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    The Runaway Midwife: A Novel
    The Runaway Midwife: A Novel
    The Runaway Midwife: A Novel
    Audiobook11 hours

    The Runaway Midwife: A Novel

    Written by Patricia Harman

    Narrated by Tavia Gilbert

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    From the USA Today bestselling author of the Hope River series comes a new contemporary midwife novel.

    Say “goodbye” to your old life, and “hello” to the life you’ve been waiting for…

    Midwife Clara Perry is accustomed to comforting her pregnant patients…calming fathers-to-be as they anxiously await the birth of their children…ensuring the babies she delivers come safely into the world.

    But when Clara’s life takes a nosedive, she realizes she hasn’t been tending to her own needs and does something drastic: she runs away and starts over again in a place where no one knows her or the mess she’s left behind in West Virginia. Heading to Sea Gull Island—a tiny, remote Canadian island—Clara is ready for anything. Well, almost. She left her passport back home, and the only way she can enter Canada is by hitching a ride on a snowmobile and illegally crossing the border.

    Deciding to reinvent herself, Clara takes a new identity—Sara Livingston, a writer seeking solitude. But there’s no avoiding the outside world. The residents are friendly, and draw “Sara” into their lives and confidences. She volunteers at the local medical clinic, using her midwifery skills, and forms a tentative relationship with a local police officer.

    But what will happen if she lets down her guard and reveals the real reason why she left her old life? One lesson soon becomes clear: no matter how far you run, you can never really hide from your past.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateJan 31, 2017
    ISBN9780062659330
    Author

    Patricia Harman

    Patricia Harman, CNM, got her start as a lay midwife on rural communes and went on to become a nurse-midwife on the faculties of Ohio State University, Case Western Reserve University, and West Virginia University. She is the author of two acclaimed memoirs and three novels: the bestselling The Midwife of Hope River, The Reluctant Midwife and The Runaway Midwife. She has three sons and lives near Morgantown, West Virginia.

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    Reviews for The Runaway Midwife

    4/5

    83 ratings21 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      The book starts with really bad things happening to our main character, lara Perry. She is a nice person who somehow has been inundated with very bad luck. The story plays out as she gets herself out of her current situation and into a new life in a new country. I love the easy to read, well written book. It had a great story line, believable and up lifting. I recommend it highly.
    • 2/5
      The story was okay. The constant break in the storyline with detailed descriptions of the birds was beyond annoying. They added nothing to the story, and as they sound as if they were cut and pasted from a bird book, they were not even pleasant to listen to. It seemed as if the author, who I like generally, was trying to up her word count for some unfathomable reason.
    • 2/5
      Title: The Runaway MidwifeAuthor: Patricia HarmanPages: 399 (ARC)Year: 2017Publisher: William MorrowMy rating is 2 stars.Clara Perry is married with one teenage daughter and uses her midwife schools at a local clinic. Her best friend committed suicide six months prior, taking Clara completely by surprise. Clara is grieving her friend’s death when she discovers her husband is cheating on her…again. He has been doing this on and off for the past three years. Her daughter is in Australia studying abroad in college and refuses to answer Clara’s phone calls or texts. On top of that, she is informed upon arriving at work one morning that her patient who she left in the hands of a doula to perform a home birth has unexpectedly died. Clara is devastated by this death and leaves the office in tears immediately. Her only thought is to get away. She goes to the bank and empties out the joint checking account and safe deposit box, steals a woman’s driver’s license at a Walmart and heads for Canada.Once she is in Canada, even though illegally as she has no passport, she assumes the identity of the Walmart woman and begins a new life. She has rented a small cottage for three months and after a time begins practicing midwifery again. There are only 250 people on this small island and some of them live in a hippie settlement. She makes friends with some local women and some of the hippies, but is constantly forced to lie about herself as she is there illegally and under an assumed identity. I just couldn’t get connected to this story. The main character of Clara’s disappearing so easily with no experience doing so seemed implausible. She steals another woman’s identity, leaves her husband, daughter and friends with no word and lies about her life as she establishes herself on a remote island in Canada. There was a homosexual couple in the novel as well as a sex scene between Clara and a male character in the story who is not her husband. Nothing graphic, but I don’t care for that type of stuff in books. I thought the hippie commune angle was out of left field and couldn’t really understand why it was included. I had hoped for more of a mystery or suspense aspect to the story, but was disappointed.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
    • 4/5
      This book by Patricia Harman is very different from her prior novels. Firstly, it is not a historical novel and secondly, although the protagonist is a midwife, the storyline is not centred on the home births that she is involved in, like the previous novels. Instead, the focus begins on the life experiences that first overwhelmed her and caused her to runaway, and then continues with the new situations that arise after her escape from her first life. I have to admit that my first reaction was disappointment but I continued listening and was quickly drawn into her new life and that of the community of Seagull Island, Ontario. I live by a lake in a 2 bedroom log cabin in a small community in Northern Ontario and the author’s descriptions of the island & it’s colourful residents reminded me of my hometown. I’m not convinced that the ending is realistic given current rules & regulations, however, since this is a fictional novel, I certainly enjoyed the how everything played out. I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy contemporary women’s fiction. The narration was well done with the exception of the bird calls. I found the sound of the calls screechy and disruptive. Otherwise the narrator is a seasoned professional who paces herself well and has a good range of voices.
    • 4/5
      Clara Perry is a nurse midwife who runs away from her life, her profession, her identity, her husband, and even her daughter. Fleeing to an island on the Canadian side of Lake Erie, she becomes Sara Livingston, at first isolating herself in a rented cottage, and hiding, lest her illegal entry into Canada, as well as the criminal charges awaiting her in the U.S, become known. Though she first avoids contact with anyone, she gradually begins to meet other island residents, and to become friends with some. Sara’s compassion for others leads her to begin to use her nursing skills, and also to eventually become involved in the islander’s inner fight over development that might lead to more jobs and greater economic security for the islands population, versus those who want to preserve the islands’ environment, and it’s status as a bird sanctuary, and thus encouraging a tourist industry. Sara herself has joined the legions of bird watcher’s here, and each chapter ends with a description of a new bird she has spotted.This was an easy and enjoyable read. I won my early reviewers copy from LibraryThing.
    • 3/5
      I received an ARC of The Runaway Midwife in return for an honest review. Thank you library thing for the opportunity to read this book.Let me start by saying this is the third midwife book I have read.With that being said its my least favorite one. I found it to be slower than the other two.There were great events a death, a birth, an accident, sexual tension but some how it didn't pull me in. Over all I liked the characters and the plot line,I didn't care for the bird descriptions. I look forward to the next midwife book. Thank you Patricia Harman for putting your experience into great books.
    • 4/5
      An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my thoughts in any way.The Runaway Midwife is about Clara, who after suffering through a series of tragic losses, decides to abandon the life she knows and flees to Canada. I thought the story was interesting and although I didn’t feel an emotional connection to Clara until I was more than half way done, I enjoyed her adventures. This was one of those books that when you finish it you just feel good. I also enjoyed that at the end of a chapter there was a description of local birds. Charming!
    • 4/5
      This is the third 'midwife' novel I've read by this author. I had high hopes for it since I loved her previous 2 books but this one winds up being my least favorite of hers. Midwife Clara/Sara runs away from home after a string of bad things happen to her. I never really bought into the reasons she ran away - all her problems,while legitimate, were ultimately solvable. Clara/Sara creates a new identity and runs away to a tiny island in Canada and slowly meets and creates relationships with its inhabitants. I felt like I'd read this story before, about the woman who runs away with nothing, and makes lots of new friends and a new life. There are issues and obstacles along the way, but all the reasons Clara/Sara ran away for are improbably solved in a hard to believe manner. This was an okay read for me, not ultimately that satisfying. I'd love to read more historical fiction from this author more in line with what she's written previously.
    • 4/5
      I won this book through LT - and enjoyed it very much - I think there is a little part of all of us that feel the need to escape life's difficulties. Clara/Sara does this but never really escapes. Good story, believable characters - believable resolution. (The Bird annotations! Great addition!)
    • 3/5
      Clara Perry's life is falling apart. Her husband is cheating on her again. Hr best friend has committed suicide, and she is being charged with manslaughter after one of her patients suddenly dies. Her daughter is also refusing to communicate with her. Unable to face the future, she decides to clean out their joint accounts and safety deposit box and run. She drives from West Virginia to Ohio, stealing another woman's identity on the way. She then travels across Lake Erie to Seagull Island, entering Canada illegally. Here she tries to put her life back together while protecting her secrets.Unfortunately, this story becomes somewhat tedjious about halfway through There is not enough tension and life progresses fairly smoothly as Clara (now known as Sara) adjusts to life on the island. The ending also wraps up too easily, and somewhat unrealistically. This is not as good as the earlier ones by Harmon about midwives.
    • 4/5
      This was an enjoyable book to read. As others have mentioned, there are parts that could have used a little more thought or research but overall the plot held my interest. The pace of the story was good however I agree with another reviewer that the ending of the story wrapped up a little too quickly. It seemed a little rushed to tie everything into a happy ending. I also found the bird descriptions superfluous and after one or two, just skipped over reading them. I would definitely be interested in reading other novels from this author so thank you Library Thing Early Reviewers for introducing me to an author I might have otherwise not selected to read.
    • 4/5
      First, thank you to LibraryThing (HarperCollins Publishers) for the paperback copy of this book for my enjoyment and review. Having read Ms. Harman's first two Midwife books, I was looking forward to reading this – and totally enjoyed it! Being a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, I am more interested in books about midwifery than most, but this book was a wonderful story from beginning to end. The island that Clara escaped to, after many downturns in her career and life, was absolutely delightful – the kind of place we all dream about escaping to someday. Having changed her entire identity, Clara's life was exciting and mysterious as she learned to navigate the island and its native residents on Lake Erie. All turns out good, almost like a good “chik lit” book, but the writing was very good, a bit of mystery to it, and heartache for Clara that all would turn out in her favor. Thank you Ms. Harman – and please continue this series!
    • 4/5
      This book had a lot of topics, suicide, cheating husband, empty nest, midwifery, patents death, running away and starting over. Any one of these issues could break the average woman, but Clara AKA Sara perseveres. One of the other reviewers said it starts out like a TV series. I disagree, any and all of these things can happen to any of us, hopefully not all at the same time. And God willing, we won't have to ever experience some. This was my first book by Patricia Harman and I enjoyed it very much. I found her writing very detailed, exciting and it kept my interest.
    • 4/5
      I received this book as a LibraryThing early Review. I enjoyed reading this book, and feel that the author wrote an uplifting and believable story. With short chapters, the storyline flowed seamlessly, making this novel a fast and entertaining read. I felt that some of the other characters were flat, and would of liked to see more interaction between Sara(Clara) and the supporting characters.
    • 4/5
      Lately, most of The books I've read have been awful and mostly a waste of time. The Runaway MidWife was a comfortable read. I wouldn't say that it was earth shattering, but enjoyable. Story and characters predictable. Thank you Librarythings for a decent read.
    • 3/5
      Emotionally distraught through a husband's unfaithfulness, estrangement with her only child, and the suicide of a close friend, Clara finds herself reaching a breaking point upon a midwifery death of a patient. Unsure if she will face charges or the loss of her license, Clara quickly decides to disappear through establishing herself on a remote Lake Erie island across the Canadian border. While she anticipates a reclusive new life with an attitude of figuring it out how it comes along, Clara - now called Sara - is embraced by the small community and is drawn into the lifeblood of the residents while at the same time realizing that the house of cards that she has constructed could quickly tumble upon the discovery that she has entered Canada illegally. "The Runaway Midwife" was a joy to read with the character of Clara/Sara becoming one that I was pulling for to come out a winner in the end. Patricia Harman wove an entertaining story and I am sure to look up her other work for those beach read days. I received my copy of this book through Librarything's Early Reader program.
    • 4/5
      This story has it all: a good plot, fast pacing, relatable characters, in a beautiful setting, with some danger and suspense. I loved reading it because I felt like I was on the adventure with Clara AKA Sara as she reinvented herself in the weathered cottage on a remote Island in Canada. Bonus; the author is a midwife/nurse so the medical scenes and jargon are realistic. I was kept guessing until the end about if Sara’s secret would surface or not surface and expose her lies. The novel is just under 400 pages, and I couldn’t put it down. One warning: there is some adult content a little swearing and sex but not out of context with the storyline. 4 stars
    • 3/5
      An average romance. Midwifery is not a major theme, just the hook to explain why the protagonist needs an escape, which disappointed me. Not very believable, but ok as escape reading (sorry for the pun). When the electricity goes off for a week, how is she able to pump water or keep the pipes from freezing as she closes off all the rooms except for the one with a fireplace, or have any light to see with the few candles & a quilt covering the window?. And given the inefficiency of fireplaces, she should be going thru a lot more wood than the few armloads she carries in once in a while. I have a midwife friend who said she knows a midwife who had a patient with the exact same rare delivery complication & subsequent legal problem. We speculated that Harman read about that midwife's case, but maybe she just saw the story in People magazine about the complication.Harmon touches on current issues of infidelity, homosexuality, prejudice, environmentalism vs development but doesn't get on any soap box. Some chapters end with a description of a bird that has been mentioned, most of them very common. I thought this was pointless--I don't think people read a romance in order to learn how to identify a cardinal or bald eagle! OK, maybe some reader somewhere will decide to get interested in birdwatching because of reading this, & that would be a positive thing.On the plus side, it was written well enough that I kept reading & finished the book in 2 days.I won this Early Reviewers copy. obviously didn't affect my review. I will not be keeping this book.
    • 5/5
      I'm giving this book a 5 star review, I won it as an ARC from LibraryThing in January. I have read past books by Patricia Harman and enjoyed them but this book I just couldn't put down. From the town characters on the island, the island history, and the bird and wildlife that the runaway midwife makes part of her everyday you get a sense of wonder and wellbeing. One line of the book I loved, "I am crying for the whole messed-up beautiful dance we call life."The book also made me think of another author, J. F. Riordan, who wrote North of the Tension Line and The Audacity of Goats, both very enjoyable for the same reasons. Good job Patricia, please write more of the same!
    • 5/5
      Sometimes a book just draws you into its universe so deeply, you feel like you are part of the story. I felt that way about Patricia Harman's The Runaway Midwife.Midwife Clara Perry is dealing with her husband's recurring infidelity, her painful estrangement from her daughter, and the shocking suicide of her best friend when a tragic end to a childbirth she was attending occurs.Fearing the consequences of that tragedy, Clara decides to runaway to a remote island town in Canada. She changes her name, rents a small house, and hopes to just hide out.Soon Clara finds that cannot live totally off the grid. She meets her neighbor Molly, a mom who befriends Clara and offers her a ride to the closest grocery store. Pete is the local cop who takes it upon himself to check up on everyone in the area, making sure they are OK. Jed runs the local clinic and recruits Clara to help him out, which she agrees to do.There is a group of people who live on a commune, and there is friction between the townies and them. Clara tries to keep a foot in both camps, as she likes Molly and Rainbow, who lives on the commune.There is conflict between the people who want to see a casino built, because that means jobs and more tax money for schools and roads, and those (like the commune residents) who love the pristine nature of the beautiful land surrounding them and don't want to ruin that.Harman does a wonderful job creating this small community. As a reader, I felt like I was right there, living among the community members instead of reading about it in a book. I grew up in a very cold, snowy region of the country, and related to the climate of this tiny island outpost off Lake Erie.The Runaway Midwife harkened me back to my days reading Little House on the Prairie books, with the townspeople banding together to help one another. I loved the characters, they felt like real people you would meet, and Clara's evolving story kept me interested. There are secrets (will Clara's identity be discovered?), sex, true friendship and community, and although The Runaway Midwife isn't necessarily a book I would have thought I would like, I truly loved it and highly recommend it. Now I will look for Patricia Harman's first book, The Midwife of Hope River.
    • 2/5
      Title: The Runaway MidwifeAuthor: Patricia HarmanPages: 399 (ARC)Year: 2017Publisher: William MorrowMy rating is 2 stars.Clara Perry is married with one teenage daughter and uses her midwife schools at a local clinic. Her best friend committed suicide six months prior, taking Clara completely by surprise. Clara is grieving her friend’s death when she discovers her husband is cheating on her…again. He has been doing this on and off for the past three years. Her daughter is in Australia studying abroad in college and refuses to answer Clara’s phone calls or texts. On top of that, she is informed upon arriving at work one morning that her patient who she left in the hands of a doula to perform a home birth has unexpectedly died. Clara is devastated by this death and leaves the office in tears immediately. Her only thought is to get away. She goes to the bank and empties out the joint checking account and safe deposit box, steals a woman’s driver’s license at a Walmart and heads for Canada.Once she is in Canada, even though illegally as she has no passport, she assumes the identity of the Walmart woman and begins a new life. She has rented a small cottage for three months and after a time begins practicing midwifery again. There are only 250 people on this small island and some of them live in a hippie settlement. She makes friends with some local women and some of the hippies, but is constantly forced to lie about herself as she is there illegally and under an assumed identity. I just couldn’t get connected to this story. The main character of Clara’s disappearing so easily with no experience doing so seemed implausible. She steals another woman’s identity, leaves her husband, daughter and friends with no word and lies about her life as she establishes herself on a remote island in Canada. There was a homosexual couple in the novel as well as a sex scene between Clara and a male character in the story who is not her husband. Nothing graphic, but I don’t care for that type of stuff in books. I thought the hippie commune angle was out of left field and couldn’t really understand why it was included. I had hoped for more of a mystery or suspense aspect to the story, but was disappointed.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”