Together Forever by Jody Hedlund

My rating is 4.5 Stars

Guilt can be good, and it can be bad. Properly applied, it can draw one to the Savior. There are many who, though forgiven, washed whiter than snow, cleansed from all unrighteousness, go through life still carrying the burden of their sin. Others, like Drew and Marianne in Together Forever, hold on to guilt that was never theirs to begin with.

There are so many things to like about Together Forever. The plight of the orphans. The richly developed characters. The swoony attraction and romance that grew between Drew and Marianne. The mystery. The conflict.

I loved the way Marianne thought herself to be weak and inadequate, and yet she had such inner strength and compassion that she continued to do what she knew was right. Her deep love for the children in her care led her to step out of her comfort zone, and she grew so much. She had so much to learn about the price of telling lies and the freedom that comes from the truth.

Drew was so close to God, and yet he had so much to learn about forgiveness. He allowed his past and his father to dictate his view of himself. I loved seeing his interactions with the children. His breezy, carefree way of distracting them from the unknown future and the way he directed them to God in prayer was so heartwarming.

Just as I thought things were going so well, tragedy threw everything into turmoil! I enjoyed the twists in the story. The answer to the secondary mystery surprised me.

This lovely story is part of a great series. I read the prequel, but not book one. Though I am now very curious about Elise’s story, I didn’t feel like I missed anything in this story for not having read it.


This review was originally posted on AmongTheReads.net

Be sure to read Jody's Guest Post and get a preview of Together Forever at AmongTheReads.net


I would like to thank Celebrate Lit, Netgalley for giving me this copy of the book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.

I asked for and received an advanced readers copy to read and review.

This is the second book in the series. It is easy enough to read out of sequence, but it would be nicer if you read the first book first.

The characters in this book are well thought-out and full of life. The author painted a nice word picture in describing them and giving them their personalities.
The story kept me interested from cover to cover. There were a couple of places that got a bit too wordy for me and I skimmed through, but not enough to dislike the book at all.
This was an advanced copy and not the final edit. So, with that said, hopefully, the very few errors I noticed while reading will be addressed and corrected in the final review.
This is a Christian book but not preachy. It shows the love of God in a nice way.
I would recommend this book to any who like Christian books, clean books. It is also a good book for any who like historical fiction.

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. .

After reading my first novel about the orphan train last year, I found that the topic resonated within my heart long after the pages were done. Since that time, I researched different resources to learn more. I was really excited to get this book, and was not disappointed. The sad reality of the lives of these characters is that there is alot of truth to the emotions we feel as we consume the pages. I look forward to reading other titles by this author.

Together Forever returns the reader to Jody Hedlund’s excellent Orphan Train series. This second novel featuring Marianne Neumann is my favorite so far. The characters are realistic in their struggles with guilt, self-worth, and forgiveness. Marianne, Drew, and the orphans they accompany to a new life must face the past while looking to a hopeful future. The historical setting of America in 1858 was vividly drawn. I could feel the sway of the train cars and experience small town land farm life in the newly settled West. And the story kept me turning the pages. There was adventure, mystery, suspense, history, and romance plenty — something for everyone! And the romance, well it is sizzling sweet — fans will revel in Marianne and Drew’s journey towards happiness. As always, Hedlund weaves a faith thread throughout Together Forever. Acceptance, peace and provision are God’s gifts to the characters (and to readers!).

I loved Together Forever and am impatiently waiting on the third installment, Searching for You, which will focus on the third Neumann sister.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

ok guys lets take a minute....I read this book in a little over a day, I couldn't tell you the last time that happened. So that right there tells you how much I liked it and how hard t was for me to put it down!
I really Loved this book. Marianne and Drew are very likeable and relateable charecters and I can't wait for the next book.

I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

https://booksnbaubles.com/together-forever-by-jody-hedlund/

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series and I was so excited about the second book. However, this book was a disappointment. It was certainly as well written as all of Ms. Hedlund’s books are. Marianne and Andrew came to life on the pages. Hedlund’s real talent though, was how well and developed the secondary cast was. And let me tell you, a train full of children is a large cast. It’s very easy for the reader to get lost in the numbers, but the author took the time to really flesh these children out (and other characters) and bring them to life. Spiritually, the novel deals a lot of with forgiveness of one’s self and realizing that God is there when you go through the difficult times.

But this book seemed to lack…a plot. It took me forever to get through it. Forever. And with every page I turned, I kept waiting for something exciting to happen. I don’t think it ever did. Instead, it felt like a never-ending road trip from…well…you know where. Perhaps if I had never read a book about the orphan trains at all, I would have found this fascinating. But this was not my first train ride, so there was no allure there. The novel starts with Marianne trying to find her sister, and while her sister is clearly on her mind, this is a thread that the story fails to really hold. And then there was Andrew and the more I learned about him, the more I actually didn’t trust him…with anything or anybody (I think the author’s point with him totally backfired). At the end of the book, I still wasn’t certain what kind of person he was. Romantically, at first it seemed like the author wasn’t going to make things complicated, and I was a huge fan of that (though I must say that I was never confident that Marianne really knew the hero that well). But then things got weirdly complicated–to the point where I almost didn’t care and when I should have been basking in the love, I was skimming paragraphs.

Honestly, I felt like this book was just a bridge to get to the third book. It felt like the author was setting up pieces that she plans to move on the chessboard at some point. Will I read the third book? Probably. But I won’t be waiting as eagerly for it as I did for this one.

Romantic scale: 7

**I received a copy from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**

I loved that this second book in the series was directly involved with the placing out of orphans and their experiences along the journey. I've been fascinated by this part of history since reading the Orphan Train Adventures books by Joan Lowrey Nixon as a youth, and now that I've adopted two children of my own it's especially close to my heart. Marianne seems to have grown a bit since the previous book, where desperate circumstances drove her to make questionable choices, the ends justifying the means. She faces challenges while accompanying the children on the train that she handles with grace and strength, and following Andrew's example, allows her caring influence to be a blessing in the lives of the orphans. I appreciated that the author portrayed both the advantages and challenges of the orphan train movement and the perspective of the placing agents and what they felt and experienced.

Marianne and Andrew's romance was impetuous since the rules forbid placing agents from fraternization, but they naturally grew close through the obstacles and unexpected tragedies they faced. Even though there were hardships, Marianne and Andrew's bright personalities brought light and laughter to the story, bringing balance and relief from the anxiety of the circumstances. I enjoyed that they played with the children on breaks and sang songs and told stories to them, even when Marianne was out of her comfort zone. One of my favorite parts that made me laugh out loud was young Jethro's innocent question when he witnessed a kiss between Marianne and Andrew- so funny! I'd hate to spoil it so you'll just have to read the book and keep an eye out for it ;)

Reinhold, Marianne's family friend from New York, is also a part of the story and his perspective provides a lead-in to the next book, which will feature him and the youngest Neumann sister, Sophie. He has overcome so much from his past, and his hard work and determination to succeed are finally coming to fruition in a thriving community. I felt so frustrated for him as his plans to buy his own farm and care for his family are thwarted and he must come up with a solution to his growing problems. I'm thoroughly enjoying this historical series and can't wait to read the next book!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

In “Together Forever” we join the middle Neumann sister Marianne, who has lost her way with God, and considers herself unworthy for loosing her little sister. She takes a job with the Children's Aid Society as a placer to try and find her sister Sophie, and the little charges that were in her care after her older sister Elise left for the West. Her fellow placer on her first trip is Andrew Brady who captures her heart but is just as broken as she is.

Orphan placing was not all sunshine and roses and I am glad that Jody showed a little of the dark side as well. The goal of the Children's Aid Society was to place the children in Christian homes where they would be loved and cared for, but many were treated as indentured servants performing backbreaking work from dawn to dusk living in not any better conditions than they left. Also record keeping was not a priority and prospective families were not even screened at all like they are today. Plus many of the towns people were not welcoming to the idea and many of the orphans were met with rejection and bitterness upon arrival.

As Marianne and Andrew traveled via train with the children Jody’s sensational pictorial art of writing pulls the reader in so completely you not only feel, but also hear and smell the journey. Jody’s prose and characters are so intense and memorable, as is each and every scene throughout the story. The way she melds fact and fiction is exquisite and her research of the era was flawless, but most of all the emotions she draws out in her audience leaves me speechless.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Celebrate Lit book tour via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jody Hedlund is an author who keeps you turning the pages. This is the second book about the orphan train which was in the mid 1800's. The Children Aid Society would gather up the homeless street urchins and the orphans in the orphanage and put them on the orphan train in the hopes that they would be adopted at the different towns they would stop at. Some would be adopted by childless couples but often it would be people that would take them because they needed extra help in the home or fields. Hedlund brings the children to life and also the adults who would oversee them on their train ride. There is humor, excitement, sadness and even danger on the westward Orphan Train. Oh yes, there is even romance.......I received a copy from NetGalley and this is my honest review,

Together Forever is second of the Orphan Train series, but can be read as a stand alone. I definitely recommend reading the first book, With you Always, as it will help clear up any confusion and is just a great book as well. This novel is about Marianne, the second of the Nuemann sisters. She is looking for her younger sister Sophie who is missing. She signs up to be an agent for the Children’s Aid Society in New York where they escort orphans to cities in Illinois. This is where she meets the dashing Andrew, better known as Drew Brady another fellow agent. There is definitely an instant attraction on both parts ,its kind of hard to deny it. Both Marianne and Drew have issues from their past they are trying to work thorough and earn the forgiveness from past mistakes. There is a tragedy with one of the kids and I was glad to know I was right on the murderer and the proper justice was served. Just as the first book, this leaves you wanting to read the next of the series. Jody Hedlund is one of my top authors to read and I always enjoy her novels.



Thank you to Netgalley and Bethany House for the opportunity to read this novel! All opinions expressed are my own.

Jody Hedlund has yet to write a book (that I've read) that I haven't loved. Her Orphan Train series has captured my heart and my mind. Waiting between releases is torture. Having the book sitting on my stack waiting it's turn to read? Inhumane. I mean, I have a schedule for a reason but sometimes I just want to toss it to the wind and just indulge. I usually don't, but I desperately want to. I picked this book off my pile, my 60th of the year, during the work week. Work always gets in the way of reading :D It took me a bit to read it and I was just as enthralled with the first chapter as I was the last. Though since it has been more than a minute since I read the first book the obvious first step was to go back to my review of the second. You can find that here 'With You Always'.

Marianne has a lot to figure out. She takes personal responsibility for Olivia and Nicholas (orphans her and her sisters had taken in) being sent away from the home they were staying at to placed out on the orphan train but also her sister Sophie taking off to find her young charges. None had been find-able, even with investigators. So what is a girl to do? Finagle a job at the Children's Aid Society and go out on the train of course! Never mind the desperately annoy yet handsome man that is accompanying you on the journey. Never mind the adorable little boy that still needs a family. Those are just gravy ya know? I have to say it, yes there was insta-loveish. But it was hilarious and endearing and I didn't even care to acknowledge it. There was also a love triangle. That I desperately struggled with not flipping ahead to the end to figure out who she ended up with. I didn't. I wanted to but I didn't. That kept me on the edge and I didn't even care that it was a love triangle. I mean hello, those two things alone should tell you just how amazing this book is.

Though I gotta feel bad for Reinhold. He will never have the one woman he loved yet he has been loved by two women he didn't want. It was nice to see Marianne grow up in this book. Embrace who she is, who she was, who she can be. It was nice to see her come to terms what what she saw as her failings. Though I can say the same for Drew. I don't have history with him but I came to care for him. I also was drawn into his story and awakening to who he is, was, and can be. Self-forgiveness is sometimes the hardest forgiveness to give. That was a huge theme in this book for me. Sophie still isn't found but Marianne, Reinhold, and Drew all found themselves. And hopefully in the next book we find Sophie, Olivia, and Nicholas.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House, NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

Excellent writing! I love the perspective of the main characters and the role they play. Ms Hedlund is talented at catching the attention of the reader from the first page and holding through the last word.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Together Forever Is the second one in the series. It is secrets, orphans, tragedies, searching, bad choices, good choices, high emotions, connections, mystery and Faith. Don't worry though it may be the second in a series but it is a wonderful stand alone book. The author is so talented and knowledgeable about her historical facts it is so fascinating - it only makes the story all the better. These children and caretakers came to life for me straight off the pages. Now that is an awesome book.

Together Forever is book 2 in the Orphan Train Series involving sisters Elise, Marianne and Sophie. With You Always is the first one and I highly recommend starting there to get a better sense of the history of these sisters.

As Marianne boards the train bound for Illinois she gets more than she bargained for. Her goal was to find her sister, Sophie, but rather she bonds with the kids and the distant Andrew who is also hiding secrets from his past. When tragedy strikes so much changes.

Together Forever is a story of self discovery, forgiving oneself and of letting go. I enjoyed the history aspect here, how scared those kids must have been traveling and then placed with complete strangers. The romance part played out somewhat as I expected. Faith is a big part of the story especially with 2 characters carrying a lot of guilt.

This was an enjoyable story highlighting the early life of The Children's Aid Society, how it operated and the struggles of the children and workers.

Together Forever is the second book in the Orphan Train series by Jody Hedlund. Marianne Neumann decides to take a job escorting children West on the orphan train, while looking for her lost sister who might have been on an orphan train. Andrew Brady also works alongside Marianne on the orphan train, but his troubled past seems to haunt him. Can both put aside their guilt and their past and discover the love that is evident between them? An unexpected tragedy will futher test their budding relationship. Hedlund gives you insight into what it was like for placing agents on the orphan train which is sometimes overlooked in orphan train stories. The subtleness of the plot made me prefer the first book in the series, and am waiting on the next installment in the series.

Together Forever provides a double win—two of my favorite genres, Christian fiction and Historical fiction, packed into one.

This story delves into the history of the orphan trains during the 1800s, and quickly pulls the heartstrings. It’s easy to sympathize with the cruelty and heartbreak the children deal with, as well as those who try desperately to place them in good homes.

Andrew and Marianne are grieving their own pasts as well as harboring guilt. They are drawn into a friendship with each other while transporting the orphans to the West. (And yes, that friendship develops into something more.)

I love the budding romance, the spiritual elements, and the seeds of tenderness Ms. Hedlund plants throughout this story. Though this is book 2 in the Orphan Train series, it serves well as a stand-alone. (Marianne is one of the Neumann sisters from the first book in the series—With You Always.)

I enjoyed the historical trueness of this story and learned so much about the Children’s Aid Society of the mid 1800s. My heart was pricked and my spirit was stirred. Inspiring. Tender. Satisfying. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley.

Jody Hedlund’s Orphan Train series gives a riveting look at a part of American history most people probably know little about. Together Forever is the second in the series and tells the story of Marianne Neumann and Andrew Brady, who are placing agents for the Children’s Aid Society in 1858 New York. They are charged with accompanying the orphans on their journey westward to Illinois and placing them with families who are willing to take them in.

Brimming with engaging, multi-layered characters and rich historical detail, this book pulled me in from the first page. Several plot twists kept the action going and had me turning pages far into the night. I enjoyed the contrast between Marianne’s cautious and thoughtful personality and Andrew’s more fun-loving and somewhat impetuous ways. Carefully woven throughout the story is an uplifting message of hope, forgiveness of others and self, and trust.

I love this author’s exquisite writing voice, and I’m eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series. I would recommend this to those who enjoy clean historical fiction stories.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the author/publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The cover of this book captured me from the first. Being the second in the series though, I put off reading it and, upon reading the back cover I was concerned the story would be too sad. Still, my curiosity about the orphan trains and that image won out and I’m grateful. Marianne and Drew are easy to like and relate to, both have suffered hardships and are stepping out on a new journey. Each of the orphans has their own sad story, difficult to read but interesting historically. Well researched, I enjoyed finding out more about this unique way of homing children. The romance builds from sweet and light-hearted to earnest and abiding. I didn’t feel I missed anything having not reading the first book but, now knowing the characters, I am looking forward to the next one! Five out of five, highly recommended!

A favourite line:
"She didn’t have to let the difficult situations take away her joy. God could help her walk through the hardships so she could find new strength and joy on the other side."

Another great Jody Hedlund book.
Her historical novels are my favorite.
I love looking forward to seeing what Jody comes up with next and she didn't disappoint me.
I enjoyed getting to know Maryanne and Free and all the children.
I was tickled pink when Jody shows us that adults know how to have fun too.
Her research is great and very thorough.
I am enjoying this orphan train series very much!
Maryanne is such a trooper! I admire her very much!!
Drew the challenger made me like him a lot. He can mean business when he has to.
I'm looking forward to to third one and I hate seeing this series end!
I received this book for free. All opinions are my own.
I do strongly recommend this book because I liked how the story gave us insight to how life for the children might have been like.
Where they scared, nervous excited?
You'll just have to read this wonderful story to find out!!