In this epic and haunting love story set on the Oregon Trail, a family and their unlikely protector find their way through peril, uncertainty, and loss.
The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at twenty. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man … half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both.
But life in a wagon train is fraught with hardship, fear, and death. Even as John and Naomi are drawn to each other, the trials of the journey and their disparate pasts work to keep them apart. John’s heritage gains them safe passage through hostile territory only to come between them as they seek to build a life together.
When a horrific tragedy strikes, decimating Naomi’s family and separating her from John, the promises they made are all they have left. Ripped apart, they can’t turn back, they can’t go on, and they can’t let go. Both will have to make terrible sacrifices to find each other, save each other, and eventually…make peace with who they are.
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Endless heart wrenching stars!!
Epic doesn’t begin to describe the Oregon Trail journey that Naomi May and John Lowry endure. If the families seeking a better life in the 1850’s were fortunate enough to survive the treacherous trek, they also had to frequently contend with moving one step forward and two steps back.
The hardships were plenty as the wagon train traveled over rough terrain, deep rivers, mountainous ranges, and vast desert areas. Wagons broke down, babes were born, boys became men, cholera killed, and Indians scalped without reservation.
Some families turned back to what they knew best, while others were determined to make it to their destination or die trying. Where the Lost Wander is an incredible representation of what occurred on the Oregon Trail as well as a testament to the fortitude of the families that dared to brave the unknown.
From the onset, there’s an interest turned attraction between John Lowry, the half-Pawnee mule man, and the May family’s artistic daughter, Naomi. John’s presence and ability to communicate with various tribes, even if at an elementary level, saved lives. Likewise, Naomi used her talents to dazzle and win over many of the Indians they encountered.
I went through many tissues reading this novel, loving every word.
Once again, Amy Harmon has written a brilliant, unforgettable novel.
Genre: Historical Romance
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person – Dual
Rating:
Naomi May and her family embarked on a perilous journey for a better life in the western frontier. Among the emigrants of the wagon train was the reclusive John Lowry. Together, they learned to depend and trust not only each other but also the people they met along the way in order to survive.
I love stories about journey/adventure and this book had plenty of it. However, I felt the first 75% of the book was quite tedious. The journey was long and there wasn’t much progress or excitement in the storyline. Also, there was a certain element of the book that would have been more impactful if executed differently.
Naomi is a romantic. A dreamer. She sees what others don’t, but what she sees, what she draws, is not reality, and our times together have the same otherworldly cast.
Thankfully I loved the eventful and emotional parts of the last 25%. One of my favorite aspects of the book is the humanity regardless of which side the characters were on. I loved both John and Naomi, especially how they integrated themselves among the people.
Where the Lost Wander is a tale of cultural identity and resilience. It would appeal to readers who enjoy historical romance.
Love this book! I am never disappointed by any of Amy’s books, so no surprise this one was flat out amazing.
Naomi and John have such a real life adventure on the Oregon Trail that you can’t help but fall in love with them.
The story is set in 1853 and follows the May family as they go to start a new and John Lowry is there to help along their trip. His hard work and different approach to the world around him draws Naomi May in. The times were different then and traveling with your family in life and death situations daily makes it hard for love to blossom. However this story wasn’t about just about new love, it is about the power of family trying to survive in a new world.
There were so many reminders of how different life used to be and how everything was a struggle for all people. I couldn’t put it down once I started!
Emotional and heartbreaking breaking story of several families traveling on the Oregon trail out west in search of a better life. This is the story of their trials and tribulations on their long journey. Amy Harmon’s storytelling and vivid descriptions and her attention to details is simply incredible.
This story is about so many families, so many characters but the main couple is John and Naomi. John is half Pawnee Indian that works the wagon train. John was hardworking, stubborn and bullheaded, loyal and Naomi has caught his eye but he thinks he can’t have her. Naomi is a twenty-year-old that has already been married and widowed. Naomi was a strong heroine, she was hardworking, stubborn, loyal, feisty, opinionated and so lovable. The chemistry between these two was combustible, the banger sometimes was humorous!! Naomi’s family is on the wagon train. She had all brothers, the May boys Warren and wife Abigail, Wyatt, Will, Webb, and baby Wolfe. Her father William and mother Winifred, she was very close with her mother.
During their travel’s tragedy strikes and members of Naomi’s family were killed, this separated her from John and two of her brothers. This is the part of the story that shows what these two are made of, they each fought to survive until they could reunite.
I realized that in their time you had to be strong you had to dig deep for your courage because if you didn’t your chances of survival were slim.
So many memorable moments that literally broke my heart but those same moments made this story exceptional. I loved it from the prologue to the epilogue, this story captivated me!! If you like historical romance this is the book for you!!
What a truly mesmerizing story! The prologue grabs your attention right away and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what would happen next. The level of detail was astonishing and nearly the entire book played out like a movie in my mind. It was raw and brutal, but also beautiful and hopeful. This is my first historical western romance, but I loved that John and Naomi’s love story was only part of the story. There was so much more that the author explored and showcased. I can’t accurately express how much this story made me feel. There was so much anguish and heartbreak through the journey, but it was balanced so well with the joy and triumphs. I was so invested in all of the characters, and the way the book began and then came full circle was amazing. The writing was incredible and there was so much emotion and heart in every word. I have had several of Amy Harmon’s books on my to read list for a while now, and I am kicking myself for waiting this long. I found the author’s note at the end especially enlightening and appreciated all of the research she did in preparation for this book. I can’t wait for readers to experience this transcendent novel.
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
A Devastatingly Beautiful Story.
Where the Lost Wander feels like a slap in the face. Hurts but puts you on alert. Wakes you up. It makes you reflect on the past and find insights for the future.
The story takes place in the mid-1800s and follows The Mays, a family emigrating to California in a wagon train.
The descriptions are outstanding! I felt like I was there every step of the way. They have an emotional aspect that illustrates without getting boring. This is a rare treat, and I enjoyed it immensely.
During this long and arduous journey, the characters are introduced and dissected. Harsh times tend to bring out people’s real dispositions, something the author used well to layer her characters.
Naomi May, the heroine, is a force to reckon with. She is determined and brave. An artistic soul forced by circumstance to focus on the rudimentary aspects of surviving.
John Lowry, the hero, is a man divided between two worlds. Born to an Indian mother, he was raised by his white father and his wife. He struggles, but he never places himself as a victim.
There is pain, there is loss, but there is hope, there is kindness, and there is love.
A memorable story. Highly recommended!
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Warning: Death and sexual violence.
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I love Oregon Trail stories, and this is a terrific addition to the ones I’ve read and enjoyed. There’s depth and emotions and reality mixed in with a love story.
I kinda struggled some with the rhythm/telling of the story – like it took me longer to settle into their point of views and connect to the characters. But the overall story itself was good, and knowing it was based on family history made up for that little struggle I had. And then when I finally got hooked, I was in!
This was my first Amy Harmon book, and I’d be interested in checking out her other stories.
I will be the first to admit that reading a western historical book is never at the top of my to be read pile. They just don’t strike a fire in my desire to read. However, like all books by this author, they push your limits and make you thankful that you went out on a limb and gave it a good effort to read.
This book didn’t fail! Although a bit of a slow pace, wasn’t that the life style back in the 1800’s, I found myself eagerly turning the page as this story unfolded.
Life back in this time was hard, that’s for sure. Naomi and John gave us a story that will truly stay with me. Emotional, heartfelt and at times gut wrenching. The research and beautiful writing made this a story that all should read!
It just doesn’t get any better than this – poignant storytelling with beautiful pacing, stunning backdrop, and an amazing cast of characters. Where the Lost Wander is a love story of epic proportions seamlessly written within a historical western that kept me captivated until the very end.
Set on the Oregon Trail, their journey is not an easy one. It was often brutal. And Ms. Harmon never minces words or minimizes the hardship. It was so stark at times that I wanted to look away and take a breath. Yet there was a richness there too. It was sweeping and as vast as the land they traveled.
Naomi May is a determined, strong and compelling woman. She never stopped fighting. Her strength amazed me. John Lowry is a principled, caring, observant man caught between two worlds not of his making. His commitment to Naomi and her family never wavered. He, like Naomi, amazed me. Their resilience, in harsh times, remarkable. Naomi’s and John’s love for one other came off the page. It was breathtaking.
There isn’t one single part of this story that wasn’t exquisitely done. The writing is flawless. It is, absolutely, an incredible story. There aren’t enough stars for this one!
Lush and breathtaking.
Amy Harmon weaved a story about strong, courageous people who thrived in their survival amidst heartbreak and challenges. It was a celebration of one’s roots and life.
Some parts hit me right in the soul, my emotions were heavy throughout. John and Naomi were unforgettable; divine together, indefeasible apart.
“Transcendence is a world, a place, beyond this one. It’s what could be.”
Wow! Amy Harmon has a special way of telling a story and reaching deep into your heart.
This isn’t just a story, it’s a journey. A journey of loss, of survival, of hope, and one of tremendous love. It’s heart wrenching and raw and full of emotion. The characters and story will burrow into your heart and will leave you breathless. The writing transports you into another time period and you see and feel every difficult moment, every speckle of hope, the grief and despair, and all the love shone throughout. It’s hard at times and beautiful in others. Absolutely breathtaking.
“That’s what hope feels like: the best air you’ve ever breathed after the worst fall you’ve taken. It hurts.”
Amy Harmon stretches her literary wings with another compelling historical romance that left a deep and profound impression on me. This time around we follow a cast of characters as they make their way west along the Oregon trail, on their way to California.
I have to go on record as saying that I love to read historical fiction and historical romance and I love how Amy has written a fictional story that is based on actual ancestors from her husband’s family tree. For whatever reason, that makes stories like these all the more fascinating to read for me. So in that respect, it is that much harder for me to bear reading about the hardships these characters faced on their journey. My word, my emotions went from one extreme to another and I was emotionally wrung out by the time I turned the last page! Amy is a master storyteller, and I know that I will still be thinking about John and Naomi a long time from now.
I truly loved the characters of John and Naomi. Actually, I loved quite a few of the characters, each one having something significant to contribute to this story. John and Naomi were people who were lost between two worlds. John being a half breed, with a Pawnee mother and a white father, never seemed to fit in in either world. Along the way, both worlds he belonged to had times where that worked in his favor, but also just as many that worked against him. And Naomi, a young woman widowed at the age of twenty, didn’t really belong on her own, but also didn’t really belong with her family anymore. They are attracted to each other very early in the story, but as was the way during that time, they remained reserved in their emotions and so it took time for that relationship to evolve into something more than just two people traveling in this wagon train. And as much as this story includes a romance between John and Naomi, it is so much more than that.
Life is incredibly hard on the trail, that has always been something known through history. I’ve watched enough movies about the settlers and the trials and tribulations they endured traveling west, but Amy’s masterful writing just made everything seem so much more important. The tenuous relationship at that time between the various Indian tribes and the white man. The hardships faced along the way, wagons getting swept away in rivers, cholera and sickness wiping out families. Babies born along the trail. Babies dying along the trail. It is just SO daunting to read about. But while reading, Amy also weaves a beautiful tale of the resilience and tenacity of these settlers who are trying to find better lives for themselves and their families.
I won’t lie, I shed many a tear while reading. Not all were sad tears though, there were moments of happiness and elation along the way that buoyed the spirits of the characters, and mine as well. Like I said, I went through a range of emotions by the time I closed this book. And even though it is a work of fiction, I think it is a very important book to read, especially if you are fascinated with the history between Indians and the white man, and how a few learned to live together as family.
I say this often, I don’t know how Amy does it, but every book I read of hers cements a place in my heart and head and I am forever grateful that she brings us these amazing stories.
Many thanks to Netgalley for an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Wow! What a story. This is the kind of book that holds you captive from the first word. The story starts with a bang & had me hooked through to the end.
This book is historical romance at its best. Transporting you to a different time & making you feel what it was like to be a woman then & how very different the world was. Naomi is a fantastic character – I love the way Amy Harmon writes her heroines. I always fall hard for them. John is beautifully written and for me – not your average romance hero.
I loved how hard this story was. How much it hurt to read at points. It truly reflected the time period it was written in. I was anxious for a lot of chapters and fluctuated between being happy and so very sad.
Definitely recommend.
It’s 1853 and the May family is nervous but excited to join 49 other covered wagons to travel from Missouri to California. Like most pioneers following the Oregon trail west, they are naive of what lay ahead.
The story is told from alternating points of view of the oldest May child Naomi, and John Lowry, the half breed mule skinner signed on to help the families through the journey.
Despite being widowed for a year, Naomi’s in-laws, also traveling in the party, feel she still belongs to them. This causes anger and hurt feelings when she chooses to travel in her family’s wagon and refers to herself as Naomi May instead of Mrs. Caldwell or Widow Caldwell. The bad feelings only increase when it becomes apparent that feelings are growing between Naomi and John, hate and anger finally acted out against John. Fortunately this only strengthens their relationship and draws John closer to the May family.
The further the wagon train moves along the trail, the more important the love and support of family became. Between deaths, cholera, hunger, exhaustion, accidents along the way, and Indians, it’s all many have left.
When Naomi and her new baby brother are captured by a particularly blood thirsty Indian chief, John will go to the ends of the earth, give his life, to get her back while honoring his commitment to take care of her family.
I was a little turned off at first, afraid this was a Romance novel rather than Historical Fiction. But realized as I read on that while they did fall in love, John’s love and devotion to Naomi and her family become very important to their survival – part of the story of their journey West.
I suggest reading the Author’s Notes at the end of the book. Harmon goes into detail of some of the research put into writing this story, which characters were real and how they fit into history, and which ones were created to tell the story. In this case the Author has some distant family relation, which always adds extra depth to a story.
I always enjoy stories of wagon trains along the Oregon Trail and have looked forward to reading Where The Lost Wander. I was not disappointed. I recommend reading for anyone interested in the history of how our country was settled, the daily life struggles for families moving west in the mid 1850’s.
Where The Lost Wander by Amy Harmon
Lake Union Publishing
Available April 28, 2020
When it comes to historical fiction Amy is a magician with her keyboard. She has a way of taking you out of the present and transporting you back in time, whenever and wherever that may be. Her descriptions and world building are some of my favorite things to read.
This book was nothing short of exquisite. The characters, the time, the world. Just everything about it was captivating from the very beginning. Amy takes you are a hard journey but in the end you can be nothing but in awe of how she makes you feel. In one second she could be breaking your heart and in the next your heart is mended and filled with nothing but joy. This is the magic of Amy Harmon.
I’m going to leave this one short and sweet because in the end there are no words I could type out to even begin to describe how I truly feel about this story. If you love historical fiction please pick this one up or any of Amy Harmon’s books in this genre. She will leave a mark. I promise.
Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon is an excellent, gripping, and emotional historical fiction that tells of the hardships and events that took place in the 1850s with the trips made out west to find opportunities for men and families alike.
Ms Harmon does an excellent job in depicting the landscapes, the locations, and the emotions of the characters involved. She definitely has a talent to paint a picture that is completely immersive and draws the reader so deep it is as if one is actually there.
This is not an easy read. Yes, there is a romance between Naomi May Caldwell and Joseph Lowry. The hard subject matter that is told of the deaths, suffering, losses, hardships, and much more do not sugar coat the actual history. While it was hard to read, it is important for readers to know what things were truly like at that time.
I also enjoyed learning and reading about different Native American tribes throughout the novel as well. I love when I can learn something new.
I also enjoyed the Author’s note to learn that the story is based off of real family members, as well as some of the fact vs fiction.
4/5 stars
I am speechless. Every time i pick up an Amy Harmon book, I feel like I am ready for the emotional roller coaster I will be on, but I never am. I can’t describe how wonderful this book is. The writing is superb and the characters are so real, I feel like I am riding right along with them the entire book. I’m not going to lie, there are some hard parts to this book, but the story is engaging and wonderful. I could not put it down. Seriously, if you have not read any books by Amy Harmon, what are you waiting for? This one is definitely a must read. 5+ stars.
I received a copy of the book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon is a gripping, stand alone novel, a lesson in history. The story is set in the time of mid 19th century; when emigrants were on their way to a better future, the time of gold rush and open land. The Americas are a young country and everything goes, so it seems.
Naomi May is a 19 year old, and together with her family she’s on her way to a better future. Only this better future is just that, future. The now is what threatens to destroy all her happiness.
John Lowry is a man who’s an outsider from birth. He never fits in, not in his fathers and certainly not in his mothers world. He’s a guide and when he meets Naomi he can’t get her out of his head. They have to endure more than one person should have to carry and my heart was hurting for the characters.
Don’t get me wrong, this is kind of a love story, not a romance, but a beautiful love story. The story is complex, the writing is excellent and the book is unputdownable. I started reading and I couldn’t put it down, I simply couldn’t. And that took a toll on me. John and Naomi’s story is raw, gritty, gutting and heart wrenching, hauntingly beautiful, a tearjerker that I can’t get out of my head.
Where the Lost Wander is hands down, my favorite read in 2020. I highly, highly recommend this masterpiece, 5+ Stars.
My face hurts! Sigh. Sob. Sigh. Sob. Whelp.
I finished this epic tale late last night and I have dreamed the Wild West, the Oregon trail all night. I’ve had a theme tune on repeat in my head, probably from a 70s tv show.
I loved it!
Amy Harmon writes with such cinematography that I could hear the noise of the cartwheels as the beleaguered travellers followed the trail to the land of their dreams.
The May family are centre stage with their wagon loaded with all of their possessions. Naomi May is strong, clever and brave. She will need all of those on her journey. It’s fraught with danger and at times it hurts to read.
John Lowry – Is part Pawnee and will help the migrants along their way. I was so thankful that he was there when they needed him. I adored how Naomi’s brothers worship him like the hero he is.
Amy’s writing makes me feel every emotion. I went from smiling and so happy to broken but I knew my heart would get stitched back together in the end. A bit bruised, a bit bashed, not quite the same as it was but beating like it wanted to jump out of my chest.
5 superstars!
“Eventually, time thinks for us. It cuts through the fog of emotion and delivers a big bowl of reality, and feelings don’t stand a chance.”
“I would carry you to the ends of the earth.”
Where the Lost Wander follows the story of Naomi May and John Lowry as they make the trek by wagon train to the west coast in the early 1850’s. John Lowry isn’t sure where he fits in the world being half Pawnee half white, he’s never felt fully accepted by either. Providing a mule team and assistance he joins the wagon train the Mays are taking to Oregon. Naomi May is already a widow at the young age of 20 and is unlike most of the women John’s met. She’s brave, strong, and speaks her mind. When tragedy strikes the train both must learn their way.
This is a beautifully written book, I love Amy Harmon’s words, the picture that she paints with them. The roller coaster of emotions, the tragedies, the hardships, even the joy of weddings and new life all came through brilliantly. I was so heartbroken at several points in this story I wasn’t sure there could be an hea, I didn’t know how she was going to bring the characters back together and give them peace. In some ways she did and somethings Naomi and John would have to learn to live with, things that might haunt them forever, but that’s also just real life. This story does have a pretty serious trigger. Normally I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction, but I absolutely loved this book.