Hedlund's Cinderella story, shedding light on the hardships women faced in both the East Coast cities and the developing West in the 1850s, is a pleasant romance with plenty of twists to keep readers engaged until the final page.'

'Christy Award-winner Hedlund crafts an enjoyable first installment of the Orphan Train Series. 'The first book in the Orphan Train series features a sweet yet intense romance that builds between a young woman devoted to truth and honor and a rich man just learning the reality that exists outside of his comfortable life. Jody Hedlund (is the bestselling author of more than 30 historical novels for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards, including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Awards. The spark that ignites between them is undeniable, but how can they let it grow when that means forfeiting everything they've been working toward? Thrown together against all odds, Elise and Thornton couldn't be from more different worlds. The conditions to win? Be the first to build a sustainable community along the Illinois Central Railroad and find a suitable wife. When their ailing father puts forth a unique challenge to determine who will inherit his railroad-building empire, Thornton finally sees his chance. Born into elite New York society, Thornton Quincy possesses everything except the ability to step out from his brother's shadow. But the promise of the society's orphan trains is not all that it seems. She finds a glimmer of hope when the New York Children's Aid Society starts sending skilled workers to burgeoning towns out west. Could Following the Opportunity of a Lifetime Cost Them the Love of Their Lives? One of the many immigrants struggling to survive in 1850s New York, Elise Neumann knows she must take action to care for her younger sisters.

Always by Jody Hedlund