Together Forever, A Book Review

So many books, so little time. My To Be Read pile continues to grow-paperbacks on my night stand, a wish list on Goodreads, and dozens of ebooks on my Kindle. I try to attack the list chronologically, but I must admit that when a new release comes out written by one of my favorite authors, that book immediately makes its way to the top of the pile. Such is the case with Jody Hedlund’s Together Forever, the second book in her “Orphan Train” series.

Together Forever is a well-written novel that includes a little of everything-history, intrigue, and romance. I was drawn into the story with the first sentence, and finished the book in just a few sittings. I fell in love with Drew whose heart of children, integrity, and faith in God fights with his feelings of guilt and self-doubt. Marianne also struggles with her own gilt which creates a delicious tension between her and Drew. I love historic novels that educate me, and Together Forever did not disappoint. I learned about the orphan trains of the mid-1800s and life in the Old West, which intrigued me enough to do follow up research. Dialogue and description effectively immersed me into the era. This is the second book in the series, and I easily read it without having read the first book. Those who enjoy the Civil War era, the Old West, and historic fiction in general should like this book.

If you’re looking for an enjoyable, educational, and encouraging book for the summer, look no further!

What book on your TBR pile are you looking forward to reading the most?

Book Blurb: Marianne Neumann became a placing agent with the Children’s Aid Society with one goal: to find her lost sister. Her fellow agent, Andrew Brady, is a former schoolteacher with a way with children and a hidden past. As they team up placing orphans in homes in Illinois, they grow ever closer…until a shocking tragedy changes one of their lives forever.

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0764218050

Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, journalist, and history geek. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone's throw from Fort McHenry and has lived in historic places all her life. She is a member of ACFW, RWA, and Sisters in Crime. Linda is a volunteer docent for the Wright Museum of WWII and a trustee for her local public library. Learn more about Linda by visiting her website. Or sign up for her newsletter that includes links to free ebooks, book reviews, historical tidbits, information about new releases, and more!

The End of Orphan Trains with Special Guest Darlene Franklin

Today we welcome special guest Darlene Franklin as she shares some of the interesting historical facts behind the Orphan Trains. 

*****

When my editor invited me to write a novella about the orphan trains, I sensed I had found the perfect background for a story about a rich city gal who lost everything, only to find it again on a farm. And in terms of history, the Stock Market Crash of 1929 was the most obvious time period to write about.

            About the orphan trains themselves, I knew very little. When did they start? 1854. With my idea of a story set in 1930, when did they end? The orphan trains which began operation 1854 drew to a close in 1929. Agreements which had allowed continued placement of orphan children in several western states expired and weren’t renewed. Instead, local communities increased their support to allow poverty-stricken families to remain together.

            I couldn’t identify the actual date of the last orphan train, but I did locate a suggestion that it traveled as far as Kansas in 1930.

            Much of what I assumed was true. Then as now, infants had an easier time being adopted. Some adoptees entered lives that resembled slavery more than beloved children in a new home, although the agency did screen prospective parents.

            I quickly discovered several things I hadn’t known.

•  The trains weren’t called “orphan trains” until after they had ceased operation.
• Only some of the children were literal orphans. In many cases, the aide societies functioned as a rough foster-home system. Children from families unable to care for them sent them to families who could.
• Both New York’s Children’s Aid Society and the New York Foundling Hospital founded by Sisters of Charity sent children by train.
• Children traveled mostly to the Midwest, not to the far west.

           

I don’t say much about the stock market crash in To Riches Again, but I imply my heroine’s parents took their own lives. Suicides in 1929 jumped from 12.3 in 100K insureds to 18. The numbers grew by another 18% in 1930.  My spinster heroine chaperones the children on their trip west, but she is herself a literal orphan, seeking a new home in the bread basket of America.

*****

 Best-selling hybrid author Darlene Franklin's greatest claim to fame is that she writes full-time from a nursing home. This year she expects to reach fifty unique titles in print and she’s also contributed to more than twenty nonfiction titles. Her column, “The View Through my Door,” appears in four monthly magazines. Her most recent titles are Capturing the Rancher's Heart, Romancing the Ranger, and Cinderella's Boot.

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Twitter: @darlenefranklin

  

 

About Darlene's Book:

A year ago, life was full of promise.
Elyssa Philbin partied with the rest of New York’s elite, not worrying about anything beyond her newest dress.

Ian and Bridget McDonnell, although part of a poverty-stricken family, lived secure in their parents’ love. Bill Ward looked forward to a prosperous crop, a new baby, and his loving wife.

Everything changed before the calendar turned to 1930. 

To Riches Again chronicles Elyssa and Bill’s return to wholeness after they have both lost everything, and gained much more—thanks in part to two orphan children.

To Riches Again Purchase Link

           

 Readers, leave a comment for Darlene and get your name in the drawing to win her newest release, Cinderella's Boots! Winner will be announced in the May 29th Issue of the Weekly Windup.