Hearts on the Rails Books
Bridget Collins is in dire straits - she needs to get out of New York, fast. With two young siblings under her wing, her options are limited.Her priest sends her as an outplacement agent on the orphan trains that run from New York to out west.With almost forty orphans under her care, she's relieved fellow and more experienced outplacement agent Carl Watson, is there to guide her. But Carl is dealing with his own trauma and finds it difficult to handle the pain the orphans are dealing with.Through tears and laughter, everyone on the orphan train has a lesson to teach about love, life and loyalty. And Bridget finds a new, unexpected calling. Every child deserves a happy home and Bridget is determined to do whatever it takes to ensure that happens. No matter what the cost…
Bella Jones and Kathleen Collins are as close as sisters and that’s how they want things to stay.But fate intervenes. Kathleen’s brothers have disappeared, they traveled from New York on the Orphan Train and nobody has heard from them since. She can’t shed her gut feeling something awful has happened to them. She goes looking for them but is she prepared for what she will find? Twins, Megan and Eileen Doyle have lost so much already. Bella can’t let them travel on the Orphan Train alone. She must confront her fears and deal with her past. Can she keep the girls safe or will they too fall victim to abuse? Both Bella and Kathleen are tested in ways they never dreamed possible. Will Justice prevail and allow both girls to get their happy ever after? Or is the cost simply too high?
Kenny Clark knows Santa is magical and only he can find his family. Kathleen Collins fights poverty and desperation every day in her bid to find new homes for the orphans of New York. But what about her happy ever after?In this concluding story to the Orphan Train Trilogy, can the magic of Christmas bring happiness at last?
Kathleen Green longs for a child of her own. Her work with the orphan trains only serve to heighten her need. When tragedy strikes, will she get the child she always wanted? Will the cost be worth it?
Two New York girls, Maria Mezza and Alice Doe wake up one November morning in 1906. Their lives are about to change forever. Maria is heading to her first job in a shirtwaist factory wishing she was heading to the country side. Alice is leaving New York to find a new family in Illinois country side. Three years later, the paths of the two girls will converge once more. Gone is the innocence of youth yet both girls are desperately hoping their lives will improve. Maria is caught up in the Shirtwaist Strike while Alice is on the run for her life. Set against a turbulent period in society which saw twenty thousand women take to the streets of New York in a bid for freedom of choice. Can Alice and Maria overcome the events of their past and secure happiness with the aid of Lily, Kathleen and the rest of the gang at the Sanctuary? Or has Lily’s belief the Orphan Trains are not the answer to New York’s problems come true.
It’s 1911 and Lily’s plans for her factory are not progressing as fast as she would like. Maria, her sister Rosa, and friend Leonie are still working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Maria and Conrad have agreed it’s pointless finding new jobs when they will soon be joining Lily’s factory. Rosa can think of nothing but her upcoming marriage and Leonie worries how she is going to look after her four siblings when their mother falls very ill. Frieda is fighting barriers at the hospital. It seems some doctors believe being female and becoming a doctor are not compatible despite her achieving high marks in the recent exams. Will she be allowed to qualify or have her dreams come to a standstill.After Alice’s experience, Lily is having major doubts about sending children on the orphan trains. But when a major disaster happens, does she have any choice?
Book 7 in the Orphan Train series takes readers on a journey to Ireland, where Lily and Charlie find themselves on an adventure. Meanwhile, back at the Sanctuary in New York, Kathleen is left in charge and is facing a host of problems. With the new factory opening soon, the Chivers children searching for a permanent home, and a couple of stray orphans in need of her care, Kathleen feels like she's in over her head. As she tries to navigate these challenges, she finds herself wishing Lily would come home soon. Charlie surprised Lily with tickets for the Titanic's maiden voyage. Will Kathleen be able to hold everything together until Lily's return, or has she bitten off more than she can chew? Find out in this gripping installment of the Orphan Train series.