Member Reviews
Thank you to Waterbrook & Multnomah and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are my own.
This is the second installment in the saga of the McAlister family. In 1909, Grace McAlister is sent to Canada as a part of the British Home Children program. She is adopted by a family who loves her, but are ashamed of where she came from. After Grace grows up, she wants to find and be reunited with her birth family. She starts writing letters, and soon she hears from her brother Garth. This story is about Grace's journey to see her birth family again, as well as Garth's romance with a young woman he met when he was put into service as an indentured servant. Carrie Turansky is an excellent author! I really liked this book-I was hooked right from the beginning. I highly recommend this book, and I plan to read more by this author!
An excellent and exciting sequel! No Journey Too Far opens 10 years in the future from the where No Ocean Too Wide ended. In this one, you follow Garth and Grace's story. I loved it!
The way she weaves faith into this story is beautiful and my favourite part.
I love the McAllister family!
*I received this as a free arc and all opinions are my own*
What difficult roads the British Home children had to travel. Even as adults, the road traveled is full of prejudice and difficulty. Love, faith and integrity helps Garth make the journey to return to Canada and it's the love and prayers that opens the door to searching for a lost daughter. Beautifully written story filled with emotional twists and wonder of love.
I really loved this conclusion to No Ocean to Far, where we get to see what's going on with siblings Garth and Grace who had been separated from their family ten years previously.
Ten years earlier they became British Home Children (along with their sister Katie) when their mum was sick and couldn't take care of them. Now Grace has found out where she had stayed as a child and reaches out to them for information on her family back in England. When they get the news, Garth and his friend Rob return to Canada in search of Grace and Emma, Garth's sweetheart. We get two sweet love stories along with some adventure and hardships thrown in along the way. I really identified with "Mum" who loves her adult children and wants them near but also wants them to have happy lives. Just reading her interactions with them made me tear up. I also loved how easily they would stop and pray in moments of struggle. It was such a great reminder that I need to do that sometimes instead of just worrying!
Carrie Turansky is one of my all time favorite authors of Historical Christian Fiction. I highly recommend all her books.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.
It was interesting to continue the story of the McAlister family which began in No Ocean Too Wide. While No Journey Too Far would work as a stand-alone read, the reading experience is richer if one reads the books in sequence. This book focuses on Garth and Grace who along with their sister, Katie, were mistakenly taken from England to Canada as Home Children. Turansky does a wonderful job of educating her readers about the challenges faced by British Home Children, especially those caused by prejudice. While I did enjoy the story, I did wonder if the economic needs of the characters were too easily dismissed or solved, making parts of the story a bit unrealistic. That, however, did not greatly impact my enjoyment of the story.
I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of No Journey Too Far from Multnomah via NetGalley without obligation, and to have the opportunity to serve on the Launch Team for this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.
A very sweet, Historical Fiction/Christian Fiction story, about some British Home Children sent to Canada. I was drawn into the story quickly and while this reads as a standalone, I'd really like to read the first book in the series. The pacing was good and the story enjoyable.
Siblings Reunited
Siblings Katie, Grace, and Garth McAlister, traveled to Canada from Britain at the end of WWI. Believing their mother is dead, the children have become British Home Children who were taken to Canada to find homes. In the Prologue, we meet the siblings, but the emphasis is on the youngest, Grace. She’s chosen by a wealthy family. She grows up knowing nothing about her siblings until she discovers an old journal.
Grace isn’t happy being pressured to become a young lady and make a good match. She wants to find her siblings. Garth grew up on a farm in Canada and fought in WWI. He also wants to locate his sisters. He has an additional quest. He fell in love with Emma Lafferty. They wrote for three years, but now he hasn’t heard from her. He wants to find her to see if her feelings have changed.
This is the second book about the McAlister children, but it can be read as a standalone. This is a heart warming story with a good background of Christian faith. The characters are well drawn. All the children are determined people who are dedicated to finding each other and restoring their family.
In the Author’s Note at the end of the book. The author gives the reason for writing this story. She wanted to tell about the British Home Children and their experience. Many, like Garth, were used as unpaid labor on farms. They were stigmatized because of their background and felt that they had to hide where they came from. We can see this in Grace’s adoptive family wanting to hide her history even from her, but many went on to successful lives.
I highly recommend this book.
I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah for this review.
In the long-awaited sequel to No Ocean Too Far, No Journey Too Far, we are united with the McAlister family ten years from when we last read of them. Garth McAlister has returned from the Great War and is on a mission to go back to Canada to find his youngest sister Beth, who was adopted when, as British Home Children, they arrived in Canada. He is also searching for the love of his life, Emma, a young woman who was also a British Home Child. Joining him is his friend Rob, who was also indentured at the same farm as Garth and was also served with Garth in the war.
Beth has lived an entirely different life from her siblings having been adopted by a wealthy family. She never knew of her origins as a British Home Child until the discovery of an old trunk. This discovery will turn her life upside down and she will be faced with a choice, go to England to unite with her mother and sisters or continue as the wealthy young lady she was raised as.
Emma too has had adventures of her own and has wondered why she has not heard from Garth, who she pledged her heart to years ago.
This is a delightfully sweet Christian romance with plenty of adventure and intrigue, interesting characters, family dynamics both good and bad, history, romance, and as with all of Ms. Turansky’s books a deep spiritual thread running throughout the story. Ms. Turansky does such thorough research into her story lines and writes with such finesse you feel as if you are there experiencing this adventure.
I highly recommend this book. I was given an ARC copy of this book from the publisher, Waterbrook and Multnomah via Net Galley. All words and opinions expressed are my own and not required.
I was so looking forward to the continuation story of the McAlister Family. The search for Grace McAlister continues. She has been adopted by a wealthy family in Canada. It’s been ten years. Grace, has buried her past for many years, not wanting to remember it. Garth leaves Canada to go serve in World War I. He leaves behind his girlfriend Emma Lafferty. Emma promises Garth that she will wait for him to return. They keep in touch through letters, for about three years, until the letters suddenly stop coming. Garth returns to Canada after the war and is determined to find his sister Grace and his lost love Emma. I loved Emma’s story, she was such a sweet and relatable person. The storyline of the British Home Children is sure to pull at your heartstrings. It is amazing to me how strong those children were, to be able to make it through what they endured during that time period. I especially like the brother sister family bond between Grace and her siblings. Family is so important to all of them. The way the author ties up all the loose ends from the first story in this story leaves all questions answered. This is a wonderful faith based story. I always love when the characters in a story trust in God to bring them through the trials and tribulations of their life.
I absolutely loved this series. The plot twists and turns kept me completely engrossed in the book and I highly recommend it. Thank you Carrie Turansky for such a wonderful series. I loved it!
No Journey Too Far
by Carrie Turansky
Back of the Book: “A family long divided, a mysterious trunk, and a desperate journey across the ocean—all in the name of love. The epic saga of the McAlisters continues in this riveting sequel to No Ocean Too Wide.
In 1909, Grace McAlister set sail for Canada as one of the thousands of British Home Children taken from their families and their homeland. Though she is fortunate enough to be adopted by wealthy parents, the secrets of her past are kept hidden for ten years until someone from her long-buried childhood arrives on her doorstep. With this new connection to her birth family, will she be brave enough to leave her sheltered life in Toronto and uncover the truth?
After enduring hardship as an indentured British Home Child, Garth McAlister left Canada to serve in World War I. His sweetheart, Emma Lafferty, promised to wait for his return, but after three long years apart, her letters suddenly stopped. When Garth arrives home from the war to unexpected news, he is determined to return to Canada once more on a daunting mission to find the two women he refuses to abandon—his long-lost sister and his mysteriously missing sweetheart.
Impressions: This is the second installment of the McAlister Family Books. I think it reads best following the first book however if you don’t mind not understanding all the pieces of the story you could read it as a stand-alone novel and still enjoy it.
Rated: Kissing, murder
Liked: I think this was an interesting topic. History always amazes me. What was acceptable at times seems so crazy now and I struggle to wrap my mind around the fact that it was real.
Disliked: I had an issue with Grace’s character in this book. I struggled with understanding the relationship of Grace and her adopted family. There was not enough character set up to make sense of Grace’s actions. Most of the book was then focused elsewhere as well so it was hard to make Grace’s story work in my head. The ending resolution with Grace was equally confusing as the characters acted opposite of what they were portrayed. I feel like there either needed to be more setup and story from Grace’s drama or not have her with a drama. Grace’s romance also felt rushed and immature.
Quotes: “What would it have been like to grow up in a home-like this, where mistakes became lessons to learn from rather than failures that brought condemnation and shame?” – As a parent, I constantly feel that I need to check myself and make sure that my parenting is intentional and not just based on my moods. I can see how my frustrations can affect my attitude in parenting. There have been many times that rather than praising my children’s efforts I find myself frustrated and yelling. This has been a huge struggle this year with homeschooling. It has been a constant prayer of mine to remain calm and kind when teaching my boys. They are usually just as frustrated as I am.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.
In No Journey Too Far, Carie Turansky has definitely showcased her research skills. This book continues the story of the McAlister family. While most of the family was reunited in book one, this book features Grace who along with Katie and Garth were mistakenly placed with families in Canada by the British Home Society. Ms. Turansky has created fascinating characters and placed them in an engaging plot. I loved the setting and the plot and enjoyed learning about the British version of the American orphan trains. I do recommend reading No Ocean Too Wide first.
So grab your favorite beverage and settle in for a lovely read.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.
Please note I had been provided with an advance reader copy. While I do not usually read second books in series without having read first, I made an exception with this read. Never did I feel that I was missing out on previous storyline, but am certainly adding the first book to the top of my to-be-read list The author perfectly blended the characters, setting and storyline for an entertaining read. Looking to read a lot more from this author.
This book is captivating! It was such a page-turner that I could not put it down. The characters are believable and easy to cheer for throughout the book. The vivid descriptions painted pictures of each scene. I hope this series is made into a movie! There are timeless life and spiritual lessons expertly woven all through this mesmerizing tale. I highly recommend it and gladly rate it 5 out of 5 stars! A copy was provided by NetGalley but these are my honest words.
No Journey Too Far is a fictional story about some children who were wrongly shipped from England to Canada as British Home Orphans. This is the second book in the series by Carrie Turansky. I haven't read the first book in the series, but felt it stood alone because the author did such a good job of covering the back stories of the characters. (However, I will be reading the first book soon because I enjoyed this one so much.) I loved the sweet characters and the the story line. This book held a mystery as well as two romances. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend to anyone who lives history, mystery and romance.
*I was given a copy of this book by Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers and this my honest opinion.
What do I love best about books? Well, everything. But, I really love when I stumble across a topic I don't know about in a book and the writing makes me want to look more into that subject. In this case, the book focuses on the fact that around 1869, thousands of children, some homeless, some perceived to be and others who were neglected, were taken in by homes in England, then adopted out. Not only were they adopted out, they were sent to Canada and other countries. While some were fortunate and received good homes, others were simply taken in to become domestic and farm workers. This story depicts a fictional journey of a family torn apart by these true events.
Now, No Journey Too Far is the sequel to Ms. Turansky's book, No Ocean Too Wide, and while there's enough explanation through this book to understand the backstory, I HIGHLY recommend you read the first one before this. It just really delves in to the stories of Katie, Garth, and Grace deeply and you make a connection with them enough to want to know what happens in this one.
However, I'll just say that In No Ocean Too Wide, Garth, Katie, and Grace's mother falls ill and they are believed to be alone and neglected. They are taken into a home for children and sent to Canada. I don't want to spoil too much but what follows in that book is the trials and heartbreak they face being separated from their mom and older sister, Laura. Laura already lives away from home working as a lady's maid. But, she hurries home in an attempt to reunite her family.
This book continues ten years after the first one and Garth is returning home from war with his friend Rob. They go on a huge journey to attempt to find Garth's youngest sister, Grace. Nobody has any knowledge of what happened to Grace when she was adopted by a couple. Again, no spoilers, but we get to see what happened to Grace and also get to follow Garth as he pursues his own happiness. I must add, much deserved happiness after all he has gone through.
But, as we all know, no life comes without trouble and this is where faith and gratefulness for our blessings comes in. Garth, his girlfriend Emma, and Grace stand strong in their faith and belief that God is with them as multiple things happen and obstacles seem to stand in their way. Through it all, they stick together and show each other love and compassion and value the importance in their relationships.
I received an advance copy of this story from Multnomah and I have to admit, I rushed to read the first story first and I am so glad I did. As far as my review, I really enjoyed finding out what happened to Grace and Garth and I am even more glad that I got to read them back to back because I don't think I would have wanted to wait that long between books (lol). Ms. Turansky always does a wonderful job in not only weaving a beautiful story, creating wonderful characters, but also throws just enough intrigue in the mix to keep you reading!
Thank you to Multnomah and to Ms. Turansky for another great experience!
No Journey Too Far can be read as a stand alone, however it will make more sense and be more enjoyable if you read No Ocean Too Wide first. I enjoyed revisiting the McAlister family and seeing where life has taken them.
Author Carrie Turansky’s book was well researched and I continued to learn more about the British Home Children yet in no way is it just dry facts. It breaks my heart to know what so many children went through yet it was interesting. I enjoy the way Turansky weaves history into her story. With strong characters who don’t let life defeat them, the search for those who were lost reminded me of God not giving up on those who have wandered.
If you enjoy historical fiction, this compelling story contains something for everyone. Strong family ties, mystery, hardship, faith, prejudism, and romance. I highly recommend it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
I read No Ocean Too Wide earlier this year, and it was actually my first time reading a Carrie Turansky novel. I fell head over heels for the beautiful story, the familial bond that was so strong between the siblings, and for the many interesting tidbits of history I learned along the way. Right from finishing the first book, I honestly couldn't wait to start reading the second, as I needed to desperately find out how the author was going to wrap up Laura, Garth, Katie and Grace's stories. After finishing this heartwarming follow up, I can honestly say that it was everything I was hoping for and more, and was definitely another of my favorite reads of the year.
I truly adore how much time and effort Carrie Turansky puts into the historical research for her novels, and I ended up learning so much more about the plight of many of the British Home Children from reading this beautiful novel. I love how through her fictional characters, she's presented a realistic and accurate look at what so many of these brave children had to face at the hands of the adults who were supposed to be watching out for them.
I loved how No Journey Too Far includes three different POV's, the same as the first book did, and I loved following along on Garth's journey to find his sister Grace and his sweetheart Emma, Emma's journey to find her way back to Garth, and Grace's sweet story about trying to discover the missing pieces of her childhood. I really enjoyed both of the sweet and clean romances that play a part of the story, but I have to say I was partial to Grace's as I loved getting to see it develop right from the start, and just how adorable and God centered it truly was.
I wasn't expecting this one to include a murder mystery, and I thought that added another dimension to an already great story-especially with how it all comes together in the end. Definitely didn't see it coming, and it kept me thinking about it for quite sometime after finishing it.
I truly adored this novel from start to finish, and I loved the focus on faith, family, friendship and finding love. Carrie Turansky is a truly talented storyteller, and I can't wait to read more of her books in the very near future.
Final Rating: 5/5.
Thanks so much to Multnomah for allowing me to advance read and review this!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Multnomah) in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Books by this author just seem to get better and better. This was one of my favorite series. I loved learning about the British Home Children. I had not heard of this before reading these books. It is sad to think that because they were orphans that people treated them so badly. I loved the characters in this story. I love to learn some about what happened in Canada at this time. This story made me cry and worry about what might happen to both Grace and Emma. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
No Journey Too Far, by Carrie Turansky, continues the tale of the McAlister children and their journey to America. This second book fills in the blanks as to the final destination of each child. The youngest child, Grace, was adopted by a wealthy couple in New York. Now Grace is on the verge of turning eighteen and her parents want to put her on the marriage market. However, Grace wants to move in a different direction!
When her brother Garth suddenly shows up at her home, her parents do not believe he is truly her brother and immediately have him thrown out of the house. Grace has been wondering about her birth family for awhile and sees Garth's offer to take her back to England to meet her birth family as an answer to her prayers. After Grace decides to sneak out of the house and join Garth for this trip, you will not believe all the circumstances that keep getting in their way!
This is an interesting story to follow as you see the hand of God moving to bring this family back together. You definitely do not want to miss the ending of this tale!
This novel continues the story of the McAlister family begun in No Ocean Too Wide. The first novel told the story of how the McAlister children were some of thousands of British Home Children taken from their homeland and sent to Canada. In this novel we find out what happened to Grace, the youngest of the McAlisters. We also follow the story of Emma, sweetheart of Garth McAlister. After his experience as an indentured Home Child, Garth had joined the war in Europe and Emma had lost touch with him.
Turansky gives readers a good idea of what life was like for the British Home Children. Some were mistreated as we found out in the first novel in the series. Some were taken in by wealthy couples, as we see here. Grace had been adopted by a wealthy family but they kept her past hidden for a decade. Home Children were characterized as troublesome and no family known in society would want others to know their daughter was one. Grace remembered her childhood experiences and longed to know of her biological family.
Turansky tells readers in an Author's Note that more than ten percent of Canadians are descendants of British Home Children so this novel provides insight into the history of many in Canada today. We see the challenges faced by the emigrants after they fulfilled their indentured service and had to find a life of their own as adults.
There are several themes explored in this novel. One if the importance of friendship. Another is the way people will categorize a segment of society, such as the Home Children. Emma is suspected of a crime over other possible suspects just because she is a Home Child. Another theme is the difference in parenting styles. Grace ultimately experiences a family where mistakes became learning experiences rather than failures bringing shame. Another theme explores how God has answers arranged for prayers before they are even spoken.
This is a good novel for readers who enjoy one centering on an important historical event. Turansky's writing style makes this novel an engaging one telling an important historical story of family commitment and the support of friends. You'll experience a mystery and a little romance too. While it reads well on its own, do read the first in the series to appreciate the entire story of the Home Children.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.