Book Review: The Doctor’s Lady by Jody Hedlund

      From the time she was a teenager, Priscilla White knew she was called to be a missionary.  She sends in an application to the mission board; hoping with all of her heart that they place her in India, the country that she is certain God has called her to minister to. Little did she know, God had a different plan entirely. When the mission board turns her down, she is crushed; the reason for her rejection was the newly initiated statement, “missionaries may not be single”, they must “go forth into all the world” as a married couple.  Until this point, she had been certain that she wasn’t to be married, her womb was barren.  Feeling the urge to minister, she quickly decides to marry a man who is also a single, wants-to-be missionary. Married in name only, Priscilla and her newly bestowed husband must travel the rigid trail west, praying for the fortitude to face the long trail that lies ahead.

     This well researched book truly shows the amount of thought the author put into it. I enjoyed the missionaries’ heart sprinkled throughout, as well as the imminent dangers of the Oregon Trail. What I did not enjoy was the not-so-innocent way in which Priscilla and her husband fall in love. Given, they are “technically” married, however,  I believe that the few sensual passages could cause men and women alike to stumble. As for myself, there were a few paragraphs I had to skim. I was slightly disappointed at the ending, however, I realize this book was based on a true story, so it couldn’t be overly sugar-coated. Overall, I enjoyed the vivacity of this book, with very few exceptions.

This book was given to me free from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.