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-Synopsis-

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.

-Review-

Wow! Where We Belong is one of those books I feel changed me for the better since finishing it. Particularly as a Christian woman, this book is full to the brim of examples and Godly advice that I can take and pertain to my own walk through life with Christ.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Random House Christian Publishing and Kim Vogel Sawyer for allowing access to this book for my honest review! Thank you so much!

This story is set within the Great Depression of the United States, specifically New York City and Kansas. The Great Depression was always a yearly unit within school so I was familiar with the dire straights that befell countless families during that dark time. Things got so bad financially that some families even had to make the heartbreaking decisions to adopt their children out, or send them to an orphanage. This may seem heartless now but more often than not, the children had a better chance of having a meal on their plates and a warm place to rest their heads in these places. Where We Belong is a story about some of those children and the caring and selfless act of the strangers who chose to take them in.

This book is written through multiple POV’s: Callum, Hester, Scotty and Evelyn. While this is more perspectives I am used to, I applaud Kim for writing it that way. This book deals with some heavy subject matters including what was mentioned in the previous paragraph. That being said, there are some decisions that are made by certain characters that I personally did not agree with. However because I read their own thoughts and feelings of deep regret, abandonment, and loneliness, I was able to have a deeper understanding and grace for everyone. If anything this book reminded me that it is easy to judge when you are not faced with these dilemmas yourself. I felt compassion for everyone and I personally feel as though I experienced the highs and lows along with them.

Along with the heavy Christian tones, my favorite theme of the story was of found family. The whole idea that splintered people can become whole once again when God leads them to the right people is absolutely beautiful. Some people follow willingly while others may feel as though they are being dragged, kicking and screaming. We can all truly relate I think. The healing that comes from giving yourself to the cause of others, and the unconditional love that can grow from the ashes is amazing and inspirational.

As mentioned, this book is full of Christian beliefs and ideals. There is bible reading, church going, prayer and traditional values. Personally, I found comfort and edification through these themes as I follow the same faith. There are struggles that I along with people close to me have dealt with, and it aways seems to work itself out when we give it up to God. We rely on Him to lead and direct our paths since we have such little understanding of the grand scheme of things. This book does a tremendous job with this lesson.

The romance in the story takes a major backseat, with the majority of the focus being on Callum’s and Hester’s relationship to the children. When we do begin to get some longing and attraction, it is done in a very respectful and mature way. That ending honestly made me smile and look at the imaginary camera in my room, Office style lol. So endearing!

At the end of the day, I would highly recommend this book to everyone. Even if you may not consider yourself Christian, I think the overall message could penetrate your heart just as easily. Kim has been added to my favorite authors list and I do plan on reading more of her books.

Once again thank you for allowing me to read and give my honest opinion of this beautiful book!

-About the Author-

Award-winning, bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer is a wife, mother, gramma, chocolate-lover, cat-petter, and–most importantly–a daughter of the King! With more than 1.5 million books in print in seven different languages, Kim enjoys a full-time writing and speaking ministry. Her “gentle stories of hope” are loved by readers and reviewers alike. Kim and her retired military husband, Don, reside on the plains of Kansas, the setting for many of her novels.