Between Breaths

In the 1930s, two women defy societal norms and pave the way for a medical breakthrough in a powerful novel of female solidarity and scientific perseverance inspired by an extraordinary true story. In the midst of the Great Depression, a biology degree does Grace Aller no favors. A schoolteacher who tends to her Idaho sheep farm, she feels helpless against the scourge of whooping cough claiming children’s lives across the country. When the chance arises to intern with a seasoned scientist in Michigan, Grace doesn’t hesitate. Pearl Kendall has a storeroom instead of a lab, no top-tier equipment, and constant pushback in a male-dominated field. Haunted by devastating losses of her own, the intractable researcher is dedicated to finding a cure. Now, instead of partnering with an experienced bacteriologist, Pearl gets a northwest farm girl with a pioneering drive to make a difference. As Pearl and Grace confront a tide of prejudice, lack of funding, and medical distrust derailing their efforts, the risks grow greater, threatening to unravel everything they are fighting for. Unjustly lost to history, the story of these two trailblazing women and their unlikely team who disrupted gender barriers to save lives can break the heart and restore hope in the same breath. © 2026 by Abigail Rose-Marie, all rights reserved.