Take a step back in time, with an emotional look into history through a fictional lens, although based on events that happened. Death can take so much from a family, and in the 19th century, there was so much more to lose, especially if the man of the house passed away. The author clearly did a lot of research, and does a great job bringing the setting and tough circumstances to life. Your heart will absolutely break for Martha and her children as you read this. (I found myself tearing up a few times). If you enjoy books that will tug at your heart strings, you'll want to grab this.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

The Bereaved by Julia Park Tracey, based on the author’s own family history, tells the story of “the orphan train” from the viewpoint not of orphaned children, but of a grieving mother.

Martha Lozier (once orphaned herself and farmed out to relatives) had found happiness as the wife of a prosperous farmer. Unfortunately, he dies suddenly, leaving her a widow with four children, one still a baby. The farm goes to Martha’s brother-in-law, and she is left without resources. Her children are put under the guardianship of a local lawyer, known by Martha (from personal circumstance) to be a dirty old man. His first act is to assault Martha’s teenage daughter. Knowing she has to keep her children safe, Martha steals them away to the city.

Martha is a skilled seamstress, but, taking refuge in a tenement, she can find only piecework. (Prostitution is the only other option.) Living hand-to-mouth, working from dawn to dusk at jobs that are not steadily available, unable to have her children educated, watching the older two reduced to menial work as well, all while slowly starving, makes Martha desperate. When two of her boys stumble across a “Home for the Friendless,” a religious set-up for orphans that was a front for child theft, where they find warmth and abundant food, she goes to see it for herself. Because it promises education, cleanliness, warmth, and nutrition, Martha agrees to put her two boys into the home. She signs papers “surrendering” them, little realizing the surrender is permanent. A few months later, in still more desperate straits, she surrenders her daughter and baby.

It isn’t until she begins to find her footing, and tries to retrieve her children, that she discovers they have been sent away on the orphan trains to be adopted or indentured. Now Martha begins to struggle to get them back.

This is a moving story of a woman fighting against almost insurmountable odds. While she is a sympathetic character, it’s hard to find anyone else in the novel (at least the first 80% or so of it) who isn’t either cold and unfeeling or downright evil. It probably wasn’t the best choice for a holiday-week read because, although ultimately redemptive, much of the book is a misery-fest.

Well-written, grounded in the historical context, and steadily paced, this is a convincing and unsettling look at how society treated women without power, and how families were torn apart when mothers and children fell through the cracks. It’s pretty scary to think we are going down the same broken path.

This is a heartachingly beautiful, haunting novel set in the eve of the Civil War. I knew women had very few rights in those days, but I had no idea that they had so few in regards to their own children. This tale of Herculean strength, based on the true story of the author's grandfather, grabs you and holds you fast as you follow Martha on her journey to reclaim her children, one by one.

Very much enjoyed this novel and was swept up in the descriptions of some of the settings and the history of this period. It is extraordinary how women survived all of this and I was captivated by the lead character and the efforts she had to go to keep her family together. Looking forward to more from this author. Thank you for the ARC

"The Bereaved" by Julia Park Tracey tells the story of a young widow Martha and her four young children. After her husband and his father die in quick succession, the fate of her and her children is held in the whims of a predatory lawyer. Rather than have her daughter face the same harassment she has endured, Martha and the children escape into the tenements of 1860s New York City. There, as the country heads towards Civil War, she has to struggle against seemingly insurmountable odds to try to eke out a living and keep her family together.

If you, like me, enjoyed the Orphan Train Adventures series by Joan Lowery Nixon or Avi's Beyond the Western Sea duology as a child/teen, this book very much felt like the "grown-up" version of those stories, telling a parent's perspective on how a child could have ended up on an orphan train. This was quite a bleak and heartbreaking book at times, and there are many moments when it seems like there is no way that Martha will be able to find a solution to the troubles the family has found themselves in or salvage some kind of happiness out of increasingly devastating circumstances.

"The Bereaved" particularly appealed to me because it is a story based on the author's own family history and the genealogical research that she has done to try to uncover the truth behind her ancestors' lives. Martha would be her 3x great grandmother and one of Martha's young sons is her 2x great grandfather. This book is such a beautiful tribute to the strength of enduring love in her family tree.

*DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC of this book from Sibylline Press through NetGalley for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.*

“The Bereaved” is a captivating and emotional journey that captured my heart from the very beginning. Julia Park Tracey’s exquisite writing beautifully weaves a story of unwavering love, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her children.

The book tells the tale of Martha, a widow who faces unimaginable hardship during the Civil War era. Despite the loss and devastation, her determination to reclaim her children, taken via the Orphan Train, is unwavering. Martha’s unrelenting spirit and unconditional love for her children left me in awe.

Throughout the book, Tracey masterfully conveys the depth of Martha’s emotions, making it impossible not to feel her pain, hope, and triumphs. The characterization is so vivid that I found myself rooting for Martha, holding my breath during moments of uncertainty and rejoicing at every small victory.

One aspect that resonated with me was the historical context. The author’s meticulous research and attention to detail transported me to the Civil War era, exposing the harsh realities and the impact on everyday lives. It’s a powerful reminder of the strength and resilience of those who came before us.

“The Bereaved” is a heartwarming testament to the transformative power of love, family, and the human spirit. Julia Park Tracey’s writing is evocative, immersive, and emotionally charged, making this book a true masterpiece.

Personally, this book resonated with me on a profound level. As a parent, I couldn’t help but put myself in Martha’s shoes, imagining the unbearable pain of being separated from my children. Witnessing her unwavering determination to reunite with them left me in awe of the unbreakable maternal bond.

This book is a must-read for anyone who loves historical fiction, appreciates the complexities of human relationships, or seeks inspiration from strong female protagonists. “The Bereaved” will captivate your heart, linger in your thoughts

Stunning, heart rendering, and rich in historical detail.
Many thanks to Sybylline Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a great read - a fascinating exploration of the author's personal family history as it collides with our country's history. Something about the first person narrative that made it very real - and moving. It had a cinematic quality. Highly recommend. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book and the macabre nature of it. Filled with descriptions I would advise anyone who is an HSP or a highly sensitive person to think twice before devouring this book as it was important to read, but not easy to read.

Set in 1859, this novel followed Martha Seybold Lozier as she is forced to leave her countryside home after the death of her husband. She struggles to feed and shelter her children, and ultimately leaves them in the care of The Home for the Friendless, under the impression that it is temporary and she can visit. She realizes to late that the institute has instead placed the children with families across the country.

Martha will spend years pulling herself out of poverty and attempting to reunite with her children. A well researched book based on the author’s family history, this is an engrossing narrative and grief, but also triumph.

This is an absolutely amazing novel full of woe and darkness but also of hope and the love a mother has for her children. I resonated with this book deeply; although my circumstances as a child weren't as terrible as what Martha and the children had to endure; I found myself in both Martha and her only daughter Sarah, and this story spoke to me on such a deep emotional level that it almost physically hurt. This is a must read for any fan of historical drama, and anyone interested in the hidden stories of the United States and how its people lived and loved during the mid-19th century.

An outstanding and beautifully researched and written historical novel from my favorite editrix on the planet. XOXO

Thank you to Sibylline Press and NetGalley for granting me a copy of this book in return for my honest opinions

The book was captivating. Such a sad time in history where women who were left without a husband had to make such a horrible choice to either become a servant or prostitute

How sad to put you children in the care of others while trying to get back on your feet only to have them stolen from you

I enjoyed the book greatly although it was sad a points

Highly recommend.
Five plus Stars!

The Bereaved Is a heart-wrenching fictional account of Julia Park Tracey’s family history, taking place in the era when women and children had no choice in what happened to them. This story takes place mostly in New York City as we witness the struggle of Martha trying to make ends meet as a single mother of four. With her children hungry she grasps the unbelievable story of free help from the The Home for the Friendless, a charitable society that offers food, lodging and education to children whose families are in need. Martha assumed was a temporary arrangement that would allow her to see her children on visitation days. Martha signs the papers not fully understanding what “surrendering” her children to the care of the devious organization means. Without her knowledge, the organization places children with families across the country by way of “orphan trains”, a fact she discovers after it is too late.

Julia Park Tracey did a fantastic job world building and character development which kept me turning the pages of this very emotional story. My reason for 4 stars vs 5 is the there wasn’t enough detail given to Martha getting her children back in the last third of the story. I would have preferred a longer version with the same non-rushed felling as the first 2/3s, butt overall a book definitely worth reading.

Many thanks to the publisher Sibylline Press via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this story. I was under no obligation to write a favorable review and all opinions are my own.

I adored this book. Kudos to the author for excellent research, attention to detail and for just being a darn good storyteller. Reading about Martha's life was a roller-coaster ride of emotion. The fact that this narrative is based on the author's family history is doubly fascinating to me. Ms. Tracey has done a stellar job depicting the struggles single women of this time period often experienced simply to survive. And not to spoil anything, but I found the ending to be satisfying. I certainly hope Ms. Tracey continues to write for publication.

Excellent story line to a compelling story of how, in the 1850's, the death of the husband could bring a family to destitution. This was a story that was not only harsh, it happened all too often to the women who found themselves with no means to support their children. There was a whole class of predator that survived off the pain and suffering of these women. With little education and fewer skills, their choices were extremely limited and their failure almost guaranteed. Then to find that the organization that she turned to for help also took advantage of her circumstances......many women would have been broken. But Martha had sunk as far as she could go and still had the determination to make a better life for her family, even if she had to fight the state of New York for her children. And this she did.

In the author's notes, we find that Julia Park Tracey based this story on a true story involving a relative. Sometimes...as they say....truth is stranger than fiction.

As a person who has experienced a ton of grief and death in the last 2 years, this was impossible to read. I tried, but had to give up in the early stages. The main character just was not catching a break and I couldn’t keep reading with getting seriously sad and depressed. I am definitely aware this is a “Me” issue. I might try Rho return to it when my emotions aren’t as raw.

This was quite a quick read for me as once I was immersed in the story I couldn't put it down. And although this is a book of fiction it does tell the story of the authors grandfather. It is a heartbreaking story of the time (1859) when women had no choices and no rights.

This is an emotional read of ups and owns, hard times, courage and sadness. You could feel the strength and tension in the writing and it was so easy to follow with such wonderful and well thought out characters that I could relate to.

I loved the end where we were updated on the children and how their lives had evolved. This made the story so real and yet she made it into a very readable fiction novel that I enjoyed immensely.

Thank you NetGalley and Sibylline Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

My favorite thing about this book is that it is told from the perspective of the parent. So many books covering this time only tell the side of the children, and I found it refreshing to read from the other side. This time in our history is still kept very secretive and I would love to see more exposure in books about what really went on. This book is a great start to that.

Set for the most part in the late 1950s and 1960s New York City and based on the author’s family history, The Bereaved by Julia Park Tracey follows Martha Seybolt Lozier, a young widow who flees her home in Newburgh after the death of father-in-law leaves her fate and those of four children in the hands of a lecherous lawyer with whose intentions are quite clear to Martha.

Martha struggles to make ends meet in New York City while keeping her children safe. The tenement where they rent a room houses several families like her own and though she does find people willing to help out, the lack of work opportunities, her exhausting supply of belongings to pawn off and almost nothing left of the money she had brought with them, Martha and her children are forced to survive on less than the bare minimum. To keep her children from starving, Martha makes the difficult choice to leave her children, initially, her two sons one of whose is a special needs child and later her daughter, Sarah, who is her oldest and her baby, Homer, in the care of The Home for the Friendless, charitable society that offers food, lodging and education to children whose family could not afford better care. Assuming this to be a temporary arrangement that would allow Martha access to her children on visitation days, Martha signs the papers not fully understanding what “surrendering” her children to the care of the organization entails. Unbeknownst to her, the organization places children with families across the country by way of “orphan trains” – a fact she comes to know after it is too late and all her children have been relocated.

The narrative follows Martha through the year of the Civil War over the next six years as she struggles to better her own situation, find her children and reunite her family.

The Bereaved by Julia Park Tracey is a moving story that revolves around family, sacrifice, motherhood and grief. The author does an excellent job of describing the setting in terms of time and place while also shedding light on the how parents were tricked into signing away their rights to their children, who were then ferried across the country for adoption or indentured to work. I have read about orphan trains in fiction before and this story presents a darker aspect of how the orphan train movement operated. The story is presented from Martha’s perspective in the first-person narrative format. Martha is an admirable protagonist and we can feel her pain and despair as struggles with poverty and faces fear and despair when her children are taken from her. In an era where women had few rights or opportunities, Martha’s determination and strength are inspiring. She faces poverty, harassment, ridicule, and much more but she does not give up in her search for her children. The characters are well-developed (even the unlikeable ones) and I was engrossed in the narrative from the very first page. I enjoyed the crisp writing and the structure of the narrative. However, I did feel the ending (and a large part of the second half of the novel) was a tad rushed.

In her Note, the author shares how she was inspired to research the history of her family (Martha’s youngest child was her second great-grandfather) and the facts that she discovered in the course of her quest and how those facts were combined with some fictional elements into the crafting of this beautiful novel.

Overall, this is an incredibly moving story that I would not hesitate to recommend. Just be prepared to shed more than a few tears.

Many thanks to Sibylline Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.