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meezcarrie's review
4.0
Before picking up Wilderness Wife – a new historical romance by Delores Topliff – I had never heard of Marguerite Wadin MacKay or Dr. John McLoughlin. Nor had I ever hear the term ‘wilderness wife’ or studied the conflict between the Hudson Bay and North West fur trading companies. At least not in a way that it stuck in my brain. Yet on the pages of this novel, thanks to Topliff’s love of history and education, I met these key historical personalities in the story of the Pacific Northwest and came away with a new appreciation for the women of that era particularly.
We all know that wilderness life wasn’t easy, but I think sometimes we forget just how arduous it really was. Particularly for women and for people of mixed heritage. In Marguerite’s case, she had to deal with both types of prejudice and the accompanying insecurities they left behind in her heart. As I read this sweet romance and got to know Marguerite, I came away so impressed by her strength, her resiliency, and her spirit. The author does a great job of conveying how ‘deserving’ Marguerite was of a pity party, of giving up, and of harboring bitterness – and of how seldom she did any of that. Yet, she remained an infinitely relatable character for any woman who has ever felt less than ‘enough’.
And then there’s John, whom I found equally fascinating as a historical figure. He is definitely a hero to be admired, a husband to be swooned over, and a man to respect. My heart broke for him in a particular season of the story, and I held my breath more than once. I’m kinda glad, in hindsight, that I didn’t know the outcome of the book’s events so I could experience it firsthand on these pages. I was moved to tears a couple of times and also found myself wanting to know even more about his and Marguerite’s life and their descendants.
Bottom Line: If you love discovering little-known historical figures on the pages of a novel and seeing their stories brought to life with romance and danger and faith, then you definitely need to check out Wilderness Wife by Delores Topliff! Your heart will be touched and your mind will be engaged, and you will quickly become enthralled with the history playing out in each chapter. Marguerite is a heroine with grit, strength, faith, and a heart full of love. But most importantly she is a sweet example of overcoming the negative voices from without and especially from within – the voices that say we are not worthy of love, that we are not worthy of respect – and replacing them with the voices of our Creator and those who love us most. John & Marguerite’s story is forever imprinted on my heart, and I am the better for it.
(I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I read via Kindle Unlimited)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
We all know that wilderness life wasn’t easy, but I think sometimes we forget just how arduous it really was. Particularly for women and for people of mixed heritage. In Marguerite’s case, she had to deal with both types of prejudice and the accompanying insecurities they left behind in her heart. As I read this sweet romance and got to know Marguerite, I came away so impressed by her strength, her resiliency, and her spirit. The author does a great job of conveying how ‘deserving’ Marguerite was of a pity party, of giving up, and of harboring bitterness – and of how seldom she did any of that. Yet, she remained an infinitely relatable character for any woman who has ever felt less than ‘enough’.
And then there’s John, whom I found equally fascinating as a historical figure. He is definitely a hero to be admired, a husband to be swooned over, and a man to respect. My heart broke for him in a particular season of the story, and I held my breath more than once. I’m kinda glad, in hindsight, that I didn’t know the outcome of the book’s events so I could experience it firsthand on these pages. I was moved to tears a couple of times and also found myself wanting to know even more about his and Marguerite’s life and their descendants.
Bottom Line: If you love discovering little-known historical figures on the pages of a novel and seeing their stories brought to life with romance and danger and faith, then you definitely need to check out Wilderness Wife by Delores Topliff! Your heart will be touched and your mind will be engaged, and you will quickly become enthralled with the history playing out in each chapter. Marguerite is a heroine with grit, strength, faith, and a heart full of love. But most importantly she is a sweet example of overcoming the negative voices from without and especially from within – the voices that say we are not worthy of love, that we are not worthy of respect – and replacing them with the voices of our Creator and those who love us most. John & Marguerite’s story is forever imprinted on my heart, and I am the better for it.
(I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I read via Kindle Unlimited)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
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