Author: Sara ShepardSeries:
Publisher: Dutton
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 384
Date of Publication: February 20, 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
When Lenna gets a call from her old friend Rhiannon, she is startled; Rhiannon disappeared years ago without a trace. But Lenna is even more startled to learn that Rhiannon has a son and that she lives off the grid with a group of women in a community called Halcyon. Rhiannon invites Lenna, a new mother herself, to join them. Why suffer the sleepless nights by yourself? It takes a village, after all.
Lenna decides to go and hopefully repair her relationship with Rhiannon, but as she drives into the desert and her cell service gets weaker, she becomes suspicious. Who are these women and why did Rhiannon invite her here? And that is before she learns about the community's rules (no outside phone calls, no questions about people’s pasts) and the padlock on the gate that leads out to the main road. But Lenna has other concerns, secrets from her past she is terrified will come out. When a newcomer arrives in the community, Lenna’s worst fears are confirmed—she was brought here for a reason.
Nowhere Like Home tackles themes of complicated friendships and trauma but all with Sara Shepard’s expert twists that you don’t see coming.
MY THOUGHTS:
Serenity. Community. Help. Answers. Well. A mommune, a communal environment for women and children.
Lenna and Rhiannon become fast friends, and Rhiannon even plays a part in Lenna getting a job at the gossip magazine. However, there is another young woman on the fringes of Lenna and Rhiannon's friendship, and this plays into the drama that Lenna experiences before long.
In this story of past and present, Lenna is now a mother to a baby named Jacob. Seemingly in love with her husband Daniel, Lenna is surprised when she hears from Rhiannon after their friendship was lost many years ago. Lenna takes Rhiannon up on the offer to leave Danial, albeit temporarily, and to go to a community called Halcyon.
Lenna takes Jacob and heads to the desert to this unusual community. Daniel is perplexed as to why Lenna has left. It is at this point the story begins to shift and plays into secrets, mysteries and more. In fact, there is even a measure of gaslighting in this story. The question as to whether or not Lenna can get used to the communal way of thinking, even though her stay was meant to be for only a short while.
Nowhere Like Home gave me strong vibes of the Eagles song, Hotel California, especially the lines, "You can check-out any time you like. But you can never leave!" When you read this chilling book by Sara Shepard, you might be just as inclined as I was to stop and listen to the once-popular song.
My did I love this book! The drama shifting from past to present, all while wondering about the integrity of the community made this book quite an engaging read. If there was any drawback, it would be the drama/trauma that more than one character experienced and how this shaped most of the story. Sara Shepard has escaped my radar before now, but I will likely check out her next book.
Many thanks to Dutton and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Sara Shepard fulfills the cherished dreams of those around her – creating quality books. Today, Sara Shepard Publishing House produces literature for audiences of all ages.
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