The Widows of Braxton County by Jess McConkey--A Review

Have you ever misplaced the book you were almost halfway through?     I did and my normal routine is to read a little before I go to sleep at night.    Sometimes this backfires because I stay awake and continue to read either until I finish the book or I am too pumped up for sleep.     So last night, I grabbed another book off my unread shelf and I was thoroughly hooked within the first pages.   That so seldom happens, to be lured in by the first one or two pages, but such was the case with Jess McConkey's,  The Widows  of Braxton County.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Family secrets can bind and destroy

Kate is ready to put her nomadic, city-dwelling past behind her when she marries Joe Krause and moves with him to the Iowa farm that has been in his family for more than 140 years. But life on the farm isn't quite as idyllic as she'd hoped. It's filled with chores, judgmental neighbors, and her mother-in-law, who—unbeknownst to Kate until after the wedding—will be living with them.

As Kate struggles to find her place in the small farming community, she begins to realize that her husband and his family are not who she thought they were. According to town gossip, the Krause family harbors a long-kept secret about a mysterious death that haunts Kate as a dangerous, unexplainable chain of events begins.

From My Perspective:

This was my surprise read for the first quarter of the year.   I was surprised to be "hooked" by the first couple of pages.   I liked that it took place in Iowa.   Kate absolutely loved the idea of love, a family, a homestead on an Iowa farm that had been in the family for over 100 years.    That spoke of steadfast family and Kate had always wanted that, but had never experienced anything steadfast.   Her grandmother who raised her had only belittled and put her down.   Imagine grandma with a very wide mean streak!

Kate gave herself over to the man she had met through the web.   He was kind, loving and poetic.   Somehow he knew how to speak to Kate's heart and convinced her of his love and promise for a bright family future.   Joe however, kept a secret until after they were married and Kate was in for one surprise after another.

I loved the characters in this book and I loved how the story was told from past to present.   The mystery was created with a murder that took place a century ago....was it a curse from the past that haunted Kate's future or was it something more like modern day greed?   This story was told with feeling and depth. The characters were interesting and convincing.  This was a story of how women were considered as property at one time, definitely not the equals we are today.   It was one woman's journey into a life totally unfamiliar with rights of modern day woman, and with her commitment to her marriage and the course of true love.

I rate this as a 5+ Wink as it was a mesmerizing read!

Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like. I received a complimentary copy from the author or the author’s representatives in exchange for an honest review.