Just finished this book which I would classify as historical, Christian fiction. It held my attention but the plot seemed too contrived. Everyone was always in the right place at the right time.
It’s a saga set in Ireland during the potato famine which spans a few generations.
I wanted to like it more.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the ARC.

Annie Ewing is growing up during the Great Irish Famine on a tenant farm with her family in Ireland. Her mother Katy is in the throes of depression and her little sister Lily is needy and clingy. When her father Jonathan goes off to Dublin to find work, it is left for her to take care of them.
Katy receives a letter from the brother she never knew about, giving her information that her real mother is still alive. She takes the girls on a journey to meet her mother, Lizzie. The experience makes her realize all that she has taken for granted during her marriage to Jonathan. She decides to find him and let him know how much she appreciates him.
In Dublin, she finds out that Jonathan signed up as a deckhand on the passenger ship, The Rosewood, bound for America. The Captain remembered what a hard worker he was, and how he talked about saving money to take care of his family.
After the ship arrrived in New York City, Jonathan mysteriously disappeared, and did not join the return trip back to Ireland.
Katy hocks her jewelry and buys tickets for them to go on the ship to America. She and the girls have many adventures on the boat, and more once they dock in New York.
They find happiness and heartbreak and discover the true meaning of family.
An historical fiction novel, with a touch of spirituality. The characters were likable and the history of the times was interesting, but I felt the book was overflowing with events and it was difficult to do them all justice.
Thank you Amite River Press and NetGalley for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great read! The storyline kept me invested in the characters and what would happen to them next.

A readable novel of the Irish famine immigrants and the trials of survival. The characters were well drawn and insights into their behaviors was clear, but not told in an elementary style. The writer gave the reader an excellent overview of the different types of people who struggled in Ireland and later the United States in this time period. Strong women characters dominate this novel. Would recommend to historical fiction readers.

I just finished Passengers by Elizabeth Collums and I give it 4 stars. I would consider this to be a Christian historical fiction. I enjoyed the fact that it wasn’t completely predictable, and that it wasn’t saccharine and fake but that there was some gritty stuff, but didn’t go too far into the ugly details. I cared about the characters and was rooting for them all.

This is a very well written historical fiction novel. The characters and plot were both well developed and interesting . The storyline flowed nicely from chapter to chapter. I found myself immersed in the story and finished it it just 2 days. I highly recommend both this book and author.