I first met the McAlister family in No Ocean Too Wide, and I was immediately drawn to this family of five children that were torn apart by their mother's illness. Three of the younger McAlister children became British Home Children, and were eventually separated from their siblings. No Journey Too Far is set about ten years later, and once again, readers witness their continued search for each other.

Author Carrie Turansky has created a mesmerizing sequel, and she vividly portrays the changes in her wonderful characters over the past few years. I sympathized with Grace's efforts to please her adoptive parents, and her devastating belief that she would be shunned if people learned that she had been a British Home child. She and her older brother Garth now have a chance at love and romance, but will they be able to overcome the many obstacles that await them?

This book had history and mystery to spark my interest, but the faith and strong family ties were what kept me reading. I was once again touched by this family's hope, determination, trust, and faith, and I am thankful to have learned the history behind the British Home Children. Turansky has written a stunning story and I highly recommend No Journey Too Far to all who enjoy historical Christian fiction set during the post World War I era.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley but I was under no obligation to write a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

I enjoyed the first book from Carrie Turansky’s McAlister Family series, No Ocean Too Wide. I was excited to have the opportunity to read number two, No Journey Too Far. I was far from being disappointed. This one tops my favorites I have read by her to date. It was so very good. I enjoyed the light mystery and suspense. It was entertaining to be transported back in time to the post World War I era. I had no problem spending the day with all of these characters. I loved it!

No Journey Too Far is getting a very well deserved five plus stars from me. I highly recommend to for readers who enjoy reading historical romance. I can not wait to get my hands on book three from the McAlister Family series.

I received a copy of No Journey Too Far from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

The second book in the McAlister Family series is just as beautiful as I had hoped. Turansky has woven the true story of the British Home Children into a sequel that continues the story begun in "No Ocean Too Wide."

Garth and Grace McAlister have both dealt with many challenges after being separated and placed into different homes. The McAlister family has been split into fragments of what it once was, with brothers and sisters torn apart from one another, placed in homes in Canada or sold into indentured servitude.

Grace has been adopted into a wealthy family after being placed at age 5. Although she has been fortunate enough to be placed in a home where money is of no concern, doubt and questions overcome her when she stumbles upon a chest full of documents that share her true birth story. Should she try and reunite with her birth family? When an unexpected visitor stops by her new home, her world is spun on its axis.

Garth's story has been very different from the happy life Grace was given. As an indentured servant, his life has been filled with coarse treatment and long hours of labor. He has not enjoyed the benefits of a new home, other than to be looked upon as a worker who owes more than he can pay.
He lost his love and plans to find her--no matter how far that journey might take him. Can he find his long lost sister along the way?

Turansky deals with some challenging circumstances in ways that offer grace, encouragement and most of all, HOPE. Her stories don't gloss over the hard--she confronts the issues and brings the reader characters that continue on despite setbacks. I think during the challenging times we live in, we need more books like the McAlister series. We need authors willing to tackle tough times and themes in a compassionate, loving manner.

This book would be an amazing choice for a book club to discuss. I loved the first entry in this series, "No Ocean Too Wide," which is exactly where you should begin. This series will hook you and keep you invested long after the book has closed.

I was an early reader, thanks to the publisher. All opinions are my own. Don't miss this stirring story of a family too strong to break, no matter what struggles they're confronted with.

I have really enjoyed this series by Carrie Turansky. I have learned so much history here that I really had no idea about. It made me want to scour the internet for even more information! Yes I read books to escape, or for fun. But I also love learning new things. The evidence of Turansky's research is evident once again on every page. It doesn't take long for you to be transported back in time, both by Turansky's dialogue, and vivid descriptions.

No Journey Too Far is more than just a love story. It's mysterious yes, but it's a story about family bond. Family love. Two siblings who were torn apart looking for each other. Turansky gives us a little mystery too, which really added to the depth of the story for me. But what I loved most of all was the faith theme Turansky weaves throughout the pages. It's not forced or preachy, it just beautifully fits into the story line and speaks to your heart.

I highly recommend this book to historical fiction fans, although it would be best to read book one first to get the back story. You'll learn something with that book too!! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

This story definitely has a bit of everything. It has a romance and a bit of suspense. It also has quite of historical facts that I honestly did not know much about and had me digging and searching for more. I do love when fiction does that! It's always sad to grasp the thought that children were taken from their families and some never got to be reunited with their siblings.

Overall I thought this story was beautifully written. You can tell that Carrie Turansky did a lot of research for this book which was greatly appreciated by me. I also loved how she weaves God's message of redemption within the story. I highly recommend you grab this one if you enjoy historical fiction but definitely grab the first one as you will enjoy it even more especially seeing the growth of these characters between these two books.

No Journey Too Far, by Carrie Turansky, is the second book in The McAlister Family series. This touching historical fiction novel is set in England and Canada in the months following the end of WWI. With an emphasis on the value of friends and the gift of family, this book is engaging and inspiring. Elements of romance, suspense, and history strengthen a plot that is altogether captivating and meaningful. From the first sentence to the last, this novel is wholly moving as it explores such worthy themes as struggle and success, heartache and hope, and loss and restoration. Abounding with thoughtful details and compelling drama, this story is utterly endearing and memorable.

The characters in this book are truly authentic and relatable. From the first few pages, I found myself easily invested in their stories, sincerely caring about them and their motivations, their concerns, their goals, and their faith. Even when facing significant struggles and setbacks, the characters display a tremendous depth of patience. They must wait frequently. They wait on others, they wait for answers, and they wait for news. Yet, in all their waiting, they exhibit a patient trust that all things will work out as they should according to God’s perfect will and timing. Throughout this book, the characters’ patient perseverance is evidence of a faith grounded in a God who is always trustworthy. And it is through these characters, their steadfast endurance, and their humble faith, that the plot flows easily, sweeping the reader along on a satisfying journey of danger, doubt, hope, love, and new beginnings.

In No Journey Too Far, Ms. Turansky’s writing is well-researched, detailed, heart-felt, and expressive, making this novel especially fascinating and engaging. With its compelling blend of history, romance, faith, and suspense, this book is an uplifting, enjoyable novel that I wholeheartedly recommend to all readers.

*I was given a copy of this book from the publisher/author and NetGalley. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.

"No Journey Too Far" is such a satisfying conclusion to "No Ocean too wide"!
I couldn't wait to read this book as the first book ends with a cliffhanger. Will the McAlister family ever find Grace? Will Garth be able to return home?
Ten years have gone by and in all this time the McAlisters haven't had luck in finding Grace, but that doesn't stop them from searching and hoping.
Grace, now a young woman, remembers her siblings and sends out a letter to the orphanage seeking information about her real family. Because of this letter, Grace & Garth finally meet!
We also meet Emma Lafferty, the girl that Garth loves and all the troubles she has to endure as a British Home Child.
This book really is an eye opener as to what the British Home Children had to go through and all the horrible prejudices they had to endure. Great Job Mrs. Turansky!

No Journey Too Far was a wonderful conclusion to the McAlister Family series. I enjoyed this story even more than book one! There were four characters who comprise the main roles in this story. Garth, Rob, Grace, and Emma were all British Home Children. They each had their own struggles growing up in various situations and in this story, they were grown, yet there were some very real obstacles to overcome before a happy ending could be found.

It was hard to watch the way Emma was treated once it was known that she was an orphan. The author did a good job of showing the manner in which many people looked down on the British Home Children.

There were two romances that blossomed during the novel and they were the perfect bit of sweetness that kept me eagerly reading to find out what would happen in both Grace and Emma’s lives. I really enjoyed this story.

(4.5 stars)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book! It was the perfect ending to this series. It picks up several years after No Ocean Too Wide left off. I also can't get over how beautiful the cover is too. I really enjoyed reading about the British Home Children in these books. It's my favorite way of learning about new bits of history. I would definitely recommend this book and series!

This was a great book by Carrie Turansky. I really enjoyed the first book in this series so it was fun to read the continuation and see what had happened in the McAlister family’s lives. It was also interesting to see what life was like after WWI. I also thought it was interesting to learn how British Home Children were treated and how said it was that some people thought they were lesser people because of unfortunate situations that caused them to be sent to Canada. I liked how Carrie showed that that wasn’t true. I loved seeing the romance between Garth and Emma. I also loved how Grace was willing to sacrifice everything to be reunited with her family in England. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

Readers learn more about the Canada 1919 British Home Child prejudice as Emma Lafferty is in a fight for her life. Garth searches for his true love, Emma, and his sister Grace. He seeks out Grace first and then went on a wild, frantic search for Emma. This is a thrilling, heartwarming conclusion to the McAlister family saga.

Grace was young when she was adopted, but her parents never talked about it. Grace had a hole in her heart and an ache in her soul for her family. She was grateful to her adoptive parents and that they treated her well. She was raised in a privileged home, and she did her best to please her parents and followed the rules, so she would be viewed in the right light for the coming out season. But her adoptive parents wanted her to never speak about being a home child. This did not sit well with Grace. How could she not be honest with her husband to be, or anyone else for that matter.

I always enjoy the author notes: She states, “I wanted to continue the story not only to tell what happened to Grace and Garth, but also to highlight some challenges British Home Children faced when they became young adults. After they finished their indentured contracts, many had to strike out on their own and find ways to make a living and provide for themselves. Some young men went off to fight in WWI or WWII, and not all of them survived. Those who did often hide the fact they’d come to Canada as Home children, because of the stigma and prejudice against them.”

The author does a brilliant job of showing the hardships and prejudices of this group. I like how she also showed the triumphs. This is a wonderful conclusion, showing a family’s search for love and restoration. I liked the natural spiritual thread as these characters seek answers for their future.

It is a satisfying, entertaining, informative summer read, and one that would work well for your next book club pick.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

Series: This book is the sequel to “No Ocean Too Wide”.


Spiritual Content- Psalm 9:9-10 at the beginning & in the Readers Guide; Singing a Hymn; Many Prayers; Many Talks about God, His plans, & faiths; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God, Jesus, His will, faiths, & forgiveness; Mentions of prayers, praying, & thanking God; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of churches, church going, sermons, & reverends/pastors; Mentions of blessings & being blessed; A few mentions of miracles; A couple mentions of sins;
*Note: A mention of a man blaming his actions towards a young lady on the “demon drink” (alcohol).


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘blasted’s; A couple mentions of curses (said, not written); Finding a murdered body & being accused as the murderer (barely-above-not-detailed); *Spoiler* [Grace sneaks out to meet Garth after her parents talk about sending her to a relative to keep her away from Garth, her biological brother *End of Spoiler*]; Many mentions of wars, soldiers, fighting, weapons, injuries, & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a murdered body, how it happened, the killer, & arrests (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of illness, near deaths, & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a possible robbery/burglary, thieves, & stealing; Mentions of threats & blackmail; Mentions of bars, drinking, alcohol, drunks, gambling, & carousing; Mentions of lies, lying, & deceiving; Mentions of prejudice towards British Home Children; A few mentions of threatening to arrest someone on the charges of kidnapping; A few mentions of a carriage accident, fires, & deaths; A few mentions of contracts & being treated like a slave (and some running away because of it); A few mentions of rumors; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of hunting; A couple mentions of coarse language; A couple mentions of tobacco & cigarettes; A mention of bullies; A mention of a man threatening to tan a hunting dog’s hide.


Sexual Content- a top-of-the-head kiss, a hand/fingers kiss, a cheek kiss, a forehead kiss, an almost kiss, and two semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, & Hand Holding (x2); Noticing, Nearness, & Smelling (x2); Blushes; A man makes an offer for Emma to join him at his hotel twice (she says she is not that kind of girl and he makes remarks based on her past); Mentions of flirting & winks; A handful of mentions of kisses & kissing; A few mentions of a man’s vile intentions towards a young lady & pushing her onto a bed (she was able to escape because he was drunk (view spoiler); A few mentions of being sweet on someone; A mention of a man’s reputation as a heartbreaker; A mention of chaperones; Love, falling in love, being in love, & the emotions (x2);
*Note: A mention of that childbirth can be dangerous for the mother and infant.

-Grace McAlister Hamilton, age 17-18
-Garth McAlister, age 24
-Emma Lafferty, age 21
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1919 (Prologue in 1909)
368 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars

{ Possibly not a suitable book for Adoptees – See Note Below }

I’ve been anticipating this sequel since the minute after I finished reading “No Ocean Too Wide”—actually it was probably more like ten seconds after finishing it. ;)

The first book felt so emotionally heavy with the topic of a family being split apart, but there was still the hopefulness on the plot because of the characters’ faiths. I really enjoy Miss Carrie Turansky’s books because of her faith content shown and these two were exactly the same.
Right before reading this sequel, I reread “No Ocean Too Wide” and, yes, the topic still makes my heart ache so much, but I was so excited to finally be able to read this book. This sequel is set ten years after the first, and while I would have preferred to see everything happy and the family reunited much quicker than ten years, sometimes it takes a while for all of The Lord’s plan to fall in place.

A lot happens in this book and it was a little strange to me to see the kids I had just got done reading about all grown up and around my age. But, that’s my fault for reading them back to back. This second book isn’t as heavy as the first book, but there’s still a lot of things going on. Sometimes it felt a like a little too much, but because it’s three characters and their lives are intersecting, it makes sense.

Once again, Miss Carrie had phenomenal Spiritual Content in this book and I’m always so encouraged to see the faiths her characters display. While I don’t think I would call this my favorite series (duology?) by her, it definitely has a place close to my heart because of the topic.


Note: Due to Grace’s adoptive parents never love her unconditionally as their daughter, she thinks negatively towards them and how “she could never be the daughter they wanted because she was not their daughter by birth. She was an orphan, and they were ashamed of her and intent on making her keep that secret….She might have been adopted into the Hamilton family, but she didn’t belong to them. She was a McAlister, and somewhere out there she had two sisters and a brother. They had a shared heritage and memories of their life in England with their mum, who had truly loved them, faults and all.”

While this is all true in Grace’s case, I note this section for adoptees, as it could be triggering or harmful for them to read Grace’s doubts and upset scenes (including one where her adoptive mother slaps her after Grace speaks her thoughts about them waiting her to hide her being adopted). It is a convenient plot point and probably historically accurate in many ways of the fact her adoptive parents not loving her fully, but I can also see where it could be triggering for adoptees reading this book. Thankfully, things are better and do not end with resentment at the end, but I still feel like I need to mention this part of the book’s plot.




*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Multnomah) for this honest review.

No Journey Too Far is the sequel to No Ocean Too Wide. When Laura discovers the mistake of her siblings who were sent to Canada as home children without their mother’s permission, she travels to Canada to find them.
In the second book the family still has not be reunited with their youngest sister, Grace, but she decides to find out what happened to her family. Garth, her brother is also trying find another sister Emma, who was an indentured servant on a farm.
A story of ups and down, a murder trial and two love stories. Grab a chair and start reading this beautiful story of watching God hand in each situation that the children were faced with. When life might seem impossible, God is always there.

How far would you go to find the ones you love? In No Ocean Too Wide, Carrie Turansky gave us the story of a family torn apart by the child welfare system and spread across the ocean. The younger McAlister children were taken into care as their mother fought for her life in a London hospital, but instead of being restored to their family when she recovered, Garth, Katie and Grace were sent to Canada as orphans. In No Journey Too Far, Turansky tells us just how far the McAlister family will go to restore their loved ones to the family.

Garth has fulfilled the terms of his indenture and been discharged from his military service at the end of the Great War. Now it is time to return to Canada, claim Emma as his bride, and find little sister Grace. But life has been exceedingly difficult for Emma in Garth's absence, and she's beginning to wonder if he will indeed return for her. Since he hasn't replied to her letters in months, she isn't even sure if he will be able to find her, and a murder charge is just one more roadblock to happiness for this orphan. Grace, on the other hand, remembers that she has a loving family out there somewhere. She also knows that her adoptive parents have always tried to conceal the fact that was not born to them. On the cusp of adulthood and her entry into the marriage market, Grace's greatest challenge is understanding her identity. For all they have endured, there are still more hurdles to clear before they can see the Lord's plan for their lives.

With the McAlister Family series, Carrie Turansky has shown us just some of the benefits and great costs of the British child emigration system. She has created a family for whom we can cry in the pits of their despair and rejoice in their triumphs. There is certainly no journey too far for this family, and through them we can see there is no journey too far for our loving Father to restore His loved ones to His family.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

No Ocean Too Wide left two of the McAlister children in Canada, separated from their family. This was only acceptable because I knew that author Carrie Turansky would be telling the rest of their story soon. Which she has done here in No Journey Too Far.

The plight of the British Home Children was very sad! As if it wasn't enough they were orphaned without anyone to care for them, they were sent across the ocean, often indentured as servants, and then treated like criminals simply because of their circumstances. My heart ached for Emma and Grace as they experienced firsthand the sting of that reputation - each in a completely different way.

I really enjoyed this lovely story! It had a little bit of everything. Romance, history, mystery, and faith. I was fully invested in the events as they unfolded, wondering how they would work out, wanting to read every word describing how they did.

Lovers of historical fiction will want to be sure to read the McAlister Family series!

I did not enjoy this book. I wanted to like it so much, but I felt the writing fell short of what the plot entailed. I just don’t think it was for me!

No Journey Too Far
As excellent as the first book, No Ocean Too Wide. Suspense, love, mystery, and happiness. This story could have really happened.

No Journey to Far by Carrie Turansky
What a wonderful continuation of the McAlister family. Carrie Turansky is one of my favorite Christian writer. She has a way of pulling you into the story from the very beginning.

Description - A family long divided, a mysterious trunk, and a desperate journey across the sea - all in the name of love. The epic saga of the McAlister continues in this rivet sequel to No Ocean Too Wide. In 1909, Grace was sent to Canada with thousands children through British Home Children. She was lucky to be adopted by a great couple, not everyone was that fortunate. She found a trunk that let her know that she had another family. She will search for her real family.

The story of Garth begins with him returning from the Great War. He will leave England in search of his little sister and his girlfriend Emma, who said she would wait for him. His adventure begins with him going to see his girlfriend and she isn't where she was supposed to be.

My thoughts - I spent a lot of time wondering what would happen to the McAlister family in this book. I knew all but one child was found and we would be reading about Grace and her journey. I fell in love with the characters and their story during this continue sage. I have to say that I really liked the parts of the story that during difficulty they was always communication with their Lord. I learned about how British Home Children were treated when people would find out about them. They were looked down at!

Rating - I give this book a five out of five stars

Recommindation - I will gladly recommend this book to family and friends though Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I will leave my review on netgalley, Amazon, bookbud, Goodreads, and Barnes and Noble.

Disclaimer - I received this book from the author and publishing company for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

Carrie Turansky’s McAlister Family series highlights the difficulties faced by British Home Children, emigrated to Canada. The stories happen ten years apart. Each shows the children forcibly taken abroad, and the lengths their family went to, to reunite them.

Sensitively written, the stories of Katie, Garth and little Grace will tug your heart strings. Thankfully, Ms Turanksy is a master of the deft use of light to break up the harder parts. Laura’s battle to find her siblings and return them to England will make you, cheer and wipe away a tear.

NO OCEAN TOO WIDE

After their father dies tragically, their hires on with a seamstress to make ends meet, but after falling ill, the children are taken to an orphanage while their mother is in hospital. Laura rushes to collect them but isn’t allowed access and by the time she can see them, the children have left for a new life overseas, three of more than 100,000 wo were part of the scheme.

With the help of an aristocratic British lawyer Andrew Fraser, Laura sets out to right the wrong. What follows is a gut-wrenching tale of two families love. Laura manages some partial success by the end of the first book, No Ocean Too Wide. Then comes the First World War. Book two, No Journey Too Far, begins after hostilities are over.

NO JOURNEY TOO FAR

The second offering sees Garth return to Canada to find the girl he loves and to try and make contact with still missing Grace. As circumstances throw up roadblocks and legal battles, the likelihood of all the siblings being reunited seems slim. I won’t give away the stunning end to the McAlister Family series, but I will say, there’s one of the most moving scenes I’ve ever read, very near the end (it happens at a station). As a parent, this book took me to pieces and made me go hug my littles tight.

Beautifully done and highly recommended.

Connect with Carrie Turansky’s website…

Buy or read an excerpt of No Ocean Too Wide…

Buy or read an excerpt of No Journey Too Far…

Find some other great historical fiction among these reviews…

This is the second book in the MacAlister family story. While this book can definitely be read as a stand alone, it is so much richer if you read No Ocean too Wide first. The MacAlister family was separated by mistake and three of the siblings were shipped to Canada as British Home children. All of the family has been reunited except the youngest sister Grace. Flash forward ten years and Grace comes across a trunk with details of her former life prior to her adoption. Through many ups and downs, the MacAlister family is able to be reunited.

I was drawn into this story and could not read it fast enough. The prejudice that was experienced by the British Home children was not something I had ever heard about before. What a sad time in history. Thank you to the author for bringing these issues to light.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.