The Engineer's Wife: A Novel of the Brooklyn Bridge

THE USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER!

She built the Brooklyn Bridge, so why don't you know her name?

Emily Roebling built a monument for all time. Then she was lost in its shadow. Discover the fascinating woman who helped design and construct the Brooklyn Bridge. Perfect for book clubs and fans of Marie Benedict.

Emily refuses to live conventionally--she knows who she is and what she wants, and she's determined to make change. But then her husband asks the unthinkable: give up her dreams to make his possible.

Emily's fight for women's suffrage is put on hold, and her life transformed when her husband Washington Roebling, the Chief Engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge, is injured on the job. Untrained for the task, but under his guidance, she assumes his role, despite stern resistance and overwhelming obstacles. But as the project takes shape under Emily's direction, she wonders whose legacy she is building--hers, or her husband's. As the monument rises, Emily's marriage, principles, and identity threaten to collapse. When the bridge finally stands finished, will she recognize the woman who built it?

Based on the true story of an American icon, The Engineer's Wife delivers an emotional portrait of a woman transformed by a project of unfathomable scale, which takes her into the bowels of the East River, suffragette riots, the halls of Manhattan's elite, and the heady, freewheeling temptations of P.T. Barnum. The biography of a husband and wife determined to build something that lasts--even at the risk of losing each other.

"Historical fiction at its finest."--Andrea Bobotis, author of The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt

Other Bestselling Historical Fiction from Sourcebooks Landmark:

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris

BUY THE BOOK

384 pages

Average rating: 6.7

93 RATINGS

|

These clubs recently read this book...

Community Reviews

SherylStandifer
Mar 27, 2025
4/10 stars
It started out promising. But as the story timeline progressed, the joy of working on such a momentous task seemed to take a toll on the characters, and seemed as if written by different authors. I understand that the historic fiction genre takes liberties with plot and characters at times, to tell a story about a true event. But the inclusion of PT Barnum seemed downright bizarre. I wonder if Emily’s heirs feel a great disservice was rendered on behalf of Emily, re: her fake romance with PT. Also, the trajectory of Wash’s PTSD seemed strange and peripatetic. Did the dude love her, or not? Then why did he abandon her? It just didn’t make sense. It made me dislike Wash to the extreme. Maybe he was done a huge disservice in this story as well. I enjoyed learning about the process of building the Brooklyn Bridge. And the family and working environment of the build. But I didn’t enjoy how the characters were treated, when their stories deserved more dignity and respect than they were given.
HF Book Lovers
Apr 15, 2023
10/10 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.