Hello Friends,

It’s been awhile since I shared a book review with all of you… and today I have a lovely book to share!

First, let me share a little bit about the author, Karen Andreola and her books. I was first introduced to her books as a young girl. Beautiful Girlhood was a book mentioned in our circles a lot when I was growing up. I don’t remember much about the book as a young girl, but when I was an older teenager I came across a copy of Beautiful Girlhood in a thrift store, bought it, and promptly devoured it. Even though, at the time, I was a bit older than the intended audience I learned so much. My copy is highlighted heavily and I was challenged to become a young woman of excellence.

Fast forward several years, and I was a young wife, about to have my first baby. I was given a copy of Mother Culture, and once again devoured the book, highlighting quotes and paragraphs I wanted to remember and come back to in the future. I remember the book gave me such a lovely view of motherhood and only added to the excitement of having my first baby and cultivating my own “mother culture.”

Since that time, I have considered Karen Andreola one of my favorite authors in regards

to motherhood and homeschooling… so I was thrilled when she reached out to me about reading a copy of one of her newest books, Michael’s Gentle Wife.

This book is a little different from some of her other books… while much of her writing is to encourage mothers in regards to homeschooling and mothering, this book is referred to as a “family love story.” While it’s fictional, it’s still a book that encourages mothers in their faith, homemaking, homeschooling, a mothering (just in a more round about way!).

In Michaels’ Gentle Wife, you will meet the main character, Carol, who is the wife of Michael, and the mother of three children: Donald, Emily, and a new baby, Elliot. I really enjoyed the way the book started with Carol in the early days of postpartum with a new baby… and as the book goes  on, you see her come alive again as her baby grows and she returns to her regular duties as a wife, mother, and homemaker. As someone who has had two children myself, I could absolutely relate to that slightly foggy season in Carol’s life.

Something I really appreciated about the book (and reading about Carol and her family) was the way you see the characters interacting with one another. In a world full of dysfunction, it was encouraging to read about a traditional family who values each other, their marriage, home education and more. If you (like me) are striving for similar values in your home, then I am sure you will be encouraged by a family love story that exemplifies these things!

I also enjoyed the way Karen Andreola weaved spiritual and practical insights into the conversations and thoughts of the characters… here are some snippets that I highlighted throughout the book, simply because ideas stuck out to me or encouraged me in some way:

“In life,” his Father went on, “none of us gets everything he wants or even prays for. We accept this even if we don’t understand why.”  – pg. 17

“If dressing nicely for my own family circle made me a blessing, I was content.” – pg. 25

“Being outdoors gave me a clear head for reflection.” – pg. 68

“What God takes from me is less than I owe Him, and what He leaves me is more than I deserve.” – pg. 298

Here are some other key things I enjoyed about the book:

• A happily married couple who genuinely love and care for each other
• An inside peek at a laid-back, Charlotte Mason, home education
• Hymns and classical music is regularly mentioned throughout, often with the lyrics
• An enjoyable story line

Some things to note:

• This is a very long book (nearly 500 pages in total). So be prepared to hunker down with this one for a while. While it may be long, it is definitely worth a read, even if you get through it at a slower pace.
• While the book is very very clean, please note that the husband and wife’s physical relationship (while not mentioned) is alluded to from time to time. At a couple places in the book the husband remarks in a suggestive way about “making the most of a dull moment.”  😉

I read this book during my first trimester of pregnancy with our third baby, and it was the perfect, cozy read to enjoy during that slower season in my life!

I hope this review encourages you to check out Michael’s Gentle Wife as a lovely, fictional story that will edify you as a wife, mother, homemaker, and home-educator. Be sure to check out some of Karen’s other books while you’re at it. I’m confident you will be blessed by her writing.

I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have in the comments below!

Until Next Time,