The Wayward Girls are a group of teenagers who are sent to a Catholic home in order to be educated and helped. The home turns out to be a laundry where the girls are forced to work for free and punished for every offense. In Buffalo, NY in the 1960s, Mairin is sent to the home for her "safety" from her stepfather. She spends her year there doing everything she can to get out and makes friends with several of the girls. After a daring escape in a library bookmobile, she returns to regular life, but her past will always affect her future.

Susan Wiggs can do no wrong. Strong characters and a powerful story. A must-read! #WaywardGirls #NetGalley

What a compelling story! This book will give you a look back into the sixties and will enlighten you to the things going on during that time. Things going on within the Catholic church and the girls who endured it.

Mairan O’Hara’s innocence and fierce energy grabs your attention from the beginning of “Wayward Girls”. Her sense of justice and hope for more is so relatable throughout the novel and she serves as a beacon to those around her.
The other wayward girls add layers to the story and help keep the narrative interesting throughout. We learn about Helen, Angela, Odessa and their growth beyond truly terrible circumstances endured as teens. We also see how the wayward girls execute justice for themselves and others in Buffalo.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who want developed characters, developed setting, and a well-paced plot.

This is such an emotionally shattering book sharing the abuse these girls went through in what was an okayed practice by the Catholic Church. The grit, hope, and bravery these girls showed was unbelievable. This is a must read in historical fiction.

Wayward Girls is set in Buffalo, NY, during the 1960s at a Catholic-run reform school for girls, where they were subjected to harsh conditions, forced labor, and strict rules. The six main characters were sent there for various reasons, but their "crimes" certainly did not match their punishment. This book was not an easy read (at times I needed to pause), but the amount of hope and joy that the characters are able to bring to life is a testament to the resilience of girlhood and the community that can be found therein. It's not easy to balance six main characters, and Susan Wiggs does a phenomenal job. I just wish we got more time with each. 4.5 rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity. This book brings the past reality to life. The shame of premarriage pregnacy whether it was the yound ladies fault or not, making decisions without all the information due to the church, parents and even friends at times not communicating to ladies growing up with simple questions as how do you get pregnant. Wayward Girls takes place in Buffalo, NY in the 1960s where girls were sent to help straighten their lives out. It was run by the Catholic church and the girls were forced to do manual labor that they weren't paid for plus there were a lot of rules for them to follow. This facility not concerned about educating the young minds as using them for free labor in order to make money. Very sad and embarassing situation for the church surpirsingly no reparations for the ladies involved with nuns stealing babies and labor. This book is based on a real reform school in Buffalo. The author did extensive research and spent time talking to some of the girls who had been kept there during the 60s. Suddenly 50 years later the group discovers that they are survivors and form an alliance to fight for what was taken from them.

Special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting book with a great cast of characters. The storylines felt realistic and I appreciate the effort that the author clearly put into researching the subjects and time period this book revolves around. The reason I gave it 3 stars is because, to me, this book struggled with the show not tell aspect. The story moves at a fast pace and leaves little room for the reader to ask questions and think deeply about the characters because any insights or possible answers are revealed soon after. This leads to a less analytical reading experience, which is an aspect I believe that book would have really benefited from.

When Patti Callahan Henry suggests a book you jump. And boy am I glad I read this! It was so beautifully written and such a wonderful story.

This was a GREAT book and I so admired the main character for what she went through and her strength and tenacity.

The comradery of the group that tried to escape and the joy you felt when they reunited was palpable. And I loved that not all of them escaped successfully, and the realism of one of the girls going into the order herself.

This book really made me think about what that generation of women were confronted with....the lack of sexual education, what they were led to believe, the hold of the Catholic church on so many of them...it's amazing how far the world has come today and how lucky we are to have access to information that older women just didn't have. I plan to read up on the history of the Magdalene laundries because it fascinated me.

Great book. I typically only read current day books, but I am glad I have this a chance. I am so glad for the changes in the system since then.

I have read books about the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland but had no idea that they also existed in the United States. This book was a real eye-opener for me. Magdalene laundries were institutions to house women who were considered "fallen". The term referred to women who were prostitutes, pregnant outside of marriage, or young women without family support. They were operated by nuns of the Roman Catholic church.

Wayward Girls takes place in Buffalo, NY in the 1960s where girls were sent to help straighten their lives out. It was run by the Catholic church and the girls were forced to do manual labor that they weren't paid for plus there were a lot of rules for them to follow. The six main characters were sent to the reform school for various reasons; Mairin was there so that her mother could keep her safe from the sexual advances of her stepfather; Angela was attracted to women and needed to be 'fixed', Helen's parents were detained in China after a trip to their homeland; Odessa was arrested due to being involved in a racial march; Denise and Janice were also there for help. What these girls went through at this reform school was unbelievable. They worked in a laundry all day, were fed horrible meals and were locked into their rooms at night. Any infringement of the rules would cause them to be put in a closet without food or water. Marian was a feisty young girl and her goal was to get out and she kept trying no matter what punishment she received. She came up with a plan for her and her friends to escape - but would it work? And where would they go if they did escape?

This book is based on a real reform school in Buffalo. The author did extensive research and spent time talking to some of the girls who had been kept there during the 60s. I spent a lot of time reading about the school and the way that the girls were treated.

This was a fantastic book that made me cry and made me hope for the girls and their future. I have read all of the books that this author has written and in my opinion, this was her best book yet. It's one of the few books that I've recently read, that I wish I could give ten stars or more and a book that with characters that I won't soon forget.

six girls are sent to live at a catholic girls home, they are treated horribly. this is set in 1968 in Buffalo new York., told in dual timelines

Wow! This is a very interesting, informative read. This book brings to light through historical fiction the abuse that was endured at many catholic run facilities for “wayward girls”. Very enlightening and heartbreaking to read. Recommend strongly. I was given an advanced reader copy of this very well written book by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review.

Loved this story, the characters each had a voice. The description of the school was so realistic and well thought through. Can’t wait till I hav the book in my hands.

This was a wonderful story; powerful and full of questions you will ask yourself about how women have been treated in history. Susan Wiggs is one of my go to authors and I highly recommend this book.

A powerful must read. In these days of fighting for women’s rights. A look at the horrendous treatment of girls at the hands of the Catholic Church. The terrible treatment of women who had children outside of marriage. Some of this is still going on and we must be ever a where if the need to protect our rights.

When your parents always threatened to send you to the Nuns to straighten you up they weren’t kidding!!
I am not a 5 star reviewer however this is one book I would have given 10 stars to! I found myself cheering for these girls and crying for these girls in the situations they had to endure.
The year is 1968 and for circumstances beyond their control 6 young teens are sent off to the nuns. Unbeknownst to many the nuns not only ran a tight ship they also ran Magdalene Laundries. The Catholic Church ran this laundry service to help “Wayward Girls “. The story is fiction however it’s based on actual events of abuse and forced labor.
Mairin was sent to the nuns to keep her safe from her abusive step- father and their was no stopping the fiery redhead from trying to escape no matter what the abuse was from the Nuns when she got caught over & over again.
Suddenly 50 years later the group discovers that they are survivors and form an alliance to fight for what was taken from them.

Very satisfying read. I always wanted to know what happened next to the well written characters and I learned a little bit more about the horrifying baby selling scandals that grew out of the Magdalene Laundries. Made me want to delve deeper into the history. Loved the feisty head protagonist.