This was an amazing book. The author writes so beautifully. At times the story is heartbreaking. The story is told in dual timelines.

This book was OK but has taken me a few attempts to get through. The pace is quite slow and the change between timelines added a little confusion at times.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

Emily Gunnis is a name you need to remember. She pens beautifully for us readers and gradually entices us in.

It’s an ancient tale.

Past.
Present.

Two families, Hilton family and James family both involved with Yew Tree Manor.

How can the past hold the key to the future?

It’s an astonishingly good book, heartbreaking and full of the thrills of suspension, anticipation and what is to be uncovered.

Totally heart pounding.

Enjoyed every minute.

It was a good book to read. Though I don’t l I’lle books that go back and forth between the years. It was a mix of emotions read.

The Midwife’s Secret is a gripping novel set in three different times; 1946, 1969 and 2017. It tells the story of the family living in Yew Tree Manor and the surrounding houses and the tragedies that unfold through time but are subtly linked together.
I initially found it quite challenging to keep up with the forever changing timeframes, but was quickly absorbed into the three narratives and was desperate to know how they linked together. Not only does the book weave a fantastic story, it also highlights the struggles women endured in childbirth and how the people trying to help them were often disapproved of. I will be looking out for more titles by the author.

This is the first novel I've read by the author and I was drawn to it by the synopsis.
It's set in multiple timelines from the 1940s to 1969 to the present day. I usually love family sagas with multiple timelines but sadly this novel didn't work for me. I felt that it was poorly written and this made it difficult to immerse myself in it and connect to plot or characters.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
2.5 stars

Well this story literally grabbed a hold of me and sucked me in. It was highly captivating, dramatic and emotional read in places, I literally could not turn the pages fast enough, with wanting to find out what happens next and as to how it would all end.

It didn't take me long to be drawn into the stories that spanned over the years of 1946, 1969/1970 & the present day 2017y, I was captivated right from the first few chapters. I loved how the story went back and forth from past to present day which was done so seamlessly.

I thought the story was brilliantly well written, it's clear from the details within as to just how much research the author Emily must have done, she really has done a magnificent job.
As for the characters they were all so very well portrayed and believable, I really did just lose myself within all of their individual stories. I truly felt for heartbroken for a number of the characters, everything they each had to deal with/go through and the effects it all had on their futures.

So last words, If you love books that tell a story in the present and in the past then I can highly recommend this beautiful tale which is heartbreaking, emotional, gripping, suspenseful and will keep you on the edge of your seat right to the very last chapter.

As a midwife myself I adore reading tales centred around the profession, particularly with a historical or supernatural slant. This was tricky to read at times but thoroughly gripping and I was hooked until the conclusion. A thrilling mystery, very well written.

Gripping thriller spanning triple timelines of 1945/1969/2017. Characters to love and hate are cleverly crafted into a pacy plot with plenty of issues relevant to today to consider including sexism, corruption and social inequality and injustice.

Loved this! I love a historical fiction particularly about witches! Just utterly fascinating! I would recommend this and will also be buying it for a friend as I just know she will love it as much as I did!

Family.drama set in 3 time frames and between two families.
Testament is a midwife and is called to attend Richard's wife, Evelyn. When she gets to the house she sees that the doctor has ut Evelyn to try and help her baby to be born but has made a mess of it. He leaves leaving Tess to get the baby born. Unfortunately, Evelyn loses too much blood and dies and Tessa is charged with murder. Thus a feud between the families is born.
In the next generation, Alice aged six, goes missing on the night of the party and Booby is accused of killing her, which he has always hotly denied.
Finally in the present, Bobby's daughter Willow is the principle architect for a building development involving demolishing Bobby's childhood home. Then another child goes missing...

The story moves between the timeliness gradually revealing what happened to the children. Gripping, page turner

My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
An atmospheric engaging story of two families spread across three timelines full of lies and secrets, which occasionally taxed my ageing memory, but it was worth it.
A tale of betrayal and loss but also love and loyalty, full of brave fearless strong independent women. A novel of intrigue suspense with the occasional gob smacking surprise along the way. Though a somewhat rushed expected ending but overall totally recommended.
As a sixty four year old grumpy Yorkshire man I am sure I am not the Author's target audience but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

In this story of social injustice, corruption, and various crimes the reader meets the James family and the Hiltons. It is an extraordinary tale and the author has really done herself proud with some excellent characterisation. Those people that stand out for me are the despicable Leo Hilton, Vanessa Hilton and architect, Willow James. The story spans three different timelines - 1945, 1969 and 2017. In 1945, a midwife accused of a tragedy she is not responsible for tears her family apart; in 1969, Alice Hilton mysteriously goes missing; in 2017, Willow James is determined to uncover the truth about the past. A pacy, intriguing and satisfying read that gives the reader food for thought.

I read The Midwife's Secret in staves with other Pigeonholers as part of a group. A special thank you to Headline, Emily Gunnis, NetGalley and The Pigeonhole for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily.
This is the first book I have read by this author, a standalone novel. My review will not contain any spoilers. There were a few mistakes such as 'he sat in silence' in sentences following each other, Willow hearing her father's tv playing outside his home, seeing it playing rock music videos then 2 sentences later turning the tv on, and Vanessa having 'oxygen in her nose'. There are also a few typos - missing and mispelt words, and words run together without spaces.
It is written in 3 timelines around the families of a landowner and one of the villagers who are linked. There are some very good descriptions, such as Vanessa's feelings of confusion and forgetfulness although I must admit to disliking the repetition of churning stomachs, feelings of nausea and vomiting that littered the final 20% of the book - there can be too much description! The sections about the midwife were very interesting and realistic. The characters develop as the book progresses, and most are unpleasant as the twists and turns reveal secrets about their behaviour. This is a clever plotline told in a way that proves to be thrilling and exciting. My only criticism is that I think the final reveal about Nell is somewhat unrealistic; I'd imagine that it is hard to maintain secrecy about a young girl who had to be sent to a sanatorium to recover from T.B. in a small village.

Story told in two timelines,tho both still fairly modern. Secrets and lies abound and link both stories. A good read with interesting characters.

This multi-generational story sweeps us through decades of secrets and even when the story comes right up to date, the complicated mystery of Yew Tree Manor still reaches out to future generations.

Alice Hilton is just six years old when she goes missing on the night of her parents New Year's Eve party and despite a frantic search, little Alice is never found. This disturbing thread which runs like a river throughout the story will have tragic repercussions for all those who remember that snowy night in 1969. Whilst the story is very much caught up in past events, especially that of midwife, Tessa James, who was involved in her own tragic events linking her to Yew Tree Manor in 1945, there is also a modern day element to the story as architect Willow James attempts to clear the way for a redevelopment of Yew Tree Manor.

The author writes well and very cleverly weaves all the twists and turns of this complex story into a compelling read. I particularly enjoyed the midwifery elements and was eager to discover just what secret the eponymous midwife was hiding. Overall, I thought the story flowed with just enough tension, and even though I had pretty much thought out the final twist, the denouement when it arrived was handled well with a fine sense of drama. I liked how everything was finished to a satisfactory conclusion.

The Midwife's Secret is a multi-generational drama filled with secrets, sorrow and the need for restitution.

My thanks to Emily for allowing me to read this book prior to the publication date. In fact it was so good that I read it a second time with a book group. This is a story which involves 2 families, The Hiltons who have owned Yew Tree Manor for generations and the James, who have lived at the Vicarage.
1969 The Hiltons had been preparing for a year to host the New Year’s Eve party for 200 guests. They were distracted by a few last minute issues and expected that everyone would change their arrangements to suit them. When 6 year old Alice Hilton disappears, staff are sent out to look for her. As the last person to admit to seeing Alice, suspicion falls on Bobby James.
2017. Architect, Willow James is working on the development plan for Yew Tree Manor and the estate. Left to present the plans to the local residents, Willow is asked what has happened to the graves in the grounds of the Vicarage. Kellie, the office manager warns Willow that their boss, Mike Scott, is not above making changes to the plans without consulting her. Willow starts to look into the history of the area, uncovering disturbing information.
On the day that the current generation of the Hilton family are moving out of the Manor, their daughter Sienna goes missing. As the construction company start to prepare the ground, a major police search is unsuccessful in finding Sienna.
Is history repeating itself?
The story gradually unravels the past and exposes the secrets of the characters in the book.

Extremely gripping journey through several generations of two families forever linked through their relationships despite being on opposite ends of the social and economic divide. The perceived "witchcraft" of midwifery and the restrictions on life as a female are echoed through the years. The Hiltons experience privilege and status whilst the James' often live hand to mouth. The priest hole in the vicarage where the James family have lived proves to be a hiding place for children where they find sanctuary over the years. Forever scapegoated by the Hilton's and held responsible for the HIltons' crimes the story is often overshadowed by hardship, separation, unjust punishment and poverty. Willow, fifth generation from Tessa, has the opportunity to change all this but at what cost? Secrets become exposed and old mysteries do not rest.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Loved this
lots of threads and brilliantly written

I found this compulsive reading