I didn't know this when I started reading the book, but it's another (fictional) story about a child who traveled west from NYC on the Orphan Train. But it's not at all similar to the novel of that title, though it was just as enjoyable to read.
Cora Carlisle is a respected wife and mother in Wichita, Kansas in 1920. When her neighbor Myra Brooks is looking for a chaperone for her 15-year-old daughter Louise (yes, that Louise Brooks) to travel to NYC to dance school, Cora volunteers to go, in the hope of finding out something about her past. Over the course of their few weeks together, both Cora's and Louise's lives change forever.
What I liked most about this story is what follows Cora's experience as Louise's chaperone. She is fundamentally changed, and takes that change back to Wichita with her, and it impacts all she does and everyone she is involved with for the rest of her life. The story had some neat surprises and dealt with the many issues of the times, and it was just a really enjoyable read.
The Chaperone
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