The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours comes a new historical novel: the dramatic story of three young women searching for family amid the destruction of the post–Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who learns of their story and its vital connection to her students’ lives.

Bestselling author Lisa Wingate brings to life startling stories from actual “Lost Friends” advertisements that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War, as newly freed slaves desperately searched for loved ones who had been sold away.

Louisiana, 1875: In the tumultuous era of Reconstruction, three young women set off as unwilling companions on a perilous quest: Hannie, a freed slave; Lavinia, the pampered heir to a now destitute plantation; and Juneau Jane, Lavinia’s Creole half sister. Each carries private wounds and powerful secrets as they head for Texas, following roads rife with vigilantes and soldiers still fighting a war lost a decade before. For Lavinia and Juneau Jane, the journey is one
of stolen inheritance and financial desperation, but for Hannie, torn from her mother and siblings before slavery’s end, the pilgrimage west reignites an agonizing question: Could her long-lost family still be out there? Beyond the swamps lie the limitless frontiers of Texas and, improbably, hope.

Louisiana, 1987: For first-year teacher Benedetta Silva, a subsidized job at a poor rural school seems like the ticket to canceling her hefty student debt—until she lands in a tiny, out-of-step Mississippi River town. Augustine, Louisiana, is suspicious of new ideas and new people, and Benny can scarcely comprehend the lives of her poverty-stricken students. But amid the gnarled live oaks and run-down plantation homes lie the century-old history of three young women, a long-ago journey, and a hidden book that could change everything.

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Meet the Author:

Lisa Wingate is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Before We Were Yours. She is the author of over thirty novels and a nonfiction book, Before and After, co-authored with Judy Christie. Her award-winning works have been selected for state and community One Book reads throughout the country, have been published in more than forty languages, and have appeared on bestseller lists worldwide. She lives with her husband in North Texas.

My Thoughts:

This book was fascinating to me. Immediately, I became caught up in the split timeline and the characters and location of the story.  History came alive as I read about Hannie's experience as a slave and later after the slaves were freed. I also enjoyed reading the more present day tale of Benny Silva's teaching experience in Louisiana. The Gossett family history was intriguing and kept me reading and entertained. I loved to see how it all tied together. 

Lisa Wingate's books have always been in my top favorites. She doesn't disappoint. She knows exactly how to pull the reader in and tell tales you'll never forget. 

I highly recommend her books. Each of them has a history lesson to be learned. If you love history, you'll love her books. 

I received this book courtesy of Lisa, the publisher and her launch team. I was not asked to review this book in a positive way. This is my honest opinion.