Set against the backdrop of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, The Nature of Fragile Things follows Sophie, a young Irish immigrant who answers a mail-order bride ad in hopes of building a better life. But when she arrives in California, she quickly discovers her new husband is hiding dark secrets. As the earth begins to tremble, literally and figuratively, Sophie’s world is turned upside down, and she must navigate a web of mystery, danger, and unexpected sisterhood.

I loved this story. It was beautifully written, engaging, and absolutely heartbreaking in all the best ways. This is one of those historical fiction novels that will appeal to just about everyone with it’s the perfect blend of rich history, slow-burning mystery, and deeply emotional family drama.

The earthquake scenes were so vivid. I don’t live in an earthquake area, but it made me deeply grateful for modern infrastructure and emergency response systems.

I truly cannot say enough good things about this book. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend picking it up. You won’t regret it.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP | ★★★★★

The Nature of Fragile Things is out now. Huge thank you to Berkley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.  If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.