The Orphan's Island

“An incredible book… I didn’t want to stop reading… I fell in love with the island and everyone there. It’s been ages since a book spoke to me as much… It reminds me of the Anne of Green Gables books… or Little House on the Prairie. I cried like a baby several times… One of the best stories I have read.” NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When you are alone in the world, how does your heart find its home?

1904: When plucky, red-haired, eleven-year-old Ellen Copley crosses the Atlantic Ocean with her father, it is with a head full of dreams for what the New World will hold for her. Yet within weeks of their arrival in America, her father has abandoned her—leaving Ellen with hateful relatives, alone and terrified for her future.

But then her kind Aunt Rose brings Ellen to stay with her, in their rambling family farmhouse on beautiful Amherst Island, which nestles like a jewel in the blue waters of Lake Ontario.

There Ellen finally begins to find love and acceptance, both from Aunt Rose’s boisterous family, and—as she grows into a beautiful young woman—from the boys next door, Jed and Lucas Lyman. But it’s Jed she’s drawn to… the one with the twinkling eyes, who teases her, and laughs with her, and soon steals her heart…

But does Jed love her back? Because—even though Amherst Island feels like home—Ellen knows she can’t stay there with a broken heart…

This is the first book in the unmissable Amherst Island series that follows the life and love of Ellen Copley from the magic of Lake Ontario to the bloody battlefields of the First World War and beyond. Perfect for fans of The Oceans Between Us, The Orphan Sisters, and My Name is Eva.

Previously published as Down Jasper Lane.

Readers love The Orphan’s Island:

“Hewitt proves once again that she is the queen of her craft. I am completely and thoroughly floored over how much I adored this book!... Really just pulls you right in and I found myself staying up way late into the evening just to finish… The feelings and emotions Ellen experienced just completely ripped my heart in two. This is such a heartfelt coming of age story that I completely lost myself in.” Sinfully Wicked Book Reviews⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Phenomenal… The author has such talent for making you feel like you are going through Ellen’s life right beside her. The descriptions of the landscape and the island are so real that it will make you want to go visit. This inspirational historical fiction is a must read.” NetGalley reviewer⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“[A] beautifully told story… I highly recommend The Orphan's Island to anyone who enjoys inspirational historical fiction… These are the first books I have read by this author and they most certainly will not be the last!” Christian Novel Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A tearjerker! The storytelling is wonderful and draws you in. I cried buckets! I'm so excited to read the next chapter in Ellen's life.” karen_loves_reading ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This book was sad, happy, and so well written. I could picture the beautiful island, I could feel the emotions and yes, at one point I cried. I really enjoyed reading this.”Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Oh what a book! I absolutely devoured this excellent read.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Excellent historical fiction… The author does a great job painting the pictures of the landscapes and how people lived during this time… I can’t wait to see what happens next.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“What can I say? What a great way to start a new series. I loved it. I loved the characters, I loved the environment. And I loved watching the main character growing up.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐