Becky's Great Book Reviews Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke was a mystery like no other. Told through the perspective of Natalie, the main character, two timelines unfurl her life's past and present.

Daughter of a single mother, Natalie and her sister are raised in an ultra religious household and told stories that romanticize the days of yore (ie pioneer days). They are instructed to tell others that their father is "no longer with us" (although he is alive) as that is preferable to making it known that he left the family.

While in college, Natalie sticks to her conservative Christian upbringing, eschewing the partying that her roommate and her peers are so fond of while making it known she disapproves. When she meets Caleb, son of a wealthy senator, Natalie drops out and marries him, becoming a mother at age twenty.

Natalie quickly discovers that Caleb has no ambition or drive, so she talks her father-in-law into buying a five million dollar farm in Idaho for Caleb and her to run. He agrees, but makes Natalie promise to have lots of children.

While handling the farm and bearing more and more children, Natalie figures out they are losing money quickly. She takes a class on using social media for monetary gain and soon Natalie's videos of their "sweet little farm" go viral - the constant filming takes over their lives. When Natalie hires a young producer (along with two nannies), Shannon, who investigates how things are REALLY run on the farm, things fall apart.

Shortly into the novel, we are introduced to the present timeline where Natalie wakes up in a house that looks just like hers, but it's not. There are children there that look like her, but they are not hers. Caleb is there, but he seems older and rougher. Everything seems set in the past: no electricity or running water; old-timey clothes; no modern appliances.

Was she abducted? Is this some kind of twisted reality show? Natalie tries to escape but she is stopped when her foot gets caught in a steel trap in the woods, hurting her badly. Another escape attempt is met with a punch in the face from Caleb.

Caro Claire Burke brings us closer and closer to the revelation of the surprising truth of this hypnotic story, all while painting a vivid, if not stereotypical (although I think that's the point), portrait of what a Tradwife might look like. I loved this novel by Caro Claire Burke and rate it a "Should Read".