About the Book
Title: Together Forever, Orphan Train Book 2
Author: Jody Hedlund
Genre: Inspirational historical romance
Release Date: May, 2018
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.
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My Review
"Together Forever, Orphan Train Book 2" by Jody Hedlund is actually book 3 in the series. The first book is a novella "An Awakened Heart". A reader can enjoy "Together Forever" without reading the first two but I am glad that I read them first because it makes the story more alive because it is a separate story but continues where the others leave off.
"Together Forever" is a story that explains what agents for the Children’s Aid Society in 1858 New York have to endure placing orphan children with families in Illinois. It is also a love story. The book is a clean read but here I must post a warning for some but at the same time I say it didn't really bothered me but some of the kissing scenes were really passionate, in fact one of the orphaned children, aged seven asked the main male character why he was eating the main female character. Again, this is a clean love story.
This book has twists and turns that kept me reading, I didn't really know how the book was going to end till the very end. "Together Forever" is my favorite of the series. This story is a great read and though not every thing in it is happy I believe if you like clean love stories and children you will be glad you decided to read this series. Reading this book, I was sad at the way parents and older adults treated children and there was one little red haired boy that made me want to jump into the book and to be able to hug him and tell him He could be my little boy.
Now when a book makes a reader want to jump into the pages and adopt a character, you know the book is a great read.
I really hope there is a third book and the characters are all reunited with characters from the first book and the novella.
I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.
About the Author
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 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 at www.jodyhedlund.com.
As more and more people became aware of the enormous problem within the crowded slums, courageous heroes rose up and attempted to do their part to make a difference.
While we may not always agree with the methods that were used to save the thousands of homeless children, we can admire the men and women who could no longer sit idly by.
The Children’s Aid Society was started by Charles Loring Brace as one such attempt to help the hordes of homeless children. His “Emigration Plan” is better known today by the term “Orphan Trains.”
My latest series tackles various elements of the orphan train movement. Together Forever, releasing in May, highlights the placing agents, those devoted people who rode the trains with the orphans. The agents spent weeks and months on the road caring for the children, all the while trying to place them in loving homes. (If you’d like to try out the series, start with my FREE novella, An Awakened Heart.) Like the brave men and women who came before us, may we always strive to do our part to make a difference!
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 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 at www.jodyhedlund.com.
Guest Post from Jody Hedlund
30,000 Abandoned Children By Jody Hedlund Imagine a city where 30,000 abandoned and homeless children live on the streets. Sounds like something from a futuristic dystopian novel, doesn’t it? Or something that might happen after a war or apocalypse or major disaster, right? This exact thing actually happened in the 1850’s. And the city was New York City. It’s hard to believe, but an estimated 30,000 homeless children roamed the dirty city streets and alleys of New York City. 30,000. Children. Let that sink in for a minute. That’s the size of a town. Historians look back on that time and try to make sense what led to such horrific conditions for children. Of course, the influx of immigrants was at an all time high. Jobs and housing were scarce. Diseases were rampant. Hunger and poverty became a norm. (Orphan Train Depot)My latest series tackles various elements of the orphan train movement. Together Forever, releasing in May, highlights the placing agents, those devoted people who rode the trains with the orphans. The agents spent weeks and months on the road caring for the children, all the while trying to place them in loving homes. (If you’d like to try out the series, start with my FREE novella, An Awakened Heart.) Like the brave men and women who came before us, may we always strive to do our part to make a difference!
Blog Stops
By The Book, May 22
Pink Granny’s Journey, May 22
Blogging With Carol, May 22
ansel book blog, May 22
Reflections From My Bookshelves, May 23
Moments Dipped in Ink, May 23
Genesis 5020, May 23
Blossoms and Blessings, May 23
Reading Is My SuperPower, May 24
Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, May 24
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, May 24
Christian Bookaholic, May 24
Just the Write Escape, May 25
Among the Reads, May 25
The Power of Words, May 25
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 25
Radiant Light, May 26
The Christian Fiction Girl, May 26
The Avid Reader, May 26
Janices book reviews, May 26
Daysong Reflections, May 27
Mary Hake, May 27
Carpe Diem, May 27
Jeanette’s Thoughts, May 27
Kathleen Denly, May 28
History, Mystery & Faith, May 28
A Baker’s Perspective, May 28
Simple Harvest Reads, May 28 (Guest Post from Mindy Houng)
Faithfully Bookish, May 29
God’s Little Bookworm, May 29
Christian Chick’s Thoughts, May 29
Neverending Stories, May 30
Maureen’s Musing, May 30
Bigreadersite, May 30
Inklings and notions, May 31
To Everything A Season, May 31
Two Points of Interest, May 31
Christian Author, J.E.Grace, May 31
Have A Wonderful Day, June 1
Lighthouse Academy, June 1
Godly Book Reviews, June 1
Red Headed Book Lady, June 2
For the Love of Books, June 2
Vicky Sluiter, June 2
proud to be an autism mom, June 3
Bibliophile Reviews, June 3
Texas Book-aholic, June 3
Connie’s History Classroom, June 4
Pause for Tales, June 4
Reader’s cozy corner, June 4
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Jody is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card!!
Click below to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/cee5/together-forever-celebration-tour-giveaway
Wishing for this one. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds amazing. I must get the other 2 in the series as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting me in the Celebrate Lit blog tour Debbie! Yes, there is a third book releasing in December! Hope you'll enjoy it just as much as this one! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteI love reading and learning about the early historical orphan trains.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your review of "Together Forever" by Jody Hedlund. You make me want to jump into the pages with you. Can't wait to read the book by this awesome author.
ReplyDelete2clowns at arkansas dot net