Together Forever

Synopsis

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 thoughts: (reviewed by Jenna) TOGETHER FOREVER is a really, really good book. I actually cried at the end, it was such a beautiful ending. I really got into the book, I sympathized with the characters very strongly. They became real. 

Ms. Hedlund used a lot a humor and I felt the emotions that the agents had as they placed each child with different families, the uncertainty they felt as they wondered if they would survive the weekend or if they would even live to adulthood.  I fell in love with a seven-year-old boy named Jethro, who spent his whole life on the streets and still knew how to be a kid. He was so resilient. 

I totally recommend this book. Five stars. .

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Together Forever by Jody Hedlund 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. Click here to purchase your copy! 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. 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) 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! 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 Cover to Cover and Everything in Between, May 30 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 Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, 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 Tour Reminders