Every now and then an avid reader will come across a novel where the characters practically leap from the printed page. They seem like living breathing people and you, as the reader, find yourself wishing to meet these characters and become lifelong friends. For avid readers of Jody Hedlund, this feeling is not the exception to the rule, but the norm. With You Always is dynamic, full of romance, adventure, sacrifice and unexpected plot twists. Jody Hedlund keeps me glued to her story telling from the beginning to the end. I never want to put the book down and I never want the story to end!

I am so excited about this series! It starts with Awakened Heart, a free novella.

Get Your Free Awakened Heart Orphan Train Series Novella

The novella introduces the Neumann sisters, orphans living under the care of their uncle, who are the main characters of the series. You don't need to read Awakened Heart before reading With You Always, but it is free...so why not! If you are like me...you will want to read ANYTHING and EVERYTHING written by Jody. She is that talented!

The main characters in With You Always were so loveable! The story begins in New York City during 1857 and moves to central Illinois. If you have read any of Jody's books before you will know that many of them are set in the state of Michigan. Personally, I found the change of setting refreshing and it was interesting to learn about the history of other states. I enjoyed the banter between Elise and Thorton as well as the sweet romance that gently unfolded. I liked that they were slightly flawed, both dealing with feelings of inadequacy and preconceived notions. In addition to being a romance, the major theme in With You Always is God's faithfulness to us. He never leaves us or forsakes us...even when we may turn away God is always there. He never lets us go. I always appreciate the spiritual side Jody weaves into the story and the faith reminders she shares with her readers. The story within the pages of With You Always stayed with me for days and left my heart satisfied and full.

I highly recommend this book and I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the Orphan Train Series, which Jody tells me is Marianne's story!

An interesting story involving the orphan trains but the romance portion which was a lot just did not fit my likes. Still a decent book

This book is the exact reason I love historical fiction. In it I am able to learn about events in history through characters that I can connect to. Yes, the characters are fictional, but they represent the people of that time- their feelings, their struggles and their triumphs.

This particular book is set in the midst of the immigrants to America in the 1850's and their struggle to sustain life. How awful it must have been to leave your home country in search of a better life only to find it worse than the one you left.

I loved this story. It was told in a way that connected to my heart. I could so easily visualize everything that was happening- the places and the people. My heart hurt for the struggles of Elise and her family. Thornton's journey of self awareness, compassion and understanding were so satisfying. So, so good.

I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. This book sets things up perfectly for a continuation but still left me utterly satisfied. That's how I like a series to be.

Content: Clean, mild romance, some kissing. A situation of abuse with no details, just the aftermath. Mild peril.

- I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

loved this book!!! great story cant wait for more

Jody Hedlund's books always delight and With You Always certainly is a delightful read. I love both Elise and Thornton. Both are struggling to find God's will but trying to live life on their own terms. And as I do with all of Jody's books I learn something new. I am glad this is book one because there is so much more I want to know. So grab your tea and settle in for a great read!

From Amazon:

A Riveting Look at the Orphan Train from Historical Novelist Jody Hedlund

When a financial crisis in 1850s New York leaves three orphaned sisters nearly destitute, the oldest, Elise Neumann, knows she must take action. She's had experience as a seamstress, and the New York Children's Aid Society has established a special service: placing out seamstresses and trade girls. Even though Elise doesn't want to leave her sisters for a job in Illinois, she realizes this may be their last chance.

The son of one of New York City's wealthiest entrepreneurs, Thornton Quincy faces a dilemma. His father is dying, and in order to decide which of his sons will inherit everything, he is requiring them to do two things in six months: build a sustainable town along the Illinois Central Railroad, and get married. Thornton is tired of standing in his twin brother's shadow and is determined to win his father's challenge. He doesn't plan on meeting a feisty young woman on his way west, though.

About the author:


Following
Biography
Winner of 2016 Christian Book Award for fiction and Christy Award for historical romance, best-selling author Jody Hedlund writes inspirational historical romances for both youth and adults.

Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).

When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.


Jody Hedlund is the author of more than a dozen novels, including Love Unexpected, Captured by Love, Unending Devotion, The Preacher's Bride, and A Noble Groom, winner of the 2014 Carol Award for historical romance. She received a bachelor's degree from Taylor University and a master's from the University of Wisconsin, both in social work. She lives in Michigan with her husband and five children.

I was given this book by NetGalley.com for review purposes. All thoughts are my own.

"Let me know when you're done admiring me." (286) I love this line from Jody Hedlund's With You Always, the first of the Orphan Train series. Not only because it reminds me of all the cute, semi-embarrassing and simply darling scenes between our main characters, Elise and Thorton, but also because it sums up nicely what I think of With You Always. I'm never going to be done admiring it. It's that good.

A story rich with the details many have already heard about the orphan trains that headed west from many of the major cities on the East coast during a time when poverty hits a high note. The story touched on that aspect without filter, but with a level of authenticity that aches in our heart for the hardship they've encountered. Despite that, the characters' resiliency, especially in what we see in Elise inspires us to strive towards something. And seeing the divinity of God's plans played out makes for such a satisfying read, even if not all the questions were answered.

"You go and rescue your sister. Do it for all of us who've been lost at one time or another." (309)

The romance kind of makes me smile, and cheer and giggle. Is that weird? I hope not, since there are struggles. Yet, even among the struggles, the love that conquered it and help Thorton find who he is was triumphant in more ways than one. Thorton's personal struggle with his identity as a son, a leader and a brother really personified With You Always as a whole, giving readers a hero to root for. And his declaration on page 352 was awesome! In all, With You Always may truly be my favorite novel I've read of Jody Hedlund's so far.

"Only and always you. And there will never be anyone else, no matter how hard I try to fool myself into thinking there will be."
(336)


This review first appeared on Just Commonly blog.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.

I’ve said this before in my reviews of several Hedlund novels, and it continues to be true here; she takes women from history and brings them to life in fresh ways, bringing the reader a romantic story, while also being true to the historical context and providing details that fascinate. In Elise Neumann’s story, it’s the orphan train, and though it presents a different facet of the orphan train that I was initially thinking, I loved this look into what it would be like for a woman who chooses to travel to a start-up town out west for work. For Elise, more than just her own well-being and future is at stake – her younger sisters and their adopted charges are first and foremost in her mind.

Though our characters Elise and Thornton are from different stations of society, they feel a connection with one another instantly, but fear not, it's not insta-love, but rather a mutual enjoyment of each other's company. They never expect to see each other again but hardship brings them together by way of the New York Children's Aid Society and Elise's desire to help her family. What I liked most is how they challenge each other and bring out different sides of their personalities. Their interactions in the beginning are especially bittersweet, as Thornton fights with himself over his desire to spend more time with her, knowing in the back of his mind that he has a challenge to win – a challenge that has no place for Elise Neumann. While at first it seemed like he was just ignoring the truth of his feelings, he is finally honest with himself - he knows that what he wants and the challenge set before him by his father are two different things. Instead of focusing on the challenge at hand, he finds himself challenged by Elise – to really put himself in his workers shoes, to really think about living life the way they have to do.

I know there were women like Elise who beseeched others to consider the plight of the poor and disregarded. I deeply appreciate the way that Hedlund sheds light on the plight of the poor in New York during this time period leading up to the orphan trains. While it is hard to fathom from today’s perspective either giving up your child, or leaving your family to work, for many back then, it was the only option. It really prompted me to remember not to cast judgement on the decisions of others and to remember to look at things from their perspective.

With You Always is another winning romantic historical by Jody Hedlund! Fans of her previous books will not be disappointed. While it doesn’t replace my favorite of her novels, I truly loved the look at the plight of orphans and women especially. It is great start to a new series, and a new Hedlund series is such a treat to look forward to. I’m eager to read Marianne and Sophie’s stories that are hopefully to come! Oh, and do read the ebook prequel novella if you get the chance - it's short, well-done story that sets up a nice backdrop to Elise's story. Also, can I just say that Bethany House hit it out of the park with this cover and the overall design of the book. It’s seriously lovely, and when the story inside is as lovely as the outside, it makes for a wonderful reading experience.

Jody Hedlund is an author that I wait for her new releases with a lot of anticipation. While I’m aware of the orphan trains that existed, I have not been too familiar with them—especially in that they were also a way of moving women from the cities to the west to offer them more opportunity.

From the beginning of this book to the last page, I fell in love with this story. It is beautifully written, at times tragic and at times humorous. There are strong messages about faith in God’s plans and watching for Him to work things out for good. And in all of that, there are characters that were wonderful to get to know and that I was sad to bid farewell too (I’m really hoping this series continues on with characters we’ve been introduced to in this book). The settings also came alive. Everywhere from the slums of historic New York City (I especially loved getting the glimpses of the gangs that existed back then) to the freshness of a new and developing railroad town.

Honestly, this book had everything in it that I would want in a book that I would consider a favorite, and for that reason, I can highly recommend it. Hedlund has also written a prequel novella that goes along with this series. While I have not yet read it, I can guess as to the characters that the story is centered around. I do not think I read anything in this novel that would be a spoiler for the novella, and I was able to jump into this novel just fine without the novella.


**I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Jody Hedlund has created a masterpiece in historical christian fiction. The orphan train was one of our nation's unknown points in history and Ms. Hedlund has given it life again. Elise Neumann is a soft, kind soul that knows she must make a tough choice for the future. Doing so takes her on a spiritual and life changing trip.

A trip like this doesn't come with all sunshine, but like our faith reminds us we must believe and trust in order to be where we are needed the most.

I love reading historical romances and Jody Hedlund has become one of my favorite "go to" authors. She writes wonderful romances set in detailed, richly described historical settings.

With You Always is rich in history, faith and romance. While it is a wonderful romance story, this book also brought to my attention the Orphan Train movement, a part of history that I hadn't ever really focused on. Ms. Hedlund brought this era to life for me with her story and I hope she will do a sequel to round out this delightful and emotionally moving story.

I highly recommend With You Always and I can't wait to read more of Ms. Hedlund's books!


5 Stars


I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Ms. Hedlund, Bethany House Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Elise Neumann and her sisters, along with their young charges, have taken refuge in the Seventh Street Mission run by the kindly and industrious Miss Pendleton. Elise and her sister Marianne sew in the sewing shop, but as the factories are laying off workers, the mission too must lay off workers. Elise is the eldest, so she gets a job with the Children’s Aid Society along the Illinois railway line that sends her miles away from her family with little hope of making a living.

Thornton Quincy and his twin brother Bradford are competing for the ownership of their father’s railroad empire in a deathbed challenge. Thornton has 6 months to develop a town along the Illinois railroad, as well as marry for love. Thornton has never felt that he could make his father proud the way that his brother Bradford did, but he determined to make his father proud before he passes. But he never counted on falling for a strong willed, passionate, and beautiful German woman who challenges him to take a stand and fight for his dream.

Elise is a hard working young woman, who isn't afraid to stand up for herself. I love her unconditional love for her sisters, and that way that she challenges Thornton to be a better man, and give him encouragement and confidence. She brings out the best in Thornton. She is kind and compassionate, even to those who don't always treat her well.

Thornton is a good man, he has more confidence than he thinks and even though life hasn't been perfect, he's had it relatively easy despite being in is brother shadow. Elise know how to encourage him and challenges him to think about things in a different way. He is drawn to her like a magnet, and they just "click" in a way he never has with anyone else.

Reinhold is a wholesome young man, sturdy and strong, he is a gentleman to the core of his being. I love is honesty and selfless love wanting the best of others. I hope he finds happiness someday! I think he was one of my favorite characters in this book.

This book had my favorite characters by Jody Hedlund ever. Elise is a sensible heroine, compassionate, and vulnerable. While Thornton has a healthy ambition to prove himself to his father, when he is with Elise he sees himself as the man that he wants to be. I also really loved the townspeople like that Grays, Fanny, and Reinhold.

Well written and fast-paced it makes for a hard book to put down, and I instantly liked the characters and could help but cheer for them all the way through. The ending came together well, with surprise twists of suspense for a thrilling climax. I liked how this book showed a different side of the Orphan Train and Children's Aid Society, it was well researched and I loved every minute of it. I'm excited to read about Elise's sisters as they make their own way in the world in the coming installments of the series. Highly recommend!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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."

Jody Hedlund has incredible talent – in creating characters, plots, and setting. And writing kisses. But more on that later. Perhaps my favorite thing about each new offering from her is that she spotlights (and honors) lesser known parts and populations of history. Sometimes these aspects have been tucked away inside history we do know & read about more frequently. But Hedlund finds the women, the immigrants, the conditions that few others write about – and she brings them vividly to life on the page.

In With You Always, she takes us on a tour of the Orphan Train era that may look different from what we initially expect. Instead of focusing on the children per se, she draws on other uses of the Orphan Train – specifically in bringing skilled (usually immigrant) workers west to help settle new towns along the railroad. This was a time in our nation’s history where people had to make unthinkable decisions, separating families and sacrificing in agonizing ways.

Within this heartbreaking era, we meet Elise Neumann and Thornton Quincy. Their acquaintance sets off attraction and dilemmas and, while a lot of what Hedlunds writes about in With You Always is quite sobering, the chemistry between Thornton and Elise opens the door for humor and warmth and – perhaps most importantly – hope. Their banter is fantastic, their kisses even more so! Not an insta-love but an instant respect that gradually deepens into a sweet friendship, challenging each other to be better people.

Bottom Line: With You Always by Jody Hedlund should be read with a box of tissues for the characters who go soul-deep and a fan for Thornton-in-love. This poignant novel will leave readers with a new appreciation for the marginalized in our nation’s history – and today – and it may prompt some soul-reflection as well. The message that God holds us close in our most hopeless moments is integrated into the story with both grace and truth. The characters will become part of you as you read, and this makes the perfect foundation for the next books in the series!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

I absolutely loved this story by Jody Hedlund! It is the first book in her new Orphan Train series. It is a must read for those of us who love inspirational historical romances and Jody is one of the best writers who brings these wonderful stories to us.
Elise Neumann was left with the daunting responsibility of caring for her younger siblings when both of their parents passed away during uncertain times in New York city when much of the immigrant population was out of work and homeless. Finding herself a new job hundreds of miles away was her only option, but leaving left them without care when they needed it the most.
Thornton Quincy thought he was up for the challenge that his dying father made as his last wish before his soon to be death, but he found out that he had much to learn from the working poor and what they had to do just to survive.
Elise and Thornton come from different worlds. Their social and economic standings as well as upbringings were nothing alike, but their love for the Lord and His will in their lives bring them together and soon finds them falling in love.

The author did a good job of weaving this tale and filling in the details of life in 1857 New York. You can almost feel the grit of the city as she pulls you into the storyline. This was a book that really made me think, it was a journey through such heart-wrenching choices and gave you a look at life and what it was like to be an orphan in that time. The horrible poverty of the orphaned children and lack of options for them made my heart break and the triumphs made you cheer for her. We were given this book for our honest review.

Let me start off by saying that I'm normally very cautious about dipping my toe in the Christian-historical genre. Often the characters feel flat and perfect, and getting saved is too often tied with getting the perfect relationship.

That said, I found myself enjoying this book. Our heroine, Elise, is practical and forthright. Her work ethic and backbone had me in mind of Margaret Hale in Gaskell's <i>North and South</i> (which perhaps isn't too surprising, given her romantic interest's name is Thornton!). She takes charge of her story and her choices have real consequences, which I appreciated. I also really liked her drive toward social justice--and that part of her journey learning how to motivate and strengthen those around her to do better, instead of simply pushing over everyone in a rush to fix things.

I also enjoyed her foil, Thornton. I found him just flawed enough to avoid being too perfect, but his portion of the story had me interested just as much as Elise's--and I really, really appreciated how his portion of the narrative came into a head during the climax. His growth was more visible than Elise's, I think, but Jody Hedlund managed to skirt the trope of Elise "fixing" him. Instead, together they weave one of those romances based on mutual need--both romantic leads have to have the other in order to be the best versions of themselves. It's a fairly basic concept, but one that can easily get lost in stories, so it was nice to see it so well executed here.

There were other things that I appreciated--like that the outliers in the love triangles were decent, good people, and that Elise had strong, difficult but ultimately positive relationships with the women around her (sisters, coworkers, etc). One thing did bother me: <spoiler>Though we the reader journey with Elise through understanding the prostitutes' desperate situation, I felt like the author avoided bringing it full circle. Marianne, one of the sisters, makes a claim to be pregnant at one point--and I think it would have been much more poignant if this claim was true, if they were brought that low, and everyone in the book had to completely reassess what makes a "good" woman. All of the characters have moments of distain or disgust for the prostitutes that crop up now and then, but we never *really* get the full movement of the arc to solidly change this attitude. Using Marianne to force the characters (including herself) to confront that issue with pain and compassion would have made the ending less happy, maybe, but would have made the story feel more complete to me. </spoiler>

Overall, I did really enjoy the read, and it carried me through swiftly! I'm curious to see what comes up in the sequels for this series!

(Reviewed by Jenna) WITH YOU ALWAYS is a good book, but it was a bit too descriptive with scenery for my tastes. Basically, it seemed a pity party on both Thorton and Elise’s point of views. Elise keeps going on about how she was out on the streets and how she lost her parents, mentioned over and over until I felt beat in the head with it. It happened, and I remembered.

Thorton keeps going about how he can’t get out of his brother’s shadow, how he can’t beat him in anything and how his dad doesn’t appreciate him.

It was good at first, but then the repetitious and descriptions caused the story to drag. Somewhat good, and I somewhat recommend it. I received a free copy. All opinions are my own.

When I heard the title of this series, I was expecting it to be about children, or maybe a few young teenagers. Instead, this one was about a young woman (new adult age range) who has to take care of her younger siblings and some other children they have taken in, during a time when money was nonexistent for the poor single women. We see Elise struggle to keep shelter and food for her family young siblings, and we see some incredibly kind people try and help her. But we also see how tough things were, and how limited women's choices really were during this time in history.
After exhausting all of their options in the city, Elise decides she has to go west on the orphan train to a small railroad town, and to send money back to her young siblings until she can afford for them to come and be with her.
This is when the story really started to get interesting to me. Not only do we get to see how these small railroad towns started, but also how little the real owners of the railroad companies understood what their employees were having to deal with for such little pay. We see the struggles and compassions that these women went through and how over time they all started protecting one another. They knew nobody else was going to stop certain things from happening so they had to do it themselves.

Overall I really loved this story. Learning about a different part of the orphan train and some of the societies that helped bring people west was fascinating. It's something that I haven't really read much about before, despite being absolutely fascinated by it. That is fully my fault because after reading several stories about how awful the children were treated by their adoptive parents, I just could keep reading them. It's nice now to have a different side of the orphan train stories and to really see what might have happened with women wanting to go west as well. I've always wondered how women were able to go west that didn't already have family or friends out there and this really showed how, and why they were sent or allowed to go 'alone'.
As for the romance, it was extremely cliche and honestly was so easy to tell what was going to happen from the first time the two characters met.

I can't wait to read the next book in this series and see if we continue on with this character, or get a companion novel?

With You Always by Jody Hedlund is a book you will find hard to put down. I loved the characters of Thornton and Elise. They were a delight to get to know. I loved the way they interacted with each other, using wit and humour to get their points across. The growth of both of these characters was very well done as they each challenged the other on being the best they could be. Even secondary characters showed growth and I especially look forward to seeing more of Fanny and having her story explored.

The story of Elise and her sisters was touching and because of the way the book ended it left you wondering if they will ever be reunited.

I did find it odd on how the book ended in regards to Bradford. I was surprised how easily he accepted everything. It was somewhat anticlimatic.

As for the faith aspect of this book, it is somewhat lacking - almost thrown in as an afterthought. Thornton doesn't grow and change because of faith in Christ, but because of Elise. Elise decides in a rather unemotional way to give God a chance so that she is no longer bitter, but as I said, it seemed like an afterthought. That said, I still enjoyed the book and found it hard to put down. I look forward to book two.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

I love it when I’m able to step back in time and become encased within the advantages or difficulties of years gone by. In With You Always I fell back into the 1850s and saw the world through the eyes of spunky and fierce Elise Neumann.

Elise is an interesting character. Though this German emigrant, the oldest of three orphaned sisters, is still young and relatively inexperienced in life, so much responsibility hangs upon her shoulders. Namely, providing for her family (and then some.) Initially she comes off as naïve and a bit self-righteous, but she reveals she is rich in courage, compassion, and resolve. I understand her flaws and sympathize with her emotions and struggles.

And Thornton. Oh my, the irresistible, faulty, attractive Thornton Quincy. He is wealthy, and somewhat untouched by the struggles of the times. He lacks sureness in some ways and is over-confident in others. Let’s face it, being rich, handsome, and charming helps him overcome much—but even though the physical abounds, his emotions are boggled and bruised.

Neither character has experienced such an inimitable relationship before. Their attraction is undeniable, but incurs many barriers. I love how their relationship progresses, though, and how their flaws cause tension. This story is much more than a romance. Each character discovers their strength, breaks their restraints, and becomes free from doubt.

I learned a lot from this book—the history of orphan trains and the Children’s Aid Society, land and town developments in the mid 1800s, and other struggles and hardships of this time period, especially the brutal responsibilities and environment of women’s work and the living conditions of orphaned children. I also discovered a bit about myself, as I imagined how I might’ve coped if I’d walked Elise’s shoes.

This is a stimulating, inspiring, historical story. There are a few loose ends, so I hope the next in the series tells Fanny’s, Sophie’s or Marianne’s story.


5 Stars

Cover: Love
Title: Love
Pages: 368
Series: Orphan Train Book 1
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 978-0062388988
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley.

With You Always is the first novel in Jody Hedlund's new series on the Orphan Train, and it is just as fantastic as her other novels. The storyline was well crafted and kept me glued to the pages. The novel was well paced and contained a perfect mixture of suspense, romance, danger, and betrayal that kept me continually guessing. I enjoyed learning more about the orphan trains, especially those where women signed up to go out West to earn money for their destitute families in the East. I was familiar with where they sent children out West if they were orphans or their families could not afford to care for them, but I did not realize that the women and men would often do the same thing to try to earn a living. I was saddened by the conditions that these people were forced to work in and how they were often never able to free themselves from the 'debt' they had to fulfill for the train ride and housing once they made it out West.


I enjoyed the interactions between Thornton and Elise. Both characters were well developed and engaging, and it was great to see how they challenged one another to look past their stereotypes and pride and then be able to use that to help others. The other more minor characters added greatly to the story, and while some of their situations were left in pieces at the end of this novel, I know that we will see them again in future novels. I cannot wait to see what comes next in this new series!

I received this novel from Netgalley and Bethany House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.