Where We Belong by Lynn Austin

Where We Belong by Lynn Austin { A Review }

Where We Belong is a fantastic tale of two girls coming of age in and around the time of the U.S. Civil War and reconstruction.

The Story

Rebecca and her sister Flora, along with their widower father, take a trip to France to satisfy their love of travel and adventure. While there, they meet Mrs. Worthington who will change their lives. . .

By 1890, the now young ladies finally begin their own solo adventure in Egypt as they continue their quest to discover where they belong. As always, their thirst for adventure is tempered by a burning desire to right society’s wrongs and help those in need.

How I liked It

I identify so strongly with Rebecca in this story, as she makes so many attempts to fit into societal norms at the expense of her own curiosity and love for life. Happily, Rebecca breaks free of what society (and Mrs. Worthington) has planned for her life, and she discovers God’s plan for her in an unexpected way.

This is a wonderful piece of historical fiction that draws the reader right into Rebecca and Flora’s world. You can hear the sounds of the children working in the sweat shops making uniforms for soldiers and smell the sea air as you follow the two young ladies on their ocean voyage.

The book can be enjoyed by adults and teenagers. Lynn Austin creates a world that we can relax into as we watch Rebecca and Flora find their way and grow into adulthood. I suspect that boys would not be as interested in the book, but it would make a lovely Christmas gift any teenage girl in your life.

Publisher’s Summary

Join Two Incomparable Sisters on Adventures That Span the Decades And Cross the Globe

In the city of Chicago in 1892, the rules and expectations for Victorian women are strict, their roles in life limited. But sisters Rebecca and Flora Hawes are not typical Victorian ladies. Their love of adventure and their desire to use their God-given talents have taken them out of society ballrooms and delivered them to the Sinai Desert–and into the teeth of a sandstorm.

Accompanied by Soren Petersen, their somber young butler, and Kate Rafferty, a plucky street urchin learning to be their ladies’ maid, the two women are on a quest across the desert chasing rumors of an important biblical manuscript.

As the expedition becomes ever more dangerous and uncertain, all four travelers sift through memories and adventures of their past, recalling the events that shaped them and the journeys and providence that brought them to this very time and place.

About The Author

Lynn Austin has sold more than one and a half million copies of her books worldwide. A former teacher who now writes and speaks full-time, she has won eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction. One of those novels, Hidden Places, has also been made into an Original Hallmark Channel movie. Lynn and her husband have raised three children and make their home in western Michigan. Learn more at www.lynnaustin.org.