I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A woman goes on a road trip and experiences a series of adventures along the way in author Gail Ward Olmsted’s “Katharine’s Remarkable Road Trip”.

The Synopsis

In the fall of 1907, Katharine decides to drive from Newport, Rhode Island to her new home in Jackson, New Hampshire. Despite the concerns of her family and friends that at the age of 77 she lacks the stamina for the nearly 300-mile journey, Katharine sets out alone. Over the next six days, she receives a marriage proposal, pulls an all-nighter, saves a life or two, crashes a high-society event, meets a kindred spirit, faces a former rival, makes a new friend, takes a stroll with a future movie mogul, advises a troubled newlywed, and reflects upon a life well lived: her own!

Join her as she embarks upon her remarkable road trip.

Katharine Prescott Wormeley (1830-1908) was born into affluence in England and emigrated to the U. S. at the age of eighteen. Fiercely independent and never married, Kate volunteered as a nurse on a medical ship during the Civil War, before founding a vocational school for underprivileged girls. She was a philanthropist, a hospital administrator, and the author of The Other Side of War: 1862, as well as the noted translator of dozens of novels written by French authors, including Moliere and Balzac. She is included in History’s Women: The Unsung Heroines; History of American Women: Civil War Women; Who’s Who in America 1908-09; Notable American Women: 1607-1950; A Biographical Dictionary; and A Woman of the (19th) Century: Leading American Women in All Walks of Life and figures prominently in With Courage and Delicacy: Civil War on the Peninsula by Nancy Scripture Garrison.

The Review

This was a heartfelt and thoughtful historical fiction meets biographical fiction novel. The life and impact of protagonist Katharine Prescott Wormeley were so fascinating to see come to life on the page, and the protagonist’s characterization engaged the reader immensely. The atmosphere and sense of adventure the book spoke to kept the reader engaged as the journey progressed. 

This novel’s themes of self-independence and living life on one’s terms were so impactful. The protagonist’s drive to live her life her way and her decision to do so despite the health, age, and social conventions others felt were a detriment to her life allowed the reader to get a sense of the real woman’s strength of character and free spirit.

The Verdict

Adventurous, thoughtful, and fast-paced author Gail Ward Olmsted’s “Katharine’s Remarkable Road Trip” is a must-read historical fiction novel. The author does a great job of showcasing afterward the truth of the events in the book and the passion that made her life have such an impact on others. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today. 

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Gail Ward Olmsted was a marketing executive and a college professor before she began writing fiction on a fulltime basis. A trip to Sedona, AZ inspired her first novel Jeep Tour. Three more novels followed before she began Landscape of a Marriage, a biographical work of fiction featuring landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, a distant cousin of her husband’s, and his wife Mary.

Her latest is a pair of contemporary novels featuring a disgraced attorney seeking a career comeback: Miranda Writes (9/8/22) and Miranda Nights (7/6/23)

For more information, please visit her on Facebook and at gwolmstedauthor.carrd.co