Book Review: Take Me Home by Beth Moran

I’m so excited to be welcoming Beth Moran back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the Blog Tour for her latest novel, Take Me Home. 

Sophie Potter’s job is helping people deal with the worst, because Sophie Potter knows what the worst feels like.

An expert at keeping moving, with her trusty motorhome and faithful dog Muffin, Sophie has built her life around keeping her loves and loyalties as few as possible.

Fabulous fifty-something Hattie Langford has kept her heart and past safely stored away too. But for reasons she’s only willing to share with a stranger, Hattie needs to tell the story her family has been hiding at Riverbend, their home in Sherwood Forest. There is a history of heartbreak and hurt that Hattie is ready to face.

As Sophie helps Hattie uncover the secrets of generations of women who have lived at Riverbend, along with the stories of the men they have loved and lost, they start to see echoes in their own pasts. And as Riverbend shares its biggest secret of all, can Hattie and Sophie finally embrace the lives they’ve put on hold for so long, and risk their hearts to men who can break the Riverbend curse?

*****

Sophie is far more comfortable helping other people get through their grief and pain than facing her own.

However, from the moment she meets Hattie, the course of her life will change forever.

I am always so excited when a new Beth Moran novel gets released. I have become such a big fan of this author and so I was honoured to be invited onto the blog tour for Take Me Home.

The cover is beautiful and I knew from the blurb that it was going to make me cry and make me cry it did.

I couldn’t help but love Sophie. From the beginning, you can tell she is a warm, loyal character who, through tragedy, is fighting her own fears. She felt like a very real, relatable person.

Gideon was also incredibly well written and developed. A sweetheart from beginning to end. That’s all I will say about him. I don’t want to give too much away.

The plot moved incredibly well as it flipped between present day and flashbacks. I feel this was done in a very fluid way. There are moments of great heartache, loss and pain but also many life affirming moments filled with love, laughter and a brilliant and hilarious supporting cast. Who wouldn’t need the Gals in their lives?

The themes such as loss, illness and mental health are handled, in m opinion, with a lot of sensitivity.

The setting of the forest, the house and the grounds sound beautiful. and the descriptions given made it very vivid. It reminded me of Kingston Lacy in Wimborne, Dorset and so I could very easily get further immersed in the story.

Beth Moran has once again created a wonderful, poignant tale this time about love, grief, moving on, forgiveness and the courage to reach out and grab life with everything you have.

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources, Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. 

About Beth Moran –

Beth Moran is the award winning author of ten contemporary fiction novels, including the top ten bestselling Just the Way You Are. Her books are set in and around Sherwood Forest, where she can be found most mornings walking with her spaniel Murphy.

She has the privilege of also being a foster carer to teenagers, and enjoys nothing better than curling up with a pot of tea and a good story.

Say hello to Beth via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Bookbub. Click here to sign up to her newsletter.

Take Me Home was released by BoldWood Books on 13th October 2023. Click to buy on Amazon UK and Waterstones.

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.