4 stars
Eden and her husband, Jack, have been trying to have a baby for years. The countless fertility treatments, holistic approaches and multiple failures has left Eden completely stressed out and their marriage in shambles. The latest move to an old house in a small town was meant to provide a quiet and stress-free environment for them to conceive but it hasn't worked. In a last ditch effort to cheer up his wife, Jack brings home a dog and this simple gesture begins an unexpected chapter of Eden's life and unearths a hidden history of the house. This book alternates between Eden's perspective and that of Sarah Brown, daughter of abolitionist John Brown. Sarah has been left barren after illness and is left to deal with this knowledge as she falls in love with a family friend. This is a fascinating look at the lives of women now as opposed to those during the years of the civil war. Unfortunately, Eden comes out looking neurotic and somewhat selfish when compared to Sarah's bravery and common sense but in the end they both come to terms with their childless life and learn to take love where it is offered. I looked forward to both narratives equally and enjoyed all of the secondary characters. While Eden is at times grating, especially toward her husband, I found that I did mostly sympathize with her plight. I found this book to be very well-written and enjoyed reading about this time in history. I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review.
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