Review: The House of Hawthorne by Erika Robuck

The House of Hawthorne

by Erika Robuck

Publisher: NAL

Pages: 416

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Beset by crippling headaches from a young age and endowed with a talent for drawing, Sophia is discouraged by her well-known New England family from pursuing a woman’s traditional roles. But from their first meeting, Nathaniel and Sophia begin an intense romantic relationship that despite many setbacks leads to their marriage. Together, they will cross continents, raise children, and experience all the beauty and tragedy of an exceptional partnership. Sophia’s vivid journals and her masterful paintings kindle a fire in Nathaniel, inspiring his writing. But their children’s needs and the death of loved ones steal Sophia’s energy and time for her art, fueling in her a perennial tug-of-war between fulfilling her domestic duties and pursuing her own desires.

Spanning the years from the 1830s to the Civil War, and moving from Massachusetts to England, Portugal, and Italy, The House of Hawthorne explores the tension within a famous marriage of two soulful, strong-willed people, each devoted to the other but also driven by a powerful need to explore the far reaches of their creative impulses. It is the story of a forgotten woman in history, who inspired one of the greatest writers of American literature.… 

Kritters Thoughts:  Sophia Peabody is a daughter, sister, wife and mother.  Many know her husband the famous author - Nathaniel Hawthorne, but many don't know the story behind their introduction and their love story.  Through five stories and moments, the reader gets to meet Sophia before she has meet Nathaniel and then as they meet and then into their marriage and old age.  

I loved this way of story telling.  I loved seeing glimpses at moments of their life instead of only a book that focuses on one of these moments.  To read about their full story without a huge chunk of a book was nice, I felt like I got a full glimpse of their marriage and life.  

Side note - I went and saw Erika Robuck at my local indie - One More Page and it was so fun to hear here tell how this book idea came to her and the research that went in to make the facts feel real but the story have heart.  

The author mentioned during her chat at the bookstore about how they completely complimented each other in their marriage and I agree.  I loved reading about a couple that were equals of that time and he loved and respected her just as much as she did him.  Being a happily married lady it was nice to read a historical fiction with a solid marriage!

I am a fan of Erika Robuck and will continue to read everything she writes!


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Penguin Random House.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.