I am a huge Amy Harmon fan and her latest book does not disappoint. Where the Lost Wander is a captivating historical fiction novel with top notch writing. This was the first novel I have read about life on the Oregon Trail and her descriptive writing really made you feel as if you were there with the characters on their journey. The characters in this novel were so strong and brave. Where the Lost Wander is a story of true adventure, love, hardship, heartbreak and strength. The romance between Naomi and John drew me in from the beginning. I am not usually a fan of insta-love but this forbidden romance was so beautifully written that I couldn’t put it down. Where the Lost Wander is much more than a romance and it’s a story I will definitely read again in the future. As a warning, there are a lot of dark moments in this book and you should have some tissues handy.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another Amy Harmon book that did not disappoint!! I felt like the book started a little slow, but once I got about 20% into it, I could not put it down. I love historical fiction, and it is nice to have a book that isn't about WWII. I loved following their journey along the Oregon Trail. This is one of my new favorite books and I will definitely be recommending it to others.

This book was beautiful. Amy Harmon never disappoints. I am always amazed by the depths of her book.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

Amy Harmon doesn't hold back any punches with this novel. It's gritty and packed with scenes that wil make you cringe. I love reading about pioneers on the overland trail. Harmon depreciated the reality of the trip with a dash of romance between Naomi amd John. The book opens with a horrific scene, but all is not lost. This is historical fiction at its finest.

Every time I read one of Amy Harmon’s books, I’m in awe. She is by far one of my favorite authors to date and one I most often recommend. This was the first historical fiction I’ve read of hers and I have to say, I’m just completely amazed at her ability to write, so beautifully, different genres.
So, Where the Lost Wander will be one of those books that resonated so strongly with me, I’ll often think back on it with fondness as a forever favorite that I know I will remember for a long time to come. You know those books you pick out from childhood, jr. high, high school, adulthood that just stuck with you? I have a handful, at least, and this is definitely one of those for me.
This book starts with a bang, a Big Bang and then with the first chapter we go back to how we got there beginning in St. Joseph, Missouri in 1853. I can’t say I’ve read many books set on the Oregon Trail, but I can say that I’m happier to read about it than have lived it. 😂 This tale is so descriptive and atmospheric that I could truly envision it as if I were watching it on screen or there my very self. And the characters, I just loved the May family, John Lowry, Naomi, The Caldwells, the Shoshoni, the Dakotah, the entire wagon train and those we meet along the way. It is a story of hardship, adventure, grief, love, understanding and compassion, divide between races, wisdom and strength. I could see so many similarities between the way things were then and they way things are now, both in the way we treat people and that women are the real MVPs, (sure, men are great too ;)) and it is a great reminder of what we should learn from the past. This is a story I could have easily read in a couple sittings, had time allowed, but I am grateful that I got to savor it instead. I was surely emotional at the end and that is exactly how I want to feel when finishing a book that made a mark on my heart. The Author’s Note at the end was a treat that gives a peek of insight as to the inspiration for several characters and little historic tidbits to further enlighten the reader on how this amazing story came to be. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Where the Lost Wander
Amy Harmon
Publication date 4/28/20

Amy Harmon never disappoints, this is a powerful and emotional read! She brought the Oregon trial in the 19th century alive and the storytelling was fluid, deep and thought provoking. This story follows 40 families moving west to Oregon about 2000 miles and is expected to be a hard, tragic journey that will take five months. Although romance crosses in this story it is not the center, Naomi May Caldwell and John Lowry share an attraction from the start. It made me immediately root for them because at that time their love affair was forbidden because it was between a white woman and half Pawnee- half white man. Their love story is raw and beautifully written. The journey is chock filled with heartbreak detailed descriptions that depict many hardships that the traveling pioneer families faced in that time period. You also experience many joyous events that happened on the trail that touched my heart and made it difficult to put this book down.
I must admit this book has a dark side touching on some very real acts of violence many face today. This story will stay with me as most of her others books have!

I am so thankful to have received this Advanced Readers’ Copy from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley for my honest review.

Instagram
@donnasnotsosecretbookdiary

Twitter
@donna64619247

Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12409011-donna-beiderman

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pg/donnasnotsosecretbookdiary/posts/


#goodreads #NetGalley #amyharmon #lakeunionpublishing #advancedreaderscopy #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #booknerds #booksofinstagram #booklife #bookreviewer #bookofthemonth #bookbub #bookclub #bookclubs #bookclubbook #ilovereading #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookadvisor #betweenthechapters #goodreadsgiveaway #100bookchallenge #readacrossinstagram #readingnook

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.

Where the Lost Wander tells the story of Naomi May and John Lowry as they travel west in search of better fortunes. Naomi May is a young widow with a fiery temper and a passion for painting, while John Lowry is a half-Pawnee man traveling west to make a trade selling mules. Naomi and John fall hard for each other despite their differences, but when a group of Indians attacks their wagon trains, they are separated and the dual-perspective novel tells the story of their separation, pain, grief, and eventual reunification.

I love the way Amy Harmon can weave a deep, heartfelt story out of anything. She has become a favorite author of mine and this book continues in that trend! Naomi and John are both wonderful, fully-rounded characters and I loved learning the story of Naomi's family as well. This story is not a happy story for the most part. There is horrific tragedy and I definitely felt the deep emotional loss that they were experiencing. This isn't a time period in which I have a lot of interest which is why it's not five stars, but I absolutely loved it. I also enjoyed the perspective into Native American culture that was well-researched and insightful.

Overall this was a great book that I would definitely recommend! Amy Harmon did it again!

A breathtakingly gorgeous trip down the Oregon Trail.

I am a humongous fan of Amy Harmon. Where the Lost Wander might have become one of my new favorites. It is decadently romantic and lush, with descriptions that give the historical background all of its depths.

LOVED.
Thank you for allowing me to read an early copy.

It's not the writer's fault but the Old West is not appealing to me. I chose the book because I have read other titles by Amy Harmon and enjoyed them.

The prologue was disturbing and I wish it wasn't there telling me what was going to happen. Instead I would have preferred to just enjoy the story and not try to figure out when the catastrophe was going to happen.

I liked the characters of John and Naomi but I didn't quite understand John. I wish his character had been fleshed out a bit more. Her mother, Winifred, was wise and loved her children. Naomi's brothers were interesting but having names that all started with W I was confused as to who was who most of the time. Same with the Indian names, there were a lot of them but the characters weren't developed much.

All in all I did enjoy the book and would recommend it.

This historical western romance provided plenty of jaw dropping and emotional moments throughout the entire book. it is clear that Amy Harmon did plenty of research into the Oregon Trail prior to the novel, and I found it fast paced and a real pleasure to read. I found the chemistry between John and Naomi to be very believable, and I was rooting for them form the beginning to the end. I highly recommend this novel if you are looking for an emotional journey!

I’m really not a big fan of historical fiction but this book was just simply amazing. I’ve heard that the author’s books are very good and very recommended and I just needed to know why. I wasn’t disappointed at all in any moment and I got more than I expected.
The description of the places, the moments and the love story overall is just like a fairy tale story that makes you dream and see it with your eyes open.
Just Brilliant!

I want to start this review with one comment, Amy Harmon’s books are underpriced, all of them, she is by far a better storyteller than most of the higher priced novels, don’t base the quality of the book on the price. That being said, continue on for the highest 5***** review I can give.
The description of this novel is actually correct this time, this is a great epic and haunting love story. I have hit 2 home runs on historical novels lately, back to back even and this one is a stunner. A great western wagon train story with wonderful descriptions that make you feel as if you packed up the wagon in the morning, unloaded it in the evening, felt the sway while riding and was terrified when crossing the rivers. During the entire read, you know something bad is going to happen to someone, just not sure quite when, or how, who or why and I was completely surprised when it did.
This is not my first Amy Harmon book and will certainly not be my last. She has a talent for it and I love my hours I spend with her when she has a tale to tell. This one is based upon her own family which makes it all the better. I came to care so much for Naomi and John and felt so many emotions throughout the whole book, especially when crossing the rivers, it brought out the fear I have of crossing rushing water, I loved it. Nope, I would not be the one to jump in the water and pull the horses, oxen or mules through, this is one of those books that gets better and better as it goes along.
Another one of the best historical fiction books I’ve read. I recommend to any historical fiction junky like me and for this one, a western lover for sure. Well done Amy, well done!!!!
I was allowed the opportunity to receive this book from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This one gets the highest 5 stars!!

YES! I love a good western - and this delivered. I started it when I couldn’t sleep and then couldn’t sleep because it was too good to put down. Amy Harmon wrote about life on the Oregon Trail and I was along for all of the rocky, bumpy road that followed.

I received an electronic ARC through NetGalley.

I liked this story. I enjoyed John and Naomi’s story, but I found some of the book repetitive and drawn out.

I think that most people will know by now that I’m a huge fan of Amy Harmon‘s work and I’ve been eagerly anticipating her newest title Where The Lost Wander ever since I first heard about it. I was absolutely stoked when I was given the chance to read this story early, and it was without doubt another excellent story. While not my absolute favorite title to date, this is still a beautifully written story that is most definitely able to provoke strong emotions. Without doubt of the same high quality I’ve come to expect of Amy Harmon‘s books!

There is a lot to love in Where The Lost Wander. First up is the historical setting in 19th century United States. Not only is this historical setting wonderfully and exhaustively described, but these same descriptions really made the setting come alive and made it feel as if you were right back in the 19th century. Both the social conflicts, the Native Americans and their culture as well as the racism and struggles are realistically described and added a lot of dept to the story. I personally loved getting a little more insight in the daily life of Native Americans from that era and John was without doubt the perfect character to show us both ‘worlds’.

The plot itself is simply intriguing. The whole ‘looking for a better life in California’ and braving a 1000+ mile trip to get there with only a wagon and some oxes and mules is most definitely not something we could imagine ourselves doing today… It’s a long road filled with dangers, sickness and hardship, but also hope and the promise of a new life and new possibilities for those who reach their final destination. The journey of this particular cast of characters was again thoroughly and realistically described, without leaving out the blunt and sometimes heartbreaking moments along the way. Likewise, the Native American angle and what happened to Naomi are used to give us more insight in both cultures, with the help of John’s character as a tentative connection between both.

Both the writing and the development of the characters are simply wonderful, but that is what I’ve come to expect of anything Amy Harmon writes to be honest. There is a reason she is one of my absolute favorite authors! There are quite a few characters in Where The Lost Wander, but the main focus is on both Naomi and John. The story is told with the help of a dual POV structure, alternating between Naomi and John to help us show both sides especially when they are not together. It is extremely easy to warm up to and love both characters, root for them and keep fingers and toes crossed for a happy ending… And yes, this includes a lot of both heartwarming and hearbreaking moments along the way.

I think the only thing that nagged me a bit was the slow pace. Where The Lost Wander is considerably slow going and at times it was just too slow for me… Although with a story that is mostly focused on the characters, this slower pace shouldn’t come as a total surprise. In short, while this wasn’t my absolute favorite Amy Harmon, I might just have set my expectations too high to begin with. Where The Lost Wander is still an excellent read and if you love slower and character-driven historical fiction with a wonderful cast of characters, a love story and a social conflict angle, you will find yourself falling hopelessly in love with this story.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a pre-pub ebook of Where The Lost Wander. Amy Harmon does an excellent job describing the horrors and joys of traveling west along the Oregon Trail with some of the first Pioneers. Naomi is a relatable character regardless of your age, a strong woman whose determined spirit leads her to conquer the trials thrown in her path. Detailed, yet emotional this novel is not only a great story but has wonderful well-researched historical details. Unlike other readers, I would not classify this as a Western, but rather as Historical Fiction. Put this on your TBR list!

Much to my surprise, reading this book confirmed that I have indeed a soft spot for old school Western romances, that I discovered last year with Nancy E. Turner’s These is my words, the Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine. Who knew frontier novels could be such page-turners for European readers? Obviously I had missed out on a fascinating literature niche.

“Where the Lost Wander” is an epic novel set on the Oregon Trail in the 1850s (three decades before the Turner book, that is), where a group of families is setting off for a 2000 miles, 5 months long journey, if they can make it at all. The journey is freight with many dangers and hardships, and the author, armed with a lot of period research, doesn’t flinch from the gritty and heart-breaking realities of what the road meant for those people.

The story focuses on 20-year-old widow Naomi Caldwell, who was only married for a few months before her childhood sweetheart died, and who is travelling with her parents and brothers, and with her inlaws in the wagon train as well, which makes for an added complication in her already tough life. Naomi’s passion is to draw, and she snatches any free moment to sketch people, animals and landscapes she sees on the road. The other main character is John Lowry, who joins the trip to deliver mules to an army fort. Despite his successful enterprise he’s a loner because of his half-Pawnee origins. He always feels like the suspected outsider, despite being sometimes the only one who can make the bridge between the two opposing communities.

Needless to say that Naomi and John meet and that there’s a spark between these two, but nothing comes easy on the Oregon Trail. It’s been a great reading experience. I won’t deny that there was something misty in my eyes on one or more occasions during the whole adventure, but shh…

This book is unlike anything I've read before. With over 1,000 books read it's hard to believe I've never read a Western. This book is a great introduction to the settling of the West and a journey on the Oregon trail. There are scenes of graphic violence including agains women so I caution those readers who might find that especially disturbing.

Naomi May is a twenty-year old widow on the wagon trail west with her mom, dad and siblings seeking a new life and fortune. Her in-laws are also part of the wagon train as are other friends. In addition to the train leader there's John Lowry, a mixed race Caucasian and Pawnee mule breeder. He's quiet, reserved and looked upon skeptically by the travelers. While believing they're prepared for the arduous journey, the long, cold, hungry trail is far more trying than they could've dreamed. Violence and tragedy strikes separating Naomi and her infant brother and beginning a whole new chapter in her life that will draw upon every ounce of faith, courage and strength that she possesses.

This book was totally engrossing, a lesson in the triumph and travails of settling the West. Even more, it gives a stark picture of how poorly the US government has treated the Native Americans and literally pushed them into corners. As a newbie to the genre I highly recommend this for it's well written and researched plot.