It’s a delight today to be helping launch the blog tour for the latest book from Jane Lovering, There’s No Place Like Home, and to share my publication day review. Published today (10th January) by Boldwood Books, it’s now available as an ebook (free via Kindle Unlimited), as an audiobook, and also in paperback. My thanks, as ever, to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading copy (provided via netgalley).
What a perfect way to start a new year of reading – you’ll already know how much I love Jane’s books, and I’ve been enjoying them for rather a long time now. She’s an author who never disappoints – if you put her name into my search bar on the right, you’ll find a large number of reviews! Her books are almost always on my Books of the Year lists – for 2022 it was with A Cottage Full of Secrets (published last February, and free via Kindle Unlimited – you’ll find my review here), although it could just have easily been The Forgotten House on the Moor (review here). I might just have made it a bit of a running joke by saying “this is her best yet” about every book she’s ever written – but honestly, her books just get better and better. And I was SO looking forward to this one…
Isabel, Izzy to her friends, has got nothing left to lose when she makes the bravest decision of her life.
A month living under canvas on the Yorkshire Moors with five strangers wouldn’t normally be her idea of a good time, even if there is prize money to be won at the end of it, but she’s all out of options.
Joining her in this wild goose chase, being filmed for a TV show, are farmer Seb, whose marriage is creaking but who is desperate not to lose his family. Sheltered Ruth who needs an opportunity to show she can make her own decisions. Glamorous socialite Kanga, who has been living a lie. American Junior who has his own secret that has led him there. And last but not least, mysterious and brooding Mac, who Izzy can’t help but be drawn to.
As the fickleness of nature tests them all to their limits, this disparate group come together to face the challenge. But when Izzy finally tells them the truth that has brought her out on the Moors, will that be the end of their adventure, or the beginning of her future? Because what Izzy really needs is a place to call home, and someone to share it with could be even better…
It might just be difficult to understand why anyone would sign up to be part of a reality TV show – especially when it involves surviving life under canvas on the Yorkshire Moors in the depths of winter, in pursuit of a giant black cat that might or might not exist. But for Izzy, it’s very much about the money – the daily payment might just help her get things back on an even keel again, and a share of the big prize would really change her life. For high-maintenance posh totty Kanga, it’s the opportunity for her big showbiz break; controlling Seb (who can’t help himself stepping up as their leader) wants to try to change his ways, to show his family who he really is, and hopefully save his marriage; young Ruth, quiet and serious and a touch naive, just wants the opportunity to prove herself. Junior’s on the TV company’s payroll – gruff and muscled, he has the tracking experience, gleaned from his experience pursuing Bigfoot for one of the cable channels. And the initially grumpy Mac? Well, he’s there because his producer brother was one man short – but things are a bit more complicated than that.
I always particularly love the author’s female leads and their distinctive voices, and Izzy was certainly no exception – as the facts about her current situation and her difficult past slowly emerge, I really felt for her and took her firmly to my heart. But she’s not the only one with secrets – there’s a whole series of jaw-dropping revelations, with none of the characters quite what they appear to be. And the way the story unfolds – the development of the characters, the relationships between them, the moments of drama with the hostile environment (particularly the weather) playing its part – is quite wonderful. As always with the author’s books, there’s plenty of humour – the dialogue is superb, and some of the exchanges between the characters had me in stitches. Actually, many of the set pieces had me laughing out loud too – I absolutely loved the episode that sees the whole group huddled together in the toilet hut. And then there’s the mention of Barnsley – I’ll gloss over its relevance, but it’s inspired, unexpected, and very funny.
There is a rather lovely developing romance too – unpromising at first, but building particularly convincingly. And then there’s the emotional content, and all the individuals’ issues and life complications, perfectly handled as always – as the end of the book approached, I really cared for them all and wanted them to get their happy endings and new beginnings. And the whole story, largely character driven, is just fantastic – full of unexpected twists and turns, quite a few really heart-in-mouth moments, others that brought a tear to my eye. And yes, of course I think it’s her best book yet – you really didn’t expect me to say anything else, did you? I really loved it – and so will everyone else.
About the author
Jane Lovering is the bestselling and award-winning romantic comedy writer who won the RNA Novel of the Year Award in 2012 with Please Don’t Stop the Music. She lives in Yorkshire and has a cat and a bonkers terrier, as well as five children who have now left home.
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Lovely review Anne xx
Thanks Mary – lovely book! xx