Here, Home, Hope ~ A Book Review

I just finished reading Here, Home, Hope, by Kaira Rouda.  First, let me start by saying that it was a quick read and that is usually not the case for me.  I read it over the weekend!  Secondly, this was my first digital read and it was fun to be able to read it on my laptop and my husband's Kindle. I think I want a digital reader for the summer.  When is Mother's Day? Crap, too late.

Anyway, let me give you my takeaways from Here, Home, Hope.  It's a novel about Kelly Johnson, a 39 year old wife and mother who is having a hard time with turning 40 and has had a recent cancer scare.  She is on the cusp of a mid-life crisis and is in constant reflection regarding the direction of her life.  I loved Kelly.  She is writing a T2C list throughout the novel, which stands for Things To Change in her life.  She creates her list using sticky notes, and Lord knows I love sticky notes.  Kelly lives in the 'burbs, hates the dentist and is married to an attorney.  We've got a lot in common.

Kelly thinks the grass is always greener and comes to find out that it's not always the case.  Her friends' marriages are falling apart around her and Kelly is the go-to gal for fixing everything in her friends' lives.  She is constantly doing for others and not always thinking about what she may need.

She starts a new career, helps pick up the pieces for all of her friends in times of need and figures out how she wants to live her life.  The self-reflection is full of wit and good humor.  I wanted to punch Rachel (the obnoxious know-it-all, in your face, crass mother in the neighborhood) in the face.

The only that may have been lacking for me was deeper character development, especially in the love triangles. I felt I was left hanging at times and wanted to know more about the failed marriages and the new relationships.

Overall, it was an uplifting story that is a good reminder of what really matters in life -- love, friendship and happiness.  Here is what other people are saying about the book.  Kaira Rouda is currently on a book tour, so you can check out this list of dates to find out when she'll be in your area for a book signing.  Happy reading!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Disclosure:  I received a copy of the book from One2One Network to facilitate my review.