Follow the Stars Home

by Diane C. McPhail

A captivating reimagining of the intrepid woman who – 8 months pregnant and with a toddler in tow – braved violent earthquakes and treacherous waters on the first steamboat voyage to conquer the Mississippi River and redefine America. 

The acclaimed author of The Seamstress of New Orleans brings to life Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt’s defiant journey of 1811 in this lush, evocative biographical novel for fans of Paula McLain, Gill Paul, Allison Pataki, and stories about extraordinary yet little-known female adventurers…

It’s a journey that most deem an insane impossibility. Yet on October 20th, 1811, Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt—daughter of one of the architects of the United States Capitol—fearlessly boards the steamship New Orleans in Pittsburgh. Eight months pregnant and with a toddler in tow, Lydia is fiercely independent despite her youth. She’s also accustomed to defying convention. Against her father’s wishes, she married his much older business colleague, inventor Nicholas Roosevelt—builder of the New Orleans—and spent her honeymoon on a primitive flatboat. But the stakes for this trip are infinitely higher.

If Nicholas’s untried steamboat reaches New Orleans, it will serve as a profitable packet ship between that city and Natchez, proving the power of steam as it travels up and down the Mississippi. Success in this venture would revolutionize travel and trade, open the west to expansion, and secure the Roosevelts’ future.

Lydia had used her own architectural training to design the flatboat’s interior, including a bedroom, sitting area, and fireplace. The steamship, however, dwarfs the canoes and flatboats on the river. And no amount of power or comfort could shield its passengers from risk. Lydia believes herself ready for all the dangers ahead—growing unrest among native people, disease or injury, and the turbulent Falls of the Ohio, a sixty-foot drop long believed impassable in such a large boat.

But there are other challenges in store, impossible to predict as Lydia boards that fall day. Challenges which—if survived—will haunt and transform her, as surely as the journey will alter the course of a nation . . .
 

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Audiobook, 19th Century, Womens Fiction

305 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 20, 2024

About the author

Diane C. McPhail is an artist, writer, and minister. In addition to holding an M.F.A., an M.A., and D.Min., she has studied at the University of Iowa distance learning and the Yale Writers’ Workshop, among others. Diane is a member of North Carolina Writers' Network and the Historical Novel Society. She lives in Highlands, North Carolina, with her husband.

Reviews

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the 20th of October, 1811, Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt with her husband Nicholas and toddler daughter Roselta leave Pittsburgh aboard his invention a steam driven paddle-boat. Lydia and her husband travelled the waterways of the mighty Mississippi River on a flatboat, during their honeymoon and in preparation for this journey.

Lydia’s half her spouse’s age, her father architect Benjamin Latrobe wasn’t keen on her marrying an older man, but Lydia loved Nicholas and she waited and eventually he gave his blessing. Lydia isn’t the only woman aboard and accompanying her are nurse maids Sarah and Bessie, but the three ladies are friends and Lydia is eight months pregnant.

The steamboats final destination is New Orleans, if it’s a success, it will bring about faster travel and trade routes, open up the West for expansion and people will no longer have to make the return journey via sailboat and go around the very tip of Florida.

As they set off on the New Orleans people are sceptical, they think the Roosevelt’s are crazy and will fail. The steamboat has to travel the tributaries of the Mississippi River, stopping along the way to pick up fresh supplies, wood for the firebox, they charge and show curious onlookers the boat and with its timber lined men’s cabin.

Lydia and Nicholas know it won’t be an easy trip, they plan on making it to a town for her to give birth and fear delays, The Shawnee Indians, they have to navigate the hazardous Falls of the Ohio, a sixty-foot drop, making sure they have enough clearance and watching out for debris and rocks in the water.

I received a copy of Follow the Stars Home by Diane C. McPhail from Edelweiss and Kensington Publishing Corps in exchange for an unbiased review. What an interesting story about an inspirational woman and mother Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt, she was brave, courageous and unwavering in her love and support for her husband Nicholas.

The couple, their cook and servants know they face the possibility of illness, accidents, a difficult birth and child bed fever, and they have no idea Mother Nature will add in fog, low water levels, whirlpools, cross and reverse currents, log jams, and a natural disaster.

Five stars from me, I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend Follow the Stars Home and Diane C. McPhail’s previous novel, The Seamstress of New Orleans.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of the features I look for in historical fiction. I enjoyed the historical details around the innovation of river steamboats and the challenges faced when attempting to provide services along the Mississippi River. To keep her family together, Lydia is pregnant and dares to join her husband for the inaugural journey with her toddler in tow. She is an independent woman ahead of her time who works behind the scenes with her husband but gets none of the credit.

However, there are a few things that brought my rating down. There were enough repetitive conversations, problems, and musings that happened throughout that should have been removed. There needed to be more detail about the memories she kept referring to in their previous trip down the river before the steamboat. It read like the second book of a series that references what you need to know and left me wanting to know more. This book would have greatly benefitted from a bit of editing and additional embellishment on the parts that were lacking. Had that happened, it would have been a 5-star book for me.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow the Stars Home is a unique blend of historical fiction and women's fiction, telling the story of Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt. Lydia wasn't held back by her time's social or cultural constraints but forged her own path beside her husband, Nicholas Roosevelt, designer of the dual-side paddle steamboat. Told in first person by Lydia, the language is lush, lyrical, and often philosophical but her musings are no different than those of women now as we balance marriage, family, and personal dreams. She made history and although most of us have never heard of her, she should be in the history books our children study. In Lydia's own words, "I am here. I am part of this history, this wild adventure. Will anyone remember that I was? Are women never remembered unless they happen to have been born a queen?"

I found this book fascinating, from the unique challenges of the rivers to the descriptions of keeping children amused on the steamboat. The details of the New Madrid earthquake were horrific and brought back childhood memories of earthquakes with jungle animals howling before the first tremors were felt. It was a privilege to read about Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt and I will be sure my granddaughters know who she was.

My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the digital ARC. All opinions and the review are entirely my own.

[Krissi]

I'm unfortunately going to quit at 14% while I'm ahead. Unfortunately this book is taking way to long to go anywhere and constantly hearing about the main character's love for her husband without moving the plot is growing tiresome. The premise sounded interesting, but unless a book like this starts out with a banger, or goes somewhere quickly it will lose my interest every time..

[Kristy Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is told in first person by Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt, the wife of investor Nicholas Roosevelt, who embarked on a steamship from Pittsburgh to New Orleans eight months pregnant with a toddler, to prove that the power of steam could travel both down and up the Mississippi River. This is historical fiction inspired by real people and their historic journey. The boat descended the Ohio and Mississippi River from Pittsburgh to New Orleans in 14 days. Roosevelt navigated the New Orleans steamboat not only down the river but back in places to show that travel back up the river was possible with steam. Prior to this time, boats descended the river and traveler’s road by horseback or carriage back upriver.

I switched between the ebook and audiobook while reading this story. The audiobook was narrated by Jessica Marchbank. This was my first audiobook listen by this narrator and I found her voice for the main character to be compelling, genuinely guiding me through the story in an absorbing manner.

I enjoyed parts of this story. The beginning setting the scene read slow for me. While I enjoyed the introduction of the characters, the first half of the book was a little heavy on Lydia’s pregnancy, subsequent childbirth, parenting and other people’s opinions on those subjects and how Lydia was doing it wrong. However, she was determined in her path and would let no one, including her husband at times, dissuade her.

Once the book moved into adventures with the steamship, I was very intrigued by the harrowing events of river travel, especially at that time since I was unfamiliar with the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812. Lydia’s rah-rah attitude concerning her older husband was at times inspiring and others annoying. She was determined to remain at his side no matter the cost or danger. She did at times make other decisions about their children. Mothers with high-risk jobs will probably relate to Lydia.

While I admit that I probably would have enjoyed this historical adventure more from the point of view of Nicholas, others may enjoy Lydia’s strong female character in supporting her husband and raising her children all the while jumping in where needed to aid the success of the project and defying conventions of the time.

Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Books, and HighBridge Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

[Cally Neal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to read this story about the steamboat that traveled from my hometown of Pittsburgh to New Orleans. Seeing all the familiar geographical names in the beginning was cool. That’s kind of where the cool ended for me though. The story was extremely repetitive but it was also hard to keep track of the timeline.
The story took place over several months but there were no dates or indications in the shift of time. Maybe adding some sentences like “weeks later” or “after a month…”. The way it was written made it seem as if everyone was happening in a continuous timeline.
In regards to the repetitive nature, there were a lot of repeating themes but no real character development. Lydia was the same person she was when they departed sans having another child. The amount of times I had to read “I love this man” or “I need my husband” throughout this book was overkill. There was also a lot of repetition about how much her dad disliked her husband and how demanding the investors were.
I also found some of the writing to be quite elementary and simple.
I took longer to read this book than most of the other ones I read because it just really wasn’t intrigued. There was no build and no climax and then the book was simply over.
Not my favorite

[The History Mom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when historical fiction opens up a new world to me. Diane C. McPhail’s new book, Follow the Stars Home, does just that.

Lydia is an intrepid adventurer who longs to be with her husband as they pilot the first steamboat to traverse the Mississippi River in 1811. With a toddler and baby on the way, Lydia ignores social norms and well-meaning advice, taking the children on the months-long journey with unknown dangers lurking around every bend of the river. From earthquakes to Native Americans, Lydia and her family must battle the elements and their own fear to achieve greatness.

I love books where women break out of the mold expected of them and defy societal norms to follow their heart. Lydia is a formidable woman - taught to be that way by her famous father, Benjamin Latrobe - and her intellect and skill shines brightly throughout the book. I enjoyed the interactions between her and her little family, especially her daughter. I cannot imagine taking a toddler on a boat down the Mississippi in modern times, much less in the early 19th century! And to start the trip eight months pregnant, knowing you would have to give birth along the way seems foolhardy but also brave.

McPhail’s writing shines in the small scenes with great historical details and the exciting scenes of near-death and danger. I felt like I was riding on the boat with them, smelling the thick smoke and seeing the wide-eyed settlers pass by on the shoreline. As the first steamboat down the Mississippi, I can only imagine how scary it must have been for those who saw it go by.

I enjoyed getting to know Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt and believe her story should be one that every American should study! What an amazing woman!

Thanks to BookBrowse, NetGalley, and the publisher for my ARC.

[Sarah - Lifeofabookqueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you BiblioLifestyle Kensington Publishing and High Bridge Audio for the #gifted ARC and ALC to feature and review.

One of my favorite things is to read about historical events or people in a fictionalized way. Teach me the past but do it in a way that feels like entertainment. Follow the Stars Home is exactly like that.

Expect 👉🏼 1800’s, Historical Reimagining, the first river steamboat journey

Lydia is 8 months pregnant and has a toddler. But that won’t stop her from joining her adventurous husband on a dangerous journey down the Mississippi River in the first steamboat River journey that changed the shape of the Americas.

I cannot imagine taking on a trip like this even without being pregnant. The dangers they encountered on the river and off the river were perilous and the already healthy respect I had for people who lived then, increased exponentially.

Lydia balanced being a mother, a wife, a lady in charge and a supporter of her husband in the most graceful way. She was a magnificent character and I absolutely loved this story.

Jessica Marchbank did a fantastic job narrating this book and giving voice to Lydia’s incredible character.

4.5/5

[Terry Booth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting story of The New Orleans, the first paddle boat on the Mississippi and its survival of the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually enjoy historical fiction and didn’t mind the writing style, but this book felt flat. The characters lacked depth, and the constant back-and-forth over the children and repetitive praise of the father or husband grew tiresome. By the end, the only character I cared about was the dog.
It's a 2 star read for me but I give it another star for the research that was done for the book.

[Candi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historical fiction that is very interesting as certain events actually did take place in history. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what the heck was going on. Lydia Latrobe was a very strong character and woman. She was fearless and brave to embark on the experimental introduction of the first steamboat invented. The risk they took was unbelievable. I enjoyed reading this book.

Thank you Goodreads for the Advanced Readers Copy.

[A K · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to the lottery system at Goodreads that allowed me to win this book in a giveaway! 🫶 And the author and publishers for putting it up for giveaway, as well. (I think I’m legally required to say that? But even if I’m not, thank you)

I definitely think this book is helping me come to the conclusion that I definitely am not a fan of historical fiction- at least, not historical fiction from the 1800s. Because while I know that this book is based on events in real life, the choices some of these people make are so insane to me?

Lydia is like “oh, remember when my dad left and I was traumatized kind of? Well I’m going to make my DAUGHTER leave me to go on this carriage, and I’m gonna go ride this death boat, even though I know there’s a chance I could leave my children orphaned!!!” Like… HELLO?!?

Lydia is not admirable or someone worth reading about, in my personal opinion. She’s literally always talking about how “oh wow, normal women would never go on this boat, I’m so quirky!” and it’s still expected that the reader actually cares about her or her journey?

I just.. really did not care about anyone or anything in this book, which is a shame.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt clearly did not believe that adventures were things that happened to other people. Because she absolutely had her own adventures for her very own self, in spite of her gender, the times she lived in, the overwhelming number of naysayers, and that she was pregnant. On her second trip, she was, in fact, very, very pregnant.

Follow the Stars Home is a reimagining of her story, fictionalized so that it can be told from her perspective, as she accompanied her husband Nicholas Roosevelt on not one but two history making journeys from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. On her first journey in 1809, she traveled by barge and by flatboat, finishing up in a rowboat after a series of mishaps and outright disasters.

That trip was merely a scouting mission for the trip yet to come, the one that we get to take with her in 1811. The first successful attempt to conquer the Mississippi River with steam power. If their journey was successful – and it was – steamboats plying the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers would change the face of the fledgling United States with the speed of passage both down and UP the rivers against the current, for both passengers and especially – and profitably – cargo.

But the Roosevelts have to succeed to make that future possible. This is the story of that fantastic journey through territory the U.S. had yet to claim, on the way to a Manifest Destiny – for good and ill – that the Founding Fathers could only imagine.

All they have to do is keep the boat, their finances and their marriage off the rocks.

Escape Rating B+: Follow the Stars Home is a story about being in the rooms where it happened – even if those rooms are powering down the Mississippi at the then astonishing rate of 12 miles per hour – and then steaming back up again.

Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt is the kind of unsung heroine whose accomplishments should have been shouted to the skies, but who is instead reduced to merely ‘Nicholas Roosevelt’s wife’ in the accounts of their history making journeys.

Instead, at least according to this fictionalized account – and it’s the version I WANT to believe in – she was as much of a full partner in this venture as the times and social conditions allowed – if not just a bit more. She’s certainly a real-life historical figure that it would be fascinating to know more about. Because she didn’t just marry into history, she was born to it. Her father, Benjamin Latrobe, was the architect of the U.S. Capital and many other buildings in the new capital of the newly formed United States.

A father who did not approve of his daughter’s marriage to his own friend and fellow engineer, a man more than 20 years her senior. (It’s not so much the age gap that gives this reader pause, but rather that they became engaged when Lydia was only 13.Your mileage and your judgment on that subject may definitely vary.)

The story in Follow the Stars Home is one that should be wider known, and I was certainly thrilled to learn about Lydia and her place on both epic journeys and in history.

That being said, her perspective on the events as they happen – at least her fictional perspective on her current situation, past experiences and her misgivings about them both – was a bit more domestically focused than I would have preferred. I was there for the adventure, the journey itself, and for the changes that happened after.

I fully recognize that’s a ‘me thing’ and may not be a ‘you thing’. In fact, I believe that a LOT of readers will be all in on that domestic perspective, because it was clearly damn difficult to manage a household, keep her toddler Rosetta occupied and more importantly out of trouble, AND give birth to her second child – at a scheduled stop in Louisville and NOT actually ON the steamboat – as history was being made.

I came to Follow the Stars Home for the history, but I stayed for this terrific portrait of a female adventurer who just plain isn’t as widely known as she ought to be. I sincerely hope that this marvelous story helps bring Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt to the more prominent place in the historical record where she truly belongs.

Originally published at Reading Reality

[Book_withquotes · Rating 5 out of 5]

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First of all, thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing an arc of the book. This book will be released on 20th August 2024.

In 1811’s evolving America, Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt defies societal norms, boarding the steamship New Orleans, eight months pregnant and with a toddler, for a groundbreaking journey down the Mississippi. Her architecturally astute mind meets the colossal challenges of this perilous odyssey, challenging the status quo and reshaping the nation’s destiny. In a captivating reimagining of historical defiance, this lush biographical novel unveils Lydia’s unwavering spirit, weaving a narrative of courage, ambition, and transformation against the tumultuous backdrop of an emerging United States.

The writer’s craft in the book exhibits a distinctive and evocative style that navigates seamlessly between metaphorical introspection and poignant personal narratives. Throughout the book, the author skillfully weaves together broader reflections on memory and life with intimate personal experiences. The exploration of memory as a meandering river that transports both significant and trivial fragments, while sometimes muddying clarity, adds a layer of complexity to the narrative.

Lydia’s character, portrayed with depth and resilience, becomes a beacon of inspiration, challenging norms and steering the course of a nation’s destiny. The lush storytelling and meticulous historical reimagining make this novel a compelling exploration of an overlooked female adventurer and her indelible impact on the canvas of American history. This biographical novel promises to be an engaging and thought-provoking read, inviting readers to embark on a journey that transcends the boundaries of time, leaving an indelible mark on the pages of both individual lives and the nation’s history.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly fascinating historical novel about two little-discussed (or perhaps forgotten) related episodes of United States history. In 1811, Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt and her husband Nicholas set sail from Pittsburgh on the first steam-fired side wheeled paddle boat, the New Orleans, on a voyage that would prove the viability of such ships in increasing and modernizing trade on the Mississippi River.

Lydia was the daughter of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the architect of the U.S. Capitol Building. She had an avid interest in architecture and mechanical processes. She fell in love with Nicholas Roosevelt, an inventor friend and colleague of her father, who was considerably older than her, and eventually they wore down her father's objections to their age difference and married.

Lydia and Nicholas spent their 1809 honeymoon on a flatboat barge traveling from Pittsburgh, PA to Natchez, MS, and then on to New Orleans. Lydia was heavily pregnant.

There next adventure was the one that is the center of this novel. Lydia was pregnant with her second child. Aboard their boat, Nicholas's invention, a very large one for its time, they encountered natural hazards like foul weather, and superstitious people on the riverbanks who were frightened to see and hear their craft, since 1811 was the year of the Great Comet, an astronomical phenomenon that was visible for months. Once they reached the vicinity of present-day Cairo, IL, they encountered foul air and other unusual weather conditions, culminating in what became known as the New Madrid earthquakes, the largest seismic events to strike North America east of the Rockies.

The earthquakes and aftershocks occurred in a series over two months. The events were so powerful that it temporarily reversed the course of the Mississippi River, destroyed the town of New Madrid and other settlements, and caused untold damage. It could be felt across a vast area, and the Roosevelts traveled through the midst of it.

Author Diane McPhail does a marvelous job of describing the events of the voyage, and makes Lydia, in particular, come alive on the pages. The reading experience is nearly cinematic, and not to be missed.

[Lauren Merry Vale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.

I think if I had known before I started reading that the book was, essentially, written in "diary" format, I would have gotten along better with the book. The book should have day/date headings on the chapters to allow readers to understand its construct sooner. Eventually in the book I realized that we were moving along sequentially, day by day, and we were reading Lydia's thoughts as though she were writing in a diary -- which explained the slowness, the minutiae. As other reviewers noted, many of Lydia's thoughts are indeed repetitive -- about her kids, her husband, her worries about the pregnancy and birth, finances, etc. -- but if I think of this book as a fictionalized diary, I can be more forgiving of this mundane-ness, the repetition of her thoughts. I mean: most journals and diaries are full of such repeated worries, phrases, thoughts.

If this book were explicitly presented as a fictionalized "travel diary," I think it would disappoint fewer readers.

But I also think: this was an amazing journey and an amazing historical thing that she and her husband did -- but the "wow" factor did not come across on the page. And, like so many works of historical fiction I've read in which women are central characters, it's so frustrating that the authors can't figure out how to give their characters AGENCY. I wanted her to do more than decorate the stateroom or fuss over the kids, for god's sake. Reading a whole book about a woman who, essentially, supported her husband while he did all the important things -- that's not satisfying.

But still, for readers of historical women's fiction who like a slow, quiet, diary-like novel, this would be a great fit for you.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

A welcome trend in historical fiction is to present little-known figures who play significant roles in history. Development of the steam engine included women such as as Lydia Roosevelt, daughter of an architect and married to man very much her senior. She shared the work with her husband through experimental travel on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.
This book is billed as a re-imagined story of their most important voyage. By re-imagining Lydia, the book creates a character dedicated to the work and her family and a determined colleague to her husband. It is written almost as a diary, detailing daily problems and solutions.
The novel contains an interesting story, but the repetition of affectionate displays between the husband and wife quickly became a bit tiresome. It is true that Lydia Roosevelt began the voyage while eight months pregnant and with a young daughter as well and faced many challenges. While the voyage, its successes and difficulties provided the core of the story, the daily family life and the affection continually expressed were prominent and without much emotional depth.
I would recommend this book for general readers who would like to learn about a little-known part of history but also remind readers that it is a re-imagining of the character and not a biographical retelling.

[Imani · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love historical women’s fiction and stories about those often forgot throughout history, but Follow the Stars Home fell flat in a lot of ways for me.

This story about Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt, a woman who was surrounded by men that were integral to the infrastructure of America (her father the lead architect on The Capital building in DC; her husband the engineer behind modern day steamboats), had a lot of promise as it chronicles her journey from Pittsburgh to New Orleans in her husbands new invention. Unfortunately, the story was a little bit too slow paced and repetitive for me. I also think we lost a lot by having the novel in memoir style especially historical context about marginalized folks during that time (expansion to the west and its impact on indigenous folks; the institution of slavery as the story moved south).

This was a book I was, unfortunately, dragging my feet on finishing as I lost interest pretty early on. I do think this may have been in part due to the narration, so I’d maybe give it another chance in a physical copy. Although it was a bit too one-dimensional for my liking, the writing was great so I’m sure there will be those who love this book. It just was not for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Perrin Larton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy when historical fact is woven into a fictional story. Follow the Stars Home by Ms. McPhail, gave me that fact/fiction vibe.

This story of Lydia, a young pregnant woman with her much older husband, Nicolas with their toddler, making their way from Pittsburgh to New Orleans in his newly designed steamship. Most everyone thought it couldn't be done and blasted Lydia and Nicolas for putting themselves and their child in danger. Such things happen when someone has a new idea...

Told in the first person, this read like a diary of what Lydia was thinking and what was going on around her. The issues in the book, the birth of their baby, a need to charge for tours of the boat, the river not rising, the possibility of Indian attacks, and the New Madrid earthquake were all told and many of the stories piqued my interest so much that after finishing this book, I took some time to see what was fact and what was fiction! I like a book that makes me think!~

On the downside, was the repetitive dialogue and actions by Lydia. It seemed there was always a crisis, she would talk about it and worry about it, then Nicolas would talk her down.

All in all a book that told me something I hadn't known before.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished the audiobook version of Follow the Start Home by Diane C. McPhail.

This book is a fictional account of Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt, a woman who at the time was married, 8 months pregnant, and with toddler in tow, and despite all of this joined her husband in riding the steamship to New Orleans. This was a rather demonized mode of transportation, and many people did not trust it.
Through the book, we learn about the many challenges that had to be faced on this journey, as well as of the relationship between the women, men, and children on the ship. We learn about the risk of fire and explosion, as well as the forces of nature such as massive earthquakes and of the Mississippi actually flowing backwards as a result.

This is a very wholesome account of these people in their time. Domesticity looms large through the main characters, and nursing mothers and childcare play a large part in the book, as does some dealing with past traumas.

I would recommend this book to those looking for a more gentle read, and to learn about factual events that happened in America's past, particularly as the country (and technology) expanded.

The narration was pretty good as well.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance audiobook version of this book.

[Kim McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A momentous adventure story based in truth full of uncharted territory and danger in untested waters. An enthusiastic steamship inventor and his family undertake the voyage of a lifetime as they embark on the maiden voyage of their steamship on the mighty Mississippi the full length ending in New Orleans in 1811. Lydia Roosevelt is very pregnant and along with their toddler daughter make this journey with unwavering faith that her husband's ship will make the voyage showing the world what is possible and wowing investors and travelers along the way. This journey would have been arduous for anyone but they weathered hostile people, waterfalls, earthquakes and countless other dangers while Lydia remained at her husband's side. This is an adventure story with a rugged determined woman at its center. Diane C. McPhail does an admirable job balancing the extreme danger with the joy of discovering what was just around the bend and experiencing it with the ones you love at your side. If Mark Twain were a woman this is the story they would have penned. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

[Tabitha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of Lydia Roosevelt and the first steamboat journey down the Mississippi River. Lydia assisted her husband in designing the steamboat. She joined him on the first journey. The trip was intended to prove a steamboat could navigate the river. The story is narrated by Lydia. We experience the journey through her eyes - a young mother determined to be with her husband.
The author vividly captures the harrowing and exciting journey. The crew had to contend with dangerous waterfalls, towns that supported them and people who were afraid of them. During the trip, an unprecedented earthquake hit whose aftershocks lasted weeks.
The author did brought to like what boat travel was like in the early 1800s. The Mississippi was the western edge of the US. Indian Territory was on the other side. She depicted how remote and rural parts of the Mississippi was and how groundbreaking the journey was. She also captured the intensity of the earthquakes and how they reshaped the river and the land.
I enjoyed Lydia. The author gave a real sense of what it must have been like for a young mother in a wild and uncertain part of the land.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Follow the Stars Home is a historical biography tale told through the narrative of Lydia Roosevelt as she and her family journeyed from Pittsburgh to New Orleans in the first steamboat to navigate the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.

The first half of the the book struggled to engage me. The voice of Lydia was hard to relate to. There is a lot of exposition describing her love of her husband, her father's disapproval, and their previous journey down the rivers. While some of the information was helpful to establish how they got to this point in their lives, most of it was very repetitive and felt like fluff to pad the story.

The second half of the book was far more engaging as it detailed challenge after challenge that they faced when natural disasters strike and everything they once knew has changed. Some parts were gripping and you could feel the emotions coming through.

The ending felt a bit abrupt but overall it was a decent read and I'm thankful to Kensington Publishers, Goodreads, and the Between the Chapters Bookclub for the Advance Reader's Copy. If you enjoy history and experiencing real events, I'm sure you'll enjoy this book.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow The Stars Home by Diane C McPhail is a fantastic historical fiction about the first steamboat the New Orleans and it's maiden voyage from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. The story is told from the viewpoint of Lydia Roosevelt, who braves the journey while nine months pregnant with a toddler, all to support her husband's vision. Lydia is a strong formidable woman who stands up to her father and to society's view to not only help and advise her husband but to travel the adventurous and treacherous river with him. She steps out of societal expectations to prove that she is a vital to her husband and to their voyage as he is.
The story was a bit repetitive at times but it was very informative. I was aware of the steamboat and it's voyage but I was not aware that it occurred at the same time as the earthquake of 1812. Follow The Stars Home brought to life a part of history in a wonderful story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will try my best here to be perfectly honest. I was browsing the giveaways and this book piqued my interest despite not being my usual genre. I love fantasy, supernatural, sci-fi- something other, something not of this world. I was so excited to have received a copy and took a break from a book I was loving to give this the fair shot it deserved.
It started off really ramble-y. I found myself trying to read faster and faster to get through it. There were a few moments I was happy to get to and I found myself enjoying it, but I've just been forcing myself through this for the past few days. All that has gotten me is halfway through a book I can't imagine forcing myself through any further.
If you love the ramblings of a pregnant woman in a historical setting, have at it. You'll enjoy it, but personally as a woman with no interest in having my own children and having my own ambitions outside of being a wife, reading this has been a chore.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love this author, as a person and a writer, but something went wrong with this novel. It is a rambling account of the first ship's passage down the Mississippi River from a woman's perspective. This book unerringly turns to this fact over and over again throughout the pages. I found this book to be redundant, running the reader around and around in a cyclical wave of nothingness. The backstory changes as the book progresses as well, with the MC angry and bitter towards her father, then nostalgic and loving towards him ( in the past tense.) African=-American characters are given short shrift, appearing as slaves that drop in and out of the story. Ironically, these characters have more to show the readers than the main characters do. But not much "showing" goes on at all. It is mostly "telling," the same thing over and over again. I do not recommend this book, and the editor needed to look at this one a little more closely before sending it out, IMHO.

[Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow the Stars Home by Diane C. McPhail is an inspiring reimagining of the true story of Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt who bravely defied her father to marry inventor Nicholas Roosevelt and travel with him on an untested steamboat down the Mississippi River. Not just an arduous journey by being a new form of transit, but heavily pregnant and with a toddler in tow

McPhails account is engaging and illustrative, creating a fascinating story of resilience, independance and celebrating the spirit of adventure despite a multitude of challenges and risks. A very interesting read and just the right balance between the facts and fictionalisation

Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Books, (A John Scognamiglio Book) and the author Diane C McPhail for this fascinating ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

[Emm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow the Stars Home tells the story of Lydia Roosevelt who goes aboard the first steamboat voyage across the Mississippi River with her husband Nicholas and their two children.

Rating:4.5 stars ⭐️

I would first like to thank Kensington Books for sending me a copy of Follow the Stars Home.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had many things that I love in historical fiction such as action and a little bit of romance.

I loved the characters and their relationships. Lydia was written so well and I felt for her the whole time I was reading. I loved how her relationship with Nicholas was shown.

I thought the writing was very poetic in some places. The voice matched the time period well.

I recommend checking this book out if you are interested in historical fiction and/or women’s fiction.

[LeeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories of boat journeys along America's wild waterways have always fascinated me. From rafts on the Mississippi to steamboat on the Missouri to kayaks on the rapids of the Colorado, I love finding novels of these unique adventures.

Follow the Stars Home is a perfect choice. And I hadn't heard this tale before, so bonus points for that.

I loved Lydia, her love of family and architecture, but especially her love of the rivers.

"Memory meanders however it will, in its own directions, serving functions entirely its own. Like this river I so strangely love, it may transport bits and pieces, both large and small for long distances, strange items long submerged bobbing now and then to the surface of awareness... Memory is like that..."

McPhail's writing style is lovely and flowing, much like the river.

[Nancy Cormier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow the Stars Home by Diane C. McPhail is an unusual historical novel as it is written in first period point of view of the wife. It is the historical voyage of the New Orleans steamboat designed by Nicholas Roosevelt. What is surprising is that he took his 8 month pregnant wife and toddler with him down the Mississippi River in 1811-1812. Most people think of Mark Twain's paddleboats being the first but that is not the case. During this journey, the most violent earthquakes ever happened. This is lost information. The New Madrid quakes lasted about four months. This new design steamboat could go in reverse, the first of its kind. The impact on travel, commerce and trade because of this new invention also contributed and enabled westward expansion of America.

A must read are the discussion questions at the end of the book as it further explains details.