First 3/4 was so slow that I nearly DNF’ed. It picked up for the last quarter.
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2 stars
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Content: main guy has relationship with main girl while in another relationship ( )

Not so much an Orphan Train book, as a railroad baron, historical fiction. Also, a bit of a cliffhanger at the end. Not my thing. ( )

With her parents and her siblings dependent on her, Elise has no choice but to head west from New York in order to obtain work. The hardships she encounters, the people she meets along the way, and her perseverance to succeed, no matter how limited that success may be, all combine to make an interesting and enjoyable tale. The characters, the good and the bad, are well defined and developed, and the story well envisioned. This first installment in the series focuses mostly on the eldest sister, and her endeavors. ( )

This book struck me right from the beginning as something from those Lifetime movies. "She was down on her luck, having to leave her sisters beyond in New York to find work in Illinois. He was the son of railroad baron, forced into a competition with his twin brother to decide who would be the best heir to run the lucrative family railroad business after their father's imminent passing. Would he finally win his father's approval by coming ahead in this competition? Would love be enough to cross the chasm between their social stations?"
This is the first in a trilogy, but I will not be reading the rest of the series. ( )

In “An Awakened Heart” we were introduced to the Neumann family where their plight began. “With You Always” is the oldest daughter, Elise’s story, and the sacrifices she makes to keep her and her sisters safe as they try to survive after the loss of their parents. Throughout the story we are witnesses to the hardships of that time in history not only of what the sisters had to endure, but also thousands of others like them, many of whom did not survive. To help the orphan children as well as many who were given up by parents who could not afford to feed them the New York Children's Aid Society starts sending older ones with skills out West along the newly forming railway towns to work. They worked many long hard days receiving nothing more than poorly nutritional meals and a place to sleep. Two brothers are challenged by their dying father to each develop a successful town in Illinois, and when done, marry for love. Who ever triumphs wins the company when he passes. Elise lands in Quincy, Thornton’s town, by his manipulation during the train trip where feeling started to develop between them. Elise challenges Thornton to walk in his worker’s shoes and the story soars after that.

Jody Hedlund is by far one of the best Christian historical romance fiction writers we have today. She has out done herself as she draws you into the Orphan Train series with unsurpassed vivid storytelling making you care about the characters and what happens to them. We are all blessed that she shares her gift from God of storytelling with all of us.

I borrowed “With You Always “ from my local library and recommend to all who enjoy reading exquisite storytelling to check out this remarkable author. ( )