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.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.

This was a wonderfully done novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from Susan Wiggs the overall feel worked with the genre. I enjoyed the overall feel and thought it worked with the characters being told. I was invested in what was happening and glad I read this.

Susan Wiggs is an auto buy author for me. I just finished her latest book, Wayward Girls, and it was a five star read.

Wayward girls is a surprisingly cozy look at the practice of holding so-called delinquent teenage girls in religious-based institutions in the late sixties early seventies. It's a surprisingly cozy read with a very heroic heroine and a solid supporting cast. It would honestly be perfect for anyone looking to start delving into the ways women were wronged in the late 20th century

Wow, what a great book in a topic I was not familiar with—Magdalene Laundries. These Laundries were facilities that were run by the Catholic Church, ostensibly to help “wayward girls.” In reality they were often filled with profound abuses and forced labor to the young women who had done nothing wrong. The practice started in Ireland and spread to the US where nearly 40 were in existence.

Though the characters in Wayward Girls, by Susan Wiggs were fictional, the experiences were based on fact.

When the books begins, the year is 1968 and we are introduced to a handful of young women, but the main narrator is Marion, a fiery redhead who is not afraid to fight back. She is sent to the Good Shepherd to keep her away from her ill intentioned stepfather. Other characters are placed there for the “sin” of being gay, for being involved in a protest, for being bounced around from foster homes and more. The story is fascinating and while the bulk of the plot takes place in the Good Shepherd Laundry, eventually the timeline changes to the present day and we see some of the women currently. A well written, thoughtful story that has left me deep in contemplation about the injustices perpetrated among these young women. A define recommend on Wayward Girls.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

Susan Wings did not disappoint in writing this book. This was a five star book for me. There were times I wanted to cry, there were times I was angry, and there were times I celebrated. I felt the emotions at times with the characters in this book, the struggles. Some of the things that were portrayed were during a time when I was growing up and I just couldn't imagine this being my life. I recommend this book highly to other readers.,put this in your to read pile, put it in your read next pile. Thank you Susan, it's hard to say I loved it because of the context of the book, but I loved it.

Wayward Girls by New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs is a poignant and deeply moving novel inspired by true events, set against the backdrop of 1960s Buffalo, New York. Wiggs crafts a dual-timeline narrative that delves into the lives of six young women confined to the notorious Catholic reform school, Good Shepherd. Their stories weave a haunting tapestry of survival, friendship, and redemption in the shadow of systemic oppression.

In 1968, Mairin, Angela, Helen, Odessa, Denise, and Janice find themselves sent to the Good Shepherd, each for reasons that echo the societal injustices of the era. Mairin, spirited and defiant, is placed there by a mother who seeks to protect her from a predatory stepfather. Angela, condemned for her attraction to girls, suffers devastating abuse. Helen, the daughter of intellectuals imprisoned in Communist China, endures an indefinite stay. Odessa’s strength is tested after she’s swept into a racial incident, while Denise dreams of escape and a brighter future. Janice wrestles with insecurity and loyalty, particularly toward her friend Kay, whose childlike dependence defines her.

Through richly developed characters, Wiggs unveils the harsh realities of Good Shepherd—a place where the nuns’ rigid control often masked cruelty. Yet, amid the oppressive environment, these young women forge bonds of solidarity, finding resilience and moments of hope. Their journeys unfold with complexity and depth, capturing the fierce determination to reclaim their lives and demand justice.

Told in dual timelines, Wayward Girls not only follows their harrowing experiences at Good Shepherd but also their futures, as the women confront the scars of their pasts and fight for the truth to come to light. Wiggs’ evocative prose brings the era to life, shedding light on the systemic challenges faced by women deemed “unruly” for simply defying societal norms.

Fans of Before We Were Yours, Orphan Train, and The Berry Pickers will find much to admire in this masterful blend of historical fiction and heartfelt storytelling. Wayward Girls is a celebration of courage, sisterhood, friendship and the unyielding strength of the human spirit.

#WaywardGirls #SusanWiggs #HistoricalFiction #SistersOfCharity #DualTimeline

This was such a powerful story of friendship and survival. The writing was spectacular and really brought out so many emotions as I was reading. I did not want to put this book down and wanted redemption for all of these girls. I highly recommend this book!

Great story! Susan develops her characters from young adults to mature, aged adults. The story follows6 girls during their stay at the Good Shepherd, an institution controlled by Sisters of Charity. The story shows the girls strength, maturity, and hope for their future.

A great read. I loved all of the characters and the dual timeline. The storyline felt very complete and rounded out.