4.5 stars. Susan Wiggs tells the powerful story of a group of young women confined to a Magdalene laundry in Buffalo, NY. Wayward Girls is fiction, but based on one of these homes, is a well-written and gripping novel. The characters have been committed for a variety of reasons; everything from being gay to being poor, to just being unwanted. The tales of the home are horrifying, but the story of friendship and strength make this a great read.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for this digital audio e-arc."

Fifteen year old Mairin is free spirited and opinionated. Her life changes over the course of a few weeks. Her best friend has gotten herself in trouble and is being set to stay with an aunt until the baby comes. Her brother has been drafted to Vietnam. Good things have happened, too- she snuck off for a first date at the movies. But the worst of all happens- her stepfather entered her room while she was changing. Her brother intervenes and nothing happens, but with him leaving, their mother sends Marin off to the Good Shepherd home. Mairin fights it, but her mother is resolute.

The Good Shepherd home is a Magdalene Laundry, though most people do not know it. The girls are basically forced labor and fed very little. The place is surrounded by high walls with razor wire.

Mairin immediately tries to escape, but is caught. She quickly makes friends with the other girls- all there for different reasons. She never stops fighting. Over the course of a year, she makes one escape attempt after another. She is determined not to let them break her.

I hate that this is almost a true story. The home existed- along with many more like it across the world. The stories of survivors are heartbreaking. While Mairin and her friends are fictional, you can find similar accounts online from actual survivors.

I love that each of Mairin's friends found themselves there for different reasons. It shows how common this was and not just rebellious or pregnant girls were forced into these homes. A single incident can change your trajectory. Mairin and Helen were sent for their own protection. Odessa was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Angela was sent to be cured of her attraction to girls.

I will say that this did drag a bit in the middle. But otherwise I couldn't put it down.

Jane Oppenheimer and Cynthia Farrell narrate the audiobook.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wayward Girls tells the stories of six young women who, for various reasons, were sent to an institution in Buffalo, New York that was much like Ireland's Magdalen Laundries. These were places were vulnerable young girls, many times the victims of others, were sent when they became pregnant when they were single or otherwise were not conforming to society's rules. Even worse, one character was sent to this hell, when it was her stepfather who was the offending party. The men often seemed to be able to continue as they had been with little consequence for their mistreatment of their victims.

Anyone who wonders about the historic (lack of) rights for young women will be justifiably appalled by what happened to these girls who were further victimized and judged by those who should have helped them. Readers will very much hope that somehow these six young women will be able to go on to better lives post institution. Their friendships should help.

Disclosure: I have worked with birth mothers from this time and know many of their stories. This made a book, that was excellent, very difficult for me to read.

One note: The story begins with a girl who says that she needs a pre-adoption certificate to get a passport. I have never heard of that requirement.

Kudos to Wiggs for bravely showing readers what life was like for some young women. I believe that she hopes that a time like this will not come again.

This is definitely a worthwhile title. It is not all depressing.

The audio:

This is an excellent audio version of Susan Wiggs's latest novel. In a special treat for her readers, Wiggs reads the author's note. The narration for this title is clear and easy to follow, though the story itself is harrowing at times.

Many thanks to Harper Audio for this title. All opinions are my own.

Susan Wiggs is a masterful storyteller.. The subject matter is still relevant today, and so sad. Pregnancy before marriage was not accepted and young women were sent away in shame.

Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced audiobook of WAYWARD GIRLS by Susan Wiggs. This is the story of Mairin, a teenager who was sent to a 'reform school' run by the Sisters of Charity in Buffalo, New York. Her mother and stepfather said she was out of control, though her mother really did this in order to keep her away from her stepfather. This novel centers around Marin and several other girls-- with whom she formed friendships and bonded with because of their shared abuse by the nuns who ran the place. Though this book was tough to read and made me sad and angry, there were some happy moments, and it was an excellent read.

what an emotional ride! i enjoyed being “inside” of this story. wayward girls is a powerful story about six girls sent to a harsh catholic institution in the 1960s for being “too much” or “too different.” what they endure while there is heartbreaking, but the way they hold on to each other was unforgettable. their sisterhood, their quiet resistance, and their hope made this such an emotional and important read. susan wiggs wrote this with so much care and depth. if you love historical fiction with strong female voices and real heart, add this to your list.

this book is a gritty, hard-hitting piece of fiction that is extremely well-written and is very much not for me, but will likely work for most fans of that genre.

i dnfed this book at 33%. wayward girls is undoubtedly well-written and likely historically accurate, but for me, the unrelenting cruelty crossed a line into what felt like torture porn. i understand that this story is meant to reflect the horrific treatment of girls in catholic reform schools during the 1960s, and i don't doubt that much of what's described here really happened. but i reached a point where continuing felt more harmful than illuminating.

the protagonist, mairin, is nearly assaulted by her stepfather, which is an act witnessed by her brother. when she tells her devoutly catholic mother, she's blamed and physically assaulted, then sent to a catholic boarding school "for her own good." the abuse only escalates from there: non-consensual medical exams, beatings, starvation, solitary confinement. one scene involves a nun cutting off a girl’s hair in retaliation for a stolen item. another involves a pet mouse being flushed down a toilet. that was my breaking point.

the violence is constant and deeply disturbing. there's also period-typical homophobia, particularly toward a queer girl sent away to be "reformed," including hatred from the other girls. none of this is surprising for the setting, but it left me exhausted, not enlightened.

this may be an important book. it might even be a powerful one. but for me, it became unbearable to read. if you're sensitive to depictions of institutional abuse, proceed with caution or skip this one entirely.

This book completely pulled me in—and broke my heart in all the right ways. I wasn’t prepared for how much it would stick with me. Wayward Girls is raw, emotional, and beautifully written. It tells the story of young women who were sent to a reform school not because they did anything terrible—but because they were misunderstood, unwanted, or simply didn’t fit the mold.

I found myself really connecting with the characters, especially Mairin. The way Susan Wiggs captures the strength of these girls—their resilience, their quiet acts of rebellion, the friendships they form in the darkest of places—was powerful and, honestly, emotional. There were moments I had to stop reading and just sit with what I was feeling.

It’s the kind of book that makes you angry at the injustice, but also grateful for the strength and courage of women who find their way back to each other. And even though parts of the story are heartbreaking, there’s this steady thread of hope and redemption that carries through to the end.

If you like historical fiction that makes you feel something—deeply—this one is worth your time. I loved it. I’ll be thinking about these girls for a long time.

This book is captivating. It's the story of real girls, told through the lives of fictional characters. The teen girls were sent to a "school" run by nuns and the Catholic Church. They were sent there by courts, or by parents and social workers. Some girls were sent there for safe keeping by their parents, some families didn't have the resources to keep them, some were sent because they were pregnant, or suspected of being gay, or unruly, or to keep them out of the hands of stepfathers who are not fatherly.

The girls were put to work in dangerous conditions, abused by the nuns, and never were provided with an education. Meals and housing conditions were not adequate in any way.

The reader meets the girls when they are young and some are so innocent. They are stunned when they arrive. Some buckle under, some fight back. I experienced so many emotions. Anger, frustration, wanting to lash out at the injustices. And I cheered on these girls who fought to survive. Their bodies and spirits took poundings, but still they survived. The ending chapters, many years later, were satisfying and gratifying. The final outcomes in real life was many years late, but also worth reading about.

Definitely a great read, but not for young or sensitive readers. I have both the e-book and the audio version. The narrator was excellent.

🕊️ Before sex ed, Google, TikTok and definitely before consent was part of the conversation, there were whispered warnings and the looming threat of being “sent to the nuns.”

🦬 This story drops us into the fruit belt neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, during the late 1960s/early 70’s. Back to a time when teen girls were left to piece together the truth about their bodies, and choice was not a part of the equation.


🗺️Susan Wiggs brings us on a journey of friendship, survival and trauma as we follow the story of girls who find themselves at a reform school run by nuns. Made to work as a laundry service for profit, subject to punishments both physical and mental, one of the girls is determined to escape. After numerous failed attempts, she knows she can’t do it alone.

📖The story grabbed my attention from the first chapter. As someone who grew up in Buffalo, the setting our author created rang with authenticity. He ability to create this neighborhood I could deeply visualize in my head - from the creak of the screen door, to the feel of bike pedals beneath my feet. Phenomenal!

🎙️The narration was good - not great. Overall, the narrator told the story well. It did not detract from the reading, but also didn’t elevate it to that next level as some narrators do.

🥇 I gave this book 4.5/5 stars ⭐️ as the first 3/4 of the book was a 5⭐️ read for me and the last 1/4, a 4⭐️. Definitely recommend this one.

Oh boy! I wasn't sure what to expect when jumping into this one, but man, did it pull at my heart strings. Jane Oppenheimer did a phenomenal job as always bringing this book and the characters to life! It is just so heartbreaking what these girls had to endure. If you get a chance, I highly recommend reading or listening to this touching book. I will comment that having the author narrate the first part of the book and the end, in my opinion, wasn’t a great move. The book began to feel disjointed and lost its flow especially in the second part. For that, I have to take away one star.

A great historical fiction about a real place that starts in the late 60s and spans decades. Marin is sent to an institution run by nuns to keep her away from her step father. The institution is not what it seems and Marin fights it from day one. She meets other girls that are there and they start forming friendships and seeing their resilience through their horrible experience.

The story is about friendship, strength and determination. It spans decades and some parts of it was just heartbreaking to read.

Jane Oppenheimer and Cynthia Farrell did a good job with the narration and I felt the sternness of the nuns and the pain that these girls went through.

Thank you @williammorrowbooks @harperaudio for a copy do this book

What a fantastic book! Set in the late 1960s at a Catholic reform school, it tells the story of six girls who form a lifelong bond through their shared trauma. The story mainly follows Mairin, but all the characters are well-developed and compelling. I couldn’t put it down, hoping that all the girls would find their peace by the end. At the end of the audiobook, listening to the author discuss her research into Catholic reform schools in Buffalo, New York, made the novel even more heart-wrenching. I will definitely read more books by Susan Wiggs because she has a great talent for weaving wonderful stories. If you loved The Women by Kristin Hannah or The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, you will love this book.

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult via NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wayward Girls had all of the ingredients I usually enjoy, historical fiction, strong female characters, and secrets, but for some reason, it just did not quite land for me. I expected to fall in love with it but instead felt detached from it.

The story is undeniably sad, and while that fits the tone of historical fiction (let's be honest, most history is just a record of how awful people and institutions can be), it left me feeling heavier than moved. There were compelling moments and solid writing.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for the chance to listen to this title in exchange for my opinion.

I don’t know why I keep reading stories about young women who were sent away to homes for unwed mothers back in the 60s and 70s, but this is my third or fourth one, and inevitably, I’m wrecked after each one. Wayward Girls by Susan Wiggs was particularly gutting. These tender, innocent young women not only shouldered the weight of their so-called “bad deeds,” but some did absolutely nothing and still wound up abused, vulnerable, victimized, and stolen from by people who claimed they were helping. It’s so infuriating and inhumane, especially knowing it’s rooted in truth.

Set in 1968 Buffalo, the story follows six teenage girls confined to a Catholic-run institution for being gay, pregnant, or simply too headstrong for their families or the times. The Good Shepherd Refuge was supposed to reform them, but instead became a place of secrets, silence, and suffering. Yet within that darkness, these girls form bonds of resilience, sisterhood, and quiet rebellion.

This was a skillfully crafted novel and Jane Oppenheimer’s narration brought it to life beautifully. You could tell the story was deeply researched, not just the setting of a reform school, but also the historical and social details of the era. At times, it felt a bit too detailed for me, but I also appreciated how thoroughly each girl’s backstory was explored and how it helped me understand what brought them to this place.

If you’re drawn to historical fiction with rich character development and subject matter that stirs deep emotion, this one is it. I was infuriated and moved by this story. I’ll need a little time to recover emotionally from it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this title.

A group of six girls were placed within a Catholic reform
school for a number of reasons, and were controlled by a group of nuns in New York, during 1968.

I really enjoyed this novel of girls, and exploring the complexities of the late 60s. As the author unfolded the unknown to me, I found each of the six girls very intriguing. I could’ve done without the gay character though, but they didn’t delve into the romantics of this character which I appreciated.

The journey throughout the novel and the complexities it offered make this four 1/2 stars for me. While it was a difficult time, the novel offered hope, friendship and sincerity, and even justice!

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

This book was fantastic. Easily a favorite of the year. So emotional, heartwarming, traumatic, real - just cannot say enough good things about this book. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a highly emotional book this year.

This well researched, heartbreaking novel about the horrible things done to these poor teenage girls packs quite a punch. It’s definitely not light reading but I couldn’t stop listening to this audiobook.

The narration is very good. The narrator does an excellent job with the large cast of characters.

The tone of this book is quite different from the other Susan Wings books I’ve read previously. I’ll need to listen to something light and fluffy next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and alc.

If I am being honest, this was a very hard book for me to read/rate. I know this book was kind of written purposefully to be hard to read, but it still needs to be stated. I almost wish this book came with a list of trigger warnings.

With that being said, Susan Wiggs is a fantastic writer, and even though this book has a lot of heavy moments, it also still has a lot of heart to it. I loved following along with the story of the girls, and I needed to know that they were going to be ok.

Furthermore, Jane Oppenheimer and Cynthia Farrell do a great job with the narration of this story.

Even though I am only rating this book 3 stars, I still think this is a must-read book, and if anything is very important to read especially in our current history.

Wayward Girls is a heartbreaking and gut wrenching story about a group of young ladies sent to Good Shepherd, a Catholic reform “school” in the 1960s. It’s hard to believe the horrific things in the story actually happened to hundreds of girls for reasons out of their control. The tale contained enough flashbacks to set the tone without dragging it out too long. I loved seeing the way the unlikely partnerships developed between the girls. The audiobook narrator brought the story to life. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an emotional ride.