A review by bookishpsychologist
The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church

emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.0

 In the last year I have been learning about the topic of homes for unwed mothers that were prevalent in the mid-20th century and previously read a few books on this subject. The Girls We Sent Away is another such book. It focuses on a "good Southern girl" named Lorraine who is a senior in high school. She dreams of a bigger life than being a wife and mother, working diligently in school to become Valedictorian in the hope that she can go to college and have a career in STEM. 

Unfortunately, her plans are derailed after she naively trusts her college-aged boyfriend and has unprotected sex, becoming impregnated prior to her high school graduation. As was common practice during this era, her parents sent her away to a Catholic home for unwed mothers, where young girls are forced to sign away their parental rights and give their babies up for adoption. 

I enjoyed the narrator, but found it a bit hard to connect with the MC since the book was told in third person, rather than first person. Despite this, it was an interesting, realistic, and moving work of historical fiction about the topics of motherhood, consent, and sexism. 

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and RB Media for an audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.