16. The Lumber Baron's Wife. Lynn Austin. 2026. 368 pages. [Source: Library] [Christian fiction, historical fiction, dual timelines, multiple narrators, three stars]
First sentence: It's long past midnight but I cannot sleep, consumed with worry for my friend.
The Lumber Baron's Wife has THREE narrators. (Is that too many narrators???) Hannah and Kate narrate the "past" timeline in the novel. Hannah is the doctor's wife. (His name is John). They've lost their children to disease, they were exposed through her husband's work. They are newly moving to Michigan. Kate is the lumber baron's wife. (His name is Henry). He is old. She is young. She isn't just younger than him. She is different in every way imaginable. Everyone thinks it would be a good idea if Hannah "coaches" her in behavior. The longer Kate and Henry are married, the more frustrated he gets with his wife. Meanwhile, Hannah barely tolerates John because she blames him for the death of their children. The "present" timeline in the novel is narrated by Ashley. Her husband is David. He is a conservationist? environmentalist? Something to do with trees and nature and wild things. She loves museum work. He "insists" they move to Michigan. She leaves her happy, happy job so he can have his happy, happy job. Which might be completely and absolutely okay if he gave any proof of being a decent human being. (He does not.) Because we're thrown into the middle of this troubled, tension-filled marriage, there's not much reason for me to like him. She wants to restore the lumber baron's mansion--that is join the community effort. He wants her to find steady work, the higher-paying the better. And he absolutely under no circumstances wants her to have the baby they've conceived. His pressuring her to have an abortion in a dozen or so chapters is the most obnoxious thing I've ever read in a Christian book.
The stories are tied together because of the setting--obviously--but also in trying to solve the mystery of what happened to Kate.
I did not like this one very much. I didn't love Kate and Henry. I didn't. I could tolerate John and Hannah. But I despised and loathed David.
A bright side for this one could be that it does tackle difficult issues. Spousal abuse, manipulation, grief, abortion, etc. Most of the characters are not Christian. There's some will they or won't they become Christian by the end of the novel. This might be a plus for some readers. There is plenty of WHY is this happening if there is a God. Hannah questions God after losing her children. Her husband wants her to share the gospel with Kate, but, Hannah is struggling to believe the gospel herself. Kate is struggling with the basics of the gospel. She doesn't believe that grace could actually be grace. Henry and John aren't really characterized super well, though we do know that HENRY is a horrid, horrid man. David, as I mentioned, is despicable. He is angry at God. And he's super controlling and manipulative. And Ashley is not a Christian. She isn't open to the idea of spending time with Christians just in case they share the gospel. But she makes a friend who is a Christian and their mutual interest in restoring this historic house brings them together. There's some gospel presentation. But it isn't always received well. Which I think is probably realistic.
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