Meagan Church is an author to pay attention to. I loved her 2023 debut coming of age tale The Last Carolina Girl, and now The Girls We Sent Away had me ignoring the real world to find out what happens to her young heroine who ends up in the family way.

Lorraine Delford is a good girl. Though she was a bit of a tomboy growing up, loves math and science, and pushes to be the only female lifeguard at her community pool, all against her mother’s wishes, she is expected to be the valedictorian of her senior class, which makes her father secretly proud of the young woman she has become. The homecoming queen, dating her longtime boyfriend Clint, seems to have it all auntil one night her whole life trajectory changes course. Somewhat gently coerced with a promise ring, Lorraine gets pregnant and becomes her parents’ greatest shame. Her hopes of being the valedictorian and college are suddenly far-fetched. To make it all go away she is sent to a maternity home where Lorraine’s naïveté persists.

What Lorraine figured would be a short respite with distance school courses to stay on track, becomes her own personal nightmare. The home is run by a woman whose chore s and rules make her feel like a child again, and her only schooling is finishing classes that would make her mother proud, but make Lorraine want to scream. With the help of her two roommates and the local librarian, she makes the most of her time in the maternity ward. Though the world would think she is worldly due to her condition, it is at the maternity home where ironically Lorraine finally sheds most of her innocence and learns how the world actually works.

Lorraine’s journey will have you rooting for her, and at times crying at her circumstances. Her resilience is astounding considering everything she was up against, and her continued hope is inspiring. Learning about the “Baby Scoop Era” through Lorraine is eye opening and heartbreaking.

Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and of course the author Meagan Church for the advanced copy of the audiobook. The Girls We Sent Away is out in audio format on March 5th. All opinions are my own.

Lorraine Delord comes from the perfect family, with the perfect boyfriend, and is the perfect student. Then when the girl with the perfect life gets pregnant, her whole world comes crashing down. To hide their shame, her parents send her to go home for young pregnant mothers.

This book crushed my soul. Being a mother I couldn’t imagine going through what Lorraine did. It was a great book though.
Loved the narrator, she brought the story to life.

The Girls We Sent Away is gripping, moving, shocking and thought provoking. I loved this audiobook. I could not stop listening and when life got in the way, I found myself thinking about the story. Another book which has me feeling for all the young women who experienced the loss, tragedy, pain, shame, and guilt that many suffered during the time of the Baby Scoop Era of 1960's. It was a time that being an unwed mother/teenage mother brought not only shame on the young woman but on her family as well. It was a time when teens and young women were sent away to hide their "shame" and the young fathers walked free to live their lives.

Lorraine Delford had a bright future ahead of her. She came from a good family, was studious, well liked, had a picture-perfect home and a handsome boyfriend. She has dreams for her future. None of which entailed getting pregnant in high school. Her life is now changed forever. Her parents send her away to a pregnancy home for wayward girls. There, the harsh realities of life kick in.

I thought the narrator did a fabulous job bringing this book to life. My heart broke for Lorraine and the young women in the home. Sent away to save their family embarrassment, sent away without a choice and without support.

This book is not only about the young women who were sent away during the Baby Scoop Era of 1960's (but let's be real, women have been sent away for various reasons throughout time), it is about choices in all forms. There are forced choices, coerced choices, the choices parents make for their underage children, lack of choices and the power of the choices we make (or are forced to make). How choice has consequences both positive and negative. How choices can affect a person for the rest of their lives.

This would make a terrific book club selection as there is a lot to discuss in this book. This is a moving and powerful book which I could not put down. I was fully invested in the story, feeling for the characters and their plight.

This was my first book by Meagan Church, and I look forward to reading more books by her in the future.

Gripping, powerful, moving, and hard to put down.

The Girls We Sent Away is an interesting story about maternity homes which existed in the US in the 1950’s & 1960’s. The homes were a place for pregnant teens to live until they give birth. This listening experience was good and the story one that truly made me feel the heartbreak and shame many young women likely experienced in these homes. This book doesn’t have a happy, joyful ending, but instead leaves readers to contemplate inner strength and resiliency. I’m glad to have had early access to this book! I’d give this read 3.5 stars (rounding up to a 4) because the plot was well-researched and detailed, but perhaps long for the content covered.

What a heartbreaking, yet wonderful story. This puts a bit of light on history that most of us just can't understand. Thankfully the world has come quite a ways since then, but I'm sure it still happens today! I feel the story got a little slow until about halfway, and then it picked up and I couldn't stop listening. Great narrator.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

What an absolutely heartbreaking story. But, also one of strength and determination too…

This takes place in the 60’s and shares the story of a HS Senior (Lorraine) and her then boyfriend (Clint). They’ve been going out for some time, and one night he has a special surprise for her! Not at all what she was expecting…and then, SHE is expecting…and he is off to college….

We follow Lorraine, and her parents (at least a little bit), and her friends in HS, as she navigates what is going on, once she figures it out for herself, and how it is handled. And let me tell you, nothing like that today…

We meet many new friends,in similar situations, and we see how they bond, or don’t, and what their priorities are too.
Such a diverse group of girls, each with their own thoughts and pathways…

So sad, and eye-opening at the same time….
And so very heartbreaking for each of these girls….

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #RecordedBooksMedia for an ARC of the audiobook which releases on 3/5/24.

#TheGirlsWeSentAway by #MeaganChurch and narrated beautifully by #SusanBennett.

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Thanks so much for reading!📚⭐️📖

This is my first book by Meagan Church and she had me on page one! Lorraine is a very likable, and believable, character thrown into a situation that she struggles to deal with. Going from the picture perfect student - high grades, good friends, caring boyfriend - she has it all. Even parents who seem to support her in every way. One mistake, an irresistible temptation, and her bright future is shattered. Teenage pregnancy was something to be ashamed of, keep hidden, and certainly not expected from the “good” girls. In an instant everything Lorraine thought she had was gone. Out of shame and disappointment, her parents send Lorraine to a home for wayward girls. A home with others like her. Here we meet some incredible characters who are more supportive and caring than those she left behind. Thank goodness for the librarian- nice to know some good people still exist. Lorraine learns a lot about herself, and the way things are supposed to be. Through heartbreak and determination we watch a lost soul grow into a determined and poised young lady who will stand up for herself.
This was a sad reflection on the 60’s, and what so many young women had to endure for the sake of propriety. Church addressed a sensitive issue with stark honesty and emotion.

The Girls We Sent Away
by Meagan Church
Pub Date: 03/05/24

Whoa,.... This was a very poignant book that made me smile at times, cry at others, scream often and ache throughout. In the 60's young ladies of a certain way were scooped off to take care of their issue and return home like nothing happen. The girls clothes fit differently and if a crying baby comes near them their shirt starts to leak. The way families had double standards and it was only the girls fault has always perplexed me and makes me want to cue the scream.

Meagan Church has done a really good job writing a story about the Baby Scoop Era of the 60's which is a very dark era of reality for many young ladies in the 60's. This was a secret that many young ladies went through and had to deal with the shame of being pregnant and then the lack of someone who loves them supporting them. This book is set at a home where the girls could go to so the family didn't have a blemish on them by the mistake their daughter has made. (insert scream) What about the guys family - they move along like nothing has changed and it was only the girl who got pregnant.

Lorraine is a young lady who is on the way to be Valedictorian at Mecklenburg High in NC and Lorraine's set to change this. She’s interested in science especially the space race, ever since she looked at the stars through her father’s telescope and would like to be an astronaut. All that changes when Lorraine becomes in that way and hides it for awhile thinking that her boyfriend who is off at college will have a plan for them and will solve all the problems. This backfires and he doesn't want anything to do with it and ghost her. Once her parents find out about the pregnancy she is chastised and made to feel like trash and wasn't allowed to leave the house until they come up with a plan.

The plan is a home for ladies to come and hide away until they give birth and then return home like nothing ever happen. There aren't any choices for Lorraine, simply this is the plan. She thinks she can continue her school work while away but the only education offered is finishing school curriculum. Lorraine doesn't need napkin folding classes or which fork you use for what she wants to still work towards being on the college track. She does bind refuge within the local library and the librarian befriends her and helps her work towards her GED so that college is still on the table.

I loved how this book showed the wide range of emotions someone goes through when they are pregnant and all alone. I could not imagine going through this horrific way to give birth to my first child and being manipulated to give that baby away regardless of what you want. Knowing a couple of people who lived this terror and have since met their child years and years later I am glad I read this so that I can understand this gut wrenching acts that happen to them because their parents didn't want to be embarrassed by their daughter being preggers yet the boy keeps living life like nothing had change and usually that is the truth!!

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest opinion. I do highly recommend this book because we need to have open discussions about the Baby Scoop era so that we don't repeat this esp. with Roe vs Wade being revoked and the options are limited for women. Keep Reading and find your next adventure in black and white !! Momstr aka Tiffany Martin

The Girls We Sent Away tells the story of a young woman set to graduate high school in 1960 as valedictorian of her class. All of that changes when she discovers she's pregnant. Suddenly, she finds herself swept away to a maternity home for expectant mothers where she comes to realize how shielded she has been.
This was an engaging, fast-paced book with very good audio narration. Given the subject matter, I expected it to be more emotional than it was, but I'd still recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for allowing me early access to the ARC audiobook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was heartbreaking in so many ways. I can not imagine what those young mothers went through and to go through it with no support from anyone. It's sad to know this was real issues and lots of families have been affected. My own family recently learned of a cousin who was adopted as her own mother was young, unwed, and had her baby in secret. I know it still happens today, but I am glad we as a society accept teen pregnancy a lot better than our grandparents did back then. This book will make you angry, sad, and yearning for a happy ending for these girls.
The audio narration was good. However, I think a younger voice would have brought the story to life in a new way as the main character is young herself. It was an easy and somewhat short listen, and I did feel like some things could have been tied up a bit better as there were some loose ends. Overall, this was another great read from Meagan Church. Thank you, NetGalley, RB Media, and Recorded Books, for the opportunity to listen and review this advanced copy.

A gripping story set in the 1960s, following Lorraine Delford, a girl with a seemingly perfect life. When she faces an unexpected pregnancy, the book takes us on a journey through the challenges she encounters. Sent to a maternity home, with a house mother that I wanted to strangle, Lorraine struggles with dark secrets and strict rules. The book explores themes of independence, fitting in, and finding strength in the face of societal expectations. It's a powerful and emotional read that makes you think about life's illusions and the courage needed to break free from them. A look back into a different time that makes you thankful to live in today’s world vs 1960 where unwed mothers are stripped of any rights and hidden away. This book was heart-wrenching at times and I’m thankful for the progress we have made.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Heart-breaking, devastating, yet beautiful—this novel explores the lives of young unwed mothers in the 1960s. Sometimes hard to read, but also impossible to turn away. I wanted to scream at the unfairness, shake the parents, and comfort the young girls and their babies caught in the middle.

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

Went in blind to this one and from the title and cover I was expecting it to be some thriller. Not at all the case and I was not disappointed about that fact. Such a heart wrenching story about a period in time that all at the same time I’m glad I didn’t grow up in and yet wish I did. The thought of taking a baby away from its teenage mother is hard to think about and yet when I look at the world today and all the teenage mothers I also think that it maybe isn’t the worst thing. Both children get to grow up that way. As much as I hoped for the happy ending Lorraine wanted, I did like how the book finished. This was a historical fiction novel that I would love to read more like it. I love Meagan’s other novel The Last Carolina Girl, she will definitely be an author I will be following for future books!

Absolutely heartbreaking. Such a good story but it rips at the pieces that hold you together.
This is a fairly straightforward story without shocking twists and turns. You are taken on a journey with Lorraine, a high school senior with a promising future with her schooling and her personal life. Many can relate to making hard decisions at a young age and having to put aside youthful aspirations, as Lorraine did.
Though this story was full of heavy truths and I thought Lorraine would have fought a bit differently in the end, she lived in a different time than we are now.
This was beautifully written and narrated.

This story revolves around Loraine, a 17 year old senior on the verge of graduating. She unexpectedly falls pregnant and is sent to the home for wayward girls to “take care” of her problem. There are other characters added to the story once she goes to the home. They are all likable characters and you learn about how the house is ran and about the other girls loves and lives. The story line was easy to follow and heart breaking at times. I gave it 4 stars and I would definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy historical fiction without any major twists and turns. It’s very straight forward. There is one “twist” at the end that will probably piss you off. But overall good story and unique. Also thank you net galley and publisher for letting me read this story for free for an honest review

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Girls We Sent Away" and all opinions expressed are my own. I was approved for both the kindle book and the audio book. I listened to the audio book. This book left me wanting more. I wanted to know what happened to the other girls (although this was not their story). I wanted to believe that what the house mother told Lorraine was not a lie. I was really hoping for a fight from Lorraine. She just believed whatever she was told even though her heart told her differently. Such a heartbreaking time in history when young women had to endure these homes. I am going to check out the authors previous book, The Last Carolina Girl.

This is a sad book. The characters are sad and the circumstances are sad. Unfortunately, the situation in the 60s was sad for unwed pregnant girls (are we headed back to those days now?). Lorraine is made to stay in hiding in her house once her pregnancy is found out by her parents and then the last three months is sent to a home for unwed mothers that then place the babies with adoptive homes. Lorraine is different from the other girls in that she wants to graduate from high school (actually she actually was pretty much accepted to be the valedictorian) and go to college. She is befriended by the town librarian and is given the opportunity to get her GED. But then more sadness, she goes into labor and delivers her baby before she can take the test. And even more sadness--her baby is taken from her. Then a big surprise that makes her situation even sadder--her mother and father got married because of an unplanned pregnancy. Some of the book deals with her boyfriend and what happens to him--honestly, after what he did to her, I could have cared less about him, although he may have represented some of the fathers of those unplanned pregnancies of that time--going through their lives and moving on, while the women have to go through later pregnancy and birth and deciding how to take care of the "problem" themselves. I think the ending was supposed to be hopeful, but I even found that to be sad...

Thanks for NetGalley and the author for this ARC!

This book was well-written and sucked me in from the beginning. The character of Lorraine was such a sympathetic and strong woman, and I enjoyed hearing her story- even when it was heartbreaking. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was very good- she used slightly different tones and accents for characters without it being "too much." This book tackled a hard and depressing topic, and was hard to hear at points, but I enjoyed it. Heartbreaking, eye-opening, and powerful.

Teen pregnancy was a huge taboo in the US for so long with different solutions coming along over the decades. In this heart wrenching historical fiction we get the perspective of a pregnant teen in the 1960s. Bring your tissues when you read this one because you will have all the feels. There are lots of hard topics touched on in this story and I applaud Meagan Church for tackling all this while still bringing a beautiful story to life.

# The Girls We Sent Away
# 2/21/2024 ~ 2/23/2024
# 5.0 / 5.0

WOW. The fact that this novel is historical fiction is humbling, heartbreaking, and simultaneously unbelievable but not. This is a story of love, friendship, strength, naivety, and the compounding forces keeping women down. The author paints a vivid picture of the complete lack of accountability in a situation where a young person becomes pregnant; everything is her fault and all responsibility becomes hers to navigate alone. The absolute betrayal of adults present throughout was appalling, and I honestly could not stop listening.

I could picture everything as it happened. The abandoned farmhouse, the car rides, the library, everything. This is a somewhat heavy but also important read that left me with tears in my eyes and goosebumps on my skin.

So thankful to the publisher for approving me for this ARC as my first request that had to officially be approved on NetGalley! This book releases soon and I would highly recommend it.