Where the Lost Wander
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.
Favorite Quotes
"The pain. It's worth it. The more you love, the more it hurts. But it's worth it. It's the only thing that is."
Featured on the art print
“That’s what marriage is. It’s shelter. It’s sustenance. It’s warmth. It’s finding rest in each other. It’s telling someone, You matter most.”
“We spend our lives complicating what we would do better to accept. Because in acceptance, we put our energies into transcendence.”
“That’s what hope feels like: the best air you’ve ever breathed after the worst fall you’ve ever taken. It hurts.”
“If nothing matters, then there’s no point. If everything matters, there’s no purpose. The trick is to find firm ground between the two ways of being.”
What was in the box?
This box shipped in May of 2020. This box explored the Oregon Trail which was an era outside the typical historical fiction regularly featured within our boxes.
As Book Clubbers read this title, they opened their gifts to find a multi-colored, tasseled blanket, an enamel mug, a small pair of gold scissors, a letter pulled from the story, and a drawing commissioned specifically for the moment book clubbers opened this gift.
This was the second time we were lucky enough to feature author Amy Harmon within our monthly box!
Discussion Questions
hatting about books is what we do! Have you joined our Facebook group yet? Find like-minded readers who love books as much as you do and join in the conversation! All book lovers are welcome!
1. The story centered around Naomi May and John Lowry. Do you consider them to be the only main characters in this novel, or do you think there are others who play a more pivotal and influential role? Why or why not?
2. John finds himself "trapped between two worlds." Do you think John's character was realistically portrayed? How does the way John sees himself differ from how others see him?
3. What did you think about Naomi's attraction to John? What drew her in?
4. Pioneer life was hard in the 1850s. What are the top three luxuries you would miss most if you had to embark on this journey today?
5. Naomi says, “I have never known such utter and complete exhaustion and yet...I am happy.” Have you felt this way? When? Why does hardship often leave extra room for happiness?
Amy Harmon
Meet the Author
Amy Harmon is aWall Street Journal,USA Today, andNew York Timesbestselling author. She was featured in Once Upon a Book Club in February of 2017 and May of 2020.
What We're Talking About
