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Finding Home #1
Until We All Find Home
When Justin Young is reunited with his orphaned siblings during the American Civil War, he decides to bring his widowed sister and younger brothers to live with him in Chicago, with the desire to give them a home and a family. But Justin discovers that sometimes love is more painful than it is healing as the siblings struggle with facing their own inadequacies in their journey towards reconciliation with God and each other. Along the way, the siblings and their friends learn that real love often looks like the hard work of granting grace and second chances to other hurting, imperfect people with whom they have nothing in common. In the end, they each find that when they come home to God, He gives them the courage, freedom and grace to come home to the people they've come to love. ~~~ As Irish American orphans raised in different circumstances in Kentucky, North Carolina and Maryland, the Young siblings could not be more different from each other, but they are determined that the ties of the same blood are strong enough to bring them together despite the secrets they each carry from their past. In this emotional story filled with humor and love, Yankee siblings come head to head with Confederate ones, Christian siblings with atheists, educated siblings with those raised on the street, and extroverted siblings with introverts. Set in the backdrop of Civil War Chicago, with its labor strikes and the Union prison camp at Camp Douglas, you will find characters you'll come to love and won't soon forget.
Paperback
First published October 26, 2019
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About the author
Heather Wood
7 books257 followersHeather Wood grew up in the Chicago suburbs, loving history, classic literature, writing stories, and Civil War reenacting. After obtaining her bachelor's degree in Bible/Theology from Appalachian Bible College, she settled in Virginia with her husband, David. Her early passions fuel her writing today, although she spends most of her days now working to infuse her love for God and good literature into the hearts of her four children. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram @heather.wood.author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
July 2, 2022
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Characters: This book focused on four siblings and their friends. All of the characters were well developed and had distinct personalites.
Language: The author provided me with a clean-up version of this book, but the original contains several mild cuss words.
Moral/theme: I loved how this novel pointed to Jesus in all the situations the characters faced. We need more of this in Christian fiction.
Plot: This was a more character-driven novel. I enjoyed seeing the characters interract (and learn to get along) as they faced hard times in Civil-War era Chicago. I appreciated that Heather Wood took a more balanced approach to the Civil War. Most Civil War fiction these days leans heavily to the Northern perspective, and my Southern self's just not a fan of that :)
Romance: Clean. Just kissing.
Writing: Heather Wood's writing style reminds me of classic literature. She uses an omniscient style, so the reader gets to know several characters' thoughts and motivations within each scene.
Overall: Until We All Find Home was an entertaining read, and I'd recommend it to those who enjoy Christian fiction and historical fiction.
Characters: This book focused on four siblings and their friends. All of the characters were well developed and had distinct personalites.
Language: The author provided me with a clean-up version of this book, but the original contains several mild cuss words.
Moral/theme: I loved how this novel pointed to Jesus in all the situations the characters faced. We need more of this in Christian fiction.
Plot: This was a more character-driven novel. I enjoyed seeing the characters interract (and learn to get along) as they faced hard times in Civil-War era Chicago. I appreciated that Heather Wood took a more balanced approach to the Civil War. Most Civil War fiction these days leans heavily to the Northern perspective, and my Southern self's just not a fan of that :)
Romance: Clean. Just kissing.
Writing: Heather Wood's writing style reminds me of classic literature. She uses an omniscient style, so the reader gets to know several characters' thoughts and motivations within each scene.
Overall: Until We All Find Home was an entertaining read, and I'd recommend it to those who enjoy Christian fiction and historical fiction.
September 5, 2024
4.75 stars (5/10 hearts). I really, really enjoyed this book. I read it almost in one day, almost in one sitting. It was gripping and I was just not sure how it would turn out! It was also very real. The language was a bit too modern for the 1860s, but the details of life were excellent. The characters lived. I loved the sibling relationship and it really made me think. It carried an excellent message of how we need to talk things through and not run away from difficulty or pain. I loved how the war, though discussed, was not the central point of the book & it was really very neutral. Slavery was denounced, but the southerners were amazing gentlemanly characters and the whole “who is right” debate was barely even introduced. There was a good deal of content, because one of the MCs was a male prostitute. I loved how he was redeemed and I loved how his life was totally turned around after he met Christ. I love him, period. The redemptive themes in this book were beautiful (PICK! My favourite!!!) and I loved the message about Christmas, tiny as it was. The characters were real and I loved them. Because of the content (see list below), I strongly recommend this for ages 18+. I’m glad I didn’t read it before I was 18. But if you are 18, I definitely recommend it. It really impacted me and made me think. I’m eager to read more by this author!
Content: A lot of kisses, touching, & hugging (between a girl & an army officer, & then between engaged couples—also between couples before they got engaged). A scene where a husband helps his wife change her blouse & it’s mentioned that it wasn’t the first time he did that. (I love the redemptive theme of this, as I said, and the scene doesn’t bother me at all—it’s non-detailed & it’s so full of sweet love). A mention of a couple’s first night together & that the husband was sensitive of protecting his wife’s trust. A mention of women spies coming to camp & getting soldiers in bed. A mention of a woman’s monthly (non-detailed). Characters get drunk/want to drink, etc. Lots of swearing. Mention that a man kissed a lot of pretty girls but never took them to his tent. One of the MCs is a male prostitute (starting before he was 13) so there’s the story of how he went into that, as well as a mention that he wanted to be with a woman of the night & that he spent a night in a brothel. Also a scene in a brothel (they walk in, are accosted by a girl, & get out).
Really, sexual content is what breaks a book quickest for me. But in this book it didn’t bother me very much. The character is redeemed, and it’s true to life. The swearing & kissing bugged me most, and that’s really what took off a star. So as I said, I recommend it only to ages 18+, but I’d recommend it to 18-year-olds who like real books, sibling relationships, Civil War books, & books that make you think.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
Content: A lot of kisses, touching, & hugging (between a girl & an army officer, & then between engaged couples—also between couples before they got engaged). A scene where a husband helps his wife change her blouse & it’s mentioned that it wasn’t the first time he did that. (I love the redemptive theme of this, as I said, and the scene doesn’t bother me at all—it’s non-detailed & it’s so full of sweet love). A mention of a couple’s first night together & that the husband was sensitive of protecting his wife’s trust. A mention of women spies coming to camp & getting soldiers in bed. A mention of a woman’s monthly (non-detailed). Characters get drunk/want to drink, etc. Lots of swearing. Mention that a man kissed a lot of pretty girls but never took them to his tent. One of the MCs is a male prostitute (starting before he was 13) so there’s the story of how he went into that, as well as a mention that he wanted to be with a woman of the night & that he spent a night in a brothel. Also a scene in a brothel (they walk in, are accosted by a girl, & get out).
Really, sexual content is what breaks a book quickest for me. But in this book it didn’t bother me very much. The character is redeemed, and it’s true to life. The swearing & kissing bugged me most, and that’s really what took off a star. So as I said, I recommend it only to ages 18+, but I’d recommend it to 18-year-olds who like real books, sibling relationships, Civil War books, & books that make you think.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
November 3, 2020
First of all, I rarely give a book five stars unless it’s a classic, so you know this book was amazing.
I really liked all the characters. Justin drove me crazy sometimes, but I still liked him and he got a lot better. Elisan is hilarious and probably my very favorite. Honestly, I really liked Jed, too. He just seemed special. Luke is super sweet. I could go on, but I just love that Heather writes broken characters in need of a Savior. There is so much hurt and pain in each of their stories and each one needs healing in different ways.
I loved how Heather weaves in the gospel and theology throughout her book. I rarely read Christian fiction where it is done this well. Often it either becomes too much and feels like you're reading a sermon, or it barely mentions Christianity at all and you wonder why it was labeled “Christian fiction.” But I feel like Heather could have been preachy and it would still be amazing.
Heather brought up some tough topics and rough backgrounds, yet did it smoothly. I didn’t think she gave too much information when the topic could be touchy, yet she didn’t shy away from giving the raw truth either.
When I first started the book, it started off a little slow, yet it didn’t feel like a bad thing. Her writing style sometimes felt simple, but at the same time she would surprise me with her humor or just the depth of her thoughts. Honestly, even if it was a simpler writing style, it didn’t take away from the story because there was so much depth in what she wrote.
Was there anything I didn’t like? The one thing I didn’t appreciate was that God’s name was used in vain a couple times and there were a couple swear words. This is more my personal opinion though and obviously it didn’t take away from the story enough to ruin the book for me.
All in all, I really loved this book and look forward to reading more by Heather Wood.
I really liked all the characters. Justin drove me crazy sometimes, but I still liked him and he got a lot better. Elisan is hilarious and probably my very favorite. Honestly, I really liked Jed, too. He just seemed special. Luke is super sweet. I could go on, but I just love that Heather writes broken characters in need of a Savior. There is so much hurt and pain in each of their stories and each one needs healing in different ways.
I loved how Heather weaves in the gospel and theology throughout her book. I rarely read Christian fiction where it is done this well. Often it either becomes too much and feels like you're reading a sermon, or it barely mentions Christianity at all and you wonder why it was labeled “Christian fiction.” But I feel like Heather could have been preachy and it would still be amazing.
Heather brought up some tough topics and rough backgrounds, yet did it smoothly. I didn’t think she gave too much information when the topic could be touchy, yet she didn’t shy away from giving the raw truth either.
When I first started the book, it started off a little slow, yet it didn’t feel like a bad thing. Her writing style sometimes felt simple, but at the same time she would surprise me with her humor or just the depth of her thoughts. Honestly, even if it was a simpler writing style, it didn’t take away from the story because there was so much depth in what she wrote.
Was there anything I didn’t like? The one thing I didn’t appreciate was that God’s name was used in vain a couple times and there were a couple swear words. This is more my personal opinion though and obviously it didn’t take away from the story enough to ruin the book for me.
All in all, I really loved this book and look forward to reading more by Heather Wood.
May 10, 2022
I REALLY enjoyed reading this author's debut novel! And can't wait for the second one to come out this month! I need to connect with the characters again.
I'm a sucker for Historical Fiction and especially a good Christian Historical Fiction. This was a really enjoyable and a relaxing read for me this month. It's about orphaned siblings finding and reuniting and learning about themselves during the Civil War. The historical occurrences aren't the major focal point of the book and I think I liked that.
I really connected with the characters. The author did a superb job of creating deep and emotional characters. I really liked seeing the personalities and I was guessing their personality types. I actually thought one of the main characters could be my hubby- it was him down to a T (except Civil War era).
Definitely recommend for lovers a great historical clean read. You will fall in love with the characters and their story (that is still being weaved by God).
I'm a sucker for Historical Fiction and especially a good Christian Historical Fiction. This was a really enjoyable and a relaxing read for me this month. It's about orphaned siblings finding and reuniting and learning about themselves during the Civil War. The historical occurrences aren't the major focal point of the book and I think I liked that.
I really connected with the characters. The author did a superb job of creating deep and emotional characters. I really liked seeing the personalities and I was guessing their personality types. I actually thought one of the main characters could be my hubby- it was him down to a T (except Civil War era).
Definitely recommend for lovers a great historical clean read. You will fall in love with the characters and their story (that is still being weaved by God).
March 20, 2020
The plot is very much character-driven, and while each character was well-constructed—deeply flawed, yet lovable—the themes of love, mercy and grace were the shining threads that carried through the story. Lovely book!
November 3, 2025
My debut novel, Until We All Find Home, has about a half dozen instances of mild language along the lines of Agatha Christie and Georgette Heyer, words my characters would have used but I do not personally use. None of my other books have any language at all.
June 23, 2022
Overall, I enjoyed this book.
It was well-written, engaging, hard-hitting, and still entertaining. The fact it hit every beat it needed to was also a major plus.
I felt the author did a good job of weaving all the characters' experiences, lives, and perspectives into one cohesive story - making it easy for the reader to get invested in the tale.
This is a great debut to the series and if you like Christian Historical Fiction, definitely give this book a try!
It was well-written, engaging, hard-hitting, and still entertaining. The fact it hit every beat it needed to was also a major plus.
I felt the author did a good job of weaving all the characters' experiences, lives, and perspectives into one cohesive story - making it easy for the reader to get invested in the tale.
This is a great debut to the series and if you like Christian Historical Fiction, definitely give this book a try!
January 23, 2023
Until We All Find Home is a sweeping Christian historical novel set against the backdrop of the Civil War. This is one of those books that starts by feeling like a meandering read you can savor slowly. But then you reach Chapter 7 or so, and you’re off, reading the entire thing in one sitting or only a day or two.
Heather Wood fills the pages of Until We All Find Home with so many authentic historical facts and details—her impeccable research and love of history are apparent. But these details add to the story, and she maintains a character-driven narrative that includes three separate couples finding romance, multiple characters finding salvation, and other characters being tried and girded in their faith.
Until We All Find Home is written with third-person omniscient POV, which means the reader gets to enjoy multiple stories unfold and be privy to the thoughts and motivations of many characters, which I think makes the experience all the richer.
If you enjoy Christian historical fiction, stories set during the Civil War, or sweet historical romance, this book has it all.
Heather Wood fills the pages of Until We All Find Home with so many authentic historical facts and details—her impeccable research and love of history are apparent. But these details add to the story, and she maintains a character-driven narrative that includes three separate couples finding romance, multiple characters finding salvation, and other characters being tried and girded in their faith.
Until We All Find Home is written with third-person omniscient POV, which means the reader gets to enjoy multiple stories unfold and be privy to the thoughts and motivations of many characters, which I think makes the experience all the richer.
If you enjoy Christian historical fiction, stories set during the Civil War, or sweet historical romance, this book has it all.
March 19, 2022
Her debut novel, Until We All Find Home, tells of four orphans split as children and their reunion during the Civil War. Two grew up in the North, two in the South. (Can you imagine?!) The siblings try to figure out what it means to be a family. Their years apart are vastly different and each comes with baggage they don't want revealed. Yet they yearn for home.
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Heather Wood is a Christian author, yet does not dance around the hard issue. Life is messy. Coming to Christ doesn't automatically fix it or exclude you from pain, however He will be a unshakable stronghold during it all.
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"Scared of home, because home is where you're known."
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"There's value in appreciating the journey, regrets and all, that brings us closer to God and reconciliation with one another
::
Heather Wood is a Christian author, yet does not dance around the hard issue. Life is messy. Coming to Christ doesn't automatically fix it or exclude you from pain, however He will be a unshakable stronghold during it all.
::
"Scared of home, because home is where you're known."
::
"There's value in appreciating the journey, regrets and all, that brings us closer to God and reconciliation with one another
November 30, 2020
Hopefully I'll come back to write a review... Because I really loved this book. One of the best Civil War-era novels I've encountered.
October 28, 2020
To review or to not review?!
October 11, 2021
I absolutely enjoyed this book! It’s character driven, and done very well. The characters are all imperfect and yet completely lovable. Wood did not cover up the fact that people and relationships can be messy. But, by God’s grace, people and relationships can be redeemed. I was rooting for characters, shaking my head at some, and was captivated by them all. I haven’t read much that takes place during the Civil War, but I could tell the author had done her homework on this time period. I ordered the sequel because I just NEED to know what happens next for everyone and I’m looking forward to reading that next!
November 3, 2021
This book was an absolute wonderful read! It's a beautifully written story that the author brings to life with her words. It's a faith filled story that will touch your heart and soul and will stay in your mind long after you've read the last page. Once I started reading it I didn't want to put it down. This book deserves more than 5 stars!
I received a complimentary copy and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I received a complimentary copy and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 5, 2021
Ever thought a book can review your own thoughts .. give you honest opinions and comments of your unknown faults.. This is such a book
I am so happy I got to read this book, the faith in the Chaos , love and family relations caught my eye.
Full review coming soon
I am so happy I got to read this book, the faith in the Chaos , love and family relations caught my eye.
Full review coming soon
March 27, 2020
An amazing story!
So I’m just going to say that because I was reading more than one book at once for different reasons, I had a hard time remembering who was who and was bored by the beginning, but that’s entirely my fault and is nothing against the author. But once I was finally able to read only this, I was sucked in immediately and fell in love with the characters and story fast. The beginning is a little slow, but once you get through it I know you’ll love the book just as much as me. I was hooked and could barely put the book down because I just HAD to known what happened next.
Until We All Find Home is a beautiful story, one that I enjoyed greatly and am so happy I got to experience. There’s love and strife, laughter and tears, good times, and very, very bad times. One tragedy after another would come, hitting the main characters so hard I wasn’t sure how they’d make it out on top. While at times they did, there were times they didn’t, and eventually they had to realize that God is the only one who could bring them true peace and joy.
I’m going to list some pros and cons, pros first.
Pros:
1 The characters. Oh my gosh I love every single one of these characters!! They’re all uniquely different, and well developed. I loved seeing them interact together, and really liked Luke and Justin’s friendship.
2 The romance was completely clean and cute, and I loved watching it slowly bloom and grow for each of the characters.
2 There’s a strong message of Faith throughout the book, and honestly has made me want to pursue God even more.
3 The story moved along smoothly and fast paced, keeping me turning the page for hours. I really enjoyed reading this, and loved the story so much.
4 The history of the book was very well written, and you can tell the author did her research. I loved getting to dive into this fascinating story, full of rich history of the Civil War, seeing how the war affected both sides, and even relating with the Confederate side. I think it was very well written.
Cons:
1 The entire, LONG, first chapter is just a bunch of telling and explaining about all the friends and characters, so that by the end of it I couldn’t remember what Justin was even doing.
2 It jumps between POVs without any break or sign, one paragraph one character, the next another, then back to the first, and so forth. It made it kind of confusing at times, but wasn’t that bad.
3 I was actually very surprised to see some cuss words in the book. There’s a few of the ‘d’ and ‘h’ words, along with a couple misuses of God’s name. I do understand why the author put them in there, because they helped show where the characters were at the time and were needed to show character development, but I just didn’t expect them to be in there. But besides that the book was completely clean.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
So I’m just going to say that because I was reading more than one book at once for different reasons, I had a hard time remembering who was who and was bored by the beginning, but that’s entirely my fault and is nothing against the author. But once I was finally able to read only this, I was sucked in immediately and fell in love with the characters and story fast. The beginning is a little slow, but once you get through it I know you’ll love the book just as much as me. I was hooked and could barely put the book down because I just HAD to known what happened next.
Until We All Find Home is a beautiful story, one that I enjoyed greatly and am so happy I got to experience. There’s love and strife, laughter and tears, good times, and very, very bad times. One tragedy after another would come, hitting the main characters so hard I wasn’t sure how they’d make it out on top. While at times they did, there were times they didn’t, and eventually they had to realize that God is the only one who could bring them true peace and joy.
I’m going to list some pros and cons, pros first.
Pros:
1 The characters. Oh my gosh I love every single one of these characters!! They’re all uniquely different, and well developed. I loved seeing them interact together, and really liked Luke and Justin’s friendship.
2 The romance was completely clean and cute, and I loved watching it slowly bloom and grow for each of the characters.
2 There’s a strong message of Faith throughout the book, and honestly has made me want to pursue God even more.
3 The story moved along smoothly and fast paced, keeping me turning the page for hours. I really enjoyed reading this, and loved the story so much.
4 The history of the book was very well written, and you can tell the author did her research. I loved getting to dive into this fascinating story, full of rich history of the Civil War, seeing how the war affected both sides, and even relating with the Confederate side. I think it was very well written.
Cons:
1 The entire, LONG, first chapter is just a bunch of telling and explaining about all the friends and characters, so that by the end of it I couldn’t remember what Justin was even doing.
2 It jumps between POVs without any break or sign, one paragraph one character, the next another, then back to the first, and so forth. It made it kind of confusing at times, but wasn’t that bad.
3 I was actually very surprised to see some cuss words in the book. There’s a few of the ‘d’ and ‘h’ words, along with a couple misuses of God’s name. I do understand why the author put them in there, because they helped show where the characters were at the time and were needed to show character development, but I just didn’t expect them to be in there. But besides that the book was completely clean.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
December 9, 2021
This is a rough one for me to review.
Four grown (or nearly grown) siblings found each other during the Civil War, after having been orphaned fourteen years before. Two were North Carolina Confederates and two lived in northern states. The eldest took them to his home in Chicago where they all tried to be a family.
The book seemed a bit long. I thought it might be wrapping up, then I looked at my progress and I was only at 46%. Truly it could have been 100 pages shorter, but how does an author cut out that much of their creation? Yikes.
At first it seemed simply written, so I thought it was for a younger audience. But it did have some wonderful faith elements and trials each character had to overcome. However some subject matter would not be appropriate for a younger audience — male prostitution, calling a Christian woman a "Yankee whore" and two brothers using their brother's money to frequent saloons and/or prostitutes.
This is my first Heather Wood book. I really think there is a great deal of potential.
Four grown (or nearly grown) siblings found each other during the Civil War, after having been orphaned fourteen years before. Two were North Carolina Confederates and two lived in northern states. The eldest took them to his home in Chicago where they all tried to be a family.
The book seemed a bit long. I thought it might be wrapping up, then I looked at my progress and I was only at 46%. Truly it could have been 100 pages shorter, but how does an author cut out that much of their creation? Yikes.
At first it seemed simply written, so I thought it was for a younger audience. But it did have some wonderful faith elements and trials each character had to overcome. However some subject matter would not be appropriate for a younger audience — male prostitution, calling a Christian woman a "Yankee whore" and two brothers using their brother's money to frequent saloons and/or prostitutes.
This is my first Heather Wood book. I really think there is a great deal of potential.
April 14, 2022
This is one of the best historical fiction books I’ve ever read and historical fiction is my favorite genre. Full of great Christian morals, true God glorifying love stories, forgiveness and utter dependence on God. I want to just sit and read it again already! Well done Heather! I can’t wait to read the next and whatever other books you write!
February 9, 2022
This was the first Civil War book I’ve read in a long time, and thankfully it did not fall into the usual cliches and stereotypes. It also wasn’t really about the war, but about a family, long-separated, looking to be reunited. The war only mirrored the divisions and hurts within their family—and their hearts.
You know how in most books, you have a pretty good idea of which characters will end up together and which ones the author won’t dare kill off? Well, in Till We All Find Home, the author’s style is so unique that I was constantly guessing. I had no inherent assurances that things were going to work out a particular way for any particular character, which added to the interest—and reality.
The story is told in a style reminiscent of classic literature, where there are multiple points of view within any given scene and the reader feels a degree removed from the tension as you watch multiple storylines unfolding, some which intersect and some that don’t. The characters are distinct, robust, and well-developed. It was easy to sympathize with each of them even when they were making poor choices.
Pick was my absolute favorite character! His growth arc and honor and sense of humor— just 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰!
You know how in most books, you have a pretty good idea of which characters will end up together and which ones the author won’t dare kill off? Well, in Till We All Find Home, the author’s style is so unique that I was constantly guessing. I had no inherent assurances that things were going to work out a particular way for any particular character, which added to the interest—and reality.
The story is told in a style reminiscent of classic literature, where there are multiple points of view within any given scene and the reader feels a degree removed from the tension as you watch multiple storylines unfolding, some which intersect and some that don’t. The characters are distinct, robust, and well-developed. It was easy to sympathize with each of them even when they were making poor choices.
Pick was my absolute favorite character! His growth arc and honor and sense of humor— just 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰!
September 26, 2019
The Civil War is the backdrop of this captivating story about family and faith. But the real theme running throughout is hope. Hope for a brighter future, hope for unconditional love, and most of all the hope we find in knowing Jesus as our Savior. The author, Heather Wood, expertly shows you the hopes and dreams of each character as they experience setbacks and hardships, just like we all do. Before long you'll see yourself in each one of them and feel a real connection to their struggles. In the end, this book reminds us that even in our weakest moments, God is so, so good!
September 27, 2024
A story of grace, forgiveness and sacrificial love.
Wow! This book amazed me. It follows the lives of three brothers and their sister who lost contact with each other years ago. There are also some historical events like the Civil War and President Lincoln being shot. There are some extremely difficult times, accidents, drunkenness and illness. There's also hope, several people realizing their need for God and many romances!
The characters are written brilliantly! Each one touched my heart in different ways. I felt connected to them and genuinely cared about their well-being. Elisan is my favorite. She's nurturing and compassionate. She's also not afraid to speak her mind!
There is a lot of talk about God, faith and scripture. This was encouraging to me. I was surprised by the few swear words but they did fit with the characters at the particular moment. I was so happy when Jed and Jack turned their lives over to God!
Wow! This book amazed me. It follows the lives of three brothers and their sister who lost contact with each other years ago. There are also some historical events like the Civil War and President Lincoln being shot. There are some extremely difficult times, accidents, drunkenness and illness. There's also hope, several people realizing their need for God and many romances!
The characters are written brilliantly! Each one touched my heart in different ways. I felt connected to them and genuinely cared about their well-being. Elisan is my favorite. She's nurturing and compassionate. She's also not afraid to speak her mind!
There is a lot of talk about God, faith and scripture. This was encouraging to me. I was surprised by the few swear words but they did fit with the characters at the particular moment. I was so happy when Jed and Jack turned their lives over to God!
February 26, 2024
Heather Wood has woven beautiful themes of redemption, faith, reconciliation, and forgiveness into this book. I loved the sweet romances and the way she expertly handled difficult topics against the backdrop of the Civil War, but my favorite part was following the Young family and watching their story unfold. Such a wonderful look at the deep bonds, love, and devotion of family.
December 9, 2021
This was such a sweet book, full of so much redemption. I loved getting to know a lot of the characters, and looking forward to hearing more of the others stories in the next book.
August 8, 2025
This novel had so much depth that it took a while to get through. The pacing is a little slow, but there is so much going on that I wanted to continue. Until We All Find Home has family drama (lots of trauma and different ways people heal from it), abandonment, orphans, widows, prejudice, slavery, accidents, sickness, unbelief, drunkenness, mentions of prostitution, and a handful of curse words. It real and raw, but... There is also restoration, the lost being found, God's hand of protection, redemption, and real love.
As I type all these things, it just shows me how much Heather Wood built into one novel. It may be uncomfortable in spots, but it is worth the read.
As I type all these things, it just shows me how much Heather Wood built into one novel. It may be uncomfortable in spots, but it is worth the read.
May 6, 2020
I don't read enough Civil War era books! They can reach back to the not so distant past of our country and bring that time to life.
Justin heads into the war, but his life's goal has been to find his siblings, and find them he does, thanks to Luke's sister, Elisan! Two confederate and 2 yankees for siblings, what could go wrong? When they finally make their way together, they've all been independent for so long, it makes for quite the mess. The joy doesn't last long, and that makes for a good part of the story. I was kind of surprised at how angry Justin was all of the time, although feeling like he was failing them most assuredly caused that.
We also meet the people who have been the most influential in Justin's life. Luke's family was pivotal in his life, especially his sister, Rebecca. The author definitely makes twists and turns so that it's not the romance you're expecting! There's more love involved aside from Justin and Rebecca which makes the story more enjoyable. I have to say my favorite character in the book was Elisan. She has a strong personality and is just fun to read. I wish she had a full story of her own!
There are detours along the way as Justin heads back to his no longer "normal" life. The orphanage he lived in growing up stays close to his heart as do the couple who run it. I like how we as readers are able to visit the people in his life as he grew up. There are a lot of ups and downs for him as well as his siblings. I forget how young people were when they went to saloons back in the day!
Sometimes the story gets overly heavy with all of the emotions the characters wrestle through as well as life circumstances. It's almost like no one can catch a break. Thankfully the ending is uplifting!
*I was sent this ebook for review by the author. This is my opinion.
Justin heads into the war, but his life's goal has been to find his siblings, and find them he does, thanks to Luke's sister, Elisan! Two confederate and 2 yankees for siblings, what could go wrong? When they finally make their way together, they've all been independent for so long, it makes for quite the mess. The joy doesn't last long, and that makes for a good part of the story. I was kind of surprised at how angry Justin was all of the time, although feeling like he was failing them most assuredly caused that.
We also meet the people who have been the most influential in Justin's life. Luke's family was pivotal in his life, especially his sister, Rebecca. The author definitely makes twists and turns so that it's not the romance you're expecting! There's more love involved aside from Justin and Rebecca which makes the story more enjoyable. I have to say my favorite character in the book was Elisan. She has a strong personality and is just fun to read. I wish she had a full story of her own!
There are detours along the way as Justin heads back to his no longer "normal" life. The orphanage he lived in growing up stays close to his heart as do the couple who run it. I like how we as readers are able to visit the people in his life as he grew up. There are a lot of ups and downs for him as well as his siblings. I forget how young people were when they went to saloons back in the day!
Sometimes the story gets overly heavy with all of the emotions the characters wrestle through as well as life circumstances. It's almost like no one can catch a break. Thankfully the ending is uplifting!
*I was sent this ebook for review by the author. This is my opinion.
January 9, 2021
Until We All Find Home was one of my favorite recent reads. It started out a little slow with a lot of introductory information, but it was worth sticking with it! I really came to love the characters and enjoyed following their stories. A few things I appreciated about this book:
- It’s historical fiction set during the Civil War. I haven’t read much HF from this era so I enjoyed seeing it represented. I appreciated how the relationships between characters with differing views were handled in a respectful way but felt very real and honest.
- It’s Christian fiction that doesn’t come across as watered down or super unrealistic. So often “Christian” books seem to throw in just enough of a nod to spirituality to deserve the title but not really dig into how faith affects the characters’ lives. Other books are make it seem like the characters lives are almost charmed; even when they have struggles they don’t seem to REALLY struggle. The author doesn’t shy away from tough topics and deep questions of faith in this book. I really appreciated seeing how the characters struggled with the hard things in life and how they either ran to or from God in those situations.
- I loved the family dynamics in this story. Orphaned siblings reunited as adults— it was beautiful to watch these relationships unfold as they learned to live with and love family in a way that none of them had ever experienced.
If you are a fan of historical fiction and Christian fiction, I would definitely recommend checking this book out. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel Until We All Run Free and finding out what happens next with these characters!
- It’s historical fiction set during the Civil War. I haven’t read much HF from this era so I enjoyed seeing it represented. I appreciated how the relationships between characters with differing views were handled in a respectful way but felt very real and honest.
- It’s Christian fiction that doesn’t come across as watered down or super unrealistic. So often “Christian” books seem to throw in just enough of a nod to spirituality to deserve the title but not really dig into how faith affects the characters’ lives. Other books are make it seem like the characters lives are almost charmed; even when they have struggles they don’t seem to REALLY struggle. The author doesn’t shy away from tough topics and deep questions of faith in this book. I really appreciated seeing how the characters struggled with the hard things in life and how they either ran to or from God in those situations.
- I loved the family dynamics in this story. Orphaned siblings reunited as adults— it was beautiful to watch these relationships unfold as they learned to live with and love family in a way that none of them had ever experienced.
If you are a fan of historical fiction and Christian fiction, I would definitely recommend checking this book out. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel Until We All Run Free and finding out what happens next with these characters!
February 9, 2020
A beautifully written and engaging family saga set against the backdrop of the Civil War, Until We All Find Home is ultimately a story of hope, grace, and redemption. It is a tale of love and loyalty amongst family, friends, and countrymen. A reunion of orphaned siblings separated by circumstance and later tested by faith. Through the lives and actions of the characters, the undying faithfulness of God is made evident amidst human brokenness and in a steadfast hope in His promise to heal, redeem, and to lead them “home”. Written in a pleasant and detailed style that kept me turning page after page, human nature is shown at both its strongest and its weakest through a lively collection of superbly developed and memorable characters. The author has a gift for illustrating the complexity of the human soul through words in a manner uncommon in a debut novel. Above all, I appreciated the historical accuracy and the respect for the era demonstrated in this book. We are shown an unbiased portrait of humanity beyond Union and Confederate: intricate, multi-faceted people wrought with both virtues and faults; the kind of characters who “stick with you” long after the book is finished. As a fan of historical fiction, as well as an American history buff, I enthusiastically recommend this read!
March 18, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was entertaining, thought-provoking, and well-written, and I feel that few books meet all of those important criteria. The author did a seamless job of creating a montage of the characters' life experiences, intersecting their lives and perspectives in ways I did not expect. The story hung together masterfully. I quickly felt invested in the characters: I related strongly to one character; I liked another the best; I wanted to meet another; another reminded me of someone in my life. So it made me smile throughout, and it was always a welcome break in the middle of my day and a peaceful, enjoyable end to my day. The author has me wondering where next she would take the characters and events of the story if she is writes a sequel. A job well done on the author's debut novel and we are all eager for a next.
December 4, 2019
Until We All Find Home is a beautiful, redemptive story of a family set in the time of the Civil War. The book was thoughtfully and carefully researched and I really appreciated the historical accuracy. I cannot remember reading a book set in this time period, so I felt like I was actually learning a lot! I enjoyed how the reality of what the family would have gone through being reunited wasn't glossed over. It would have been seriously difficult, and so I appreciated the "rawness" of certain scenes. Which is so say, the dialogue was well done!
Beautiful story! Would absolutely recommend!
Beautiful story! Would absolutely recommend!
January 26, 2020
A MUST Read!
Before I was even a couple pages into Until We All Find Home I was completely captivated. Heather Wood wrote this is such a way I was living the real lives of these people & orphans. The history was on point - which is important. But, most of all these orphans found the Lord, struggled to understand His ways, and then rested in God in a real way. God wasn't a "nice little refference" of the book as so many I have read. He was their Home & Healing! (And, I may have read the whole night through - Because I couldn't put this book down.)
Before I was even a couple pages into Until We All Find Home I was completely captivated. Heather Wood wrote this is such a way I was living the real lives of these people & orphans. The history was on point - which is important. But, most of all these orphans found the Lord, struggled to understand His ways, and then rested in God in a real way. God wasn't a "nice little refference" of the book as so many I have read. He was their Home & Healing! (And, I may have read the whole night through - Because I couldn't put this book down.)
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