No Ocean Too Wide is the first book in The McAlister Family series. I found this historical novel to be compelling. I was drawn into the book and I just wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next to the McAlister family. I thought No Ocean Too Wide was well-written with interesting characters. The author’s research is evident in this story which is based on true events. Laura McAlister has strength, determination, faith and loyalty to her family. I liked that she learned a few life lessons along the way. Katie had a strong faith for a fourteen year old girl. She never failed to pray no matter the circumstances. Katie never lost faith that God would help her. I found No Ocean Too Wide to be an emotional story that will stay with the you long after you finish it. I liked that the romance is not the feature of this book. It plays out gently which suits the characters and their situation. Christianity is a part of the characters lives. They seek Him out and are not afraid to share their belief with others or speak of it aloud. We see in No Ocean Too Wide that God is always with us. We need to have faith and trust in Him. We see that there are two sides to every story as with life. While some people only heard about the good of child emigration, there was a bad side to it as well. I liked the addition of Rose Carson and Henry Dowd. They were great additions to this book. No Ocean Too Wide is a poignant novel that will touch your heart.

A book you will not want to put down! I was astonished to learn that in the early 1900s more than 100,000 impoverished children from Britain were taken to Canada sometimes without their parents' knowledge! Laura McAlister is a caring older sister who is working for a wealthy family and learns that her mother has been hospitalized and her three younger siblings sent to Canada! You will admire Laura as she gets a position as an escort to other children being sent to Canada in order to find her brother and sisters. Andrew, the son of Laura's former employer, is a strong protagonist who is investigating the practice of sending the children to Canada. Your heart will go out to Katie McAlister as she has horrible experiences with the families she is assigned to. I found the history in this book fascinating and can't wait to read the next book in the series. Carrie Turansky has done a wonderful job of bringing little known history alive! I received an advance copy of No Ocean too wide from the author and Multnomah Publishing. This is my honest opinion.

No Ocean Too Wide is the first book in the McAlister Family series written by Carrie Turansky. I have read her Edwardian Brides series and I really enjoyed those books so I was looking forward to this new series. Before reading, I was unaware of the British emigration program that sent young children on ships across the Atlantic to begin new lives as domestics in Canada. While I am sure that some children were placed into loving homes where they were embraced as a member of the family, this novel focuses more on the placement of children who were not as fortunate and whose situations were less than loving.

Gross miscommunication causes the McAlister family to become separated as the children are sent to Canada. Throughout the book, I admired Laura's tenacity and dedication to reuniting her family, even though she didn't always go about it in the most honest way. Carrie Turansky's writing is rich in faith and her characters demonstrated a deep and abiding trust in God. After the children are separated this story focuses most on Katie and her experiences in Canada. I was happy to learn that the next two books in this series will tell Grace and Garth's stories. If you liked Jody Hedlund's orphan train series than you would probably enjoy this one too.


No Ocean Too Wide is currently available for purchase from your local or online book retailer.

Thank you Waterbrook Multnomah and Net Galley for the free e-copy of No Ocean Too Wide. The opinions expressed here are my own.

No Ocean Too Wide is about the British Home Children, and the issues surrounding sending British children to Canada. It is similar to the Tennessee Children’s Home Society scandal depicted in Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate and The Pink Bonnet by Liz Tolsma.

The underlying idea behind the stories is the assumption that the children are better off being adopted out to more affluent families. However, the issue with the British Home Children is that many of them weren’t adopted into loving homes, affluent or otherwise. Many of them were little more than slaves, bought for a few dollars.

As such, parts of the first quarter felt a little contrived. Would Laura really do this? Would Katie do that? I wasn’t sure. But I knew those things had to happen for the story to get going, so I was prepared to look past a few things that didn’t necessarily make sense.

Katie, Grace, and Garth McAlister are placed into an orphanage after their mother falls ill and is admitted to hospital. Their older sister, Laura, is a lady’s maid for the Frasier family, so doesn’t hear about her family’s troubles in time. Andrew Frasier offers to help Laura, but experience has taught her not to trust rich men.

Andrew is asked to look into possible issues with the British Home Children scheme. He is surprised to find his mother’s maid involved. He’s even more surprised by her claim that her siblings have been sent to Canada, and vows to help reunite her family. But the law is not on their side …

No Ocean Too Wide is the first novel in a trilogy about the McAlistair family and their fictional experiences as British Home Children. Yes, it’s fictional, but the scheme itself—and many of the events portrayed in the novel—are based on fact. As such, it’s an excellent piece of historical fiction, as well as being a strong Christian historical romance. Recommended.

Thanks to Multnomah and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

It's hard not to read ahead. 1909 England. Excruciating story of a poor family from London. The father had died and the mother got sick. The oldest girl was in service some distance away. When the rent wasn't paid on time and they didn't have enough to eat, the boy tried to steal some bread to feed them and was caught, starting an avalanche of problems. The three were put into a children's home, then sent to Canada, thinking their mother had died and their older sister didn't care. The story is written with great detail and each character comes fully to life.

Great injustice and bright light shown on the holes in the system of removing children from England. Between the 1860s and the 1930s, more than one hundred eighteen thousand poor and orphaned children were sent to Canada as British Home Children. Much good was done when good people were involved, but so much cruelty took place for many unfortunate children, and no good system was in place to put it in check. This story also tells of two good men who were sent to investigate the system, and how they became involved. And the relationship of Laura, the oldest daughter and Andrew a wealthy lawyer who helped them all. Excellent read that will keep you on edge throughout. If not for the underlying story of God's grace and love, it would be so much harder yet to read. You feel a relationship with each of the characters as their story is brought to light.

"If she found Jesus in the pages of that Bible, she would have a friend who would never leave her side . . . and that was what she needed most for the journey ahead."

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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.”
#NoOceanTooWide #CarrieTuransky #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

This well-written historical novel covers a subject I hadn’t heard about before—sending homeless children by ship to Canada from overcrowded London. Mixups and orphanage “rules” keep the McAllister children separate from their family and end up placing them on the list to emigrate to Canada. Will the children find good homes or be worked to death? Will they be able to stay together or lose touch with each other? The heart-rending tale draws the reader in and along for the unexpected adventure. You gain insights into the time period and situations as well as into the human heart. This first book in a new series offers a compelling read. I continued to think about the story and characters after I’d finished. I look forward to the next book to continue to follow the family’s journey. I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

EYE-OPENING!

NO OCEAN TOO WIDE by Carrie Turanksy is an eye-opening look into the more than 100,000 poor British children who were sent across the ocean to Canada. The promise was for a better life but unfortunately, that wasn’t always the reality for these innocents. The people who took these children in planned to use them as household servants or farm laborers. Some treated the children as if they were their own. Some treated them as if they were slaves, confining them to doing extreme manual labor for a child their age and then making them sleep in barns and go without proper nourishment, etc. This is one family’s story, the McAlister Family. This family found itself in dire straights after the father died and the mother came down with pneumonia. The three youngest McAlister children have been taken in as “orphans” and sent to Canada. By God’s providence, the oldest daughter Laura works on a large estate owned by a family whose son Andrew is a litigator. Andrew learns of the McAlister Family plight and he & his mentor agree to look into the case as they are already investigating the Britain/Canada child exchange. What they find astounds them and causes them to to take action that will cause sweeping changes throughout the whole system. The Big Questions: “Will the McAlister Family be reunited?” “Will all the children be found in good health and in good situations?” I was provided an ARC of this book by Waterbrook&Multnomah & NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

No Ocean Too Wide is the newest historical fiction book from Carrie Turansky. The subject matter of this book is so important and it was inspired by true events in history. Beginning in the 1800s, many orphans were transported to Canada with a promise for a better life. However, they didn't always receive a better life and some of the orphans were treated with injustice. Such is the case for the fictional characters in this book. The McCalister children are tragically separated when their mother becomes ill. Believing that their mother has passed away, the young children make the trip to Canada to be placed with adoptive families. When their older sister finds out they are gone, she will stop at nothing to find them and reunite their family.

This is a wonderful, clean read that has romance, suspense, and inspiration. Carrie Turansky has a gift of relating to her readers and I always love her work. I also love that she often chooses to highlight important events in history. This book really brought a lot of things to light for me as I wasn't aware of all the events that took place during the Orphan Train Movement. It is always great to read a book that is informative and entertaining at the same time. I also liked the way this book ended because it sets the stage for the next book in this series. I look forward to reading the rest of this series and more of Carrie Turansky's work. I am honored to be on the launch team for this book and am thankful for the advance copy to review.

“No Ocean Too Wide” by Carrie Turansky is a Christian romantic historical fiction based on true events. It is Book One in the McAlister Family Series. This was a compelling novel that I could not put down! There is no way I can do it justice with just a few words.

My emotions took a roller coaster ride with this book. I became enraged, shocked, joyful, elated, saddened, scared, hopeless and then hopeful as the feelings from the characters jumped from the characters into me.

This is a story set in England in the early 1900’s. It centers around the McAlister Family which has a mother, seven year old Grace, fourteen year old twins Katie and Garth, and twenty year old Laura. As tragedy befalls the family with the mother in the hospital, the children are separated from each other and their mother.

The characters are well described and believable. Each one has a depth that makes him or her come to life on the page. There is even a rich, handsome hero! The conversations sound authentic for the era and location. The descriptions took me to a time and place that I had never been.

Author Turansky did impeccable research. I had never heard of this before in all my reading and studies. I was stunned and livid to learn that children were sent from England to Canada, orphaned or not. In fact, at times I wished this was not based on a true story. However, I could not stop reading this captivating tale.

The writing is exquisite. The book flows at an even pace. It isn’t sluggish or hurried. The author has a style that made this book easy to read and not want to put down. It is quite the page turner. I eagerly await Book Two.

I highly recommend this poignant novel. It has stayed with me long after reading it. I keep thinking of all of the poor children in similar situations. The Christian element is definitely present. Themes of faith, family, God, helping others, and hope are woven throughout this emotional, beautiful story. I rated it 5 out of 5 stars. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley but was under no obligation to write a review. These are my own thoughts.

This book rose right to the top of my favorite books I've read in 2019!
So meticulously researched I must look into finding out more about British home children.
These are children that have fallen on desperate time wether through being orphaned and having no parents and living on the streets or their parents are in dire poverty and just can't support them anymore. The children are sent to institutions where some are sent onto Canada.
I love historical fiction that I learn things from and this is a whole new world of fascinating learning.
Your heart will journey across the ocean from England to Canada with the home children.
While the book is filled with unjust tragedy and sadness in the back of your mind you keep reading because of that lingering hope in the background.
The thing that really stands out is the families devotion to each other and how easy it would be to give up during their hardship but they don't. Their faith holds them strong in their search for each other and in their journey to all reunite back home in England.
I can not wait to read the next book in the series, highly anticipated!
Published June 25th 2019 by Multnomah

I was given a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

No Ocean Too Wide by Carrie Turansky is a heartbreaking account of what happened to British children sent to Canada from 1869 to 1939. I had heard of Home Children before when Canada proclaimed 2010 the Year of the British Home Child. But I never really investigated things until this book.

In the novel, we learn about three siblings Katie, Garth and Grace who are torn from their mother and placed on a ship bound for Canada to serve as domestics or be adopted. The problem was - their mother was sick in the hospital. She was not dead and gave no one permission to take her children. But the laws of the time (much like Children's Aid Societies today) gave the government the right to do what they wanted with the children if they thought they were in danger, or not looked after by an adult. In this story, their older sister Laura tries valiantly to get her siblings back, but no one will listen to her claims that she can care for them. And even though this was a fictional story, two-thirds of these children had a parent in Britain who simply couldn't afford to provide for them any longer.

The author did her research and managed to get me angry and frustrated with those "in charge" at every turn. The deplorable conditions Katie suffered was but a glimpse of what these children actually went through. While some Canadians did provide good homes, some did not and this story shines a light on those families. The side story of a developing affection between Laura and Andrew and Rose and Henry was a nice break in the story.

I look forward to finding out what happens to Garth and Grace in the next book in this series. Well worth reading! I highly recommend it.

A heartbreaking, how-dare-they story encompassing all the emotions that come with fighting injustices, gaining victories and experiencing setbacks. The kind of story historical fiction fans want as they read about events in history that should never have happened.

Laura, the eldest of the McAlister siblings, is a true lady. She's committed to family and perseveres through hardships and disappointments with grace. As hope for finding her siblings diminish, her faith is tested and through her our hearts are broken for the destroyed innocence of 100,000 children and their broken families.

The romance in most books seem unbelievable and this one is no exception. Andrew is a wonderful caring man, almost too perfect. However, he was important to the flow of the book and the end explains why the unbelievable worked in this book. I forgave the lack of depth when the end answered some questions about Andrew.

Speaking of the end. What? No Way! I have to wait til next year to read the rest of the story? I was quite ready to harrumph and galumph because the ending was unsatisfying. Then I discovered there will be a McAlister Family #2. So much more can be told in a complete book. Now I appreciate the ending and am excited to continue the story.

Not all characters in No Ocean Too Wide are fleshed out as far as they could have been, but the focus is pinpointed to certain characters and how they respond to the events of the time period. Would I have liked more insights into the other minor characters? Absolutely. There is much to more left to be told in the upcoming books. Overall, this is a wonderful book and I look forward to the next one in the series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterbook & Multnomah through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Hard to believe that over 100,000 poor children were sent from the London slums to Canada between 1869 and 1939. I was aware of the orphan trains in the US that transported children from the slums of NYC to the Midwest, but I knew nothing about this group going to Canada. This is a story about friendships and how they develop in the face of adversity. It’s a story about overcoming hardship through perseverance—as well as relying on God. Laura, the heroine, and Andrew, the hero, were interesting to read about and try to understand. As the novel ended, I was really sorry, and delighted to learn in the notes that it’s not really over—Garth and Grace will be featured in a follow-up novel next year. Highly recommended reading!

No Ocean Too Wide by Carrie Turansky is a novel with historical facts dating back to the early1900’s and the plight of the English orphans who were sent to Canada.
The story begins in London in 1909 when 14-year-old Katie trying to nurse her Mum back to health. Finally, she gets the help of a family friend who takes her Mum to the hospital. Their father has died from a train accident. Her twin brother Garth, knowing there is no food in the house, gets caught stealing a loaf of bread which puts into motion a sad tale. The children, Katie, Garth and younger sister Grace, are removed from the home and placed in Children’s Homes. Their older sister, Laura who works out of town comes home and tries to no avail to get custody of them. The children are sent to Canada and separated. Will they ever see each other again? Will Laura have to give up her search for them?
I can’t say I enjoyed this book in the sense of it being at times difficult to read. I do believe it is a story that needs to be told and will touch the heart of all who read it. It is well written and kept me engaged from page one. At times it brought tears to my eyes and other times a smile to my face. I give this book 5 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I have read several books on the orphan train children of the United States, but I did not know about the more than 100,000 British Home Children who were swept off the streets and from homes in England and shipped to Canada from 1869 to 1939.

This story focuses on the McAlister family. Due to a twist of circumstances, the three youngest are taken away to a children's home when their widowed mother lands in the hospital with pneumonia. From there, they are sent to another children's home and then shipped off to Canada. The plot focuses on the oldest sister, Laura, and two lawyers Andrew Frasier, the son of the wealthy woman for whom she is a lady's maid, and his mentor Henry Dowd as they follow one clue after another trying to locate and bring home the children.

This story tore at my heart as Laura, Andrew, and Henry saw the true circumstances these children faced as they were shipped like cattle from one place to another and then sent off to Canada. There was very little oversight in the program. Some children received good placements which did take them off the street and provide caring parents and sometimes siblings. Others, particularly older girls and boys, were basically indentured servants, provided for poorly and sometimes even beaten or starved. Children were taken from homes where there were parent(s) but due to circumstances beyond their control or illness, the children were unsupervised. Siblings were separated and usually did not have any knowledge of where their other siblings had been placed.The parents had no legal recourse because of the contracts that had been signed with their new guardians. Guardians could select a child for a mere $3 and no background checks were done on these guardians. Young girls in their teens would be sent back to the dispersing home because their guardian had molested them and they were now pregnant.

Turansky leaves the ending hanging with Laura, Henry, and Andrew still trying to get all of the children back. So, of course, I can't wait to read book 2. Her historical research is so evident throughout the story, and she also includes resources at the end to learn more about the British Home Children.

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

When Katie's mum falls sick and has to go to hospital, none of the family has the least idea what the consequences will be. As there is no food in the house, Garth, Katie's twin brother, tries to steal a loaf of bread, which brings them to the attention of the police, and the three kids (Katie, Garth and their younger sister Grace) are sent to childrens' homes (one for boys and one for girls). Through a series of mischances, they are sent to Canada, and Laura, their older sister, who was working as a lady's maid an hour from London, ends up going to Canada to try to bring them back. Travelling at the same time are Henry Dowd and Andrew Frasier, lawyers, the latter of whom is the son of the lady Laura worked for. They are conducting an investigation on childrens' homes and the practice of child emigration, where children in such homes are sent to Canada to be either adopted or taken on as servants. But will Laura succeed in her efforts to find and rescue her brother and sisters? And what will Henry and Andrew uncover in their investigation?

I must admit that, before reading this book, I had no idea that such a practice was ever engaged in. It's easy to see the potential benefits, but also easy to see the possible dangers - both of which are skillfully portrayed here. The negatives are shown clearly but without going into any sort of gruesome detail, while the positives are presented in a way that feels realistic rather than overdone. The characters are well-drawn, the storyline is neat and tidy without being overly predictable, and the content is completely clean. Interesting, thought-provoking and (dare I say it) educational, this was hard to put down and one that I would definitely recommend.

Note that, while this is a complete story in regard to Laura and Andrew (and Katie), things are left in the air a bit (ready for the next two books) for Garth and Grace. I wouldn't quite call it a cliffhanger, but it's the next thing to it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

No Ocean Too Wide, by Carrie Turansky captured my heart right from the start and never let me go. Ms. Turansky has done a marvelous job bringing to life a piece of the history of the British Home Children emigration to Canada, their hope for a better life and the heartbreak as well. Readers are introduced to the McAlister family who, through one thoughtless choice that set off a terrible chain of events, was caught up in a British social system and torn apart. I loved the courage and strength portrayed as the family encounters setbacks, disappointments, and difficult situations. And their faith in God—each of them, even the teenagers—is depicted realistically, whether it be wavering or strong as they learn to hold on to hope and trust God to reunite their family. The author expertly crafted characters who are well defined and well rounded with attributes and flaws. Laura, the older sister, determined to find her siblings; Andrew, passionate about helping those in need; Mr. Dowd, bold and honest regarding spiritual matters; Katie, alone and abandoned, yet so brave, feisty, trying so hard to do what is right—she broke my heart! And then there are the characters that you want to smack—the nasty matrons at some of the children’s homes and the self-centered guardians who took the children in and exhibited prejudice, neglect, and abuse. Along with a rich historical element to the story, and wonderfully compelling characters that evoke powerful emotions, there is a sweet romance that also touches the heartstrings and captures the reader’s interest. No Ocean Too Wide is a captivating story of the strong bonds of a loving family and the mercy and kindness of God who leads and guides, and promises never to leave His children. Readers who love historical fiction will not want to miss this one. I cannot wait until the next book in this series is released.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
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This is a story that will stay with me for a long time. I had no idea that between 1869 and 1939 more than 100,000 British children were sent to Canada to work as farm laborers or household servants. I can only imagine the helpless feeling these children had when they were removed from their homes and sent across the ocean by boat. The siblings in this story were all very likable and showed great courage in each of their circumstances. Katie, Garth and Grace being the ones sent to Canada tried to be there for and encourage each other and those around them. Laura, their older sister had great strength and determination as she did whatever she needed to find her siblings and bring them back home. This one tugged at my heartstrings for sure and I’m glad there will be more in this series because if there wasn’t I probably would’ve been a bit more frustrated with the outcome of the book. That being said, this one is the worth the read and I look forward to the next installment of the McAlister family.

I fought tears throughout the journey the siblings embarked to Canada. The trials Kate and Laura endured broke my heart and as a mother I was weeping mess. I can’t say enough about this gem with unexpected ending. The many twists kept me engaged and thirsty for book two!
This book was given to me by Netgally and I was required to give a good review.

I was familiar with the Orphan Train that took poor and orphaned children from our country's over crowded eastern cities to the west for adoption or to serve, often as domestics or farm hands. Prior to reading No Ocean Too Wide I was unaware of the thousands of children who were emigrated from Britain to Canada between the 1860s and 1930s for much the same purpose. The story of Laura, Katie, Garth and Grace brings to life and to light the neglect and abuse suffered by many of these children while not ignoring that some did indeed end up in better circumstances from which they came.

Carrie Turansky has a delightful way of showing her readers God's hand and presence even in dire circumstances. She demonstrates the value of recognizing the blessings, both great and small, among the struggles, and the importance of concentrating on those rather than allowing oneself to get bogged down in the stress and unfairness this life can include.

I am grateful to have received a copy of No Ocean Too Wide from Multnomah via NetGalley and Summer Launch in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

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