This book was a satisfying conclusion to a wonderful series! I liked learning more about Sophie—and Reinhold, who we’ve met several times—in this book. There is a little bit of backstory to remind you what happened in the other two books, but you benefit best if you read the books in order. I liked that there were parallels between searching for family in this book and our desires to search for God and establish a relationship with Him. These spiritual aspects allowed me to connect with the characters in a better way and relate to them. The history of the orphan trains is also interesting. Overall, a great book and a great series that comes highly recommended!

I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Finally, we learn what happened to the third Neumann girl, Sophie, as this Orphan Train series comes to a close in this third book. Sophie had run away in desperation after the two children in her care had been sent, without her knowledge, to the Children's Aid Society to be sent on an orphan train west. Her sisters had been looking for her and wondering what had happened to her since. This is her story.

This book also adds more to the story of Reinhold Weiss who we have seen throughout each of the other stories as well. Reinhold is a man who is battling his demons and is afraid to let anyone in because of it.

Two broken struggling people and one wonderful mother figure who speaks the truth when necessary. I really enjoyed the book. There were a few things that Jody brought out in the story that I really appreciated. The first one I'll mention has to do with Reinhold. After a confrontation with his brother, he realizes something. He has held everyone at arm's length through the years because of fear. And once he faces that and realizes that change is made one scenario at a time and with God's strength, he is able to open himself up to the people around him that he loves.

The other thing was a comment made in the book, "We're human. We break things. It's what we do with the brokenness that counts." I really like that, because I think it is true. We are broken people but it's how we deal with that brokenness that is so important. It took Sophie a long time to be willing to open up and allow that brokenness to change her and to accept the mistakes she had made and to become a better person. But as you can imagine, the book ends on a happy note!

I have enjoyed this series, I almost think this one was my favorite, but it's also the one I read most recently, so maybe that's why. I will definitely be looking forward to reading more of Jody Hedlund's books.

I received this book from Bethany House via NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review.

**sighs** I have been waiting for this story since I first read book one in the series. Sweet, stubborn, dedicated Sophie is a character that I grew to love even more in this story. The sacrifices she makes for her brother and sister are remarkable, and it’s easy to see why readers are so captivated with her. I always thought perhaps her and Reinhold Weiss should have a story together, and I was delighted to see them run into each other in this story.

Hedlund is a master orphan train story teller. Of all the books that she has written, this series has been my absolute favorite. She easily brings you to the 1850’s, and pulls you into the orphan world from start to finish. You become so enamored with the characters that they feel like family, which is why I am so happy this has been a series. While I am sad to see it go, I am secretly hoping it just means that Hedlund’s off to start another fantastic series!

Great dialogue, well developed characters, a charming setting, and the theme of hope woven throughout the pages, historical fiction fans are sure to love the latest in the Orphan Train series. I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Excellent end to a great trilogy, I truly enjoyed reading Sophie’s story! She had great character development and I lied getting to watch her mature throughout the book. Also, this book had a sweet romance in it.

A lovely conclusion to the Orphan Train trilogy! After watching him suffer in the first two books, it was wonderful to see Reinhold finally get a story -- and a love -- of his own. Definitely recommend!

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a great story to got lost in to help me get through a pain day. It is well written and the descriptions in the book are amazing.

If you have been searching for a good fiction book to read, try Searching for You by Jody Hedlund. Searching for You is the third book in the Orphan Train series so if you haven’t read the first two books in the series, With You Always and Together Forever, I would recommend reading them first. While you may not be lost if you start with the third book, you will miss a lot of the background to the story. However, of the three books, I think Sophie’s story in Searching for You was my favorite. Why did I enjoy this book so much? Well, after getting to know Sophie through the eyes of her sisters in the first books, I really enjoyed reading about who she truly was in her own story. I also really liked Reinhold in the first two books and was really excited to find out that he was featured in the third book. The story was so sweet and had the happy ending that I absolutely love in a book. So, if you are searching for your next book to read, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves sweet historical romances.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In her third installment of the Orphan Train Series, Jody Hedlund takes her readers into the life of those who traveled the orphan trains and into the unknown. Sophie Neumann is the main female lead in this story. Her story begins in the setting of New York during the 1850s. Street gangs ruled the streets of New York and she must flee the city after a fight breaks out between two opposing gangs She flees with her younger siblings and joins the orphan trains heading west. Little does she know that at the end of the tracks, she must endure hardship, separation, and a little romance.

Reinhold Weiss is the main male lead in this book. You would think he would not want anything to do with another Neumann girl but Sophie is not like her sisters. She needs him to help her keep her family together. As this is the third book in the series, it is important to mention that this book can be read on its own. It is more preferable to read all of them in order but it can be a stand alone.
To conclude, this book is a heartwarming conclusion to this series.

This was the conclusion of the Orphan Train Series. I loved the first two books but this one was even more moving! Jody has a way of drawing you into the story and "feeling many feels" as my daughters would say! I appreciate the research Jody does to try to accurately portray the time and the circumstances.

Sad to see it this series end but I look forward to reading other books by Jody Hedlund!


I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

Searching for You by Jody Hedlund is the third book in Hedlund’s “Orphan Train” series. In this series, Hedlund takes an interesting perspective on this historical phenomena, following the perspectives of three German immigrant sisters and how their lives in America were all touched by the orphan trains of the Children’s Aid Society.

This book follows the story of Sophie Neumann, the youngest of the sisters in this series. She has been living on the streets and somewhat on the run while taking care of two young children, Olivia and Nicholas. As their lives are threatened in New York, they escape westward via the orphan train to Illinois.

Reinhold Weiss, an old friend of the Neumann family from Germany, has grown up and moved on with his life after being unable to win the hearts of either of Sophie’s older sisters. He and his brother live on their farm in Illinois and are working hard to bring the rest of their siblings to live with them also. When one of their neighbors gets an orphan from the train to help out with their farming and work, he’s shocked to find Sophie again.

One thing I’ve found about Hedlund’s books is that they get better as the series progresses. Usually I find the first book the most dull of a series, as it is setting up the location, time period, and new characters, and I tend to like the later books in her series because they seem to flow better and are more lighthearted. The same was true of this series; Searching for You was probably my favorite amongst all of them. It was delightful to see characters from the previous books make an appearance, and because of all the time spent setting up the characters, I would recommend reading the whole series rather than just this as a stand-alone. The plot was sweet, albeit predictable, but it was just a nice, heartwarming story to read during the cold weather.

Thank you to the author and to Bethany House publishers for sending me a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own and were not required to be positive.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I’ve done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Seems like I've been waiting on this book forever. I love this series and couldn't wait to read Sophie's story. Jody Hedlund didn't disappoint as she prepared readers for a goodbye to these characters.

Sophie's story seemed to have a different tone to it than the other two books in the series. The opening scene in New York City to the interactions between Sophie and Reinhold made this book a bit unique from the other two in the series. However, Sophie has a different personality than her sisters so I think this really suited her and let the reader into who Sophie was compared to her sisters. My favorite character was Euphemia and I would love to read more about her so could we possibly get a series about the Duff family?

As always the author's writing is fantastic and she has the ability to draw you right into the story and make you feel as if you are part of it. I felt the heat beating down and the freezing rain pelting me right along with the characters. Her writing makes the books effortless to read. And as always, I'm a bit sad to be leaving these characters but excited to see what the author has for readers next. I'm sure her fans won't be disappointed.

I definitely recommend this book to fans of historical fiction. I also recommend reading the series in order so you have the complete story and won't feel lost. This book is one for the keeper shelves!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and was not required to post a review. All opinions are mine.

This is the third book in this series and I think Sophie’s story is the best one of the series. Sophie has made many mistakes in her young life, but she has a true, maternal love for the two young children left to her charge. She does the best that she knows how to take care of them, even at times when she’s had to steal to make sure they were fed. When they face danger, in a last desperate attempt to escape the ones who would harm them, the three join an orphan train headed for the West. Her life takes an unexpected turn and she finds that God is actively calling her back to a relationship with HIm and with her family that she left years ago.

This story has some themes of child and spousal abuse. The author handles those in an appropriate, compassionate way. There is a romance between Sophie and Reinhold, a character that we met in one of the earlier books. This romance does not go past the bounds that makes this a Christian fiction book, but it’s a little bit more heated than in some. There’s a marriage of convenience between these two characters, and those scenes appear in that context. If you are a reader who prefers there’s no heated kissing in the books you read, you may be uncomfortable with this.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

First sentence: Sophie Neumann nuzzled her nose against Danny's chest.

Premise/plot: Searching For You completes Jody Hedlund's Orphan Train series. The first two books in the series are With You Always and Together Forever. (The heroine of the first book is Elise Neumann. The heroine of the second book is Marianne Neumann. The first book opens in 1857 and the third book opens in 1859.)

Sophie was forced to grow up quickly by circumstances. After Elise left to find work in Illinois, it was Marianne, Sophie, and two young toddlers--Olivia and Nicholas. When Sophie learned that the person they were staying with had definite plans to put Olivia and Nicholas on a train west--via the Children's Aid Society. Sophie took action of her own: running away with "her" babies. Marianne spent all of the second book searching for her younger sister.

Readers finally learn where Sophie has been and what she's been up to--the answer doing anything and everything to just survive. Sophie has recently, for example, become 'the girl' of a gang member. She doesn't really love him--or even like him--but being his girl comes with certain benefits. And, as she learns, certain risks. Could her life be in danger when she witnesses a crime?!

Meanwhile, readers are keeping up Reinhold Weiss in Mayfield, Illinois. An orphan train will be coming through soon--much to the displeasure of the local sheriff--and his neighbors are urging him to take in an orphan or two to help with the farm work. The truth is he does need help....but is that a good enough reason to adopt an orphan?

My thoughts: Overall I have really ENJOYED the series. The first book hooked me in a way I wasn't expecting. Once I met the Neumann family, I had to keep reading to learn what happened to her two sisters. It would have been unthinkable not to keep going with the series.

The second book was solidly good. I didn't love, love, love it in a gushy way. But it was good.

The third book was satisfying. That's the word I'm going to go with. It was predictable, true, but in a good way--even a very good way. Sophie is ashamed and embarrassed of the way she's had to live to keep everyone together. She does NOT want to be found by her sisters. It's not that she's given up hope of finding them. It's not that she's decided not to search for them. She does not want to be found and reunited. How could her sisters possibly understand what she's gone through the past two years?

Sophie takes a spiritual journey in this one. She's spent years turning her back on God, dismissing him completely. But as the book progresses she stops running from him...and even starts running toward him. The book is realistic, I believe, in this journey.

In some ways this one is more spiritual than the previous two. BUT in other ways a word of caution is still in order. As I've mentioned with the other novels--the books are a bit graphic in nature. Many Christian books don't detail kisses that last for pages and pages. This one goes even further than the other books in the series--yes, she's married--but graphic descriptions are still graphic. For certain readers this poses a slippery-slope type danger. Sometimes less is more.

Searching for you was written by Jody Hedlund and is the third book in the Orphan Train series.
Summary: Sophie Neumann will do anything to care for orphans Olivia and Nicholas. She loves them like they were her own. But, being an orphan herself, things are getting desperate. How can she continue to provide for them and keep them safe?
When Sophie and her friend Anna witness a murder, they are forced to flee for their lives by boarding the orphan train heading west. But Sophie has plenty of misgivings-will she be able to keep them all together? Is this what is really best for Olivia and Nicholas?
The last thing she wants to be is a failure, but everything in her heart is telling her she is not good enough. It has to be true, or why would her sisters have abandoned her when she needed them the most?
For now, all she can do is her best for Olivia and Nicholas, and she will-no matter what the cost to herself.
My Thoughts: This is a great book. The writing is wonderful, there are plenty of twists and turns, great characters, and the book does a great job finishing off the series. I also really liked reading more about the history of the orphan train-such a fascinating part of American history.
You can read this book on its own, but I do recommend reading the other books first-simply because there are so many characters and so much backstory, you can enjoy this book more with a better understanding of the full picture. Otherwise, this is a wonderful book, and I really enjoyed it!

This is the final installment of Jody Hedlund’s 3 book series, Orphan Train, covering the story of the youngest of the Neumann sisters, Sophie.
It took a bit of effort to jog my memory of what had happened in the previous two books but it didn’t take long. There’s enough backstory, but not too much, to summarize the events of book one and two throughout the entire novel. I wouldn’t recommend reading this third book though if the other two haven’t been read. I think the motivation of both Sophie and Reinhold are more readily understood, and believable, if one has read the previous novels.
The descriptions of 19th century New York City and the conditions people lived in are vivid, as well as the little town of Mayfield, Illinois. It makes the heart sad to realize what many people had to do in order to survive, especially the immigrant population. It highlights the struggles of immigrant and orphaned children who were farmed out to country families to give them a better life. Unfortunately some children ended up in worse conditions than living on the streets, as this story shows.
There’s less focus this time on the Children’s Aid Society which was in its infancy at the time, but Sophie makes use of the orphan train heading west after she and another young woman (who has aged out of the program) witness a cold blooded murder between gang members. They flee New York and end up on the Orphan Train with Sophie’s two young charges she’s been taking care of for the past three years. She is the only mother they’ve ever known and she has bonded with the children.
When a family in Mayfield desires to adopt her young charge, Sophie is determined to stay close and ends up working for a dairy farmer family. What happens in Mayfield will challenge Sophie’s faith in God, faith in people, and faith in herself. Sophie’s impulsiveness leads to a marriage of convenience, and a series of foolish decisions. However, despite this, there is redemption, reconciliation, and love waiting for her on the final pages.
I enjoyed the final book of the series but found that the intimacy between Sophie and her love interest was a bit much. It was heavy on sexual innuendo (however, they were married but determined to have strictly a business/platonic relationship so it’s acceptable within the context of their relationship), and there was a LOT of kissing (again okay with the context but still too much for me).
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this entire series from Jody Hedlund. I love her writing as a combination of several things I look for in a novel: clean romance without seeming silly, characters that are hard to let go of, historical settings and an underlying storyline regarding one's faith.

This novel picks up where the second book left off and I wrote in that review that I was perturbed that the search for Sophie was not a predominant theme. And so voila here is book three devoted to Sophie at last! Elise and Marianne are not featured very much at all this time as the story focuses on Sophie's struggle to hang on to Olivia and Nicholas. Sophie is wild at heart but a good person through and through making it so easy to love her, even when you want to strangle her due to her wild nature. She is still young and impetuous but lucky for us we witness her transformation with the help of a genuinely good soul who takes her in.

The setting of 1850's is portrayed as simple, quaint and close-knit on the farm, with nuances of the crimes and poverty prevalent in the cities. I absolutely adored Reinhold and would definitely see him as a super sexy cross of Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth kind of guy. Sophie could be young sweet combinations of Reese Witherspoon (she has that wild side!) with a dash of Nicole Kidman. Would love to see this as a PBS special or mini-series.

The romance angle was so perfect for Sophie and sitting here thinking in hindsight that it all wrapped up nicely in a pretty bow yet the steps we took with Sophie to get there was a blessing of a story. I have read a few of Hedlund's other novels before and have truly enjoyed each of them and I could gush copiously about the masterful storytelling of Jody Hedlund but I just want you to see for yourself.

Fans of Christian Fiction and historical romance will definitely enjoy the Orphan Train Series, but will be very sad to see the end of the stories of the Neumann sisters. If you're not open to scripture and His promises of love and healing then these stories would not be recommended for you.

~Searching for You by Jody Hedlund.~

A great story about courage and second chances.

I really enjoyed reading about this period of American History and the orphan trains. I haven’t yet read the first two books in the series yet, but as amazing as this book was, I’ll definitely have to now!!

Sophie was a great character—she had so much courage and strength, and yet, because of her past, she allowed fear and shame from holding her back from living her life to the fullest.

Reinhold was pretty great as well! He matched so well with Sophie because he too has to face down his past and his weaknesses in order to fight for his future.

This book was intriguing and enjoyable to read, and it kept me engaged and invested till the very end!

Highly Recommended—Fantastic Historical Fiction, and an amazing story about overcoming your fears, shame, and weakness to find your future, with GOD’s help.


Note: There are a few parts in this book that might be a bit more mature for some audiences, but nothing overly graphic, and the parts are easily skimmed through if you feel they are inappropriate.

I have really enjoyed the Orphan Train series and this one was my absolute favorite. Sophie has been running from her sisters for a while, taking care of her two young charges that she did not want to be separated from. In Sophie’s story we see how they have been living and how she has been faring, and within the first few pages we see that Sophie is in a mess and needs help desperately. The life of a city gangster girlfriend is not one she really wanted and it could be quite dangerous.
Due to some unfortunate and dangerous circumstances, Sophie, her two charges, and a friend make their way to Chicago on the orphan train. She is always running and I really wanted her to contact her sisters, but Sophie wanted to make a better life for herself before she stepped back into her sisters’ lives, which both now made something of a success of theirs.
On her trip she begins to ponder if becoming part of a stable family would be better for the children. So she has to make some pretty heartrending decisions and then needs to deal with the aftermath. She also is reacquainted with Reinhold who is still trying to make a go of his farm with his brother’s help. To say he is shocked and relieved to see Sophie is an understatement, he immediately wants to contact her family. However Sophie feeling the way she is about herself is quite stubborn in her request for him not to.
I kept thinking Sophie’s promise was unfair, but by the end of the story I sympathized with her at the deep pain she had been carrying for years. The mistakes she made eating her up. And Reinhold becomes her hero. A reluctant hero at first, but he grows into his role as friend and then husband. I rooted for their marriage and for both of these souls to see past what was keeping them a part.
Sophie, like so many people think that they have to get their lives cleaned up, be a better them, do this, and do that before they can accept their heavenly Father’s love. But Sophie didn’t understand the power of love and forgiveness. She learns it throughout the story though.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

Jody Hedlund is one of my favorite authors! I just love her books! So deep, emotional, realistic, hard and tender at the same time.
The Orphan Train series is no exception to her unique talents at storytelling. The Neumann sisters saga is full of drama, historical facts, sweet romance, hardship, but best of all, it’s faith inspired and full of love and compassion.
I’ve been cheering the sisters journey through life and hardship being orphans, and I was looking forward to reading Sophie’s story.
I think her life was the hardest, being the youngest and separated by misfortune from her sisters. She felt abandoned and unworthy.
But she has a heart of gold. Her love for Nicholas and Olivia, her young charges, and her selflessness in protecting them and providing for them proves her worth. But things are not easy and when she flees NY escaping a dangerous situation, that help will come in form of Reinhold, much to his resistance at first.
Reinhold was a true hero. Handsome, protective, kind and compassionate. Although he knows Sophie means trouble, he can’t help himself in helping her and the children, even when he suspects his heart will suffer along the way.
I liked seeing Sophie growing up in this book. Being naive and impulsive at first, she starts to discover that maybe God hasn’t abandoned her after all. And she’s about to discover that family bonds are not broken that easily.
A beautiful story about love, forgiveness and redemption. It touched my soul and heart and I’m only sorry it had to end.
I really hope Jody would write Nicholas and Olivia’s story someday. I feel in love with this kids!
And I loved Euphemia, she was a wonderful contribution to the book. She made me laugh too.
I totally recommend this series. Even if they can be read as standalone, it so much worthwhile to read it in order to know better each character and to enrich the next story.
A must read without doubt!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publisher via Netgalley. This is my honest and unbiased opinion, I was never required to post a positive review.

A captivating, realistic, inspirational and
dramatic read mixed with the elements of
romance.
This story starts in the New York following
the 1800’s financial crises. It starts as
several orphans decide to leave New York
City. They are escaping from the gangs
and authorities after witnessing killings.
Sophie Neumann takes the two child she
has cared for years and her friend, Anna
to the Children’s Aid Society in order to
board the “ Orphan Train “. The concept
behind the train was developed to help
keep children clothed and feed plus
housed in return for their labor out West.
Her train ride will result in a lot of surprising
happenings.
This is a fast moving story that contains a
lot of harsh reality. Amidst all the real
conditions during the time period, the
fictional characters still bring romance
into the story. God’s light shines on His
steady followers allowing relief to burst
forth.
The characters are artfully drawn, realistic
and well developed. You will be able to
relate to them in their surroundings.
The description is deftly woven thought-out
The story placing the reader along side each
character.
The author incorporates historical fiction
details into a gripping, interesting, intriguing
and extremely well researched storyline.
A Highly Recommended Read!!
I volunteered to read Searching for You.
Thanks to the Influencer, the author and
Net Gallery for the opportunity. My opinion
is my own