Heidi Reads...: Review: The Heart Only Grows by Michele Paige Holmes

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Review: The Heart Only Grows by Michele Paige Holmes

Heidi Reads... The Heart Only Grows by Michele Paige Holmes

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

For Children’s Aid Society employee Addelaide Campbell, riding the Orphan Train is a labor of love—a last, heart-wrenching attempt to do the best she can for the children entrusted to her care. If only she could keep them all…Or at the least, keep children from the same family together. When the sheriff of Somerset, Wisconsin, offers an unexpected proposal that might allow her to do just that, Addie takes a leap of faith—or possibly insanity—and decides to accept.

Miles Linden has sworn off women, children, marriage, and family. In the two years since he lost his wife and daughter to influenza, loneliness has been his constant companion, except on Friday nights when he drowns his sorrows at the local saloon. He’s coping with this arrangement just fine, until the morning he’s rudely awakened by a pert woman and two gawking children who mistake him for a real outlaw, instead of a man sleeping off his liquor on the cot at the jail. Being awakened and accused are the least of the surprises awaiting Miles, since Addie Campbell and the Orphan Train arrived in town.

My Review

Be still my heart! How I loved this sweet story of two orphans that brought together two lonely people to form a family. I've always been fascinated by the history of the orphan train, and since we have adopted our two daughters, it's a topic that is close to my heart. I love characters like Addie, she is a woman who has suffered hardship, but it has made her more compassionate and an advocate for the orphans. Miles' sorrow is understandable, and I loved how Addie accepted what he was able to offer- and not offer- with gratitude. I also loved that he was quick to look beyond himself to the family now in his care and couldn't help but respond. A wonderful novella with characters that are easy to connect to, great pacing, and a full story arc- just the kind of reading that makes me cozy up and sigh with happiness :)