Swamp Angel by Ethel Wilson

Maggie Lloyd carefully plans her escape from an unsatisfactory second marriage. She flees Vancouver and heads for the interior of British Columbia with a small pack and a fishing rod. Her journey leads to a job as a cook in Haldar and Vera Gunnarsen's fishing lodge 25 miles north of Kamloops. Maggie's compassionate nature, good cooking and hard work are appreciated by all - except Vera, who is a bitter, jealous woman. Despite Vera, Maggie is determined to create a new life there for herself.

One of Maggie's friends believes that all things are connected, saying "I see God everywhere." Some previous reader had altered the text with blue ink so that "Goddess" was substituted instead. I frown upon the defacement of library materials, but this made me smile.

I've started the new year with a Canadian classic; Swamp Angel was first published in 1954. I'm glad that one of my book groups decided to discuss this one, since it's been on my TBR list for a long time. Sometimes I need a shove to fall into a book. It turned out that the water was delightful. Maggie Lloyd is a character I will remember fondly.