The Northwoods

This book hit all of my favorite things about historical lesbian fiction (and Midwestern historical fiction in general). It roots us firmly in a time and place, the romance is slow and gentle, and the characters feel real and engaging. The pace is quick and never falters for melodrama or unneeded story arcs.

I was so invested in both Evelyn and Sarah's struggles from their first appearances on the page. They both show female strength in different and complex ways. Evelyn is a widow who knows she must provide for her family no matter what, even if it means disguising herself as her late husband and spending the harsh Wisconsin winter at a smelly logging camp with hundreds of other men. She soon meets Sarah at the camp, who is trying to nurse a broken heart after the death of her longtime partner, Abigail. She has put her trust in Sam, a camp foreman and Abigail's brother, but he soon turns out to be possessive and violent. As Evelyn and Sarah grow closer, Sam becomes more suspicious, culminating in a heated encounter and a quick escape from camp back to Evelyn's farm.

If you loved Little House on the Prairie when you were little, this is the perfect lesfic alternative to those engrossing stories about life on the harsh Midwestern plains. Life is tough and unforgiving for rural families trying to scrape by, especially during the winter. I read this book during the polar vortex in Minnesota and certainly felt the characters' pain--and I didn't even have to be outside in it! But there's a coziness and charm to Evelyn's farm life, too. If these were wealthier society ladies, they wouldn't have the same freedoms to work and live as they do, making their story a welcome change from many other historical works set in the 1850s.

When it comes to the romance between Evelyn and Sarah, it is all about the journey and less about the destination. Evelyn was married and loved her husband, but she never felt much sexual gratification, and her feelings for Sarah are new and confusing, but not unwelcome. Her sister has been in a same-sex partnership for years, so lesbian relationships are not lost on her. I felt so bad for Sarah--she was orphaned at a young age and only ever had Abigail, so even as she develops feelings for Evelyn, she's hesitant about easing into a new life again. This is definitely a PG romance with fade-to-black kisses, but it totally works for the story. Their love is more about finding that comfort and solace with a long-time partner and settling into a good, domestic life.

This book is an easy five stars for me...the story never falters, and I found myself turning the page even when I wanted the plot to go a different way.

Unfortunately, we lost Hoppen last summer, only a few months after this book was published. I have not yet read her other works, In Between and The Man Who Was Not, but they are going right into my shopping cart on the Bold Strokes Books website. Though she is no longer with us, I hope Hoppen's work lives on, and I hope lovers of historical lesbian fiction will enjoy this book for years to come.

Reviewed by Jessica Rockeman

...Overall, I'd recommend this book for a sort of butch/femme dynamic, for detailed historical fiction lovers, and for the cross dressing aspect...

Reviewed by Medina Gustavsson

When Evelyn's husband dies in the fall of 1853, she knows the only way to survive the winter and support her family of three children, is to disguise herself, take her husband's place at a loggers camp, and bring home much needed funds. It's there that she meets Sarah, a young woman who has also recently lost her lover, and who is working at the camp in the kitchen. They're inexplicably drawn to each other and a tentative friendship blooms. Both women are mourning the loss of their loved ones and the conditions are trying and rough at the camp. On top of everything, Evelyn must maintain her disguise or all will be lost. Will the two women, and their friendship, survive the winter?

I really, really, enjoyed this book. I will likely be buying the paperback to read it again when I need my fix of historical fiction. This book was so real and vivd. I could smell the loggers camp, the wet socks and the body oder, and feel the cold. It was so well done...it was really nicely done historical fiction.

Evelyn and Sarah, where do I even start... Evelyn is awesome - she's so strong and fierce and inspiring. And Sarah's dedicated and precious and strong in her own way too. Together, they were gorgeous. The way the two women's friendship grew was just lovely, and progression to love felt so natural. They went through so much, I feel for them, and I am so happy that they got a chance at a happy ending.

I really loved all the characters too- they were good people and unique/well-rounded characters. There were a lot of really cool guys at the lumber camp and some great people back home at the farm too, and it brought a nice warmth to the story even with frigid temperatures outside. There were also the characters you love to hate, brilliantly done as well.

All in all, this was an excellent historical fiction and a feel good story all around, even when our ladies are dealing with impossible situations. Totally romantic and totally inspiring. I loved it!

Reviewed by Jasmine G

That was kinda cool. It's the story of Evelyn and Sarah. Evelyn's husband George died and Sarah's partner Abigail died. Oh, and it's set in 1853 Wisconsin mostly.

They both find themselves at a logging camp for the winter surrounded mostly by what are called 'jacks'. The all male loggers. Evelyn especially has a tough job, since she dresses up and is pretending to be her husband George. Sarah meanwhile is a cook's helper for her sorta brother-in-law (Abigail's brother) Sam.

They become aware of each other as the winter slowly goes on, but then Sarah finds out about who 'George' really is, and they sorta grow closer together, being the two only women (there is a younger girl) in the camp. And then something horrible happens that changes both of their lives, and sends both of them home to Evelyn's farm.

That's when they really start feeling feelings for one another, but, because it's a romance, it does not go in a straight line, there's a bit of back and forth first.

A lot of the stuff that took place at the logging camp was super intense, and I liked that when they got back and were no longer in the logging camp it wasn't all of a sudden totally easier, just hard in a different way. For any of them, Sarah, Evelyn, or Evelyn's kids.

I really liked it. Probably because I've been a sucker for books along the lines of Words Heard in Silence and the like, although this book isn't exactly the same as that one. Still, an awesome read.

Reviewed by Danielle Kimerer

‘The Northwoods’ by Jane Hoppen is set in 1850s Wisconsin when most women were entirely dependant on husbands and fathers. When that is no longer possible for Evelyn due to the death of her husband she decides to disguise herself as a man and go to a logging camp for the winter, in order to help her family survive . She meets Sarah Bell, a woman seemingly at the mercy of her dead lover’s brother. Evelyn must keep her real identity secret at all costs, while Sarah lives in fear of being assaulted by any of the rough loggers in the camp. Their friendship is of necessity but they see something in each other that drew them together.

The story was about women doing what they had to in a harsh world. They discovered things about themselves that they did not realise they wanted or needed. I was on the edge of my seat at many points in the book as they were in danger and taking many risks. Evelyn and Sarah’s relationship was slow and sweet and tender. I wanted them to have a future together and not be forced into the roles people expected of them. I loved the historical aspect of the book and felt it was well imagined and well written. I could almost smell the appalling odours of the camp, so good was the writing. A very enjoyable book with characters I wouldn’t mind finding out more about.

Reviewed by Karen McIntosh