Life in Sweden feels like an endless winter to Elin Carlson after the deaths of her parents. When circumstances become unbearable, she determines to find a safe haven for her sisters.
So begins their journey to America...the land of dreams and second chances.
But as hardship becomes their constant companion, Elin, Kirsten, and Sofia question their decision to immigrate to Chicago. Will their hopes for the future ever be realized?
ONLY IN CROSSING A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS OCEAN
WILL THEY FIND THE TRUE MEANING OF
LOVE, FAITH, AND HOME
A Christy Award Winner
"In 1897, the promise of the gold-paved streets of America can heal the broken hearts and lives of orphans Elin, Kirsten and Sofia Carlson, if only they survive the transatlantic trip from Sweden. Family secrets--ranging from the disgrace of suicide to shameful relations--churn like the ocean itself during a two-week crossing, only to haunt the girls after they reach Ellis Island. From the first sighting of Lady Liberty through their travails to reach a newly rebuilt Chicago, the girls discover their strengths, a variety of new acquaintances and, most importantly, each other. And while they quickly experience the immigrant's harsh realities, they also find a way to make a life in their new world. Complete with room for happily-ever-after, this rich tale will not disappoint historical romance fans. Austin, three-time Christy Award winner, scores again with an engrossing tale of loss, determination and hope." --
Publishers Weekly
"Austin's most worthy new historical centers on the immigration experience. The characters grow spiritually, and readers will appreciate everything they had to get through to become the people they are at the end of the book." --Romantic Times Book Reviews
"Four-time Christy Award winner Lynn Austin follows the lives of three sisters as they emigrate from Sweden to America and make a new life there in Until We Reach Home.... Austin is a veteran historical fiction novelist ... and includes solid historical details, from the cramped and unsanitary conditions of a two-week ocean crossing from England to America, to the types of food and clothing typical of the time period. She is careful to incorporate numerous sensory details, including what the girls might see, hear, taste and smell.... Fans of inspirational historical fiction will enjoy Austin's tale of three sisters who find faith, comfort, resiliency and love in a new country." --Cindy Crosby, FaithfulReader.com
"Life's vicissitudes have conspired to force Elin, Sofia and Kirsten Carlson to do the unimaginable, to leave the land they have loved and cherished in Sweden in 1897. It's a time when females really don't have much say. The death of their parents, the abuse Elin has suffered from a vile relative, and the promise of more hardship gradually draw the sisters to agree that life in Chicago bears more promise of financial and emotional stability than they have known in a very long time. A wise, compassionate young man comforts the girls with Biblical verses through a grueling shipboard journey, and strangers offer compassionate, merciful help when typhus hits them so hard they are worried they will be deported to Europe.
"On reaching America, however, these young women discover their uncle has sent Elin travel money acquired from men hoping to buy wives in Wisconsin short of female residents. Can the sisters pay their way out of this totally shocking scheme? Becoming servants for a demanding female employer in a mansion, they reach out carefully to heal a lonely, bitter woman, a process that forces them to realize what they have that is more precious than any amount of money. Just as they let go of worrying about the future, through a most unexpected gift, the sisters realize how the Lord has blessed them with abundance to choose a future they will continue to embrace in spite of any difficulty, grounded in a life of faith and love for God and each other. Lynn Austin crafts a fine story as these characters mature to depict a prayerful tradition close to many readers' hearts, the love that binds family and true friends. A touching, realistic and inspirational read!" —Viviane Crystal, Historical Novels Review
"Until We Reach Home gave me a new appreciation for the struggles immigrants go through, especially since many women and children have had to brave this journey all alone.... I also loved the sisters' characters and wanted to see how they dealt with their struggles. I was very satisfied by the end and recommend this novel as a good read!" --Lindsey Freitas, BookLoons.com
"Until We Reach Home touched me on many different levels. It is a look into history and the fact that some deep family secrets and scandals are ageless. Erin, Kristen, and Sofia each have their own secrets that will shock each other when they are discovered. But these girls love each other, and are willing to forgive when needed, offer support and guidance where needed. This is a true testament to how a family should be... a story that shouldn't be missed by any reader of historical fiction. It is sure to touch your soul." --Penny Goodwin, LoveRomancesandMore.com
"As usual Lynn Austin plucks the heartstrings of readers with her vivid prose and characters that leap to life for the reader. As an avid reader of historical fiction it is so rare to find both an engrossing story with such believable characters as the Carlson sisters and the rich historical details I have come to crave and know this author will deliver. These alone will continue to rank this author amongst my favorites and her skill at crafting a narrative that tugs at a reader's emotions guarantees my loyalty for future projects as well." --Melissa Meeks, ChristianBookwormReviews.com
"One of the things that makes Lynn Austin one of my favorite authors is her ability to write characters whose lives mirror real life no matter what time period she is writing from. This book takes place in the late 1800s but you still find flawed characters dealing with issues that still plague us.... She also has the ability to present the message of Christ without making it feel forced. It flows with the circumstances in the lives of the characters and like it would in real life. The characters in this story are not happy-go-lucky. They are angry with God for their circumstances and His apparent lack of care for their pain and we are present as they work their way through their grief.... I still enjoyed this one a lot though and I would recommend it to readers of Christian Fiction and Historical Fiction." --The Sleepy Reader (readingtoolate.net)
