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mindi1083's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.75
tfarris105's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Lorraine Delord comes from the perfect family, with the perfect boyfriend, and is the perfect student. Then when the girl with the perfect life gets pregnant, her whole world comes crashing down. To hide their shame, her parents send her to go home for young pregnant mothers.
This book crushed my soul. Being a mother I couldn’t imagine going through what Lorraine did. It was a great book though.
Loved the narrator, she brought the story to life.
This book crushed my soul. Being a mother I couldn’t imagine going through what Lorraine did. It was a great book though.
Loved the narrator, she brought the story to life.
craftyanty's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Girls We Sent Away tells the story of a young woman set to graduate high school in 1960 as valedictorian of her class. All of that changes when she discovers she's pregnant. Suddenly, she finds herself swept away to a maternity home for expectant mothers where she comes to realize how shielded she has been.
This was an engaging, fast-paced book with very good audio narration. Given the subject matter, I expected it to be more emotional than it was... maybe because it's told in 3rd-person perspective.
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for allowing me early access to the ARC audiobook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was an engaging, fast-paced book with very good audio narration. Given the subject matter, I expected it to be more emotional than it was... maybe because it's told in 3rd-person perspective.
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for allowing me early access to the ARC audiobook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
booked_with_julia's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
suewise's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
ladyareads's review against another edition
emotional
5.0
Teen pregnancy was a huge taboo in the US for so long with different solutions coming along over the decades. In this heart wrenching historical fiction we get the perspective of a pregnant teen in the 1960s. Bring your tissues when you read this one because you will have all the feels. There are lots of hard topics touched on in this story and I applaud Meagan Church for tackling all this while still bringing a beautiful story to life.
jeehernandez87's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book had all of the makings of something truly powerful. A young and bright teenager who is ambitious and eager to begin her life after high school. She unexpectedly falls pregnant at a time when unmarried youth are sent away so no one knows of their “condition”, and the problem can “go away” out of the public eye.
The truth that is behind so much of the story, especially during that time where it was quite common, is heartbreaking and infuriating. I enjoyed how the story began long before she actually became pregnant, so there was natural progression with the character development. I did feel at times that there were parts where I wasn’t fully emotionally connected to the FMC but other times where I really felt this pull at my heartstrings. The mother-daughter relationship throughout is one that I am sure many daughters have experienced in their lifetime - even if not under the same circumstances. The ending was not what I had expected, but it was fitting considering the reality that this so poignantly lays bare. Not all stories have the perfect happy ending. Some have sad endings, some have endings that are new beginnings, and some are open to some interpretation. I think the ending was fitting considering that this is likely a story that will resonate with many who have lived this and have their own stories to tell.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Meagan Church, and the publisher so the advanced copy of this audiobook. The thought I have shared here are solely my own.
The truth that is behind so much of the story, especially during that time where it was quite common, is heartbreaking and infuriating. I enjoyed how the story began long before she actually became pregnant, so there was natural progression with the character development. I did feel at times that there were parts where I wasn’t fully emotionally connected to the FMC but other times where I really felt this pull at my heartstrings. The mother-daughter relationship throughout is one that I am sure many daughters have experienced in their lifetime - even if not under the same circumstances. The ending was not what I had expected, but it was fitting considering the reality that this so poignantly lays bare. Not all stories have the perfect happy ending. Some have sad endings, some have endings that are new beginnings, and some are open to some interpretation. I think the ending was fitting considering that this is likely a story that will resonate with many who have lived this and have their own stories to tell.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Meagan Church, and the publisher so the advanced copy of this audiobook. The thought I have shared here are solely my own.
designatedbanana's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
**I read this as an ARC from Macmillan Audio**
“Drowning doesn’t look like what you think it should”
This book is BEAUTIFUL. It is devastating and heartbreaking and just so well written. Nothing about this book is what I normally gravitate towards, the only reason I wanted to read it was because I’ve been trying to get outside my comfort zone and I love women’s fiction. I am so happy I gave it a chance.
It’s a simple enough story we’ve all heard before, a young girl with a bright future ahead of her that finds herself pregnant. Everyone in her life turns against her, shuns her, her parents even send her away to a maternity home so she can’t bring any more shame to the family. The beauty of this particular story is how Meagan Church creates a character so real and so complex you can so easily fall right into her mind and emotions. I am confident in my desire to not have children but even I was able to feel and understand the choices and emotions Lorraine was facing. The side characters were equally as complex and beautifully written, especially her mother and the girls she befriends at the maternity house. Alongside such wonderfully written characters, there were also so many themes that were woven into the story so beautifully it gave the book almost a poetic feel at times. I truly cannot say enough good things about the writing, I wanted to devour this book as soon as I started it and I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it.
I listened to this as an audiobook narrated by Susan Bennett, she did a wonderful job reading. I would absolutely recommend giving it a listen. Just don’t be like me and listen to it at work because I kept having to choke down tears so my coworkers wouldn’t be concerned.
“Drowning doesn’t look like what you think it should”
This book is BEAUTIFUL. It is devastating and heartbreaking and just so well written. Nothing about this book is what I normally gravitate towards, the only reason I wanted to read it was because I’ve been trying to get outside my comfort zone and I love women’s fiction. I am so happy I gave it a chance.
It’s a simple enough story we’ve all heard before, a young girl with a bright future ahead of her that finds herself pregnant. Everyone in her life turns against her, shuns her, her parents even send her away to a maternity home so she can’t bring any more shame to the family. The beauty of this particular story is how Meagan Church creates a character so real and so complex you can so easily fall right into her mind and emotions. I am confident in my desire to not have children but even I was able to feel and understand the choices and emotions Lorraine was facing. The side characters were equally as complex and beautifully written, especially her mother and the girls she befriends at the maternity house. Alongside such wonderfully written characters, there were also so many themes that were woven into the story so beautifully it gave the book almost a poetic feel at times. I truly cannot say enough good things about the writing, I wanted to devour this book as soon as I started it and I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it.
I listened to this as an audiobook narrated by Susan Bennett, she did a wonderful job reading. I would absolutely recommend giving it a listen. Just don’t be like me and listen to it at work because I kept having to choke down tears so my coworkers wouldn’t be concerned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Miscarriage
thrillerswineandchill's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
👶 W A Y W A R D W E D N E S D A Y 👶 featuring “The Girls We Sent Away” by Meagan Church!
BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5
It is the 1960s in North Carolina and Lorraine Delford is thriving in her life! Lorraine comes from a great family, has a loving boyfriend and is a year away from graduating high school! She has big dreams of attending college and studying in the sciences field … until one night changes EVERYTHING!
The night before her boyfriend Clint leaves for College, they take their relationship physically to the next step. Lorraine finds out that she is pregnant and her parents send her away to a maternity home for wayward girls to hide her pregnancy and protect the family name from SHAME.
Once at the home, Lorraine must sign away her rights to the baby and she is forced to follow the homes’ strict rules. There are A LOT of hush hush secrets that linger around the home and sinister intentions bubbling below the surface! Will Lorraine fight for her rights and her child or give in to the “proper” society rights??
WHO IS THIS thriller girlie reading historical fiction?? It’s been a hot minute since I read this genre … and I finished this book in one afternoon! I loved it!! Meagan Church’s writing style completely captivated me!! This story is beautifully researched, atmospheric, raw, emotional and gut wrenching!
Thank you kindly to @mchurchwriter @bookmarked @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases on March 5, 2024!
kearstensbookadventures's review against another edition
4.0
This is such an unspoken topic and I truly enjoyed listening to the stories of these young mothers. I can't imagine living through what they did or having to give up a child. Very interesting read and story.