Review: A Place Called Home

Book Review: A Place Called Home, by Jo Goodman


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When Thea Wyndham and Mitchell Baker learn they've been named joint guardians for their late friends' three children, they're little more than acquaintances. Barely polite acquaintances, at that. Something about Mitch's forthright intensity has always left ad exec Thea feeling off-balance, while Mitch makes no secret of his disdain when Thea offers him financial assistance if he'll take sole guardianship.

Thea is far from heartless. She's just plain terrified of her new parenting responsibilities. Both she and Mitch are romantically involved with other people. Yet the more time they spend together, the less certain she is of her loyalties. There are complications and missteps, tears and laughter--lots of it. And somehow, through it all, the dawning realization that the last place she thought she'd find herself could be just where she belongs...

Genre: contemporary romance

Publishing date: December 2011

Mature content: yes

Review: A Place Called Home is a sweet, heartwarming romance novel. Mitch and Thea accepted to be godparents to their best friends Gabe and Kathy's children without giving it much thought. They always made sure they were present in the kids' lives but never really expected to be called to fulfill their duties as replacement parents. When Gabe and Kathy pass away unexpectedly in a car accident, Mitch and Thea find themselves with the hard task of having to raise eleven year old Emilie and five year old twins Case and Grant. Together.

At the time the story starts, Mitch is single, but dating a younger woman who seems to love the children but resents the fact that they take away too much time and they barely manage to have an evening for themselves anymore (welcome to parenthood!). Thea is engaged to be married to an older man, with adult children of his own and no interest whatsoever in raising someone else's children. 

I confess that the initial pages of the book made me really angry because I kept feeling sorry for the poor kids who lost their parents and then seem to be unwanted by both Thea and Mitch. As the story progressed, though, Mitch redeemed himself in the best way possible, and I came to perfectly understand Thea's reasons and the difficulties she had to overcome herself. 

My only complaint about this book is the fact that no-one seems to be concerned with car seats for the twins, which I found odd. My five year old does not ride in a car without a car seat (neither does my eight year old, for that matter), so this was something that really bothered me. It's obviously a small detail that does not affect the story in any way, but I'm picky like that when I read books.

In any case, more than the romance between Mitch and Thea, A Place Called Home is a story of acceptance and personal growth. Mitch and Thea have to learn about each other, have to be friends and come together to care for the children. The fact that that friendship ends up to be something more feels like a natural progression of the story. Neither Mitch nor Thea are perfect, they make mistakes as all parents inevitably do, but they love the children and they do their best for them. 



Nothing is forced, nothing sounds unrealistic and that's why the romance is so believable. It is what makes such a long book so easy to read. And in the end, you'll feel just as happy as the characters when they get their much deserved happily ever after. Totally recommended!


Happy Wednesday,

the book worm, book blog

Comments

  1. What a fascinating premise! I think I'd enjoy it except for the mature content. I so appreciate how you always give a heads-up on that! Thanks for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com!
    Tina

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