Reviewed by Susan E. Richardson
In 1891, Kate Livingston works as a statistician and helps her parents run their Washington, D.C. boarding house. Many statesmen and ambassadors, sometimes with their wives and families, live under their roof, adding interest to discussions around the table. She loves her work until machines begin moving in and doing most of the calculations. So when she receives an invitation to apply for a job with world-renowned Dr. Trevor Kendall, she jumps at the chance.
Kate’s first surprise comes when she meets the eminent Dr. Kendall, but more follow. She finds herself drawn into the work analyzing test results from tuberculosis patients. Dr. Kendall’s determination to find a cure impresses her until she unearths the biggest secret of all. Then her work becomes personal and she brings every resource she has to aid the doctor’s work.
On Trevor’s side, he appreciates Kate’s assistance but knows the relationship can never become personal. He focuses entirely on his work, doing his best to ignore Kate as anything but a staff member, until a crusade against his clinic forces him to move toward change, and save his quest for a cure.
More issues twine through Elizabeth Camden’s With Every Breath, taking the reader on a fascinating journey in the years when tuberculosis was a death sentence. Public fear of the disease made patients outcasts, and doctors working toward a cure could join them. Readers who appreciate historical fiction with a touch of romance will enjoy this visit to historic Washington.
Susan E. Richardson is a writer, critique reader, and former Christian retailer with a passion for meeting people’s needs through the written word.
