The Midwife by Tricia Cresswell

Set in the mid-19th century, The Midwife follows the stories of Joanna, a woman in Northumberland with extensive knowledge about medicine and midwifery but no memory of her past, and Dr. Borthwick, an accoucheur (a physician who delivers babies) with a spotless professional reputation and a closely guarded secret in his private life.

As their stories unfold, we learn more about Joanna, Dr. Borthwick, and the many interesting (and often kind) people who surround them as they apply their medical expertise in their respective communities. The medical details in the book are fascinating — including the context in which medicine was practiced and how factors like location and class influenced medical outcomes (and indeed still do). But the relationships are also captivating, and I found myself equally interested in Joanna and Dr. Borthwick’s personal and emotional journeys.

The only drawback for me was the twist with Joanna’s backstory (the explanation for her memory loss), which felt unnecessary; nevertheless, I came away from the book with a strong connection to the characters and was satisfied with how their stories played out.