An Orphan’s Story

by Cathy Sharp

A sweeping, epic tale of a young boy’s journey to find home…

Following the death of his beloved father, Arthur is sent to Canada for safety with a group of evacuees on the eve of the Second World War. Alone and afraid, plagued with sea sickness, and an unknown future, he can't imagine things getting any worse.

Far from what he feared, Arthur is welcomed with warmth and kindness. But even on the other side of the world, the war can’t be escaped and before long, his new family are touched by it too.

Faced with another dramatic change in his life, everything starts to change again for Arthur. Will he find himself alone once more, or can he hold on to the love and happiness that he always dreamed of?

Genres: Historical Fiction

384 pages, Paperback

Published March 18, 2025

About the author

Cathy Sharp is happily married and lives with her husband in a small Cambridgeshire village. They like visiting Spain together and enjoy the benefits of sunshine and pleasant walks, while at home they love their garden and visiting the Norfolk seaside.

Cathy loves writing because it gives pleasure to others, she finds writing an extension of herself and it gives her great satisfaction. Cathy says, 'There is nothing like seeing your book in print, because so much loving care has been given to bringing that book into being.'

Reviews

[Beccabeccabooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Orphan's Story focuses on Arthur, a sensitive little boy who weighs the world on his shoulders.

When his father is killed in an explosion at the docks, Arthur's Mum couldn't cope anymore, eventually dying herself. Arthur was placed in an orphanage, alongside many other children, until he was shipped to Canada to be adopted.

Whilst Arthur loved his new mum, Emily, he was uncertain that it was reciprocated. Arthur was right to distrust the new dad, Kenneth and before long, he and his adopted mum were left in a dreadful position, with the only reasonable solution being to return to England so Emily could take care of her ailing aunt.

Their return was less than ideal. The effects of the war hit them hard, Arthur was often left at home by himself so his mum could provide for them and consequently, Arthur began to become frightened even more about things that little boys should not have to worry about, including security, love, food and warmth. Even when things began to start looking up, it only took one bit of bad news for it all to turn wrong again.

Arthur is left in a terrible position before long and there's no one around to help him. Not going to lie, but this part of the story made me incredibly anxious. All I wanted was to jump right in and take care of him.

All you can really do is hope for an ideal outcome with tales like these. One such does occur, but the development takes a while. At the same time, a middle-aged couple, Harry and Rose Smith have left London to work at one of the military factories in Sussex, where they encounter Emily and Arthur. Harry and Rose are immediately drawn to Arthur, but the powers of be won't allow them to take him under their wing... not yet.

This wartime story will tug at your heartstrings constantly. It's a highly emotional journey for all involved. The trials and tribulations of wartime are ever so real, placing you into a time of uncertainty and stress.

Spanning two continents and a well-written cast, An Orphan's Story is more character than plot-driven. Whilst I did learn that this is part of a wider universe, I felt prior knowledge wasn't needed. Still, I look forward to reading the other book that sets up Arthur's tale properly.

An amazing 5🌟

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 * What a sad but lovely story of a young boy who loses his parents and the trials he goes through with adoption during the Second World War. Adopted in Canada and having to travel to England and the misfortune he has to endure. At times it’s a bit twee and unrealistic with some of the outcomes but who cares, I liked it. It brought a couple of tears to my eyes.

[Heather Copping · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young Arthur is just a boy of nearly six and sent off to Canada after his father died following a terrible accident on the docks, his mum has told him that there was an explosion when they had been loading ammunition onto a boat. Then a lady had come from the council and he was taken away, first to an Orphanage then onto a house and attached shop and he was told that his mum had died and was now in heaven with his dad. But things didn't work out in Canada and after two years his "new mum" was evicted from her house and shop and before long Arthur is on his way back to England packing everything they owned into big tea chests and only taking a small suitcase each. Arthur was worried that they might be attacked on the journey over, but Emily told him it would be fine and they would soon be living in Hastings, a seaside town in Sussex. They make the journey over safely and arrive in Hastings to find her aunt in hospital after suffering a burst appendix. They help out at the fish and chips shop, but things don't go as planned, and Emily is left with sorting out her aunt's effects and more money worries. Arthur certainly needs someone to love and love him back, but in the middle of WW2 , are there enough arms to go around and give him the hugs he so deserves.

This is a lovely historical fiction story, with plenty of emotion and drama, it is set in both Canada and England, and you just can't help but care about Arthur and how he will get by during the dark days of WW2.
I was captivated by this story from the very beginning and couldn't put it down.
A five-star read from me.

#HarperCollinsPublishers
#AnOrphan'sStory
#Netgalley

[Sue Sykes · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s was lovely to catch up with Arthur's story from his original journey to Canada on the ship that took him and his new friends Julie and Beth.
The story follows Arthur with his new family and the decisions made that see Arthur and his adoptive mum going back to England., and the struggles they have when the get there. When a terrible accident happens Arthur feels deserted and scared.
Such a lovely read and looking forward to the next catch up with these amazing children .
My thanks as always to NetGalley and to Publisher HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | HarperCollins for the early read.

[Brenda Rollins · Rating 4 out of 5]

“An Orphan’s Story”, is an emotionally driven story, it wholeheartedly resonates the turbulence of World War II. Children were forced to evacuate to places unknown, it was sheer pandemonium for these innocent children. Arthur was placed on a ship and transported to Canada, his father’s death freshly ingrained in his memory. Safety was front and centre for these evacuees. He was not alone in that regard, many innocent souls were evacuated at that time, each coming with their own set of problems, feeling like outsiders and ridden with fear. Arthur is placed into the care of his new mom and dad Emily and Ken, which poses a whole set of problems and challenges for Arthur. This book explores themes of family, loss and how past experiences shape future relationships. Arthur will capture your heart, he is just the sweetest boy.

Arthur yearns for a family, someone who will love and nurture him and keep him safe, to protect him. Children have this profound need for a human connection to build upon, in order to heal and biology isn’t always necessary, but trust is an integral component and so is love. So many children feel lost in a world they really can’t comprehend, it’s like being lost at sea. It’s a wartime story with an emotional journey between England and Canada in very unstable times.

I will be the first to admit that I found the first half of the book to be bland and slow moving, but the second half made up for that. The point of views from Arthur and Rose eventually connect. It was an emotional and compelling story, but it wasn’t overly gripping considering the historical context. That being said, Cathy Sharp weaves a very real story of love, loss, friendship and dives into personal feelings in surreal settings and I thoroughly enjoyed the references to Nova Scotia, it gave the book a homey vibe. The ending was bittersweet.

[Jen | jenofbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart warming story about a young boy trying to find his place in the world.

Arthur is sent off to Canada during WW2 after the death of his father. We follow his journey as he navigates his new life and experiences further changes in circumstances a long the way.

Poor Arthur sure does go through a lot! This is the first book I've read by Cathy Sharp and she kept me gripped from the very start. I needed to know what happened to Arthur and this kept me turning the pages.

We come across the stories of a number of different couples, all linked to Arthur in some way in the present or future. One of these couples is Rose Parker and Harry Smith. The novel is split between the point of view of Arthur and Rose. At first, I found it a bit jarring to be taken away from the main story of Arthur, but I really started to enjoy the segments including Rose and Harry and looked forward to seeing their chapters.

The motivations of the characters really drove the story forward. They were all well thought out with fleshed out back stories and I was interested in reading about each one of them.

I really enjoyed the book overall. I will definitely keep an eye out for more from Cathy Sharp in the future and would recommend this to anyone interested in historical dramas.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arthur Henderson shipped out to Canada from the orphanage in London
The year is 1943 and he is adopted by Ken and Emily but after Ken joins up to fight in the war Emily finds she is left with debts so sails back with Arthur to England will she leave so he is alone again?
This book is full of the hardship and loss of a little boy that brings tears to your eyes reading, very moving, emotional read. You will just want to take Arthur into your arms and give him the life he deserves.
Absolutely lovely.

[Dustybookjackets · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟

In this poignant tale, we follow a young boy named Arthur, who endures the heart-wrenching loss of his parents during the Second World War. His arduous journey takes him from Canada to England, navigating the complexities of adoption. While the plot may have some sentimental elements, Arthur's story resonates deeply.

Each chapter immerses readers in a blend of sorrow, hope, and resilience, often bringing tears as we share in his struggles and triumphs. Set against a world at war, this beautifully crafted historical fiction evokes raw emotion and dramatic tension, highlighting Arthur’s longing for belonging and the friendships he forms.

From the first page, I was captivated by his heartfelt journey, unable to set the book aside.

[Caroline Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and heart warming story that’s hard to put down even after it’s finished. I want more! I loved Arthur and longed to jump through the pages and give him a hug.

[Julie Homer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely read I think reading the lost evacuee would be best choice as they run the story together I love these and hope there’s more 5* to Cathy Sharp

[Bronwyn Rykiert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad wartime story.

[Lesley Puncher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sequel to the Lost Evacuee.
I listened to the Audiobook and thought the narrators Canadian accent was poor.