The Sweet Blue Distance, Sara Donati
The Sweet Blue Distance, Sara Donati
List: $39.95 | Sale: $27.97
Club: $19.97

The Sweet Blue Distance

Author: Sara Donati

Narrator: Kate Reading

Unabridged: 28 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/02/2024


Synopsis

A young midwife travels west to the New Mexico Territory to care for women in need and faces dangers more harrowing than the ones she’s fleeing in this epic tale of survival, redemption, and love from Sara Donati, the international bestselling author of the Wilderness series.1857. In a bid to outrun her past, Carrie Ballentyne accepts a nursing position with a doctor in the New Mexico Territory. She knows the journey from New York to Santa Fe will not be easy, but she relishes the adventure. However, nothing could have prepared her for the wilderness she encounters. Its vastness and power are awe-inspiring, stunning in both beauty and brutality. To endure, she must learn to rely on her fellow travelers—and one enigmatic man in particular. As the small, tight-knit group tackles challenge after challenge, she feels her heart opening to this rugged land—and the people willing to risk so much for one another.The trip west is only the beginning of Carrie’s challenges, though. In Santa Fe, she compassionately and respectfully helps women bring new life into the world, making her beloved among new mothers. Soon, however, she realizes that her employer and his wife are keeping secrets from her, and she must ferret out the truth to protect their young daughter. But to save the little girl she’s come to cherish, Carrie will have to confront the demons in her own past—a feat that will take all of her bravery and the help of the man she’s come to love and depend on above all others.With its vivid descriptions of the breathtaking western landscape and its irresistible characters, The Sweet Blue Distance is the unforgettable story of one woman’s courage to heal herself, her family, and the women entrusted to her care.

About Sara Donati

Sara Donati is the internationally bestselling author of Where the Light Enters, The Gilded Hour, and the Wilderness series, which includes Into the Wilderness, Dawn on a Distant Shore, Lake in the Clouds, Fire along the Sky, Queen of Swords, and The Endless Forest. She is a native of Chicago but currently lives on Puget Sound.

About Kate Reading

Kate Reading, named an AudioFile Golden Voice, has recorded hundreds of audiobooks across many genres, over a thirty–year plus career and won the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. Among other awards, she has been recognized as an AudioFile Magazine Voice of the Century, Narrator of the Year, Best Voice in Science Fiction and Fantasy, and winner of an Publisher’s Weekly’s Listen-Up Award. She records at her home studio, Madison Productions, Inc., in Maryland.


Reviews

*4.5 stars* It's been well over a decade since I've read a Sara Donati novel, and though her "Into the Wilderness" series is a 5-star favorite of mine, a LOT has changed about my reading tastes since then. So the question remains; would I still love Sara Donati in 2024? I'm thrilled to report that no......more

Goodreads review by Angela on June 15, 2024

I can’t say why I kept reading past the halfway point of this VERY long, VERY detailed saga. Every time I was going to give up, something halfway interesting happened, sucking me back in. I skipped ahead a few times when things got boring yet complicated. The last 100 pages were just utter ridiculou......more

Goodreads review by Nicole on April 22, 2024

777 pages and that was how ended?......more

Goodreads review by PlotTrysts on March 25, 2024

This was my first Sara Donati, and I wasn't sure what to expect. This review is going to focus on the structure of the book. If you already like Sara Donati's books, I think you'll probably like this one, based on what I've gathered. From first timer to first timer, here's what I wish I'd known befo......more

Goodreads review by Kelly on April 27, 2024

So So I truly wanted to like this book, truly. It is so slow and so boring it took me forward to read. It is so tedious and so over written that it is painful to say the least. The story drags on for so long that you lose interest a don't care what happens.......more


Quotes

“A stunning tour de force!”  Booklist (starred review)

“[Donati] gives her insight into ethnic conflicts rife in Santa Fe while her work brings women’s health and rights to the fore….These 800 pages are gone in a surprising flash. Highly recommended; don’t miss the invaluable author’s note.” Library Journal (starred review)

“Meticulous research, a host of fictional characters, backstories woven seamlessly into historical settings, and Donati’s marvelous storytelling all prove fertile ground to sow details of the American West.” Historical Novel Society

“Gutsy, quick-witted, and strong-minded: These are the characteristics that narrator Kate Reading expertly portrays in this novel…Her portrayals of Mexicans, Europeans, Indigenous peoples, and coarse cowhands are suitably colorful without exaggeration…An entertaining production.” AudioFile

"Impeccable historical detail, romance, drama, action, adventure and compassionate insight make The Sweet Blue Distance a fine addition to a riveting series.” Our Coast

“A captivating portrayal of one woman’s inner journey set against the vast backdrop of the rapidly changing American West.” Shelf Awareness


Awards

  • Library Journal Pick