The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

It is is 1906, and a big earthquake hit San Francisco. Sophie and her little girl Kat, leave their house in search of safety. Sophie has only been in San Francisco a little over a year after answering a mail-order bride ad from Martin Hocking. Martin has recently lost his wife and is searching for someone to help care for his daughter, Kat. Sophie does not know much about Martin as he travels a lot but she quickly grew to love Kat. What she does not know about Martin will soon turn her life upside down as well as the lives of two other women.

The book opens with a detective interviewing Sophie about the disappearance of Martin. It quickly goes to the story and Sophie's journey from the east coast to San Francisco to become Martin's wife. At first, Sophie's life is normal with the exception of her husband away on business trips frequently. The day before the earthquake a woman appears at Sophie and Martin's house asking for Martin. This is when Martin's secrets start to unravel and Sophie begins to learn about her husband's past and present.

The story itself is very interesting but when you add in the earthquake and its aftermath, it makes the perfect setting for the book. The earthquake is not a central part of the story but more of a background. I enjoyed this glimpse into history. What I loved most about this book is the strength of the woman involved in this book. They are forced to make difficult choices but do so with the best intentions. I won't give away the ending but it is perfect. Things end exactly as they should in my opinion.

This amazing book is coming out on February 2, 2021 and would be a perfect addition to your TBR stack. You will especially love this book if you like a pinch of history mixed with independent women. Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book and allowing me to share my honest thoughts.

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