Where the Lost Wander: A Novel

Written by Amy Harmon

Narrated by Lauren Ezzo and Shaun Taylor-Corbett

In this epic and haunting love story set on the Oregon Trail, a family and their unlikely protector find their way through peril, uncertainty, and loss.

The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at twenty. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both.

But life in a wagon train is fraught with hardship, fear, and death. Even as John and Naomi are drawn to each other, the trials of the journey and their disparate pasts work to keep them apart. John’s heritage gains them safe passage through hostile territory only to come between them as they seek to build a life together.

When a horrific tragedy strikes, decimating Naomi’s family and separating her from John, the promises they made are all they have left. Ripped apart, they can’t turn back, they can’t go on, and they can’t let go. Both will have to make terrible sacrifices to find each other, save each other, and eventually…make peace with who they are.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Apr 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781799750390

Amy Harmon

Amy Harmon is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of thirteen novels, including From Sand and Ash, and the Whitney Award–winning The Law of Moses. Her historical novels, inspirational romances, and young adult fantasy books are now being published internationally. To find out more about Amy, visit her at www.authoramyharmon.com.

Reviews for Where the Lost Wander

[4evasummer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Narration was excellent. Love Amy for her woven threads of story telling.

[Elizabeth B. H. Larson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was an addictive read! It was a story that was fun to get lost in and I was disappointed when I finished it. I will definitely read it again.

[Tiffany Worley · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a painfully good story. It was a little slow in the beginning but I’m glad I keep listening. It was a hard listen because you know that even though this is a fictional book a lot of real people and true events are woven in. I loved the narration with two different peoples perception.

[Ali Stephens · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved everything thing about it. Cried like a baby at the end

[candiholic · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful book! One of the best I’ve read! Definitely a favorite!

[Amy K · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked the story and listened to the end but the narration grated on me at times, especially the mispronunciation of Kearney.

[Julia Pfefferkorn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Story was very interesting from start to finish/ no complete happy endings - but happiness mixed with reality and tragedy and redemption. A great look at people often overlooked (half white and half Indian people).

[Jackie Hall · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The historical context in the book was greatly appreciated. I love how the story was written by Amy I read other books that were written by her and they were also great.

[llhowg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it. Sad it was over. Makes you think about all the comforts in life you have and how hard your ancestors fought for you to have them.

[Meg Blanchet · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amy Harmon has an incredible gift of bringing history and her characters to life. She waves a beautiful believable story that is rich in detail and flavor. Wonderful novel. I’d love a sequel!

[Joyce Harout · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Nice story, but SOOOOOOO long. The details were a bit too much sometimes, and I found myself fast-forwarding it. The whole while thinking: Get to the point!!!

[Connie Robertson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well done!! Hard to put down. Great blend of fact and fiction, wonderful characters.

[Jennifer Tarplee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my new favorite books. Wonderfully and emotionally read in the audiobook version. Emotional and moving.

[Victoria Moore · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing! I learned so much history from this book.I enjoyed love story and all the trials.

[Laura · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book. Great historical fiction novel that is entertaining and pulls on your heart strings.

[MaryAnnAddington · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really, really good story. Will probably listen to it again.

[Melissa Perez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this so much!! And I love Amy Harmon’s writing it’s beautifully written and the storyline is so believable!

[Crissey Barrick · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this story from start to finish. It is uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time.

I saw quite a few comments about the narration, but I thought both narrators did a great job. Give it a chance if other reviews make you hesitate.

It is fascinating but yet important to look into our history and continue to learn from it, because so many have forgotten it or choose not to look into it. This book serves as a good reminder for us all when we focus on our troubles and tribulations these days, which I think compared to our ancestors from long ago, are not as severe or as common. We often take for granted our automobiles that have AC and heat, dishwashers, washing machines, and computers, which has served to make our lives so much easier. We aren’t having to spend the entire day washing clothing.

I look forward to reading more of Amy Harmon’s books!

[K G · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Must be read, not listened to. Cannot get past the female narrators heavy lisp to give this book a fair shot. Premise looks promising but after reading a few reviews and seeing several complaints abt the narrator I’m not willing to endure 7-10hrs of her.

[Emily Griffin Neill · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very romance forward, but a nice story with well written characters.

[Charlotte · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Naomi and John have a beautiful, heartbreaking love story that can move mountains.

The backstory behind Where The Lost Wander is so heartfelt and dear to Amy's heart that it makes the story that much more meaningful. The tale of these two lovers is not an easy ride and will bring tears to your eyes. It's a story of two heritages trying to become one but being torn apart and having to find themselves again.

Their love is so open and refreshing, back when the only way you could find love was through being yourself and nothing else. You had to bare it all out on the table in a short amount of time because who knew what tomorrow would bring.

[Laura Lindsay · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story about both sides of the historical era. The two narrators had very pleasant voices.

[Regan Deppe Willers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have no words…truly an incredible book! We will recommending to my friends!

[Holly Laddusaw · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved these characters! I loved the wisdom, strife, strength and humor in this book. I played Oregon Trail as a child, and fell in love with this book about a family’s/couple’s journey to reach Oregon now as an adult. I didn’t want it to end - one of my favorite books!

[No One Special · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really wanted to love this, but alas.

The Good:
- Amy Harmon is excellent at worldbuilding — the descriptions of settings are lovely and (usually) not too long-winded. She's great at evoking color, movement, shape, and scent.
- She's also very good at describing action, especially events with a lot of urgency, such as a boy being chased by Native men on horseback or a baby being swept away by a river's current. Great stuff.
- John is a genuinely interesting and sympathetic character. His narrative voice is strong, and he feels like a real person, someone who fits very well in his time and place. It's very easy to empathise with him, even when he's being a bit of a jackass.
- Shaun Taylor-Corbett was an excellent choice for the male narrator. Beautiful voice, great pacing, good at injecting the right tone and emotion at the right times.

The Bad:
- Too many bodice-ripper style romance tropes. The tormented, near-silent male protagonist. The quirky, high-spirited female protagonist. Insta-love — no real reason why John and Naomi fall for each other, except they're both hot and are oddly fascinated with one another. The wise, sympathetic mother (I actually quite liked her, but still). The grumbly, disapproving father. Bleh. I've seen it way too much.
- Naomi is just ... not a BAD character, but an odd one. I never felt like I knew her all that well, despite her being one of two first-person narrators. We're clearly meant to see Naomi as stubborn and spirited, but really she's mostly just kind of a jerk. Her motivation is unclear; she seems to have no desires except getting John to marry her. She feels like she's there mostly to drive the story forward, to give John something to stew over, as opposed to being a full person in her own right. Side note: her speech patterns are also strangely modern, and that kinda pulled me out of the story. She feels more like a character from the 20th century, rather than the 19th.
- The depictions of Native people are just ... oof. Rough. Apart from John and a couple of others, Native men are almost universally depicted as violent and uncaring. Native women — despite Harmon telling us otherwise — are generally shown as meek and servile to men. There is very little distinction made between the Pawnee, the Dakota, the Shoshone, and any other tribe the emigrants stumble across, despite these being peoples with their own cultures, their own ways of living and being. If you can't write about cultures and races that are not your own without Othering them, you shouldn't be writing about them.
- The female reader, Lauren Ezzo, kinda threw me off. Her voice is really pleasant to listen to, except when she's voicing a grown male character — then she just sounds constipated. It was pretty awful and made me super uncomfortable for reasons I can't quite articulate.

[ChristineAnitaYelichRoberts · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved What the Wind Knows. It’s actually one of the best books I’ve read/listened to in a long while. But I just could not stand the narration of this one. I’ve tried 2 times. But could not. I’ll have to sit and try reading it one day. It’s so sad when a good book has ineffective narration.

[Vincent Seapara · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Interesting characters both pioneer and Native American. Really enjoyed the use of real historical people featured within the ficctional story.

[Jill Ann · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The author did a beautiful job of not only making the enduring spirit of the pioneers come to life, but also of representing the diverse beauty of the many Native American tribes. A beautiful story of the many ways to show love, woven within a memorable romance. A must read for any fan historical fiction.

[storageroom707 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely in love❤️ What a journey! I felt every smile, every laugh, every heartbreak, every pain and all the peace.

[Teresa Breckman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thought this was a wonderful book. The narrators were awesome. I enjoyed their voices.