The Orphans in Aussie Readers

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The Orphans

Fiona McIntosh

Start date: March 1, 2024

Finish date: March 31, 2024

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Aug 25, 2023 Brenda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: autographed-book, historical-fiction, own-read, aussie-authors, 2022-release, 3500-2023, special-edition

Tom Catchlove was ten years old when his mother died giving birth to his sister Amy, and when he had to accompany them on the train to Adelaide from his home in the Flinders Ranges, Tom felt lost and alone. His mother's sister and her family didn't make him welcome, but it was eight year old Fleur Appleby, the funeral director's daughter, who calmed him, sticking up for him against the cruel coldness of his mother's family. Neither Tom nor Fleur forgot that day.

Two decades later and Tom was a wo ...more

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Nov 25, 2022 Helen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: review-copy-from-publisher

This is a beautifully told story that will stay with me for a long time to come, written in true Fiona McIntosh style it tells us the story of Fleur Appleby and Tom Catchlove from when they first meet in very sad circumstances at the age of eight and ten, a meeting that neither will forget.

Fleur was adopted by Henry and Mae Appleby has known nothing but love and happiness, Henry owns and operates one of the best undertaking companies in Adelaide and Fleur starts learning the trade at a very youn This is a beautifully told story that will stay with me for a long time to come, written in true Fiona McIntosh style it tells us the story of Fleur Appleby and Tom Catchlove from when they first meet in very sad circumstances at the age of eight and ten, a meeting that neither will forget.

Fleur was adopted by Henry and Mae Appleby has known nothing but love and happiness, Henry owns and operates one of the best undertaking companies in Adelaide and Fleur starts learning the trade at a very young age and is determined to be the first female mortician.

Tom is raised on a sheep station in the outback of the Flinders Rangers in South Australia, with a father who is a drover and mother who loves him and teachers him all about life but when tragedy takes his mother away from him Tom learns about his mother鈥檚 family and is determined to become to best wool classer there is.

It is now 1935 and Fleur has lost her mother and her father has remarried, her step mother, Irma is a difficult woman to live with and her father is drinking a lot, Fleur is keeping the business going well but Irma is a thorn in her side for many reasons.

Tom has arrived in Adelaide after deciding to make some changes in his life he gets a good job on the wharf in the woolstores but a chance meeting at a dance brings him back in contact with Fleur the girl he never forget.

A lot of obstacles are thrown in their path to finding their forever happiness, including a murder investigation, they are pushed to the limits with everything that is going on. I loved this story so much Fleur is so beautiful and empathetic and Tom is quiet caring and loving. I learned a lot about being an undertaker and felt the emotions that run throughout the book.

This is one that I would highly recommend, yes it is tragic at times and emotions run high but it shows what love can bring to life not matter what goes on, I loved Fleur's strength and courage and the sheer determination to do what she set out to do and now with Tom's help.

My thanks to Penguin Australia for my copy to read and review.
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Aug 19, 2023 Kira rated it liked it

I loved the historical setting of the orphans and the exploration of Adelaide and the South Australian Outback in the early 20th century. Fleur and Tom were interesting characters although I felt the plot and romance aspects of this story were lacking compared to some of Fiona McIntosh鈥檚 previous novels.

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