Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and author Fiona McIntosh for this eARC

The Orphans is a beautiful love story set in the early 1900s Australia.
The story is nothing new or groundbreaking, but McIntosh does a beautiful job of telling it and making the reader fall in love with the characters.
If you enjoy historical fiction and romance this is the book for you!

I loved every little detail of this book. Fiona McIntosh captures the world of Australia in the early 20th century with a wonderful sense. Every page of the novel shines with the care and thorough background work that the author has put into the portrayal of the setting and the era.

Fleur Appleby and Tom Catchlove are still children when they first meet, but even then you can sense how mature and independent-minded they are. But life takes them away from each other for many years – twenty years pass before they meet again, and in the meantime, they both face many challenges. As a child, Fleur shares with Tom her dream of following in her father's footsteps and becoming a mortician, while Tom reveals his ambition to become a wool classifier. Although they both eventually achieve what they have always dreamed of, their paths are marked with tragedy and hardship.

One of the novel's strongest features is its subtle yet profound approach to the topic of death. Fleur's and her father's vocation, as well as the personal losses of the two protagonists, provide a good basis for Fiona McIntosh to touch this difficult subject with sensitivity and great respect. The story often brought tears to my eyes, but it brought a smile to my face as well.

While reading, I could practically breathe along with the characters. I felt as if I were part of the story, even if only as an observer. More than once, I found myself at dawn, tired-eyed but still reading the pages of the novel, unable to put it down, even though I knew I would have to get up in a few hours.

"The Orphans" is a book that I wholeheartedly recommend to everyone. Yes, it is heartbreaking at times, but as emotions run high, it does not leave the reader unaffected, and it shows how love can bring light to life's darkest moments. I was impressed by Fleur's strength, courage, and determination to achieve everything she believed in. And Tom, despite the tragedies of his youth, becomes a gentle yet strong and reliable man – who has captured not only Fleur's heart, but mine too.

This was my first introduction to the work of Fiona McIntosh, but it will certainly not be my last. Even as I was reading it, I felt that this story was claiming a place among my favourite books – and a prominent one.

A heartfelt story that lingers—just a little too long.
I really loved the characters in The Orphans, especially Fleur and Tom. Their connection and individual journeys are touching and well-written. The plot is strong, emotional, and full of heart, but the pacing dragged at times due to overly detailed descriptions. I skimmed through parts, but overall it’s a memorable and beautifully told story worth reading. Rounded up to 4 stars for the emotional depth and standout characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this very unique historical novel by Fiona McIntosh. It was part history, part romance, part suffrage all taking place in Australia at the brink of WWII.

The characters were fleshed out beautifully and the plot took many twists and turns adding to the complexity of the story!

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish! There were so many twists and turns throughout and I felt every pain from hardships that the characters felt. The author did an amazing job bringing the character’s stories to life and I honestly wanted to know so much more. It was a slower read for me, but not in a negative way. Would love to read more by Fiona in the future.

The Orphans by Fiona McIntosh is a historical fiction novel that takes us to Australia in the early 1900’s. Fleur and Tom meet when they are children when Tom’s mother dies and Fleur’s father is the undertaker. After Tom’s mother dies, his grandmother doesn’t want to care for him so Tom leaves. Some 20 years later their paths cross again and from there is a beautifully written story of two broken people finding love and hope in each other. Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the arc.

This historical, romantic fiction is beautifully written and gives the reader a glimpse into life in the 1930’s, from the bustling and growing city of Adelaide to the dusty deserts of outback South Australia.

It is told through the perspective of brave, passionate and just Fleur, and handsome, intelligent and hard working Tom. Two characters brought together through unimaginable grief and loss. Two paths that were never meant to cross, but fate entwined their lives regardless.

It was so evident in the details and descriptions that the time in history in which the book is set, the geographical location and the way of life was researched meticulously. As a reader, you appreciate the time and effort the author has put in to making sure you feel almost transported back in time, walking alongside the characters, seeing, hearing and feeling as they do.

This is not the first book I’ve read by Fiona McIntosh and it certainly won’t be the last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review

This novel by Fiona Macintosh is set in Australia and it follows a historical setting from the early 1900’s.
The story is based on the characters of Fleur and Tom. It has murder, loss and a baddie. Above all it shows what strength and courage can do.

The Orphans
By: Fiona McIntosh

5 Stars

This was such a beautiful story. Tom and Fleur, both orphans, meet on a tragic and sad day when they are children. Years later, they meet again in a serendipitous meeting that will forever change them.

This story was beautifully written. It presented a tale of loss and pain while also presenting a tale of drama, mystery, and romance. This was a book that was so easy to be captivated by. The scenery was descriptive and intriguing. I was lost in the deserts of Australia and a budding new country. I felt completely swept up in the story. The characters were so real and relatable. They made me feel all the emotions. I was mad, sad, angry, happy. I laughed, and I cried. I felt it all, and I loved it. It was heart-wrenching and heartwarming.

I can say that this author can write an emotional story, and she can do it very well. This story had me from the very first page, and I can not wait to read more from such a talented author.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

Two orphans who meet at a funeral when they are young. They promise to meet again. They do meet again, 20 years later.

A very enjoyable read. I loved the story! It was wonderful!

This is a slow paced historical fiction novel set in Australia. The characters are really loveable. I found the pace to be a bit too slow for me.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author. This is the story of a childhood meeting and a chance meeting some years later, Fleur and Tom meet when Toms mother passes away and Fleur’s father who is a funeral director is called to arrange a quiet funeral for the estranged daughter. Fleur is 8 and helps her father in the funeral home and takes to Tom when they arrive at the home of his grandparents. His grandparents want nothing to do with Tom so he leaves to go back to his home in the outback to wait for his father to return from a shearing tour..
The book is well written with lovely characters.
My thanks as always to NetGalley for the early read and to publisher Storm Publishing

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. It's the first I have read by this author. I enjoyed the storyline which held my interest throughout. Fleur Appleby, is an unusual girl, with rare talents as the daughter of an Undertaker. She has a strong character, supported by her parents. Tom Catchlove, is from a different background with a loving mother who died young. They first met as children and reunited 20 years later. The story is set in Southern Australia in the ear,y 20th century. Conditions were harsh, the environment is well described and easy to imagine. The author showed great empathy for the characters, both the pleasant and unpleasant.
I can recommend this book. It's an engaging story that is easy to read.

A sort of light read but only in it's predictability, not subject matter. Set in early to mid 20th century Australia the descriptions of time and place were strong and felt realistic. At 10 years old Tom Catchlove was growing up on a remote sheep station but with his father away for months on end, droving. His pregnant mother is unwell and he has to drive her 18 miles to the nearest hospital (no other adults to help? It is a sheep station after all). Sadly she and the baby die. Fleur Appleby, 8 years old, helps her father the local mortician and meets with Tom at the funeral home where Tom's mother and baby have been taken. Tom and Fleur are drawn to each other! Eighteen years later Tom is a first class wool classer, father dead. Fleur is still working with her father and hoping to take on the business when he retires. Her stepmother has other ideas. Fleur and Tom meet by chance at a local dance, where Fleur is trying to be civil to the man her stepmother has lined up as a husband, and immediately recognise each other. Their story moves on until the eventual predicted ending following the death of her father, subsequent murder investigation, lying letters from step mama etc etc. There was an awful lot of detail about what happens to a body after death and what the morticians do to make the client acceptable for viewing. I'm not squeamish but got fed up with that level of detail being retold several times, once is adequate. An ok read but it wasn't as engagins as I had hoped. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

The moment I started reading this book I didn’t know that I was possibly going to become part orphan. A day later my mom had a massive stroke and now her life is pending by a thread. My state of mine doesn’t allow me to continue reading the book but the minimum I read I was loving it. Hopefully, soon I’ll be able to continue and give a more satisfying review about it. Sorry to leave it like this for now. I do wish to finish it!

This took me a while to get through. Not because I didn’t enjoy it but because I wanted to really feel it. This was the first book of Fiona McIntosh that I’ve read and her way with words is absolutely beautiful. She flawlessly paints a picture with her writing that is easy to get lost in. Her telling of Tom and Fleur’s journey made me feel everything from immense sadness to elation and everything in between.
A solid 4 stars and I will absolutely read again.

A very good story which kept me interested all the way through. I loved the setting and the way the story flowed along. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

The Australian setting of life in the early 20th century sounded a welcome change to most fiction books available at present.

The vivid descriptions of the outback brought to life the blistering Australian heat, the choking dust in the shearing sheds and the constant flies buzzing around. The author had clearly carried out an impressive amount of research. It would have helped if the author had explained what Tom's ambitions of being a wool classer meant, she did much later, but in the meantime I had to resort to Google for clarification.

The details of a mortician's work to prepare a body for burial was interesting - the first time it occurred. For the second body further facts were offered, even more were added for the third corpse. This is definitely a case of information overload. When Fleur was about to lay out a fourth body, I'd had enough. The Orphans had turned into an instruction manual for trainee morticians and I wondered if there would be a questionnaire at the end.

Considering the size of South Australia, it was unlikely that on Tom's first day in Adelaide he would encounter Fleur, more unrealistic that they'd recognise each other from their one brief meeting as young children twenty years ago. Within hours they declared their love for each other: my reasoning for the instalove is that she was the first woman he'd met after arriving from the outback, and Fleur was being pressurised to marry a man she disliked.

The plot twists were obvious very early in the book offering no surprises for the reader, and there was too much over explaining..

DNF. While other people seem to love the book, sadly it fell far short of my initial expectations

With thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

The Orphans is an outstanding historical fiction book by Fiona McIntosh. Beautifully written , yet she doesn’t write too many words. Yet I could feel the summer heat, and the thirty throat, along with the smells of the shearing shed and the embalming room. Her descriptions are vivid, and her characterizations are honest and real. The story is captivating but also a pleasure to read despite the harsh circumstances Fleur and Tom found themselves in at times.

The first book I have read by this author but soon I plan to be reading more. The Orphans is a remarkable book from the beginning with young Tom and Fleur to the end when Fleur experiences a moment with Tom from his childhood. Recommend The Orphans as a must read.

This book is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, emotional dramas, and anyone who loves a story that lingers long after the last page is turned. McIntosh has truly outdone herself with The Orphans, creating a rich, unforgettable narrative that is both heart-wrenching and inspiring.

The Orphans is a beautifully written, deeply emotional journey that explores the complexities of family, resilience, and the impact of historical upheaval. Set against the backdrop of post-war Europe, McIntosh weaves a compelling narrative about survival, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bonds between people who are forced to face unimaginable hardships.

The characters are richly developed, each one layered with their own hopes, fears, and dreams. From the heartbreaking struggles of orphaned children to the compassionate yet flawed adults who try to help them, the story is filled with moments of heartache and triumph. McIntosh's ability to bring her characters to life makes the emotional stakes feel deeply personal, leaving the reader invested in their fates from the very first page.

The pacing of the novel is masterful, maintaining a delicate balance between quiet, reflective moments and intense, gripping action. The historical detail is meticulously researched, offering vivid and immersive sense of time and place, yet the novel's themes remain timeless. McIntosh's prose is evocative and lyrical, capturing both the despair and hope of her character's journeys.

At its core, The Orphans is about finding family in the most unlikely places and discovering strength in the face of overwhelming adversity. McIntosh has crafted a story that is not only a testament to human resilience but also a reminder of the power of compassion and the importance of looking out for one another, no matter the circumstances.