Fragile Things of Nature

Sophie Velan, a young immigrant from Ireland, dreaming of escaping from her miserable apartment in New York at any cost, responds to a marriage advertisement in the newspaper and agrees to marry a man she knows nothing about. Her groom is Martin Hawkins, a widower from San Francisco, who is incredibly handsome but completely indifferent to Sophie. The young woman immediately develops a fondness for Martin's five-year-old daughter, Kate. However, Kate hardly speaks. This, along with Martin's strange behavior, fills Sophie with a sense of unease, and she begins to realize that something is not right in her new life.
One evening in early spring, an unfamiliar woman comes to her home, and this visit is followed by a chain of important events. Sophie learns about Martin's carefully hidden connections with two other women.
The fates of these three women intertwine shortly before a devastating earthquake, forcing them to embark on a dangerous journey that will test their resilience, determination, and ultimately, their belief that love conquers fear.
'Fragile Things of Nature' is an emotionally gripping book by a popular American writer about the bonds of friendship, maternal love, and the power of female solidarity.