Praise, The Stolen Marriage
“Chamberlain conveys a strong sense of daily life in the American South during WWII, and the concurrent devastation of the polio epidemic, in this well-crafted crime-tinged tale of a marriage of convenience.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Combines the issue-driven style of Jodi Picoult, the romantic tension of Nora Roberts, and the lifedefining-mistake motif of Amy Hatvany’s It Happens All the Time.”
—Booklist
“Secrets, intrigue, mystery, love, forgiveness, and drama—it’s all here. And it is riveting. Chamberlain’s latest novel demands the reader to race, yet savor, the journey to the finale.”
—Library Journal
“Chamberlain pulls readers into the life of Tess DeMello, showing how one careless mistake drastically alters the course of her life. The characters are carefully constructed and fully engaging. Every emotion is deeply felt and the chapters move swiftly, building suspense and anticipation to see how Tess’ life unfolds. The research on the polio epidemic and Hickory, North Carolina, provides great insight into the time period, which is also tempered with racial tensions, family obligations and class divides. This totally engrossing novel provides a rich, complex story with a satisfying conclusion.”
—RT Reviews
“This will be a good choice for book clubs, with the issues of women’s rights and roles in their marriages, interracial marriage, medical ethics (as an epidemic breaks out among people of all races and religions), honesty and trust. It is an easy read, but has a lot of depth.”
—Littoral Librarian
“I found this novel engaging, terribly sad, hopeful and unique. A love story and yet an un-love story too. You have to read it to understand.”
—Bookstalker Blog
“The Stolen Marriage is a fast paced story with the backbone of a real life polio epidemic in Hickory, North Carolina . . . It’s a story of secrets, betrayals, prejudices and the power of forgiveness. I highly recommend.”
—Observations from a Simple Life
“This novel is a definite page turner. Chamberlain fans will surely not be disappointed with her truly engaging way of bringing emotion and intensity to the story. . . There is a dynamic story line, in true Chamberlain fashion, but this novel touches on the most basic human emotions in a way that is fresh and new to her repertoire.”
—Celtic Ladys Reviews
“The Stolen Marriage is a captivating novel crafted with complex characters, compelling plot and realistic dialogue.”
—Write-Escape
“Just a great look at 1944 and the time that followed and the way things used to be.”
—Red Carpet Crash
“A fantastic page turner full of love, heartbreak, tragic losses, and happiness. . . A great read for a historical fiction lover.”
—Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
“Chamberlain is one of those authors who makes you feel like she really put in the effort on research in order to provide an in-depth experience.”
—Artistic Bent
“This was quite a compelling historical fiction that you will have to pick up and see for yourself how well this author brings it all out to the reader.”
—Arlena Dean
“Another five star read by Diane Chamberlain. A solid, interesting story with three-dimensional characters. . . Chamberlain has a way of making you feel part of instead of simply reading a book.”
—Just a Book Blog
“I loved everything about The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain. I was so mesmerized by this book, that I couldn’t put it down, and read it in one evening. I highly recommend this multi-layered novel to readers that like fiction, history, mystery, and suspense and romance.”
—Linda’s Book Obsession
“A fantastic story about secrets, love, racism, betrayal, forgiveness and so much more.”
—Dees Rad Reads and Reviews
“The Stolen Marriage is the kind of story that will grab you and refuse to let you go until you turn the last page – I would have read it in one sitting if it had been possible. Ms. Chamberlain transported me out of my world and into Tess’s, and I enjoyed every minute I spent there.”
—All About Romance
“Highly Recommend! The Stolen Marriage is a Top Books for 2017 and read in one sitting. Suspenseful as well as informative, insightful and compelling.”
—JDCMustReadBooks
“The Stolen Marriage reads like beautiful historical fiction novel with an underlying note of mystery & intrigue . . . I cried & smiled my way through the pages . . .The Stolen Marriage is a must read.”
—Really Into This
“This is the type of story that pulls you, connects you to the characters and brings the period to life in vivid color. [Chamberlain] combines the best of fiction and history giving readers a story that will stay with them long after the book ends.”
—Caffeinated Reviewer
“[I]t made for a compelling read, one . . . I couldn’t put down. I really can’t find a thing bad to say about it. I loved it from the first page to the last and can’t recommend it enough.”
—One Readers Thoughts
“Inter-racial relationships, Tess’s unbearable situation and the secrets Henry keeps all make for a tense, enthralling read. Diane Chamberlain’s gift for story-telling never fails.”
—My Weekly
“I found The Stolen Marriage to be a fast-paced and haunting read . . . I strongly encourage you to get a copy of The Stolen Marriage to read ASAP.”
—The Book Divas Reads
“If you enjoy Historical fiction, absolutely wonderful writing, an emotionally gripping story, raw characters, I strongly recommend you read this because, I just cannot express how much I loved this book and everything about it.”
—Night Owl Book Café
“Like many of Diane Chamberlain’s books, this one will make an excellent book club selection with a variety of potential topics for discussion; racism of the 1940s, out of wedlock pregnancy in the 1940s, date rape, the polio epidemic and the history of immunization, and many others.”
—Time 2 Read
“The Stolen Marriage is part romance, part medical drama and part history lesson. Not only was I drawn into Tess’s search for happiness, but realized the full extent of an epidemic that had parents living in fear and isolating their children during the summer months of the 40’s and 50’s.”
—TN Reads
“With engaging characters who grow stronger and stronger through adversity, it’s a book that pulls you in and inspires. I loved it!”
—Between My Lines
“Diane has researched thoroughly for this book and it certainly shows as she explores the subjects of racial discrimination, social classes and America’s polio epidemic at that time, to name but a few. I thoroughly enjoyed The Stolen Marriage and have no hesitation in recommending this 5 star tale.”
—Boon’s Bookcase
“This story was full of history and love. It was painful at times and happy at others. It was very real and written so well. I can only rate it a 5, but in my mind, it was a 10. I loved the story from beginning to end. It grabbed me on page one. This is definitely one that I will be telling my friends about. It was the best book I have read in a long time.”
—Boundless Book Reviews
“Chamberlain writes a good story. I like her books and I liked The Stolen Marriage. For those who like this sort of family drama and coming of age type novel which is also set in an interesting moment in history then you will love this book. Great for relaxing with on an autumnal afternoon!”
—Bibliomaniacuk
“The writing is precise, captivating and fluid. The characters are multi-faceted, genuine, and endearing. And the plot is a sweeping saga filed with family, loss, secrets, determination, self-discovery, faith, discrimination, racial segregation, as well as an in-depth look at the devastating polio epidemic of the 1940s.”
—What’s Better Than Books
“The Stolen Marriage was both heartbreaking and uplifting. There were moments of heartache that had me in tears. Then there were moments when my heart soared. ”
—Bookish Devices
“It was just such a fantastic read, I felt like I flew through the pages, Diane really had me drawn into this world.”
—The Pages In Between
“It’s a lovely story, beautifully told, with a gentleness and much old-fashioned drama which seems outdated now but was so relevant to everyones lives back in this era. . . thoroughly enjoyable read.”
—Beady Jans Books
“The writing is sharp, the various plots are all engaging and interesting, and there are a few twists thrown in by Chamberlain to keep you on your toes as a reader. ”
—On D Bookshelf
“The book smoothly moved from page to page pulling you into the story and consuming you with the intrigue and tension as everything unfolded making it difficult to put down. THE STOLEN MARRIAGE can only be described as addictive, amazing, and fantastic.”
—Silver Solara
