Written by Teralyn Mitchell
When I read the synopsis of Across a Broken Shore, I knew it was the kind of book I would enjoy and I was happy to accept it. I was not disappointed at all. This book was filled with so much depth, feelings, and heavy subjects that I was not expecting. This book gave me all the feels and I connected with Willa from the first pages. It was unfortunate how her parents and older brothers—except Paddy—dictated her life and how she had been dealing with guilt for years over an accident that caused a tragedy she never meant to happen. Her family was grieving and no one knew how to deal with it. Willa’s determination to study medicine despite not having any support from her family and it wasn’t a profession women normally went into, was admirable. She was torn between duty and her wants. Seeing that struggle was what gave this book the complexity and Trueblood did an amazing job of showing it.
Willa was a strong female character who had become the obedient daughter since an accident some years prior to the book starting. It’s clear that Willa doesn’t have a strong relationship with her parents or any of her brothers besides Paddy. She does what is expected of her and will go into the convent in five months despite her interest in medicine.
The incident that changes the trajectory of Willa’s future, is when Paddy has an accident while working in the family bar. Nick, the eldest, and Willa are tasked with taking Paddy to a doctor since Willa’s twin brothers, Sean and Michael, are off on an errand and her father refuses to leave Willa in charge of the bar. They take him to see the doctor only to find out he retired and Doctor Katherine Winston is his replacement. Nick is shocked to see a woman who’s a doctor but Willa realises that their brother needs help and moves forward. She ends up being offered a job by Dr. Winston but is unsure about taking it. Willa has been reading medical books for a few years and because of her, Paddy did not lose too much blood. While talking with Willa, the doctor recognises Willa’s passion for the profession. Paddy is the one who eventually convinces Willa to take Dr. Winston up on her offer and he will help her figure out how to lie to their parents and other brothers. He realises it’s an opportunity for Willa to have hands on learning and he’s hoping she will go after what she wants.
During this, Willa also meets a young ironworker named Sam who is a drifter living in a boarding house in her neighbourhood and working on The Golden Gate Bridge. She starts working for the doctor and is learning a lot from her but she feels guilty at having to lie to her family about her whereabouts all the time. She and the doctor are called to help at the field hospital onsite for The Golden Gate Bridge and she sees Sam again. Later, she sees Simon—the son of a pregnant woman who Willa helped Dr. Winston treat—again as well when she learns he’s been stealing from the nurses at the field hospital. This leads to her learning about the state of the homeless people in San Francisco and sparks her nurturing and caring nature. The story progresses from there with Willa learning so much from Dr. Winston and growing closer to Sam, Simon and his family. She’s constantly going back and forth with herself and with others about what she will choose to do. I don’t want to give away the major points of this story but know that it ripped me apart and had me crying my eyes out by the end.
This was a well-written story about love, family, grief, guilt, and finding your way in the world. Willa was one of my favourite characters and her struggle became my struggle as I read Across a Broken Shore. It was clear she was trying to do what she thought was the right thing. She’s wracked with guilt and since no one has talked to her about it, she didn’t know how to get past it. I loved Sam. He was caring, sweet, and it was very clear that his feelings for Willa were immediate and real. He encouraged her and would never be the type of man to hold her back. I also liked Willa’s family. It was interesting how all of them were dealing with their grief the only way they knew how but by the end they had to deal with it together to move on. Dr. Winston was a strong female character who believed in Willa even when Willa could not believe in herself. She wanted to see the next generation of female doctors succeed and that’s why she took Willa under her wings. I loved Cara—Willa’s best friend—too because she was also a strong character who knew what she wanted out of life and went for it.
Across a Broken Shore was a heartbreaking, beautiful, and timely story about a young woman having to decide between family expectations and her dreams. Trueblood did a magnificent job of showing the internal struggle Willa was going through and showing a strong, tight-knit family. I enjoyed that there was a backdrop of a love that did not overshadow the overall story. This was another favourite for me and it will stick with me for a long time.
Across a Broken Shore is available on Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
The last thing eighteen-year-old Wilhelmina “Willa” MacCarthy wants is to be a nun. It’s 1936, and as the only daughter amongst four sons, her Irish–Catholic family is counting on her to take her vows—but Willa’s found another calling. Each day she sneaks away to help Doctor Katherine Winston in her medical clinic in San Francisco’s Richmond District.
Keeping secrets from her family only becomes more complicated when Willa agrees to help the doctor at a field hospital near the new bridge being built over the Golden Gate. Willa thinks she can handle her new chaotic life, but as she draws closer to a dashing young ironworker and risks grow at the bridge, she discovers that hiding from what she truly wants may be her biggest lie of all.
