I received an electronic ARC through NetGalley.

I liked this story. I enjoyed John and Naomi’s story, but I found some of the book repetitive and drawn out.

I think that most people will know by now that I’m a huge fan of Amy Harmon‘s work and I’ve been eagerly anticipating her newest title Where The Lost Wander ever since I first heard about it. I was absolutely stoked when I was given the chance to read this story early, and it was without doubt another excellent story. While not my absolute favorite title to date, this is still a beautifully written story that is most definitely able to provoke strong emotions. Without doubt of the same high quality I’ve come to expect of Amy Harmon‘s books!

There is a lot to love in Where The Lost Wander. First up is the historical setting in 19th century United States. Not only is this historical setting wonderfully and exhaustively described, but these same descriptions really made the setting come alive and made it feel as if you were right back in the 19th century. Both the social conflicts, the Native Americans and their culture as well as the racism and struggles are realistically described and added a lot of dept to the story. I personally loved getting a little more insight in the daily life of Native Americans from that era and John was without doubt the perfect character to show us both ‘worlds’.

The plot itself is simply intriguing. The whole ‘looking for a better life in California’ and braving a 1000+ mile trip to get there with only a wagon and some oxes and mules is most definitely not something we could imagine ourselves doing today… It’s a long road filled with dangers, sickness and hardship, but also hope and the promise of a new life and new possibilities for those who reach their final destination. The journey of this particular cast of characters was again thoroughly and realistically described, without leaving out the blunt and sometimes heartbreaking moments along the way. Likewise, the Native American angle and what happened to Naomi are used to give us more insight in both cultures, with the help of John’s character as a tentative connection between both.

Both the writing and the development of the characters are simply wonderful, but that is what I’ve come to expect of anything Amy Harmon writes to be honest. There is a reason she is one of my absolute favorite authors! There are quite a few characters in Where The Lost Wander, but the main focus is on both Naomi and John. The story is told with the help of a dual POV structure, alternating between Naomi and John to help us show both sides especially when they are not together. It is extremely easy to warm up to and love both characters, root for them and keep fingers and toes crossed for a happy ending… And yes, this includes a lot of both heartwarming and hearbreaking moments along the way.

I think the only thing that nagged me a bit was the slow pace. Where The Lost Wander is considerably slow going and at times it was just too slow for me… Although with a story that is mostly focused on the characters, this slower pace shouldn’t come as a total surprise. In short, while this wasn’t my absolute favorite Amy Harmon, I might just have set my expectations too high to begin with. Where The Lost Wander is still an excellent read and if you love slower and character-driven historical fiction with a wonderful cast of characters, a love story and a social conflict angle, you will find yourself falling hopelessly in love with this story.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a pre-pub ebook of Where The Lost Wander. Amy Harmon does an excellent job describing the horrors and joys of traveling west along the Oregon Trail with some of the first Pioneers. Naomi is a relatable character regardless of your age, a strong woman whose determined spirit leads her to conquer the trials thrown in her path. Detailed, yet emotional this novel is not only a great story but has wonderful well-researched historical details. Unlike other readers, I would not classify this as a Western, but rather as Historical Fiction. Put this on your TBR list!

Much to my surprise, reading this book confirmed that I have indeed a soft spot for old school Western romances, that I discovered last year with Nancy E. Turner’s These is my words, the Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine. Who knew frontier novels could be such page-turners for European readers? Obviously I had missed out on a fascinating literature niche.

“Where the Lost Wander” is an epic novel set on the Oregon Trail in the 1850s (three decades before the Turner book, that is), where a group of families is setting off for a 2000 miles, 5 months long journey, if they can make it at all. The journey is freight with many dangers and hardships, and the author, armed with a lot of period research, doesn’t flinch from the gritty and heart-breaking realities of what the road meant for those people.

The story focuses on 20-year-old widow Naomi Caldwell, who was only married for a few months before her childhood sweetheart died, and who is travelling with her parents and brothers, and with her inlaws in the wagon train as well, which makes for an added complication in her already tough life. Naomi’s passion is to draw, and she snatches any free moment to sketch people, animals and landscapes she sees on the road. The other main character is John Lowry, who joins the trip to deliver mules to an army fort. Despite his successful enterprise he’s a loner because of his half-Pawnee origins. He always feels like the suspected outsider, despite being sometimes the only one who can make the bridge between the two opposing communities.

Needless to say that Naomi and John meet and that there’s a spark between these two, but nothing comes easy on the Oregon Trail. It’s been a great reading experience. I won’t deny that there was something misty in my eyes on one or more occasions during the whole adventure, but shh…

This book is unlike anything I've read before. With over 1,000 books read it's hard to believe I've never read a Western. This book is a great introduction to the settling of the West and a journey on the Oregon trail. There are scenes of graphic violence including agains women so I caution those readers who might find that especially disturbing.

Naomi May is a twenty-year old widow on the wagon trail west with her mom, dad and siblings seeking a new life and fortune. Her in-laws are also part of the wagon train as are other friends. In addition to the train leader there's John Lowry, a mixed race Caucasian and Pawnee mule breeder. He's quiet, reserved and looked upon skeptically by the travelers. While believing they're prepared for the arduous journey, the long, cold, hungry trail is far more trying than they could've dreamed. Violence and tragedy strikes separating Naomi and her infant brother and beginning a whole new chapter in her life that will draw upon every ounce of faith, courage and strength that she possesses.

This book was totally engrossing, a lesson in the triumph and travails of settling the West. Even more, it gives a stark picture of how poorly the US government has treated the Native Americans and literally pushed them into corners. As a newbie to the genre I highly recommend this for it's well written and researched plot.

What The Wind Knows was one of my top three favorite books I read in 2019. I was incredibly excited to see that the author had a new book coming out. While this was a solid historical fiction novel, and had me crying my eyes out at several points, it didn’t live up to the exceptional quality of What The Wind Knows. But, like I said, still a very solid novel and worth reading for sure.

I felt like the beginning was a little slow. It took me several tries to get deeply invested in the story and the plot. The research was once again strong and added so much to the storyline. The author excels at crafting believable storylines and enriching them with the perfect amount of historical detail.

She’s an author to watch, and I cannot wait to see what she reads next. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my complimentary copy.

This book was well written and a great story. It was just so hard to read. There were so many hardships and sad things that actually happened to the people crossing the plains. I struggled to get through the tough parts but it was worth it. Amy does such an amazing job no matter what she is writing. I have read her paranormal and fantasy and historical fiction and straight up romance books and she hasn’t failed once.
Oh and word to the reader, read her author’s note at the end, that really makes the book you just finished even better. She explains what drove her to write the story and the real people she was writing about. She really is amazing.

This was a story that will stick with me for a VERY long time. It was a gorgeous book. I’m speechless and wordless and I know any review of mine will not live up to what the book deserves.
The story starts out with a horrific event that leaves you crying only a few pages in. It then goes back to the start of the May family’s journey west in 1853 on the Oregon Trail. You fall in love with the entire family and with John Lowry, a half Pawnee half white man, who is helping to lead the wagons along the trail. The May’s widowed daughter, Naomi, and John quickly fall into one of the most beautiful love stories I’ve ever read. All the while in the back of your mind you are remembering this horrific event...
Nothing was easy on this journey and it was so compelling to read - I couldn’t put it down. It was a reminder of the number of people lost from illness or injury while searching for a better life. It was a reminder you that hate and racism go so far back in our heritage. The Native Americans were truly protecting their sacred land, the struggle for peace during this time was so clear.
The range of emotions it draws out in you is unbelievable. Admittedly, I do not know enough about this time period and Native American history. The author’s note at the end is an absolutely essential read and will add so much insight to the story.

**Copied review from Goodreads.com.

Rating: 3.4 / 5

DNF at 78% (approx. 270 pages)

I...um...had to stop at a certain scene, because there are some things that I just can't beat to read, and if the story feels like it's sort of losing me along the journey anyway...eh...I'll stop.

Ahem, so, just based on the summary alone, Where the Lost Wander seems right up my alley for historical fiction. We've got an Old West setting, a journey ahead, a forbidden romance between a white widow and a half-native half-white man--SOLD!

Add to that the fact that we get both John and Naomi's points of view--yay!--and that the description of all the hardships is just beautiful and detailed--double yay!--and you've more or less got a guaranteed thumbs up from me, right? Right?!

Well, as it turns out, this story was actually too typical and rather average from what I've expected in that it's not different from anything I've read before. The entire Oregon Trail adventure reminded me far too much of Oregon Bride with the whole "young widow falls into a forbidden love while her married-life family still considers her their property and objects to this but she's willing to throw it all away anyway". The only difference is that in Oregon Bride, since it's harlequin and all, I could expect a HEA, whereas for this book...I wasn't sure.

Also, another thing that was average--in fact, a bit below average, to be honest--is that the description of Native American culture wasn't as in-depth as I'd like, save for one story told by John near the middle, and then of course small tidbits of culture once Naomi is away from the wagon train. The tension between Native Americans and white settlers wasn't also 100% convincing either, in that even though there are references to your typical "cowboys vs. indians" warfare, it's really toned down.

As for the characters of Naomi and John themselves, the only thing unique about Naomi is her name, her ability to draw, and her "brazenness"--but that's not exactly enough to make a character. And John...well, maybe it's just the romantic in me, but I'd like to see more of a tortured character, torn between two worlds and cultures. John had some of that, but it was very minimal and it seemed to me like he was more of a drifter rather than a half-and-half man who must find himself through a journey of his native land. He's just "a mule man" and about as boring as that title would imply.

So, to sum up, besides the reason I stopped reading at one point and just skimmed the rest because of a certain scene I didn't want to have the angst of reading through, the reason I ranked this lower between the 3-to-4 star scale is because it's simply too average and there was too much of a "seen it before" feel for me to really be impressed by anything. After all, this is a 2020 publication, right? Well, if I've already read something like it from 30 years ago, then that in itself says something, and it's not exactly a good indicator for this story.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for recieving an ARC for me.
Amy Harmon is one of my favourite Authors always and this is the second novel to me by her and also historical Fiction.

I loved it so much that I can't describe. I always want to live on those days when you can wear a puffy gown and taking carriage ride. I know that this life is hard and tough but I loved it.

Coming to John character I don't know what should I say about him, he is man with promises. He told Naomi brothers that he will find them and their sister and he done and the way he loved and protect and want to be fit for her.

Naomi character is so pure, naive and innocent, OMG I loved her so much because she reminded me of myself , when I was young I want to be a boy like she told her mother once because I surrounded with alot of cousins boy's.

I hope that Amy Harmon will write in this department * Historical Fiction* because she is creative.

"The pain. It's worth it. The more you love, the more it hurts.
But it's worth it. It's the only thing that is."

Wow I'm speechless! This was an amazing journey... ❤

This was my 11th book of Ms.Harmon and she always takes me to another places. Her stories always warms my heart and I always feel that amazing connection between the main characters. <3

So long story short I highly recommend this book to you. ❤

Where The Lost Wander is a great historical romance. Amy Hamilton has done a superb job taking us along on the Oregon trail with the wagon train. The descriptive writing style makes me feel like I was there. The characters feel like friends. I loved this journey and recommend it. Thank you to netgalley for the complimentary arc, the opinions are my own

This is my first book by this author. I kept hearing about her books and have put them on my to-read shelf but haven't had a chance to pick one up until I was able to get an ARC of this from the publisher. I was, quite simply, blown away. The writing is engaging and descriptive, drawing you into the time period (Gold Rush/pioneers traveling across the country to California/Oregon/the West in search of Gold or better prospects). The book opens and leaves you with no doubt of what's to come -- hard times, harsh circumstances, death, tragedy, and heartache. I was almost able to forget about that prologue, though, as I was drawn into the lives of Naomi and John and Naomi's family as they travel across the new American West to find a new home in California and their love story and hope they have. The exact wording of the title isn't mentioned until the very end of the book, after so much heartache and learning and growth for Naomi and John. The author takes us through their love story but also takes us through so much more than that. There are some moments of harsh brutality (although not overly descriptive, but enough for my imagination to picture them and ache for the characters). Harmon also weaves in real historical characters (Jim Bridger, Louis Vasquez and his wife Narcissa, Chief Pocatello and some of his tribe, Chief Washakie and some of his tribe, as well as John Lowry himself), putting them in circumstances they would have faced, although most of them fictional. The ending is heart-breaking but also weaves back around to healing and hope for John, Naomi, and the May brothers. In her notes at the end of the book, the author goes into detail on her research of the time period and the real characters she included and touches on the subject of how the time period was and how people in that time dealt with such different things than we do today so they cannot have been expected to handle situations in the same way we would today. This shows through in her writing, both her research and how care for handling the hard situations she wrote about.

Excellent book, well worth the read, although it might be quite heavy and hard for some. Really, 4.5 stars for me, but I rounded up. I definitely look forward to reading more books from this author in the future and am glad that her writing lived up to everything I had heard about her.

Content: Indian scalpings, murder, rape, descriptions of death and other harsh trail conditions in the mid-1800s on the trail west, although fairly clean as far as language, etc.

Kudos to Amy Harmon and her colorful, emotional depiction of the overland crossings from Missouri to California in the 1800’s. I love this era in our country ‘s history and have read hundreds of fictional and nonfictional accounts. I must say that this book was one of the very best fictional stories that I’ve read in a long time. The author uses a blend of fictional and nonfictional characters to create a gripping, believable story of love, family and tragedy. John Lowery is a “half-breed”, with a white father and Pawnee mother. He is a mule breeder and trainer who helps his father in the mule business. He gets to know the May family while traveling with the wagon train to California and is immediately taken by the daughter, Naomi. Both are complicated characters with stories both known and unknown. If you love this type of story, dig in and enjoy, you won't be sorry!

I'd like to thank Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for choosing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

It's been awhile since I have read a historical romance and this book reminded me what I missed about them.

Can I just say WOW!! This story is about a group of pioneers who are heading west on the Oregon Trail. On their journey they experience those bitter cups loss, heart break, tragedy and the danger on this trail. At the same time they experience love, joy, family and triumph. The beauty of this book is that you felt like you were having these experiences right along with them.

Yes, there is a romance between two unlikely characters. Naomi a widow of three months and John Lowry, or Two Feet, who is the son of a white man and an Indian mother who doesn't really have a place to fit in the world. From the first moment they saw each other you knew they should be together. Even though John tries to fight it their attraction to each other wins out.

I absolutely loved this book, even if I ugly cried at parts. I would absolutely recommend this book and this author.

I sped through this book in one day - couldn't put it down! I always enjoy a frontier story, and this one was one of the best I've read in a long time.

**Review will be posted on my blog/Goodreads/Instagram on April 22nd, I will update the links at that time!**

LOVE ON THE TRAIL.

I am in awe of Harmon’s writing and how amazing this love story was. And on the Oregon Trail! What a unique setting y’all. I was incredibly impressed with the flow and build of this book. The writing is beautiful and well-paced. I am reminded with each of her books how much I love this author.

This romance comes off a bit more fast paced than I typically love, but the historical setting and writing really made me fall in love with Naomi and John as they fell in love. Naomi is strong, brave and a widow at 20. Her singular goal is helping her family cross the nation to a hopefully brighter future in California. I enjoyed her personality and mindset. She knew exactly what she wanted and made those wishes known. John was stoic and quiet. The perfect contrast to Naomi. He was searching for a place to belong and found his home with her.

While this is mostly a romance I was enthralled by everything else happening around them. My heart continually leaped and panicked throughout this book because Harmon doesn’t shy away from history. She has clearly well researched this time period to bring this story to life. Naomi and John (+Naomi’s family) definitely do not have it easy and it was hard to pull out all the good things that did happen to them. This was a hard read, especially when you stop to appreciate all the travelers and Native Americans went through as their world began to change through exploration.

It’s difficult to fully express my love for Harmon’s writing and her ability to weave together an ending that always makes me tear up. There’s learning moments, powerful connections, undeniable bonds and a faith in the characters that you can deeply feel. Where the Lost Wander isn’t a sugarcoated romantic tale. It’s raw, poignant, and utterly wonderful in all of its lows and its highs.

I also took a chance to read the Author’s Note at the end and loved it as well. I like to read these (especially for historical fiction) to see what artistic choices the author chose as well as what inspired the story. This one in particular was inspired by some of Harmon’s husband’s ancestors. It really brought home how deeply she felt for these characters (some being based on real people) and how much she wanted to write a story involving them.

Overall audience notes:

Historical fiction romance
Language: very little
Romance: kisses, make outs, a few very little detail fade out scenes
Violence: physical, guns, arrows
Trigger warnings: some racist remarks about Native Americans, sexual assault, rape (ch. 17 – a few paragraphs with little detail)

Set in 1853 this is the story of a wagon train on the Oregon Trail and has lots of danger and hardships for the people to endure on their journey.
Naomi is a recently widowed twenty year old woman travelling with her family.
On the journey she falls in love with John who is half white and half Pawnee.
This brings both of them many problems and heartache.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start off by saying thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book, it was a very good read easy to follow along with storyline and characters. This was a new author for me but I very much enjoyed it, thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to reading more by this author again. I highly recommend this book to everybody.

Where The Lost Wander gave such a compelling and raw look at life on the Oregon Trail. The relationships between the characters spoke of real challenges that people more than likely faced during those times. Great story and not to be missed if wanting historical fiction.