Recent Reads - With You Always

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With You Always (Orphan Train) by Jody Hedlund - For Elise Neumann and her younger sisters, their life in New York City during the 1850s has not lived up to their hopes and the promise of a better life. They are poor German immigrants, and the deaths of their parents has left them with little prospect of supporting themselves and the two little children their mother had taken in. They find shelter and Elise has employment at a mission, but after riots and an economic downturn, the work for seamstresses disappears and Elise must consider going west to find work.

Thornton Quincy is the son of a wealthy railroad developer, and his ailing father has issued a challenge to him and his brother - develop a successful town along the Illinois Central Railroad and marry well. Whoever succeeds will inherit the reins of the company. Thornton knows his brother has the better chance, but sees his own opportunity to earn his father's respect and approval.

A chance meeting as the riots begin in New York City brings Elise and Thornton together and they meet again on a train headed west. But Elise is destitute and hoping to find employment in one of the new towns, and realizes quickly that Thornton is from a much higher class and despite his attentions to her, she can't hope that their relationship could ever be more than a friendship. Thornton goes out of his way to help Elise and values her insight as to how to gain the loyalty of the laborers in his developing town, and eventually tells her about the challenge to succeed his father. Both are convinced that Thornton will need to marry a woman from his own social class in order to win the challenge, and Elise pushes Thornton to do his best to realize that dream because his leadership will benefit all the people of the town. Yet how can either of them turn away from the love that has grown between them?

This was another lovely read from Jody Hedlund, with characters facing difficult challenges, and building a sweet friendship and romance.


From the publisher:

Could Following the Opportunity of a Lifetime Cost Them the Love of Their Lives?

One of the many immigrants struggling to survive in 1850s New York, Elise Neumann knows she must take action to care for her younger sisters. She finds a glimmer of hope when the New York Children's Aid Society starts sending skilled workers to burgeoning towns out west. But the promise of the society's orphan trains is not all that it seems.

Born into elite New York society, Thornton Quincy possesses everything except the ability to step out from his brother's shadow. When their ailing father puts forth a unique challenge to determine who will inherit his railroad-building empire, Thornton finally sees his chance. The conditions to win? Be the first to build a sustainable community along the Illinois Central Railroad and find a suitable wife.

Thrown together against all odds, Elise and Thornton couldn't be from more different worlds. The spark that ignites between them is undeniable, but how can they let it grow when that means forfeiting everything they've been working toward?

Visit the Baker Publishing Group for info on where to buy.

By the same author: Undaunted Hope, Hearts Made Whole, Love Unexpected

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