With You Always

Orphan Train, Book 1

By: Jody Hedlund

Narrated by: Susan Hanfield

Length: 11 hrs

Publisher's summary

When a financial crisis in 1850s New York leaves three orphaned sisters nearly destitute, the oldest, Elise Neumann, knows she must take action. She's had experience as a seamstress, and the New York Children's Aid Society has established a special service: placing out seamstresses and trade girls. Even though Elise doesn't want to leave her sisters for a job in Illinois, she realizes this may be their last chance.

The son of one of New York City's wealthiest entrepreneurs, Thornton Quincy, faces a dilemma. His father is dying, and in order to decide which of his sons will inherit everything, he is requiring them to do two things in six months: build a sustainable town along the Illinois Central Railroad, and get married. Thornton is tired of standing in his twin brother's shadow and is determined to win his father's challenge. He doesn't plan on meeting a feisty young woman on his way west, though.

©2017 Jody Hedlund (P)2017 Tantor

This book drove me crazy

I don't like to give negative reviews, but I'm so frustrated that I wasted a credit on this book that I can't help it. The narrator is annoying. I didn't listen to a sample before I bought the book since I love all things orphan train....big mistake. I made it 11 chapters into the book and there is a woman that goes west on a train through the children's aide society, but she's 19 and going for a job. The story is really a romance and an irritating one at that. I hate it when authors are always telling me how the character feels instead of showing me. And I hate the romance formula where someone is hiding how they really feel to simply move the story along. I didn't finish the book and don't care how it ends. I'm sorry for being so negative. I can say that it seems like the author did a good job of researching and found an interesting story I didn't know about (that the children's aide society helped place female workers out west) and the story line would have been good if the length of the book was cut in half and the characters were more fully developed than described.

Story okay, but reader is HORRIBLE!

I have listened to over a hundred audiobooks but can only think of a couple times I wasn't really positive about the reader. But this reader is beyond bad. She's PAINFUL. Her diction is so well-pronounced that it is so unreal! She often (especially the first chapter) reads as slowly and every word is pronounced as specifically as if she were reading to slow-witted (sorry for my using a very old word, but it's appropriate here) young children. She sometimes doesn't realize for which character she is reading. The story itself is so predictable overall, but so unbelievable! It had many phrases borrowed from countless other books. And the way she spoke for characters - mainly the main character - made me VERY MUCH DISLIKE HER.

Sorry to say, but this is truly terrible.

If only things like this happened

More often than not. The world is full of rude, self centered, unkindness, trickery and lies. When you hear of a story where a man really does do things right and honorable to women, communities, stand up for what is right and not cave into the fear and pressure from their idiot peers, you wonder, why is this so rare when it’s so right? So biblical even. Look at the amazing men in history. They stood up for what was right. I Rd so sad that men today won’t give this deep thought and want to do what is right and please God and make their wives/women proud of them. Instead of hurt them and walk all over them as if they were of a lower race or species even! Enjoyable story and cool how to see how people really struggled in the beginning of USA

Super book

This book had a great storyline and kept me hanging on every word. Will definitely listen to again!

The Best.

The best I’ve “read” during the last 2 years on Audible. All aspects were excellent. I’d select one of this author’s books anytime. Looking forward to my next listen,

Your transported to that era

With how well the narration is and the authors creation is it's like they transport to directly to that time.
Does the author have a time machine or did they find authentic diaries of the struggle, success , loss and gain of those in that time.
We all come from somewhere from that time. Makes you wonder how close to this truth our ancestors came from.
I started this excellent series, I am getting the next novels for sure.

Surprised

Love history based stories. I started this book three times and couldn’t get into it (must have been my frame of mind at the time). Narration seemed off to me.
Stuck with it the third time and LOVED all of the book. The story, characters and look into a time in our history many are not aware of.
Try it - you will like it.

Good Storyline

I enjoyed the story although felt it drug in a few areas. But overall thought it was well written. I like this author very much. Thank you!

Heart Warming Story!

Great characterization, plot development, and narration. Romance well-developed without use of explicit sex scenes. Hard subject matter dealt with in a very tasteful manner. Characters change and grow through their experiences.

Great story

The story kept me on my toes throughout very interesting, great plot I was not impressed with the narrator,