Martha Cade, a middle-aged midwife in the small 1830s town of Trinity, Pennsylvania, has always done what she can to help her family and community. She feels born to it. It's a calling, if you will. But long, tiring hours in times of medical need are not all that come with the job. Martha often sees the darkest of family troubles and has learned to hold the deepest of her patient's sorrows in confidence. Through all this, she has her own worries to manage - an estranged teenaged daughter, the emotional and financial hardships that came with the loss of Martha's husband, and the attentions of a man she's not sure she wants in her life. It's all very daunting at times, but Martha continues to move ahead as best she can, ever confident that with faith and love, even the worst of storms end with a rainbow.
Compare Home to Trinity to Jan Karon's Mitford series with its slower pace yet enough twists and turns to keep your interest from beginning to end. The characters are well-drawn, especially Martha, and the author does a great job with setting detail. A beautiful, gentle read that will warm your heart.