Customer Reviews

Doctor's Lady, The

5 star:		(74)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Can you imagine wanting to minister to the west coast Native Americans so badly that you would marry a man you hardly knew and make a torturous seven-month journey from New York to Oregon?

In 1836, Priscilla White and Ernest Eli wed merely to meet the requirements of their mission board. A precarious trip by sleigh, riverboat and overland covered wagon to build a mission clinic for the Nez Perce test their endurance. Unprepared for the challenges ahead, they face illness, deprivation, hostile tribes, and uncertainty. Not willing to be underestimated, Priscilla is bent on disproving Eli's belief that she is weak because of her slim figure and beauty.

Tension between Eli and Priscilla is aptly set up early on. We are immediately drawn into their relationship. We wonder if these people will move beyond a marriage of convenience and will be happy. The descriptive narrative puts us right on the scene and moves us through the adventure like a strong current. Well-crafted dialogue leads to absorbing characterization. Fiction and historical fact weave together in this book. We are taught while we are entertained. Determined Priscilla is an uplifting heroine. Enigmatic and haunted by demons from the past, Eli is full of integrity and seems the more complex, interesting character. Although he craves Priscilla's smiles, he is afraid of allowing himself the pleasure of them.

Don't miss the Author's Note, which highlights Narcissa Whitman, upon whom the book is based. Hedlund scoured Whitman's diaries for first-hand information about ministering to the Nez Perce. Hedlund seems to be carving out her own niche--writing engrossing novels based on little-known historical American women.

The Doctor's Lady is a full of gripping adventure, romance and the desire to obey God's will. Another successful historical romance by Jody Hedlund has hit the bookshelves. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont

WARNING! This book will make you into a liar. I kept promising that once I got to such-and-such chapter, I'd put it down, but every time I got to that chapter, I had to keep reading to see what would happen! I stayed up way past my bedtime and finished in less than two days.

If you enjoyed The Preacher's Bride, then this one will not disappoint! The hero is swoon-worthy, the romantic tension crackles on practically every page, the plot is fast-paced and gripping, and the characters are incredibly real and likable. Can't wait for more from Jody Hedlund!

I'm a hopeless romantic, but I hadn't read an inspirational romance in years until I picked up The Doctor's Lady.

I soured on inspirational romance in part because I didn't feel it dealt realistically with the physical attraction between men and women and the temptation that two people who've chosen to wait to have sex until they're married face. The tension and desire between Priscilla and Eli in The Doctor's Lady, however, is tangible. Yet Jody handles it so tastefully that even people accustomed to the hand-holding-only atmosphere of other inspirational romances won't be offended by it.

Her characters are also memorable, even the secondary characters. For example, although we meet Eli's mother only briefly, Jody's description of her as "pale and colorless, like the listless smoke that hung in the air" made her come instantly to life and stuck with me even after I finished.

I would happily recommend this book to anyone.

Jody Hedlund's debut novel, The Preacher's Bride, captivated readers and left them wanting more of her page-turning stories. They're sure to be satisfied with The Doctor's Lady because she's crafted another gripping tale, one that takes her characters--and her readers--on a journey fraught with hardships and heartache.

When Eli Ernest and Priscilla White learn that they must wed in order to fulfill their dreams of serving the Lord as missionaries, they agree to a marriage in name only. They embark on a dangerous trip across the country, one that will test them to the utmost of their endurance and abilities. Both strong and independent, Eli and Priscilla battle not only the harsh conditions but also their growing attraction, which neither of them planned for nor welcomes. Past disappointments have left them wary and unwilling to drop their guard. Tension crackles as they face one challenge after another and are forced to rely on each other or perish. Only when they release control to the Lord can they overcome their differences and find happiness.

Hedlund is a masterful storyteller who paints a lush picture of life in the early 1800s, peoples the story with well-developed characters readers will long remember, and adds non-stop action and adventure. I highly recommend The Doctor's Lady and eagerly await the release of Hedlund's next book.

I will admit, I did not like this author's first book. I found it boring and a struggle to get through. I was not going to read anymore of her work when I thought I'd give this one a chance. After reading the back about a marriage in name only, I thought, 'oh no, not that old tale again.' So the only reason I ventured forth was because it was about going west, which I love reading about. But wow! Is this book ever good. It totally chanced my perception of this author. I was amazed at the way she brought the characters to life, at the quick pace and at the way it's almost impossible to pull one's self away from this book from wanting to know what's going to happen next. The author also does a nice job of making her readers yearn for the main characters to finally, finally get together. Though the reasons they fight their attraction are a bit flimsy, seeing they're already married. All in all, this book was worth every minute put in to read it and it saddens me to see it end! I hadn't bought it initially, but I will be because I know this is one book I'll want to read again! (and will heartily recommend)

Jody Hedlund in a fairly new author but I must say she has got to be one of my favorite new authors I've been introduced to this year!! Her books are amazing and The Doctor's Lady is no exception!! In fact, The Doctor's Lady has just made my favorite Christian Historical book of 2011!!

Priscilla is a young lady who feels God is calling her to the mission field but is heart broken when the Board of Missions refuses to send her on a mission unless she is married. In steps Eli, Eli is young doctor who knows God is calling him to heal the physical and spiritual needs of the savages out in the West. Again, Eli is told her also must find a spouse before he can set up a Mission in the Oregon Country. After much convincing and back-and-forth Eli and Priscilla who've known each other for about a week decide to agree to a marriage of convenience only and decide to venture to the West as missionaries.

I fell completely and utterly in love with the characters in The Doctor's Lady. Priscilla and Eli are characters that just tug on your soul and the depths that we are introduced to them are riveting! They aren't perfect characters by any means but they are strong in their faith and strong in strength. If Priscilla makes it all the way to Oregon she'll become the first women to ever survive the hard journey there.

Jody Hedlund has this magic about her writing that has you holding your breath with anticipation through the romantic scenes and feeling your heart breaking through the trials!! And of man is that romance exciting!! This entire book is about how Eli and Priscilla are only in a marriage of name only yet as they grow closer together there is no denying the strong connection and sparks that are flying!! I was rooting for things to work out for Eli and Priscilla all the way through the story and I was holding my breath hoping that they would survive this hard journey to their goal.

By the end of this book you feel things coming together and I felt like I could just explode in emotions and tears of joy and I was sad that it had to come to an end. This is one of those books that although you are satisfied with the ending, you are disappointed that you are done reading about the characters that moved your life!

Jody is a very talented author and I feel there is only more amazing things that are coming from her! I feel she is right up there with some of my other favorite Christian authors like Deeanne Gist!! Her characters are deep and evocative, her romance is exciting and emotional and the spiritual matter is subtle yet meaningful and I will enjoy reading this book again and again!

If you haven't had a chance to read any books by Jody Hedlund yet, I say now is the time and The Doctor's Lady is the book!!

Content: There is a lot of mentions of relationships between married couples and an instance or two of violence that wouldn't be suitable for teens. I feel this is for a mature audience only.

Thank you to Bethany House for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own; I would not recommend this book if I didn't LOVE it!!

It's not often I read a historical fiction that so enthralled me, I could not stop reading, but that's what I discovered in this book. The Doctor's Lady has officially been dubbed my favorite historical of the year! Gripping me in a way that few books but suspense/thrillers do, I was pulled into the characters' lives. Even after I finished the book, I was still so wrapped up in Priscilla and Eli's world!

Both Priscilla White and Eli Ernest are memorable, believable characters. It didn't take me long to fall in love with Eli's strong, but gentle ways. Wow, he sure sounded like a hunk! Priscilla's determined and strong spirit was what drew me to her as she set out to cross the western plains on a trail that no white woman had tried before. What a daunting--and very frightening--undertaking, yet Priscilla puts her trust in the Lord and sets out with head high. I loved her plucky spirit!

More than I had expected from a historical, The Doctor's Lady had a really suspense edge to it. Continually on a deadline to reach their next checkpoint, several times their little band arrived too late. Their journey took around eight months, and there was constant stress and lurking danger in many different forms. I highly encourage you to read the Author's Notes at the back of the book (yep, I always do!). You will be astounded how many things that take place in this book are what really happened to Narcissa Whitman, the first white woman to travel to Oregon.

I read (and really enjoyed!) Jody's debut novel, The Preacher's Bride, earlier this year and could tell this author had talent. What made this next release even better is I could just feel the improvement--in her writing, storyplot, characters...everything! The Doctor's Lady seemed to breathe life with each word Jody penned. Wonderful and completely captivating!

While I've read many good historical fiction books this year, The Doctor's Lady had something about it that instantly pushed it ahead of all the others to rest on my favorite's bookshelf. And there I am sure it will remain, to be picked up in the near future and reread at leisure. If you love a heartwarming historical fiction to curl up with on the couch, this is the book to grab for. Open the book and go west with Priscilla and Eli, and be prepared to never think of Narcissa Whitman's story the same way again. In short, I highly recommend this book. Read it!

I reviewed this for the author, via Bethany House, as an influencer. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Adventure, drama, a faith that will inspire you, characters defying societal expectations...The Doctor's Lady has it all. This novel is the first I have read by the author, and I discovered that Jody Hedlund provides an entertaining and absorbing read. Although I've read many historical fiction novels about travelling west to Oregon, it was quite interesting to read about the first white women to travel across America and the trials they encountered. One of my primary criticisms about this book is that it was not until the very end that I learned that the novel was based on a factual account of this very event. I am the type of reader that would enjoy looking at a story through the lens of wondering "Wow, this may have really happened!". I wish I had been told this information prior to starting the story, and I'm still not clear why this is not announced somewhere on the back cover or at the beginning of the book, because I would have viewed the story in a different manner.

Despite this fact, I found that the writing was well done, with swift dialogue, expert use of descriptions and detail, and well-developed characters. I found Eli to be a fascinating character with his heart-wrenching background, his strong faith in God, and his counter-cultural view of American Indians. I grew a bit impatient with the unfolding of Priscilla and Eli's relationship and waiting to determine whether they would make their marriage real or not, and his self-control when Priscilla practically threw herself at him was rather superhuman! However, I realize that this is a guy's perspective and that this novel was probably primarily written for a female audience, so I shall offer my opinion with a grain of salt.

Readers of historical fiction will readily engage with the characters and find themselves well-entertained and inspired to consider how they themselves can give their everything for Jesus, even at risk of their own lives. A solid recommendation, I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

As a rule, I'm not overly fond of wagon train stories, but I could not read this one fast enough! It's not often that I have an opportunity to practically fly through a book as good as this one, but in 24 hours time, I read this book every moment I could spare. Thankfully, my husband was very understanding as we went through an evening with me cooking no dinner, folding no laundry, and watching no tv. And yes...he survived. ;o)

Jody Hedlund has created a masterpiece in The Doctor's Lady. She had me smiling at the teasing nature of Priscilla and Eli's early relationship, and conversely, she had me in tears during a moment that no mother every wants to experience. If that wasn't enough, she created romantic tension so thick, I could cut it with a knife.

And this was not your typical marriage of convenience story. Priscilla and Eli's marriage was quickly thrust into the dangers of what would become the Oregon Trail as they dealt with rapid rivers, dishonest guides, and fatal diseases. Not only did they butt heads occasionally with their traveling companions, they also struggled to share their true thoughts with one another which created unnecessary, yet believable, emotional turmoil.

For those who are fans of Laura Frantz or Deeanne Gist, I guarantee The Doctor's Lady is a story that you will love in its entirety. As I said before, wagon train stories are not my thing as there are usually several portions that lag and I find my attention drifting. That is definitely not the case with this one! The action is continuous, the hardships believable, and the romance new and exciting. I have already carved out a place on my keeper shelf for this gem of a novel, and you better believe that it's there to stay. :o)

Oh, where do I even begin? I loved author Jody Hedlund's first book, The Preacher's Bride. So I had especially high hopes for The Doctor's Lady. And I mean, really high hopes.
Did Hedlund disappoint? Not even for a single page.

Full of carefully detailed settings, heart-wrenching romance and gut-twisting drama, The Doctor's Lady will keep you pouring over each page and wishing for more at the end.

Throughout the tale, I'd known that Hedlund had based this story on the lives of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, missionaries who had made the dangerous trek out west and set up a mission in Walla Walla. Having lived in Washington and Oregon my whole life, I know a thing or two about the Whitmans. I even worked for several summers at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, which is one of the West's most important outposts for those who survived the tough voyage to Oregon Territory. Heck, I grew up playing the Oregon Trail game on the computer.

But nothing I'd ever learned or read before affected me the same as The Doctor's Lady. The toils of the journey and the doubts these women had to face. The unshakable faith that was rattled a time or two. Hedlund brings this all to life and more. The hero is realistic, gritty and so beautifully broken. The heroine is both strong and not without her faults. These were the people who tamed the west and paved the way for thousands of settlers to follow.

Read. Enjoy. Perhaps cry. Share it with a friend.

And visit Jody Hedlund's website for more information about a really stellar contest she is hosting: [...]

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel in hopes that I would read it and maybe pass around the word, should I enjoy it. I hope you can see, I more than enjoyed it.