Lorraine is 17 years old, an excelling senior in high school and has high aspirations to become an astronaut. As an only child her parents are fairly controlling and Lorraine pretty much toes the line. But Clint, her boyfriend of two years, is going away to college and plans a romantic evening for the two of them before he leaves. Sadly for this young girl, she finds herself pregnant. This is as far as I’ll take it without giving away the story. Suffice to say, Lorraine is tested to the utmost regarding the choices she has to make in her life.
Sadly, in the ‘60’s, too many girls were taken to homes for unwed girls and the outcomes weren’t always favourable, for the girls or their babies.
When I chose to read this book I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I was drawn in right from the beginning! An excellent read that I couldn’t put down.
Thank you to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark Publishers for my digital advanced copy. And to Meagan Church for her poignant read!

Life in the 1960s was much different than today.17-year-old Lorraine is smart, kind, and has big dreams for her future. The boy she thinks loves her will turn his back and walk away from her when she reveals she is pregnant. Her parents are appalled, only seeing her through the eyes of their neighbors. Before anyone finds out, they send her away to home for unwed mothers. Lorraine will give her baby up for adoption and then come home with her reputation and theirs still intact.
Not only is she all alone, but she also has to navigate the changes occurring in her body with no guidance. I won’t say much more since I don’t want to give too much away. This is a super sad story that made me ache for these girls, while wanting karma to rain down on those who treated them so poorly. Did I wish it ended differently? Yes, but realistically, I knew that it wouldn’t.

So excited to have been a part of the ARC for this title!

Meagan Church's sophomore book The Girls We Sent Away is just as good, if not better than The Last Carolina Girl!

Lorraine Delford is a senior in high school and is on top of her game. She is on track to be the first female valedictorian of her school, has a great boyfriend, enjoys her job, and is part of a perfect family.... until she gets pregnant. To protect Lorraine's reputation her parents send her away to home for unwed teens. Lorraine has to learn how to navigate her new life, she struggles with rejection as she expects her boyfriend to support her and a desire to pursue her educational goals.

This book tackles a real emotion suffered by so many in 1960. Highly recommend you pick this one up!

Advanced Reader Copy Review:

This historical fiction novel covers the Baby Scope Era of the 1940s-1970s, set during the early 1960s. The book follows Lorraine, who is everything an all-American girl from the suburbs should be. Intelligent, funny, beautiful, and full of dreams. Once she finds herself pregnant and left alone, her parent decides to hide the family's shame and send her to her unwed mother's home. The book follows the physical and emotional toll these homes created for the girls that told them to bide their time and then move on with their lives as if nothing had happened—a great look at a topic that was not spoken about until recently.

Oh gosh, this book was very interesting and so I open and sad. I really enjoyed the storyline and thought it was well written. Will definitely keep you on your toes from start to finish four stars!

This is such a heartbreaking story of what happens in 1960s when unwed mothers get pregnant!!! This was Def eye opener and powerful read!

Please make sure to look at content before reading!

Good read and I liked the writing style!

Thanks NetGalkey fir allowing me to read snd review

This book was very good! I loved the vibe and the characters! I would definitely recommend and I’m excited to read other titles by this author!

In an era where some secrets were too big to keep hidden, girls were sent to maternity homes to have their children in secret. This book touches on the different impacts a teen pregnancy can have and it was a very interesting read.

This was not the typical genre I read but I was intrigued by the cover and the synopsis so I tried it out and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I felt so much anger for the main character and the situation they were put in because of the lust and carelessness of a teenage boy and the societal views on conceiving out of wedlock. I know it was a different time back then but I am glad that we are more informed and have changed some of our mindsets since. The way she barely had any autonomy over her own body was frustrating and hard to imagine too because it seemed like she was trapped no matter what she did and you knew as the reader that she should be making her own decisions to direct her life's path but everything was decided for her and no thought was given to what she actually wanted. The characters were pretty well rounded and I liked learning a bit about each person's perspective on the situation, I would check out more by this author!

This was an excellent book, which tells the story of a teen who is pregnant out of wedlock. I enjoyed the characters, and the setting was very realistic for the time period being written about.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"The Girls We Sent Away" by Meagan Church is a surprising gem that defied my typical reading preferences. While the subject matter of the 1960s and a young woman's unexpected pregnancy isn't something I'd usually gravitate towards, the allure of Meagan Church's storytelling proved irresistible. And I'm grateful it did, as this novel delivered an unforgettable narrative that kept me engrossed from start to finish.

Lorraine Delford, the central character, emerges as an exceptionally likable protagonist. Church skillfully portrays her vulnerabilities, making it easy for readers to empathize with her plight. As Lorraine grapples with the harsh realities of societal judgment, familial shame, and the oppressive rules of a maternity home, the author weaves a narrative that is both heart-wrenching and compelling.

The depth of Lorraine's experiences is vividly captured, allowing readers to step into her shoes and feel the fear, humiliation, and betrayal she endures. The narrative skillfully navigates the emotional spectrum, from the secrecy of her pregnancy to the ultimate betrayal of those she trusted most. Church's ability to convey these emotions makes Lorraine's journey not only relatable but also a powerful catalyst for self-reflection.

"The Girls We Sent Away" is more than just a historical drama; it's a resonant exploration of the human spirit's resilience in the face of societal expectations. The pacing creates a compelling narrative that transcends its historical context, making it a timeless and relevant exploration of autonomy and belonging.

In conclusion, Meagan Church's novel is a testament to the transformative power of storytelling. While I may not have picked up this book under ordinary circumstances, its gripping narrative, well-drawn characters, and exploration of timeless themes have left an indelible mark. "The Girls We Sent Away" is a remarkable read that challenges preconceived notions and engages readers in a thought-provoking journey through a turbulent period in history. I highly recommend that you get it preordered for the March 5, 2024 pub day!

First off I want to thank @bookmarked & @netgalley for this ARC! This book releases March, 2024 & I was so happy to receive it.

Now jumping into my thoughts - I did not even know what the "Baby Scoop" era was & wow was it insanely hard to fathom. Being a mother myself, I felt every tinge of heartache & pain Lorraine felt throughout the book, which is a true testament to Churchs writing.

The house the girls are sent away to is full of mind games & control its truly shocking. Knowing that when you are pregnant you are even more emotional and vulnerable I just wanted to crawl into the book & give the girls a hug.

Following Lorraine's emotions & seeing how her feelings on love & life change and challenge her is gripping and I couldn't put it down. I felt all the feels deep in my core & I couldn't help but root for Lorraine the entire time.

This was my first read by this author & definitely will not be my last. It was completely around a topic I was so unfamiliar with and it taught me a lot (even though it was very dark & very sad) I loved it! Definitely add to your TBR & pick this up when it releases March 5, 2024!

My Review: 🍷🍷🍷🍷

Meagan’s book takes us to the 1960’s when “good” girls did not get pregnant before marriage. But what happens if you did? And that’s the book title!
Lorraine has her eyes on the stars and dreams of being part of the exciting new space exploration. But now?
Lorraine journey of loss, love and hope takes us into a home of unwed moms. But is it a safe place.
Loved this book and a peek into our country’s recent history. Meagan brings to life these “Girls Who Were Sent Away”!

Since giving birth to my daughter nearly two years ago, I have been drawn to stories about motherhood. Despite being many decades removed from this setting, I felt a strong connection with Lorraine.

The Girls We Sent Away is a heartbreaking story about unwed pregnant girls who are sent to a maternity home amidst the Baby Scoop Era of the 1960s. An emotional and powerful experience, I encourage readers to take care and look into content warnings prior to reading. My heart broke for Lorraine, and all the women whose stories reflect hers.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Girls We Sent Away is a fantastic novel. A great pick for historical fiction fans and book clubs. Wonderfully written characters in a great story. I enjoyed how Meagan Church continues to reveal more and more layers to her characters as the story progresses. Thank you to Net Galley, Meagan Church and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a painful, upsetting book. It was so difficult to read and made me cry multiple times. It's so horrifying to learn how this was happening all over and how many people carry the trauma from this.

Ah, the maternity homes for wayard girls. I am drawn to these sorts of stories for some reasons. I felt that Lorraine was easily to connect with as a character and many book clubs will enjoy discuss this and how we treat teenage pregnancy.

I would GUESS that it would need a 'trigger warning' that there are sex scenes in the book as I did read a review that someone was offended by it but...grow up.

Excellent book by Meagan Church about a strange time and an emotional weight that was left on those involved.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Having grown up in the late 1960s and early 1970s,, both the setting and storyline of The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church were familiar. I remember sitting in the cafeteria one day and hearing rumors about an upperclassman that had been sent to a "home for unwed mothers". She didn't come back to school that year, but the whispers stuck around.

Lorraine Delford is that girl. The good girl, The overachiever, the one who bows to the pressures and expectations of her parents at a time when girls and women were at the cusp of creating expectations and dreams of their own - but note quite there yet. Her story is, at turns, raw and heartbreaking, but authentic to the time and to the character.

Church does a good job of making Lorraine's situation relatable and real, while gently reminding the reader of the very real trauma and drama that was, and is, teen pregnancy. The characters are complex and conflicted, and, although I was a bit disappointed at the cliched "big reveal" late in the book, I was engaged from beginning to end.

The Girls We Sent Away is one of those books I might be reticent in recommending for women of a certain age - we never know the trauma others carry, and Lorraine's story might hit a bit too close to home for some.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for bringing this book and Meagan Church to my attention.

This is a topic I’ve read in other books but none of them hold a candle to this one. I am sitting here after finishing this book one week ago still thinking about it. In this book we meet Lorraine who is enjoying her time in high school. She has a steady boyfriend and lots of plans for her future. When Lorraine becomes pregnant all of the plans for her future are in question. The one thing she thought was a given was that her boyfriend would do the right thing and marry her. Things did not go that way. He left her and never looked back. Her parents decided to send her to a home for unwed mothers as teen pregnancy was seen as an embarrassment and something to shame in the 1960’s. What happens from here took my breath away. The rawness of this book held me captive until the last page. As a mother myself to a teenaged daughter, I can’t imagine how it must have felt for both of them. It has not been an easy road for women and I’m glad this book was written to show that and to show where we are now and how there is always more work to do. Thank you to Netgalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and Meagan Church for this extraordinary masterpiece.

“The Girls We Sent Away” is a fictional novel by Meagan Church. This book deals with homes for unwed mothers, who await the birth of their babies. I’ve read a number of books about this topic and it amazes me (continually) how heartbreaking those homes were. On one hand, I can see why those homes existed but on the other hand, how sad that they existed in the way that they did. One cannot help but feel sadness for the main character, Lorraine - she’s oblivious to so much, has her life figured out, and when she goes to those she believes will help her, she’s met with “you did this, you figure it out” from them instead. Like another reviewer commented, from the opening, I too thought this was going to be a mystery (or thriller) and I cannot quite explain why. I liked the fact that this book wasn’t neatly wrapped up in the end - and I also hope that all those girls got the mental help they needed later in life.