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    The Midwife's Confession
    The Midwife's Confession
    The Midwife's Confession
    Audiobook11 hours

    The Midwife's Confession

    Written by Diane Chamberlain

    Narrated by Angela Dawe, Cassandra Campbell, Abby Craden and

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Dear Anna,

    What I have to tell you is difficult to write, but I know it will be far more difficult for you to hear, and I'm so sorry . . .

    The unfinished letter is the only clue Tara and Emerson have to the reason behind their close friend Noelle's suicide. Everything they knew about Noelle-her calling as a midwife, her passion for causes, her love for her friends and family-described a woman who embraced life.

    Yet there was so much they didn't know.

    With the discovery of the letter and its heartbreaking secret, Noelle's friends begin to uncover the truth about this complex woman who touched each of their lives-and the life of a desperate stranger-with love and betrayal, compassion and deceit.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateMay 13, 2013
    ISBN9781452681948
    Author

    Diane Chamberlain

    Diane Chamberlain is the bestselling author of twenty novels, including The Midwife's Confession and The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes. Diane lives in North Carolina and is currently at work on her next novel. Visit her Web site at www.dianechamberlain.com and her blog at www.dianechamberlain.com/blog and her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Diane.Chamberlain.Readers.Page.

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    Reviews for The Midwife's Confession

    4.5/5

    115 ratings41 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Wonderfully hokum in parts but I have to say I loved it. Somehow more emotional than Picoult and a definite page turner. I had to keep my wits about me as to which baby was which, but the surprises were well done and I thought the ending was excellent.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      The storyline is a gigantic jumble of twist and turns. You will need a map, a guide, something to keep up with the characters and the timelines. If you have never given birth, you may question even wanting children after the grim experiences these women had in labor. I did not like Tara at all. Her constant doormat approach to her daughter was just stupid and ad nauseum. The plot is too riveting to be believed, but it is ENGROSSING. I give it my highest score for entertainment value. Diane Chamberlain has a master's degree in social work. She must know what she's talking about. You rock Diane.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This book was provided to me via NetGalley from the publisher. I have to admit that I could not put this book down. I have never read anything by this author but after reading this book I think I will have to remedy this by reading more books by her. Her writing style flows well and it draws you in. This book is about a midwife who kills herself at the very beginning of the novel. In her death her 2 best friends find out that Noelle, the midwife, was keeping quite a few secrets. It is difficult to write this review without spoiling too much of the book. Tara and Emerson, the two friends left behind, are not only dealing with their own personal problems but now have to face some of the mistakes that Noelle made many years ago. This book is about friendship, family and grieving. I found myself so immersed in this novel and at times found myself drying tears from my eyes. I could not recommend this novel enough. Once you think you have all the secrets figured out Chamberlain throws a few more twists your way, keeping you on your toes. Overall I give this book 5 out of 5 stars and recommend that you run out to your local bookstore and buy it right now.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      rabck from MyssCyn; so good I couldn't put it down. Noelle is a single midwife who commits suicide. Her close friends Tara and Emerson can't wrap their heads around why. A few weeks after the funeral, even more disturbing news surfaces - Noelle stopping practicing midwifery and the autopsy showed that she had been pregnant in the past. Going through her things, Emerson finds a letter started to "Anna". The clues keeps circling - Noelle had been a surrogate 5 times, and Anna had a missing child? Pieces fall into place in the end in a surprise ending.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      The Widwife's Confession opens with Noelle, a midwife in North Carolina, taking her own life. When Noelle's best friends, Tara and Emerson, discover what she has done, they are at a loss. Both believed that Noelle was happy and that she had a flourishing career. But soon after her death Emerson finds one of Noelle's old midwife journals, and starts to question if her friend's life was really what it seemed. Together Emerson and Tara make a series of discoveries about Noelle, before making one that could shake their worlds forever.This was my first Diane Chamberlain novel but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed this fast paced novel, full of twists and turns. Like a Jodi Picoult novel, things line up too perfectly and you would never expect a situation like this to develop in real life. But it does make for a good story and an interesting fast paced read. Once I got into this book, I had a hard time putting it down.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      The book started slow. The story is told by several women, that is something I always love. I love reading about various women and them telling the story, so if you know any books like that, please do not hesitate to recommend those to me. I very much enjoyed this after a while though, because you get to know the characters more. The books also sometimes visits the past so if you do not like time jumping in your books this is not for you.The only thing I can say negatively is that the plot was not a surprise to me and it felt also very unreal. So this is going to be a 4 stars book which means a very good enjoyable read. Oh what to read now?.....

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      This was a good book. It did not blow me away, however, I will tell you that I "thought" that I had it all figured out at the very beginning. I was pleasently surprised at the unpredictable twist at the end.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      When Noelle commits suicide, seemingly out of the blue, her two best friends try to uncover the Noelle they thought they knew. The face Noelle presented to the world was that of midwife, supporter of causes - especially ones involving babies, good friend to Tara and Emerson - was not the true Noelle. For years she has had to deal with the guilt of something she was responsible for - a secret that no one else knew.After finding a partial letter that Noelle had written before she died, Tara and Emerson set out on a path to try to figure out their best friend. The story is told from different points of view, but comes together beautifully. This was a book that I did not want to put down. I thought I had it figured out, but in the end, I was wrong.This is a great book exploring the relationships between mothers and daughters, and between women in general. Again - this would be a great book club pick. If you haven't read anything by Diane Chamberlain - this would be a good place to start!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Oh my, such a lovely emotional read! Fully recommend ?
    • 4/5
      I found the alternating narration from the key characters to be a bit confusing but gradually grew used to it. I think when listening to a book as opposed to reading it this can become an issue for me. The story was intriguing and captured my interest. I truly felt empathy for each of the characters except for Noel who perpetrated all the events. The twists and turns this book took kept me guessing right up to the big reveal.
    • 4/5
      This was an excellent book. The author had such a way with words and held my interest to the end. The author did a wonderful job of weaving the lives of the characters into a wonderful mystery. The challenges the characters face involving family and friends are intense and keep the reader waiting for the next development. This is a really a good book to read.
    • 4/5
      he Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain is a beautifully concocted mystery that incorporates family drama, friendship, love into a wonderfully enjoyable read. This is a book about discovering that someone you love and care about could be someone that you knew next to nothing about - and the illusion of familiarity can be shattered by merely a few words written on a piece of paper.Noelle is a midwife, and an incredibly close friend to Tara and Emerson who are shocked to find out that Noelle has committed suicide. Unable to reconcile with the thought that Noelle, a vibrant lover of life, would kill herself, her two friends dig deeper into her past, and come across a half-written letter that sends them spinning into a dark world of secrets which, when uncovered, prove to be life-altering for both Tara and Emerson.Author Chamberlain has craftily taken a mystery, and made it into far more than that. The friendship between Tara, Emerson and Noelle is spot-on in terms of middle-aged women sharing a comfortable life-long friendship. Plus, the way that the author explores the topics of loss is absolutely remarkable, and definitely heart-rending. At the same time, it was the very apt and deeply perceptive portrayal of teenagers Grace and Jenny that truly blew me away. This book is an excellent mystery and keeps you guessing till the very end - but above all, it is a book about friendship, about love and loss, experience and betrayal, and most importantly, about guilt and forgiveness. I definitely would recommend it to mystery lovers!
    • 3/5
      I was looking for a quick read and I got it.This is a page turner - a classic airplane/beach book. Every once in a while I just crave a quick easy read like this - it is the literary equivalent of a good lifetime movie - satisfying and diverting even though it isn't stretching my mind at all and when I am done I feel a little like I overindulged on a bag of doritos. Vague Spoilers ahead.****************************************************************************This book has a formidable chain of calamitous events. Deaths upon deaths, terminal illnesses, stolen babies, switched at birth babies all appear - I suspect I forgot a couple of plot points. It is pretty funny to think of them in the abstract - I don't know if daytime soaps have anything on this book - but it is written fluidly and if you are willing to go for the ride - it is perfect for those times when you need something that you can just pick up and put down but still is pretty absorbing while you are reading it.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed listening to this book. It was compelling and pulled me along throughout the read/listen. I especially enjoyed the twist at the end which I didn't see coming. I love it when that happens.

      The different narrators added a lot to the story. Since each chapter was from a different character's point of view, the addition of different voices helped me keep track.

      Now to figure out what to read/listen to next...haha.
    • 5/5
      This was a real nail biter!!! There wasn't a dull moment. If you are looking for a page turning, can't put down, one more page before bed time read, this is your book. Also when you think you have figured it out you haven't so keep reading it's worth every minute.
    • 5/5
      This book took me for a loop and I absolutely LOVED every moment of it!!!!!!!!
    • 5/5
      I have enjoyed all the other Diane Chamberlain books I have read, and knew that I would enjoy this one too, but I think The Midwife's Confession is probably my favourite of hers so far.It's primarily the story of three friends: Emerson, Tara and Noelle. When Noelle commits suicide it's a huge shock to Emerson and Tara and they just cannot understand why she has done it, until they find part of a letter that Noelle had written some years earlier. They then set out to find out more about their lost friend.This is a riveting story. There were times when chapters ended on cliffhangers, and as the chapters were all fairly short, it meant that I wanted to keep reading all the time. This is a really well-plotted book, and such an easy read, with interesting characters. Highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      Wow! What a page turner-hard to put this Nook book down, even though as a good wine or gourmet meal, you want to make it last and savor every part of it until the end! “Confessions of a Midwife”, as good or better than Chamberlain’s “a Good Father and “the Secret Lives of Cee Cee Wilkes”, which were all outstanding and did not think another one could live up to my 5 star reviews; however, it did, as each of these books were different with many characters and twists, turns, plots, which leave you wanting more.

      Noelle is a powerful woman and even from the grave, every character in the book has been hurt by her actions in some way. Ultimately this is a story of forgiveness and the strong and complicated friendships between Tara and Emerson as they make peace with Noelle’s actions. In addition, there was much growth from Grace, as she finds out love is right in front of her. (love the usage of taking each character within sections to get to the raw feelings of the individual). Very powerful!

      Love the NC setting, as a native and love the strong southeast writers –Emilie Richards, Mary Kay Andrews, Charles Martin, Nicholas Sparks, and Dianne Chamberlain as each are very highly talented writers, each with their own writing style and character. I have read all the authors' books except for Dianne’s---currently trying to play catch-up buying her Nook Books as fast I as can read them. I am excited about reading her other works, as have a feeling each one will be as amazing as the previous one. A must read!
    • 4/5
      Very good story of 3 very good friends and the secrets they discover when one of them dies.
    • 2/5
      Average chick lit type book with a slight mystery and a "surprise" ending. There was nothing new or interesting in this book.
    • 5/5
      The Midwife’s Confession is the 21st book by Diane Chamberlain. Tara and Emerson are close friends whose beloved friend and midwife, Noelle, commits suicide. As they struggle to learn the reason for it, they discover that the person they thought they knew so well was not who Noelle was at all. They also discover some dark secrets that will affect their lives and those of their husbands and daughters. The Midwife’s Confession is a story about deep and abiding friendships between women which also deals with some tricky ethical questions. The characters and well rounded, the dialogue is realistic and the plot has a few excellent twists. A thought-provoking page-turner.
    • 3/5
      This book was just ok for me. I have really enjoyed her other books that have unusual plot twists but this one seemed a bit more predictable to me. The story is also told from many different points of view and also alternated between time periods which I found a bit confusing. The plot started off better than it ended for me too. A midwife commits suicude and her friends must come to terms with not knowing her as welll as they thought they did as they uncover quite a few shocking secrets from her past.
    • 4/5
      This was actually better than I expected - enough twists and turns to keep you guessing (even though there were a finite number of ways it could work itself out). Characters were well developed and believable, with the possible exception of the teenagers. All in all, it was a good choice.
    • 5/5
      Oh My Gosh litterbugs NO WORDS. So moving and emotional.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed the book. The author did a good job with the mystery aspects of the story. Although I suspected part of the secret the book slowly unveils, I did not get it exactly right, which means Ms. Chamberlain did a good job. I did have difficulty believing that someone could have hidden so much of her life from her two supposedly closest friends. They really didn't know her at all. I will check out more from this author.
    • 3/5
      A low-calorie read! some interesting twists but quite an obvious plot. Good read for a journey.
    • 5/5
      Not at all what I expected. Soo good .. great author
    • 5/5
      Wow. Just finished this book in one sitting and I loved it. Although some parts of the book,are predictable, I could not see that ending coming until it was right upon me. The characters are so well developed through the story, what a shame I finished it!
    • 5/5
      THE MIDWIFE'S CONFESSIONS by Diane ChamberlainPublished by MIRA BooksISBN-13: 978-0-7783-2986-2At the request of Meryl L. Moss Media, an ARC TPB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion. Synopsis (from back of book): Dear Anna,What I have to tell you is difficult to write, but I know it will be far more difficult for you to hear, and I'm so sorry…The unfinished letter is the only clue Tara and Emerson have to the reason behind their close friend Noelle's suicide. Everything they knew about Noelle—her calling as a midwife, her passion for causes, her love for her friends and family—described a woman who embraced life.Yet there was so much they didn't know.With the discovery of the letter and its heartbreaking secret, Noelle's friends begin to uncover the truth about this complex woman who touched each of their lives—and the life of a desperate stranger—with love and betrayal, compassion and deceit. My Thoughts and Opinion: I became a fan of this author after reading her novel, The Lies We Told, which I rated a 5/5. Because of such a high rating, I quite honestly was a bit leery if this book would be as good. Ms. Chamberlain did not disappoint. Another phenomenal read. The author with her creative writing style brings the characters to life and transports the reader into the story line. I truly felt the ambivalence of emotions that the characters were dealing with. The chapters alternate between the past and present of the characters' lives. An engrossing read where secrets and lies can alter so many innocent lives ( vague due to not wanting to include spoilers). A page turning, must read book!! This story will stay with you long after you finish the last page. I will be anxiously awaiting and look forward to her next novel. I highly recommend!! My Rating: 5
    • 4/5
      A good read. Full of a few twists and turns but a sweet story of friendship, betrayal on a new level and forgiveness.