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In Book Reviews

Book Review and Giveaway: The Midwife’s Confession

Synopsis:

How well do you know your closest friends? Do you know much about their professional pursuits? Do you know their quirks and eccentricities? More importantly, do you know the ways in which their quirks and eccentricities impact their daily lives and the way they function in the world? Do you know to what lengths your friends would go to protect you, care for you, ensure your happiness? Are you sure you know their limits?

Tara and Emerson have been best friends since they met as college freshman assigned to be dormitory roommates. Noelle, three years their senior, was the Resident Adviser on their floor. She introduced herself and then proceeded to ask many pointed questions of Emerson. So many, in fact, that after Noelle left their room that evening, she paused in the hallway outside their door. She could hear them giggling, and Tara whispered to Emerson that it was almost as though Noelle were in love with Emerson. It would be more than twenty years before Tara and Emerson would learn of or comprehend the depth of Noelle’s love for Emerson or why she cared so passionately about her happiness.

As the story begins, Noelle takes her own life by overdosing on pills she has been stockpiling for many years. Her suicide is a devastating shock to Tara and Emerson, neither of whom ever suspected that Noelle was despondent. Worse, Tara’s husband, Sam, an attorney, was killed just tenth months earlier in a motor vehicle accident caused by a high school girl — one of Tara’s own students — who was text-messaging as she drove. Tara and Emerson are surprised to learn that Sam drafted Noelle’s will in which she provided for her aging mother, but left seventy-five percent of her remaining assets to Jenny, Emerson’s daughter, and the other twenty-five percent to Grace, the only child of Tara and Sam. Tara is hurt, but has always sensed that Noelle cared more for Emerson and her family, even though she could never quite understand why.

Among friends, how much is too much to forgive?

Noelle had been living in a modest home owned by Emerson and her husband, Ted. In recent years, they hadn’t even charged her rent. Noelle, a midwife, never cared about money or possessions. Having never married or had children, she lived alone, but cared passionately about her babies project which benefited needy infants and their mothers, as well as her backyard garden. In fact, she left a suicide note in which she specifically requested that her garden be tended. As Tara and Emerson sort through Noelle’s belongings, they are determined to find the answer to the question that haunts both of them: Why would Noelle suddenly end her own life?

Noelle kept painstakingly detailed records of every birth she attended. Emerson also finds a large, disorganized box of papers — notes of thanks from women whose babies Noelle delivered, hard copies of emails, etc. She discovers a letter to a woman named Anna that Noelle began composing in 2003. Noelle wrote: “What I have to tell you is difficult to write, but I know it will be far more difficult for you to hear, and I’m so sorry . . . ”

What secrets was Noelle keeping from her two best friends? Will they discover what prompted Noelle to commit suicide? And how will what they discover change not only their lives, but the lives of their daughters, as well as that of the woman, Anna, to whom Noelle began, but never finished confessing?

Review:

Author Diane Chamberlain

Each chapter of The Midwife’s Confession is told from the first-person perspective of a different character, with the exception of those devoted to Noelle, which are presented in a third-person narrative format. It is a highly effective technique because in the very first chapter Noelle kills herself. Thus, the story unfolds from the unique vantage point of each living character, Noelle’s back story being the lone exception because, of course, she is no longer among them. Noell’s story jumps from the day of her death back to the early 1980’s and gradually progresses to 1994, as the events of her life are revealed.

Noelle wanted to be a midwife from the time she first accompanied her mother to deliver a child. Although her mother was unlicensed, she was known throughout the region and regularly assisted women by “catching” their babies. Noelle’s father and mother were divorced, and her father remarried the woman with whom he had an affair. Her mother impressed upon Noelle that she must never hurt another woman the way her stepmother, Doreen, had hurt Noelle’s mother. Noelle’s mother harbored secrets of her own, opting to reveal one of them on that night when Noelle witnessed a birth for the first time. Noelle only learned the rest of the story accidentally years later as she was heading off to college.

It’s a story of friendship and the corrosive power of secrets. It’s the story of mothers and daughters and the relationship storms that test the bonds between them.~ Author Diane Chamberlain

The plot of The Midwife’s Confession revolves completely around Noelle’s actions, and the way Noelle’s behavior affected those she loved. Noelle’s bad choices — along with some noble ones — have impacted the lives of her beloved friends, Tara and Emerson, in ways that neither woman even suspects. In the hands of a less-skilled author, Noelle’s departure in the first chapter could have proven disastrous to the development of the plot and believability of the characters. But Noelle is a fully developed, complex, and tragically flawed woman whose numerous secrets, revealed at expertly-timed intervals, compel the story forward at a sometimes dizzying, but always controlled pace.

Like ocean waves crashing violently on the shore, Noelle’s numerous secrets are revealed — and they are shockers. Just when it seems that Noelle’s past cannot possibly hold any more surprises, Chamberlain unveils one more aspect of Noelle’s life that brings into question what the characters have figured out up to that point, along with readers’ conclusions. Because each of the female characters is sympathetic in her own right, each new plot twist pulls readers deeper into their psyches and makes their emotional reactions increasingly palpable and relatable.

Tara has felt lost and adrift since losing Sam. Her grief is numbing because their marriage was a happy one, and their life with their only daughter, Grace — delivered at home by Noelle — fulfilling. Tara, a high school drama teacher, has felt particularly disconnected from Grace since Sam’s death, unable to reach her. Grace is a planner, an organizer, whose home is immaculate. Tara and Grace are so different, it is as though they do not share the same DNA, while Sam and Grace had common interests and an easy communication style that, no matter how hard she tries, Tara simply cannot replicate. She is worried that she is losing her daughter, whose unhappiness deepened when her boyfriend broke up with her just as he was leaving for college. Grace feels smothered by her mother and is having a difficult time in the aftermath of her father’s tragic death. She is troubled by her mother’s efforts to move forward with her life, and resents the changes Tara has made such as giving Sam’s clothing to charity.

Emerson recently opened a new cafe and the business is thriving, while her husband, Ted, is a realtor. Unlike Grace, Emerson is more interested in being popular and well-liked than in being successful. Their only daughter, Jenny, is outgoing and popular, and Grace’s best friend. Unlike Grace, Jenny was not delivered by Noelle. Emerson gave birth via C-section in the local hospital — ironically, while Tara was being tended at home by Noelle as she delivered Grace. Noelle told both women that she never made it to the hospital to visit Emerson that night. She said that she was too tired and went straight home to sleep after Tara’s difficult labor and delivery. Emerson is determined to find out what drove Noelle to end her life, but will she be sorry if she learns the truth?

Meanwhile, Anna Knightly had been living in her own hell. Her infant daughter, Lily, disappeared a couple of days after being born in the same hospital as Jenny. Anna suffered a post-natal stroke and slipped into a coma. Her husband, Bryan, was deployed to Somalia and attempting to get home to be with his wife and newborn daughter. Tragically, Lily was never found, but Anna and Bryan had another daughter, Haley, three years later. Sadly, Haley was diagnosed with leukemia and Bryan left because he could not face the prospect of losing another daughter. However, with Haley’s recent relapse, he has returned, and vowed to stay this time, whatever the outcome. A former pharmaceutical sales representative, Anna has channeled her sorrow into a career as the director of a national missing children’s organization.

It must have been so lonely, being Noelle,” Sam’s former law partner, Ian, who was once engaged to Noelle, observes. Indeed, keeping secrets took the ultimate toll on Noelle. Chamberlain explores not only how the events that Noelle could not share with anyone else impacted her life, but also how those events informed and drove the choices she made. Did Noelle act out of love or selfishness? Did Noelle truly want only the best for her friends or was she consumed by her personal needs?

Chamberlain says that “enduring, life-long friendship is a strong theme in the book — the sort of friendship that, if we don’t have one, we wish we did.” Through The Midwife’s Confession, Chamberlain asks readers to ponder their own friendships, and the truths upon which those relationships are based. If secrets such as those explored in The Midwife’s Confession were revealed, would your friendship survive? Can deception be forgiven or does it invalidate a friendship? Does the motivation for keeping secrets matter? Is it possible for a friend’s lies, motivated by love and a desire to ensure one’s happiness, to be blessings in disguise? By the end of The Midwife’s Confession, Tara, Emerson, and Anna have considered and answered those questions for themselves, as have their daughters. Their journey is an engrossing exploration of the fragile but enduring ties that bind women’s friendships together.

Also by Diane Chamberlain:

Enter to Win a Copy of The Midwife’s Confession

The comment posted by Leila McGuire was selected at random and a copy of The Midwife’s Confession was sent to Leila!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of The Midwife’s Confession free of charge from the author. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own. This disclosure complies with 16 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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126 Comments

  1. Kris S

    What intrigues me most is the mystery of Noelle- how Noelle’s actions have affected those around her and why she didn’t confide in her friends. And what is her big confession?

    This sounds like a very interesting book. I’d love to own a copy!

    —
    Kris
    elfdrop AT gmail DOT com

  2. Kris S

    GFC Folower: Sakira

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    Kris
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  3. Kris S

    Twitter follower: SummersKris

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    Kris
    elfdrop AT gmail DOT com

  4. Shannon J.

    I think it is intriguing what the midwife’s secret is. She holds life in death in her hands; you want to think she has never done anything wrong. But of course we are all human and that isn’t necessarily how it is. Also you never truly know people’s motivation for the things they do.
    shannonjean14(at)gmail(dot)com

  5. Shannon J.

    GFC Shannon Johnson
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  6. Kris S

    Email subscriber with the email below

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    Kris
    elfdrop AT gmail DOT com

  7. Shannon J.

    follow on network blog Shannon Johnson
    shannonjean14(at)gmail(dot)com

  8. Shannon J.

    follow on twitter IandSsmom
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  13. Krystal Larson

    I follow you on Networked blogs as Lindsay Ann

  19. katia

    I’m always intrigued as to why some people commit suicide.
    kr_moreau at doglover dot com

  20. katia

    GFC follower: Katia M.
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  21. katia

    Twitter follower: Katia Moreau
    kr_moreau at doglover dot com

  22. katia

    I subscribe via RSS.
    kr_moreau at doglover dot com

  23. dianad

    Would like to add this to my summer reading list. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway

  26. Carol Wong

    What intrigues me the most about this book is the secret that is is held back from her friends. It must be very horrible.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  27. Carol Wong

    I am a long time GFC follower. I have been follower under the name of Carol N Wong.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  28. Carol Wong

    I follow Colloquim on Facebook Networked blogs.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  29. Carol Wong

    I follow you on Twitter as Carolee888.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  30. Carol Wong

    I am an e-mail subcriber to Colloquim.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  31. Carol Wong

    My Twitter name is Carolee888 and I tweeted:

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  32. Carol Wong

    I posted this giveaway on Facebook under Carol Naomi Wong. My link won’t copy!!! Grrrrrr!

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  34. Denise

    Wow! I read this review and for some reason the air just left my chest. This is not necessarily a book I would normally pick up, but now I have to know more. Thanks for the review and the giveaway!

  37. Tiffany D.

    What intrigues me is that she has kept her secret for so long from everyone and now I just have to know what it is! I love a good mystery.

    jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

  38. Tiffany D.

    GFC follower Tiffany Drew

    jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

  39. Tiffany D.

    I follow on Networked Blogs as Tiffany Drew

    jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

  40. Tiffany D.

    I follow on Twitter as @enterthedrew

    jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

  41. Tiffany D.

    I am en email subscriber

    jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

  44. Sassy

    I am intrigued to know the midewife’s secret. A midwife could have soooo many secrets.

    sassysasha817 at gmail dot com

  45. Kimberly Maloney

    The novel is intriguing to me, because it’s obviously passionate with woman who is struggling through loss and grief. It makes me wonder how it’s all going to turn out.

    kimbers10[at]yahoo[dot]com

  50. mamabunny13

    What intrigues me about the plot? You had me at the word Confession! I gotta know! I gotta know!
    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

  51. mamabunny13

    I follow you via gfc – mamabunny13
    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

  52. mamabunny13

    I follow on networked blogs – mamabunny shelor
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  53. mamabunny13

    I follow on twitter @mamabunny13
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  54. mamabunny13

    email subscriber
    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

  55. Michelle C

    I’ve been fascinated by midwives since my babies delivery and I always love reading about the complex relationships that women have. This book sounds great. Thanks for the chance to win!
    mrsmchappell at gmail dot com

  56. Michelle C

    Following with Google Friend Connect : Michelle
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  57. Michelle C

    Following you on twitter as mrsmchappell
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  58. Michelle C

    Subscribed via RSS feed {Google Reader}.
    mrsmchappell at gmail dot com

  60. Melissa

    I’m interested in her secrets!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    shhhimreading at hotmail dot com

  62. Linda Kish

    I need to know the secrets each character is keeping, especially Noelle’s.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

  63. Katie Saba

    Just the name interests me. Love Diane’s books.

  64. Christie

    I love mysteries and trying to figure them out. Just reading the review I was thinking about all the possible secrets she might have. Now I definitely have to read this!

    Christie
    swaggirl01 at gmail dot com

  65. Christie

    GFC: Christie

    Christie
    swaggirl01 at gmail dot com

  66. Christie

    Facebook Networked Blogs: Christie H

    Christie
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  67. Christie

    Twitter: Chrissie123123

    Christie
    swaggirl01 at gmail dot com

  68. Pat Matejcek

    I would love to win a copy of this book. I love Diane’s book. I can’t wait to read and find out what the midwifes secrets are…\
    Thanks Pat
    p.matejcek@yahoo.com

  69. Susan Audrey

    I’ve always been interested in how our actions affect the lives of those around us. Seemingly small choices can end up having a huge impact. Thanks for the chance to win this novel.

    susanaudrey33 at gmail dot com

  70. Susan Audrey

    I’m a GFC Follower (Susan Audrey).

    susanaudrey33 at gmail dot com

  71. Susan Audrey

    I follow you on Twitter (@susanaudrey).

    susanaudrey33 at gmail dot com

  75. Jerriann Graff

    What intrigues me about this book is that she kept a huge secret from her best friends. I would love to read this book, thanks for the chance to win it.
    I follow on the network blogs as Jerriann
    email address is jerigraff@gmail.com

  76. Diane W

    What intrigues me the most is that a main character, Noelle, dies at the beginning and that the story is told thru many voices. Thank you for entering me in the drawing for a free book.

    lebaroness@sbcglobal.net

  77. karenk

    the midwives ‘confession’ intrigues me…thanks for the chance to read this novel 🙂

  80. Melanie

    I love Diane Chamberlain’s books, and this one intriques me as I have had a midwife will all 6 of my children!
    Sign me up to win!

  81. Hira Hasnain (Enamored Soul)

    It is seldom that you see the main protagonist in the story die in the very beginning, and it intrigues me that the events that took place in her life are then unfolded through the voice of the various characters. I think the mystery of it all really intrigues me as well. I am sure it will make for an absolutely riveting read! 🙂

    Thank you so much for hosting this amazingly generous giveaway!

    ~Hira~
    GFC Follower: ~Enamored Soul~
    Email: Enamoredsoul(at)gmail(dot)com
    Twitter: @inluvwithbookz

  92. Samantha Cheng

    Old GFC follower 🙂 – Samantha Cheng

  93. Samantha Cheng

    I don’t think I know any of my friends >.< But thanks for the giveaway!!

  95. Janet F

    I am intrigued by the power that the secrets play in the story.

    janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

  97. Ruth Hill

    The fact that I had a midwife for my daughter’s delivery is what intrigues me most about the book.

  103. Stacy

    This one just made it on my to read list. I’ve been wanting to try a Chamberlain book and this looks like a good place to start. Please enter me.
    stacybooks at yahoo

  104. Laura H.

    Thanks for the giveaway! I am intrigued by the power of secrets on a relationship whether kept for the right or wrong reasons.

    BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

  105. Laura H.

    Already follow via GFC (MamaHendo3).

    BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

  106. Laura H.

    Already follow via NB (Laura G. Henderson).

    BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

  107. Laura H.

    Already follow via Twitter @MamaHendo3.

    BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

  108. Laura H.

    Already e-mail subscriber.

    BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

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  116. Leila @ Within Pages

    This book hooks my interest in the same way that the pilot episode of Desperate Housewives hooked me; there is more to the why of suicide than what stands at face-value. Without the distraction that the show provides, this book seems to exude mystery and depth as they try to unravel the truth about the letter to Anna and what was really going on with Noelle.

    Leila M. withinpages @ hotmail dot com

  125. Zara

    I like this book! My attention was caught on about close friends. The characters are almost real that they are well-developed. Thanks to this review, I really enjoyed reading. I’m hoping for a copy of my own soon. =)

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