The life of Hester Haak, a widow with no children of her own, takes an unexpected turn when she opens her Kansas home to children from the bustling streets of New York City. The orphan asylum has entrusted her with two sisters and a young boy, and Hester is determined to provide a safe and loving environment for them. Despite the looming uncertainty of their stay, she rises to the challenge, embracing the opportunity to make a difference in their lives.
Meanwhile, Callum Holbrook is grappling with the loss of his wife and the despair that followed. Unable to provide for his family, he made the heart-wrenching decision to place his daughters in an orphanage, promising it was only temporary. Now, with a stable job and a renewed sense of purpose, Callum is horrified to learn that his daughters have been sent halfway across the country. Fueled by determination and love, he embarks on the difficult journey to bring them back.
Through their struggles and triumphs, Hester and Callum discover that family and love can be found in the most surprising places—and that the journey home is paved with hope.
My Thoughts
Where We Belong is another touching story of hope from Kim Vogel Sawyer. As is always true in her books, her characters come alive and draw you into their lives -- the joy, the love, the loss, the fear. Her storytelling abilities capture the readers immediately and make it hard to put the book down.
The orphan train setting and the difficult choices connected with it definitely helped drive my feelings and emotions as I read the story, causing me to care about the characters and want the best for all of them -- whatever that best might turn out to be. Hester is a woman of strong faith and has a large dose of love to share. Callum has suffered great loss and pretty much lost the faith he had enjoyed in the past. The children are victims of difficult circumstances and not sure what their futures hold. Somehow, though, there was always hope, and I couldn't wait to see how that hope could be realized for everyone concerned. Watching the individual characters develop and grow toward that end made for a very engaging story.
I highly recommend Where We Belong to fans of great Christian historical fiction. I was gifted an early copy of the book and am happy to share my thoughts.
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