An enjoyable read, full of likeable characters and a good pace to the story. Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this.

I really enjoyed this story, the characters were well thought out and engaging and the writing was warm and really drew you in. I would recommend , thank you.

Thanks to #netgalley for the chance to read this book for a review.
This book was completed within 2 sittings, I could not put it down, although I figured out the plot I still wanted to know how it was going to end. It is worth reading, it splits into 2, as you read the story in the present you also time travel to the past, and this lays out the story as you get to understand the characters in the book more.
Happy reading 📖

This is the first book I've ever read by Fanny Blake, and even though I haven't read anything by her, I always hear wonderful things about her work. This story was stunning, it swept me up from the very beginning and kept me captivated until the very end! Fantastic language created a beautiful image in my head whilst reading. Will definitely re!

Isla has a rollercoaster of a ride as she attempts to reconcile her past with her

present situation. She has an ex, a new boyfriend, and two sisters but nothing is at it seems. Her moody

grandaughter helps her solve her life of mystery and her place within her loving family., Set within historical

post-war Paris and modern-day Edinborough, tension mounts as the story unfolds., The Long Way Home

is like a jigsaw puzzle as we arrange all the pieces together.

What a captivating read.!

I was captivated by this book straight away and wanted to find out the story behind May's actions to Isla. So wrapped up in this book was I, that I stayed up until 4am to finish it. I could see one of the story arcs but that didn't spoil the book at all. The road trip between Isla and her granddaughter Charlie was lovely and to see the relationship blossom was a delight. This was my first Fanny Blake book, but it definitely won't be my last. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read it.

It’s 1954 and May has left her Scottish home to be a nanny in Paris. Her first adventure without her family and she means to enjoy every minute of it. She starts to explore the area where her new home is, makes friends amongst the other nannies and finds herself really enjoying the Parisian way of life, especially when she is introduced to Max, an American student who makes her life even better.

It’s 2019 and Isla, Morag and Lorna are back in their old childhood home following the death of their mother. They had always had their clashes but tragedy generally brings everyone together, so are sorting out the house when they find their mothers will. After it’s read, they discover that Isla, at 65 the eldest, has been left only a painting that was in their fathers study. The house is left to Morag, Lorna and their aunt, who had been living with their mother when she died. Isla knew that she and her mother hadn’t gotten on together for many years but couldn’t understand why, or what she’d done to deserve this.

Told from 2 points of view, May in 1954 and Isla in 2019, this follows Islas’ search to find out why she had been so decisively cut out of the will. The description of Mays’ life in Paris is beautifully written and atmospheric. The characters are believable although at times come across as naive, particularly Isla. However, she is such a positive character that you can’t help but like her. Add in the relationships between the sisters and their families, the secrets that everyone keeps, the fact that families argue and not everyone always likes everyone in their owns families, makes this more believable. It also shows you can’t take every thing at face value, and no one truly knows what really goes on in someone else’s marriage. A very nice read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Firstly a huge thank you to sj at Simon and Schuster for my gorgeous hardback . I will also share my review on netgalley.

Im a huge fan of Fannys books and i knew just by seeing the cover i would love this. Clue the black lab may have influenced that decision.

I devoured this in one evening and was perfect for a cold January day. Family, secrets,love and loss are all running themes in this story. Fantastic charactars and i loved reading the relationship between grandma and granddaughter blossom .

Written in alternate timelines,locations and perspectives this gives the reader great insight into more than one layer of this book.

Cleverly written and thought provoking this is a great read and i highly revommend .

Full of warmth and wit this makes the perfect escapism.

Published 7th January

I started reading this on Christmas day and loved how easy it was to get involved with the characters . The book takes place between now and Paris in the 1950s. The story starts with May arriving in Paris as a young lady, ready to start work as a nanny . We are then fast forwarded to the current day where May has recently passed away and her oldest daughter Isla is with her two sisters listening to the reading of the will, it comes as a shock to all three that Isla has not been left a share in the house but a painting instead that was in her late Dad's study.
Determined to find out why she has been left a picture she takes a road trip with her granddaughter Charlie who has been left home alone as her parents seek their dream jobs. This book was absorbing, I travelled to Paris with the great description of May with her relationships and friendships and equally watching the relationship grow between Isla and Charlie on their road trip made me smile as it explored technology, relationships and travel.
A mixture of ages and characters for you to enjoy and overall a great read

This is my first introduction to Fanny Blake’s writing and I’m blown away. A thought provoking and at times heart wrenching tale. The Long Way Home spans four generations of the same family – spanning from UK/Scotland in the now and Paris in the 1950s.

I loved how the chapters were in the then and now and more often than not we would get the explanation to our brimming questions. Around 50% into the novel I was starting to see a pattern forming and was wanting to know more and more. Although in saying that the more I found out the more questions came up.

I’m such a fan of stories that span generations and I loved how this was always apparent, but as the story continued the integration of the ages made the story. I adored Isla from the start and I loved getting to know Charlie alongside Isla. I think the make-up scene of her and her gran was one of the most gorgeous bonding sessions I’ve ever read – that and the film on the laptop. It was heartwarming to see the change in Charlie and how Isla saw a bond that she had with her aunt Aggie developing with her Granddaughter.

A death in the family can more often than not stray many tensions. May’s will had little explanation and it changed the relationship between the sisters. This part of the story was a slow-burn that wasn’t completely sorted until the later stages of the novel.

May had an emotional rollercoaster of a life with many secrets haunting her to the grave. I didn’t always agree with May but I felt for her a lot. There’s so much I want to say but I can’t without spoiling the reveal – I saw part of it coming but I was pretty happy with the ending.

Isla has a tough old time trying to find out about where she went wrong with her mother – but there is so much more heartache for her. Morag was the most uncomplicated of the sisters. She had her own worries yet her sisters loved her for that. Lorna is a decent person I loved getting to know her and scratching the surface aside from the bravado – her heart to heart with Isla gave me all the feels and more.

A story of family, love, loss and how secrets can change so much. There are so many underlying messages in this novel that will make me think of it for a long time to come. If you’re looking to escape from the crazy that is the world right now I wholeheartedly recommend this gorgeous novel although be warned it’s made me long to travel.

Cleverly written alternating chapters which go back to Paris in the 1950's and up to the present time, in order that the reader can understand what has happened in the past to make the characters they are in the present day. Another lovely book by Fanny Blake.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

A really beautifully written family drama book which included four generations a family, which was written about life in Paris as well as United Kingdom.

Written with a story which told of a past history and what decisions were made which affected the lives of those in the present and the generations to come.

Secrets were kept, lies were told and untruths were uncovered. The readers were taken on a journey which followed the reasons behind a will bequest.

There was sibling rivalry, along with mother daughter conflicts, as well as complicated love lives. To add to the mix there was a reluctant grandchild.

Recommend it.

A wonderfully gentle read that rolls along but nonetheless keeps the reader's attention. A brilliant tale of family conflict across the ages flitting between Paris in the early 50s and present day. Quite a few surprises along the way with some truly relatable characters. who were so believable and sensitively explored the intergenerational plus sibling relationships between the female members of the family. It was lovely to rediscover Fanny Blake's writing and I shall be looking back at some I've missed.

With thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest opinion
What a lovely gentle book very thought provoking.

Set between the early 1950’s and the present day, this is the story of May and the relationship she has with her eldest daughter Isla. When Isla is left just an old painting in her mother’s will, the need to find the reason why she has been disinherited is all encompassing. So with her 14 year old granddaughter Charlie in tow, she embarks on a road trip to try and uncover the truth behind her mother’s rejection.

A well written story about family relationships, long held secrets and lost love. A thoroughly enjoyable read which I would recommend.

A beautifully written family drama Spanning four generations, based between Paris and the United Kingdom!
Told with a sense of history, understanding and empathy! The decisions we make in our youth and the repercussions of those decisions throughout the ages affecting subsequent generations is central to this read, secrets, lies and untold truths abound as we are lead on a voyage of discovery to ascertain the reasons behind a will bequest, sibling rivalry, mother daughter conflicts, complicated love lives and a reluctant grandchild all woven together to make a wonderful read epitomising love family loyalty/bonds and a sense of home and belonging!
Thank you netgalley for this early read.

Firstly thanks to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for an early review copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Oh how I loved this book! I'll be honest I hadn't read any Fanny Blake books before but I'll definitely be looking them up now.

This is one of my favourite types of books, with a dualling timeline between now and Paris in the 1950s.

The story starts with May arriving in Paris as a young lady, ready to start work as a nanny . We are then fast forwarded to the current day where May has recently passed away and her oldest daughter Isla is with her 2 sisters at May's house. When they find May's will it comes as a shock to all 3 that Isla has not been left a share in the house but a painting instead that was in her late Dad's study.

Determined to find out why she has been left a picture she takes on a road trip with her granddaughter Charlie to get an answer to this riddle.

This book was fantastic, you could feel yourself in Paris with May and equally with Isla and Charlie on their road trip. I loved their relationship and how it was explained, Isla's constant frustration that Charlie's life was controlled by her phone and Charlie's forthright speaking and way of getting things done.

It explores relationships really well, be it mother and daughter, (ex)partners or sisters. My favourite scene was when Isla and Charlie do each other's make up, you felt there was a bond made that would never be broken.

Like I said I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to others when it is released.