This audio book consists of 10 CDs, written by John M. Simmons and read by Alan Peterson. While this is fiction, it’s based upon the actual adoption experiences of John and his wife, Amy, who adopted two daughters from Russia, Sarah and Celest.  They now have a total of nine children. 

The CDs start off with a song written by Amy Knight, Yá Tibyá Lo Bloo, (Russian for "I love you"), which brought tears to my eyes, for it reminded me of the tremendous surge of joy and love I felt when I first held my daughter (adopted from Russia), and later my son (adopted from Kazakhstan), against my heart.

The reader, Alan Peterson, does an outstanding job of narrating, providing realistic Russian accents and an emotional content that can only be felt when hearing the CDs.  My eyes teared as I listened to Katya’s loneliness, my head shook when I suffered through the frustrations of the adoption process with Mike and Laura, and I smiled with joy when they finally held their daughters and headed home to America.

The audio book, The Marvelous Journey Home, is an outstanding story.  While a fictionalized version of the Simmons’ experiences with the international adoption process, the story Mr. Simmons paints of the frustrations - and the joys - of adopting a child or children are all too real.  There are so many children in orphanages whose only wish in life is to find someone who will love them.  Of all the books I have on the adoption process, whether written for or by adoptive parents, this is the book I would recommend above all others to prospective adoptive parents.

The Marvelous Journey Home is truly a marvelous treasure, one which reminds us that love is the greatest gift of all.