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Jody Hedlund

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An Awakened Heart (Orphan Train): An Orphan Train Novella Kindle Edition

by Jody Hedlund (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 2,253 ratings

Book 4 of 4: Orphan Train

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Trying to heal the ache she feels in her empty life, wealthy Christine Pendleton decides to volunteer at Centre Street Chapel. Ministering to one of the most deprived parts of New York City, the chapel aims at making a difference in the lives of the impoverished immigrants flooding the city. After seeing firsthand the hopelessness of the poor women and orphans, Christine is convinced more can be done to help them.

Guy Bedell has been serving at the chapel and pouring his heart out for the people he's grown to care about. When Christine begins to challenge his methods and offers a new vision for reaching out to the community, can he trust that perhaps God has bigger plans in store for him--plans that may include this feisty socialite?

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More from Jody Hedlund!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jody Hedlund writes inspirational historical romances for both adults and young adults. The winner of the 2016 Christian Book Award for fiction and the Christy Award for historical romance, she lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. When she's not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

Susan Hanfield is a three-time Audie award finalist and a 2016 Voice Arts award nominee. Classically trained, she has recorded over seventy titles in multiple genres, including young adult, historical fiction, faith-based inspirational, fantasy, paranormal romance, science fiction, classics, and nonfiction. In addition to recording audiobooks, she can be seen in film, on stage, and in commercials. For more information, visit her blog at susanhanfield.com/latest-from-susan.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01M697WKQ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bethany House Publishers (April 4, 2017)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 4, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2843 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 139 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #5,773 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #11 in Christian Historical Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #13 in Religious Historical Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #67 in Religious Romance (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 2,253 ratings

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Jody Hedlund

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Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over fifty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle.

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4.5 out of 5

2,253 global ratings

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MJG

Wonderful Story!

Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2017

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From the opening lines I knew I was hooked. An Awakened Heart (An Orphan Train Novella) by Jody Hedlund is set in 1857. New York City is a hotbed of immigrant lives melding together to make sense of this new country that housed so many in so little space. People outnumbered jobs and housing was worse. Flimsy tenements couldn't be built fast enough. Families who dreamed of a better life were cast into disillusioned homes they shared with rats by night.

An Awakened Heart is the story of Christine Pendleton and Guy Bedell. He, an ordained minister preached a message of hope to the hopeless prostitutes. She, a wealthy single woman yearning for meaning in her life began to volunteer once a week at the Centre Street Chapel. Two people so far removed by ordinary standards yet in classic Jody Hedlund style come together as naturally as though he had stopped for tea in her parlor. The characters are complex and the writing is so descriptive you can almost picture yourself alongside the women sitting on the trestle benches for a Sunday service.

I found myself looking at the characters and wondering what would become of them. Young women wearing tattered clothes on bodies covered with the grime of poverty and shame. How can one sheltered young woman hope to encourage prostitutes to repent and rebuild their lives in an unforgiving city. One would almost think Miss Pendleton would have been trod on herself when coming to grips with the heart of this matter. With the stroke of a pen the author brought this woman to life in a very unexpected manner.

When the story ended I knew there was much more to come. This era is an important time in the history of our country. It was a time of hope dashed and dreams buried beneath the harsh reality of a country that wasn't quite ready for the possibilities that lay ahead. I liked this story. Sure, it is a romance but it is so much more than a romance. It is fiction you can change the names but these compelling characters could have been any one of our ancestors who came to this country and faced such trials. Thank God there were unsung heroes like Miss Pendleton and Reverend Bedell had the courage to work among the poor women of this difficult time in our country.

I can be allowed to be optimistic as I write this sitting on my side of history because I know the outcome of the hard work and resilience of those who came before me. I look forward to book one in the Orphan Train series, With You Always, coming June 6, 2017.

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R. Miller

4.2 stars: An Awakened Heart by Jody Hedlund

Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2017

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Free to direct her own life after her mother's death, Christine turns her attention to helping poor immigrants in NYC; she teams up with Rev Guy Bedell to visit tenements and eventually start a mission that provides decent jobs for ladies, including Elise and her sisters, who are left in untenable circumstances following their mother's death.

(Though reviews are inherently subjective, I prefer to provide some organization to my opinions through the use of a personal rubric. The following notes may contain spoilers.)

Plot and Setting: 4 -- Plot is engaging. Has unique elements and no major holes, but a few shaky bits and/or a slight lack of focus. Setting is clear and believable. Timeline may be a bit hard to follow. Though it's just a short novella, it actually includes two tangentially connected stories: Christine finding a new lease on life as she jumps boldly into ministry and charitable ventures, finding romance on the way; and Elise and her sisters facing a decaying living situation, ending up on the streets, and then being given shelter by Christine. It strikes a good balance most of the time, but doesn't end up feeling fully resolved. It's purpose is to introduce a new series, so I guess that's to be expected, but it's still a bit disappointing.

Characters: 4 -- Main characters are relatable, realistic, interesting, and dynamic. Some minor characters have depth, while others may be slightly stereotyped or simplified. Definite strong points in the relationships between characters. I admired Christine's willingness to give fully and self-sacrificially when she sees a need, Guy's openness to her ideas, and Elise's determination to lead her little family, even though it is unutterably hard. There's a whole range of human emotions in this short novella, and a whole range of human characters, from the depraved to the nearly saintly.

Mechanics and Writing: 4.3 -- A handful of typos, punctuation issues, or word errors. (<10/100 pgs) None of the errors seriously hinder understanding. Good use of POV. Generally skillful writing. Errors include: mild punctuation issues, a few awkward bits, and incorrectly calling the phrase "it’s more blessed to give than receive" a Beatitude. POV alternates between Christine and Elise, mostly, with a few sections of Guy.

Redeeming Value: 5 -- Well-developed, central, uplifting themes. Drugs, alcohol, violence, etc, are not glorified at all. No explicit sex scenes. Clear moral guidelines for behavior. It's a clean story, though we are also shown the darker, dehumanizing effects of poverty, including some women forced into prostitution to survive, and fear of being raped being the main reason Elise and her sisters leave their uncle's home. Christine and Guy work through a variety of opinions about how to best minister to the poor: is it a spiritual mission only, or is there room for also addressing their physical needs? The various perspectives have their points, but I appreciate where their conclusions end up: build relationships and extend the Gospel message, but also seek to meet the urgent needs of the poor, so that they may have the mental and emotional space to make spiritual decisions.

Personal Enjoyment: 3.5 -- I liked it a lot. It was enjoyable and entertaining. I wouldn’t mind re-reading it someday, but it’s not a priority.

2 people found this helpful

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PBK

Outstanding. A+.

Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2017

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Powerful Christian historic romance set in Manhattan during the times of immigrant desperation in tenements (late 1850s). Ms. Hedlund captured believable characters who acted consistently, grew, developed, and believably fell in love (Christine and Guy are so perfect for each other and had me rooting for their success and happily ever after from the beginning). I had such enormous compassion for the German immigrant sisters, Elise who finds herself responsible for two younger sisters and two tiny, motherless children. The girls are desperate to get out of their uncle's dingy, dirty apartment in the immigrant tenement but discover the street is even worse. I loved how the stories converged and that the Christian elements weren't about Bible verses but were about how Christians actually live and respond to life's circumstances. So refreshing to see a minister who welcomes and thrills in the natural responses a man has for a woman, while remaining a clean read. Superbly written. Can't wait for the next installment in this series. I must preorder. It's THAT good.

Sensuality Level: Rated G to mild PG, depending on personal boundaries
Language: Rated G
Violence: Rated PG, and all is inherent to the story and living conditions in New York City, with the strong preying upon the weak

12 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

M Teague

I am delighted to share with you the beginning of The Orphan ...

Reviewed in Canada on June 21, 2017

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I am delighted to share with you the beginning of The Orphan Train series, it starts with a novella, An Awakened Heart by Jody Hedlund.

The first book in the series is, With You Always (which will be released June 6th, 2017)

An Awakened Heart introduces us to some of the characters who will no doubt be found on the pages of The Orphan Train series. The story is mainly about Miss Christine Pendleton, and her brave foray into life outside of caring for her sick mother. Her mother has passed away and she must now find her own path, her own place. She has resigned herself to spinsterhood.

Reverend Guy Bedell is serving where he can, among the poor and destitute, and it takes Miss Christine Pendleton with her opinions to bring him to make a few decisions.

I quickly loved both these characters and how their paths cross, and how their lives are changed. Jody Hedlund sets up the scene for the series to follow in such a way that each character is introduced, we are told the important parts of the backstory that we need to know, but she leaves us wanting to know more about them.

One thing I love about historical fiction is that it brings a snapshot of history to life and Jody Hedlund is among my favorite authors to do this! In this book we are introduced to what life might have been like in New York City in 1857.

This novella is just the tasty morsel we need to prepare for the delightful main course which is to follow.

Joanne Compton

A page turner.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2018

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This little book captivated me from the first page. My heart felt the anguish and the joy. I.couldn't put it down and was disappointed when it was over. However it's merely the beginning.

Kindle Customer

A fabulous introduction to the Orphan Train series.

Reviewed in Australia on January 10, 2024

Verified Purchase

***Please read this novella before you start the Orphan Train series.***

This novella sets the scene for the first book, introducing the Neumann sisters, the protagonists for the three full length books in this series.

I enjoyed receiving background information about Miss Pendleton and Reverend Bedell, and the heartbreaking reasons for why Elise and get little family and up on the streets of New York City. The interactions with Reinhold also help at the scene for his involvement in all three of the sisters books, and Elise's mistrust of aristocracy a lovely "tolling bell" for her story.

Althea Hillier

Miracles still happen.

Reviewed in Canada on July 26, 2018

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Rev. Bedell, a widower for 10 years, had no idea what awaited him or what it would cost him when he challenged his congregation to reach out to the poor of their town. Thirty year old Christine, who was a spinster and planned to keep it that way, took the pastor's challenge to heart. A passion for those who were destitute seemed to consume her. It would cost her dearly to see her vision come to fruition. Christine came from a wealthy prominent New York family, but felt no one could ever love her. This story is an amazing story of God's love to the downtrodden. Her life was about to change in a way she never dreamed. Watch God's leadings and provision throughout the story. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a clean and captivating story.

ColinB

Start of a good series

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 10, 2017

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An interesting story describing the deprivations of immigrants in New York, looking forward to reading more in the series.