the book was enjoyable, but the development of the plot lines tended to drag - to the point that some of the character developments seemed almost impossible. For example, just how long can one pregnancy last without anyone noticing?

But Austin did succeed in developing some interesting characters - and she needed that time to do so - and I found myself genuinely caring about what was going to happen to them. ( )

NCLA Review -Three orphan sisters, bitter at being forced to leave Sweden in the late eighteen hundreds, set out for America to find a new home. They experience waves of nausea and obnoxious odors on the boat trip, and have a gnawing fear of not passing Ellis Isle health inspections. Their joy at finally arriving on American shores is short-lived. Jobless, penniless and depressed, home often seems impossibly far away. The Bible takes on new life for one of the sisters as she remembers the comfort it brought her mother. Then a friend, unable to speak her language, communicates with her through the Bible. At last her desperate prayer, “Hang on to me Lord.” is answered. The sisters learn that love is not always a feeling, but an action, what we do for other people. They are home at last. Rating: 3.5 —MS 428 p, paper, Bethany 2008, 978-0-7642-0495-1, $13.99 [813.54]   ( )

I enjoyed the book but it did move slowly and was predictable. ( )

I was so excited to get this book to read because I love Lynn Austin's writing. Once again, she does not disappoint! Reading about the experiences of the Carlson sisters teaches what real family love and loyalty looks like; it comes with disagreements and squabbles along with displays of affection. It's also interesting to see these young ladies search as individuals to understand, find, and experience God's love.

The characters are flawed; the reader quickly connects with them. They are three orphaned teenage girls with a fierce family bond. Each one has a secret that motivates her. The story moves along as each young lady wrestles with her worries and problems.

The setting is 1897 in Sweden, then Chicago, and finally home. The reader understands life for an immigrant as these young girls land on Ellis Island and struggle to adapt to the strange new land. I give this one a big thumbs up; this is indeed a good read. ( )