polio stuck fear into the hearts of every parent and every child was aware of the illness. We were inoculated thanks to a life saving vaccine by Dr Jonas Salk. Caused by a virus easily transmittable many parents kept their children home, no pools, no public places as the virus seemed to spread more readily in the summer months. Dr Salk went onto achieve fame when he discovered the vaccine which he had tested on himself and his children in 1955. "A few years after polio vaccination became routine, the annual number of cases dropped to a dozen or so, sometimes fewer. In 1969 not a single death from polio was reported in the nation, the first such year on record, and now the disease is on the verge of being eradicated worldwide."

With this as its background as well as the bigotry inherent in the South at that time, Ms Chamberlain tells the story of Tess DeMello who on one night after drinking way too much, finds herself pregnant. She was due to be married to her long time friend and a man she desperately loved when the pregnancy ends all those dreams of a happy life. She decides to keep the baby and seeks out the man who impregnated her, Henry Kraft. He decides to marry her so that this child will have a father and a family. The relationship between Tess, her husband, and his family is a tense one. There is no love shared between them for Tess and she for them. Tess is doomed to a marriage where while there might be money, there is no love. She has trained as a nurse but the provincial, wealthy Kraft family will not hear of her working that is up to the point when the polio virus attacks their town. As Tess works toward comforting and caring for her patients, she is reunited with her former love, Vincent, who is a doctor. Events throw them together as they combat the disease while the secrets that Henry carries are revealed and can produce disastrous consequences.

Told through the aura of the times this book follows people who were condemned for their mistakes, their social status, their race, and of course their religion. Ms Chamberlain weaves a sad but wonderful tale of characters who were governed by the times in which they lived. I think I will be reading a lot more of this author's works in the future.

** I received an advanced readers copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

Diane Chamberlain is one of those authors who's books I always look forward to reading. I don't need to read the synopsis and I don't need to know what it is about ahead of time before picking it up. After reading every available title to date I just know that I am going to love it no matter what. Picking up a Diane Chamberlain novel is like wrapping myself in a warm blanket beside a nice fire on a cold winters day. It is the picture of comfort and satisfaction. I eagerly await and anticipate the release of each new novel.

The Stolen Marriage was about a young woman named Tess, who due to difficult circumstances, broke off her engagement to her life long sweetheart and moved away from everyone she knew and married a man she barely did. In her new life she had privilege but it came at a price and she had a difficult time navigating her new environment and understanding her new husband. Set in 1944 during a time of racial tensions and the polio epidemic, Tess struggled to come to terms and live with the decisions she made.

I have to start by saying that I love historical fiction and this story provided me with all of the things that I love most about the genre. It wasn't hard to tell that a lot of time and research went into making this story as historically accurate as possible. That is something that I have come to find you can always count on in a Diane Chamberlain book. I don't imagine that it is an easy task to wrap a fictional story and characters around real life facts and events but she made it seem effortless. The polio epidemic wasn't something that I knew a lot about but after the little bit that I learnt from reading this book I plan to research farther.

The characters and plot in this book were beautiful. I absolutely adored Tess. I almost felt like I was Tess as she was navigating her life. It was more than empathy. It felt like I was navigating the streets and people of Hickory as Tess. The writing and story were so engaging that it drew me back in time and I felt like I was a part of it. It was fascinating to read about a time when things were so different and you could be shamed for things that people wouldn't even blink an eye at now. I even had a love/hate relationship with Henry for reasons that I can't say and that you will have to read to find out. Every single aspect of this story kept me glued to the pages and because of that, I had it finished in no time.

There really are no words that can adequately describe how much I enjoyed this book. If you are a fan of Diane Chamberlain you will not be disappointed. If you haven't had the opportunity to pick up one of her books I strongly encourage you to. My only complaint is that I will have to wait for her next book.

I loved this book!

The story
Tess DeMello was going to have the perfect life. She was going to marry the love of her life and get a nursing degree. Everything was going great, until Vincent took on volunteer work for a couple of months away from Tess and her entire world falls apart.
Unable to stop herself from feeling sad about her future husband’s long absence and a niggling feeling that he might be seeing someone else – Gina takes Tess to Washington, where a drink too many leads Tess into sleeping with a mysterious stranger and falling pregnant.

Unable to forgive herself and not knowing what to do, Tess breaks off her engagement and moves elsewhere in hopes of starting her life all over again. When the father of the child decides to do right by her and she marries the mysterious stranger and moves to his hometown of Hickory, North Caroline where she learns the struggle of racial tension and hardships imposed on the town by World War II.

Thoughts
Woah, just Woah you guys. I started this book last night, read it till the wee hours of the morning and when I woke up I had this book on my mind and had to finish it. I just finished it and still reeling from the emotional storyline.

I was so angry with Tess at first and her mistakes because it started out badly and what looked like unforgivable, but ended up mounting until the character started growing from her mistakes into this strong-willed woman that has seen and been through so much hardship and heartbreak in such a short amount of time.

This book dealt with a lot. It dealt with Tess and her loveless marriage, leaving a cloud of mystery hanging over the entire book by making you wonder what is going on the entire time. Just as I thought I had it figured out the author takes this in a completely different direction I was not expecting.

Chamberlain also weaves so much history and everything that people have gone through during this time period with racial tension, laws, World War II, Polio, the building of the Polio hospital and all the sickness and heartbreak. It just added such a punch to the entire book and made it so riveting and hard to put down.

I spent half the book feeling like Tess deserved what she got when she made the stupid choice of leaving the love of her life and the second half respecting her and everything she went through.

I loved that Tess kept pushing and defying the customs and her husband and mother-in-law with the respect that came to her nursing license. I like that she took charge of that part of her life in order to make herself happy again.

The author throws us into the action right away with the opening of the book and the book sits in two parts. The events leading to the accident and the events following the accident. You see a lot of character growth as the story goes on and it just completely blew my mind.

I was sad, I was teary, I was enthralled in the story and the characters writing. It was so well written, the storytelling was remarkable and I was so drawn and flipping through the pages that I actually had a hard time saying goodbye to these characters.

The pacing was perfect, I never felt like there was a dull moment. The author kept me glued to the pages wanting to know what was happening, what was going to happen to these characters. I loved how she incorporated this time period into these characters lives and made them feel really genuine and human, that at times I forgot that they are fictional.

If you enjoy Historical fiction, absolutely wonderful writing, an emotionally gripping story, raw characters, I strongly recommend you read this because, I just cannot express how much I loved this book and everything about it.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain is a well-researched, historically accurate novel set during the mid 1940s in North Carolina.

Twenty-three year old Tess DeMello is happily engaged to next door neighbor Dr. Vincent Russo. Looking forward to her upcoming wedding and completing her nursing studies, she is disappointed yet understanding when Vincent goes to Chicago to help out during a serious polio outbreak. When his return date continues to get pushed back, she and her best friend take a trip to Washington, DC that forever alters Tess’s life and eventually leads to a loveless marriage to furniture maker Henry Kraft.

Tess is a strong, confident young woman who has a close relationship with her mother and Vincent’s family. Her one misstep has far reaching implications and she loses everything dear to her the aftermath. Not expecting Henry to offer marriage, she nonetheless accepts his proposal and relocates to his hometown of Hickory. Needless to say, neither her mother-in-law Ruth nor her sister-in-law Lucy welcomes her into the family and Tess grows incredibly lonely in her new circumstances. She is also puzzled by Henry’s lack of interest in their marriage and although she would like to confront him, Tess is fearful of upsetting their fragile bond. Tess remains hopeful things will improve over the coming months and despite her reluctance to go against her husband’s wishes, she nonetheless holds firm when it comes to attaining her RN license.

Tess is definitely a fish out of water in her new home. She is expected to conform to Ruth’s wishes and she gradually loses her sense of self under the weight of these expectations. Dealt a crushing blow in the aftermath of tragic losses, Tess unexpectedly finds the opportunity to fulfill her prior dreams when the town comes together and builds a hospital for polio patients. When her past crashes headlong into the present, Tess realizes the enormity of everything she has lost, but will she find a way to escape her increasingly unhappy life?

The Stolen Marriage is an enthralling historical novel with a rich cast of vibrantly developed and life-like characters. Tess is an extremely sympathetic and appealing protagonist who is a victim of not only her impetuous decisions but the strictures of time period. The small town of Hickory is realistically depicted but it takes the townspeople’s generosity in the face of adversity for Tess to realize she has misjudged most of its residents. Diane Chamberlain’s meticulous research of Hickory’s past highlights a remarkable but little known piece of important history. An incredibly captivating and thought-provoking novel that provides an insightful glimpse of turbulent race relations, haunting polio epidemics and limited choices women endured during the mid 1940s in America.

I received a complimentary copy for reviw.

5+++++ STARS!!!!!

This is the second time I've rated one of Diane Chamberlain's books
'more' than 5 stars!!!

I thought "Necessary Lies", was phenomenal!! I STILL DO!!!
Yet, "The Stolen Marriage" is my absolutely my TOP FAVORITE. Diane Chamberlain
got everything right!!! This is fiction - and historical fiction - and storytelling --- at its BEST!!!
A DARN GOOD READ!!! Curl up and get comfy, because once you start reading--you'll get transported to another life - another time - with other people who will feel like your friends.

"The Stolen Marriage", stole my heart --- connected my brain ---and my entire being is doing the happy dance!! Other than I'm sad the book ended. :(
I'm grateful when a book is as fulfilling as this one is. Sincerely grateful!!! :)

The story begins in 1943. Tess DeMello and Vincent Russo grew up living next door to each other in Little Italy, Baltimore, Maryland. Vincent has recently become a new medical doctor and Tess is finishing up nursing school. After graduation she will need to take the licensing exam yet, and then she will be a certified nurse. -- a few challenges about 'taking' the exam felt like nails on a chalkboard to me for awhile. I wanted to hit 'somebody' in the noggin.

Tess and Vincent love each other - their families love each other - they are engaged and making wedding plans. Since they have been young teens, it is been their dream to work together in the medical field: doctor and nurse. As for those dreams.... well...READ THE BOOK....

Vincent- is a new doctor without an official job yet- so he takes an opportunity to go to Chicago for a couple of weeks to volunteer with the polio epidemic. Great experience- right? Plus, he had a cousin who had polio years ago - so feels a draw to help with the epidemic. He needs to leave Tess for two weeks. He'll be back plenty in time to continue with wedding plans. Two weeks stretches into three weeks. Three weeks into four weeks, and longer. Tess misses him, and feels a little angry.

Tess's best girlfriend is Gina Farinola. Her boyfriend, Mac, is overseas with the army. The war is going on throughout Europe. So, Gina says to Tess, "lets go to Washington for the weekend". ( enough of being bummed out girls - missing their guys -Gina talked Tess into having some fun).
One weekend-ONE NIGHT - in Washington-- changes the course-direction of life for Tess and Vincent and an entire community of people in Hickory, North Carolina forever!!!
Follow Diane ... we are in great hands ... following Diane Chamberlain's story!!!

Diane Chamberlain created wondrous characters!!!!!
.....Tess DeMello, an Italian girl, has distinctive qualities... not only physically with exotic thick black hair, and exotic big brown eyes...but her values, life priorities, and moral integrity sets her apart from others.
.....When Tess marries Hank Kraft of "Kraft Fine Furniture", a pillar of the community in Hickory, North Carolina.... it's clear plenty of girls wanted to get their hands on him.
.....Hank is a mysterious man. A little chauvinistic - controlling - protective -clearly giving but distant ( removed) -- he's one heck of a puzzling guy!

To show just 'how' distant Hank is with Tess....
......This is Hank, ( or Henry), and Tess's wedding night ( the blue station negligee that Gina bought her was useless)......haha:
Hank says: "I like to read in bed, do you?"
"Yes, I said. I'd read in bed since I was old enough to turn the pages".
"Do you have a book with you?", he asked
"I nodded".
"Why don't you get it?"
"I hesitated. This was hardly what I expected on my wedding night, but I got out of bed and walked barefoot over to my suitcase. I reached for my Agatha Christie novel I'd been attempting to read over the last nerve-racking days. I returned to bed, propped my pillow behind me, and two of us read for the next 20 or 30 minutes. Or at least Henry read. I stared at the Pages but couldn't concentrate. I wanted to get this night over with."
"Ready for lights out?" Henry finally asked.
"Yes," I said, setting my book on the night table and switching off the lamp.
"Good night", he said".
Perfect wedding night? Ha!

Chamberlain has a wonderful ability to understand her characters deeply ---( soon we will catch up with her). She captures the nuances beautifully, so that even the minor characters are memorable and distinctive. Plus, her writing is natural, insightful, and affecting...with a little mystery...(secrets included).

We 'feel', we wonder, we examine, and empathize with the characters. We get an authentic experience of the living conditions of the times in the mid 40's --the religious issues - racial issues - the expected roles of men and women--
laws of the days, ignorant thinking, and the tribulations inflicted by the war.

I learned a few things about the polio epidemic - and treatments - that I didn't know until reading this book. For example...I had never heard of the "Sister Kenny Method". It was a fascinating way of treatment of infantile paralysis. Patients would be wrapped in wool --very time-consuming-- and then exercise them several times a day.
You could feel how exhausting it was for the nurses....and we longed to reach out to the children ourselves.

I LOVE THIS STORY!!!!!! It took me on a journey so thoroughly engrossing----the that there were times I wished all my friends were reading with me. It's so natural to want to share something that you really love.
Great great great!!!!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

ElyseJody

Tess, a young nursing student, lives in an Italian community in Baltimore, Maryland and is engaged to a young Doctor. He travels to Chicago to fight a polio outbreak and keeps extending his time there. Depressed and unsure she begrudgingly goes to Washington DC for the weekend with her best friend. Events that occur there have her breaking off her engagement and marrying Henry Kraft, a furniture maker in rural Hickory, North Carolina. She has married into wealth, and Henry is more than generous, but the people of Hickory are far less accepting. Her marriage isn’t a happy one. Henry isn’t intimate with her, works odd hours and hides money from her. The townsfolk make it clear she is an outsider. She finds solace when speaking to a local medium and this thread was particularly interesting and touched on magical realism.

Through stubbornness and Henry’s understanding, Tess gets her nursing license, but he forbids her to work. As his wife, labor was seen as beneath her station, but when a polio epidemic breaks out, and a hospital is set up in Hickory, Tess soon finds herself working. Here, Tess meets up with the young doctor she abandoned and confesses everything to him. It was fascinating learning more about this epidemic, iron lungs, and these makeshift hospitals. It was heartbreaking, and the story shared both joyful and tearful moments. Chamberlain detailed societies fears and misunderstandings of this epidemic that devoured children and folks of every race and social standing.

THE STOLEN MARRIAGE not only dealt with the polio epidemic, but it shared the pressures of society and racism. We delve into Tess’s mistakes and consequences. We explore Southern culture, marriage laws, racism and more. Chamberlain’s research is evident, and her eloquent writing styles paint a detailed picture of the climate and characters in 1944. There is romance threaded throughout the story, and I found it touching and surreal. We also get a bit of suspense, regarding Henry’s odd hours and hidden money.

This is the type of story that pulls you, connects you to the characters and brings the period to life in vivid color. Each of the characters is flawed and realistic. Chamberlain shines a realistic light on situations these characters faced, allowing the reader to become emotionally connected. She combines the best of fiction and history giving readers a story that will stay with them long after the book ends.