I loved reading about Flora's adventures! She's my favorite kind of character: a woman who's smart and spirited and doesn't quite realize (at first) how bold she can be. The story begins with a leap from a moving train and continues at a fast clip as Flora strives to make a place for herself on her homestead claim. The author has done her research, and all of the details and relationships ring true. Thanks to the author and the publisher for an advance reader's copy of this book.

From the minute Flora jumped off a moving train, I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen to her, and I couldn’t put down this book.

Not only was the story compelling and the characters memorable, it made me realize a gap in my reading knowledge. Although I’ve read many books about pioneers settling wild territory, it was usually families, not women attempting it alone. What it took to survive and “prove up” made me realize just how challenging and dangerous it was to be a “prairie woman.”

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Set in 1905 Alberta Canada, Scottish newcomer Flora Craigie, jumps from a moving train to escape her new abusive husband. What follows is an excellent story of the hardships and experiences faced by many prairie early homesteaders. Flora meets and begins her homestead near a group of strong women. Together they battle harsh Alberta winters and face judgment against female farmers.

As a great-grandchild of immigrants to Saskatchewan, who also homesteaded I related to and enjoyed this novel so much. Author Elinor Florence does a wonderful job of describing not only the scenery but also the experiences faced during this time by so many.

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for an arc of Finding Flora. I really enjoyed this book.

1905, Scottish newcomer Flora Craigie jumps from a moving train to escape from her abusive ex husband. She is desperate to disappear so she files for a homestead near Alix, Alberta determined to start a new life for herself. Her nearest neighbours are also a Welsh widow with three children; two American women raising chickens; and a Metis women who makes a living by breaking in wild horses. Battling the harsh environment, five women grapple with the differences of their backgrounds and secrets that each one struggles to keep. When their houses are threatened to be taken by the hostile federal Minister of interior, the women join forces to raise a ruckus. As the competition for land along with the New Canadian Railway line heats up, Flora's husband closes in, and a land agent threatens the lives and the livelihoods of the women, just as they are coming into their own.


I am rounding up this book to a 4.5. Honestly maybe a 5 I just have to sit on it for a bit.
This is my first book by this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The books grab your attention in the first couple of pages. I did not want to put this book down, it was so intriguing, the way she told the story and wrote was great. I loved the short chapters in the book, this book never felt boring. I loved the history behind this book and the attention to detail that she put and you can tell that she did her research thee amount of research she put into this book, is outstanding. I like how she gave the background stories of the characters but without the info dumping. She described the land of Alberta beautifully. I like how Flora evolved from this person that wanted to be alone, to being this person that cares about so many people and wanting the best for them. The character Sourdough was also one of my favourites because he was just so grumpy, but helped the ladies, but he was also a genuine person by the end of the book. You will fall in love with the characters, the writing, and prairies. Can we also talk about the cover of this book, it is absolutely beautiful, the colours that they used for the cover are stunning. This book is also educational, if you like learning about history you will love this book. I hope a lot of people love and enjoy this book as much as I did.

Make sure to get a copy of this book on April 1st, 2025. That is the expected released date.

I highly recommend Finding Flora by Elinor Florence which is set in early 1900s Alberta about a young Scottish woman on the run from her abusive husband. Trying to hide and start a new life, Flora claims a homestead in the Wild West.
The exquisite writing in this well researched historical novel seemed to transport me back in time as a homesteader along with
Flora and her neighbour Mrs. Penrose.
The story was so realistic, interesting and intriguing that I did not want it to end, but the suspense and wanting to know what would happen next kept me reading and unwilling to stop.

Thanks to #NetGalley, Publisher Simon & Schuster Canada for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced reading copy of Finding Flora and share my thoughts of the book.
5 stars

I was sent a copy of this novel via Net Galley from the publicist as I had read Ms. Florence's other novels. I loved this story so much! It was so interesting to read about female homesteaders in Canada and their trials and tribulations. I loved the titular character of Flora and was rooting for her throughout the novel. The author's notes were interesting and elucidating at the end. Highly recommended to those who enjoy historical fiction with strong female protagonists and an interesting glimpse into (Canadian) history.
Thank you for my review copy! Blog post coming closer to pub day.

Flora Craigie starts off this action-packed story with a bang by leaping from a moving train in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night. After years working a dead-end job in her native Scotland, she has made an ill-fated bid for a better life by marrying a man she has barely met and emigrating to Canada with him. It is the dawn of the twentieth century and he has spun her a yarn about opportunity in the newly forming western provinces, showing her a picture of a lovely stone house that will be hers if she is his. When reality proves very different and he shows a violent side, Flora impulsively makes her escape.

Through a series of lucky coincidences, Flora manages to qualify for the chance to develop a homestead. Her nearest neighbors are several other plucky women seeking to carve lives out of the wild prairie, and through hardship and shared struggle they build the nucleus of a community. Nearby townsfolk and male homesteaders are not so ready to accept them, however, and the women have to battle their way through human conflicts while battling the elements. And Flora, of course, has a secret to protect and the rejected husband to fear.

This is a traditional western with a modern twist. There are the expected heroes and antagonists, tests of character and fortitude in an unforgiving landscape, but the focus on women making their own way in a challenging environment feels fresh. The varied characters come to life on the page, as do the beauty and hazards of the wild land they inhabit. Elinor Florence maintains a nice balance between the action and her heroine’s inner journey, so the pace never feels either slow or rushed. I liked the old-fashioned approach to storytelling that didn’t require me to follow anyone into the bedroom or revel in graphic violence.

I was offered access to an ARC in the hope of an honest review, for which I thank the author and publisher.

I couldn’t put down Finding Flora by Elinor Florence. The author did extensive research to develop a gripping, credible story about women homesteaders in Alberta in the late 1800s when single women weren’t allowed to own land. The story brings to life the daily challenges women, or any settlers, faced. Whether their farms burned, weather destroyed crops, men tried to evict them, or children took sick, the brave women portrayed in the book banded together to help each other survive.

This book helped me appreciate the historic role that women and other homesteaders played building communities across the beautiful and sometimes cruel Canadian wilderness. Each character was believable. Although they all had prejudices and misgivings about one another at first, they had to overcome them to stay alive. They collaborated and provided companionship to one another to create farms that produced wheat, chickens, eggs, vegetables, apples, and other crops.

Through these women’s daily lives, Florence captured the condemning social mores they experienced. Men threatened to oust them. They believed women were incapable of farming. Women needed to be married. The writer also demonstrated through the characters’ actions and dialogue the prejudice against First Nation peoples and “half breeds.”

The author’s research, personal history, and bright imagination came together to create a compelling, exciting novel that kept me turning the pages. I didn’t want to finish the book, but I couldn’t wait to learn what happened to Flora.

Received a free ARC from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Finished 10-09-24. Rated 5 stars and on my favorite shelf. No spoilers in this review.

Very much loved this historical fiction novel set in the North-West territories of Canada in 1905. Scottish Flora Craigie and her newly wed husband have immigrated to Canada and are heading west by railway. Unfortunately his abusive and brutal behavior comes to light. Flora fears for her life and escapes.

Loved how Flora is portrayed. She's determined to homestead and make a life for herself. This turns out to be much more difficult then she could ever imagine. But with the help of her neighbors and courage on her part she is able to be an independent homeowner.

Flora and her 3 female neighbors must put up not just with the harsh weather conditions but also the prejudice of being female. This was a time when most people assumed that women should marry, have children and let men govern their lives. Of course through out history there have been many females who've overcome these roadblocks but it has never been easy.

Flora's neighbors are a widow with 3 young children; 2 single American ladies who raise chickens and a Metis woman who trains wild horses. Per the author's notes at the end these ladies and Flora are fictional but based on those females who actually did homestead and contributed so much to Canadian history. Also liked that she included real historical figures into the story.

I loved the story and how the author gave us these character's backgrounds without a lot of "info dumping". Her descriptions of daily life, the beautiful but harsh Canadian Prarie, and realistic clothing styles of that time were fascinating.

A very fast, enjoyable read while also learning some history I was unaware of. Highly recommend to those who like historical fiction.

Beautifully Written

Finding Flora is a beautifully written story about a Scottish newcomer to Canada who flees her violent husband and beats the odds to claim a homestead on the Alberta prairies in the early 1900s. I love the way Elinor Florence sets the harsh realities of homesteading against the splendour of the land. Complicating the story are 1900s gender and societal expectations, combined with ambitious politicians and corruption.

The research behind Finding Flora is evident in Elinor Florence’s use of language and the descriptive details that bring the early 1900s on the prairies into sharp focus. Finding Flora is as educational as it is gripping. A wonderfully immersive read that I would highly recommend.

Hooked from the very first page! 5 Stars!
When young Flora Craigie jumps from a moving train in the dead of night to escape her abusive husband, the plot takes off with an explosion.
This historical fiction about a small group of courageous women homesteaders on the Canadian prairie in the early 1900s will grab your attention from the opening pages and not let go.
Flora, determined to carve a new life for herself on the untamed Alberta prairie, applies for a Homestead Application. Her new neighbors are a small band of equally determined females, all striving to establish their own homes. This is a story of female empowerment at its finest.
Nature is brutal to their survival, and many in the nearby town do not want them there at all. Throw in an antagonist bent on ruining their lives and Flora's despicable husband searching to reclaim her, and you have a story that will grip your heart and leave you cheering for the women.
Written in beautiful prose describing the unspoiled Canadian wild prairies, the author viscerally transports the reader into the story's fast-paced action and satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended.

Historical fiction lovers everywhere will enjoy this ode to our women pioneers. The extensive research was obvious and I enjoyed all the details of exactly how homesteading worked and how people lived and survived the often harsh conditions in the early 1900s in the Canadian west. The story starts off with a bang (quite literally!) and held my interest throughout. I liked how Flora evolved as a person from the beginning until the end. Finding Flora gives a realistic picture of how women were regarded and treated in that era, which might be an eye opener to many young women today. Fascinating to find out which characters were real people in the Author's Note. Incidentally, I also loved the cover. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.