Doctor's Lady, The [Paperback]

Jody Hedlund (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 1, 2011

Historical Romance from the Author of The Preacher's Bride

Priscilla White knows she'll never be a wife or mother and feels God's call to the mission field in India. Dr. Eli Ernest is back from Oregon Country only long enough to raise awareness of missions to the natives before heading out West once more. But then Priscilla and Eli both receive news from the mission board: No longer will they send unmarried men and women into the field.

Left scrambling for options, the two realize the other might be the answer to their needs. Priscilla and Eli agree to a partnership, a marriage in name only that will allow them to follow God's leading into the mission field. But as they journey west, this decision will be tested by the hardships of the trip and by the unexpected turnings of their hearts.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Priscilla White knew God wanted her to be a missionary, not a wife.

Then, the missionary board declares the only way she can serve is to be married.

Now, married in name only, her epic journey west will test her spirit...and the new longings of her heart.

About the Author

Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of The Doctor's Lady and The Preacher's Bride. She won the 2011 Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, the 2011 Award of Excellence from the Colorado Romance Writers and was a finalist for Best Debut Novel in the 2011 ACFW Carol Awards. Currently she makes her home in central Michigan, with her husband and five busy children. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog at JodyHedlund.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (September 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764208330
• ISBN-13: 978-0764208331
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (137 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #234,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jody Hedlund is an award-winning and bestselling author of inspirational historical romances.

As a busy mama-writer, she has the wonderful privilege of teaching her crew of 5 children at home. In between grading math papers and giving spelling tests, she occasionally does a load of laundry and washes dishes. When she's not busy being a mama, you can find her in front of her laptop working on another of her page-turning stories.

She loves reading almost as much as she loves writing, especially when it also involves chocolate and coffee.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Adventure Moving Like a Strong Current August 21, 2011

By Holly Weiss TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

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 Read more ›

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Put it Down! August 22, 2011

By K. Ganshert

Format:Paperback

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!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Finished It In One Day August 20, 2011

By Marcy Kennedy

Format:Paperback

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars So good!! December 15, 2012

By Melanie

Format:Paperback

I loved this book! It was so good! I loved how many of the things that happened in this book actually happened in real life and the book was written beautifully.

I really liked all of the characters - my favorites were Eli and Priscilla. The romance was good and I couldn't help smiling during some scenes. :)

If you enjoy historical books with romance, I'm sure you will also enjoy The Doctor's Lady - I highly recommend it. :)

*I borrowed this book from the library, I was not required to write a review, but chose to. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tale of Heartache, Hardships, and Hard-earned Happiness August 16, 2011

By Keli Gwyn

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

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.