Book Review: "Here, Home, Hope" by Kaira Rouda

I’ve just read a new book by first-time novelist Kaira Rouda.

“Here, Home, Hope” focuses on one season in the life of midwestern housewife, Kelly Johnson. She’s happily married to her lawyer husband and is the mother of two sons who are gone to camp for the whole summer.

Kelly has just had a breast cancer scare and is nearing the big 4-0. In an effort to take charge of and improve her life, she’s instituting a list of “Things To  Change” on Post-It notes.

Over the summer she will start a business, learn secrets she never wanted to know and help a teenage girl in a life-or-death crisis, all while implementing her “T2C” notes.

Will she have time to change her own life while she’s so embroiled in the problems of others?

Since I’m emerging from my own mid-life crisis, I strongly identified with Kelly. You reach a time when you are done having babies and the kids you do have don’t need you so much anymore.

You’re still young enough to follow your dreams and discover your passions, but how do you go about that, exactly?

In other ways, I found Kelly whiny and pretentious. Many of her problems are those only an upper-middle class midwesterner would have. Will she run into the mean room mom during her $200+ salon appointment?

Kelly’s final list of Things To Change is printed in the back of the book, along with the related Bigger Idea that can be applied to every reader’s life. This was helpful, and reminded me of Gretchen Rubin’s “The Happiness Project“, which I really liked.

Have you seen book trailers? They are like little mini-films giving you the flavor of a new or upcoming novel. Check out the one for “Here, Home, Hope”:

Where to buy the book.

This novel is a good choice for a book club or a beach read. There’s a rather large cast of characters, but not too many that you lose track. I thought this made the story feel more authentic. In most books the characters don’t seem to have extended families or know their neighbors.

I’d rate this book somewhere between three and four stars, out of five. I’d read the author’s next book. I think she gets hopes and aspirations of women in their prime and in transition.

Author Kaira Rouda is traveling the country this summer. Look for a book signing in your area.

I was provided a copy of this book by One2One network. All opinions are my own.

Would you like to win my copy of the book? I’d describe it as lightly used. I never break the spine of a book, but it has been carried around to dance lessons and read.

Just leave me a comment and I’ll pick a winner on Thursday, June 23. So people in Canada (barring Quebec) have a shot, please tell me the most recent book you’ve read.

The one that impresses me the most wins.

To win you must be over 18 and in the U.S. or Canada and I must be able to contact you.