Sold on a Monday takes place in the early 1930's and highlights personal and social stressors with subsequent dilemmas in decision making of the depression era. The title takes on a dual meaning which unfolds throughout the story.

This was a great novel, based on a true story about a photo of children "for sale" during the crash in the 1920s-1930s. It started off with all of the makings of a "soon to be motion picture" but the ending was a bit rushed. The characters were well-developed and the writing is quite good. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. I am always drawn into stories that are based on an actual event or happening, such as, in this instance, the publication of a picture showing a mother placing her children for sale. I appreciated the way the author brought focus to the humanity of the characters in this book, the struggles each faced with the happenings in their lives at any particular time. The storyline took a couple of different turns that I was not expecting, which added to my enjoyment, and i felt did not detract from the story. And really, as I read the book, I felt there were instances we should note where it wasn’t just about the sale of children, but also of personal values and beliefs. The story takes place in a very desperate time for many unfortunate families, where parents really didn’t know how to be able to take care of their children while facing their own dire circumstances. I recommend to other readers that you take the time to read this book and meet the characters Ellis and Lily while they attempt to help the family behind the picture...and at the same time ease their guilty conscience for what they feel happened to this family due to their involvement. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in return for my honest review, which this is.

This would not be a book I would normally pick up, but the premise sounded intriguing. The author has a way of describing mundane events and turning them into something worth reading. I was really interested in the story, but at times felt a little lost. The characters were great. They helped me stick with the story just to find out what happened to them in the end.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

I definitely had some difficulty getting into this book. Not for a lack of activity, things just kind of seemed to go in a strange direction at first. I wasn't sure how it all tied in to the picture of the kids for a while there. Then everything came back around and it turned into a wild ride! It did also seem a little dramatic...well...almost like a soap opera. You could definitely tell the author was trying to go out with a bang and some of the stuff was just super predictable. Like obviously the car is not going to start when the guys chasing them with a gun kind of thing. All-in-all, I would recommend it. It was an interesting twist on a romance novel with a deeper meaning of how life changes you and forces you to grow with each situation you find yourself in.

Inspired by historical events, Sold on a Monday captured the hardships of the 1930s from a different perspective. The story of the siblings was compelling and kept me wondering about their welfare until the end. While Ruby’s story was more creative, Calvin’s story was unfortunately realistic. Many children during that time ended up in similar if not so dire circumstances.

Inspired by the actual infamous picture of a mother trying to sell her children during the great depression, Sold on Monday depicts that time and circumstance as well as explores and poses some different ideas about the family and the children on that picture in a fictional setting.

In Sold on Monday, Ellis Read is the newspaper reporter who struggles to make it big and get ahead of the competition. Barely scraping by, he takes a picture of a mother and her two children to gain the sympathy and popularity. The article actually turns out to be a hit and makes it around to all the other newspapers. This may finally be the break he was looking for. But does he have regrets or feel ashamed of exploiting the poor mother and children? When he returns to check on the family, he finds out the terrible truth of the mother and begins to research the children’s whereabouts.

Lillian Palmer is a secretary and new single mother at the same newspaper. She happens to be the one who develops the photo for Ellis. Hoping for a break and working hard to support herself and her child, she is interested to find out more about the situation of the photo. As their paths take them onto different directions, towards the end of the novel, they end up devising a plan to work together to solve the mystery of the family in the photo.

Nicely written with the old style NY City feel, as you read this story you’ll hear the typewriters going and imagine the hustle and bustle of the editors, grumpy bosses, delivery boys, busy streets etc. Atmospherically set, I envisioned the plot unfold in sepia tones like an old movie. It reads well, addresses issues of its time and the characters are well developed.
A moving read with a twist, inspired by a real published picture. I certainly enjoyed following Lilly and Ellis in their steps to find the answers.

As a photographer, I can appreciate the power a single photo can have. The photo that inspired Sold on a Monday captivated readers at the time of publication and obviously with the publication of this book, is continuing to captivate the imagination. As with any photo, it's difficult to view a photo of a mother selling her children and not analyzing it with the culture and struggles of the time.

In this novel, it all starts with a single photograph and a lie. Families are struggling as the Great Depression sets in, and one family turns to attempting to sell their children to make ends meet. While this family's fortunes' change, the sign they created has a ripple effect on the lives of another family and the journalists in this novel. Readers may find the subject of this novel abhorrent, however until recently it wasn't uncommon for children to be given to other family or to search for work on their own when there were too many mouths to feed. Young children worked in factories, on farms, or in service. While gut wrenching, the concept of this novel is only the tip of the iceberg regarding child welfare in the 1930s and historically.

I think that McMorris did a great job in incorporating cultural aspects of the time in this novel. Single motherhood, women in a traditionally male work force, and attitudes towards children are all examined in this book. For me, there was an element of the story being tied up with a neat little bow, but this was intentional by the author. The book itself is a fairly quick read, and was very emotional throughout the novel. Be prepared for some emotional upheaval when reading this novel.

First, I would like to thank the author and publisher for sharing an advanced copy of this novel with me via netgalley.

I have found so many authors that are new to me through netgalley that I have really enjoyed and want to read more from. This book and author definitely fell into that category. The book was very well written. I loved the different perspectives you gain seeing the story from both Lily and Ellis's narratives. I loved that the story began and ended on the same note. I was hooked from the beginning and looked forward to experiencing the story along with the characters as they retold it. I also loved that their story all began because of a picture and learning at the end of the book that the author was also inspired with this story by an actual photograph similar to the one she writes about. The characters had a lot of depth and interest. I enjoyed finding out their personal histories along with the main storyline. I liked that the ending was not clear and that there were unexpected little twists and turns along the way. This story had it all- mystery, romance, family drama, history- all wrapped up into one enjoyable, well written story that was enjoyable to read.

Historical fiction is not a genre I typically read, In saying that, I loved. this book. My heart broke for these kids and the time in which it took place. Such a good read.

It all started with a picture taken during the depression era of two children for sale. This photograph had far reaching consequences for the photographer as well as a host of others. The story of the newsroom, the reporters and staff, prohibition, mobsters, women’s treatment by society, families, illegitimate children, and orphans all factored into this novel. It was engrossing, well written, and quite a page turner at its climax!

Beautiful and painful! Well researched. See review here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2366772515

I enjoyed this book. It was decently evocative of the time and place (Philadelphia and New York City in the early 1930s) and well written. Given the subject, it could have been a bit grimmer, but I’m not going to complain too much about a pleasant read!

This review was based on an ARC ebook received in return for an honest and unbiased review

I’ve always enjoyed Ms. McMorris’s work, as she creates stories that really resonate. The same can be said here with this Depression-era story about two reporters seeking to locate a couple of children whose mother had mistakenly sold them. However, what I especially enjoy about Ms. McMorris’s work is her attention to historical details. When I first started reading her books, I found myself often checking some of her facts. I’ve long since stopped checking and just accepted that she got it right. Doing so allows me to be even more transported to the time period.

The book is definitely worth the read and even includes an interesting re-appearance by one of the characters from Ms. McMorris’s book The Edge of Lost.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC

I read this book in one sitting, it's that good!
Ellis is a reporter/photographer about to become a respected journalist when one of his personal pictures is chosen for a main article. Due to circumstance he invents this little lie which then has huge consequences.
Accompanied by Lily, the chief editor's secretary, he sets out to make things right.
Although the subject is rather sad, the story is action packed with travel and adventure moving at great pace.
The characters grow stronger along the way, taking care of each other and the people around them. The results of The Great Depression are heartbreaking, the choices people make often understandable, yet in the end love conquers all.
As with most historical fiction, this book gave me food for thought, especially after reading the author's afterword.
At least in the modern world woman have possibilities, not to be taken for granted.

I do not typically read historical fiction; but every now and then something catches my eye. This novel was just one of those and it did not disappoint.
Set during the depression; during a time when a lot of people lost almost everything. Some people turned to desperation.
A young reporter stumbles across two children for sale. A photo snapped and submitted to the newspaper. What follows is a story of lies, deceit, survival and the reporters need to make the situation right.
The author's details and descriptions make you feel as though you are right there in the novel; watching from the outside. Could not put this book down.

**i was given an arc of this novel for an honest review. Thank you to netgalley & the publisher.

“Sold on a Monday” caught my attention by its cover. And the read did not disappoint. The characters were likable. The setting, of depressed Pennsylvania in the 1930s, informative enough. Heart breaking story, based on true to life situations. A plot well developed with twists and turns and enough suspense to keep,the reader interested and intrigued. A thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

This was quite a book. The topic of children for sale during the early 1930's is a tough one from my perspective as a mother. I can't imagine what it was like to be so poverty-stricken to actually think of selling a child just to make ends meet. I am very happy to live in a much different time.

I loved this book. It has mystery, romance, and some suspense. Ellis was a wonderful character that while at first he strayed from who he started out to be in the end showed his true character. Lily was a force. I would love to have a strong, determined, wonderful mother like her on my side (in reference to my mother, she is quite a force herself, much like Lily). While you don't really get to know Ruby and Calvin very well, it is obvious that they are wonderful children that love their mother fiercely. The Millstones were quite the couple. Alfred seems to have a good heart and was trying to do the right thing, but Sylvia is in some desperate need of help. While this book was a heavy topic it was not difficult to read. I had a hard time putting it down.

This is the first book I have read by Kristina McMorris, based on this book I will be looking for her books in the future. I highly recommend this book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark.

Ellis, a reporter for a Philadelphia newspaper, takes a picture of 2 boys being sold by their mother during the Depression. Lillian, a secretary at the paper, turns it in to their editor. The picture is published, setting off a chain of events that no one would have imagined, including bloodshed. This story very deftly sets the scene with great descriptions of everything from clothing and model T's to societal attitudes, and has a cast of characters ranging from single mothers to mobsters. It's a great story, it just moved a little slower than I would have liked at times. Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the e-arc. 3.5 stars! I will look for more by Kristina McMorris!

This was an enjoyable book to read. The author does a wonderful job of making you feel as if you are right there. Her descriptions of the houses, the newspaper offices, the clothing the characters are wearing, even the turning of the crank to get the Model T started were spot on. My best description of this book would be Ellis and Lily’s kaper, the quest to right a wrong that needed to be done.
The writing was superb, she makes you feel for the characters, and you can envision walking down the street and seeing the town in the 1930’s. I’m sure after the market crashed, times were very hard for so many and the situations in the story could have really happened, even though this is a fiction book, it was all very believable. I would highly recommend.
I thank Net Galley and SourceBooks/Landmark for allowing me the opportunity to read this for my review.