This was a wonderful book about a midwife ready to retire, but not able to find a replacement right away. Although the book is in third person, it stays close to her point of view. I didn't read the first two books in the trilogy, but I wasn't lost. ( )

Title: The Midwife’s Dilemma (At Home in Trinity #3)
Author: Delia Parr
Pages: 320
Year: 2016
Publisher: Bethany
My rating is 5+ stars.
The whole At Home in Trinity series is a wonderful story about a young widow raising two children on her own, being a midwife and then as her children become grown enters a new season of her life. As the final novel is here the hard part was reading the book knowing it was the end of the series I thoroughly enjoyed. The author does an outstanding job of showing how as our children grow and we grow older sometimes life gets tough and it has blessings too.
For Martha in the final installment her body is now taking longer to gets it strength back when she is out n bad weather and helping many women or children. Martha seems to be fighting the heartache that growing older can bring as people move away from her town, her children marry, and her heart longs for a more peaceful daily life. While Martha has enjoyed the calling she senses that a new season of life for her is on the horizon but giving up her calling proves a difficult task.
There is so much happening in the story I cannot wait for you to read and discover all the nuances of the story line. The characters for me seemed very life like and I hated to see the ending of the series come to fruition. Martha has a very close walk with the Lord though during this season of transition she is truly struggling to believe God or trust Him. For me that is a real wrestling match some women may face as new seasons of life come and go.
It isn’t only the change is seasons that was very realistic but the changing landscape of friendships too. Some of them were very hard for Widow Cade and others weren’t, Martha was a true reflection on even good changes can bring about some melancholy. The ending was fantastic and a real surprise so I won’t reveal it to you other than to say it brilliant the away the author wraps up life for characters we know well in the town of Trinity. I wonder where she will take her readers next?
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This is the third book in the At Home in Trinity series. It was a good read. Midwife Martha Cade has to decide if she is going to quit being a midwife and marry Mayor Thomas Dillon. Make sure to read the first two in the series to understand everything that is going on. Martha is looking all over for another woman to take over her midwife duties so she can enjoy a life with Thomas. I received this book from Bethany for a fair and honest opinion. ( )

I was sad to see this was the last book in the At Home in Trinity series. I have enjoyed all of them. As I read it, I couldn’t help but think about when I met Martha in the first book, The Midwife’s Tale. It was like thinking back on the life of a friend.
Midwife Cade has faced many changes in the three books. She is a middle aged widow and these new chapters in her life hold true for women even now: children becoming adults, letting go of control in their lives and ours, realizing we cannot keep up our youthful pace, confronting new decisions about the future, and most of all accepting the time of life we are in.
There were moments I became aggravated at the Martha for her overbearing, bossy attitude toward others. Then I realized taking control of situations was just part of her calling as midwife spilling over into other relationships.
I admired her for waiting on God’s guidance in the choices set before her, and I could relate to how much harder those are later in years. A lesson that ran throughout the book was how God provides for us even before the need arises. I experience this in my life as a widow. I continued to enjoy the fascinating facts about medicine and midwifery during that era. Ms. Parr’s solid characters and wonderful sense of humor made this another great book. I loved the ending!!
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have stated are my own. ( )

The Midwife’s Dilemma by Delia Parr is the third book in the At Home in Trinity series. Martha Cade lives in Trinity, Pennsylvania in 1831. She has been alone the last few months since Fern and Ivy Lynn left town to take care of personal business. Thomas Dillon (who wishes to marry Martha) went as their escort. Martha’s daughter, Victoria has been helping Aunt Hilda (not really a relative). Martha suffered a terrible loss when her horse, Grace died recently. Martha used Grace to get to her midwife appointments and birthing (she was also who she talked to). Martha now has to rely on other people for transportation. Thomas, Fern, and Ivy finally return home and they bring Jane Trew and her daughter, Cassie with them (new project). Jane is hiding a secret, but no one wishes to pry. Thomas now wishes for a decision from Martha. Will she or won’t she marry him? It is not an easy decision, because Martha knows she would not be able to continue her practice. Martha needed to find someone to replace her if she decides to marry Thomas. Martha also has to deal with her daughter, Victoria’s new romance. Victoria has been seeing Dr. Benjamin McMillan (without her mother’s knowledge). Now they wish to get married (and want Martha’s permission). So many decisions for Martha. Will she make the right ones? Join us in The Midwife’s Dilemma to see what is happening in Trinity and if Martha makes the right choices.

The Midwife’s Dilemma was not as good as the first book in the series. This book was mostly Martha trying to decide whether or not to get married (I am not kidding). Martha goes back and forth on her decision, lamenting the loss of her horse (and not willing to accept anyone’s help on getting a new one), and upset that her daughter wants to marry her enemy (Dr. McMillan). I, personally, did not understand what Thomas saw in Martha (I kept hoping the guy would land someone more decisive and appealing). The Midwife’s Dilemma is nicely written and easy to read. The Christian theme is very prevalent throughout the book. I just felt that this book was an add-on (that was not needed). Martha has really been trying to make up her mind this whole time (through the whole series). The Midwife’s Dilemma is really not a stand-alone book. You need to read the previous books in order to understand everything that is going on in this book. I give The Midwife’s Dilemma 3 out of 5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of The Midwife’s Dilemma from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel. ( )