Over the past few years, I've found myself very picky over the fiction that I read. Maybe it's my age. Even though this book had both my first and middle names as the names of the two main characters, I could not get into it. There were some parts that I found engrossing and some that I just wanted to skip over. There's a lot of good to say though. I liked the storyline. The dialogue sounded realistic and the two protagonists were very likeable. The spiritual elements are good. I've yet to find out what makes my kind of fiction. I hope I will figure it out soon.

I know people who are big fans of the author's. Fiction is so much a matter of taste. Having said all that, I still hope I will have a chance to read another of her book.

A book about two sisters, who after the death of their mother had only their father and each other. With a strong desire to learn and immerse themselves in other cultures they set out on an adventure to distant lands where they discover a newfound purpose. Having awoken a taste for adventure the two sisters set out on new adventures where they further discover a love for the recovery of ancient manuscripts and meet new people to aid them in their journeys. Even in the midst of tragedy and loss the sisters stick together, constantly trusting God, encouraging each other and fulfilling their purposes. The two sisters lived out their faith, reaching out to help others, constantly seeking God and making no compromises on their faith.

LOVE LOVE LOVe Lynn Austin. I've loved her books since I first learned about them back in college from my good friend. She had a similar taste in books as me, and I'm so glad she introduced me to this author. I've loved all Lynn Austin's books, and can't wait to read more!

I didn't quite realize, in starting Where We Belong, that there would be flashing forward and back in time throughout the novel. I started on the first chapter and just wasn't hooked, and I had several novels on the go at that point, so I didn't progress farther than chapter one. I did try to get through chapter one, but considering I had a lot of time jumping back and forth to do in the coming chapters—and recently I’ve read some books that had that time-jumping element, and it just wasn’t my jam—I just never could quite make it through chapter one.

so here's the deal everyone. and settle in. i never JUST read a lynn austin book (the first time -- i mean i will read proper pursuit every other thursday for the rest of time). but that first read i save for when i am in the right headspace because it will speak to me where i am at. i don't know how it happens but every time i read her it matches the moment in my life when i need it the most. you don't waste that experience.

it is just the most transcendentally wonderful thing.

so i had nine hours on a plane after a brave trip where i spent hours wandering around a city linked to a book that formed my imagination. wandering, extremely vulnerable wondering where i am at at this point in my life. what am i doing w my passions. am i doing enough ? there's something about a week in near silence on a trip alone where you start going to these mental places.

doing something brave and scary and feeling self conscious and texting allison second guessing everything

and so on the plane back i read lynn austin--- as per friggin always--- lshe hit me right like a punch in the friggin gut but at the same time also a balm?

i read "where we belong" and it touched my heart and my psyche in a way that only lynn austin books do. and i don't know WHY she is that author for me but it's like she speaks so acutely and directly to where i am at i end up losing my breath.

i sat on the plane home from brussels reading and sobbing and laughing and being pummelled looking at myself in the mirror. for becky in Where we Belong is one part of my heart. my heart dropped every time she expressed how i feel, what i wrestle with, my yearnings and triumphs and insecurities

i have never felt more myself and rarely so safe in the pages of a book. AND IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME! but this one -- oh this one about an unconventional woman who wants adventure and travel and study and thinks that both can be divinely inspired the same way work in charity or church can. this book that blesses and advocates history and academia as part of the greater interconnection of faith

this book that asserts that if you just step back you can see every last of the creator's interwoven threads in the tapestry of your life......

we all meet faith in different ways. my anxiety and history makes it difficult for me to work with a church setting in a conventional way. so i find it in stained glass in old cities, in music and the written word. and this was just every last rejuvinating note of acceptance i needed.

Lynn Austin makes faith an adventure. an exciting breathless quest that is at terms searching and picaresque. a grab your gear and go story. she works through soft questions in tantalizing descriptions and settings and moments of unexpected heart and humour. and she never JUST PAINTS one view of woman. i am rebecca in this book. i sincerely believe a lot of my friends would find themselves floras.

it is this world these perfect imperfections that really really hit me where i needed it.

"every trip we have taken and each escape we've had has helped us find another piece of the puzzle of our lives"

"Ever since Edmund told us about his book. I've been looking back on my life, all I've struggled with and I can see all of those things converging in this project and God's hand directing it."

and it is the book she signed for me (not that i brought that copy) but it makes so much sense that the dream to have a signed lynn austin book would manifest itself in this one--- about two unconventional women, one of whom she must have crept into my mind and heart to write.

I just cannot write this review. Sorry. Can't do it. When I first started actually reading this book my Kindle told me that it would take about 7 hours to finish. Lovely, right? I mean here it was Monday evening and I was getting ready to start my week at The Day Job (I work Tuesday through Saturday). Reading time through the week is hard to come by and tends to happen in spurts and fits. Seven hours would take me all week and into my weekend. No way Jose. And then I started reading it and was like, whoa Nellie, to have that kind of money. I mean life got messy, or hard, or stressful and immediately Rebecca's response was 'let's travel abroad and figure out what God wants us to do next'. Seriously?!? And then they would be abroad, usually in the Middle East, and they would just randomly decide to extend their trip or add destinations to their trip, or just next thing you know they would be gone months. Months! For the love of all the tomatoes I need their life! Oh the life paths I could figure out by traveling 'abroad'.

All that being said I was surprised to learn that this book was based on real people. Sorta. In a way. I mean real sisters (twins) that lived in Scotland (not Chicago) made these discoveries. They traveled to the Middle East and made ancient discoveries. I mean I thought that was just part of the story to legitimize their travels. Nope, real deal. I really can't write this review. I mean ultimately, I loved this book. I have no idea why and can't begin to articulate and find words to tell you about it. The situations they find themselves in, while real, sometimes scatter into the 'wait, what?' moments. The mindset that life decisions are made abroad, yeah well still can't wrap my 'I can't afford to drive a state away and that's like an hours drive' mind. However, I was drawn into their lives, their adventures and their story.

The faith was consistent throughout the story and so well woven into the fiber of the characters that I can't picture reading this book without it. Rebecca and Flora (while over the top in their wealth) were so well developed and I adored them. Even Kate and Soren were flesh and blood real for me. This book, with all these characters I can't begin to relate too, was so very well written with amazing characters and even over-the-top believability. Seven hours felt like nothing by the time I finished this book, even during the work week. I was entertained and absorbed sitting in the car before work, ignoring friends at lunch, and staying up entirely too late at night because I loved this book. I can't write this review. I can't find the right words. What I can do is tell you that I loved this book.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

Where We Belong by Lynn Austin { A Review }

Where We Belong

Where We Belong is a fantastic tale of two girls coming of age in and around the time of the U.S. Civil War and reconstruction.
The Story

Rebecca and her sister Flora, along with their widower father, take a trip to France to satisfy their love of travel and adventure. While there, they meet Mrs. Worthington who will change their lives. . .

By 1890, the now young ladies finally begin their own solo adventure in Egypt as they continue their quest to discover where they belong. As always, their thirst for adventure is tempered by a burning desire to right society’s wrongs and help those in need.
How I liked It

I identify so strongly with Rebecca in this story, as she makes so many attempts to fit into societal norms at the expense of her own curiosity and love for life. Happily, Rebecca breaks free of what society (and Mrs. Worthington) has planned for her life, and she discovers God’s plan for her in an unexpected way.

This is a wonderful piece of historical fiction that draws the reader right into Rebecca and Flora’s world. You can hear the sounds of the children working in the sweat shops making uniforms for soldiers and smell the sea air as you follow the two young ladies on their ocean voyage.

The book can be enjoyed by adults and teenagers. Lynn Austin creates a world that we can relax into as we watch Rebecca and Flora find their way and grow into adulthood. I suspect that boys would not be as interested in the book, but it would make a lovely Christmas gift any teenage girl in your life.
Publisher’s Summary

Join Two Incomparable Sisters on Adventures That Span the Decades And Cross the Globe

In the city of Chicago in 1892, the rules and expectations for Victorian women are strict, their roles in life limited. But sisters Rebecca and Flora Hawes are not typical Victorian ladies. Their love of adventure and their desire to use their God-given talents have taken them out of society ballrooms and delivered them to the Sinai Desert–and into the teeth of a sandstorm.

Accompanied by Soren Petersen, their somber young butler, and Kate Rafferty, a plucky street urchin learning to be their ladies’ maid, the two women are on a quest across the desert chasing rumors of an important biblical manuscript.

As the expedition becomes ever more dangerous and uncertain, all four travelers sift through memories and adventures of their past, recalling the events that shaped them and the journeys and providence that brought them to this very time and place.
About The Author

Lynn Austin has sold more than one and a half million copies of her books worldwide. A former teacher who now writes and speaks full-time, she has won eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction. One of those novels, Hidden Places, has also been made into an Original Hallmark Channel movie. Lynn and her husband have raised three children and make their home in western Michigan. Learn more at www.lynnaustin.org.




Book Information

Where We Belong by Lynn Austin
ISBN 9780764217623 (paperback), 9781493412181 (eBook)
Pub. Date Oct 2017
Price $15.99
Ages Adults & Teenagers

I really enjoyed Where We Belong. It took a few chapters to understand what was happening, but within a few chapters I got it—and in the meantime had a few good laughs at the antics of the middle-aged sisters! There is a lot of switching back and forth in this book, from the Sinai Desert in 1890 to Chicago and Paris in 1860. There is also some switching of points of view, but this is made very plain, so if you pay attention to the titles of the parts of the book, and the header of each chapter, you'll know who is narrating and where and when you are!
The first part of the story is told through Rebecca's eyes. She and Flora, her younger sister, have a great longing to see more of the world than just their hometown of Chicago. They talk their father into taking them on a tour of Europe—but Rebecca is horrified when the widow they meet on the way home seems to have ensnared her father. The widow works hard to make the girls fit into society's mold—but Rebecca does not want to fit into that mold! She feels like God wants more for her—but what?
Later parts of this wonderfully complicated story are told by Flora, and then by their servants Peterson and Kate, with the last couple of chapters switching back to Rebecca. The adventurous sisters explore the Holy Land, once their lives are able to go back to normal after the American Civil War. Flora meets her true love on one of those trips, and marries him. Rebecca meets the man she can love, Timothy, as well—but he is an atheist, so she knows she cannot marry him.
The Great Fire of Chicago disrupts the sister's lives. They begin an orphanage, but the greatest adventure of their lives comes when they decide they must go to Mount Sinai to try to find old manuscripts to prove to Timothy that the Bible is true. Getting caught in a sandstorm, being left alone in the middle of the desert by their Bedouin guides, arranging a mock wedding...what a trip! Through it all, can Rebecca and Flora find where they truly belong?
I loved this story. It is long and involved, with many subplots. I appreciated the sisters' deep faith and trust in God. One quote I appreciated was, “So the disaster in Chicago might be God's way of teaching us something, too?” “Yes, if we take time to listen to Him.” I also really enjoyed the natural humor. As I said at the beginning, I laughed several times in the first chapter! The emphasis on being who God made you to be, and not allowing society's expectations to make you into something else, was good, too. I also appreciated that the romance was not the main focus of this story—it was there, but took rather a minor role.
WARNING: Chapter 29 describes a young woman being prepared to “work” in a brothel—no details, however.

Join the Great Adventure!

Let’s face it, Lynn Austin is one talented writer. Her Refiner’s series is still one of my favorite of all time. No one can spin a story quite like Austin. So when I was give the opportunity to read her latest release, Where We Belong, I didn’t hesitate. And for reason. It’s another phenomenal Austin hit.

Set in the 1800s, Where We Belong tells the story of two sisters, Rebecca and Flora. Rebecca is fiercely independent, loves God, and loves a good adventure. Flora is more reserved, but has similar values, a heart for the poor, and is always being roped into another exploit with her sister.

Their current trip lands them in the Sinai Desert, in the middle of a sandstorm, with their straight-laced butler Petersen, and their street-kid-turned-lady’s-maid Kate. They’re on the hunt for an ancient manuscript…will they reach their destination? What peril awaits them? Can they find their way back?

I was given Where We Belong in exchange for my honest review. True to form, Lynn Austin has crossed every “t” and dotted every “i.” The story is woven together beautifully. The author places layer upon layer within the story to create depth, richness, and intrigue. The characters are complicated, realistic, and winsome. I particularly enjoyed Rebecca’s character, as she is not your typical prim and proper 1800s lady. This is yet another win for Austin – and a must-read to add to your TBR pile!

Sisters Rebecca and Flora Hawes have a thirst for adventure and a passion for finding God's calling in their lives. Raised by their intellectual father, who encouraged their scholarship and their faith they experience more freedom than many young ladies of their time and station. But when their father meets a proper and society concerned widow, and with their father's failing health they must fight to pursue their passions.



Their story jumps back to their childhood and youth, and the events that marked Flora and Rebecca's lives, as they seek God's purpose in their lives. We also get a look into the lives of their unconventional servants Soren Petersen and Kate Rafferty, and how they came into the sisters' lives. A story sweeping decades from America to the streets of Paris and the deserts of the Holy Land.



Rebecca is headstrong and intellectual, she is the born leader of the sisters, and is unafraid to stand up for herself and bend the rules sometimes. I admired her quick thinking and compassionate heart, yet how she was also firm in the fact that her sister's calling was not the same as her own. She loves her sister dearly, and trusts God for his purpose in her life. I like how she take initiative in every situation.



Flora is the follower of the sisters, she is more eager to please, but still knows when to stand up for herself and others when it matters. She has a heart for the less fortunate, most especially the children. I love how she branches out on her own, without Rebecca to pursue her own passions for God's kingdom.



The characters were so well done, and one of my favorites was probably Petersen, he comes from a hard life, but he has a tender heart and loves his brother dearly. He sees Christ in the way that the sisters treat him and Kate, and is inspired by their godly example in his life. Kate is stubborn and has a fighters will, she enjoys being contrary to Petersen, and her fiery personality is troublesome, and also loveable. Edmund is a wonderful friend and confidant to the sisters, I like how he isn't threatened by the sister's close bond, and works with both of them encouraging them in their work.



Overall, one of my favorite books this year. I love the strong messages of faith and how the sisters weren't just content with their comfortable life, but wanted to use what God had given them to help others and show them His love. They take in Petersen and Kate, showing them grace and God's love. Different from the Christian romances of this genre, this book stands apart in it's powerful message of faith, and strong female protagonists based loosely on real people.



A unforgettable read that I enjoyed every minute of it. I didn't want it to end!



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."

A fun read about a pair of adventurous sisters who were ahead of their time. This story is full of love and excitement from Chicago to banks of the Nile as Rebecca and Flora pursue their dream of tracking down certain biblically important artifacts. Along the way they build an unconventional family around themselves and find theirselves right where they belong.

I was instantly intrigued by this book when I saw the cover with those camels and Egyptian pyramids! I was delighted to find Lynn Austin’s book, Where We Belong, an adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the two sisters, Rebecca and Flora and also, which I might add was rather refreshing, being able to catch a glimpse of the story from the other character’s point of view too!

Much of the details I had wondered about, the backstory belonging to secondary characters (Soren and Kate) is excavated and explored! You end the book with a well-rounded understanding of the story and the characters and each individual’s story and how they all fit together.

I love history, so when the story delves into ancient history, and history of the earliest evidence of original pieces of writing, particularly the Bible, how could I resist? The theme that really touched me was one of staying true to yourself. Rebecca is rather unconventional in her day and age, and yet she fights to stay out of the mold society demands her to be pressed into.

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable book, all 470 pages!

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

My review can be seen at RT Book Reviews

People always ask how a loving God could allow suffering but faith in God asks us to trust.

Sisters Rebecca and Flora Hawes are not short in adventure in their search for God's purpose. Set in Chicago 1890's, the Hawe sisters live with their father who encourages his daughters in education and knowing the world around them for God's purpose. The sisters are different but their love for the Lord and each other keeps them keep united in spite of their differences. Rebecca longs to travel and study while Flora desire is for a husband and children. The plot is driven by these desires.

In their travels, their is a discovery of truth for each sister. Rebecca desires the Lord to be known thru history and Flora desires the Lord to be known thru compassion. Each trip home, they discover a way to apply any truth they learn in for the good of their home in Chicago. Flora setting up an orphanage and Rebecca becoming an author and speaker.

The setting of their story allows for the reader to re-live the great fire of Chicago and the living conditions of the poorest. The working conditions of children and women and the beginning of women's suffrage.

I did struggle with the beginning as these sisters were well to do and even though their desires were of travel and society, they also learned compassion and the great responsibility of wealth to share what the Lord had given them. There also was a great debate in why we believe in God and how the struggle to believe is not intellectual but spiritual. How getting involved in the messy lives of others can only grow your faith and joy that only belongs in walking with the Lord.

A Special Thank You to Bethany House Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Historical Christian Fiction at its best!! Wow, Lynn Austin paints an incredible story of these 2 sisters who really lived in history. Although this is a fictional story of the sisters, it just makes you want to know them. The impact for the Kingdom of God is amazing! Somethings I loved: their motto to rest and not fear because God knows the number of our days and their travels to exotic places with amazing discoveries and very realistic sea journeys. You'll feel all sorts of emotions with this one, and be thankful for each one. I highly recommend this book!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Also posted on Amazon, B&N, Christianbook

First sentence: Rebecca Hawes lay awake in her tent, convinced that the howling wind was about to lift her entire camp into the air and hurl it to the far side of the desert.

Premise/plot: Where We Belong tells the story of two adventuring sisters Rebecca and Flora Hawes. The novel opens in the Sinai Desert in 1890, the sisters are on a quest to find ancient manuscripts. In particular, Becky is looking for ancient copies of the New Testament. She has, by this point, co-written several books on her archaeological discoveries. She's hoping that a new discovery will help skeptics believe that the Bible is reliable and reasonable.

The story line set in 1890 is packed with action and adventure. But the book doesn't stay in 1890, in fact it is dominated by flashbacks--flashbacks for four main characters: Becky, Flora, Soren, and Kate. The earliest flashbacks take us back to the school years of Becky and Flora and how their love of 'adventure' began when they were still teens. (Their first adventure being skipping school and exploring Chicago.)

The two sisters--in particular Becky Hawes--are unconventional in many ways. The two share a love for traveling the world, learning new languages, bargaining with the natives and picking up souvenirs. The two also share concern for others. Flora has a heart for the poor, particularly orphaned and abandoned children. Becky has a heart for the lost. She sees her love of archaeology being in line with that concern. Her work may remove barriers keeping people from believing that the Bible is the true word of God. That's how she sees it anyway. Both sisters have a strong faith in God.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I didn't love, love, love it. I honestly thought it was a bit too long. The story set in 1890 was compelling, but the flashbacks were not equally so. In fact, I found some of the flashbacks to be more tedious than not. (Not all the flashbacks lacked action; one sequence takes readers to the Chicago Fire.)

I found it interesting that this one is based very loosely on real sisters--Agnes and Margaret Smith. But the authors note makes it clear that it is VERY loosely based. Agnes and Margaret Smith were Scottish, not American, and most of the book is complete fiction.

Where we Belong" by Lynn Austin is a novel inspired by a true story of two sisters that have inherited a great amount of money along with a sincere devotion to God. The two women, though living in the 19th century, embark on a lifetime of education, adventure, and service to the poor rather than the life that has been planned out for them of marrying for social prestige and to husbands who want their money.

This is a great book, full of adventure and inspiration. The two sisters bring purpose to what could have been a dull existence and a regular life. The reader will love this book as well as it's characters. The chapters of the book are grouped according to each character, letting the reader see the story through each character's point of view. I received this novel from Bethany House Publishing and netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I also posted in Christianbook.com

Where We Belong by Lynn Austin

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Lynn Austin brings to vivid life the story of two sisters who were not content to let life happen to them – rather they sought to create a life of discovery, compassion and lasting love.

This story was a surprise to me. When I began reading this story I was a bit bored with the slow start, but as I read further I discovered a good read that contained many life lessons encased within its pages. Understand that this story is not one that is going on my all-time favorites list but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy the time spent with it. Ms. Austin presents the story of two sisters who decide that if they are going to enjoy the life God has given them, then they must move beyond the finishing school they are attending. Finding the world abroad a far better place to learn and study, Rebecca and Flora Hawes convince their father to take them to Europe for several extended tours – a plan he agrees to given they learn the languages of the countries they plan to visit. On one such journey, they meet with a widow named Mrs. Worthington who quickly attaches herself to their party. Knowing Mrs. Worthington can help his daughters step out into society, Edward Hawes encourages the girls to learn the social graces Mrs. Worthington offers to impart. Returning to Chicago for several years, attending social engagements and allowing suitors to pay court, Becky and Flora begin to find themselves disappearing once again into a predictable life – something they had vowed never to do. And the unexpected death of the father will spur them to go “adventuring” once again. Resolving to strike out on their own to visit the places they’ve read of in the Bible, the sisters pack their things and go in search of knowledge. As they make their way from Cairo to Jerusalem along the Gaza road, they meet with Edmund Merriday – a fellow scholar from Cambridge England. Upon learning of Edmund’s being swindled by his agent, the sisters quickly offer him a job as a guide for their travels. Along the way, Edmund tells them of his plan to write a book about how historical places and artifacts point to the validity of the Bible. As Becky listens and learns from Edmund, she feels a deep desire to help Edmund create said book – a task he is most willing to share with her. Flora, on the other hand, finds herself falling in love with Edmund and his quiet ways – causing herself some heartache as she is supposed to be engaged to another man back in Chicago. But upon returning to Chicago, Flora quickly sees that any love she might have had for Thomas pales in comparison with the deep love she has for Edmund. Breaking off their engagement gives Flora relief, which is soon turned to joy when Edmund appears in Chicago hoping to marry Flora. Their marriage brings much joy and a bit of heartache for Becky, who was also slightly in love with Edmund herself. But the friendship and writing partnership that she is able to have with Edmund goes far to heal that heartache and gives Becky a chance to complete a project she has long desired – to publish a book that would point others to Christ. And the publication of that and several other books leads to the arrival of Professor Timothy Dyk, a man who will be the perfect foil for Becky, both intellectually and romantically. Spending a year debating all topics from the Bible, Becky begins to despair of Timothy ever coming to belief in Christ. She knows she cannot marry him as an unbeliever but she cannot seemed to find anything to “convince” Timothy of the existence of a loving God. Determining to find definitive proof, Becky decides to travel to the Sinai library in search of an ancient Bible that mirrors current versions. And when Flora agrees to go with her ( along with two young adult orphans they have taken into their home), the sisters will be in for the adventure of their lives. From a sheik who wishes to wed Kate – one of the orphans – to sandstorms that last for days, to the finding of an ancient biblical text in the library’s records, the sisters will have to rely on God to carry them through the situations in which they find themselves. And what they bring back from this trip will change many lives, including their own. I was so pleased with the lessons of trust, love and forgiveness that Ms. Austin strove to teach through the lives of these two lively sisters. She made sure at all times to point to the true Source of these themes but offered these truths within the wrappings of kindness. Ms. Austin used a very effective way of story telling in that she had the story told from different character’s points of view. It was good to see the background story of each character during their telling but it was also a bit distracting from the main story. Its always hard to keep things in order if an author goes back and forth between time periods and although Ms. Austin did well at weaving everything together, it was difficult at times to not skip ahead to what I wanted to find out. So I will say that I enjoyed the book and might recommend it to others, however, I don’t believe it will be one that I will be adding to my shelf. I wish Ms. Austin had included a bit more snappy dialogue from Becky Hawes; she is a firecracker of a character and could have had many quotable lines attributed to her. I also wish Ms. Austin had included a better ending for the two orphans, Kate and Soren. She doesn’t tell if they fall in love with each other or go on to find other loves – a gaping fault for this story in my opinion. For these reasons I have given the book 3.5 stars. I will keep this author in mind in the future and hope that she will offer better rounded characters and stories in her next works.

I received this E-book free of charge from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation from either company for this review.

Where We Belong is a wonderful book full of love, loss, and listening for God's leading all wrapped within the epic travel adventures of a pair of sisters interested more in knowledge and practicality than high society and its trimmings. There was so much to love about this book and just when I thought it might be winding down and wrapping up, some new adventure would start and off we would go! Although it isn't a quick read, Lynn Austin does a wonderful job wrapping in the message of love and adoption, in the real world and within God's own family. I love characters that go against the norm and these two were witty and fun.

Rebecca and Flora Hawes are best friends. Their thirst for adventure has led these two sisters across the world to France, the rest of Europe and the Middle East. Their latest adventure may well be their last one, however. But their motto is that  "the Lord knows when the hour of our end will be"- and with this in mind they are nearly fearless.

Their young butler and maid don't quite share the same level of faith. When a tribe of Bedouins, an adoring sheik with a short-staffed harem and a sandstorm become involved, will the four of them make it out alive?

Where We Belong was an enjoyable read. It skipped back and forth from various characters' viewpoints, but not so much that it was hard to follow. It also moved back and forth between the past and the present, but this was done gradually enough that it wasn't disorienting.

Much of the story revolves around the search for an ancient biblical manuscript. Because of this there is a fair bit of information about working with ancient manuscripts.

Where We Belong is inspired by a true story of two sisters from the 1800's who discovered an important biblical manuscript, among other finds.

I would rate Where We Belong a four out of five stars. I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishers in order to write an unbiased review.