This book was gut wrenching but was really well done. It’s so sad to think about how often this really happened to women. The audiobook was really enjoyable.

"The Girls We Sent Away" by Meagan Church is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that delves into the complexities of motherhood, loss, and the societal pressures faced by young women. The story revolves around a group of girls who are sent away to a home for unwed mothers during a time when societal norms dictated that such situations be hidden away.

Church's writing is evocative and compassionate, bringing to life the struggles and emotions of her characters as they navigate the challenges of their circumstances. The narrative is both heartbreaking and hopeful, highlighting the strength and resilience of women in the face of adversity. Each character is well-developed, with their own unique backstories and motivations, allowing readers to connect deeply with their journeys.

The themes of love, sacrifice, and the search for identity are beautifully explored, making the story resonate on multiple levels. Church doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of the past but balances them with moments of tenderness and camaraderie among the girls. The emotional depth of the narrative is enhanced by the backdrop of societal expectations and the evolving understanding of motherhood and choice.

Overall, "The Girls We Sent Away" is a powerful and moving read that challenges readers to reflect on the societal norms that shape our lives. Meagan Church has crafted a compelling story that is both an intimate portrayal of personal struggles and a broader commentary on the experiences of women. This novel is a must-read for those seeking a heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and the enduring bonds of friendship.

The author writes really descriptively and beautifully. A really dark story rooted in the true stories of unwed pregnant girls in the south in the 1960s. I found the pacing initially a little slow to get into, but once I did it was really compelling. Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook.

The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church

The Girls We Sent Away is a historical fiction book based on the Baby Scoop Era of the 1960s. This book had so much potential, as this was a heartbreaking time period, where young pregnant women were steamrolled into signing away their parental rights, many not understanding what rights they had, or what they were agreeing to.

The story follows Lorraine Delford and her relationship with her boyfriend, which leads to an unplanned pregnancy. When her parents send her to an unwed mother home, she isn’t prepared for the emotional turmoil pregnancy causes. While she gets to know the other girls there, she questions her decision with her baby. Each woman has a different situation, but every one of them is heartbreaking.

My mother was forced to give up my brother because she was a fourteen year old unwed mother. My mother often talks about her experiences and in many ways this book mirrors many of them. The book took me on an emotional journey, easily picturing her, instead of Lorraine.

I enjoyed the book, feeling a torrent of emotions with this book. I feel like it could have expanded more on certain aspects and left out or minimized others. Like why did we need to hear from her ex and all about his new relationship multiple times, while I understand in some ways it’s showing that his life doesn’t change, while hers essentially blows up, it was irritating hearing about him. I also disliked some of the filler and would have liked more about the other girls instead of minor information, also preferring to hear what happened to them instead of the ex.

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator for the most part. The voices sounded similar throughout with only a little variation. I still enjoyed the timber of her voice.

The Baby Scoop Era deserves more attention, and those young mothers deserve restitution. It’s heartbreaking that they were sent away to face such an isolating experience without any support.
This book, set in 1960s North Carolina, tells the story of 17-year-old Lorraine, who’s forced into a home for unwed mothers just before graduating as Valedictorian. In an era when men faced no consequences for getting a girl pregnant, Lorraine is left to navigate the ordeal alone. Her parents are callous, and the lack of choices for women is stark.
While the book covers important subject matter, the writing felt stilted, with too many “she would soon find out…” and “he didn’t know just how wrong he was…” moments. These kinds of foreshadowing sentences are a pet peeve of mine.
On the plus side, the author does a great job of making you want to punch every character except the “wayward” girls. The rampant sexism and misogyny of the time are infuriating, with guys walking away unscathed while girls lose everything.
Overall, while the story is important, the writing style made it hard for me to fully connect with the characters, so I give it a 4.25, rounded down.
Thanks to NetGalley, which I voluntarily reviewed.

I find the Baby Scoop Era really interesting. It baffles me that parents just sent their daughters off to these homes to have babies out of wedlock. It seems to me that so many of them were sketchy, but clearly people didn’t know that back then, or if they did, they didn’t care, they were more concerned with their images than what happened to their daughters and babies.

Lorraine had such a terrifying and tragic experience at the home for wayward girls she was sent to. And she wasn’t the only one. They experienced things they’d never recover from.

This was a gut wrenching story. I felt so badly for Lorraine and the other girls.

I enjoyed the narration on this book. Susan kept me very enthralled in the story.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for my ALC of this book.

Set in the 1960s during the intersection of the Baby Scoop Era and the Space Race, this powerful and affecting novel explores autonomy, belonging, and the quest for agency when life’s illusions crumble. Lorraine Delford, an upstanding girl-next-door in North Carolina, faces unexpected challenges when she becomes pregnant. Her parents send her to a maternity home for unwed teens, but it’s no safe haven—it conceals dark secrets and suffocating rules. As Lorraine pieces together a new vision for her life, she must decide whether to fight against those who aim to take her child or submit to societal norms. Meagan Church’s exquisite writing unveils a murky pocket of history, leaving a lasting impact.

In 1964, Lorraine is a pretty, smart high school student, aiming to be valedictorian. She is fascinated by the space race and dreams of being an astronaut. Living in North Carolina, Lorraine is the apple of her parents eyes, fancying her as the perfect daughter. But when Lorraine becomes pregnant, dreams and plans are shattered. She is sent away to a home for unwed mothers, where secrets of all types are kept.
The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church is a heartbreaking look at what was the reality for many unwed mothers in the past. I kept rooting for Lorraine despite the roadblocks put in her way.
I was given an ARC of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
#meaganchurch
#thegirlswesentaway
#netgalley
#unwedmothers

I really enjoyed this author's previous novel, The Last Carolina Girl. This book had the promise of excellence, but it did not meet the mark for me. The 1960s description of a teenage girl fell flat. The character was dull and spineless. She was not at all relatable.

"The Girls We Sent Away" by Meagan Church is an emotionally powerful and beautifully written novel that captures the heart from the very first page. Church masterfully tells the poignant stories of young women whose lives are forever changed by the choices and circumstances they face.

The characters are richly developed and incredibly relatable, each one drawing you deeper into their world with every chapter. Church's prose is both lyrical and evocative, painting vivid pictures of the settings and emotions that drive the narrative.

What truly sets this novel apart is its exploration of resilience and hope amidst adversity. "The Girls We Sent Away" is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the enduring bonds of friendship and love.

This book is an absolute must-read, offering a compelling blend of historical insight and heartfelt storytelling that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. Highly recommended!

This was a hard hitting read. I knew these types of ‘homes’ existed in years past, but reading this book, put the reality to it. Thanks NetGalley for the audio eArc.

This book makes me mad in a good way, if that makes sense. I feel this novel was extremely important to the view on how things use to be for young girls and women, and how it can possibly be happening again soon in this world. I understand that was how the world works beck then but as a mother myself, i cannot comprehend on these parents could treat their daughters this way, no matter the mistake. it was so well written and i enjoyed the narrator immensely.

I finished The Girls We Sent Away this past week and I have some thoughts💭🫣. While I think it’s an important, powerful story, it’s shocking and heart wrenching and well, to put it bluntly, it’s not a feel good read AT ALL. Readers beware🫠

Thank you so much to @bookmarked for sending me this copy!!

Unrated.

The Girls We Sent Away
by Meagan Church
Narrated by Susan Bennett

Rating:4.3/5.0 Stars

The Girls We Sent Away, isn't anything super new in the so-called Baby Scoop Era. Awesome, smart, talented girl gets pregnant by the first or second sexual encounter and gets sent away to have the baby. The thing that Ms. Church does well, is craft a beautiful world, the beautiful world in which Lorraine takes things a little too far and winds up pregnant, though she has the world at her fingertips. Lorraine is sent away for the last few months to have the child in secret and hopefully move past this unfortunate accident...but Lorraine fights back.

With her performance, Ms. Bennett brought Lorraine and her friends to life. Overall, if the summary intrigued you, then I definitely recommend this listen!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and RB Media for the chance to listen to and review this ARC!

This high quality audio is set in a time where the world was different and although fictional unmarried mothers were sent away to give birth and then their babies given away and the whole thing covered up. This is a heartbreaker. The important thing about this for me was the evolving of the main chatacter as she went through difficult times. The other characters are introduced and create a greater understanding of the situation the girls are in. The unusual use of the 3rd person pov helped me. I loved tge description but found it hard going due yo the evolving subject.
Thank yoy netgallery and publisher and author and narrator

An emotional and important read that takes a close look at one girl’s fight for her future when society turns its back on her. The reader is quickly drawn into Lorraine’s story and can’t help but continuing to listen to see what will happen next. The narrator is the perfect choice, bringing added dimension to this riveting story. Sure to spark conversation, this would make an excellent book club or buddy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC! This was an interesting thriller/literary fiction novel! I found it interesting and engaging, I was riveted. A great plot and intriguing characters and motives.

I had a personal connection with this story. My father was born in 1959 to an unwed mother that was "sent away" to birth her child and put him up for an adoption. I appreciated the perspective of Lorrianne Delford. She became pregnant and her parents sent her away to have her baby elsewhere, she had no choice. I wonder what my father's birth mother felt, and this book gave me a glimmer into her truth. The audiobook was great and the writing was good, it made me want to read Church's other book.

4.25 stars

A very interesting story; I used to read a lot more historical fiction than I do now, and this book is a good example of why I enjoyed it so much. The plot was entertaining and realistic (if a bit devastating at times), I appreciated the range of characters, and I just couldn’t put it down. It was a nice change from a lot of the other things I’ve been reading lately.

The Girls We Sent Away is such a poignant tale of a time when the mistake of premarital sex made visible through pregnancy was handled with a form of shunning. Readers are transported back to the time of the Space Race.

Lorraine is on the cusp of having all she wants. She's got a wonderful boyfriend, Clint. She's proving that a girl can be a good lifeguard. And she is poised to be the first female class valedictorian with aspirations of attending college. Her big, scary dream is to become an astronaut.

One moment in time changes all that. She is swept away by Clint who takes her virginity as if that's going to seal their love and commitment forever. The irony is that Lorraine has her heads in the clouds (literally watching the stars as she has sex with Clint) that you almost feel like she doesn't know what is happening to her or what her silence consents to.

But, when Lorraine discovers she is pregnant, life changes quickly for the worse. Clint first tries to arrange for an illegal abortion and is irrate when Lorraine doesn't show up. This is an example of when vague language is not for the best. Lorraine had no idea what he had planned. Instead, she's dreaming about getting married and becoming a family. That somehow they can do that while he is attending college full-time.

Lorraine's sad tale continues as her parents ultimately have her go in hiding until they can ship her off to a maternity home several hours away. There she meets other young girls, all with their own tales. Only, the uncaring house mother had a strict policy of not sharing personal information or making friends. Instead, the girls are essentially punished even more through the demands made upon them at the home and the looks of disgust by any who recognize them for the unwed mothers they are.

You then journey with Lorraine as she finally starts to find some more common sense than she had beforehand. Of course, the journey throws in all the ways that she was kept in the dark by her parents and educators. Because ignoring sexual attraction and telling young women to be 'good girls' is enough to explain the sexual act and potentially life-altering consequences.

As for the narration of the audiobook, I found Susan Bennett to have done a good job with the pacing of the story and conveying the emotional turmoil experienced by Lorraine.

Thanks to Recorded Books and NetGalley for this audio ARC given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.