Where the Lost Wander Published by Lake Union Publishing by Amy Harmon
on April 28, 2020
Genres: Fiction, Historical, Romance
Pages: 348
Source: Netgalley
Format: eBook, ARC
Find the Author: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, Pinterest
Find the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
ISBN: 1542017963
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In this epic and haunting love story set on the Oregon Trail, a family and their unlikely protector find their way through peril, uncertainty, and loss.
The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at twenty. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both.
But life in a wagon train is fraught with hardship, fear, and death. Even as John and Naomi are drawn to each other, the trials of the journey and their disparate pasts work to keep them apart. John’s heritage gains them safe passage through hostile territory only to come between them as they seek to build a life together.
When a horrific tragedy strikes, decimating Naomi’s family and separating her from John, the promises they made are all they have left. Ripped apart, they can’t turn back, they can’t go on, and they can’t let go. Both will have to make terrible sacrifices to find each other, save each other, and eventually…make peace with who they are.
So, I just finished this book last night and I can already tell you that I’m suffering from a massive book hangover. It’s rough, y’all.
Plot
I picked this up, read the prologue and then immediately started to wonder what I’d gotten myself into. I knew from the synopsis that there may be some rough parts to this story; but I had no. stinking. idea.
The story is about a young woman named Naomi who is heading west, with her family, in 1853. Naomi’s a recent widow, who knows hardship. But she has a large family and is especially close to her mother.
Most of us have heard stories of what it was like back then on the Oregon Trail. What with the dangers of the wilderness, the weather, etc… We’ve also heard how there were often run-ins with some of the Native Americans–both pleasant and not-so-pleasant.
Given that it’s the 21st century, and we’re all aware that Native Americans were, in general, treated very poorly by arriving settlers–I feel that Amy Harmon was able to beautifully handle the nuances of how there is bad in everyone, no one people are innocent, and sometimes bad things happen and we can’t control it.
This story was gripping, emotionally devastating, hopeful, and I sobbed through, pretty much, the last half.
Characters
The two main characters are Naomi, and one of the men guiding them along the trail; John Lowry. Naomi was immediately endeared to me when I read her strength and sass come out of the pages. She’s a young woman who knows what she wants and doesn’t shy away from it, regardless of others’ opinions. And by the end of the story I was overwhelmed with how her strength went beyond what I ever expected or what any one person should have to survive.
John Lowry is half-Pawnee, half-white. He’s a man who also has strong convictions when it comes to right or wrong, but struggles when it comes to his convictions regarding his own worth and who he is. I can’t imagine it would’ve been easy growing up mixed-race back in the 19th-century. But, John is only bolstered by his affection for Naomi May and her affection for him.
There are many other characters in the story who are also written well. One of my other favorites was Naomi’s mother. She was wise and caring–just what Naomi needed.
Writing
If I haven’t made it clear–this book wrecked me. And I don’t think that would’ve been possible without Amy Harmon’s fabulous writing skills. She can go from writing sweet scenes full of butterflies and new love to writing heartbreak and pain, the likes of which, I’ve never read before. And she does it all flawlessly.
Pacing
The pacing was perfect. We were given an ample amount of time to get to know the main characters before the climax hit. Which, in my opinion, just served to invest me more into the characters and what they had to face.
If you like romance. If you like historical fiction. If you don’t mind having your heart torn apart, I implore you to pick this up.
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About Amy Harmon
Amy Harmon has written fourteen novels including the USA Today Bestsellers, Making Faces and Running Barefoot, as well as The Law of Moses, Infinity + One and the New York Times Bestseller, A Different Blue. Her fantasy novel, The Bird and the Sword, was a Goodreads Book of the Year finalist. Her newest release, What the Wind Knows, is an Amazon charts bestseller. For updates on upcoming book releases, author posts and more, join Amy at www.authoramyharmon.com.
