Book Review: Together Forever

From The Back:

Will the Mistakes of Their Past Cost Them a Chance at Love?
Determined to find her lost younger sister, Marianne Neumann takes a job as a placing agent with the Children's Aid Society in 1858 New York. She not only hopes to offer children a better life, but prays she'll be able to discover whether Sophie ended up leaving the city on an orphan train so they can finally be reunited.

Andrew Brady, her fellow agent on her first placing-out trip, is a former schoolteacher who has an easy way with the children, firm but tender and friendly. Underneath his charm and handsome looks, though, seems to linger a grief that won't go away--and a secret from his past that he keeps hidden.

As the two team up, placing orphans in the small railroad towns of Illinois, they find themselves growing ever closer . . . until a shocking tragedy threatens to upend all their work and change one of their lives forever. 

My Reflections:

Jody Hedlund sets the bar high once again with another fantastic sequel in her series "Orphan Train." 

This emotionally charged story will have your heart tucked within the first pages. This is the second book in the series and while it certainly could be read as a stand-alone, for your reading pleasure I would recommend reading this story in its intended order.

I simply love the way the authour pulls history and fiction together seamlessly. It makes for a fascinating, educationally rich delight. 

In this installment, we delve into the second Neumann sister's story. Marianne is an agent who travels on the orphan train and places children with prospective families. She teams up with Andrew another fellow agent and together they face many joys and trials as they help their charges find new beginnings. I so enjoyed both of these characters, their willingness to engage with the children and the genuine care they display was extremely touching. 

Although there are strict guidelines they must adhere to as agents, they find themselves growing more and more dependent on each other. Both have obstacles that must be overcome before they can truly share their hearts freely. Will the pain of the past be too much to overcome or will the shared experiences and healing journey be enough to endure?

I'm so eager to read the next book, there is a lead in to book three in this series where we will most likely delve into Sophie and Reinhold's story!

You can always count on in Jody Hedlund's novels to draw her readers into a story filled with grace, love, reconciliation and unique historical detail. Well done!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."

Jody Hedlund

Jody Hedlund is the author of over a dozen novels, including Love Unexpected, Captured by Love, Unending Devotion, The Preacher's Bride, and A Noble Groom, winner of the 2014 Carol Award for historical romance. She received a...

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