Searching for You

Searching for You
Orphan Train, Book Three
Jody Hedlund
(Bethany House Publishers)
ISBN: 978-0764218064
December 2018/352 pages/$15.99
Her Search for a Place to Call Home
Leads Her to the Last Place She Ever Expected

For years, Sophie Neumann has been running from the orphanages of 1850s New York City. Tasked with caring for two younger children, she's determined not to let them be taken from her, and not to abandon them the same way her older sisters did her. But times are growing desperate, and when she falls in with the wrong crowd and witnesses a crime, she realizes fleeing the state is her only option.

Disappearing with her two young charges into a group of orphans heading west by train, Sophie hopes to find safety and a happy life. But when the train stops in Illinois, she faces an agonizing decision as the orphans will be placed in new homes. Afraid she'll lose them forever, she finds help in a familiar face she never expected to see so far from New York.

Reinhold Weiss has finally purchased his own small farm in Illinois. With mounting debts, a harvest to bring in, and past scars that still haunt him, Reinhold is in no position to give his heart away . . . but can he say no when his long-lost friend shows up on a nearby farm pleading for his help?

"Set in the 1850s and spanning the U.S., this entertaining third installment of the Orphan Train series from Hedlund continues the story of the Neumann sisters. . . . This sweet, faith-filled novel beautifully considers the core of what it means to be a family."--Publishers Weekly


Read an excerpt.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jody Hedlund (www.jodyhedlund.com) is the author of over 20 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 bachelor's degree from Taylor University and a master's from the University of Wisconsin, both in social work. She lives in Michigan with her husband and five children. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog. Learn more about her at her website, jodyhedlund.com.


MY THOUGHTS

Jody Hedlund is a must-read author for me, and I have loved this series. Searching for You grabbeed my heart from the opening pages. Prior to reading this series, I was not familiar with the orphan trains of the nineteenth century, and my momma-heart hurt to imagine what some of these sweet children endured. While this novel stands alone from its predecessors, reading the first two books provided a deeper reading experience. Endearing characters and a well-researched, authentic setting drew me into this story. Hedlund tucks in nuggets of spiritual truth throughout the story, and these timeless truths encourage and inspire. I especially loved the advice given to Sophie that "Sometimes God allows us to sink down in our own misery until we reach a low place where we're finally ready to look up and reach out to him." Don't miss this heartwarming story and series!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a digital copy of this book free from Baker/Bethany House Publishing and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

ORPHAN TRAIN SERIES
Click the covers for my reviews of the first two books in this series