Belonging (Where The Heart Lives Book 1)

This was a touching story with a lot of depth. It is the first book in a series about three siblings but each book reads as a stand-alone. After reading the first book, I admit I'm hooked. I plan to read all three.Felicia is the middle sibling of three. She was ten years old when her mother died and she was put on an orphan train heading west. Her older brother and her younger sister were chosen before her, both in different towns. Finally, she was chosen by an older couple looking for help in their old age. She was not mistreated, but she was never loved. However, she managed to get an education and she was determined to teach. Her first job is in Frenchman's Bluff, Idaho. Felicia is convinced she does not need a husband. Her family will be her pupils.Colin Murphy's marriage hadn't been ideal but he believed it was improving when his wife died. Now he is content to raise his daughter as a single father. Colin had opposed hiring Felicia because women teachers tend to get married very quickly. Colin thought they should hire a male teacher.Well, I'm sure you can see what's coming from a mile away. But first, there is a determined grandmother, a learning disability, an unwanted "cousin," a near drowning, a fruitless search, a misleading engagement, a horrified school board, a secret elopement, and, at last, a happy ending. And it's all put together with some wonderful writing, a few tears, a lot of faith, and smiles and prayers sprinkled throughout. I loved it and I think you will, too. I've already got the next book of this series in my queue.

I like the story. I like the H and h. But I dont think this is a good romance novel. The romance between H and h feels forced to me. They dont spend many quality times together to get to know each other's character better. More time is spent on them mooning over each other physical attributes. All of a sudden near the end of the book they realize they love with each other, they kiss, and live happily ever after. I was like, "huh? is this author for real?" The romance is not convincing at all, hence the 1 star. I want to read how the relationship between H and h develop over time instead of reading about Kathleen.

The prologue for this series begins in 1881 in Chicago a mother is dying leaving three children, Hugh , Felicia & Diana Brennan and her death bed wish is for Hugh to take his sisters to Dr. Cray, who will send them out west for adoption into a loving family hopefully together, while removing them from their father, who is a drunk and criminal. Each book is the story of the individual children years later. These books can stand alone, but interest in learning of their lives warrants reading them all. This first book is the story of Felicia who has accepted a teaching position in the high desert town of Frenchman's Bluff, Idaho in 1897. The older couple who raised her have both died and she is now free from any obligations accept to support herself as she pursues her career. Her life hasn't been easy , but mostly she misses her siblings ,the unity & love of family. The story has depth, flows nicely and it is a Christian romance novel, therefore it is a clean read, as are all this Author writes. The characters are strong, well developed & interesting. I really appreciated the character of Felicia, because she was kind, considerate and loving with a strong faith. She didn't whine & complain and was selfless in encouraging others, she reflected love gracefully.

It's always a pleasure to read a book that is well written and well edited. This gentle Christian love story delivers in all the right places. Faith is not hidden, nor is it pressed harshly onto the reader. It is presented through daily life and trials as a natural extension of the characters beliefs. Love grows gradually between the protagonists. Neither is looking for a relationship. A secondary character makes the perfect antagonist and you can't help but be pleased when people stand up to the trouble maker. There are some questions left unanswered (not a cliff hanger). We never find out about the content of a letter in a bible. The question of the two missing siblings is left as a small teaser for other books in the series. I enjoyed this one but not enough to purchase the next in the series at full price. I recommend it.

This was the first book by Robin Lee Hatcher that I have read, and I must say that I will be reading more of her books. About halfway through this book, I thought that the plot was very predictable; however, Ms. Hatcher surprised me with how the plot developed in the second half. Truly all things work for good! I especially enjoyed how the characters were developed - some brought smiles to my face while others evoked other emotions. I would highly recommend this book - if you, like me, have not read any of Ms. Hatcher's books, start with this one.

Robin Lee Hatcher wrote “Belonging”, the story of an orphan girl from Chicago who became a teacher in Idaho. Felicia Brennan Kristoffersen, along with her two siblings was put on an orphan train in Chicago, IL in 1881. These orphans were paraded in front of settlers at each stop to see if someone would adopt them or take them in. Felicia and her siblings were separated and she went home with a farmer and his wife. After their deaths she had to make her own way and had been trained as a teacher. Colin Murphy and his daughter, Charity, were anxious to meet the new schoolteacher. Colin ran the mercantile and was providing lodging for the new schoolmarm. There are the usual complications of living in a very small town under very observant eyes. Trouble brews and boils over.This book was very entertaining and I recommend it. I downloaded a free Kindle copy of this book from Amazon.com. You can find my review on my website at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-ex, on Goodreads.com at https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/10645887.

Love how the author makes you feel like you are living the story. Great examples of how God can turn things for our good, even after much heartache. Thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it.