The Midwife by Jolina Petersheim

Beth Winslow's life has not been at all what she planned. After her mother left when she needed her most, Beth has floated through life to where she finds herself that day, the day the professor asks her to become a surrogate. Thinking it will erase the wrongs of her past and help pay for her college, she agrees and signs on the dotted line. But when preliminary tests show that there may be something wrong with the baby that she carries, she flees to the Mennonite community deep in the heart of Tennessee to keep the child and the secrets of her past safe.

Rhoda Mammau is the head midwife in a crumbling house from the Civil War Era inside a Mennonite community for unwed mothers. She has given her life to the girls and their babies, and she intends to be there until the day she dies.

The problem with secrets is that they don't always stay secrets. Amelia knows that she is in trouble and her only choice is to leave and clear her head before she makes a decision. Having read about the Mennonite community in Tennessee that takes unwed mothers, she packs her things and sets out to see if they hold the answers she seeks.

What everyone doesn't realize is that everything is connected, and when one thread is pulled, entire lives will unravel.

I didn't realize how involved I would become with the characters and their stories. Mentally I knew things would tie together, but to read the words unfolding from page to page, I couldn't stop reading. Much like when you watch a movie and you can't look away. I'm nursing a baby right now, so I was able to read for hours while he was feeding, and trust me when I say you're going to want some quality time to read this novel - because you're not going to want to put it down!