Helping raise three children while her husband goes out to work for a local department store has taken its toll on Evangeline Knapp, as she can’t help feeling unhappy despite doing her best to fulfill her role as a mother and housekeeper. Meanwhile her husband Lester, working a monotonous accounting job that only serves to keep him away from his family, shares similar feelings.

An unfortunate accident soon leads to a big change in their lifestyle, with Evangeline becoming the breadwinner while Lester takes care of their ill son Henry, their timid daughter Helen, and the young and impulsive Stephen.

In The Homemaker Dorothy Canfield Fisher tells a story of personal discovery and the touching relationships that grow between family members in the face of unforeseen adversity. The novel is a tale informed by a critique of stereotypes, gender roles, and how keeping up appearances for the benefit of strangers can prove harmful. First published in 1924, it was well-received and became an instant bestseller.