SOLVED. Fiction: Midwives (?) in rural backcountry mountain area in the US [s]

[Sarah]

Hi, I'm looking for a paperback book I read about 10 years ago. It was about a girl in her teens that was friendly with an elderly woman who was a self taught "midwife". The elderly lady would go to peoples homes, who often could not afford to see a doctor or did not have access to a dr as they lived up in the mountains in the US. (I'm not from the US so Im not sure about what state they were in, just remember it was very very poor, and they lived up in the mountain country)

I think the elderly woman passed away at some point in the middle of the book and the young girl took over her 'job" as the local midwife. I think there might have been a travelling dr that came around and sort of challenged the midwife situation, but I'm not too sure.

Thank you all so much for your help!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Was it fiction or nonfiction?

[Sarah]

Adult fiction

[Jaye]

The Midwife of Hope River
by Patricia Harman

This is the only one I've read. I don't remember what age the midwife was, but I think she had a mentor.
There are some other related books by the author.

[Sarah]

Sorry, I have been away for the last few days! I will have a look at the suggested books, and see if they are it!

[Sarah]

I don't think it is the midwife of hope river. It was published in 2012, and the one I'm looking for was published at least earlier than 2008. It does sound similar though

[Sarah]

I also do not think it is by Janet Oke. Thanks for the suggestion though.

[Aerulan]

Sarah wrote: "Hi, I'm looking for a paperback book I read about 10 years ago. It was about a girl in her teens that was friendly with an elderly woman who was a self taught "midwife". The elderly lady would go..."


Haven't read it so I can't say for sure it fits all your details but maaaaaybe Charms for the Easy Life by Kaye Gibbons? Sounds kinda similar.

[Tab]

The Limits of Enchantment: A Novel ?

Do you remember the cover?
Time period the story takes place?
Part of a series?
Did the story focus more on the midwife or the girl?

[Sarah]

No, not limits of enchantment...
Was not a part of a series, don't remember the cover. Just remember that it was in a rural setting, I thought it was in the mountain areas in the USA, but it might not have been now that I'm thinking about it... I think it was around the First World War, but that didn't have an impact on the story.
But there definitely was a dr that called into question the elderly woman's methods

[༺Kiki༻]

Perhaps one of these?


The Midwife's Tale by Gretchen Moran Laskas


Midwives by Chris Bohjalian

[Sarah]

No not either of those either... Thank you for the suggestions though

[Sarah]

I found it!!! The one I was looking for is the Birth House! Thank you all for your help! Your suggestions helped my search continue!

[Kris]

Shelved as The Birth House by Ami McKay.