The Lost Orphan

Orphans

by Pam Weaver

The highly anticipated sequel to USA Today bestseller, The Runaway Orphans


Three sisters torn apart by war. Can fighting for peace bring them together again?



December 1941: Evacuated from the threat of German bombs, sisters Amelie and Mireille have grown up under the storm clouds of war.


Now they have joined the fight against Hitler, with Amelie training as a nurse to save wounded soldiers, and Mireille enlisted to help the Air Force wage war in the skies over Europe.



But as each sister fights for peace, they are still haunted by the memory of their missing sister who was snatched away from them at the beginning of the war.



As Mireille is recruited for a special forces role behind enemy lines in France, she puts her life on the line for the Allies. But could she also finally have a chance of reuniting her sisters, once the war is over?



A heart-breaking tale of the bond between sisters and the courage of young women in the darkest days of WWII. Perfect for fans of Shirley Dickson, Glynis Peters and Pam Jenoff, this novel will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.




If you loved The Runaway Orphans by Pam Weaver, then don’t miss this next chapter in the sisters’ story!



Readers adore Pam Weaver:
‘Spellbinding. Once you start reading you don’t want to put it down. It is emotional and your heart will go out to these children… I loved it. I couldn’t put it down’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Read this book in ONE sitting… Heartbreak, love… A story to lift your heart. Wonderful’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘Impossible to put down once I started it. It was heart-breaking and heart-warming all at the same time’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘A very emotional book… Had me in tears… Excellent 5*’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘So emotional that will touch your heart… A wonderful atmospheric journey… I enjoyed every single chapter ’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘Gripping and emotional… Once I started it, I didn't want to put it down and read it in two sittings’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II

386 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 3, 2023

About the author

After training as a Nursery Nurse in the 1960’s, I worked in children’s Homes, private day nurseries and as a Hyde Park nanny. My experiences are in Bath Times & Nursery Rhymes which became a Sunday Times best-seller.

I started writing in 1990’s with small magazines and specialist publications, finally branching out into the women’s magazine market in 2001. I have since written more than 200 articles and at least 150 short stories. They’ve been in Take A Break Fiction Feast, Woman’s Weekly Fiction Special, Weekly News, My Weekly and People’s Friend. Some have been in anthologies with the proceeds going to charity. The Fantastic Bubble was repeated on BBC Radio 4 and the World Service.
My novels are set in Worthing; There’s Always Tomorrow (2011) Better Days Will Come (2012), Pack Up Your Troubles (2013), For Better For Worse (2014), are all published by HarperCollins Avon. Blue Moon (2015) & Love Walked Right In (2016) are published by Pan Macmillan. I also have a couple of novellas on Kindle. Emily’s Christmas Wish (2015) and Amy’s Wartime Christmas will be released in October 2016

If you are looking for murder mystery and intrigue in a saga… look no further!

Reviews

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1941: Sisters Amelie and Mireille Osborne have grown up, they still keep in contact with their foster parents Norah and Jim Kirkwood, they live in Worthing and it’s on the South Coast of England. Amelie is training to be a nurse and Mireille joined the WAAF's and they still haven’t been able to locate their younger sister Linnet.

Amelie and Mireille are both very wary of men due to how they were treated by their nasty step-father and he’s made it difficult for them to find Linnet. Amelie meets Bob Kane an orderly as the hospital, he’s good looking and charming, and Amelie falls under his spell and Mireille gets angry with Norah and refuses to contact her.

Mireille can speak French, she's approached to train as a Special Forces Executive, Mireille passes and is dropped into France. Her main role is to support and encourage the French people to resist the Germans. Of course once she’s in France, she has to do more, she sends radio messages to London, she’s aware the average life span of pianist is six weeks and her family in England have no idea where she is.

Living on the West Coast of England, everyone is aware troop numbers are building up, ready for the big push, nurses like Amelie are told to be ready, the Germans are losing ground in France and this makes things harder for the French people and Mireille

I received a copy of The Lost Orphan by Pam Weaver from Avon Books UK and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and it’s the sequel to The Runaway Orphans. I like stories where I get to catch up with familiar and memorable characters and this is perfect series and book for readers who enjoy historical fiction sagas.

It gives you a realistic idea of what it was like to live in England and France during the Second World War and the challenges people faced. A narrative about war, evacuees, how difficult it was at the time to find someone missing, sisters and the bond between them, danger and secrets. Also the story has a strong emphasis on showing kindness and helping others and sticking together during hard times and never giving up hope. Five stars from me and I highly recommend both, The Runaway Orphans and The lost Orphan and I like Pam Weaver’s style of writing.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Lost orphan’ by Pam weaver is the sequel to ‘The Runaway Orphans’ and like its predecessor it does not disappoint.
We are back with the girls Amelie and Mireille. Linnet is still missing and with the help of friends the girls are trying to find her. Amelie is now training to be a nurse and has a boyfriend Bob who is porter in the hospital where she works. He has a posh accent, but he is keeping secrets and it is soon revealed. Mireille had an argument with foster parents Norah and Jim, so she decides to do her bit for the war and joins the Special forces which soon leads her to France.
This is another fabulous read from Pam Weaver showing not only the physical hardships during the war but also the emotional ones. This has issues of Abuse, controlling, but good times with family relationships and love. I couldn’t put this down and I can’t wait to read the continuation of this story. 5 stars from me.

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy Pam Weaver's books and this one was very good. Set in the second world war in Worthing it had everything going for it. Another winner. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Lydia Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank your to Avon books for the ARC copy of this book. Ingenious plot lines follow sisters Mireille & Amelie as they work their way through the war, all the time searching for their younger sister. I really enjoyed the wartime settings in Sussex & France & the interesting storylines but I found the sheer amount of characters & the speed of the various plots rather confusing & hard to keep up with. The last third of the book was exciting though & kept me turning the pages- a good ending ….although perhaps a little corny for the final line!

[Susan P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Follow-up to The Runaway Orphan, this book retained all the characters and storylines from the first book and then added so many more people and plots that I hardly cared about any of them.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

An impulse pick at the library, this book is a saga set in WWII, with a misleading title as the "lost orphan" didn't feature at all! The characters were fairly stereotypical, the "good" were good, and the bad were "bad!", and there wasn't many surprises in the storyline. It follows another book but it's easy enough to pick up the story, so nothing is missed by not reading the first book.
An easy read, great for the commute but fairly forgettable. 3 stars is probably a bit generous but it's better than a 2. However I'm unlikely to go searching out further books by this author.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during WWII England, The Lost Orphan by Pam Weaver is a simultaneously beautiful and heart bruising story about family, loss, sorrow, perseverance and hope. It is the second in this series...I wonder what is in store next?

Sisters Mireille and Amelie are despairing the disappearance of their sister, Linnet. The war changes everything and people live in fear with severe restrictions. Death is sadly part of life and living is a very real struggle. Mireille is with the SOE and Amelie attends nursing school. Both experience harsh conditions and brokenness. They learn stunning news from their adoptive parents which has them reeling. They also have romantic interests.

The author's historical details are fascinating and very realistic. I particularly like the medical descriptions and the sisterly bond, though fraught with hardships.

My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this lovely novel.

[Alice Breiner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book club book for November!

I have never read a historical fiction book before and going into it, it wasn’t really my kind of thing. But as it went on I didn’t realise how attached to the characters I had become.

Even though I feel like the ending was rushed, I understand it’s based in the war and it’s meant to portray the unpredictable times back then.

I don’t really know what to say about this book apart from that it wasn’t unenjoyable and it just felt like I was getting a glimpse at what it would’ve been like back then to an extent. The fact that each character had their own things going on that we got to read about and it was about the stories of the side characters as well as the main sisters was something I definitely enjoyed.

I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys historical fiction although I think it’s the second in the series. I haven’t read the first book and I still enjoyed this one but I did feel like some of the references and the pasts of some of the characters did confuse me at points so maybe read the other book first.

[Gail Mead · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a heart-breaking story of three sisters and the bond and courage they had to survive in wartime .

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was SO good!

[Lou Webster · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a nice easy read. However, a few elements felt suddenly brushed over or rushed.

[Su Thor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. I had not realised when I picked it up that it was a sequel to a previous book, The Runaway Orphans. However, I quickly realised that the book I’d begun reading was the next instalment. Once again Pam Weaver engages the readers interest by the details she gives us about the characters. You immediately get the feeling that you too know these people intimately.
As with its prequel, Pam creates a story of good triumphing over evil, although this time we are kept waiting before we know for sure who the bad guy is. I also, loved the way that the two sisters characters are developed and how each show get courage and strength.
My hope is that there are plans for a third in the series where we learn more about the third sister, Linnet and what she has been upto in the life her step-father gave her.
Once you open this book, like the first, you can’t put it down until you have finished it. Thank you Pam Weaver for bringing this book to life, to Avon for publishing and for net galley offering the opportunity to read it. These views are all my own and I have freely given them.

[Allie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Covers every cliche of WW2, lacks depth of characters. A cosy read.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

WW2 Book Two the sequel to The runaway orphan, a very emotional read.

1941 Amelie a ward assistant and Mireille a WAAF both bridesmaids at Rene and Dan's wedding at St Matthews will they both get there in time. Sister Linnet is a big miss if only they knew where she was.
This book is full of secrets as we read and they unfold in the story to bring so much heartache along the way. So well planned out, a joy to read, I loved every bit till the end.

[Francisca den Otter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really nice sequel to the first book. This book picks up directly where part one left off, so I had to get into it, as who was who again? Norah and Jim and the sisters Mireille and Amélie (in book one her name first was Amy) I still knew them, but I lost the names of Norah's sister, her parents and mother-in-law, but after the first chapter I was completely back in!

At the end of the first book, the two sisters Mireille and Amélie have just lost their sister Linet. Not in the sense that she died, but their stepfather, after first sending her to a boarding school, had her evacuated abroad via CORB (The Children's Overseas Reception Board).

Between March and September 1940, 1,532 children were evacuated to Canada, 577 to Australia; 353 to South Africa and 202 to New Zealand. This is not fiction this really happened. So while children from Germany, among others, were coming to Britain, the British government was sending its own children, mostly orphans, to countries of the Commonwealth.

This is because their stepfather had informed the organisation that Linet's older sisters had died.
During the book, both sisters try to get more information from CORB after identifying themselves as Linet's sisters. Since this, of course, is not believed without a struggle, they have to make some efforts in this regard. This story, the search for Linet, is a running thread throughout the book.

But a lot more happens in the book. Mireille and Amélie both go to work, meet men who play a part in the story and Mireille joins the Special Forces and goes to France, she obviously speaks French so she is a fine asset to the service.

The story of the sisters is well paced, both have equal focus and go through a lot. The stories are not told separately, no in a single chapter we jump from France back to Britain and back again.

No more loose threads at the end of this book, everything comes to a nice ending.

Characters = 9 | Atmosphere = 9 | Writing Style = 9 | Plot = 8 | Intrigue = 9 | Logic = 8 | Enjoyment = 9 | Score 8,71 = 4 stars

[Trudy Dowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot going on in The Lost Orphan. I really had to pay attention in order to keep it all straight. My mum said there was a lot of that going on during the war, so I dug in and got glimpses into life in War torn England.

The story reminded me of the respect that those in the SOE earned and deserved. When Mireille decided to join the SOE everything changed for her. She couldn't tell anyone what she was doing. She just disappeared. She risked everything to help France. She trained long and hard knowing that most didn't make it past six weeks as a spy. Holy Moly were there some mind blowing moments. I knew I would be happy with the story's ending if she survived.

While Mireille was saving France her sister, Amelie, was training to be a nurse. My heart broke for her as her past met her present. It is a cruel world. Following alongside Amelie's training illustrated some of the injuries soldiers suffered. I couldn't help but wonder how were they able to save so many. I have a hard time imagining everything that was needed to care for the soldiers while at the same time the British subject needed saving as well.

The author gives the reader so many glimpses into wartime England and France. I was given so many things to look up, to research and understand within the story. My goal with each Historical Fiction novel I read is to learn. The Lost Orphan definitely succeeded. The story also reminded me that even in war there can me happiness and when you find it hold on for dear life and never let it go.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book of the sisters Mireille, Amélie and Linnet from this author but well integrated so that reading the first one is not entirely essential.

It's WW2 and war torn Britain impatiently waits for the United States to enter the war, Britain has been hammered, the only country to stand up to the Germans. Mireille and Amélie still live with Norah and Jim. However, due to their stepfather being imprisoned but now dead taking out legal orders on Lillian (Linnet) the two other girls have lost contact with their sister. The news of all the proceedings and letters has been held back by Norah, thinking in the best interests of the two sisters, however, it all blows up and Mireille leaves. She is eventually recruited as an SOE agent and is flown into France to assist the Resistance, both girls having lived in France and have good French language skills. 

Amélie on the other hand has her heart set on being a nurse and until she can start her course she is now a nurses’ aid of sorts. She meets a young man, Bob Kane but he is a nasty person and given her past physical trauma by her stepfather, life becomes complicated for her. When she reveals her past to him, he becomes violent and leaves her for dead after a beating for which he is caught and sent to prison, escapes but is killed for whom nobody grieves for.

Finally, after Mireille returns from France there is good news for the girls and Amélie, a new love interest.

This read brings to light sexual assault of minors by those entrusted in their care.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

December 1941: Evacuated from the threat of German bombing, sisters Amelie and Mireille have grown up over the storm clouds of war. Now they have joined the fight against Hitler, Amelie training as a nurse to save wounded soldiers, and Mireille enlisted to help the air force wage war over the skies of Europe. But as each sister fights for peace, they are still haunted by their missing sister who was snatched away from them at the beginning of the war. As Mireille is recruited for special forces role behind enemy lines in France, she puts her life on the line for the Allies. But could she have a chance of reuniting her sisters, once the war is over?

This story has been compassionately written. This is the sequel to The Runaway Orphans. Linnet is still missing. Amelie is training to be a nurse and Mireille is in the air force. Secrets are being kept and there's heartbreak. This is a hard book to put down. The characters are strong and likeable, the plotline is gripping in this well written book. We learn of the hardships and struggles war brought.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #PamWeaver for my ARC of #TheLastOrphan in exchange for an honest review.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lost Orphan by Pam Weaver is a powerful historical novel That I thoroughly enjoyed.
The action begins in Worthing in December 1941 and continues throughout the war. We follow two half French sisters who are searching for their younger sister. All three were orphans but unscrupulous lies see them separated.
Within a character, the past has consumed her. Shocking events from her childhood continue to haunt her. Facing her fears and sharing her past, has disastrous consequences, leaving her even more isolated. Love and kindness are needed for her to bud and blossom.
War sees everyone doing their bit. One sister is training to become a nurse. The other joins the S.O.E. and is posted to France, wanting to do her bit to liberate her mother country.
Life leaves scars. War leaves scars. “I have scars too. The only difference between us is that you can’t see mine.” Scars need love as a balm. When love blossoms, scars fade.
There is a wonderful community that cares and looks after its own. The love shines from the pages to encompass the reader.
We see the pain of not having children. We also witness the dilemma of a young mother whose heart has led her astray.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Orphan and read it in just two sittings. It is very entertaining.

[Eunice Chin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this second book in a series and meeting up again with Mireille, Amelie, Jim and Norah, among others. The time frame is during WWII, reflecting the lives of the people in Britian and how even women were motivated to do their part for the war effort, even to the point of endangering their own lives in resistance efforts, nursing and so on. A sly guy slips in to wreak some havoc - read and see what becomes of him.

Although this is meant as a historical fiction narrative, I appreciated that the author addresses certain combined emotions and issues as: fear, chaos, pathoes, friendships and family ties, revenge and forgiveness, abuse and more, creating a few 'hold-your-breath' moments. And, would they ever find that missing orphan?

A satisfying read earning 4 stars from me.

~Eunice C., May 2023~

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the comlimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

[Monica Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amelie and Mireille are young women who had been living with Norah and Jim Kirkwood, a kindly couple who were unable to have children of their own. There is a history for both of them with their stepfather and this trauma they endured has long-lasting repercussions for them.

It is difficult for both girls to have interactions with the opposite gender and Amelie finds herself attracted to the wrong man. She is still young though and she wants to train as a nurse.

On the other hand, Mireille has hardened her heart to men altogether and although her job in the WAAFs is rewarding, she is looking for a more exciting challenge in her life.

The lives of these young women are certainly very challenging and naturally enough, growing into adulthood during WWII adds to their difficulties.

Another cracker of a story by this author. I did feel the ending was a little bit rushed, but then again, I was fully invested in the story of Amelie and Mireille and I wanted the book to just keep on going :)

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

WWII, England. Two sisters were evacuated because of the bomb threat. Mireille goes to live with a very friendly couple who wish for their own children but have never had any. They welcome Mireille to their household and then her younger sister Amelie is also billeted at their home. Their youngest sister Linnet is still missing. Their mother died and they hated their step-father.

When Mireille discovers the woman whose home their are living in knew her step-father was convicted of treason and died several years earlier, she is shocked but what distresses her more is discovering he left her a letter that she was never given. Her step-father apparently told Linnet her sisters were dead and sent her to Canada. In anger, Mireille leaves and ends up joining the SOE. They send her to France to help organize the French Resistance fighters.

Amelie wants to be a nurse and as soon as she is old enough, she enters nursing. The story follows both young women as they manage the war years.

I did think the conclusion to the story was a bit rushed but I enjoyed the story.

[Lucy-Mae Beacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mireille and Amelie have both found there way to help with the war effort. But with family, relationships and their sister still missing, it’s not going to be easy to navigate.

This book was brilliant, I loved the first one and this one was just as good if not more riveting. With some real tear jerker moments and some real beautiful writing, this was a story of strong women finding their place in a war and learning how to cope with what they have.

All characters were written beautifully as they were in the first book and I fell more in love with the whole family in this book. I’m so happy for Norah and Jim and I thought this book took you on a real journey of pain, adventure and love and a glimpse at what life was life way back when.

I would highly recommend this duology to anyone who loves their wartime books and anyone who loves a good strong women, because there were many in these books.

[Shelagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set mainly in the UK town of Worthing during WWII, The Lost Orphan is the story of two sisters, Amélie and Mireille, who have been separated from and lost contact with their youngest sister Linnet. While the search for Linnet is a central theme to this book, the story focuses more on the wartime experiences of Amélie, a nurse, and Mireille, who is in the WAAF and subsequently becomes an operative in France. As the war progresses and the search for Linnet continues to be fruitless, these two girls face love and loss, overcome naïve expectations and demonstrate remarkable determination and bravery. This is a moving and, at times, emotional read. With several sub-plots driving then story, there is plenty to keep readers interested and I thoroughly enjoyed this moving book.

[K Saju · Rating 4 out of 5]

The next part to of the Runaway Orphans and as wonderful and beautiful as the first one. I would recommend reading the first one to get a better understanding of the characters and the dynamics of their relationship and more so, so that you do not miss on a good book.
We have two of the sisters, Mireille, who joins the dangerous work of the SOE, while Amelie trains as a nurse. Neither sister's path is easy in this time of fear and scarcity, but friendship, family loyalty, and romance persist, despite the heightened emotions. Through it all, the mystery of the missing third Brennan sister haunts them. The last few chapters of the book definitely seems to be rushed and it would have been better to expand on it or keep it for the next one.

Overall a good book and recommended to all.
My thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of the book for my unbiased review.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the second book in the series focussing on sisters Mirelle, Amelie and Linnet. Linnet has been sent away and Mirelle and Amelie aren't sure where she is but are desperate to find her. Through The Lost Orphan we see what life is like during WW2 from many perspectives: Amelie is training as a nurse, Mirelle helps the war effort more directly in France and Norah and Jim show us what it's like trying to live life as normal as possible. We meet some new characters - some good, some not so good who feature prominently in the storyline. The story weaves family connections, love, secrets, hardships and is quite emotional.

[Sarahlovesbooks76 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the sequel to "The Runaway Orphans", and I would recommend reading that book before this one.

Sisters Amelie and Mirielle have joined the fight against Hitler - Amelie as a nurse and Mirielle as a member of the WAAF. Their younger sister Linnet is still missing, suspected to have been transported overseas. Can the older girls get through their own struggles and trace Linnet, or do they have to accept their may never see their younger sibling again?

Well researched, a fairly quick read, my only slight disappointment was the speed of the ending, it felt quite rushed to me.

[Diane Saul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is set in WWII. Two young girls have been evacuated and living with a family that treats them like their own. Their youngest sister wasn’t allowed to come because of actions by their step father. They have no idea where she is, but hope to reconnect with her. The story is focused mainly on the two sisters, their tragic lives and attempts to move on during a period of war. This is a compelling book with some parts that are difficult to read. It is a compelling page turner, hoping the young women will find peace. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

[Laura Docherty · Rating 3 out of 5]

A real refreshing palate cleanser, I enjoyed 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐎𝐫𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧 more than its prequel! It seemed more drama-filled and intriguing and even had a couple of twists in there that I wasn’t expecting at all!

Whilst Bob was obviously despicable, his character added a new dimension to the story which I really enjoyed. I also love reading about the major roles that females played in the war effort, which this book was filled with!

The ending was absolutely lovely - just what I wanted 🥰

Not my usual genre but something I would recommend to any lovers of WWII fiction!

Rating: 3.5 ⭐️

[Gayle England-Triplett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS STORY!!!!

The characters became known to me; I was there! The French were my people, too. I was suffering with them and afraid of the Nazis. What a suspenseful, personal story of sisters who had suffered greatly at the hand of their stepfather, then again during the war at the hands of Nazis. But what about Linnet? What had happened to her? Where was she? The third sister was sent away by the abusing stepfather. Was Linnet dead or alive?
Please read this wonderful story for yourself. You will want more from this author.