The Model Wife in Aussie Readers

Sep 20, 2019 Brenda rated it really liked it

Shelves: aussie-authors, net-galley, 2019-release, contemporary-fiction, read-on-kindle, arc, own-read

Natalie King received the phone call that changed everything at the end of a school day. Her thoughts immediately scrambled; all she knew was she and Milt – her husband – would need to head to Adelaide the following day. Natalie was a busy fifty something year old woman. The running of their farm, her three daughters, Kate, Bree and Laura who still needed her although two of them had left home; her mother in law was quite demanding, and her teaching position at the local school kept her busy as ...more

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Oct 18, 2022 Helen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy-from-netgalley

I have had this one sitting on my TBR pile for a while and I am very sorry I didn’t get to it sooner, it is a fabulous read, so well written with emotion and care, we get to know the King family and what life can throw at them on their busy sheep farm in country South Australia, I had a hard time putting this one down.

Natalie King is a farmer’s wife to Milt, a mother of three adult daughters, Kate, Bree and Laura, a primary school teacher and a daughter in law to Olive, she has always led a very ...more

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Sep 25, 2019 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it really liked it

Shelves: provided-by-publisher, aussie-author, arc-are

The Model Wife is a wise, warm, and wonderful story of a woman in search of herself from Australian author, Tricia Stringer.

“The model wife spends her time taking care of her family and putting them before her own needs.” - The Model Wife by Mrs Gladys Norman, London, 1928

When Natalie King is confronted with a potentially life threatening health crisis, the busy 58 year old wife, mother and teacher, is left reeling. Reflecting on her past, and contemplating the direction of her future, she finds The Model Wife is a wise, warm, and wonderful story of a woman in search of herself from Australian author, Tricia Stringer.

“The model wife spends her time taking care of her family and putting them before her own needs.” - The Model Wife by Mrs Gladys Norman, London, 1928

When Natalie King is confronted with a potentially life threatening health crisis, the busy 58 year old wife, mother and teacher, is left reeling. Reflecting on her past, and contemplating the direction of her future, she finds she desperately needs a break and, ignoring the century old wisdom of ‘The Model Wife’, flees north to Broome, leaving her family to fend for themselves.

“Everyone had a piece of Natalie and somehow she’d lost herself in the process. She’d never done anything outside anyone else’s expectations of her.”

Stringer’s portrayal of Natalie’s ‘paradigm shift’ is thoughtful and realistic, and likely one every wife and mother can relate to. After years of tirelessly working to ensure the needs of her family and community are met, Natalie realises that she has largely ignored her own. Away from the constant demands on her time and energy she has the space to consider what she wants moving forward.

“Don’t let anyone should you.”

Natalie’s timing couldn’t be worse though, it’s tailing season on the farm keeping her husband, Milt and middle daughter, Bree, busy; both her youngest and eldest daughter’s, Laura and Kate who seem to have something on their mind, are visiting; and her sister-in-law is demanding an increased share of the farm’s income. Stringer thoughtfully explores the individual issues at hand, as well as the change Natalie’s absence makes to the family dynamics. I appreciated the authenticity with which the author both portrayed and developed the multi-generational characters. I also liked the way in which issues specific to a farming lifestyle, like property succession, are explored.

“Natalie had simply had to lose herself to find her way home.”

A well written, engaging story of the everyday challenges of life and love, I enjoyed A Model Wife, and am happy to recommend it.

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Oct 12, 2019 Janine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review

The Model Wife by Tricia Stringer is a fantastic example of a great Australian family saga which I am sure many readers will relate to.
Natalie and Milt have been married for many years and have three adult daughters. They live on a farm in country South Australia and ever since they have been married Natalie tends to everyone in the household as well as looking out for her mother in law Olive who lives in town nearby. She also teaches at the local primary school part time as well as helping the The Model Wife by Tricia Stringer is a fantastic example of a great Australian family saga which I am sure many readers will relate to.
Natalie and Milt have been married for many years and have three adult daughters. They live on a farm in country South Australia and ever since they have been married Natalie tends to everyone in the household as well as looking out for her mother in law Olive who lives in town nearby. She also teaches at the local primary school part time as well as helping the community in fund raising activities. Add to that she also does all the books for the property business. Just lately she is feeling that she has no time to herself and she is starting to run on empty.
Meanwhile Kate who is the eldest daughter comes home for a while as her husband Sean is a long-distance truck driver, she doesn’t feel well. Laura, the middle daughter has decided to quit her job as a hairdresser and move back home to sort herself out. Youngest daughter Bree helps her dad run the property and loves the country life but gets the impression that her dad will never trust her enough to take over in the future.
When a health issue arises for Natalie, it all becomes too much, and she decides she needs major time out from everyone. As she is packing to head off, she comes across a book that her mother in law gave her when she was first married. It was called The Model Wife and was a guide for new brides as to the correct way to behave when married. She had completely forgotten about this book and with her book in tow, she heads off for a journey of self-discovery, leaving everyone at home to figure things out!
This is a big book (almost 500 pages) but it honestly didn’t feel that big. The story was so engaging it kept me turning the pages, and you could imagine knowing someone like this family and the situations that cropped up. It’s my first by Tricia but won’t be my last as I loved her style of writing.

Thank you so much to #beautyandlacebooks and #harpercollinsaustralia and #harlequinaustralia for the complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for an honest opinion. ...more

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Aug 25, 2023 Catsalive rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2023, aww, 2020

Who'd be a farmer's wife? Talk about taken for granted. No wonder Natalie was feeling a bit discombobulated by it all. I could imagine the intensity of anxiety & fear over the anomaly, the relief afterwards, & the flatness left by her inability to celebrate it with Milt. Definitely a time to take stock & work out what you want from the rest of your life, rather than being at everyone's beck & call 24 hours a day. I've always wanted to go to Broome, the perfect place to think things over, no doub ...more

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