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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

4.5 stars
I love everything Susan Wiggs has written and this one was no different. It drew me in from page one and I could not put it down. Mairin's story and that of the other “wayward girls” were heartbreaking, yet I couldn’t stop reading to see what would happen to them—finished it in a day and a half. Highly recommend!

This was different for Wiggs but it was truly good. I didn't want to put it down. The true tale of honest friendship based on trials lived together

I've heard of the horrors of the Magdalene laundries in Ireland, but was very shocked that they existed in the US and as recently as the 1960"s. Susan Wiggs tells the powerful story of a group of young women confined to such a home in Buffalo, NY. Wayward Girls is fiction, but based on one of these homes, is a well-written and gripping novel. The lead character have been committed for a variety of reasons everything from being gay to being poor to just being unwanted. The tales of the home are horrifying, but the story of friendship and strength make this a great read. Wayward Girls is perfect for your next book group read.

"Wayward Girls" is a remarkable work of historical fiction that delves into the troubling reality of Catholic laundries, establishments intended to provide refuge for young girls facing unplanned pregnancies or those deemed uncontrollable by their families. Contrary to their intended purpose, these institutions were characterized by darkness and abuse, predominantly operated under the auspices of the Catholic Church.

The protagonist, Mairin, captivates readers as she navigates her life after being placed in such a facility through no fault of her own. The year she spent there casts a long shadow over her existence, leaving lasting emotional scars. The narrative follows Mairin and several other individuals as they strive to rebuild their lives following their harrowing experiences within those walls. This compelling tale is one that readers will find hard to put down.

Based on the true story of a Catholic GIrl's Reform School in Buffalo, this story will haunt you for days. Why were these places allow to exist? What happened to all the girls who were placed there? A novel involving several girls and their experiences there and how it affected the rest of their lives is told by one of my favorite authors. Tragedy, frienships and forgiveness are all themes covered in this book that will keep you reading until the end.
Highly recommended.

This is definitely an emotionally charged book following Maririn who is sent to The Good Shepherd Institute in Buffalo NY by her mother and step-father because she was a “wayward girl” and needed discipline from the nuns. The girls at the institute were treated like slaves and received extreme punishments for infractions. It was hard to read and learn about the shocking treatment the girls received at the hands of the nuns in charge. The characters in the book are fiction but the Good Shepherd Institutes were real and the atrocities perpetuated there are outlined in court documents. The author did a superb job of describing all aspects of the story. Though this book may not be for the faint of heart it is an excellent historical fiction novel that everyone should read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Before I begin absolutely raving about this book, I would like to thank NetGalley and William Morrow for supplying me with an eARC. I can’t believe I have to wait until July for others to be able to read and discuss this story.
Set in Buffalo in the late 1960s, Wayward Girls is a novel about the power of friendship, the sinister tendrils of complacency by allowing tradition and faith to cloud decisions, what justice can look like for those who have been so utterly wronged by an institution, and about many different kinds of grief.
Mairin O’Hara is a delightful protagonist. After she is sent away to a laundry disguised as a Catholic School for wayward girls, she does everything she can to create a better life for herself and the friends she makes within those prison-like walls.
Each girl is thoughtfully written and you root for all of them. I was on the edge of my seat for several parts of this novel. Some of the subject matter is upsetting, but these stories are based on things that, unfortunately, did happen. Honoring and holding space for the experiences of those who were unlucky enough to be send to the Good Shephard is what we all need to do. The abuse was rampant and horrible. The adoption process akin to human trafficking. The scars, both mental and physical, that these poor women have had to nurse in silence for all these years.
This book was full to the brim with loveable characters, heartbreaking moments, moxie and grit, and people learning to have grace and patience with one another. An absolutely beautiful novel. Highly, highly recommend.

Wow! This was incredible. I learned so much about a piece of history I knew nothing about before this. This is a tough read, but it ends in a beautifully hopeful spot. Such an incredible look at trauma and the different, but connected, ways girls and women are belittled, exploited, blamed, and silenced.

Wayward Girls
by Susan Wiggs
Pub Date: July 15, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
From New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs, a wrenching but life-affirming novel based on a true story of survival, friendship, and redemption. Set in the turbulent Vietnam era in the All-American city of Buffalo, New York, six girls are condemned to forced labor in the laundry of a Catholic reform school. Perfect for fans of Before We Were Yours, Orphan Train, and The Berry Pickers.

In 1968 we meet six teens confined at the Good Shepherd—a dark and secretive institution controlled by Sisters of Charity nuns—locked away merely for being gay, pregnant, or simply unruly.

Mairin— free-spirited daughter of Irish immigrants, committed to keep her safe from her stepfather.

Angela—denounced for her attraction to girls, sent to the nuns for reform, but instead found herself the victim of a predator.

Helen—the daughter of intellectuals detained in Communist China, she saw her “temporary” stay at the Good Shepherd stretch into years.

Odessa—caught up in a police dragnet over a racial incident, she found the physical and mental toughness to endure her sentence.

Denise—sentenced for brawling in a foster home, she dared to dream of a better life.

Janice—deeply insecure, she couldn’t decide where her loyalty lay—except when it came to her friend Kay, who would never outgrow her childlike dependency.

Sister Bernadette—rescued from a dreadful childhood, she owed her loyalty to the Sisters of Charity even as her conscience weighed on her.

Wayward Girls is a haunting but thrilling tale of hope, solidarity, and the enduring strength of young women who find the courage to break free and find redemption...and justice. Put this at the top of your to be read books! Very powerful!

Growing up in Buffalo, NY which is the setting for the Wayward Girls, by Susan Wiggs, made it an exciting read for me. The streets, places mentioned ,were a reminder of my childhood growing up there. The book has many references to today's events occurring with the Catholic churches there. Many of the churches have had to close due to the bankruptcy of the dioceses due to the scandal of the abuse of the priests to young children. The girls who were forced to go to the Good Shepherd reform school for many reasons- unwed pregnant girls, girls who had been in trouble with the law, families who couldn't afford to raise the girl, and girls from troubled families. A parent didn't realize what their child was subject to during their stay. They were forced to do labor that was abusive; they were not allowed to talk; or go to school, and locked in a closet for punishment with no food. Mairin was one of the pupils who attended the reform school because her mother wanted to protect her daughter from her stepfathers sexual advances. She is determined to escape from there and after many attempts succeeded masterminding an escape with four other girls. The book explains what the girls faced during their stay and their adult lifes. This book made me want to cry. I hope you will find this book powerful and want to address the cruelty of these places.

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

Another great read from Ms. Wiggs. This one was different from her usual reads I felt. The book starts with Everly (who was adopted as a baby) trying to find out about her birth mother. There are no records she can find. Then we go back to the 1960's and meet Mairin. Mairin is a teenage girl living with her mother, stepfather and brother in New York. Mairin is sent to a Catholic school for wayward girls after an unpleasant incident with her stepfather. From the moment she arrives Mairin tries to find a way to escape from the "school". The "school" is actually a Magdalene laundry and the girls are forced to work in them for no wages and received no schooling of any kind while they are there. Mairin makes friends with several girls during her time there including one girl who becomes pregnant while at the school. The story continues with Mairin and her friends time at the "school". Near the end of the book we switch back to modern times and continue on with Mairin's story and find out what eventually happened to her friends from the "school". Read this interesting book to learn more about what happened to the girls at the "school" and if Mairin ever escapes; how Mairin's friend becomes pregnant while at the school and what happens to her baby and what eventually happens to the "school". Pick this one up in July 2025.