Sold on a Monday tells the story of the desperation during The Great Depression and the years following. When you would rather sell your children than see them starve at your own hands, a choice that probably tore people in two.
We meet Ellis, the guy who wrote the article telling the story and Lily, a woman trying to work her way up in her field, despite being a woman, a fact that held so many knowledgeable women back during the times. She's also a single mother, a double whammy against her in a world that doesn't want to see her succeed.
Historical Fiction is my favorite genre and I feel McMorris did very well portraying what life was like back then, for parents, for women, for everyone that was caught in the struggle. It was well-written, often emotional, with deep and strong characters, and stays true to life during this time, a compelling read.

I recieved a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion. I was captivated by this story. I couldn’t put it down. A really intriguing story about a sad time in America.

Ellis has been struggling to make it as a reporter. Not only wanting to further his career, he also wants his father to be proud of him, even though he left town and didn't work at the factory as was destined.

One day though everything changes. Once a picture taken in pure awe is discovered Ellis' career steamrolls ahead, but not without leaving damage in it's wake. What all once seemed innocent.

After unseen turmoil ensues, Ellis races to see if he can correct his wrongs.

This is a nice “slice of life” story set in the time of the Great Depression on the east coast of the United States. It follows a reporter and a secretary in a Philadelphia newspaper throughout but also adds in a banker and gangsters. It has a bit of a mystery thrown in for good measure and of course some love interest. It touches on unwed motherhood, the selling of children to keep a family from starving, the orphanage system of the time and other social aspects of the time period. I enjoyed this story very much and was surprised at how neatly everything was satisfactorily wrapped up at the end. There are extensive notes and book club questions for this which add insight to the story. I received this ARC from #netgalley and thank the Ms McMorris from writing #soldonamonday.

This story has left me breathless. Sold on a Monday is a thought-provoking, heartfelt journey.

Kristina McMorris’ writing is beautiful. She takes us on a journey of heartbreak, desperation, compassion, and hope that resonates deep within. The characters touch you. You feel everything they are experiencing and going through; their apprehensions, their pain, their fears, their hope. I loved Lily and Ellis’ perseverance, fight, and passion. I felt as though I was right there with them through it all. There were turns of events that were unexpected and heartbreaking. My heart was racing, and I couldn’t wait to see how everything was going to work out.

I was completely immersed in this story from start to end. This powerful, heartfelt story that started with a picture, is one that won’t be forgotten.

This story came about when the author came upon and old photograph in a newspaper, which showed children next to a sign saying that they were for sale.
This story set in 1931 in Philadelphia and New York City , where the main characters are newspaper reporter Ellis Reed and newspaper secretary Lillian Palmer.
Ellis while out on assignments, would take photos of things that caught his eye not related to his news stories. Ellis developed some of the photos which he had taken for himself, which he had hanging in the darkroom,
When Lillian went into the darkroom for some photos for her boss, she saw a picture Ellis had taken of two boys sitting on a porch with a sign near them, saying children for sale. She thought she would do him a favor and put it in the stack of photos which she was taking to their boss.
Well this set the tone for the rest of the book. A mystery finding out what might have happened to the boys, a friendship and possibly more for Ellis and Lillian, and a look into each of their past and how it made them who they were today.
Wonderful characters with a lot of issues of their own,but coming together to solve this story of why, someone would sell their children.
I look forward to other stories by this author,
I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of this books

Gave this a 3.5 I am usually a big fan of historical fiction but this book just didn't totally grab me. It was a fine story, no stand out characters & it kind of went off in many different directions.

The concept of this book is very interesting. I feel like there isn't a lot of fiction written about this time. I was very intrigued that the author was inspired to write this after seeing a real photo like the one described in the book.

The sequence of events was very interesting, but there were some details that I thought would be important but weren't. Like Ellis' connection with the Irish Mob. The relationship between Ellis and Lily was adorable, and you could really see it pan out as the story went on.

I thought the ending was kind of rushed. When they finally found out where the boy was, I was surprised at how few pages were left. It went from being a historical fiction story, to a crime thriller. I would have loved to see that part of the plot expanded a little bit.

Overall a good book, just not one that holds its own with so many other history/crime/thriller type books out there right now.

A picture of two little ones, a mother shielding her face, and a sign that states “Children For Sale” is how we begin our journey. The heart-wrenching fact that this historical fiction novel has its basis in absolute fact makes the story of children separated from their families during the Depression era that much more tragic. Told from the points-of-view of two newspaper writers, one whose decision will have a butterfly effect on many families’ lives, the twist and turns are unimaginable. This novel evokes such empathy and makes you appreciate the affluence we live in today by comparison. I especially enjoyed the author’s notes at the end which add a richness and honesty to an already emotional story. Four heart-wrenching stars and a thank you to NetGalley, Kristina McMorris, and Sourcebooks Landmark Publishing for supplying be with this advanced copy e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Set in the Great Depression, newspaper writer Ellis makes a choice on tweaking a photo from a storyline that has heartbreaking consequences. While the photo and storyline bring fame, money and success to Ellis, the family in the photo is torn apart. Ellis and his friend/assistant Lily try to find the family and make things right again. It's a sweet story that gives the reader a feel of how life was in that era. The storyline was engaging and overall well told.

Don't you find the cover of the book compelling and make you want to delve right in to find out what the story is?  That's what drew me to this book in the first place, and I'm glad it did.

During the Depression, Ellis is a news reporter struggling to find the story that will bring him recognition.  He is roaming the countryside taking photographs when he comes across a house with 2 young children and a sign that says "2 children for sale".  He is struck by the scene and takes a photograph.  He isn't planning on submitting the picture, but Lillian, one of the secretaries at the newsroom,  sees this picture developing and takes it to the editor who in turn wants Ellis to go back and interview the family for a story.  When he returns to the house, things take a turn, but he gets the story and finally gets the recognition he has been wanting.  He and Lillian later start having regrets about the circumstances of the picture and story submitted and start looking for the children.

Both Ellis and Lillian are well-developed characters with depth.  They both struggle with their conscience to do the right thing even though their actions might bring unwanted results for them.  Ellis has also been keeping a secret that comes out during the story, and it actually plays mainly into her decisions.  This was a heartbreaking look at a difficult time period, but ultimately redemptive; Although this is historical fiction, the story is apparently based on an actual newspaper photograph which adds even more to this compelling story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent novel based on a famous photograph. I loved the book.

i enjoyed the story and the characters in this book. i think it's hard for us today to know how hard things were during the Great Depression. even sometimes the easy things. this book did a good job of reminding me how families must have struggled back then.
i also enjoyed the underlying current of love that is woven throughout the book in many ways.
i have found myself thinking about scenes over the past several weeks which i believe is a sign of a great book (when it makes you think).

i received an ARC of this book. all opinions are my own. :-)

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with the free ebook of Sold on a Monday.

The plotline of Sold on a Monday was so wonderfully thought out. I loved the story! However, it felt a little wordy to me, with pages and pages of text that didn't really say anything and didn't add to the story line. I feel quite conflicted on how to rate this one: if just the story almost five stars, if just the writing just below three. It just wasn't for me.

In 1931 there is a sign on a porch that reads '2 children for sale'. A reporter takes a photo of the sign and it leads to his big break. Sold On A Monday is a definite slow burner and it took me a couple of attempts to get into it but once I did it was really worth it. You really care about the characters and the writing style is wonderful and really hooks you in. It is quite a unique story (inspired by real life events) and I would definitely recommend it.

It's hard to imagine that anyone would be desperate enough to sell their children but this book will open your eyes to people who felt they had no other choice. I really enjoyed reading this book. There were a lot of twist and turns with the characters and I liked the way the different secrets were revealed.
I will definitely recommend this book and will order it for the library where I work.

Once again, I relied on reviews and really wanted to love Sold on a Monday. Especially since I'd never read anything by Kristina McMorris. The history being told in this book is absolutely heartbreaking, and needs to be told. However, I found the writing to be somewhat tedious, the outcomes predictable, and several loose threads in the telling. I do believe it is a story that needs to be told, and for that reason I do not feel it was a waste of my time.

A society writer for a newspaper is headed back homefrom his asdignment. He likes to take photographs for himself besides for the paper. He stops and take a picture of two children with a sign in front of them that says “2 children for sale.” He develops them and lets them dry in the newspaper developing room. Lily, the editor’s secretary discovers the photograph when she has asked by her boss to retrieve a photograph. She takes that one back to show him. The editor tells the society writer, Ellis Reed to write an article to go with the photograph. The photograph and negative gets lost, so he goes back to find the original family gone. He takes the discarded sign . As he drives back, he sees two children playing in the yard. He goes to ask the mother if he can take their picture. She says yes but wants money. Will he get his article in the paper in time with the new photograph? What happens to the children? Will the mother sell them? Why?

The novel is about one of many things that happened during the Depression. It is written with historical detail. My heart went out to the two children that were sold. It is a story that I will not forget due to its substance and the powerful feelings I felt as I read it. It’s excellent!

What started as an interesting historical fiction, quickly plummeted into a romance, and that is where it lost my attention. Granted, it did get back to the main storyline, but my disappointment in the need to add a romance soured my reading experience.

During the Depression Era, struggling writer Ellis Reed same across two children playing outside with a “Children for Sale” sign. Before the photo could be published, there was an accident in the darkroom and knowing he had a winning photo on his hands, he went back only to discover the original children were gone. Needing to recreate what he thought was his only way to make it in a struggling industry, he gathered the left behind sign and talked another careworn woman and her children into posing for a picture. Little did he know this photo would set in motion devastation for the family.

Lily, a woman with her own secret and desperation to make it in a man’s world, helps Ellis to right a wrong, and in doing so develop a relationship that took this book down the wrong road for me. If McMorris had stayed on her original path, this would have been an interesting book of historic fiction that had the reader cheering on Ellis and Lilly, unfortunately she took the easy path and introduced a romance.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* 'Sold on a Monday is a beautiful, heart-wrenching book, set in the depths of the Great Depression. When struggling journalist, Ellis Reed snaps a photo of some children sitting in front of a sign that reads, '2 CHILDREN FOR SALE' and his newspaper publishes the photo and his accompanying story, little does he know the impact it will have on so many people's lives. This book was a thoroughly enjoyable read for a number of reasons. Firstly, for the glimpse it gave into ordinary people's lives living in American during the Depression. Also, however, for its nuanced take on human nature and the flawed beings we all are. There is a true redemptive nature to this story.