Together Forever|Book Review

Content Rating:

Marianne Neumann has one goal in life: to find her lost younger sister, Sophie. When Marianne takes a job as a placing agent with the Children's Aid Society in 1858 New York, she not only hopes to give children a better life but seeks to discover whether Sophie ended up leaving the city on an orphan train.

Andrew Brady, her fellow agent on her first placing trip, is a former schoolteacher who has an easy way with the children--firm but tender and funny. Underneath his handsome charm, 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 amid small railroad towns in Illinois, they find themselves growing ever closer . . . until a shocking tragedy threatens to upend all their work and change one of their lives forever.

Note: Kristin reads and reviews both Christian and secular fiction on A Simply Enchanted Life. Out of respect for my readers, I am including a content review. This content review will help you decide whether this book is suitable for you.

Christian or Secular: Christian
ASEL Rating:  suggestive scenes but no descriptions or details, mild violence (though no detailed description), or other content to be aware of.no profanity, violence, bedroom scenes, or other content that could otherwise be considered disturbing.
Themes: Depression, Orphans, Murder, Love, Acceptance, Prostitution (mentioned in passing-no details given), poverty
Suggested Age: 16+

Together Forever is book #2 in the Orphan Train series by Jody Hedlund. Other books in the series include An Awakened Heart (#0.5), With you Always (#1), and Searching for You (#3) which releases in December 2018.

Jody Hedlund is a master writer-storyteller. A lot of people can write a book, even a good book. Not a lot of people can make the characters feel real. Jody creates characters that I bond with. I hurt when they hurt and I’m happy when they’re happy.

Together Forever took me into the lives of Marianne and Drew as the labored together to find homes for disadvantaged children. We’re introduced to some of these precious children and I couldn’t help but care for each and every one of them. A pair of brothers who loved each other dearly and feared being split up should a family not want two boys.  A little girl with separation anxiety. An abused boy who you can tell wants to do good but still falls in with the wrong crowd because of fear—fear of allowing someone to love him.

Together Forever took me into the lives of Marianne and Drew as they labored together to find homes for these disadvantaged children. Two people with their own fears and failures—imperfect people. Both have regrets and both must learn to embrace the forgiveness that God extended to them.

The heart of this story was the children so it’s no surprise that an adorable little boy was the instrument to bring these two lovely people together.

If you have read this series from the beginning, you’ll notice that Marianne and Elise’ sister and the two young children that were in their charge have yet to be recovered. I am assuming that we will see this part of the story conclude in the next book of the series, Searching for you.

This series is so beautifully written, I’m a little sad that we’re through with book number two and already staring down the release date for Searching for You, which releases in December. I don’t know if I’m ready to anticipate saying goodbye to these characters.

If you appreciate historical shows such as Call the Midwife, this series would be a great fit for you. It is gritty and the situation is dire. Like Call the Midwife, mentions of extreme poverty may be difficult for some readers. However, the author does an amazing job of bringing the love and hope of Christ to her characters and her readers.  She gives us the much-needed reminder that the grace of God is made perfect in weakness.

The next book in the series, Searching for You will be released later this year in December, 2018!

Disappearing with her two young charges into a group of orphans heading west by train, Sophie hopes to find safety and a happy life. When the train stops in Illinois for the first placement of orphans, Sophie faces the most difficult choice of her life.