Book Synopsis:
Virginia, 1933: Her heart broke as she took in the scene before her. There were too many orphans and not enough beds. The rags they wore barely covered them and they hadn’t eaten in days. How could anyone let innocent children live like this? She picked up a tiny girl who’d cried as she moved past her cot. “I’ll be back soon, little one.”
Never in a million years did Lauren Greenwood think she would be destitute and without a penny to her name. But when her father mercilessly disowns her in the depths of winter, that is her fate. Now homeless, Lauren finds America in the devastating grip of the Great Depression––children run wild in the icy streets, endless queues for soup kitchens line frosty sidewalks, and desperation hangs in the air.
All alone in the world, Lauren finds an orphanage in the sprawling fields of the Virginia countryside, surrounded by snow-topped mountains and magnificent fir trees––a safe haven for those who have nowhere to go. But she is appalled to find children living in shocking conditions, huddled together for warmth, their hunger keeping them awake at night as the temperature plunges. The home for unloved orphans is on the brink of closure and the helpless innocents may lose the roof over their heads…
Lauren, heartbroken by the rejection of her own father, vows to provide these poor orphans with the love she never received. With Christmas just around the corner, she refuses to see them cast out onto the street, where they will not survive. When she sees an advertisement in the local newspaper, with an anonymous benefactor donating money to families crippled by the Depression, it could be the answer to her prayers.
Can Lauren save these children who have been rejected by the world? Or in a time of so much suffering, is there simply no hope?
A heartbreaking yet hopeful tale about a brave young woman who gives up everything to help unloved children who have nothing. Fans of Before We Were Yours, The Orphan Train and Diney Costeloe will adore this poignant historical novel, which shows that a little bit of kindness can go a long way.
The Home For Unloved Orphans is available in ebook and paperback now. The ebook is currently only £1.99. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
A Home For Unwanted Orphans is one of the most emotional, beautiful books I’ve read for a while. It’s one of those books that stays with you and that you continue to think about long after reading.
I was quickly drawn into the story and into Lauren’s world. The author has clearly done her research and her wonderfully vivid descriptions made the 1930s come to life. It was definitely an interesting period with the effects of the Great Depression still being felt and a lot of quite vulnerable people being left to fend for themselves. It was utterly heartbreaking to see some of the awful conditions people lived in and the things they had to deal with, especially the children. I often wished I could reach into the book and give them all a hug or somehow heroically save the day!
Lauren was a brilliant main character who was very easy to get behind. She was very believable and I loved how hard she worked to try and change things. She’s feisty, headstrong and very determined which made her an amazing character to read about. I felt sorry for her when things didn’t go her way and when her efforts weren’t appreciated or treated with suspicion.
Overall I really enjoyed this absorbing but highly emotional book which made me laugh and cry throughout. I felt completely involved in everything that was going on meaning I got lost in the book for hours at a time. The story unfolds at a great pace and I felt completely gripped reading about Lauren’s struggle to try and improve things for the orphans. I had to keep reading to see how the story ended as I really wanted everyone to have the happy ending they deserved, while knowing deep down that that might not be possible.
Huge thanks to Noelle Holten for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
About The Author:
Rachel Wesson is the author of several best selling series including her latest based on the Orphan Trains. Having always been a fan of history, Rachel tries to combine her love of history with a good story. Rachel Wesson was born in Kilkenny, Ireland but considers herself to be from the capital, Dublin as that’s where she spent most of her life. Her dad brought Rachel and her two sisters out every Saturday to give their mother a break. He took them to the library and for ice-cream after. It took a long time for her sisters to forgive her for the hours she spent choosing her books! She grew up driving everyone nuts asking them questions about what they did during the War or what side they were on in the 1916 rising etc. Finally her Granny told her to write her stories down so people would get the pleasure of reading them. In fact what Granny meant was everyone would get some peace while Rachel was busy writing! When not writing, or annoying relatives, Rachel was reading. Her report cards from school commented on her love of reading especially when she should have been learning. Seems you can’t read Great Expectations in Maths. After a doomed love affair and an unpleasant bank raid during which she defended herself with a tea tray, she headed to London for a couple of years. (There is a reason she doesn’t write romance!). She never intended staying but a chance meeting with the man of her dreams put paid to any return to Ireland. Having spent most of her career in the City, she decided something was missing. Working in the City is great but it’s a young person’s dream. Having three children you never see isn’t good for anyone. So she packed in the job and started writing. Thanks to her amazing readers, that writing turned into a career far more exciting and rewarding than any other. Rachel lives in Surrey with her husband and three children, two boys and a girl. When not reading, writing or watching films for “research” purposes, Rachel likes to hang out with her family. She also travels regularly back home – in fact she should have shares in BA and Aerlingus.
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