Ugh...I was new to NetGalley....and while I posted immediately on Amazon, I forgot to share the feedback here.


Booklover
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I've read this year
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 27, 2020
And I read a lot. This one was exceptional. It really was an emotional roller coaster with a cast of fascinating characters and villains. I never knew much about this time period, and found it fascinating and as if I was right there. I rooted for Lauren all the way through and am eager to read the next book in this series. This would make a marvelous film or TV movie. It's quite dramatic and very satisfying with lots of surprises along the way. It's a heartwarming read but not overly so--it's also gritty and realistic and at times sad, tissues were needed. But by the end of the book, my tears were dried and I feel the urge to tell everyone about this book. It's that good.

This is an emotional read that will tug at your heart. The characters are well developed and you will find yourself not particularly liking some of them. You will be amazed at how willing some people were to provide for the orphans … children living in a horrendous environment. The story will pull you in and you will be invested in the outcome of these helpless little ones. Delightful characters, a moving tale, and a willingness to do whatever can be done to help orphaned children will have you glued to the pages until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

This is a book that if you just judged it by the cover you would imagine it to be sad all the way through especially with a title that has the word "orphans" in it.
And you would be partially correct. There are sad parts but you can feel a sense of hope shining through as well.
Taking place during the Great Depression in Virginia and New York during the early 1930's banks have closed,children are orphans and don't have enough to eat,doing without for days and the icy streets are where they call home.
A well to do woman sees these children and does all she can for them including using her rich father's credit at the stores until she no longer can.
Her father cruelly throws her out of the family home when he won't listen to her explanation of why she won't marry the man of his choosing.
It's appalling to think of children or anyone living in such deplorable conditions.
Will she be able to find a way to help these children that have so little and have no chance on their own?
Quick read for me,the book is exceptional!

Pub Date 26 Oct 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

A Home for Unloved Orphans is so wonderful! The characters are well developed and it's easy to admire them as they work to care for orphans who have been set aside and neglected.

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a well-developed story with likable characters you grow to care about. A happy ending is also part of a great story!

This book was so touching I really enjoyed it. The story is about a young rich girl Lauren that befriends a poor family up in the Virginia mountains, when tragedy strikes and the last remaining girl from the family ends up in a home for unloved children Lauren vows to help the children that are living there in such dire surroundings. A lovely book with some unforgettable charectors.

Omg what an emotional book. Up and downs highs and lows romance and heartache. Feel so privileged to get an early copy

Thank you to #NetGalley, #RachelWesson, and #Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Contrary to what the title might make you believe, I found this historical novel the perfect escape from day-to-day life. This is an emotional read and a rollercoaster, but the underlying themes are that of friendship, chosen family, and kindness.

Set in in the Southern United States during the great depression, A Home for Unloved Orphans deals with class issues in every chapter. The protagonist struggles with her privileged place in society and wanting to help those less fortunate than her, while at the same time grappling with her own problems.

This book so easily could have fallen into romance or cliche but the author did a great job of making it more about a fleshed-out cast of characters and their collective and individual struggles.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher Bookouture, and the author for an advance ARC which I devoured.

I read this almost in one sitting which was a task as it is quite a long book.

Lauren Greenwood is rich, headstrong with a big heart. When she encounters orphans on the streets of New York, and in her home county Virginia she treats them with generosity and kindness. Something she has in abundance and uses frequently which makes her a lovely lead character. She has a wonderful optimism to keep her going but is no pushover. Which is just as well as her fiancé and father are not very nice characters/
This is a lovely novel, which ends on a lovely festive theme which makes it perfect for the cold nights with some warm cookies and hot chocolate.

Looking forward to hearing more from the Home for Unloved Orphans.

I enjoyed this story immensely!
This new to me author has done a wonderful job in bringing the people in this story alive and for us readers believable.
I can relate to the Depression era because my grandparents lived through it. The Stock Market crash changed many people's lives. Life as they knew changed pretty fast.
One character in particular had my interest through the whole story and I'm still thinking about her.
Lauren Greenwood. She made me stay up late reading her story. I finished it at 5 am. This book was too good to put down!
This book will also tug at your heartstrings. I love heartwarming stories like these.
I do recommend that you have a box of tissues beside you because you will need them. This book has all kinds of emotions in it.
To me, the people that survived like Lauren did are true heroes!
I was sad to see it end.
5 stars for this amazing book. It was very well written.
My thanks for a copy of this book
I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Lauren Greenwood has lived a life of luxury but she is not blind to the misery experienced by others during the Depression. Determined to help families in need, she challenges attitudes towards women, class and race but at great personal cost.
It seems odd to say that I enjoyed A Home For Unloved Orphans as there is plenty of heartfelt desperation but actually hope is the overwhelming tone of the book. Despite the dark times that are described and the heartbreaking situations the families find themselves in, the strength of human determination and kindness shine out of the pages of this book.
Lauren is a wonderful lead character. Protected by wealth for her entire life, she has known sadness as she has grown up without a mother. Now she uses her social status to help protect the vulnerable in society but this puts her at odds with her father and the man he is forcing her to marry.
1930s America is not a period of history that I am familiar with but the poverty in Europe is something I have studied. The horrendous financial disaster of the Depression sets the tone for this book and gives it authenticity.
On a personal level, Lauren has much to contend with. She is being forced into marriage with a man who seemed charming at first but has a dangerous nature. The opulence of her life seems offensive in light of the deprivation she witnesses and it is easy to make comparisons with modern politics.
A Home For Unloved Orphans is well written and well researched, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A sequel is on its way...

And life can suddenly change
Rachel Wesson, author of several best selling series including the Orphan Trains series presents the first book of a new series, entitled: "A Home for Unloved Orphans (The Orphans of Hope House Book 1)", published by Bookouture. The book is set in the Great Depression, taking place between 1930 and 1933. Lauren Greenwood grew up in a privileged setting in her home Rosehall in Virginia and spent two years in Europe at a finishing school and traveling. But she discovers that there is a completely different world through two little girls who try to raise money for food through singing Christmas Carols at Macy's. Lauren is moved to help them. Back home in Virginia she encounters others who are destitute and gets to know Becky through a visit to the mountain people with her Nanny Kat who raised her after her mother passed away when she was an infant. The third time she encounters absolute poverty is when she visits the private orphanage "The Home for Unloved Orphans". On the other side her father introduces her to Julien Prendergast and they are preparing their wedding. But will Lauren's way really lead into marriage?
This was another one of Wesson's great novels and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. It is heartwarming, has great characters and presents a realistic story. Nevertheless it is also emotionally challenging and profound. I highly recommend the book for readers of historical fiction and / or of Christmas stories.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#AHomeForUnlovedOrphans #NetGalley

I have read many books about life during the Depression, but this one had me quite riled up. How can someone so evil and selfish, be the father of someone so kind, caring, and full of generosity, is what ran through my mind while reading this story. Lauren Greenwood has lived a sheltered life of luxury until the day she met up with some children standing outside of Macy’s in New York. From the moment she saw the disparity of the rich and the poor in New York, she tried to do what she could to help. Unfortunately her father, a rich businessman, banker, mine owner etc. and her fiance who was a partner to her father, did not agree with her actions. When Lauren comes upon “The Home for Unloved Children” she is adamant that she will be able to make the orphanage a home and bring some comfort and care into the lives of the children living there. When Lauren finds herself thrown out of her family home and disinherited (you will find out why when you read the story) she heads to the home and tries to do whatever she can for the children.

This is a story that had my emotions all over the place. There was immense sadness and anger. There was some happiness, but this was not a great time to be alive. People died from lack of sanitation, little to no food and no medicine available when people got sick. Families were thrown off the land that had been in their families for hundreds of years and the rich got richer. Enter a delightful, compassionate, caring, generous woman who wants to help people and you know some people, particularly the children might have a better life. The males in Lauren’s life were despicable and author, Rachel Wesson does a great job of developing these villains. The sad part is that there were people like that who these characters were modeled after. This is a well written story with great characters, many of which will get under your skin. I’m looking forward to the next book in The Orphans of Hope House series.

Title: A Home for Unloved Orphans
Author: Rachel Wesson
Publication Day: Oct 26th 2020


Description:

Virginia, 1933: Her heart broke as she took in the scene before her. There were too many orphans and not enough beds. The rags they wore barely covered them and they hadn’t eaten in days. How could anyone let innocent children live like this? She picked up a tiny girl who’d cried as she moved past her cot. “I’ll be back soon, little one.”

Never in a million years did Lauren Greenwood think she would be destitute and without a penny to her name. But when her father mercilessly disowns her in the depths of winter, that is her fate. Now homeless, Lauren finds America in the devastating grip of the Great Depression––children run wild in the icy streets, endless queues for soup kitchens line frosty sidewalks, and desperation hangs in the air.

All alone in the world, Lauren finds an orphanage in the sprawling fields of the Virginia countryside, surrounded by snow-topped mountains and magnificent fir trees––a safe haven for those who have nowhere to go. But she is appalled to find children living in shocking conditions, huddled together for warmth, their hunger keeping them awake at night as the temperature plunges. The home for unloved orphans is on the brink of closure and the helpless innocents may lose the roof over their heads…

Lauren, heartbroken by the rejection of her own father, vows to provide these poor orphans with the love she never received. With Christmas just around the corner, she refuses to see them cast out onto the street, where they will not survive. When she sees an advertisement in the local newspaper, with an anonymous benefactor donating money to families crippled by the Depression, it could be the answer to her prayers.

Can Lauren save these children who have been rejected by the world? Or in a time of so much suffering, is there simply no hope?

A heartbreaking yet hopeful tale about a brave young woman who gives up everything to help unloved children who have nothing. Fans of Before We Were Yours, The Orphan Train and Diney Costeloe will adore this poignant historical novel, which shows that a little bit of kindness can go a long way.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'A Home For Unloved Orphans' by Rachel Wesson.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 26th October 2020

This is the first book that I have read by this author. It is also the first book in 'The Orphan' s Of Hope House' series.

I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful cover and intriguing sounding blurb. I was also looking to read something different from my usual choice of crime and this seems to fit the bill. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 86 chapters. The chapters are a mix of short and medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is set in Virginia , USA 🇺🇸.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Lauren Greenwood. The positives of books written in third person perspective is that you get to see more of what is going on and what other characters are doing and feeling, building a bigger picture overall.

This book had me captivated from the first page until the last. It is very well written and an easy and smooth read. The descriptions were fantastic and really helped me picture everything that was going on. Ravhe has obviously done her research into the timeline which is brilliant as I have read some novels where it is clear no research has been put in and I then really struggle to read it so well done!!

Fantastic character development with each of the characters being very strong with their own seperate personalities. I loved how strong willed Lauren was and I really enjoyed watching her grow and all the friendships develop and bond between all the different characters. I fell in love with many of the characters and it was great "seeing" the children grow. I'm definitely looking forward to meeting each of them again. Lauren is a great inspiration, such a selfless character and a few of the other characters surprised me too.

THE storyline itself is absolutely heart wrenching, beautiful and amazing!! It really was a true eye opener into how people lived and struggled during the depression. I was completely hooked throughout and it was definitely a roller-coaster of emotions filled with laughter, sadness, tension, suspense, love and hate. A brilliant start to what promises to be an epic series to look forward to.

Overall a beautiful historical novel that will take you on a roller-coaster tide of emotions.

Genres covered in this novel include Historical Fiction and Sagas among others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as anyone looking for a heart wrenching yet heart warming beautiful read.

454 pages.

This book is £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I loved it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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#AHomeForUnlovedOrphans #Bookouture #RachelWesson #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
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Author Bio:

Having always been a fan of history, Rachel Wesson tries to combine her love of history with a good story.

Rachel was born in Kilkenny, Ireland but considers herself to be from the capital,
Dublin, as that’s where she spent most of her life. Every Saturday Rachel’s
father took her and her two sisters to the library, and to get ice-cream after,
to give their mother a break. It took a long time for Rachel’s sisters to
forgive her for the hours she spent choosing her books!

Rachel drove everyone nuts growing up, asking questions about what they did during the
War or what side they were on in the 1916 rising etc... Finally, her Granny
told her to write her stories down so people would get the pleasure of reading
them. In fact, what Granny meant was everyone would get some peace while Rachel
was busy writing!

When not writing, or annoying relatives, Rachel was immersed in books. Her report
cards from school commented on her love of reading especially when she should
have been learning. Seems you can't read Great Expectations in Maths…

Later in life, after a doomed love affair and an unpleasant bank raid during which
she defended herself with a tea tray, she headed to London for a couple of
years. (There is a reason she doesn’t write romance!). She never intended
staying but a chance meeting with the man of her dreams put paid to any return
to Ireland. Having spent most of her career in the City, she decided something
was missing. So she packed in the job and started writing. Thanks to her amazing readers, that writing turned into a career far more exciting and
rewarding than any other.

Rachel lives in Surrey with her husband and three children, two boys and a girl. When
not reading, writing or watching films for ‘research’ purposes, Rachel likes to
hang out with her family. She also travels regularly back home – in fact she should have shares in BA and Aerlingus.

Author Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorrachelwesson/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wessonwrites


BUY LINKS:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B08DNVKX4CSocial

Apple: http://ow.ly/dG6w50AJUh8

Kobo: http://ow.ly/zkNf50AJUeV

Google: http://ow.ly/qPQp50AJUk8

The book had me captivated from the start. It moved me deeply and I was inspired by the kindness of the heroine and many others. A Home For Unloved Orphans tugged at my heartstrings and yet made me smile at times.

There are several themes that come through. The exploitation of children and adults in the mines by rich mine owners who cared nothing for the conditions they lived and worked in. How the women of Lauren’s time and strata of society were mere pawns for men came through very strongly too. Then there’s the importance of community taking care of its most vulnerable children.

The character development is so well done there were so many fine characters in the book. When a rich debutante like Lauren, reaches out to two little children standing outside Macy’s, I knew right away she was the kind of heroine I was going to love! Admittedly, Lauren is naive about many things and sometimes plunges headlong into things, making promises she cannot keep and messing up situations. But she has a heart of gold and is ready to use all means in her power to help the needy. She is open to learning and is a good sport and takes the teasing about her lack of housekeeping skills very well. Lauren doesn’t give up easily and gives up all the trappings of wealth and privilege she has to look after the orphans.

I’m certainly looking forward to read the next book in this series to discover what happens next to our lovely heroine and the other characters.

A Home For Unwanted Orphans is one of the most emotional, beautiful books I’ve read for a while. It’s one of those books that stays with you and that you continue to think about long after reading.

I was quickly drawn into the story and into Lauren’s world. The author has clearly done her research and her wonderfully vivid descriptions made the 1930s come to life. It was definitely an interesting period with the effects of the Great Depression still being felt and a lot of quite vulnerable people being left to fend for themselves. It was utterly heartbreaking to see some of the awful conditions people lived in and the things they had to deal with, especially the children. I often wished I could reach into the book and give them all a hug or somehow heroically save the day!

Lauren was a brilliant main character who was very easy to get behind. She was very believable and I loved how hard she worked to try and change things. She’s feisty, headstrong and very determined which made her an amazing character to read about. I felt sorry for her when things didn’t go her way and when her efforts weren’t appreciated or treated with suspicion.

Overall I really enjoyed this absorbing but highly emotional book which made me laugh and cry throughout. I felt completely involved in everything that was going on meaning I got lost in the book for hours at a time. The story unfolds at a great pace and I felt completely gripped reading about Lauren’s struggle to try and improve things for the orphans. I had to keep reading to see how the story ended as I really wanted everyone to have the happy ending they deserved, while knowing deep down that that might not be possible.

Huge thanks to Noelle Holten for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

A Home For Unloved Orphans by Rachel Wesson is a historical fiction book set in the 1930s in America, during the Depression. Lauren Greenwood is one of the lucky ones, she lives a sheltered life of luxury. The day arrives that she meets some children standing outside Macy's in New York. From this moment on she decides she needs to do what she can to help the children who have less than they should. The difference between those with money and those without is startling for her. Lauren vows to help, her father on the other hand is expecting Lauren to marry a man he has handpicked, Justin, old money amd all the connections. Lauren breaks of her engagement and her father throws her out.
She discovers an orphanage, run down and dilapidated in the Virginia countryside. This building is home to the orphans who have no one else, living in horrible conditions and needing to huddle with the other orphans for body heat. Lauren has a mission from here on in. She is determined to keep these children together and get their living conditions as they should be.This is a long, hard road to travel and Lauren is only at the beginning, can she do this?
I was torn apart reading this story, for Lauren and the orphans. She is born wealthy and has little or no understanding of the suffering of the poor, but she goes all the way to help them. I reqlly lived Lauren, she may have been without knowledge but she has a big heart and it showed. This is a heartwarmimg and emotional book that I just had to finish. The plight of the children just stuck in my mind and the battles they had. I had to see if Lauren managed her quest.
Tganks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the book today for my review.

I enjoyed reading this book because it had excitement,sadness,despair ,hope and happiness in it. I could not stop reading it to see what happens to Lauren and her 'orphans'. I do recommend that you read this book and hope there is a sequel to it.

This one just grabbed me from the very beginning and never let me go. Lauren, a rich and sophisticated girl growing up in the Depression started noticing others that were suffering all around her in Virginia. She was engaged to be married to a man as rich as her father, but like him cares for no one but their class. Lauren's story is beautiful and so full of love and caring. This story emotionally invested me....I stopped to cry which isn't common for me. I smiled and I felt my heart warm over this amazingly gripping story. HIGHLY recommended! I cannot wait for book 2!

This book left me with getting very little sleep over the last 24 hours and not much else done besides reading.

This book had so many stories besides the story of the orphaned children.

Lauren is a young lady who has grown up under the thumb of her rich and powerful father. So many things change in the midst of the depression.

Lauren has such a heart for so many including those who are employed at her home and those she sees throughout the city. Unfortunately that's when the trouble starts for her as her dad and boyfriend are not happy with her choices.

This was a wonderful book. I appreciate the copy from the publisher and netgalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

I loved most of A Home for Unloved Orphans. I enjoyed the main character, Lauren Greenwood, who has been brought up in wealth and has been able to establish a heart for others thanks to NannyKat who is her great aunt. Her father is another story. He is more concerned with making money and social status. Lauren’s mother died when she was a young child.

The story was at its best when it showed Lauren caring for the poor in New York City during the start of the Depression and the poor displaced children in Virginia. I felt the story was at its worst on the fake love interest of Justin who took up way too much of the book and did not ring true to this time period. After all, women won the right to vote in 1920 and had a decade of freedoms during the Roaring twenties. This part of the story might have been more realistic if it was set in the late nineteenth century.

The author should have spent more time on the orphan part of the story. So many hardships were explored in the mountains of Virginia. Even in these extremely difficult times the goodness of many was shown. This book did bring out many strong emotions for the reader. For this part of the book, the characters of Becky, Patty, the different children pull at the heart strings! My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions in this review are my own.

3.5 stars rounded to 4