Book Description
Between the years of 1869 to 1939 more than 100,000 poor British children were sent across the ocean to Canada with the promise of a better life. Those who took them in to work as farm laborers or household servants were told they were orphans--but was that the truth?
After the tragic loss of their father, the McAlister family is living at the edge of the poorhouse in London in 1908, leaving their mother to scrape by for her three younger children, while oldest daughter, Laura, works on a large estate more than an hour away. When Edna McAlister falls gravely ill and is hospitalized, twins Katie and Garth and eight-year-old Grace are forced into an orphans' home before Laura is notified about her family's unfortunate turn of events in London. With hundreds of British children sent on ships to Canada, whether truly orphans or not, Laura knows she must act quickly. But finding her siblings and taking care of her family may cost her everything.
Andrew Fraser, a wealthy young British lawyer and heir to the estate where Laura is in service, discovers that this common practice of finding new homes for penniless children might not be all that it seems. Together Laura and Andrew form an unlikely partnership. Will they arrive in time? Will their friendship blossom into something more?
Inspired by true events, this moving novel follows Laura as she seeks to reunite her family and her siblings who, in their darkest hours, must cling to the words from Isaiah: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God".
Paperback, 368 pages
Expected publication: June 25th 2019 by Multnomah Books (first published June 2019)
My thoughts:
Ms. Turansky has penned a beautiful and heartfelt novel based on actual events that had me fully engaged from the first page until the last page.
It was easy to get caught up in the story of Katie, Garth, Grace and their older sister Laura. I was so upset when the three younger children were taken away from their mother while she was ill and hospitalized without her knowledge or permission. When Laura learns of her younger siblings plight she immediately sets out to find them proving that there really is no ocean too wide to keep you from finding the ones you love. I experienced different emotions while reading this novel, anger that this had actually happened and sadness for the children but at times I felt hopeful that some of the children would be reunited with their families.
The McAlister children will make you want to comfort them and let them know they have not been forgotten. Laura and Andrew are two people I would want in my corner because they aren't going to give up on you if they care about you. Filled with faith and love this story is one that I won't soon forget and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
For anyone looking to read well researched and artfully written historical fiction then you will definitely want to read this book.
I received a copy of this book from Waterbrook &Multnomah and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own.
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