In 1747, an unmarried young mother, Elizabeth "Bess" Bright, makes a fateful decision to give up her newborn daughter to a foundling hospital, hoping to reclaim her in a few years. Six years later, Bess finally makes the decision to go and reclaim her daughter, only discover that her daughter has been taken by someone pretending to be her. Desperate, she turns for help from one of the founders, but not before she discovers the potential location of her daughter as well as her daughter's guardian. . .
Mrs. Alexandra Callard, a widow of a local merchant, has always feared venturing outside and close ties to others. However, raising her daughter, Charlotte, has given her life some meaning, but only if Charlotte continues to be shut off the from the world she desperately longs to explore. One day, however, as a favor to a founder of the foundling hospital, she agrees to accept a nursemaid for her daughter, never realizing how her life will be turned upside down.
I found THE LOST ORPHAN by Stacey Halls to paint a lively and vivid picture of Georgian England where every character displayed a realism that made it a true delight to read. The characters and 18th-century setting gave it a very real feeling for the time and place.
THE LOST ORPHAN ends up becoming a relevant tale to the modern-day, despite the 18th-century setting, to show readers their struggles and fears have deep resonance, even in the past. Its also a hopeful and encouraging tale of a woman's struggle to seize the day, and that one is never too old or too poor for happiness.
For readers looking for a tale that falls outside the typical WWII stories or fans of historical fiction, THE LOST ORPHAN by Stacey Halls is highly recommended.
London, 1754. Six years after leaving her newborn Clara at London’s Foundling Hospital, young Bess Bright returns to reclaim the illegitimate daughter she has never known. Dreading the worst—that Clara has died in care—the last thing she expects to hear is that her daughter has already been reclaimed. Her life is turned upside down as she tries to find out who has taken stolen her little girl—and why.
Less than a mile from Bess’ lodgings, in a quiet townhouse, a wealthy widow barely ventures outside. When her close friend—an ambitious doctor at the Foundling Hospital—persuades her to hire a nursemaid for her young daughter, she is hesitant to welcome someone new into her home and her life. But her past is threatening to catch up with her—and will soon tear her carefully constructed world apart.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Georgian London, The Lost Orphan explores families and secrets, class and power, and how the pull of motherhood cuts across them all.
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