What a wonderful story! I loved the character of Emmeline. Despite mistreatment and loneliness during her teenage years, she retained her sweetness of spirit and her care for others. However, she struggles with confidence because she considers her appearance to be quite plain. As her caring heart becomes evident to those around her, there is no doubt that her true inner beauty shines clearly for all to see. As Em overcomes fear and doubt, she begins to dare hope that she can find a happy, useful life. But will that life include the handsome town sheriff? And does he come to realize that Emmeline is the woman of his dreams? I was cheering for her every step of the way to find her happily-ever-after.

An engaging and unique storyline makes this author’s debut novel a keeper. I’m looking forward to more from this author.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Hope of Azure Springs is a sweet debut. The main story is about Em finding her sister Lucy. They were both children that road an Orphan Train from New York City to Iowa. Em and Lucy found families in two different towns and have been separated for seven years. Em was taken in by a single man that paid little attention to her. A tragedy brings Em to Azure Springs. The story that unfolds shows character growth of Em and several other characters. The ending is incredibly satisfying. Readers that enjoy a well done ending will likely love the ending of this novel. I look forward to what this author will write in the future.

I’m never really a fan of a storyline constantly reminding us of the ‘plainness’ of a main character, it irritates me. Sometimes though I find it pointless to the plot. In this case, as much as I didn’t like it, I appreciated it was pivotal to much of the development that happens.

If you’ve read any of the many recent novels being written about the Orphan Trains - of which there has been quite a few, then this story will already begin with you having a pretty good idea to what it was and what happened. I’ve read both of Jody Hedlund’s in her series, and it provides a very good basis of understanding for me. In fact the more I read on this subject the more compassion I am feeling for the obesity affected the most. The children. Imagine being lined up on a train platform and being looked over and then rejected. Imagine that happening repeatedly at every train station you stopped at. That alone would affect a child psychologically. Imagine then being separated from your siblings. Never knowing if you’ll see them again because all you know (and only if you were old enough) is which town they left you at. Imagine when you do finally get taken, it is to a home that is little more than a hovel and the neglect leaves you lonely, starving and so desperate you’ll do anything to survive. Throw all of that together and you’ve got the opening for Em. The heroine of this story. The author has written a book that has you questioning the validity of the Orphan Train Movement. Or at the very least the way in which it was administered. It was not only a journey of emotional and physical healing to travel along with Em, but the ability to see how despite all the grievances we could have for the life we have been handed - it is entirely possible to not repeat the past. To become so much more. To have an attitude of grace. Caleb is such a fun character, who takes his responsibilities as Sheriff seriously. He will protect his town if it’s the last thing he does, and throws everything he has got into solving this case involving Em. As he goes above and beyond what it expected, we see a side of him that only one person has the ability to alter.

The process of tying up all the loose ends & questions you’ll likely be asking as you read is nicely done.

Thanks to Revell & Netgalley for the eARC. This is my honest review.

The Hope of Azure Springs was delightfully entertaining! It was one of those stories that you just didn’t want to see end. Billed as historical romance, this book contained the full gamut of human emotion: fear, pity (including self-pity!), pride, joy, hate, humor, and finally – love.

I think this story has a little something for everyone. If you want suspense and tension – this is for you! Raw emotion? Yup! Need action? It’s in here! Romance? What do you think?

When is a story set in nineteenth century Iowa not considered a Western? When it’s this good! When do so many little things add up to one imperfectly perfect big thing? Apparently, when Rachel Fordham tells the story!

**The Characters of The Hope of Azure Springs**

Nineteen-year-old Em is our lead protagonist. If you think you’ve had some hard knocks in your life, you should see things from Em’s point of view. Armed with a very original set of flaws, talents and quirks, she feels stuck in her life. However, through some serendipitous misfortune, she seizes an opportunity to begin the quest that has haunted her relentlessly for seven years.

Caleb is our co-protagonist. He’s the sheriff of Azure Springs, but I don’t think he really wants to be. Caleb’s very good at what he does. He’s tough when he has to be, but he’s also comfortable telling a fairy tale to little girls. He questions his reasons for going into this line of work.

When Em’s path crosses with Caleb’s, it’s hard to tell whether it’s a meeting or a collision. However, I’ll promise you one thing: it’ll be entertaining!

**Technically Speaking**

The copy I read was not a final text, so any SPAG errors are totally moot.

I think the pacing was perfect for a story in this setting; it slowed when it needed to, and it raced when evil was afoot. Where this story really shines, however, is in the character arcs! Some of these are among the best I’ve seen.

I do have a few gripes with certain things in the story, but I can’t really tell you about them without giving spoilers. Besides, even with my petty gripes, it’s such a wonderful, well-written story, let’s not take anything away from it! I think it’s incredible that this is a debut novel. Kudos to you, Rachel Fordham!

(Still deciding if you want to read it? Take a peek at the Prologue and Chapter One of The Hope of Azure Springs.)

True love always wins, but sometimes you have to search for love because it can be elusive.

Life seems somewhat simpler back in the 1800's, but then I think I would miss some of the conveniences like air conditioning! There would still be the different personalities of people that you would see today - those that are self absorbed, those that are obsessed with money and wealth, those that are kind and help everyone, and those that just want to be happy.

Em and Caleb both fall into the last two categories - they are kind and help those around them and just want to be happy. They may not know what it will take to make them happy but they keep searching. My heart went out to Em after hearing about the orphan train and losing her sister Lucy at a previous town. And then to learn what Em went through by the person that took her at the last town, she lived in squalor and food was scarce, it was heart breaking but not unexpected all things considered.

Caleb had his own share of sadness by losing his brothers to war. That was just as hard on him as it was his parents and you wonder if it affected them equally or if it hit one person harder than the other. There are some wonderful scenes when Caleb visits his parents with Em. I think once the visit was complete everyone had a better understand of what the other felt and that no one person's grief was greater than another.

The story is sweetly woven and the interactions between Em and the various characters showed her grit and graciousness. The romance that evolves from Em and Caleb started in friendship which is the best place to start. There is even a lesson taught to Eliza by Caleb which is a lesson many could stand to learn in this world about being humble.

There are wonderful supporting characters such as Milly and Mae, twins that can't get enough of princess stories. Margaret is unique but much loved by the people in the town despite her eccentricities.

The epilogue will have you a bit misty too.

Rachel Fordham is a new young author but, already, I suggest you add her to your list of authors for your reading lists. This is an excellent start for her. From the opening paragraph to the final page, I was hooked. Em, the heroine, truly warrants that title. She is a young woman who has survived adversity knock after knock. She survives an attempted murder that succeeded in taking the life of her guardian, who turns out to not be much of a guardian. She is brought into Azure Springs where she meets Sheriff Caleb Reynolds who vows to find the perpetrators.

Sheriff Caleb Reynolds mistakenly treats Em as a child to start with until she corrects him and then he realizes she is just half starved to death. He thinks she's plain, not much to her, and not much to look at; but slowly she transforms and he finds that her beauty shines from within and makes her a hidden treasure.

Caleb is determined to solves Em's case and protect all those under his care especially Em. He feels he has to prove himself to his parents as the only living son since his three brothers all perished in the war.

Em doesn't trust easily and holds her past close to her vest. Her greatest desire is to find her little sister lost to her when they were separated off the Orphan Train.

Slowly, with out trying, Em begins to steal Caleb's heart and in turn he begins to share bits of himself with her as she does with him. Things escalate when Em is kidnapped by the bad guy. That is not the end of the surprises in the story. The ending is a true happily ever after, one a princess would appreciate. You'll know what I mean if you read the book.

Thanks to Revell for allowing me to read The Hope of Azure Springs through Netgalley.

Great read! Not your typical romance book.I enjoyed this book very much.If you are a fan of Historical Christian Romance this is a must read!

I can’t believe this was a debut novel. This made me laugh and cry. I did not want to put this book down. The orphan train was an interesting idea but unluckily there were too many people who would abuse the system. I loved the characters of Em and Caleb. There were so many twists and turns for a historical novel. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I really liked this book. The main character took me a little while to like. I was a little put off with her in the beginning but she grew on me until I really really liked her. While there was not as much preaching type style of Lori Wick, the characters reminded me of Lori Wick characters. I wanted to know what would happen next and the story flowed at a nice pace where it all wrapped up, one issue at a time, at a really nice pace and didn't wrap up in the last 5 pages. I grew attached to the characters and even cried at one point and I love when a book makes me feel that invested in it. I recommend this book to historical fans and I will be looking for this authors next book!

The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham takes us back to 1881. Em Cooper has been shot and left for dead. She was lucky to be found and transported to Azure Springs, Iowa where the Howell family has taken her into their home. Sheriff Caleb Reynolds is responsible for keeping the law in Azure Springs and the surrounding area. He wants to catch whomever harmed Em and her guardian George. Em was taken in by George seven years prior when the orphan train came through the area. She has been living in a dilapidated barn and scrounging for food since then. Three men came to the farm and proceeded to tear it apart looking for something. When they did not find it, they shot George and Em. She can provide Caleb with a description and it matches that of men who recently robbed a stagecoach. While Caleb works the case, he finds himself drawn to Em with her kind nature and generous heart. Em is eager for the bandits to be captured so she can begin her search for her sister, Lucy. They became separated when Lucy was adopted, and Em has worried about her ever since. Em is grateful her prayers were answered, and she was freed from George, but she has yet to realize that she is the answer to others prayers.

The Hope of Azure Springs is well-written story with a gentle pace and a beautiful cover. I liked the main characters of Em and Caleb. The supporting characters of the Howell family and Margaret Anders (I like her attitude) helped enhance the story. Em has had a difficult life, but she does not let it get her down. She has a positive attitude and a grateful heart. Em has a different way of looking at things and she helps others with their grief. The romance was sweet, and it focused on the individual’s character (what is inside the person) instead of their physical appearance (though Caleb is handsome). I like the Christian elements present throughout the story. The presence of God in our lives, having faith in God, God’s grace and prayer. Other themes are hope, self-reliance but also knowing when to accept help from others, friendship, enduring love, and the value of self-worth. The road to a happy future is a bumpy one, and Em’s journey will be an emotional one. I like how the story goes full circle. My rating for The Hope of Azure Springs is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). I hope the author gives Eliza and Margaret their own books. I would like to see their stories play out. Readers who enjoy clean western romance novels will be delighted with The Hope of Azure Springs.

This one is incredible! I loved that the heroine was not conventional. It was refreshing! I enjoyed getting to know the characters and look forward to reading more of Rachel's books.

Wow! A fabulous debut from Rachel Fordham!

Both the cover and the description had me hooked when I first saw this on Netgalley, and I'm so glad I decided to read it! It was so lovely to step into this simply-written small-town historical story with heart-melting characters, a sweet romance, and even gun-toting outlaws.

Both Caleb and Em were unique and realistic MCs with so much depth to their characters. I loved their sweet relationship, easy banter, and lighthearted competition. I also loved the secondary cast of Mae and Milly, Margaret, and the Howells, with the exception of Eliza. Her character was a bit . . . odd. I see why she was necessary to show how Em was different, but I feel like Eliza ended up being unrealistic. There are more effective ways to show the contrast, in my opinion.

The story, while a bit slow at times, was heartwarming and enthralling. I loved the contrast of inner beauty vs. outer beauty the author made. I feel like so many romances put such weight on the physical and often forget inner beauty entirely. Fordham did a fabulous job with that subject. The romance was slow and sweet and pure, just the way I like it.

A couple of my quibbles: Eliza, as mentioned above. As well, the writing style seemed a little oversimplified at times, which is probably just my personal preference. Also, some of the dialogue and description seemed historically innaccurate\inauthentic. I'm always a stickler for historical accuracy, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book too much.

All in all, I greatly enjoyed The Hope of Azure Springs and look forward to reading more from this talented author!

Recommended for ages 14+ for mild romance.


FTC DISCLOSURE: I received an electronic copy of this book from NetGalley. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

When a woman is found shot outside of town, newly appointed Sheriff Caleb Reynolds is determined to get to the bottom of it.



Em and her sister, Lucy, came out on the Orphan Train seven years ago, Lucy was placed with a family while Em was not. Em survived in the woods with a man named George who protected her, but never bothered her. But when George is killed, Em wants to take this chance to find out where her sister is, as well as what the killers where after.



Caleb is devoted to his new job, and wants to serve Azure Springs well. He is brave and thoughtful. He wants to help Em, and as he gets to know her he admires her resourcefulness, and competitive spirit. They form a unique friendship, teasing, joking, and finding it easy to talk to one another. I liked their interaction, and the dialog between the two of them.



Em is my favorite character, she is a survivor, and she treats everyone around with compassion and empathy. She doesn't let her past make her bitter, finding joy in the little things. And she has a way of talking to people, that makes them instantly comfortable with her. She accepts what she cannot change, but fights to change what she can.



I really liked this book, and it's one of those books that I didn't quite realize how much I'd liked it until I sat down and thought about writing this review. Entertaining, engaging, with great touches of humor, I loved all of the people that became a part of Em's family in Azure Springs. There were so many great characters, and I loved how everything came together in the end. Fantastic read, can't wait to read more from this author in the future.


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."

I’m always excited to read an author’s debut, especially when it’s in a favorite genre. The Hope of Azure Springs is an endearing historical romance that perhaps doesn’t follow the typical plot of other historical romances. Em, who has lived in nearly deplorable conditions since she was a child, was never shown simple kindness, let alone love. After her negligent guardian is killed and Em injured, she is brought to Azure Springs, where she is given the chance to experience the kindness, care, and friendship of others.

Though at first I worried that Em would come across as too sweet, that wasn’t the case. Willing to work hard to provide for herself, she is both resilient and vulnerable, determined to repay the kindnesses paid to her in Azure Springs. Caleb, the town’s sheriff, seems an unlikely hero at first. Easily swayed by the town beauty and what others expect of him, he at first sees Em’s frailty as a deterrent to solving the mystery of who shot her and murdered her former guardian. As they interact with more frequency, a true friendship develops that was delightful to watch grow. While there were times that I felt the dialogue is a bit awkward, but overall, the writing style has a simple yet endearing way about it that kept my attention throughout the whole story. There are some lovely lines as well:

“Her once savage wound, though tender, was healing. She often looked at it and in a strange way felt gratitude for it – it’s brought her from her prison in the woods to this good home.”

“Sometimes the steepest roads lead to the greatest views.”

“Let them say what they would; she knew her own story, and they would not steal the measure of joy she’d found.”


The plot of the novel sets a lovely pace. The opening easily grabbed my attention, then the scenes that follow allow the reader to catch their breath and slow down along with Em. While there is an antagonist in the story, it’s not a cheesy, cartoonish villain and the amount of time spent on that part of the story was just the right amount. The theme of overcoming tragic circumstances resonated with me deeply while reading this story, and I was surprised by the way the author wrapped up a few loose ends. Though the story does have romance, my favorite aspect is Em’s character development and realization of her own self-worth. For other plot points, while perhaps some of the outcomes are sad, they are also realistic and make for a more poignant ending.

Fordham’s debut shows remarkable promise for her forthcoming novels, and I’ll be looking forward to reading what she pens next.

I received an electronic advanced copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to post a positive review, and the opinions expressed here are my own.

Debut novelist, Rachel Fordham, has clearly shown in this book that she has talent. A sweet story focusing on the journey of Em who left New York as a child of 12 along with her 6 year old sister, Lucy, on a orphan train. Beautiful, adorable Lucy is quickly selected by a set of parents, but each time Em is bypassed due to her plain looks, freckled face, and forlorn demeanor.

The characters is in the small town of Azure Springs were so supportive and filled Em's life with hope. Her lack of confidence, her plain jane attitude, hid a deeply caring heart that made her beautiful. Sheriff Caleb Reynolds was a perfect hero to help Em find her inner beauty. I really like how he grew as he saw the difference between Eliza and Em. Em's unshakeable love and desire to find her sister was evident throughout the story. Each of the major characters as well as a few minor ones learned that the loss of loved ones wasn't easy but locking away the memory of them only made them hurt more.

Rachel Fordham captured the meaning of enduring love, hope, self-reliance, friendship, and the value of self-worth throughout this story. Excellent novel from a first time author.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

This is an excellent read by debut author Rachel Fordham. I thoroughly enjoyed the book from it's great characters to the suspenseful moments to the absolutely lovely ending that made me smile and shed a tear or two. The ending was perfect! It was a nice, easy read that I read in less than 24 hours and it kept me engrossed from beginning to end. It has a great message in that losing people you love doesn't mean you have nothing left to live for, but that you need to live for them and the ones we lose never truly leave us. The book does have some sad moments but the takeaway is love is stronger then anything, even death. I will definitely read this author again!

I'm not much of a fan for historical fiction but this one was hard to put down.

Em's life hasn't been a all diamonds and roses. All she's known is loneliness and pain. Having been seperated from her sister on an orphan train heading west, Em is determined to get back to Lucy. Problem is...she's not sure how she's gonna do it.

Then one day she's shot and the man who took her in is dead. Now her life's in danger and there's only one person to protect her. Caleb doesn't know a lot about where Em came from or why she was so reclusive. All he knows is someone wants her dead and he must protect her. But as he begins spending more time with Em, learning about her childhood grief, Caleb can't help but remember is own pain and maybe with time the two of them both can heal.

Be prepared for tissues during the last few chapters. This book is appropriate for ages 18+ for mature content although no graphic violence, bad language, or sexual content.

3.5 stars

While The Hope of Azure Springs pulled me in from the first page, the story tended to get bogged down in places. There is a lot to learn about Em. The young woman has lived a difficult life and experienced heart-wrenching loss.

Throughout the book, Em is focused on finding Lucy—the sister she hasn’t seen in seven years—but it almost takes too long to get to the actual search.

There are many pieces to this story that sometimes felt disjointed to me. And let’s talk about how aggravated Caleb made me at the social (good thing he redeemed himself quickly).

Em didn’t quite get the ending I was hoping for, but Rachel Fordham made certain everything came full circle.

A solid debut by Fordham with a heroine you can’t help but root for. As a lover of stories, Em deserves a fairy tale ending.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

3.5 stars
The setting is Azure Springs, Iowa circa 1881. The circumstance is an injured young woman named Em with an unknown background. She’s taken in by the kindhearted Howell family and under the protection of Caleb Reynolds, town sheriff. Learning of bandits who killed & robbed her guardian, he vows to bring them to justice while making sure she’s in safe hands. What he didn’t count on was the more time he spent with Em, the more his heart becomes entangled with hers. Perhaps God brought these two together for love & healing!

My heart ached learning all the things Em’s been through in her young life. Losing both parents when a fever raged through her hometown & her sister when they were separated on the Orphan train. Then to top it off, she was attacked by three men who left her for dead and killed George her guardian. She’s shown the kindness of strangers when the Howell’s take her in to recover. That’s one family I wished was my own! The two youngest sisters Milly & Mae bring her much happiness and helps fill the ache inside her for her own sister. These two are bright sunshine in a world of darkness; their laughter and fun will have them wrapped around your finger! The whole town takes her under their wings and shows her love and kindness, something she hasn’t felt for a long time since losing her parents as a child. Caleb was a hero in every form you’d imagine. He not only looked out for Em’s safety but befriended her without judgment. He’s kindhearted, a good listener and brings humor & laughter to Em’s world. Mae & Milly even call him the prince of Azure Springs! He’s the epitome of every woman’s dream.

I have to be honest & fair in my review, so here are a few things I didn’t care for: Em struggles throughout the book with feeling insecure. She was surrounded by people who showed her kindness and tried to help her see the potential she had inside of her. Understandably she has been through the wringer in life, but I really wanted to see more character growth. That’s an important aspect in a story for me, seeing the character growth as it helps me see areas in my life that I can work on too. Eliza, for instance, had character growth; she wasn’t the same person at the end of the book as she was in the beginning. Secondly, this being labeled as Christian or inspirational fiction, I didn’t see a lot of aspects you’d come to expect from a Christian fiction book. There was very little mention of God or how the characters relied on Him throughout the story. It’s a reason I stick with this genre because I need to see faith play a role in a book. I had a hard time really connecting with the story as good as it was; I really wanted to like it more than I did!

Conclusion: it’s a wonderful story, lots of emotions, well-written, good characters, a great town that helps each other, and the eventual happily-ever-after I love about romance. Just because it didn’t engage me as much as I wanted it to, doesn’t mean it won’t for other readers. I’d encourage you to come to your own conclusion after reading it for yourself!

*I received a complimentary copy from Revell and was under no obligation to leave a favorable review. All opinions were my own *

The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham
A heartwarming, inspirational historical adventure
My rating is 4 stars

Even Em’s name was plain. She knew that she was not a beauty and that no one would ever look at her that way. Despite her looks, Em had a heart of gold. She was kind and willing to work hard. Her outlook was quite positive and she didn’t expect anyone to do anything for her. I loved the way she constantly told stories to the seven-year-old twins Mae and Milly to entertain them. She was able to help those around her who grieved, which was very sweet.

One of the themes of this lovely story is how beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It wasn’t Em who needed to learn this lesson, however, but Caleb. He had his eye on the town beauty and only spent time with Em because of her case. At first. Then he started enjoying spending time with her and was able to open up and have fun in a way he hadn’t been able to for years. I love the lessons he learned through the story.

There were a number of people in the story dealing with grief, each in a different way. Author Rachel Fordham handled this in a very compassionate and tactful way and kindly helped her characters to grow and heal.

The story showed a different side of the Orphan Trains than the more romanticized view often seen in fiction. Unfortunately, not all the placements were made with care or the right motives, and not all the orphans were treated well.

I appreciate that the author didn’t choose the easy solutions. While Em’s appearance improved after she began to eat properly, she would never be considered the town beauty. There were a couple of other situations that were resolved appropriately, but not necessarily “happily”.

Some things detracted from the story, in my opinion, causing me to not give it 5 stars. While overall the writing was good (as you can see by the quotes I’ve included) and the plot was interesting, the dialog was a little awkward and some of the phrasing could have been reworked to be better.

I felt that Em’s character was too perfect. Not in outward appearance, but just about everything else. When faced with a new situation, I knew she was going to always do the right thing, and it annoyed me a little. Not that I love mean characters – Em was just a little unrelatable and unrealistic. In the part where she wrote a letter, I would have liked to have seen things spelled as she would have spelled them and the speech to sound a little more countrified instead of almost everyone having perfect grammar.

That said, if you enjoy historical novels with a hint of mystery and danger, you will probably enjoy this one. Give it a try.

Read the full review of The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham with a Preview at AmongTheReads.net

I would like to thank Netgalley, Revell for giving me a copy of this book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.