Prospects of a Woman : A Novel

On 2 BuzzFeed Hot Lists! New Book Releases We Loved And Why You Should Read Them New Historical Fiction You Wont Be Able To Put Down This Fall The story of one womans quest to carve out a life for herself in the liberal and bewildering society that emerged during the California gold rush frenzy. Elisabeth Parker comes to California from Massachusetts in 1849 with her new husband, Nate, to reunite with her father, whos struck gold on the American River. But she soon realizes her husband is not the man she thought and neither is her father, who abandons them shortly after they arrive. As Nate struggles with his sexuality, Elisabeth is forced to confront her preconceived notions of family, love, and opportunity. She finds comfort in corresponding with her childhood friend back home, writer Louisa May Alcott, and spending time in the company of a mysterious California. Armed with Ralph Waldo Emersons SelfReliance, she sets out to determine her role in building the West, even as she comes t