This book is INCREDIBLE!! I have tried to write an adequate review many times and I simply cannot find a way to fully give enough praise for Where the Lost Wander. Amy Harmon has such a magical way of submerging you in her words and leaving you wonderfully changed. Hardship, sacrifice, endurance, and love are found in this masterpiece along with the rare opportunity to see how sometimes there is simply not a wrong or right side. Seeing history from such personal and different vantage points makes this a truly singular and epic experience. My wonder of Amy Harmon’s talent has expanded once again.

I was really excited about this book. Wagon trains and the Oregon trail have always been a big interest of mine. Amy Harmon really captured what life was like in those times. However, I would have liked more description of some of the items they brought with them in the wagon, the size of the wagon, etc. I had no idea the size of the wagons until later in the book when she mentions that an entire dining room table and chairs was taken out of away again and left on the side of the trail.

Over all, I loved the dynamic between Naomi and John. It was easy to feel the love they had for each other. And the tough decisions they have to make along the way.

I would have loved a longer epilogue that wrapped the story up a little more. I felt like there was so much more story to tell. However, what was written was so well done.

I was so excited to read another book by Amy Harmon and this one did not disappoint.
The storytelling in this novel is beautiful. There are parts that are a little slow, but as the novel takes place as families are crossing America in wagons to California, it mirrored the pacing of their trip. The characters kept me reading, even though the book gives a preview of some of their fates right from the beginning. It was a quick read and I am sad to be leaving the world of Naomi May.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this advanced reader's copy in return for my honest review. Absolutely loved this. It was evident that Amy had thoroughly researched this part of American history. Epic storytelling at its finest.

Amazing from the first page. This story will stay with me for a long time. This is one I will definitely recommend to everyone

Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I can’t give this book less than 5 stars. It was PHENOMENAL and it’s now my favorite Amy Harmon book.
This woman is a fantastic author, but has truly outdone herself with this work of art.

Where The Lost Wander is a story about a man named John Lowry, who is the son of John Lowry Sr. and who breeds mules like his father. John is half white and half Pawnee (from his mothers side). From a young age John realizes that he doesn’t fit in anywhere because he is mixed. He says he is not enough Pawnee to fit in where his mother lives, and he isn’t white enough because he still looks Indian to other people. He goes through life as an outcast until he meets Naomi.
Naomi May is a girl who’s parents decide to take the journey from Illinois to California in search of more opportunity. So they all set off on this train and head to California. John decides to join them to open his own mule selling business in California. Along the way, he and Naomi fall in love. Everything is going great, they get married along the way, until the day John is away and Naomi’s family get attacked by Indians.


This book was sooooooo good. I can’t even get over it. I loved the characters, they were super relatable. The story flowed so perfectly and everything was smooth. This book pulls you in and doesn’t let you go until the last page. I can’t remember the last time I loved a book this much. It was really really great and I can’t recommend it enough.

Where the lost wander is the latest by Amy Harmon. I’ve read many of her books and was anxious to read this one as well.
Where the lost wander was hard to put down. An emotional historical fiction with twists and turns, ups and downs.
A mid 1800s novel that covers loss, love and family.
Amy Harmon does not disappoint. I am thankful for the opportunity to read this early.
Thank you netgalley and the author.
5 star read you can pick up at a local bookstore near you at the end of April 2020

This book started out strong. It opens with a sort of flash forward. Without spoiling anything - something horrific happens and I was shook. Amy Harmon had me feeling some strong emotions. That is a sign of a good writer.

I have been fascinated by the Oregon Trail and the expansion west since I was a young girl. This book depicts what life would have been like- the daily struggles and hardships but also the joy. Relationships that would have formed on the wagon trail. The sense of community. I really liked getting a glimpse of that.


Characters are really important to me personally when reading a book. I enjoyed the characters. Naomi was a fun character to read. She’s artistic and not afraid to speak her mind. I loved Naomis family. Especially her brothers. John ( the love interest ) was just ok for me though.

After reading What the Wind Knows and absolutely loving it- I went into this book with high expectations. I feel bad for giving it 3 stars. It’s not a bad book. I had a few issues with it. The pacing was a little off for me. There were parts that seemed to drag and the end felt a bit rushed. There were times when the book had my full attention and I was completely invested and other times I was a tad bored.


Overall I enjoyed this book. Thank you so much to Amazon Publishing and Amy Harmon for my advanced copy. I look forward to picking up more by this author.

This is the story of a wagon train of pioneers traveling the Oregon Trail in the early 1850's. It gives you a sense of the troubles they faced and just how strong these people were. You take the entire journey with them, which was at the same time interesting but slow paced.

The author did a great job researching for this book and creating a vivid account of what this trip might have been like. However, the slow pace of the trip and therefore the book made it drag on a little at times for me. Also I never felt a true connection to our main character, Naomi. I enjoyed reading John's part much more.

I loved how in the author's notes we are told, "I hope the reader will experience the story in the spirit it was written, recognizing that who we are is not who they were, and judging historical people by today's standards prevents us from learning from them, from their mistakes and their triumphs. These people helped build the framework that we now stand on . We should be careful about burning it down." This is so true and something I completely agree with. There were hard things to learn about in the book, but we cannot judge what these characters, many of whom were actual people or based on real people, in our era. This is why I love history and historical fiction.

This was my first book by this author and I will definitely read more of her work.

Wow.
I am blown away by this book.
It is evident that Amy painstakingly researched and did as much homework as possible when writing this story. You will feel a lot of things when reading it.
It’s one that ventures through loss, survival, hope, love, starting over, family, and finding your place in the world.

Naomi May is the type of shero we should all strive to be. She has this strength within her that radiates outwardly and brightly. She’s tough, she’s loving, she’s logical, she knows what she wants, and she does what it takes to survive what life puts her through.

John Lowry is a man who doesn’t quite know his place in the world, but doesn’t let that stop him from working hard and taking pride in it. He’s a man who doesn’t speak for the sake of speaking, so when the words leave his mouth, you know they have weight.

To watch the love between these two unfold along the Oregon trail was something that felt tender, but at times truly terrifying.

Through Amy’s epic storytelling, we witness the difficulties and hardships of a time where people were heading west to try and find something to better their lives and futures. Attempting to travel thousands of miles in a time where all there was to do so were wagons filled with your belongings being pulled by animals was not for the faint of heart or mind. Seeing this played out within the pages was a necessary peek and reminder of our country’s not-so-pretty-history.

Also, please don’t finish this book without reading the author’s note at the end. It brought tears to my eyes and serves to enrich the story that precedes it.

Absolutely LOVED this book. Really insightful story. The characters were extremely well developed and the writing had me wanting to keep turning the page. I will highly recommend this book!

This is a fabulous read! Amy Harmon brings to life the story of a half Pawnee, half white young man living between two worlds and not really belonging in either and the spirited May family, all traveling in a wagon train along the Oregon Trail. Their daughter Naomi is a remarkable artist. She draws scenes and faces she witnesses along the journey. Faces of anguish, sorrow, defeat, bravery, joy, love and loss. All of these faces tell a story. Naomi is immediately drawn to the half breed and he to her but he keeps his distance not wanting any complications to his destination.
The wagon train suffers many trials and suffering, but there is also great hope of a life in a new land with limitless possibilities. The lives of many families intertwine as they travel through unforgiving territory. For me, the book started a little show but it wasn't long before I was thoroughly invested in the daily lives of each of the characters. I was transfixed with the story, the history and the courage it took for these people to leave all they knew behind seeking a better life.
This is truly a remarkable book so well written it kept me spellbound until the end.
I highly suggest everyone read this phenomenal book.
*Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I needed to wait several days after finishing this book to really soak it all in. This book is gut wrenching and heart breaking and yet so wonderful.
If you loved from sand and ash then you’ll love this one.
John and Naomi’s story is so sad yet beautiful.

“It means you’re the woman I want. I won’t change my mind on it. I won’t ever want something different.”

“I know you. And I’m sure. But I want you to be sure.”

“But I want you to see all your choices . . . and still want me.”

Ah I did not want this book to end.
Well done Amy Harmon. Keep writing stories like this!!

I loved it! The charecters are well fleshed out, feel very real and capture your heart right away. The whole story felt very possible and I feel like the author did her best to keep things as authentic as she possibly could. It gets a little preachy here and there but she's preaching love and tolerance so I'm cool with it.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. What a beautiful story. It is not just a love a story, but a haunting story of relationships stretched thinned during the hardest times of their lives. Unputdownable!

Amy Harmon has outdone herself again. After reading, I could not stop thinking about the story and characters. The way that she deep dives into each of their thoughts and how the relationships tie together keep me turning page after page. I am pleased with the historical research she has done to make sure the story is told in a true form. As I read about the travels, I pictured myself in their shoes. Amy paints an excellent picture (much like Naomi in the story), and I find myself living their truth along with them.
I cannot recommend this story enough. Amy Harmon has once again written a "must read"!!

A few things that'll usually be an instant read for me: historical romance, westerns, cultural differences coming together, and Amy Harmon.

THE GOOD
1) The journey on the Oregon Trail feels pretty realistic. At times it's pretty mundane. Sometimes, you're hearing about disease and death. Other times, you're finding camaraderie in the most unlikely ways. And sometimes when you don't want it to happen, friends die in the quickest and most horrible ways.

2) Naomi and John Lowry were likeable characters on their own and likeable together.

3) Occasional moments of deep thought and wisdom.

“Are you angry with the bird because he can fly, or angry with the horse for her beauty, or angry with the bear because he has fearsome teeth and claws? Because he’s bigger than you are? Stronger too? Destroying all the things you hate won’t change any of that. You still won’t be a bear or a bird or a horse. Hating men won’t make you a man. Hating your womb or your breasts or your own weakness won’t make those things go away. You’ll still be a woman. Hating never fixed anything. It seems simple, but most things are. We just complicate them. We spend our lives complicating what we would do better to accept. Because in acceptance, we put our energies into transcendence.”

________

“I hate them. I hate Indians,” Webb cries, his voice muffled by my shoulder.
“Do you hate me?” I ask quietly. “I’m an Indian.”
“No. I love you.”
“And I love you too. There’s good and bad in all kinds of people. Indians and emigrants alike. Do you remember when Mr. Caldwell set my animals loose?”
“Yeah. I hate Mr. Caldwell too,” Webb sobs.
“Do you remember my friend Hanabi? And Charlie? They helped us. Without Charlie . . . Wyatt and I wouldn’t have made it back to you and the others,” I remind him. “So you be real careful about who you hate.”


4) Romance amid cultural divides that are less romance-centric as Comanche Moon but just as compelling. People who enjoyed the romance and setting of Redeeming Love will appreciate this book as well.

5) Those May boys have my heart. Wyatt, Will, Webb, Wolfe...you are my babies.

THE BAD
1) Not my favorite Amy Harmon book. Something about Naomi May never quite clicked with me in the way that it did for Johm Lowry's dual background, so they didn't quite click together as a couple. What's Amy's normal strength -- character stories so compelling and raw that they'll move your spirits -- doesn't fully take off here. We get the occasional moments, but those moments are too few.

2) The Oregon Trail...is kinda boring, and without a compelling enough character story, the book becomes boring as well in a sense. For a good portion of the book, the caravan travels through the grass together, cooks, shops at forts, and talks.

3) This particular Amy Harmon book drew its Christian allegory from the story of Joseph and his ability to interpret dreams. Loved the concept but again...it wasn't as powerful as we've come to experience from any of Amy's previous work.

FINAL THOUGHTS
I may have only rated it three stars instead of the usual four or five... but you just feel good after reading an Amy Harmon book, you know?

Thanks To Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley and Amy Harmon for my copy of: Where The Lost Wander.

In 1853, twenty year old widow Naomi May Caldwell joins her family when they decide to travel West on The Overland Trail and begin the long trip go to Oregon. Her parents are William and Winifred May, her older brother Warren and his wife Abigail and her brothers Wyatt, Webb, and Will are all traveling together.

Grant Abbott is the wagon master, he's in charge of guiding the 40 families along the trail, it will take five months and it's a 2000 mile journey. It's not going to be easy, most of the women and children will need to walk to ease the burden on the oxen, they will constantly have to deal with dirt, dust, snakes, insects and diseases. They will need to ford rivers and cross mountains and barren deserts, worry about Indians attacking the wagon train and stealing their livestock.

Naomi was only married to her husband Daniel Caldwell for three months when he passed away, yes she mourned her husbands death, she cried, she was consumed by grief, traveling West is a way of her starting again and leaving the sad memories behind her. She's pretty, smart, has spunk, loves her family and she's a very talented artist. She has a very close relationship with her family, especially her mother, even though her in laws are traveling west on the same wagon train she has decided to travel with her family and help her pregnant mother.

Following the tracks of the previous wagons, heavily pregnant Winifred May notices the first of many graves on the side of the road on the fifth day of traveling, she continues walking and she knows it's going to be a long and very dangerous trip.

Traveling part of the way with them is the handsome John Lowry, he's delivering mules to an army fort, Naomi notices John is different, he sets off riding his horse, leading his two donkeys and twelve mules and he shows very little emotion when he leaves his father John and step mother Jennie behind? John is actually part Indian his mother was Pawnee and he's always struggled with finding his place in the world and he's a loner. His strong features, tanned skin and dark hair are things about himself that he can't change, Naomi likes him, finds him very attractive and has no issues with him being part Indian.
It becomes very obvious that Naomi and John are very interested in each other?
John is very cautious as he knows being part Indian and being seen with a white lady can only cause grief and trouble for him.

Unfortunately the group of pioneers do experience tragedy, heart breaking loss and danger as they travel West. But they also experience joy, the birth of new baby and the sweetness of new love. Amy Harmon has a way with words, while reading the book it's very easy to be swept away by the story and you feel like you are traveling every step with the wagon train. You can almost hear the sounds of the animals plodding along, harnesses creaking, wheels screeching, the foot steps of the women and children as they walk, how weary they feel and how they long for a decent meal.

I absolutely loved Where The Lost Wander, I enjoy reading historical fiction about pioneering families traveling to Oregon, this is one of the best books I have read, I highly recommend it and I gave it five stars.
I have shared my review on Goodreads, Twitter and my blog.

Where the lost Wander is absolutely wonderful storytelling. I do have a great fondness for books set in the Oregon trail which don't focus on religion or get all preachy but are authentic tales of everyday folk setting off into the unknown.
Lake Union Publishing have provided most of the very best I've ever read in this vein and Where the lost Wander is no exception, its a great read.

This story has the added bonus of a deep and abiding (but not soppy) love story, fabulous storytelling and great characters and is totally gripping throughout.

It is a little unusual in that it begins with a brief chapter describing a horrifying tragic event which happens half way through the story. Oh my goodness we are thrown straight into horror and tragedy!

We are then taken back, to much earlier in the journey when everyone is setting off for Oregon full of hope and we are introduced to the May Family, the members of which we grow to know and love despite knowing what befalls them.

As Young widowed Naomi falls in love with John Lowry, the half American half Pawnee mule trader, and he with her, as the family journey deeper into the unknown, I was wanting to scream at them to beware, I wanted to look out for them and it was quite heartbreaking to know there was nothing I could do. I then grew a touch complacent and thought what I had read must have been an awful dream. Naomi's Mother does have prophetic dreams and I told myself that's all it was a horrible nightmare.

But it wasn't and when it does happen I'm glad I was forewarned as if it had suddenly been thrust into this lovely and peaceful journey without warning I honestly don't think I could have coped.

I won't say any more as I don't want to be guilty of any spoilers, everyone must enjoy this book as much as I did. I was actually heartbroken when it came to an end and feel quite bereft in the aftermath of such emotions that the book created. Superb.

Old school western romance, but absolutely beautifully written. Stunning prose, and a plot that leaves me amazed!The word that comes to mind as I reflect on this book is: rich. The writing, the storytelling, the characters, the pacing, literally every facet of the book is exquisitely done.