The Girls We Sent Away, by Meagan Church, is the kind of audiobook that makes you come up with reasons to get in the car just so you can keep listening without distractions at home. The story is emotional and interesting, and the narrator, Susan Bennett, is pitch perfect. Highly recommend!!!!

This was a side of history I hadn’t read much of, but found to be an interesting read. Lorraine, our main character, is a model student. About to be valedictorian of her class with a fond interest in science she is looking forward to further education and not a housewife like her mother. On a special event her boyfriend takes her out for a picnic and she finds herself pregnant. In this era of the 1960s unwed pregnancy still means shame for a family and when her boyfriend refuses to marry her Lorraine is sent to a home for teenage pregnancies.

3.5 stars

"The Girls We Sent Away" by Meagan Church is historical fiction set in the 1960s in the Southern US. The main character, Lorraine Delford, is a smart girl from a good family with a decent boyfriend. Clint is one year ahead of her and she is going into her senior year. She is planning to be class valedictorian and go to college. Then a month or so after an intimate goodbye date with Clint, she discovers she is pregnant. She thinks they will get married.. but that's not his plan.

Lorraine's parents send her to a home for unwed pregnant teens to spend the last trimester and force them to give up the babies for adoption.

This is a well written and heart wrenching book. I related to Lorraine wanting to get an education. It is real and painful to witness this even through a book. It is an important piece of the history of our country.

Characters 4/5
Writing 4/5
Plot 3/5
Pacing 4/5
Unputdownability 3/5
Enjoyment 2/5
Narration 4/5 by Susan Bennett
Cover 4/5, pretty just not hour I imagined the home to look
Overall 3.5/5

The audiobook does not have the afterword from the author mentioned in other reviews.

Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media, and Meagan Church for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church is a heartbreaking work of historical fiction. This one will tug on your heartstrings for a long time, much like Sadeqa Johnson's The House of Eve. You are on the journey with Lorraine Delford from beginning to end, watching her dreams fade away as she travels through the world of the maternity home for wayward girls, and then, as she reemerges back into the world with her new reality. She will never be the same, but as a reader, you become her biggest cheerleader, with hope on both your sides.

So glad I chose it. It’s a little slow moving but it’s beautifully written. There’s a lot of background information and detailed descriptions which add to the depth of the story.
I had the good fortune of receiving the audiobook version. The narration, by Susan Bennett, is well paced. Her pleasant, calm voice is easy to listen to. I enjoyed listening to this heart wrenching story.
Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the opportunity to enjoy the audiobook version of this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to The Girls We Sent Away. The author did a good job balancing character dialogue and narration. The narration was easy to follow as the narrator did a good job distinguishing characters. This thought provoking book has gut wrenching & heartbreaking moments, but is a beautiful description of the time era. I definitely recommend!

The Girls We Sent Away was the first book that I had the pleasure of reading by Meagan Church. I listened to the audiobook that was well narrated by Susan Bennett. It was a heartbreaking, emotional and thought provoking book about a subject that has been written about over the years. The Girls We Sent Away took place in the southern state of North Carolina during the 1960’s. It was a time where society dictated the role that women were expected to play. Any deviations from what was considered the “norm “ was frowned upon, challenged and covered up if possible. One was led to believe that mistakes had to paid for. The payoffs could be demoralizing, lonely and life changing.

Lorraine Delford was the kind of daughter any parent would have been proud to call their own. At sixteen years old, Lorraine was on the trajectory to becoming the valedictorian of her graduating high school class. Her aspirations were to become an astronaut and discover things about space that had never been explored. Lorraine’s ambitions were to attend college and have a career. This was not the norm in the 1960’s. Women were expected to marry, have babies and keep home for their husbands. That was what her mother’s life looked like but Lorraine wanted more. She was an only child of parents who provided Lorraine with a good upbringing that emphasized recognizing right from wrong. Her mother was quite strict with Lorraine and always warned Lorraine about living a life that portrayed her as a good girl. Lorraine had her father wrapped around her little finger. She knew how to get her father’s approval for things she wanted to do. It was her father and not her mother that finally had given Lorraine permission to become the only female lifeguard the summer before her senior year of high school. Her mother was worried more about how revealing Lorraine’s bathing suits were. Lorraine had a steady boyfriend. Clint was a regular guest at the Delford home for family dinners. He was about to go off to college in the fall. As that summer progressed, Lorraine felt herself giving in to more of Clint’s urges and desires. Lorraine expected that someday in the future she would probably marry Clint. He had told Lorraine that he loved her and had given her a promise ring before he left for college. One night, though, would change Lorraine’s life forever even though Clint’s would remain unchanged.

There was no sense in trying to deny the facts any longer. Lorraine knew deep down in her gut that she was pregnant. It had only been that one time but here she was pregnant with Clint’s baby. She knew deep in her heart that Clint would do the right thing by her. They would get married. Clint was only in his freshman year but they would find a way for him to continue his education, have the baby and become a family. How disillusioned Lorraine had been. Clint wanted nothing to do with Lorraine’s plan or her. Lorraine was forced to divulge everything to her parents. After the pregnancy was confirmed, Lorraine’s parents saw that sending her away for the last few months of the pregnancy was their only choice. They were disappointed and embarrassed by her actions. Lorraine’s parents wanted to avoid the shame and humiliation they would experience if their friends, neighbors or family discovered Lorraine’s situation. Arrangements were made for Lorraine to spend the last few months of her pregnancy at a home for unwed mothers. Lorraine was fed falsehoods about the life she was expecting to live at the home. More than anything, Lorraine wanted to graduate from high school. She only had a few months left. Surely she could attend school at the home. Lorraine couldn’t have been more wrong about the expectations she had for her life at the home her parents had selected for her to live at. She would soon learn that all the girls who entered this home were only expected to give birth to the baby they were carrying, give the baby up and then return home to their former lives as if nothing had occurred. Would Lorraine be able to do that?

The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church was well written and researched. The fates of these young girls and what was expected of them were dictated by a society that was burdened down with “norms and expectations”. Most often these girls were left on their own to endure the remainder of their pregnancies and the births of their babies. Many of these girls were so naive. Mothers never explained a great many things to their daughters just because those subjects were not usually spoken about. It was a sad time to be a woman. How unfair that society recognized the acts performed by women as scandalous but placed no consequences on men! My heart went out to Lorraine and all she had to endure on her own. As a mother, I find it extremely difficult to understand Lorraine’s parents decisions, actions and why they prioritized the opinions and attitudes of their friends over the welfare of their only child. I know times were different but a parent should always choose their child first and above others. I enjoyed reading The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Recorded Books for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Publication was March 5, 2024.

This was a really good book to listen to. Susan Bennett did a wonderful job narrating this story. I found her voice very soothing and kept me hooked through this book. Meagan Church did a wonderful job writing this story. It's so sad that girls back then were just shipped off instead of cared for by their family or parents. This is a beautiful but heartbreaking story and you won't want to stop listening. Lorraine is a likable character and Meagan will make you feel what it would be like to be in her shoes. There is a little twist close to the end. I would definitely recommend this book!


Thank You NetGalley and RB Media, Recorded Books for allowing me to listen to this ARC for my honest opinion.

In book news, I recently read Girls We Sent Away. It was the story of Lorraine, a teenager in the south in the 1960s who was sent away to a home after becoming pregnant with her boyfriend’s baby. This story was gripping and so emotional. Looking at Lorraine who was the valedictorian of her class with aspirations of being an astronaut being treated as she has done something so wrong and having all of her dreams stripped away was heartbreaking. How the girls and women were treated was horrific, completely abandoned and let down by everyone in their lives was heavy but also kept me fixated. I loved the relationships among the girls at the home and glimpses of hope for them after the strength of being together. It was so important to see how women were treated to ensure and fight to make sure that we never end up there again.

The Girls We Sent Away is a well-written story of love and loss, shame and survival.

The author has done an excellent job of researching the Baby Scoop Era and then reflecting this through the heartbreaking story of Lorraine - a story that is powerful and rich in detail. In fact, I wasn’t ready for the story to end! I wanted to hear more about Lorraine - how she (hopefully) went onto survive and carve a future for herself that was likely different from her childhood dreams.

The audiobook is very well narrated by Susan Bennett. The pace is perfect, allowing the story to flow and be understood by the listener. She beautifully brings the characters to life.

This is the first novel by Meagan Church that I have read; I recommend it and would be happy to read further novels from this author.

Thank you to the audio publisher, RB Media for an audio copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, what a heart wrenching story!

First of all thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for this advance copy audio of The Girls We Sent Away! This story is a vital one. As someone who personally encountered motherhood at a young age on accident (not much differently than Lorraine), this hit me in all the feels. You instantly gauge how incredibly different women were treated and dealt with in the 50s & 60s. The limited belief systems of what women were capable of…. just infuriated me and also broke my heart. Such an important piece of history for people to read to remember where we never want to be again. 💔 Overall, I enjoyed this on audio. I hoped for a little more at the end but thought the epilogue was nice.

I really loved this book! The audiobook narration was great. The plot and the character development were well fleshed out and enjoyable to read.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

A teenager becomes pregnant in the 1960's. What a scandal. She isn't married, so she must be sent away to hide the shame.

This was out of the norm of my typical reads, but I found this to be relatable to any woman because some of these issues are still rapid in today's society.

Some twists and turns set this book apart. This story is a must read to see the history we have come from.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this audiobook for my honest opinion.

The overall story was very good. However, it didn't keep me hooked. Lorraine's internal conversations were a little long for my liking. When she's about to tell her boyfriend she is pregnant, well, we get it. She's nervous.

The narrator did a fantastic job! Would listen to more by her!

I enjoyed this book. This is a good medium-fast paced book/audiobook.
Quick plot: Smart and slightly naive aspiring astronaut girl is forced to grow up as a secret grows and changes her whole life forever.
I appreciated the strength of the FMC, Lorraine.
The very clear and quick setting of the scene (North Carolina suburbs) and time period (1960’s) made me feel like I was there.
The different points of view and flashback scenes were intriguing and enjoyable.
I liked the narrator. Her American accents helped the story. It took a few chapters to get used to Susan doing the guys’ voices but then it was good after that. Very talented to manage so many different characters so quickly. Her voice helped you empathise with the characters.

Meagan Church made me cry. Multiple times. I was not at all prepared for how emotionally draining and raw THE GIRLS WE SENT AWAY would be... but I don't know why I would expect anything less from the author of The Last Carolina Girl.

In this novel, it centers on the often untold truth of the fact that in America's past often times girls that became unexpectedly pregnant were sent away to homes for wayward girls to have their child out of the public eye and it be taken from them: this is the case of Lorraine in this novel; a high school senior at the top of her class with dreams and ambitions; til they're destroyed by her parents decision to take her to a home full of suffering and secrets and lies as she completes her last two trimesters.

There's so much emotion running rampant in this novel; and some of it comes unexpectedly in the littlest of dialogue- the side characters in the book often steal the show, and even as I turned the last pages my heart wept for some of those minor characters.

Buy the whole damn case of Kleenex from Costco, and then pickup THE GIRLS WE SENT AWAY on March 5th when it releases from Sourcebooks; thanks to the publisher for an ALC.

Lorraine is your not so typical girl next door. It’s the 1960’s but she has big dreams, she wants to go to space. She has the perfect life. A nice boyfriend, summer job and is set to graduate top of her class. That is until after one night she gets pregnant. Her parents decide to send her away to a home for wayward girls to “solve their problems.” Now Lorraine must face the reality of what these homes are really like and the dark secrets that comes with it.

What can I say? This story broke my heart! I think I ran through every emotion while reading it. This was so beautifully written and well researched. It’s just so hard to believe that not so long ago these girls were being shipped off, and babies being ripped away, and don’t even get me started on childbirth back then. It’s also an important story to be told, especially during the baby broker era. This is definitely work picking up.

Thank you @bookmarked @mchurchwriter for this book!

Set in the 1960's, 17-year old Lorraine finds herself pregnant with her high school boyfriend. With little choice and no one to protect her, Lorraine is banished to a home for unwed mothers to wait out her time until she gives birth. Full of potential, Lorraine's life is totally upended and her life is changed forever. Full of secrets, The Girls We Sent Away is a really powerful book, especially in the current era where women's choices and bodily autonomy are under assault on a daily basis. Your heart will ache for the beautiful, brilliant Lorraine as she realizes that life isn't fair for young women with no choice. I listened to the audio version of the book. Meagan Church is a beautiful writer and the narrator was excellent.

A great historical fiction read. I listened to this one in audiobook form and really enjoyed the narrators storytelling.

I thought the author did a great job with this novel. Although I wasn’t born in the 60’s I did get pregnant right after high school graduation. I always am interested to see if an author can really harness all the emotions and feelings of something so many people actually go through and Church did just that. This book had me emotionally many times as it made me recall many of my own experiences with a teenage/unwed pregnancy. I’m so thankful that we have come so much farther (though still not far enough) than what Lorraine had to experience by being sent away. I thought Church did a great job creating and building her character. I only wish we would have gotten more character building with some of the other pregnant girls at the maternity home. Church did a great job focusing on the way the world was during this time period. I enjoyed the connection with the space race and all of Lorraine’s aspirations but the period of time found all the ways it could to keep women grounded. I also really liked the epilogue seeing how Lorraine was a bit later after she returned home.

The Baby Scoop Era should be discussed more.

I had high hopes for the premise of this book; unfortunately, this was a bit of a swing and a miss for me.

Everything felt too surface level. Lorraine was a bit naive, her parents were horrendous but seemed to be forgiven quite quickly. All the dramatic turn of events that took place at the maternity home felt glossed over and moved on from quickly. We never even got a resolution from one of the situations. Allen seemed like a sweet guy, but we never got to really know him, either.

I guess I was hoping for a book that would make me cry, and this wasn’t it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!