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Jacques’ Fateful Journey

The Midwife Chronicles Book 4

By Carole Penfield

Jacques Dupres was presumed dead, but his journey was far from over…

1685, France. In The Midwife Chronicles series, Clare’s husband was thought lost forever after being captured and sentenced to King Louis’ galleys. Now, the untold story of his escape, survival, and new life in exile is revealed.

Through hidden safe houses, with a bounty on his head, Jacques crosses into Amsterdam and takes the name Claude. There, Anneke Voort—longing for a husband to raise her fatherless child—spins a lie that binds his future to hers. What begins as deception grows into unexpected love. But tragedy intrudes, leaving him adrift once again. His voyage carries him to England, where the shocking truth of his identity finally comes to light.

Jacques’ Fateful Journey is a sweeping historical family drama of loss, survival, love, and reinvention. Set in 17th-century France, Amsterdam, and England, this immersive, character-driven tale will captivate readers who enjoy the richly detailed historical fiction of Tracy Chevalier and Geraldine Brooks.

“Penfield shows a talent for storytelling and a clear knack for drama…” — Kirkus Reviews, Midwife of Normandy