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    Home: the most moving and heartfelt novel you'll read this year
    Home: the most moving and heartfelt novel you'll read this year
    Home: the most moving and heartfelt novel you'll read this year
    Audiobook12 hours

    Home: the most moving and heartfelt novel you'll read this year

    Written by Penny Parkes

    Narrated by Laura Kirman

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    ***Penny Parkes' brilliant new novel MAYBE TOMORROW is out now!***

    'Moving, hopeful and heartfelt... an ideal book group read' AJ Pearce, author of Dear Mrs Bird

    A gripping and heartfelt story about overcoming the past and finding where you belong.
     
    Anna Wilson travels the world as a professional housesitter – stepping into other people’s lives - caring for their homes, pets and sometimes even neighbours. Living vicariously.
     
    But all Anna has ever really wanted is a home of her own – a proper one, filled with family and love and happy memories. If only she knew where to start.
     
    Growing up in foster care, she always envied her friends their secure and carefree lives, their certainty and confidence. And, while those same friends may have become her family of choice, Anna is still stuck in that nomadic cycle, looking for answers, trying to find the courage to put down roots and find a place to call home.

    Compelling, rich and evocative, Home is Anna’s journey to discovering that it isn’t where you settle down that matters, but the people you have around you when you do. 

    ‘I loved this warm and touching story about home, belonging, and finding your way in the world. Vivid, evocative and beautifully written, with a message of hope at its heart’ Holly Miller, author of The Sight of You

    'Friends are where the heart is… I very much enjoyed this thoughtful and absorbing novel' Kate Eberlen, author of Only You

    'A gorgeous, thoughtful read' Catherine Isaac, author of The World at My Feet

    'Clever, warm and funny, Penny writes with a big heart, a light touch and supreme confidence. Home will be on all the best bookshelves! The ultimate comfort read' Veronica Henry, author of A Wedding at the Beach Hut

    'As heartbreaking as it is uplifting, this book wouldn’t leave me. I loved it’ Katie Fforde, author of A Wedding in the Country

    ** WHY READERS LOVE HOME **

    'Sometimes you read a book that genuinely touches your heart. Home by Penny Parkes did that to me... I will be buying this book for friends and for my 18 year old daughter and her friends. I also really hope my book club read it, as there is so much I want to discuss' 5-star reader review

    'I felt as though this book touched my heart. I now want to read more of Penny's books as I feel as though I have missed out on her awesome writing' 5-star reader review

    'This was without a doubt one of the the most captivating books I have read in quite some time, and I would certainly recommend it to others!' 5-star reader review

    'I love this book… I found myself in tears on more than one occasion, smiling and laughing at others… This is a fantastic book and will be recommending it to all of my friends' 5-star reader review

    'Goodness me I loved this book. It was so heartfelt and thoughtful… So brilliantly done and the best Penny Parkes to date (they are all brilliant though)' 5-star reader review
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio UK
    Release dateJul 8, 2021
    ISBN9781471181948
    Author

    Penny Parkes

    Penny Parkes lives in the Cotswolds. She has appeared at literary festivals around the country and has written for The Telegraph as well as extensively in her local media. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram as @CotswoldPenny 

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    Reviews for Home

    4.5/5

    541 ratings28 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be a sweet story with relatable characters and vivid descriptions. Some reviewers felt that the book was slow-paced and could have been shorter, while others found it well-written and engaging. The emotional depth and realistic portrayal of the main character were praised, along with the themes of hope, love, and bravery. However, a few reviewers mentioned that there was too much explicit language. Overall, this book is recommended for its inspiring characters and heartfelt storytelling.

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I grew up is the word of the state so this book really resonated with me about being alone in life it was a great book for me. Not having any roots is basically what this book was about and I myself has always felt like a tumbleweed running through life

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      The emotional depth of the story and characters were genuine. I love that this story instills hope, love, and bravery in the face of emotional trauma. I also appreciate that there was a focus on the deep connections made between strangers. Wonderful read, I highly recommend!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      The story kept me engaged and pulled me into the characters lives
    • 5/5
      This book gave me relief from every day life and let me peek into the life of another. A sort of kindred spirit who loves words on a page. She places each with care and shares a real ife story of pain, learning and hope.
    • 5/5
      This was a beautifully written novel. The topics were serious, but not oppressively heavy to me. There were so many beautiful insights into life, love and loss, and how the experiences we have shape, our thoughts and the way we make decisions.
    • 5/5
      Wonderful! Heartwarming and inspiring. Loved the entire story! Highly recommend.
    • 5/5
      An all around lovely novel. Like the perfect cuppa! I enjoyed the descriptions of the places and people the main character encountered. The characters were well developed and solid. I am growing tired of novels that jump between decades/centuries, but this one did it well. The main character was someone you wanted to cheer on and celebrate and her BF was a great accent to her story. It is not a light novel, and yet it is easy to listen to. In regards to the audiobook, especially, the reader was enjoyable, and I would listen again!
    • 4/5
      This book feels like it really happened to the author. It felt awkward and painful but moved the reader forward not stuck in despair. Kindness shone through the many characters along Anna’s journey.
    • 3/5
      It was a well written and interesting story. There were several areas where I felt it was too detailed and could have been shortened. Many times I wanted to skip ahead because of this. This is the only reason I didn't give it a 4.
    • 3/5
      Written well but at times a bit too wordy for my liking. Text was a bit repetitive. Otherwise, a highly relatable story of the need of belonging.
    • 3/5
      Enjoyed the story and the characters but I agree with the other reviews that there was a bit too much explicit language
    • 3/5
      Sweet story, but very slow. It could have been several hours shorter. Not thrilling by any means, but definitely a sweet story.
    • 5/5
      So so good wonderful flawed humans with hearts and minds and souls love love love this story
    • 5/5
      A huge thank you to the author and narrator! I loved it!
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed the book however did not like yet expletives used
    • 4/5
      Great story but slow at times, lots of inner dialogue.
    • 5/5
      An excellent novel with real characters and real life sprinkled with real hope throughout!
    • 5/5
      A wonderful story full of so much emotion, humor, and reality.

      This book made me want to reach through the storybook covers and hug Anna.

      The author shows you such a powerful and yet vulnerable main character by bringing the reader through the timeline of Anna as a youth to adulthood.

      I love how realistic and relatable her story is by how we are brought along a journey of child in foster care, absentee father in prison, young woman trying to make her way in a challenging world.

      The narrator used so much emotion and passion that each character was brought to life so beautifully.

      My rating:

      ?????
    • 5/5
      well developed characters that came to life. with little physical description, I became involved with all of them deeply caring for Anna.
    • 5/5
      Fantastic book from start to finish. I could not put away.
    • 5/5
      I totally loved this book. Not always easy, because being an abandoned child is a very sad experience, but a most tremendously positive, uplifting and enjoyable story nevertheless. And I would so love to have a friend like Kate.
    • 3/5
      It is the first Penny Parkes book and it was good, kept me listening all the way through
    • 5/5
      Vivid descriptions of her travels, and the characters she meets
    • 5/5
      Well written story, but the end moved a bit slowly for my taste.
    • 4/5
      Great story about going wherever the journey of life takes you, yet still finding your way home- even if it’s one you have to create for yourself. Great variety of characters that you shape both the story and the development of the main character.
    • 5/5
      Really good listen. I love the friendship amongst a life of strife
    • 4/5
      4.5 the abrir ending made me drop half a star as it was quite a long book to leave things they way it did. I hope everyone gets a friend like Kate in their life. And can grow the way Anna grows in spite of everything. And can be as strong as Callie. These women are inspiring and I hope one day resemble them.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Whilst I'm appreciative of the fantastic narration. I feel like all the penash and pizzazz of this book would have hit and sunk into me if I read it.