The Philadelphia Matriarch

A poignant tribute to maternal strength, perseverance, and quiet transformation...
The Philadelphia Matriarch is inspired by true events and traces the remarkable journey of Estella, a woman whose world is upended in the early 20th century when her husband abandons her and their three children. The heartbreak deepens when her children are taken from her and placed in an orphanage-without her consent. Her youngest daughter is then fostered into an Amish family, separated from her siblings. Determined to reunite her family, Estella reinvents herself in Philadelphia, forging an unexpected path of independence as a woman working in banking-an extraordinary feat in an era when such roles were rarely open to women. Her resilience unfolds amid the sweeping social changes of World War I, the suffrage movement, and Prohibition.

Beth Brubaker is a former educator and figure skating coach who now turns her attention to the written word, where memory and imagination meet. The Philadelphia Matriarch is her debut historical novel, drawn from the quiet courage and untold stories within her own family's past. She is also the author of A Leap of Faith, a reflective memoir on perseverance, purpose, and the bonds that shape us. With a heart for stories steeped in resilience and hope, Beth writes from her home in Fernandina Beach, Florida, where she lives with her husband, Scott. They have two grown children. When not writing, she finds joy in book club conversations, ocean breezes, and the loyal companionship of their dogs. She is currently at work on the sequel to The Philadelphia Matriarch.