Where the Lost Wander: A Novel
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 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.
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
What Bookclubbers are saying about this book
✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI
Readers say *Where the Lost Wander* is a beautifully written historical novel that powerfully portrays the hardships and emotional journeys of westwar...
This book truly had it all: slow burn love and romance, found family, grumpy-meets-happy, he falls first, political tensions, suspense, coming-of-age, and adventure…all while never straying from or shying from the realities of the timeframe in which the plot line was set, and paying homage to the rich histories of both bloodlines.
John and Naomi were something sweet; a gilded edge in a western world wrought with peril, hardship, and danger. I fell in love with their beginning, and how they complimented each other so well. I’m simply a sucker for “calloused, reserved man falls for the fiery, passionately outspoken woman”!
Their storylines were woven together beautifully, and I was gripped from start to finish. I was perilously waiting for the other shoe to drop- and found myself grappling with grief and a sense of “blowing with no direction” across the plains of travel from coast to coast. (Positive)
I love western films, and books are no exception. The women of this time frame (along with the Native American Indians) are always tough to consider, if only for the true sins committed unto them. And I felt this book did a good job of laying those realities bare, and exposing the fine line that filets each side for each. The scenery throughout this read was spot on: I was there in the wagons, smelling the smoke of a late night fire, hearing the insistent buzz of the prairie. I could feel the tanned skins of the buffalo and hear the relaying “whoops” of the Indian warriors.
This reminds me, in a way, of Elsa Dutton and “Sam”. And I haven’t even finished the series! (1983)
An all around great read that was entertaining with all the good bits. I appreciated the execution, the characters, the timely placing of love and losses, and everything in between.
Amy Harmon is an amazing writer, especially if you love strongly written historical fiction with truly powerful love stories intertwined. Her books suck you in and make your heart hurt, always leaving you with hope at the end. I highly recommend her work!
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.