Beth Moran's "Take Me Home" is a poignant and uplifting novel that beautifully weaves together themes of love, loss, and the power of facing one's past. With smart characters and irresistible romances, Moran creates a heartwarming story that resonates with readers on a deep emotional level.

The protagonist, Sophie Potter, is an expert at helping others navigate through their worst moments, drawing from her own experiences with heartbreak. Her life revolves around her trusty motorhome and loyal companion, Muffin, as she keeps her emotional attachments to a minimum. However, when she encounters Hattie Langford, a fabulous fifty-something with her own hidden past, Sophie's world takes an unexpected turn.

Hattie, seeking solace in sharing her family's long-held secrets at Riverbend, opens the door to a history of heartbreak and hurt that both women must confront. As Sophie and Hattie delve into the stories of generations of women at Riverbend, the novel skillfully unravels echoes of their own pasts. The narrative unfolds with a delicate balance of nostalgia, mystery, and the promise of new beginnings.

Moran's storytelling is both heartwarming and soul-nourishing, capturing the essence of personal growth and healing. The characters are portrayed with depth and authenticity, making it easy for readers to connect with their journeys. The exploration of love and loss, coupled with the revelation of Riverbend's biggest secret, adds layers to the narrative, keeping the reader engaged until the final page.

"Take Me Home" is a testament to Beth Moran's ability to craft emotionally resonant and compelling stories. Her novels have a transformative quality that enriches the reader's soul. This book, like Moran's others, is impossible not to fall in love with. It stands as a perfect choice for fans of authors like Jill Mansell, Julie Houston, and Jenny Colgan.

In summary, "Take Me Home" is a five-star read that combines intelligent storytelling, memorable characters, and irresistible romance. Beth Moran's skill in creating heartwarming narratives shines through, making this novel a must-read for anyone seeking a touching and uplifting literary experience.

Hattie was a woman of two worlds, quite literally, who needed help sorting her past, ordering her present, and perhaps settling her future. Sophie was the kindhearted soul with a business plan to do just that for grieving families (something I could never imagine doing for a living, but by goodness is necessary, needed, and appreciated tenfold). She'd never worked on this side of loss, the still living side, but this job would be unlike any other she's taken in many more ways than the obvious one. There are many rewards to be reaped in life, those of the heart being among the biggest, but if we're unwilling to open ourselves to the possibilities, take chances, and practice forgiveness... how will we ever accept that goodness for ourselves?

I loved the vibrancy of Hattie. I can't say I didn't guess what was happening with her to some degree, but it didn't matter. She was a force to be reckoned with and definitely had a "Goonie" state of mind (hopefully you're of an age to get the reference 😉). When her time came (not in the way you're necessarily thinking!), I couldn't help but celebrate on her behalf. Sophie was very dear to my heart. Like I said before, I couldn't do the job she did, but can definitely appreciate the help, the closure, the shoulder to lean on in a time when nothing seems stable that she would have provided. Learning about her past helped us understand her better, truly see her for the bruised heart she carried, and respect her all the more for it. As she worked her way through that tangle of emotions, you couldn't help but feel proud of the progress she made, and hope against hope for that tangible future you could see just out of reach.

A touching story about living life with no regrets, or at least settling them up before life settles up with you. It reminds us to follow our hearts, seek out our dreams, and grab onto love whenever we find it. Make the most of the moments, and you'll have more than memories to last a lifetime.

Another great book by Beth Moran. A book that will lift you up, make you smile and have you reaching for the next feel good book. Beth always writes the most wonderful characters and her writing makes you feel as if you know them and you are on a journey with them.

A sweet and interesting but not airy-fairy, it has depth and a good storyline which will keep you reading. It is a book that has some emotion but will leave you feeling good and knowing there are good people who do good things in the world.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

3.5 out of 5. This is a sweet, heartfelt and powerful family drama set at Christmas. A lovely story of how you can make peace with your family past, but also how intergenerationally so much pain can be passed on. The concept of these women healing through art is beautiful and the twists and ending are lovely.

Beth moran is absolutely amazing at writing a compelling and interesting story that will have you hooked from the first page! I adored this book it was full of laughter love and tears and I didn't want it to end!

Another wonderful Christmas feel good book from the fantastic Beth Moran. Am unputdownable book that had my nose buried from beginning to end

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this book looked really cute- both from the cover and the description. I did however think it was a Christmas story, as I saw others on goodreads also did, so I saved it to read closer to the holidays. It is not a holiday story, but it was heartwarming and sweet, as cute as the cover. Don't let the beginning put you off- I started reading and feared it would all be about the families that she is assisting after the death of a family member. I didn't want to read all about family drama and grief. Fortunately, I kept reading and found that the story was nothiing like that. Yes, she does run a company assisting families after death, but the story is much more as we watch her build relationships, confront her own grief, and open her heart again. I loved each of the characters and the way you watched them grow through their friendships and Hattie's art therapy sessions. I am looking forward to reading more by Beth Moran.

I requested the ARC for Take Me Home because last year I read Let It Snow by this author and truly loved it. So my expectations for this one were pretty high. And I wasn't let down. Beth Moran did it again! It's a feel-good story but with a lot of depth and emotion, it made me cry multiple times. I can't even express how much I ended up loving Sophie.

I loved this winter story, which is about Riverbend, a house in the Sherwood Forest, which holds many secrets from the past. The main characters of the book are Sophie and Hattie, who help us to unravel a lot of stories from Riverbend, and we get to explore the people who have lived there over the years. The history of Riverbend and its people are fascinating, and I really enjoyed hearing all about them. Sophie and Hattie are lovely characters, and it was interesting to hear about their lives; both good and bad. This is an emotional story, which is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. This is a great book, which I highly recommend.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

The story centres around Sophie Potter whose job is helping others after the loss of a loved one.

Sophie is hired by Hattie who is an artist who has her own secrets and story to tell.

Some really likeable characters and a story of life, loss, friendship and love with so much heart and a couple of cute dogs.

I had left this one for the holidays based on the cover thinking it was going to be a Christmas read which it wasn’t. Thankfully that didn’t matter in the end as it was a thoughtful, feel good, cosy read. I did however find it a bit slower at times but I’m sure that will be something other readers will enjoy and was more women’s fiction than romance.

I want to thank Netgalley and the Boldwood Books for generously providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

Really charming story, gorgeous setting, very well written, flowed well, great characters that i could really connect too, and it was a lovely read. Beth is a good storyteller and i always enjoy her books.

I started this book super excited as I have loved several of Beth's books. Unfortunately I struggled with this book. When I was nearly half way through it I wondered if I should stop reading it as I was not all that invested, but I stuck with it. Before I knew what was happening tears were literally rolling down my cheeks, so forget not being moved. Nevertheless, even at the end I have very mixed feelings about this story. I think it was really a good story with relatable people and heartbreaking events, and although I was literally moved to tears by parts of the story, I still wasn't gripped and 100% invested. Maybe it was just down to me?!
The main character Sophie was very likeable and so were the dogs. Hattie was a little more difficult to understand and love, but by the end of the story her character had grown and become clearer and it all started to make more sense.
There is some romance in this story, but that is definitely not the main focus.

I have read so many books by the author by now that going in, I know what to expect (for the most part). This book was no exception. I must have read it in one sitting, something I tend to do with this writing style.

Our leading lady once loved flowers. A freak accident left her bereft of more than just her family. Now she has a unique job, one that she might have created from nothing. She uses her skills to help negotiate the arrangements after someone’s passing for the family. This story is of her restarting her life when someone asks her to help her clear stuff while she’s still alive.

The core of the book consists of the people. Everyone adds something to the story, almost like they deserve their own sequels.

It may not be the best of her books I’ve read, but it’s heartwarming and has enough happily ever afters that made it a satisfying read.

I would recommend it to fans of the genre and the author.

I received an arc thanks to netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Take Me Home was a very enjoyable read, from an author I've started to regard as very reliable. The book fits into my invented category of "nest-building", which has become my favourite escapist reading (it's a broad category which includes almost any variety of moving to a new house - unexpected legacy, marital breakdown and relocation, returning to the family home, starting a new business etc).

Here, home is at first a very small space for Sophie, who shares her motorhome with Muffin, her dog. She has a rather specialised business, supporting people and their families at the end of a life and and she preserves her privacy fiercely between jobs. As we meet her she's just finished one such job and has a choice for what she'll do next. First, a complicated family probably about to fight over an inheritance, one of whom is allergic to dogs, so she'll be living in her van in northern England in winter; the other is an artist who wants help tidying up her affairs - she's a dog owner, there's a guest suite, it's a country estate... of course, Sophie chooses the latter.

Her arrival at Middlebeck is embarrassing for number of reasons. She finds herself crashing a therapy group, so the initial welcome is somewhat frosty. Then her new client introduces her as a historian who's come to write a book, a falsification which will later prove extremely awkward. But it turns out that the artist is someone whose work she loves, and she agrees to stay and after her first night in the house finds herself beguiled by its warmth and beauty.

Which is all I'm going to say about the plot. I knew by then that I was going to enjoy the book very much. I already liked Sophie and Muffin and Hattie seemed like an excellent addition - slightly scatty, but intelligent and interesting and apparently, very much alive and active. That her dog's name is Flapjack is proof of her suitability.

It's probably true that almost any fictional character who chooses to share their home with a dog (or a cat) is well on the way to endearing themselves to me, but Take Me Home was definitely off to a good start. The introduction of a man to the cast-list got us well on the way to a nest-building classification. I don't actually require a love interest, but this form of escapism does tend to go hand in hand with romance. I do, however, require the protagonist to demonstrate their autonomy before settling down to connubial bliss, even if they start out full of vulnerability. And this book meets that requirement too - Sophie has lots of baggage to deal with alongside Hattie's needs, and joining her while she does it is what makes it an absorbing read. Emotional and practical mess is examined and mended, order is re-established, and another contented reader turns the final page. Well done, author, and thank you.

I found it very hard to get into this book. It was split into two timelines and a complicated story. However the more I read the more engrossed I became and couldn’t have hoped for a better ending.

4.5*
Sophie Potter has lived through a devastating tragedy and subsequently made a career out of helping other people to deal with life after loss, sometimes also including house clearing and any administration required. She moves from place to place in her motorhome with her dog for company. The only other people she has in her life are her silent partner in the business, Ezra, and his family. Her past is a shadow following her wherever she goes, meaning she’s still unable to quite come to terms with her loss and the impact it’s had on her life.

Sophie’s next client is Harriet Langford, who lives in Riverbend, an Edwardian country house on the edge of Sherwood Forest, and is offering a dog friendly stay plus a luxurious guest suite. Harriet hasn’t lost anyone, isn’t grieving as such, but wants help clearing the attic of boxes and boxes of items from years gone by that she hasn’t been able to bring herself to go through, and to tell her story. It’s time for her to release the trauma and pain of the past.

'I stopped for a moment, taking in the Juliet balcony above steps leading up to a broad front door. It was more of a hall than a house, but the squat – almost square – shape and the fairy lights entwined in the clematis clambering up the wall made it appear more homely than grand. An enticing glow shone through the rain from several floor-to-ceiling windows and my stomach gave a soft growl at the thought of the supper we might find within.'

Sophie isn’t the only one guarding her heart and secrets. But staying at Riverbend changes her life in ways she couldn’t have imagined. Hattie also helps people, through art therapy, and the group of women (the Gals) who attend her sessions, themselves needing help with personal issues, in turn become a support.

Take Me Home is a very enjoyable read with delightfully drawn characters that find their way into your heart. Hattie’s story is told through flashbacks as she and Sophie uncover the history and heartbreaking secrets from Riverbend’s past. Hattie is ready to lay them to rest although she realises it won’t be easy. Cleverly written so all is not doom and gloom, with lots of uplifting, warm hearted and humorous moments, mostly but not always thanks to the Gals….and there are dogs too! Plus twists, romance, lovely developing friendships, second chances and a wonderfully described setting.

Another fabulous story from Beth Moran, telling a gently woven tale of love and finding home.

Each character had their own story to tell that centred somehow around the theme of belonging and I really enjoyed seeing each develop in their own right. I loved the dogs playing a central part, the rambling big house, and -for once!- a male character that has no bad sides to him, just a totally realistic development of feelings and a relationship.

I really loved this emotional story that captured my heart and wouldn’t let it go! It is set in beautiful Sherwood Forest, and is the story of Riverbend, a lovely house in the forest, and of the people who live, and have lived there. Sophie and her dog Muffin live in a motor home, travelling from job to job. That suits Sophie, as she doesn’t like getting close to people. When she meets Hattie Langridge, who lives at Riverbend, she agrees to take up a live-in position, and is soon drawn into the secrets of the house, and finds herself helping Hattie to uncover the history that is encased within the walls. As she does so, she finds that her own walls are crumbling. This is a book that really moved me, kept me engaged, and made me think about the power of friendship. It’s beautifully written, full of interesting and likeable characters, and is an intriguing story. Highly recommended.

After so much loss how does one continue to live? In Sophie’s case it means keeping on the move and never getting close to anyone. An emotional ride, so be sure to have a tissue handy, this book was a great read. I really love Beth Moran’s writing style and her stories always draw me right in.

Take Me Home is undoubtedly Beth Moran’s greatest writing achievement!!!

Sophie Potter, suffered immense loss at a young age. While most people in her situation would actively avoid dealing with death, Sophie uses her personal experience to help others. Never staying in one place for more than a few weeks, Sophie gives off the appearance that she has worked through her trauma. But when a job comes up to work for Hattie Langford, she can no longer get by on appearances alone. Together the two women learn what it means to stop running from their past and open their heart once again.

This book has the profound ability to both devastate and heal its readers. It explores what happens when dreams go unrealized. Through the use of flashbacks that Moran effortlessly weaves throughout the book, we watch as the beautiful estate, Riverbend, appears to be cursed. Generation after generation of couples are torn apart through death, infertility, and abusive fathers. But when one brave woman decides to fight for what she wants, she is able to see not only her own, but other’s happily-ever-after come to fruition.

The tone of the book oscillates between solemn and hopeful. Where I usually take a day or two to read a book, this one took me four. That isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy my time reading it. It was a stunning story that I highly recommend, but it isn’t one to be rushed. Readers should be sure to carve out adequate time and get in the proper headspace before tackling this book.

Special thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and Beth Moran for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.