Super Short Summary

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner follows Sophie Whalen, an Irish immigrant in early 20th-century America, who becomes a wife and mother overnight after responding to a stranger's advertisement. Set against the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Sophie uncovers dark secrets about her husband Martin Hocking, faces profound challenges, and forms unbreakable bonds with two other women. This book references domestic violence and themes of trauma related to past abuse.